Ager Falernus
Solare
Red Mountain Red Blend 2012
Last weekend I had the chance to open up the 2012 Col Solare Red Wine (WWB, 94) which is absolutely singing in its silky state now at the eight year mark. Following a two hour decant the wine showed marvelous graphite, and anise aromas, followed by tones of tar and milk chocolate that all melded brilliantly in the glass. The palate showed really good viscosity and depth with a pillowy texture. Brandy soaked cherries, pipe tobacco, blackberry compote and cocoa powder with sagebrush accents all collide on the palate. The long, dark fruit and mineral-driven finish completes this stunning wine. A long-ager, showing a good combination of weight and poise, this glorious Col Solare is truly hitting its stride and has another decade of life ahead of it. Drink 2020-2030- 94 — 4 years ago
Hermann J. Wiemer
Seneca Lake Cabernet Franc 2017
This is Cabernet Franc in a Beaujolais style. Nose of this wine alone is worthy of 89. Bing cherry, brambleberry, oregano, white flowers, honeysuckle, full of cheer! Entry is medium bodied. Touches acidic for about 0.2 seconds and then goes to a brambly mineral dense red cherry fruit and wildflower. Gets quite a bit more brambly in the middle. Finishes with a candied cherry minerality almost like a dusty Luden's cough drop. Would have almost expected some bitter notes here but it never went that direction. Really quite a complex wine for the price paid. Although I don't really think this is a long term ager, it did require about 2 hours to fully express itself. Really neat wine. — 5 years ago
Marchesi Antinori
Pian delle Vigne Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2017
2017 vintage. Plummy, summer oak woodlands/forest nose. Medium body. Slightly more fruit-driven than the excellent 2016 that was sleeker with a little more acidity and a long-ager. This effort is still really nice and another beautiful entry into the historical, Antinori wine library. 4.5.23. — a year ago
Janotsbos
En Créot Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Chardonnay 2017
A great wine. Nose is god like mineral perfume. Crushed rocks. Lime zest. So mineral. Wafting. Confectionary lime rock candy. Layered. Palate is dense and chewy with terrific elegance and superb structure and concentration. Amazingly pure. Such balance. Incredible depth and a tight mineral core that will make this a great ager. Unreal explosiveness and complexity. So juicy and refined. Amazing length. Just a stunning wine. Superb mineral sweetness on the finish. This is elite as it gets in St. aubin. — 4 years ago
McGah Family Cellars
Scarlett Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
First vintage where i prefer myriad, quivet, and becklyn over the scarlett. Not big tannins so probably not an ager but it’s tight on opening that gives a sense of thinness. Double decanted it back in the bottle and it has more viscosity. Tastes pretty good now — 5 years ago
Domaine Serene
Two Barns Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016
The 2016 ‘Two Barns’ is another gorgeous wine by the superstar winemaking team of Domaine Serene. On the nose there is really good range from deep dark fruits to forest floor and shades of dark truffle that all connect in the glass. The palate shows excellent weight with a sumptuous mouthfeel. Black tea, blackberry cobbler and earthy tones with light citrus rind accents all collide on the palate. A long-ager, this beautiful wine will cellar well over the next fifteen to twenty years. Drink 2020-2040- 94 — 5 years ago
Tom Casagrande
Pretty good for a ‘17, avoiding sharp tannins and astringency. Nose has a lot of forest floor notes, spice, plummy fruit, lots of dry stony gravel. In the mouth it’s soft on entry, and well-managed tannins assert themselves on the back half of the palate. Macerated ripe cherry fruit and crushed stone flavors, with old barrel/old library notes. Medium acids. This will soften further over the next few years but doesn’t strike me as a long ager. — 10 months ago