Jay Kline

9.0

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 2021 pours a deep ruby color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of black cherry, plum, scorched earth, animale and inorganic minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. An intensely smoky wine. Drink now through. 2041. — 3 days ago

Jay Kline

8.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2023 Chianti Classico pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with Montmorency cherry, rubber hose, and dry earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is medium. Drink now through 2033+ — 5 days ago

Jay Kline

8.9

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of dinner. No formal notes due to the setting. The “Gaun” Chardonnay is more of a gastronomic wine with a nice balance of fruits and non-fruit characteristics and saline minerals. Solid. Went well with the Branzino. Drink now. — 5 days ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Splash decanted about 90min prior to service. The 2022 “Les p’tits bouts” pours a deep purple color with an opaque core; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with wild notes of brambles, dried purple flowers, animale, wet rocks, minerals, funky herbs and spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and packed with rocky minerals giving a tart, Fun Dip sensation. It’s maybe a touch mousy, retro-nasally (and considering the winemaker and his mentor, it’s somewhat understandable). Perhaps this bottle went a little rogue, (previous experience with this vintage was a touch cleaner) but still giving the sense of place and loads of delight! Drink now with patience through 2042+. — 6 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

This is the Mount Veeder “GSC”.

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 2021 pours a deep ruby with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of Bing cherries and mixed brambles along with red flowers, red rope licorice, and a mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. A more interesting (to me) offering from Chateau Potelle. Drink now through 2036. — 3 days ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of dinner. No formal notes due to the setting. The 2021 “Bicunsio” is a slightly more lifted and elegant expression compared to Fongoli’s Montefalco Rosso annata (which has a bit more bass). Clean and balanced. Impressive with the Vitello Saltimbocca. Drink now through 2036+. — 5 days ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of dinner. No formal notes due to the setting. I really like this wine, on its own and especially with our meal. This was a clean, balanced, extremely accessible expression of low-intervention, Montefalco Rosso. It doesn’t have the depth of Bea’s wines but I wasn’t expecting that either. It is however, true to its place. I wouldn’t hesitate to drink this again. A baller pairing with the Abbacio alla Scottadito. Drink now through 2030+. — 6 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 2017 “Rutherford Dust” pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of black currants, brambles, plum, tobacco, grilled Poblano, purple flowers and fine baking spices. In the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Drink now through 2037. Bottle No. 1965 — 5 days ago

Jay Kline

9.0

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of dinner. No formal notes due to the setting. This bottle of the 2024 “Raphael” is certainly a more wild expression of Cesanese del Piglio. It’s bright and fresh with good structure and worked well with both the Rigatoni alla Carbonara and Romanesco. I can dig it. Drink now. — 5 days ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep purple color with an opaque core and a magenta rim with little to no variation; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears and no signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of slightly funky mixed brambles, purple flowers, black olive, cures meat, inorganic earth and a gentle mix of cool and warm spices. It’s like an adolescent Frenchman at a delicatessen eating a muffuletta sandwich. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. The alcohol is medium.

Initial conclusions: this is a Syrah, Tempranillo, GSM-blend (with a heavy dose of Syrah), Merlot (or based blend), or maybe even a Malbec from France, Spain, the United States, Australia, Chile or Argentina. But I’m not getting pyrazines here, I’m getting rotundone. So I’m eliminating Bordeaux varieties. And, I’m getting so much rotundone that I’m eliminating Tempranillo too. Could this be a GSM? I don’t think so. The ABV seems more restrained and it’s hitting all the Syrah hallmarks from its cultural hearth so, I’m eliminating the New World. I’m taking this to France. It is practically screaming Northern Rhône and from a place that’s known for aromatics without the lavish use of oak (so Hermitage is out). It doesn’t have the feral qualities I generally associate with Cornas, nor the brilliant elegance I get from Côte Rôtie. So it comes down to Saint-Joseph or Croze-Hermitage and I like the former here. Final Conclusion: this is Syrah from France, from the Rhône, Saint-Joseph, from a warm, relatively recent vintage like 2020. How about that! A tasty fastball right down the middle of the plate! Drink now through 2037. — 6 days ago