Isaac Pirolo

9.2

Isaac had this 3 days ago

with April, Jeff and 1 other

Isaac Pirolo

9.1

Alsace’s Domaine Schieferkopf is Michel Chapoutier’s joint venture with four friends devoted to producing white wine from the Rhine Valley. It’s the only venture where Chapoutier works with Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Sylvaner.

Schieferkopf means slate topped and its vineyards are situated on steep slopes near the village of Bernardvillé and on the only strip of blue schist in Alsace. Like all Chapoutier estates, it is managed under organic and biodynamic principles.

If Robert Parker liked rocks more than fruit he would call the 2012 Via Saint-Jacques Riesling a high octane, full throttle, hedonistic, ROCK-bomb. Rocks for days and charged with acidity. Beyond the rocks, there’s smoke, pineapple, lime, citrus peel, peach skin, and some secondary almond.

Another excellent example of dry Riesling and one that would appeal to many a Sauvignon Blanc drinker. I genuinely feel bad for all those people who don’t drink Riesling because they still think it’s only a sweet wine. — 8 days ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.5

Birdie: You opened my last 2011 Bevan Ontogeny, didn’t you.
Me: Damn right I did.
Birdie: Woof you. — 11 days ago

with Stuart

Isaac Pirolo

9.1

Château Lafleur-Gazin is situated between Château Lafleur and Château Gazin, and its immediate neighbor is Petrus - I bet that’s one hell of a neighborhood potluck. Currant, cocoa, fig, graphite, and cedar, with a bitter coffee streak that runs through it. — 6 days ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.4

This recently caught my eye, mostly because it was a $75 bottle of rosé — it’s rare to come across any rosé more than $40 (aside from Champagne), but also because of its distinctive design (I should’ve trademarked the drip).

The origin of Château Minuty dates to the early 18th century. The Matton-Farnet family has owned the estate since 1936, with its third generation, brothers Jean-Etienne and François Matton currently at the helm.

The Château’s vineyards are situated on limestone and schist hills outside the Provençal village of Gassin and overlooking the bay and city of Saint-Tropez. They exclusively produce rosé.

For their cuveé 281, a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault, the Mattons enlisted Hubert de Malherbe to design the bottle, who worked on several Veuve Clicquot designs as well as Dior perfume bottles and stores. The blue is said to represent the Mediterranean Sea and sky, both of which have significant influence in shaping the wine’s character. The exact shade of blue is Pantone 281.

The wine opens with melon, citrus peel, and stone fruit, all of which translate through to the palate. That’s where the intensity ratchets up, with pungent, rocky minerality set against a backdrop of herbs and a generous seasoning of sea salt. Everything melds together before taking the long ride home on a bright beam of acid. Superb. — 9 days ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.2

Isaac had this 11 days ago

with April, Jeff and 1 other

Isaac Pirolo

9.1

Isaac had this 6 days ago

with April, Jeff and 1 other

Isaac Pirolo

9.0

Isaac had this 7 days ago

with April, Jeff and 1 other

Isaac Pirolo

8.5

Isaac had this 10 days ago

with Lisa and Stuart

Isaac Pirolo

9.1

Isaac had this 11 days ago

with April, Jeff and 1 other