Bob McDonald

9.0

At a local community restaurant full of locals where the pricing was a respite. This was a MURI GRANDI Liguria di Levante - from the north. A blend of Vermentino and Albarola. Great QPR. — 8 months ago

Rob Brobst III

9.4

Deep blue and black fruits, and mocha spice define this full-bodied and concentrated wine. Dried fruit and Asian spice character with some full body, round and velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. This is an age worthy wine with many years in front of it. — 3 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Dessert Sonoma/Napa Valley Cabernet for the second half of the Allen Brothers Wagyu Ribcap.

This Alexander Cabernet was preferred in a tasting upon release with the same release of Chateau Mouton Rothschild. The twelve non professional panel preferred this at the time, 12-0. Not entirely surprising for young Sonoma/Napa Cabernet vs. young Bordeaux.

The palate is riper, hotter with more razor backbone the 05 Bordeaux. The fruits are, ruby, riper & juicer than the 05 Bordeaux. Blackberries, black raspberries, very black plum, dark cherries & violet laden raspberries. dark berry cola, steeped, fruit tea, mid, dark spices, savory meats, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, mocha, caramel, very sweet tarriness & wet, forest floor with dry leaves, graphite, tobacco, limestone, dry soil & crushed.rocks, dark, melted chocolate bar, saline with ruby, candied florals that are, dark, blue, purple dominated in violets. The acidity is round and perfect. The finish is, well balanced, elegant, lush with outstanding polish that lasts for days.

The 06 still an adolescent.

Paired with an Allen Brothers Wagyu Ribcap which was a 100. — 3 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2016 vintage. Precious little baby fat left and already plenty of the aged Bordeaux stank in the nose. Supple but has the palate footprint of a pinot. Some blue fruit and cocoa powder on the delicate finish. So much finesse. Drink now or forget for a solid 15-spot…it matters not. Texturally gorgeous and definitely not your average Napa Cabbage-now or then. Ric Forman is the rare producer that straddles the verry old school and new school in Napa and, yet, his wines still remain classical and true vs the 2nd "cult" wave/post-1991 obscenely-scored/fruit bomb/über-extracted/distilled/dance party/reduction sauce-styled ridiculousness so in vogue for the last three damned decades. A welcome respite. 2.28.23. — a year ago

Ellen Clifford

9.1

Monterey is my new respite from the world. Their wines...well for starters quality for price. But also my goodness the subregions are as nuanced as Burgundy I know I’m committing wine crime.
Anyway this is quite ripe. Rather ripe. There is some fun oak.
You’ll probably overshare with it. — 3 years ago

Kai Wright

9.0

Medellin isn’t a wine town, but a nice selection at Justo in Poblado. Funky verdejo with tropical fruit, lemon zest, and kernel is a nice respite from the valley sun — 4 years ago

with Jedd

romo

9.2

No acid. Nada. Syrupy and bass clef. A delicious summer respite. Did I mention no acid? — 3 years ago

Andrew Schirmer

9.0

A high-acid, mouth-puckering assault on the palate. Tightly wound even with a decant, I can’t imagine this on a pop n pour. Layers of mineral & tart fruit; hint of petrol comes almost as a respite from the onslaught. Ok maybe I’m slightly exaggerating. Cool wine. — 3 years ago

with Alsu

Cathy Corison

Owner/Winemaker Corison Winery

9.3

Harvest moon is up there somewhere. You’d never know with the smoke from the Glass Fire choking us. Nice respite. — 4 years ago

with Rose, Grace and 1 other

Connor Smith

9.2

With the Wine Blight laying waste to her vineyards, France went from 8:1 exporter in 1870 to 6:1 importer in 1887. Legions of wine farmers faced total financial ruin. With no cure - or even a proper diagnosis - in sight, many saw no option but to flee to lands not yet affected.

The influx of institutional knowledge that flooded into former backwater wine regions like Rioja catapulted them into relevance, and soon matured into a world-class standard. The farmers had found respite, but couldn't run forever. By the time Phylloxera crossed the Pyrenees, however, there would be new ways to fight back.

French botanist Jules-Emile Planchon had a theory. If the blight was caused by a microscopic American insect as he suspected, perhaps grafted European varieties on American rootstock would be resistant. This would be confirmed by Missouri entomologist Charles Riley, and with millions of rootstocks supplied by Texas horticulturalist T.V. Munson, the Wine Blight was soon in remission.

(This is adapted from notes for Le Dû’s Wines ‘History of Wine 1453AD-Present’ seminar, where this wine was poured) — 5 years ago