Shay A

@Delectable Wine: This is the Montagu Charles Heintz vineyard Chardonnay. I didn’t see it in the database.

My first taste of Weston’s expression of a favorite vineyard of mine, Charles Heintz. This is to date, my favorite Chardonnay he’s made. No score as I am biased.

I enjoy Weston’s Chardonnays on the young side as he makes no secret that these are ready to go on release (even though I’ve had some great 10yr old examples). For this expression, it checks off all the boxes. I get that kiss of botrytis that the vineyard is known for with so much tropical fruit (guava, especially). Gold in the glass, big and rich on the palate but the back end has such great site specific character with the acidity, tropical fruit and punchy finish. Whereas his Ritchie is savory, this is the antithesis…guava, candied lemon, whipped lemon cream, honeysuckle. This is closer to a DuMol Isobel style than it is a Littorai CHeintz style. — 12 days ago

Shay A

9.6

I’ve been fortunate to have tried a few vintages of Scarecrow, but have never had the opportunity to sit down and simply enjoy a bottle from start to finish. I acquired this 2012 with that exact intention (and also to share with my father-in-law, who is the reason I have a passion for wine).

A hallmark for Scarecrow (in my opinion) is a weightless gravitas. How Celia can craft a Cabernet that is consistently so elegant and supremely balanced is beyond me. 2012, being an excellent Napa vintage, and entering its 10yr age had me thinking this would be pop and pour…wrong! Lots of youthful exuberance here. More red/black than purple in the glass. Slightly high toned dark-berry fruits, currant, floral notes (violets) and graphite. The entry and mid-palate again have this gorgeous weight…added notes of dark cocoa and espresso, but mostly a balanced core of dark fruits. The finish sports quite a grip (even after two hours), but it sure was fun to still taste the wine almost 30 seconds later! Decant 2hrs if opening now, or hold for another 5-7yrs to enjoy this type of profile. — a month ago

Shay A

9.3

Shay had this 2 months ago

with Paul

Shay A

9.3

My 2016 Rivers Marie Pinots are about gone…SummaOV is left. Occidental, Silver Eagle and SummaOV are always my favorites. I’m between a 93-94 here.

Great example of a Pinot that has a lot of power but plenty of balance. Deep black cherry colored in the glass but the aromatics are much more savory than expected. There’s an animalistic/feral quality to this initially (that I love) showing a smoked meat flair alongside dark blood orange and ripe black cherries. Commanding mouthfeel and great acidity. Continual back and forth of dark berry fruit and savory/herbal notes. The use of whole cluster is noticeable but it does a good job complimenting the wine (more high toned) and not taking center stage (as in, not overly stemmy/green). Wonderful lengthy finish. More brooding and savory than Silver Eagle but certainly not in the vein of a “cab lovers pinot” style. This was delicious and likely hangs in this window for at least 5+yrs. — 15 days ago

Shay A

9.2

Followed over two days. I’m not much of a SauvBlanc enthusiast anymore, but I still appreciate well-made offerings, and this certainly checks off the boxes.

For me, this lands in-between Bordeaux Blanc style and your typical, run-of-the-mill Cali SB. 90/10 SB/Semillon, this is a balanced and chiseled new-world SauvBlanc that plays to its strengths. It doesn’t try to be an aromatic and texturally seductive Bordeaux Blanc style, nor is it a watered-down afterthought. Gooseberry, lemon meringue, limestone and distinct grapefruit aromatics. Fleshed out a tiny bit on day two, but I don’t see the palate evolving much with more age aside from less acidity. Not quite tropical on the palate, yet it does have orchard fruits and a nervy mineral-laced acid-grip at the finish. Enjoy now and over the next few years. — a month ago

Shay A

9.2

A producer I’m not familiar with. Les Combettes combines the intensity of Puligny with the generosity of the Meursault Charmes, which it borders.

I slow ox’ed this for an hour or so before enjoying half the bottle, then re-corked the second half for the next day. Definitely no pre-mox here, thankfully. Day one sported a mellow profile…medium bodied with honeysuckle, lemon oil dripped over limestone, and a high acid quick finish. Day two showed really nice improvement…channeled a bit of a Mersault flair with its richer/more rounded texture showing lemon-honey and sea salt popcorn. I’d hold this 3-5 more years. — a month ago

Shay A

Shay had this 2 months ago

with Paul

Shay A

9.4

My last bottle. When it comes to big house producers, Charles Heidsieck may very well be my favorite. This 2006 rosé has 8-10% still red wine in it, and spent about seven years before disgorgement.

This was opened alongside a Ulysse Collin Les Maillons (which is one of my favorite grower champagnes, yet I’m out at their increasing price point). The inherit sweetness here is so divine. More balanced than the bottle I opened 2-3yrs ago, yet more compact than the 2007 I opened a few months ago. Required about an hour to come in to its own. Salmon-colored in the glass with an intoxicating nose…strawberry shortbread, toasted pastries (cranberry scone), faint limestone. Typical CHeidsieck palate with richness but great focus…turns a bit darker red fruit driven but already possesses a mature-profile with nougat and spiced red fruits at the finish. Definitely some flair of orange zest too. Benchmark vintage rosé! — a month ago

Shay A

9.5

When I purchased this five years ago, it was without a doubt the nicest bottle of Bordeaux I owned. 2001 was a good vintage for certain producers, and with Haut Brion being my favorite first growth, I wanted to have one of these with some age to see how they evolve. I slow ox’ed for 1-2hrs, consumed from bottle over the next three hours, and saved the last quarter for the next day.

Amongst quite a few first growths (and a ‘94 and ‘04 Haut Brion) this held its own. Compared to HB, it doesn’t have that brooding power and deep fruit core as intensely, but it wasn’t too far behind. More red fruit/black cherry than the dominant black I normally get with HB. Potpourri, baked black cherries, and cherry pipe tobacco showed strong on both days. No reductive funk to blow off. Faint notes of mocha, scorched earth and peppered strip, but it meshes with the cassis and grippy herbal tannic finish. What I didn’t expect was how vibrant the acidity was on both days. A beautiful example of high quality Bordeaux, and one I wish I had more of. — a month ago

Shay A

9.5

Shay had this 2 months ago

with Paul