Paul T- Huntington Beach

9.6

New L’ Aventure Vineyard White,
50% Grenache 50% Roussanne
I can’t think of another white from Paso that I enjoyed more🤔
Very limited unfortunately

2021 L'Aventure | White Blend | Paso Robles
50% Roussanne | 50% Grenache Blanc
Whole cluster pressed | 25% new French oak
$95 - Preferred Pricing
$105 - Retail Pricing
Vineyards: L'Aventure Vineyard Roussanne and L'Aventure Vineyard Grenache Blanc
Stanley’s notes: This wine reminds me so much of Chapoutier’s Le Méal Blanc. Although it has no Marsanne in it, it carries a great waxy undertone on the nose with subtle green almonds and limestone at the base. Up front you get white jasmine, peach, pineapple, and mandarin aromas. These are just the subtleties of the wine. The true core of the wine is a monstrosity. Dense, concentrated and authoritative, it’s no summertime sipper. This wine came into existence to make its presence known, and that’s just what it does. High intensity on the entry and midpalate. Full bodied with seamless round texture and a great support of focused acidity to carry the concentrated fruit flavors. The finish is very long with subtle tannin and minerality. There’s tons of depth on this wine even at this youthful stage. I can see this wine easily holding up for the next 7 - 10 years or longer, but if you’re impatient like me I would recommend treating it like you would a young red wine. Decant and enjoy at room temperature. We’ve found it delivering promise after three hours of air. It’s currently 10:33 pm on Monday August 28th. I’m writing these notes based on a TOP L’Aventure white that we double decanted at 12pm the day before — 4 months ago

Fabian Kühlhorn

9.2

Hay, yellow apple, hazelnuts and iron, a very interesting and oxidative nose. Medium bodied and not nearly the acidity levels of a Champagne, for example. But it works just fine. Hard attack from the mousse in the mouth. Three years on the lees, about five years of bottle age since disgorgement. For about 33€, this is amazing, would definitely buy again. — 3 years ago

with Fredric and Nicolas

Shay A

9.3

My bottle of choice for a northern Rhône themed tasting with the WNH.

Knowing this is young for La Chapelle, I double decanted this for a little over two hours before my first sip. Talk about a brick wall. Both aromatically and on the palate, this was not giving at all. At the three hour mark, clove, licorice and all spice showed up on the nose alongside tart rhubarb and a sanguine character on the palate. Both sadly (and thankfully), at hour five in the decanter, this was like a boxer who had been lulling me to sleep with body shots and then suddenly started taking hook shots to the face. Hello! This really flexed its muscles when paired with bolognese. The wine gained a floral/violet/potpourri nose with a touch of black pepper and herbs de Provence. The weight and density bulked up and it channeled a touch of meat and pepper, tar, black cherries and underripe blackberries. Acidity was energetic throughout the evening and the tannins increased by the last glass.

If opening now, I’d decant at least 4+hrs, or hold off another 5-7yrs. — 3 years ago

S.S. Mandani

9.7

Really, really, really good. Stands up to Lush by Frost. The best. — a year ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Brought to tasting group and presented double-blind. The 2012 Roc de Cambes pours a deep garnet with moderate staining of the tears. There is a little bit of sediment sticking to the side of the glass. Medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is high intensity. It smells like a leather shop with stewed mixed fruits: figs, dates, a little cow pie, tootsie roll, violets, fresh potting soil, herbs, and baking spice. On the palate, the wine is dry and medium+ across the board. Desiccated fruit with raspberries folding into the aforementioned fruit. Some pyrazines and mushrooms with organic earth. Long finish. A gorgeous wine! My second of three and better than my first bottle from four years ago. Drinking well now and I expect it to do so over the next ten years. — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Part of a double-blind, side-by-side between the 2017 Sandlands Mataro, which also happens to be from Contra Costa County. Opened and allowed both bottles to slow-ox about three hours prior to our guests arriving. Slightly deeper in color. The nose was lingonberries and dusty earth. On the palate, there were plums and spices. This comes across more round than the Sandlands and has the silkiest of deliveries. Medium tannins but they seemed to grow as time went on.

Given the structure, I expect these to continue aging very well. At this stage, this comes across as a very elegant wine. The Oakley Road Vineyard is own-rooted and dry-farmed; planted 117 years ago. 352 cases. — 3 years ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.2

We tasted a lot of wines in #montalcino and this is the bottle we bought to take home with us. Delicious and generous. #brunello ANNUAL PRODUCTION:
30.000/35.000 bott.
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PRODUCTION AREA:
The vineyards are in the hills of Montalcino, at different heights and with a sun exposure until sunset. The age of the vineyards from which we select the grapes destined to produce Brunello is more than 20 years. Average altitude of the vineyards: 250 mt s.l.m.
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SOIL:
Tuffaceous clay, very rich in fossils.
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GRAPE VARIETY:
Large Sangiovese 100%.
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TRAINING SYSTEM:
bilateral and balanced cordon.
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DENSITY FOR HECTARE:
5.500
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PRODUCTION SYSTEM:
The vineyards are subject to thinning of bunches, the average criteria is, in good vintages, three bunches of five stay on. The grapes thus obtained are further selected in the cellar, where they are processed according to the old tradition. It proceeds to intense extraction in the early stages of fermentation, followed by long quiescent maceration on the marc; the maximum temperature is raised up to 33 °C and maintained at high values until the racking. The ageing in wood lasts 36 months in oak barrels from Slavonia hl 17.50. It follows bottle ageing for 12 months far beyond the mandatory minimum of four months from production regulations. — 4 years ago

Jay Kline

9.5

The three of us from Omaha were presented this wine upon arrival, double-blind fashion in large burgundy-style glasses. The appearance was a burnished gold color with slight visual signs of gas only when agitated. On the nose, there are signs of oxidization with a slightly cheesy and nutty thing on the nose along with some bruised apple and pear. The palate was like fireworks. Layers of fruits, nuts, spices and the creamiest of textures. At first, based on the smell and the appearance, I thought this might be a vintage Champagne, 1996 or even possibly 1990. However, after tasting it, I was compelled to shift direction as it reminded me of some of the more remarkable NV wines made in a solera-style like Bereche “Reflan d’Antan” or Selosse “Initial”. Welp…basically nailed it. How I wish this wine could be in my life more often. — 2 years ago

Shay A

9.5

I double decanted this for about an hour then consumed from bottle over the next three.

I’ve had most of the Saxum offerings, but I don’t think I’ve had Broken Stones before, yet it’s just absolutely killer like every other Saxum I’ve had. Deeply purple/black in the glass with aromatics of roasted blueberries and blackberries that are then dipped in dark chocolate, alongside smoked meat. I never know how else to describe it, but certain high quality Paso Rhône style blends have this airy/weightless-jammy flair to them, which I love…definitely present here. Coiled up at first but as the evening moved on, the layers kept unfolding with notes of charcoal, spiced dark fruits, cherry jerky. Perfect balance of acidity & tannin.

Best in 2-3yrs, but quite enjoyable with 3-4hrs of air now. — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Part of a double-blind, side-by-side between the 2017 Once & Future Mataro, “Oakley Road” which also happens to be from Contra Costa County. Opened and allowed both bottles to slow-ox about three hours prior to our guests arriving. As typical with Sandlands wines, this was a pretty little thing to behold in the glass. Bright ruby with a magenta rim. The nose is vigorous with loads of fresh mixed fruits; drupes and stone fruits with a sort of middle eastern spice that immediately reminded me of the mandi rice dishes that use saffron, cumin and tumeric. Drop dead gorgeous! On the palate, fresh plums, dried herbs, a dash of pepper. The finish is long and tannic with great acid.

This is a slightly more faceted wine than the O&F at this stage. It can’t help but take over a room with its distinctive character and compelling energy. The vineyard was planted in the 1920's and only 4 barrels were produced. 13.9% alc. — 3 years ago