Proprietor of Free Range Wine & Spirits in Brooklyn, New York; editor at WineGeist.net, and host of the Behind Free Range rare wine tasting series.
While showing a fairly Italian sensibility in several previous pours over the last year or so, if I were tasting this 50/50 Barbera/Merlot blind, I'd probably guess Croatia as its origin, due to the salty tertiary notes that have come to the front of the nose. Medium body, dry red fruit infused with anchovy paste. There's still a ghost of tannic backbone adding a shade of black fruit bite toward the finish. Intriguing juice. — 7 years ago
Solid richness, medium buttery, vibrant acidity, good fruit, dry Asian pear and fluttering tropicals, and just a hint of earthy funk. There's a lot going on here. — 7 years ago
This wine cripples the feeble descriptives of the written word. If it were a Burgundy it would be a $700 bottle, if you could find one. — 7 years ago
Fully mature, peak drinking Pinot, showing some age visually, but striking clarity. Light, but expansive. Dry red and blue fruit up front, lightly funky florals, broad and savory mid-palate, deep, but unobtrusive lingering acid and ancient dried herbs. Really wish this wasn't my last bottle. — 7 years ago
Unexpectedly spritely acidity for a Kabinett of this age. A fair amount of sweetness left, balanced by emerging petrol, earth, and mineral tones. — 7 years ago
Still has good concentration, and reasonably alert acidity, but much more overt oak than all previous tastings. Solid Pinot for its age, but might not reward further cellaring. — 7 years ago
This is the oldest PB I've ever tasted, so these notes come humbly. Thick rich medium gold in the glass. Dry brûlée apricots and apple, faintly creamy. Still just enough acid to let you know it's alive, unexpectedly bright light pineapple acidity. Balanced, long, but subtle, historically significant American white. — 7 years ago
Shocking clarity for its age; no sign of oxidation, not a hint of clouding. Wonderfully bordelaise nose, confoundingly bright acidity, dry red berries, juicy black fruit, tobacco, leather, well preserved tannins just turning toward powdery. Stunning today, but nowhere near the end of its life. Drink or hold. Could slip this into a blind tasting of Bordeaux 5x the price and really piss off some Francophiles. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up. — 7 years ago
Jack Chester
Jack had this a year ago