Jody Wycech

9.2

Hubby had this one without me (!!). A cheap Italian blend for $13 but its quite delicious and complex. Interesting cider donut spice with cocoa and vanilla but also some basil and nutmeg. It’s a wild ride. Jealous that I missed it. — 6 months ago

with Ethan, Peter and 1 other

Delectable Wine

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9.0

The fruit-forward and charming 2022 Shiraz Mother's Milk offers up a wild ride of dark cherry and coffee bean aromas with a dark, earthy tinge. It's well-pitched, fresh and vibrant, with a supple core of tannins that fits the overall package of red berry flavor well before the gentle finish. $20.00 (Angus Hughson, Vinous, November 2024) — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.5

First things first, the wines of Bel Air Marquis d’Aligre or “BAMA”, as they are affectionately known, are not for everyone. They are essentially relics of a bygone era, made by a man who has largely resisted change over the last 74 years. Yes, that’s right, Jean-Pierre has been making the wine at BAMA since 1950. While nearly everyone around him has adopted whatever technology or technique that is trending, Jean-Pierre has held fast to his tradition. Before I get into the tasting notes, it’s worth sharing that opening a bottle of BAMA is a wild trip. A spirit walk of sorts. There are periods when you think the wine is fading and then minutes later, it’s a whirling dervish. It transformed every 20 minutes so be ready for the ride of your life.

Popped and poured; consumed over two days. Remarkable throughout. In the glass, the wine is a deep garnet color moving towards a rust color rim; slightly hazy with a near opaque, translucent core. Medium viscosity with light staining of the tears and some signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous showing notes of desiccated cherries, currants, rhubarb, prunes, pomegranate, tobacco, cedar box, a well-conditioned horse saddle, an old library, espresso, roasted Brussels sprouts and damp earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium(+?) tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is seriously 5 minutes long; it’s got the elegance of Margaux with an unctuous texture. Truly remarkable. A veritable abyss of complexity. Drink now with patience but honestly, I’m not even sure a wine like this ever dies so I wouldn’t be concerned about holding these for another couple decades. Special thanks to @Lyle Fass for the assist. — 3 years ago

Erik Longabardi

9.1

What a wild ride; in a lovely way — 5 years ago

Erin Merchant

9.2

Well what the hell did I just open? When your first words are “whoa” and hour second statement is “this shit is goopy” you know it’s gonna be a wild ride.

And I promise I mean goopy in the best way.

The nose on this goes from a face punch vanilla bean straight to cardamom and ash. — 6 years ago

Chris A

8.9

A wild ride for a very fruit forward and expressive Spanish white!! Wow!! Both hands on the wheel as this one is quite the trip! The citrus bite of a chard on ingress as you journey through a full mouth feel on the way out to a sharp finish - has a complexity I have not experienced before in a Spanish white. I’m impressed! As this is very expressive, give some thought with what you want to pair this with - I just had some sushi with this, and I can tell you it matches well with the lingering soy sauce remnants - no easy feat for any wine. — 7 years ago

Lyn Farmer

9.8

This wine is showing great strength at its peak - medium garnet color and pronounced aromas and flavors of violet, black cherry, wild strawberry, anise, tar, leather, truffle, forest floor, mushroom - a wild ride showing Nebbiolo in all its grandeur. Very long finish, high acidity but so well balanced with the fruit. Exceptional. — 9 months ago

Dave

8.9

I've been *trying* to lower my wine budget this year, and it's led me to some fun finds. This pinotage being a prime example, at under $20.
The nose is a massive smoke show with coffee, mint, and scorched earth. On the palette we have coffee, bacon, green herbs, orange peel, bubblegum (!), and tea leaves. There is so much going on here, I don't fully get it, but it's a fun ride. Would be best with food, although a steak would drown out a lot of these wild flavors.
Enjoying my Sunday afternoon and listening to Guy Lombardo.
Cheers, friends! — a year ago

Austin Hohnke

9.1

Outstanding color given the age. Still quite ruby at the core. Palate is sanguine. Beef blood, smoke, and salty olives. A really wild ride. 650ml bottle. — 3 years ago

Eric Kememes

9.2

Wild ride — 4 years ago

Shay A

9.4

I’m between a 94 and 95 here. I think this is slightly better than the 2010 I opened two years ago in that this showed more classical funk and savory notes.

I gave this an hour of slow ox and then decanted another 2+hrs. At pop and pour, not very expressive. Even after the hour of being open in the bottle it made such a difference and then absolutely exploded in the decanter. Floral, violets, potpourri, herbal spice, stemmy underripe black fruits all on the nose. Gained a touch of Syrah funk the longer it was open but stayed more between the fruit and stem inclusion side instead of going full on iron/smoked meat. So much up front fruit on the palate before a wall of mineral hits and takes everything down the mid palate on a wild ride. Peppercorn crusted black cherries, dark red and black berries, underripe red plum and really nice acidity to give it a nervy type profile. Alongside the 2014 Horsepower Tribe Syrah, this was more a caged animal yet still retained a wild factor. Then again, most wines are tame compared to Horsepower (just give them time...I’ve experienced how incredible they can be with age)! — 5 years ago

Jodi M

9.0

This wine is Payton and Jones Wild Ride orange verdelho. Very funky! — 7 years ago

Pete Schork

9.3

Memories of time in Dry Creek this past weekend with Max Florian. Wild horses couldn’t drag me away...we’ll ride them someday! This biodynamic Zin is right in my current sweet spot: not too jammy or acidic, not too alcoholic at 14.3%, and with some very interesting charms — baking spices and blue/blackberries but enough tannin to carry the day, would pair nicely with a steak. Shipped this cross country after a visit to Preston in 2018 and glad I did — 7 years ago

Amy

9.1

wild ride, v unique. grassy tropical, mineral, lots of different elements sequentially. DFP $35. kind of like a sharper french chardonnay or something? i love this. — 9 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Gianfranco Alessandria – Barolo 2020
Piedmont – Italy 🇮🇹

Overview
Made from 100% Nebbiolo, this Barolo captures the essence of Piedmont’s most noble grape. The 2020 vintage is still youthful, showing its classic austerity and perfume while beginning the long climb toward its prime. (Educational note: Nebbiolo is famous for combining delicate floral aromatics with firm tannins and vibrant acidity, giving Barolo its legendary aging potential.)

Aromas & Flavors
Roses and violets open gracefully, followed by tart red cherry, cranberry, and dried strawberry. Nuances of anise, tar, and subtle spice emerge with air, promising further complexity as the wine matures.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied but firmly structured, with gripping tannins and racing acidity. The tart fruit and floral notes ride on a backbone of minerality, finishing long and tightly wound — signaling a wine built for age.

Food Pairings
Perfect with rich northern Italian cuisine: truffle risotto, braised beef (Brasato al Barolo), or wild mushroom tagliatelle. Also shines with aged Parmigiano Reggiano.

Verdict
A beautiful, youthful Barolo — tart, floral, and nervy, with cherry fruit and soaring acidity. Still climbing toward its peak, but already showing elegance and grace. A wine for patient cellaring, yet utterly captivating today. 🍷

Did You Know?
Barolo is often called “the king of wines and the wine of kings.” Its Nebbiolo grape name comes from nebbia (fog), referencing the autumn mists that blanket Piedmont’s vineyards during harvest.

Hidden Gem 💎
Gianfranco Alessandria is a boutique Barolo producer, crafting expressive, terroir-driven wines that fly under the radar compared to larger names — a true gem for collectors and explorers. — a year ago

Eric Kememes

8.9

Wild ride not for all touch off taint but blew off vegetal and saline — 4 years ago

Kevin Cahoon

9.0

White Rhone wild ride with a cheesy, nutty fruitless nose upon opening that slows transforms with 45 minutes of air. Moved to peach and tangerine fruit with accents of hazelnut and minerals. Palate had richness and a touch of alcohol along with orange and pear fruit flavors. Never totally resolved the slight cheesy quality but remains an interesting wine. — 5 years ago

Matt Waring

9.0

Cherry, whiff of anise, tons of funk. Medium plus acid, light body, lots of energy. A wild ride! — 6 years ago

with Christine

Josh Morgenthau

9.6

Pine! Purple kush! Wind off the mountain in the alps! Carrot juice and crystallized ginger. A wild ride. — 7 years ago

Jackson Swearer

9.2

Very dry. Excellent wine. Best with food. — 7 years ago