Pietroso
Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2013
For some reason this app insists that the 2018 is the 2013. I can’t seem to correct it. But I opened the 2018 on Nov of 2024.
Nice but not great. Lots of herbaceous scents on the nose plus a mild scent of leather. A wee bit of red fruit on the front. Medium tannic structure. Lots of lemony high notes kick in on the mid palate. hints of mint on the finish. This is a well-balanced wine, and there’s nothing objectionable about it. But it’s in no way memorable. — 22 days ago
Pierre Amadieu
Romane Machotte Gigondas Red Blend 2017
Not as good as the 2016. Allspice on the nose. Cassis and plums on the front. Light to medium tannic structure that’s slightly abrasive on the mid palate. There are some sour high notes on the finish that are a bit offputting, but the tannins transition from abrasive to silky on the back of the tongue. I guess I shouldn’t be so critical because most wine isn’t this good but after the 2016 I was expecting something better. — a month ago
Quintas das Touquinheiras
Nostalgia Vinho Verde Albariño
Definitely a 9. Apricots and caramel on the nose. Buttery mouthfeel. Faint taste of green apples on the front. Crisp notes on the mid palate with a refreshing acidic finish. — 12 days ago
Clos Malverne
Heron's Nest Chardonnay Reserve 2017
2017 opened 2024. Strange but lovely. I normally hate Chardonnay, but this is quite interesting—maybe because it was sitting in a cupboard for years? Citrus with hint of red licorice on nose. Apricots and pineapple on the front. Lots of zip on the mid palate (reminds me of a Sauvignon blan). And it has a long lasting mineral finish. Damn! This is nice! — 25 days ago
Poseidon
Vinho Tinto Red Wine
Very strange — but nice. “4th Edition” - This may be the 2018 vintage, but it was released in 2022 after it spent part of the previous year (a 135 days) in a ship’s hold from Portugal to the Grand Banks and back again. Definite scent of sea salt on the nose as well as tobacco and cumin. Very delicate taste of red fruit on the front of the palate. Medium-light tannic structure holds this wine together. An intense wave of high notes washes over the tongue on the mid palate. I detect buttery green olives, membrillo (quince paste), and a hint of sea salt. More of the same on the finish, but less so. And finish seems short except for a brief reprise of these flavors a few moments after the swallow. — 2 months ago
Tormaresca
Carrubo Primitivo di Manduria 2013
2019 vintage opened Dec 2024. Delectable keeps insisting this is the 2013, but it’s the 2019. Dried cherries with a hint of leather on the nose. Strawberries on the front, but its heavy tannic structure somewhat offsets the fruitiness of this wine. The fruit carries into the mid palate, but its sweetness is removed by some bitter endnotes with an acidic finish. If you like full-bodied California Zins you’ll like this wine. Wines like this are not my cup of tea anymore, but I can appreciate what the winemaker is doing with this grape. — 11 days ago
Ruffino
Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 2020
2020 opened 2024. Meh. This is a decent table wine, but it’s not very interesting. Leather and pomegranate on the nose. A hint of red fruit on the front. Light tannic structure. Mineral high notes that are suggestive of volcanic soils (but I’m pretty sure the grapes weren’t grown in volcanic soils). That’s a plus for me, but there isn’t much else in this wine that interests me. Short finish. — 24 days ago
Law Estate Wines
Intrepid Paso Robles Syrah
2017 opened 2024. Lovely! Juniper, rosemary and blackberries on the nose. Succulent black fruit on the front, but the tannic structure doesn’t let this wine become insipid. Almost immediately I tasted the high notes of the distinctive Law estate calcaire. Its tannic structure is full and silky smooth and full. High and low notes play counterpoint on the mid palate and the finish. Low notes of dark chocolate. Mineral high notes—flint and limestone—that continue vibrating on the extremely-long finish.
I generally avoid 100% Syrah, because like pure Merlot it can tend to be one-dimensional and uninteresting without the addition of other grapes. But Intrepid breaks out of the Syrah mold. — 2 months ago
Wulf Losee
Damn, that’s good!
i’ve rated this wine before – this exact vintage – and I gave it lower ratings. I don’t know if this wine is just improving with age or my taste buds are changing, but this is among the top Pinots I’ve ever had. I’m giving it a 9.6 this time around. This is the best that Willamette has to offer. And it’s better than 99% of the other Pinots I’ve tasted. If you like tight pucker-arsed Pinots this is NOT for you. Absolutely luscious! — 2 days ago