Vanessa

9.3

Happy International Women’s Day!!!!!  Today and every day! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

To celebrate we’re raising a glass with the Oudiette x Filles ‘Les Sablonnières’ Blanc de Noirs, Extra Brut Champagne (NV).🥂🥂

This is a small batch, third-generation woman-owned and -run estate with vigneronne Margot Laurent at the helm (in terms of winemaking) arm-in-arm 💪🏻 with her sister Charlotte and their mother Florence.

It’s made with 100% pinot noir 🍇 , including pinot noir droit (a small-berried Pinot Noir clone), and aged 36 mos, lending complexity and richness.  Aging well beyond the minimum requirements for a non-vintage Champagne. 🕰️

A majority of the primary fermentation occurred in Burgundy oak barrels, subject to ten months aging (élevage) in the same oak barrels, also undergoing bâtonnage.

Oudiette x Filles practices organic farming in its vineyards south of Épernay near the village of Beaunay in the northern part of the Côte des Blancs.

In appearance this wine is pale gold with a fine-beaded and persistent mousse. Aromas and flavors include just-ripe green pear, lemon curd, apple, starfruit, citrus blossom, brioche, almond paste, marzipan, toast, biscuit. The palate is dry with a rich and creamy mouthfeel balanced by vibrantly high-toned fruit and a long, elegant finish. It’s absolutely delicious. — a month ago

with Deked1

Chris McClellan

9.1

Great way to end the nite…plush merlot, black cherry cake, surrounded by American oak….merlot is always winner with Ridge at the helm… — 2 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

An 18th century chateau, overlooking the Isle valley, facing Pomerol and the Saint-Emilion limestone hillsides, belonged to the same family for three centuries took over by Michel Rullier in 1955, and his daughter Brigitte took the helm in 2002. Dark Ruby with an array of berry aromas and smoky scents. On the palate plum and cherry flavors with cacao, tobacco and smoky cedar notes with herb spice. Firm chalky tannins, long finish ending with earthy mineral notes. Still tasting ok, but drink now! — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

The 2nd of two vintage Cape Mentelle wines for Sunday lunch. A medium plus crimson red in colour. Notes of mulberry and herbaceous Margaret River characters. Even at 15 years a whiff of French oak. With time in decanter sweet red and black fruits revealed themselves on the medium plus bodied palate. Finishing with velvety tannins. A classic Margaret River Cabernet from a good vintage - the first of 4 bottles from the cellar. Loved this with a Porterhouse Waygu score of 4. Cape Mentelle was one of the early stars of Margaret River, with David Hohnen at the helm they won 3 Jimmy Watson trophies in a row in the early 1980s. Nowadays owned by LVMH. Had another 52 weeks later on 7th January 2024 with consistent notes. Still have 2 left. Have next in 2025 and then the last one anytime up to 2028. — a year ago

Johnno Harris

9.4

Stunning. So linear, light and bright and impeccably balanced. Delicious. — 2 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.3

Our oldest Denner in the cellar, this still had an impressive amount of fruit and structure given its age. Anthony Yount is doing great things at Denner right now...but some of the earlier vintages before he took the helm ate pretty good, too! — 3 years ago

with Vanessa

Peter Sultan

9.1

First vintage without the merkalbach brothers at the helm, & I’m not bothered at all- in fact has that blend of mouthfeel intensity, lithe & substantial still going for it. I think this drinks more like the sweeter kabinetts out there (that’s a compliment).For about 20$ a screaming bargain as well. — a year ago

Travis W

9.0

Top shelf Riesling. Aging beautifully. Drank over two days. Love aged Canberra district Riesling. Generally I've found that they need at least a decade to integrate. Balance of citrus fruits and talc. So different from Eden and Clare. This will go another decade easily. — 2 years ago

Kevin

9.3

Fantastic cooler graves vintage. Tertiary aromas really coming through with wet leaves and leather taking the helm. Backed up by the primary black fruit all sitting neatly on a clean peppery, vanilla oak. — 3 years ago

Martinez

9.0

La Montesa by trailblazing winemaker Alvaro Palacios at the helm of the family estate Palacios Remondo in Alfaro, Rioja Oriental/Rioja Baja, the sometimes snubbed, southernmost subzone within the Rioja appellation. Fruit is sourced from from Palacios Remondo’s eponymous 90-hectare vineyard on the northeastern slope of Monte Yerga, at an altitude of 1,800 feet. Fresh, elegant, refined, structured. Juicy fruit, spicy finish. — 4 years ago