Ely Cohn

9.1

Rustic and hearty and a little bit boxy until it loosens. It's shy aromatically. Earthy, bing cherries, prunes, and crushed rosemary.

Tannin, structure, and acid seem intact when a little give would do.

Cali wildness that doesn't feel quite as psychedelic as the Chardonnay (see previous note) — 12 days ago

Paul T HB

9.5

Lunch 🥪

K&L notes as follows, Grand Pontet is an interesting property, positioned in the neighborhood of other stars of the appellation such as Châteaux Canon, Beau-Séjour-Bécot and Clos Fourtet. It is, however, a small estate, a mere 14 hectares, and its prices are much better than some of its more prestigious neighbors. In 1980 it was purchased by Gerard and Dominique Bécot, owners of the neighboring Beau-Séjour-Bécot. They have applied the same high standards to both Châteaux in their possession, and their winemaking team crafts Grand Pontet alongside the Beau-Séjour-Bécot wines. Recently purchased in 2021 by Domaines Clarence Dillon (Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, et al.), the property was combined with and incorporated into Château Quintus. Full-bodied and luscious, this Grand Pontet is laden with ripe blackberry fruits, savory tobacco, licorice notes, and ripe, softened tannins. It’s seamless and bold, not shy. It’s going to require something decadent to pair with, such as filet mignon or some other black-tie dish with plenty of flavor and rich umami presence. — 3 years ago

John Malcolm

9.3

I love Dakota Shy wines, and this is an excellent one. Decanted for several hours. Inky dark purple. Full-bodied, rich, and complex. Dark chocolate, plums, cassis, and a hint of vanilla. Long finish. Fabulous now, but still has a lot of cellaring potential. — 4 months ago

Daniel Ciolek

9.2

Burgundy color. Shy nose of cherry and spice. Intense but flavorful on opening and through first evening. Day 2 nose of cherry and roses. Tannins are well balanced leaning towards chewiness. Cherries, cranberries, leather, bark, some mineral, and a hint of dark chocolate on the palate. Moderate density. Fairly long finish with pleasant tingling sensation. — 2 years ago

Collier S. Wiese

9.2

Quintessential to the history of South Dakota was homemade rhubarb wine! This is a great representation of what tartness can do to balance the sweetness inherent in some of the non-grape wines. Like the tart cherry wines of Michigan, this is iconic of South Dakota. Love it! — 3 years ago

Carter Pelham

9.4

*chef's kiss*

For me just shy of an immaculate wine.
Immediately upon opening got a super prominent whiff of stewed vegetal / green peppers aroma. Blew off a bit over time. Flinty and graphite mineral and relatively muted fruit aromas.

Beautiful cherry/cassis/blackberry fruit. Medium body. Relaxed tannins. Lower acidity than I expected. But the finish. Elevated and never ending. One of those wines you never feel compelled to take the next sip, in a good way...you never lose the taste of your last drink.

Second almaviva we've had. Loved them both, very different from the '98. — 4 years ago

with Linh and Larry

Monique Blanchard

9.3

Very good easy drinking — 8 months ago

Austin Hohnke

9.2

Worth a check in at 10 years. Always an outstanding nose. Needed hours of air and still pretty shy, fruit in particular is closed. Paired with NY strip tonight. Have half a case left of this vintage and will check in again in a couple years. — a year ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; no formal notes. A little shy upon opening but after 30min of air, this was bangin’! Montmorency cherry, orange peel, black tea, dry dusty earth, spices. Firm structure. Still quite youthful but undeniably delicious. A wonderful accompaniment to pasta, marinara and panzanella. Drinking very well now with a little air and should continue to do so for another 10+ years. — 3 years ago

Byron C Mayes

9.1

Pale straw gold with silver highlights. Somewhat shy nose of underripe Fuji apple and Asian pear. Firm acidity leads the smoky/flinty light-bodied palate of underripe pome fruit and citrus rind. Remarkably long (8-9 secs) palate cleansing finish. Merciful saints! This is the entry level wine from the Dagueneau portfolio and it makes you want to go higher! Food is, of course, its friend, but if you’re into “sipping culture” this will work for you as well. Seafood (cooked or sushi) is a particularly fine pair, naturally. Drink now through 2027. — 4 years ago