Tom Casagrande

9.3

Rewarding myself for successfully getting the meatballs prepped for cooking! HMV’s Howell Mtn Zins are so unique and are more a reflection of the terroir than the Zinfandel grape. Almost Bandol-like in the earthy aromas reminiscent of black peppercorn shells and tree bark, with very focused fruit playing a secondary role. Deep and bone dry in the mouth, with mouthwatering acids (yes, nice acid structure in a Zin). Still a little tannic, but drinking beautifully right now. Ends on a distinctive note seemingly an amalgam of graphite and tar.

UPDATE: On night 3 a tremendous purity of fruit emerges on the palate. What a terrific wine. — 6 months ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Haven’t had this since about a year ago and it’s only improved a bit since that remarkable showing. Nose has the inky amalgam of mineral, beef jerky, deep spice, and even a low-toned pleasant vegetal note. Also too deep, oozing red berries. Rich in the mouth, yet a little lighter on its feet than you’d think, with minerality and pretty good acids propelling it along. So good. — 3 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Beautifully balanced Syrah. Nose has bright, ripe tiny red berry fruit, spiced raw beef, graphite, and a floral note. In the mouth it’s concentrated yet light on its feet and soft. Nice amalgam of sandstoney minerality and red berry fruit. Very nice acidity. Lingering finish. Nicely judged. — 4 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

Huge and expansive nose. Ripe apricot and peach and very confectionary. Grapefruit, citrus, tangerine, tangelo and so much more. An amalgam of stunning fruit on a mineral background. Hugely expressive minerality and just a stunningly mineral nose. Smells like a rock quarry. Awesome. The nose is so deep. Kaleidoscopic and fractal like. Palate is young and tangy with enormous structure but it’s delicate and a little bit hidden. Not that integrated at all but all the parts are there. Incredible fruit sapidity on the finish. Huge mineral/citrus inner mouth aromas. Juicy and mineral but man is this backwards. The finish is super long and the wine is crazy concentrated but massively backwards. I’ll be back. — 4 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.3

When you see this buy a case. It’s cheap. Drinks like well made village puligny. And it’s lasts.

Nose is an amalgam of florals and stone fruits.

Palate is stone fruits. Minerals. Just enough richness.

Bought from fass selections — 5 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

“Empreintes” is 50/50 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Chavot. The Chardonnay was planted in the late 1950’s and about a third of it is actually Chardonnay Muscaté. The Pinot Noir was planted almost 40 years ago. This is an amalgam of the two workhorse varieties from Champagne grown in two very different soils in Chavot.

The 2014 Empreintes pours a bright, golden straw color with persistent mousse giving the effect of glitter in the glass which quite visually striking, appearing to suspend weightlessly in the glass when viewing from above. Mesmerizing! On the nose intense yellow apple, golden strawberry, pomegranate, brioche, and even a little bit of ripe strawberry. On the pallet, no shortage of fruit. Apples, pears, raspberries, lemon, minerals. Finish is very dry with medium plus acid. Long satisfying finish. Lovely energy about it. Disgorged February 2020. — 5 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

Stunning nose. Mulch, sour and red cherries. Huge mint and menthol. Enormously complex. Tree bark, wood shavings, gorgeous minerality and earth. A divine perfume. Palate is so balanced, so fresh and so pure. Stunning juiciness and purity. But seems to be holding back as Walter always needs mega mega air. Incredible texture and just barely there sweetness and terrific purity. So complex and complete. An amalgam of early and mid season cherries. So juicy. So long. Energetic and mineral. Just a stunner. Concentrated, sappy and structured. Grand Cru all the way. Amazing wine. — 6 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Delicious and drinking beautifully right now. Nose is a beautiful amalgam of dark red fruit and classic Mourvèdre tree bark, along with dry loamy scents. Deep and rich in the mouth, but the balance is impeccable. Loads of very soft tannin cling the flavors to the mouth. Acids are medium low but enough to balance. Very nice. — a year ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Delicious and so friendly. Fragrant nose has sultry, sappy cherry ooze, warm moist gravel, a bit of graham cracker and floaty spice. Texturally lovely. An amalgam of dry ripe cherry extract and crushed stone-infused earthy notes in the mouth, with nice intensity and length. Great value. — 3 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.3

Nose has strawberry and rhubarb along with dazzling fresh red currents and an amalgam of berries and light spice. Terrific nose. Palate is dry with lots of cut and energy and a lovely salty/strawberry combo on the mid and the finish. Lovely freshness and purity. A great effort. Good concentration and really I have to mention it again the energy here. Also super savory finish. — 3 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Great value. Very concentrated aromas on the nose. Deep, ripe, plummy dark cherry ooze, a feral funky note, almost yeasty, deep granite minerality, a little spice. Rich amalgam of fruit and granite in the mouth, not jammy, decent acids, quite dry. Even a little tannin. Really overachieves. — 4 years ago

Andrew Holod

National Sales Grapes of Spain

9.4

Spot on with nearly ten years of age. Not sure if it was the careful winemaking or the saran/tin liner in the stelvin.
Pours a pale ruby. Nose is an amalgam of tart plum, rose hips, sour red cherry, damp stone and a hint of clean earthy hummus. Palate feel was elegant, acid dominated with a light/medium body and a lovely, sapid, invigorating finish. This reminded me of very good village level or middling premium Cru Burg from the 90's. I'm guessing this had some stem inclusion due to the slightly menthol/ever so vaguely green tone in the aftertaste. Very, very good. Too bad I only had one bottle. — 4 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.7

Yowza. The “Grand Cru.” which is obvious as soon as one smells it. An amalgam of spice, minerals, apple and pear. But heirloom apples and yes there is a difference. Just insane unreal complexity. So serene. So calming. So zen. I love the calming complexity of this wine. Huge power, depth and concentration with almost tannic elements on the finish. Easily the star of the trio but needs a few hours to strut its stuff. The epic long finish is the giveaway. That nose is, dare I say, Brisset like? It’s so complex and compact. Just insane. Wow this is sappy and complex to the max. Saturates the palate with Grand Cru grip and persistence. This is genius. More notes once it opens up. — 5 years ago

Jim Wagonfeld

9.1

Ready to drink. A lovely amalgam of wet soil, spice, dark fruit and an unusual but quite pleasant tang of iron. Tannins resolved, good acid structure and little residual wood. Medium finish. — 6 years ago

with Judy

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Complex nose shows ash pit, orchid, a cigar-box/roasted asparagus amalgam, olive, and cured beef. There’s also some oozy berry fruit. So soft on the palate. A lighter style, with completely resolved tannins and really nice acids. Not a blockbuster but very elegant. Drink now. — 2 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

An additional couple of years in the cellar since my previous bottle have helped. It was good in 2021 but is more delicious now. Nose shows sappy cherry, mid-toned musky florals, graham cracker crumbs, and stony gravel. Silky-textured, it’s got a very Burgundian amalgam of damp earthiness and dark cherry, with just a subtle complementary hint of oak. Very nice acidity. In a medium frame, it’s got a long, detailed finish. — 2 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

In a terrific place. Nose is an amalgam of spices, savory and sweet spices, gorgeous ripe late season cherries and just insane depth. Enveloping nose and wide wide open. Juicy and ripe wine that is teeming with energy and just crackling! Wow, this blows away my last bottle. So delicious and special. Amazing sweet fruit that lasts and last and lasts. Amazing purity. Stunning showing. As this opens my score might go higher. — 4 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.3

The “regular” 2020 Riesling Scharzhofberger Kabinett (bearing A.P. #3) leads with quince and peach accented by mint, cress, ginger and lemon, setting up an overall impression of coolness, but also of brightness, with stimulating cut and pungency analogous to that of the corresponding Braune Kupp. In the background is a greenhouse-like amalgam of flowers and foliage. The phenolic concentration here belies a vintage with relatively generous yields even as the efficacious acidity and levity defy preconceptions concerning a year marked by summer heat and drought. The multifaceted finish, transparent to wet stone underpinnings, is tongue-tinglingly vibrant. Here is a Riesling Kabinett to really grab and hold your attention even as it delivers consummate refreshment and a bit of thought-provoking intrigue to accompany its entertainment value. (David Schildknecht, Vinous, May 2022)
— 4 years ago

James Gourley

9.4

It took awhile for this wine to harmonize. Last time I opened one, in 2019, it had shut down. Now it is a beautifully integrated amalgam of cedar accented cherry and strawberry, light on its feet but not thin in the slightest, with the 2x12 months spent in oak only apparent on the back end. — 5 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

Complex nose has ashy, basaltic notes, an old-timey weedy Cabernet overlay (vaguely reminiscent of Napa Cabs in the cooler years in the 70s, like 77), a little Franc tomato skin, and cassis. Savory and round in the mouth, the soft tannins are mouth-coating, and the flavors combine loads of stony minerality with the dry, twiggy underbrush I find in Cru bourgeois Medocs. What this “conjures” is an interesting amalgam of times and places. — 5 years ago