ESF

9.3

Sleeper! Can’t recall what I paid for this, but it was stunning: immediately showed gorgeous notes of all manner of red fruit & cassis, strong vein of minerality along with sweet schisty soil, loam, clay, spice, white pepper a ton of other notes. Reminded of CDP and Gigondas. Such purity, beautiful old vine material handled well - oak accented/enhanced - all polish & a fine cut. Captivating complexity as it unwound over the course of a couple of hours. Dead sexy — 7 days ago

ESF

9.3

Winner! Been awhile since I’ve been “wowed” by a wine, but this really delivered. It’s everything special about southern France, it’s not a huge wine and had a bit of heat that dissipated by Night 2, but the aromatics and flavor profile was just so spot on, so beautifully complex & engaging, so regionally specific - it was like a textbook. Believe this was about $20 give or take and I’m going back for a case. — 22 days ago

ESF

9.0

Great find from Friuli - an underrated region for BDX varietals: this showed its age w/bricking edges to its deep ruby color, wafting dusty herbal tinged red fruit, currants & cassis, peppery and just a bit squirrely, very engaging nose & flavorful palate. Med bodied, easy going, pliable tannins and enough acidity to keep things moving. Drink now — a month ago

ESF

9.1

Interesting rendition of Syrah from Spain: blind I would say Monastrell - really dark & inky, wafty nose of dark fruit, deeply ripe, smoky, gnarly, as it gained air it threw some cocoa & spices, coffee, musty attic, old books, pepper. Rich broad across palate, touch hot - ripe verging on baked black fruit compote, baking spices. Decent length on finish. — 8 days ago

ESF

8.8

Not the best RDP I’ve had but still pretty solid and glad to see these wines in the market. Inky w/wafting dark fruit aromas, smoky, peppery, bit of animal/iodine minerality to it, on the palate it is fleshy & supple and this is where it fell off a bit for me. Aromas didn’t translate but nice mouthfeel and decent finish. — 17 days ago

ESF

8.5

Whoa, whole lot of oak going on here, really overwhelming… nice weight, golden colored, silky, bit viscous, some matchstick & toasted notes & flavors, but fruit was simply overpowered. — 24 days ago

ESF

8.6

Love this varietal but not here: lacked clarity, extraction & depth. Inky had the tobacco coffee mocha brambly fruit of PS but it was not pronounced or delineated. Lacked structure & finesse, pliable drinkable but not a serious wine. — 9 days ago

ESF

8.2

Razor sharp angular frothing acidity, this was barely drinkable for my palate: all tart & acid driven fruits: lime, nectarines, gooseberry, etc. Had varietal typicity but tough to finish this — 10 days ago

ESF

8.7

Solid PG built for the masses — 23 days ago

ESF

8.4

Reductive nose never really opened and there was a thin harshness to it on palate & finish. Too 100 of WS but did not see it — a month ago