Madeleine Ray

9.0

Madeleine had this 2 years ago

with Mariko

Madeleine Ray

9.4

Wow! Rich, textural, spiced. Feeling grateful for the opportunity to try this straight from Hungary. Lovely brightness with a deeply complex palate. Rumchata, cinnamon, savory herbs, and juniper. But relatively reserved. Serious aging ability but already showing the classic turpentine and gasoline character. I’ve used it before and I’ll use it again, love the “shoulders back”-ness on this. — 6 years ago

with Gavin

Madeleine Ray

9.3

There’s a phrase used when training for an equitation competition “put your shoulder’s back” - this wine’s shoulders are definitely back. A whiff of brett, a subtle volatility that blows off after the first seconds of pouring, then a graceful integration of silky tannin. Edges of blood orange and balancing acidity keep the structure more linear. Sappy and high toned red fruit, but much more reserved and sultry than the Campbell Ranch vineyard. Also, while it’s most certainly not a “thing”, I’ll suggest it anyways, that fog line altitude lends the wine a cool, cloudy, and almost gloomy character. Towards the end, fully open and rested, a gorgeous milk chocolate and dried lavender note softens the whole nose. Wonderful! — 6 years ago

with Gavin

Madeleine Ray

9.5

Madeleine had this 6 years ago

with Genevieve

Madeleine Ray

9.2

My app crashed as I was finishing my review :(. Starting again let’s see if I can pull it all back. Ok so it begins with a lovely dark fruit, classic Syrah white pepper, and a little lavender on the nose. Silk soft tannin and a balanced structure, neither angular, nor voluptuous. Graphite and petrichor, seductively forest-y without the brett. (Even though I love it) With air it’s opening into a bit of boot polish and mahogany, a soft skirting of nori or something saline, without losing any of that gorgeous dark fruit fleshy character. — 6 years ago

with Gavin

Madeleine Ray

9.3

Wow! Lot more tannic than I was expecting for Beaujolais, but the 2017 harvest was apparently low yield, extremely ripe. This wine is savory; dried lavender and sage on the nose. Black pepper, and red ripe af strawberry preserves on the palate. The carbonic, angular structure gives a deep sultry finish and mineral snap that’s uncommon (at least in the limited experience I’ve had with his wines). I’m a big fan of this unusual profile and vintage. Most likely I will get another bottle to lay down and try again in a few years. — 6 years ago

with Gavin

Madeleine Ray

9.2

Loved this bright fuzzy and shimmering methode ancestral. From Saturday — 6 years ago

Madeleine Ray

9.5

Lovely oyster shell and flint at first pour. Opens into a complex orchestra of buttered hot toast, chamomile, and laundry hanging on the line in the sun. A field of grass gone to seed and a mouthful of crystalline acidity. Gorgeous. Welcome to our new apartment! — 6 years ago

with Gavin

Madeleine Ray

9.5

Oh man. I’m so happy we joined this wine club 😂. This is sublime. Valentine’s Day dinner with fresh herb risotto and perfectly seared scallops was the pairing. The saline and bright acid structure lifted the creamy dense dish perfectly. Wonderfully integrated and soft with the food, round and whipped. After dinner, with oxygen, the back palate develops a soft nuttiness, like flaky pastries, almond extract or hazelnut. Mid palate texture presents itself, balanced and even, while gaining a slightly more angular structure. Love it. — 6 years ago

with Gavin

Madeleine Ray

9.3

We’ve been talking about this producer for a while, so excited to have found the appellation level, even if the vineyard designated bottles are few and far between. Begins with all graphite and granite on the nose, sharp and clean. Opens into reserved fruit on the palate and earthy florals like tulip or orchid. More time in the glass allows for a bit of a saline and meaty character to appear. Whole cluster, but you wouldn’t know it right away, the structure is decidedly not oak tannin, angular, but not overwhelmingly so. Paired with an arrabiata sauce, which softens the white pepper, brings out the red fruit, and surprisingly doesn’t negatively showcase the alcohol content. It’s enticing! Keeps ya checking back for more. — 6 years ago