Joel Lara

9.7

Upon opening this was fairly reticent, with subdued flavors and a thinness on the palate. After a short 45 min-1 hour in the decanter it opened up nicely, with dark cherries, roasted red plums, earthy tar notes, aged balsamic, and menthol on the nose. The palate mirrors the nose, with additional layers of anise, cloves, orange rind, and hints of dried violets emerging over time. A silky smooth mouthfeel gives way to a slight dryness from the tannins. The finish is long, with a lovely mix of smoky meat, mushrooms, leather, and saline minerality lingering on the palate. Med/full bodied with med+ acidity. As expected, paired wonderfully with ribeye and roasted wild mushrooms. — 20 hours ago

Joel Lara

9.2

PnP. Raspberry, cranberry, plums, and dried herbs on the nose. On the palate, the same flavors come through, and with time in the glass, florals and cardamom with underlying hints of cloves and allspice emerge. Nice finish, with the floral and cardamom flavors lingering. Overall really tasty, but required time in the glass to open up. Probably would benefit from a short decant. — 8 days ago

Joel Lara

8.9

Good weeknight wine. Red fruit and spice with underlying earthiness. Has nice richness on the palate, although not very complex. Medium+ acidity, medium- bodied, and smooth tannins. — 24 days ago

Joel Lara

8.9

This is a med+ bodied, pleasantly crisp and tangy chardonnay from Piemonte. Has lemon, green apple, mineral notes, and slight hints of hazelnut with a nice finish. Unfortunately, did not have the robustness to pair well with sockeye salmon, but still tasty on its own. — 5 days ago

Joel Lara

9.0

So good. Cherry, earth, and spice. Smooth on the palate. Paired well with ricotta cavatelli with sweet Italian sausage and broccoli rabe. I’d had the Vajra Rosso but not their Langhe Nebbiolo, so had to get the half bottle when I saw it on the menu, especially after @Tegan Marriott ‘s review a few days ago. — 6 days ago

Joel Lara

8.9

Vibrant, concentrated lemon notes with a mineral backbone. Tasty, lemony finish. Not a lot of complexity, but really yummy. — 18 days ago

Joel Lara

9.2

This is a full bodied wine providing intense, concentrated flavors of blueberries, raspberries, violets, and cassis, with an underlying layer of dried herbs. It has quite high tannins that provide a chalky mouthfeel, but it’s balanced nicely by med/high acidity. On the finish, notes of earthy bitter chocolate accompany the fruit and violets, and the tannins provide just a slightly drying mouthfeel. I think this wine would go well with something robust like ribeye, lamb, or smoked ribs/brisket. I had it with sausage and mushroom pizza, and after the first glass it became a bit too much. — a month ago

Joel Lara

9.4

Outstanding. Nectarine, apricot, candied orange peel, and wildflower honey saturate the palate. Not overly sweet at all, with acidity and sweetness in perfect balance. Finish is super long, with apricot honey notes lingering on the palate seemingly indefinitely. Great finish to meal, and paired perfectly with Madeira-caramelized fig tart with cardamom ice cream. — 6 days ago

Joel Lara

9.2

Made with 70% Xarel-lo and 30% Macabeo in the Penedes, this is beautifully expressive, with brioche, butterscotch, and roasted almonds on the nose. Hints of citrus and crushed flowers peek out with time. On the palate the flavors mirror the nose, and a vibrant acidity comes through as well. Mouthfeel is creamy, and finish is long, with brioche and mineral notes lingering on the palate. Aged 95 months on the lees. Paired well with swordfish braised with tomatoes and sweet yellow peppers. — 13 days ago

Joel Lara

9.2

This is Fratelli Alessandria’s Comune di Verduno, and vintage is 2021. This is an elegant Barolo showing beautifully after some time in the glass. Cherry and strawberry preserves wrapped in anise, tar, and cloves. Tannins still have a very slight grippiness towards the finish, but more than manageable. Paired perfectly with ribeye, but was even good on day 2 with scrambled eggs finished with truffle butter and parmesan with a side of asparagus. — a month ago