Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Pergolaia 2019, Red Blend – Toscana IGT, Alta Maremma, Italy 🇮🇹

Overview
Composed of 76% Sangiovese, 14% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, this biodynamically farmed blend highlights Sangiovese-driven freshness balanced by Bordeaux varietal structure. Vinified gently in a gravity-fed cellar to preserve finesse.

Aromas & Flavors
Red cherry, raspberry, dried herbs, subtle cedar, graphite, light earth.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with vibrant acidity, polished tannins, and a clean, linear finish.

Food Pairings
Grilled lamb chops, bistecca Fiorentina, mushroom risotto, aged Pecorino.

Verdict
Transparent and precise. A bright, terroir-forward expression within the Caiarossa hierarchy.

🍷 Did You Know?
Pergolaia is aged approximately 12 months in wood, reinforcing structure while maintaining freshness. — 4 months ago

Bonnie Chu

9.0

With morel and asparagus pasta in shallot cream sauce — a year ago

Nicolas Greinacher

8.9

This wine screams where it’s from. Pale lemon with green reflexes, the nose reveals intense aromas of elderflower, asparagus, green bell pepper, gooseberry, ripe peach and melon, followed by a medium body with a pungent acidity, defining the wines distinctive freshness. Drink now until 2024. — 4 years ago

David Koenen

9.2

This wine keeps getting better! Papaya, mango, asparagus, peach, butter on toast, tarragon herbs, fennel. Some chalk and hot stones. Really very, very good. — 5 years ago

Kara Stockman

9.7

Very smooth cab. Dark fruit nose but subtle mouth. Great with steak and risotto. Drank for celebrating student loan pay off and the 1st female Vice President! — 6 years ago

Brett Vanderbrook

9.3

Back in May of 2014 Serge and Gaston Hochar came to New York City and led a tasting at my local wine store. I wasn’t familiar with their winery or family at the time, but I understood it was a big deal. At this tasting we got to try both red and white wines dating back to the 1970s. Serge was enigmatic and passionate, and it was one of the most unique wine experiences I’ve ever had. My girlfriend and I splurged and paid (at the time) the most we had ever spent on a bottle of wine for the 1999 flagship red. We had really liked the 1994, but it was beyond our price point, and we figured if we held onto the ‘99 for a few more years it might start to take on characteristics of the ‘94.

Tonight, almost 6 years later, while in week 3 of quarantine here in Brooklyn we decided it was time to get dressed up, make a fancy dinner and open that bottle. So we pan seared some duck breasts, oven roasted some asparagus, and made a celery root and potato purée.

In my brief experience with Serge, I learned he wasn’t much for tasting notes. He didn’t care to hear what the wine smelled or tasted like but more about the esoteric way it made you *feel.* So in honor of the late, great Serge Hochar I won’t tell you that the wine poured a translucent brick red or that its nose was an intoxicating perfume of red fruit, spices, leather, and barnyard. That it was still vibrant and bright on the palate with cherry and baking spice, and without even a whisper of tannins. Instead I’ll just tell you it made me feel not cooped up for a few hours. That I was actually sitting down in a restaurant and enjoying a meal and conversation with my partner, and not locked down for the foreseeable future. It made us feel normal again, at least for one meal. — 6 years ago

with Raina

Matti Jokelainen

8.9

Very nice slightly richer Lugana. Almonds, white flowers and fruit. Balanced with sneaky concentration. Had this with a selection of Sushis and it worked nicely with most of them. Think this would go nicely with Risotto — 8 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Château Cantemerle 2023 – Haut-Médoc, BDX, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A beautifully expressive Left Bank blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 71%, Merlot 18%, Petit Verdot 7%, and Cabernet Franc 4% that delivers immediate charm while retaining classic Haut-Médoc structure and aging potential. The wine shows vibrant fruit purity, polished tannins, and a well-judged touch of oak, making it approachable young yet capable of evolving gracefully over the coming decade.

Aromas & Flavors
Ripe blackberry, black cherry, cassis, and plum layered with subtle cedar, vanilla spice, graphite, and a gentle floral lift. Fresh berry brightness carries through the palate, framed by light savory notes and a refined oak accent that enhances rather than dominates.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with supple texture and finely integrated tannins. Juicy, energetic entry with excellent balance between fruit concentration and freshness. Smooth mid-palate flow and a clean, persistent finish that stays lively and inviting.

Food Pairings
Grilled steak, roast chicken, lamb chops, mushroom risotto, charcuterie boards, aged Gruyère or Comté, and classic bistro fare. A versatile table wine that shines across a wide range of savory dishes.

🍷 Personal Pick
Cantemerle never disappoints, this is pure drinking pleasure wrapped in Bordeaux elegance. Juicy, polished, and instantly enjoyable, yet grounded with just enough structure to remind you why Haut-Médoc remains timeless. A perfect bottle when you want serious pedigree without serious effort.

Did You Know?
Château Cantemerle is classified as a Fifth Growth in the historic 1855 Bordeaux Classification and is known for producing some of the most consistently approachable and age-worthy wines of the Médoc, often offering outstanding value relative to its pedigree. — 5 months ago

Paul St Clair

8.9

Green apples with a squeeze of lemon. Asparagus with a mineral base. Very crisp with lingering acidity. Not usually a Chablis drinker but this bottle was spot on. Late in its vintage but the wine held up very well — 4 years ago

Rodney Miller

9.0

Peaches and lemon with good acidity. Paired well with seafood risotto improving during the meal. — 4 years ago

Vingi Aermir

9.1

Kevin Judd handeling the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc in his own way by natural fermentation on oak.
Pale to straw yellow.
Still fruity (pear and grapefruit) & herbal (asparagus and grass), but with added minerality (a hint of flint), butteryness and some earthyness that makes this SB surpass a regular Marlborough Sauvignon.
Medium to high acidity. Medium to long aftertaste. — 5 years ago

John Ruvolo

9.2

Fantastic with our duck risotto. Dark fruit. Raisin finish. — 6 years ago

with Lauren

Steve Rura

9.2

I paired this with a home test kitchen dish 🧪🥽: mahi mahi filet with pineapple-tomato compote, orange glazed carrots and roasted asparagus. Success! 👍 Great Grenache-based Provence rosé — 7 years ago

Tim Watkins

10

Top wine of another beautiful stay on the OR coast - perfectly balanced berry/fruit and spice in this special release - went great with asparagus soup, green salad, Sous Vide pork tenderloin with an herb sauce and garlic mashed potatoes. — 8 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Château Garraud – Lalande de Pomerol / 2018
AOC Lalande de Pomerol – Right Bank, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
From the Esnée family estate, this red Bordeaux blend is composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The Garraud vineyards lie just north of Pomerol proper, where gravelly and clay soils echo the region’s reputation for plush yet structured wines.

Aromas & Flavors
Lush black cherry, plum compote, and cassis wrapped in notes of violet, cocoa, and cedar. Subtle graphite and earthy tobacco hints reflect the Cabernet Franc influence.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied yet polished, with supple tannins and a round mid-palate. Concentrated fruit depth balances with freshness, finishing long and silky with lingering spice.

Food Pairings
Duck breast with cherry glaze, roast lamb, or beef bourguignon. Mushroom risotto, charcuterie, or truffle pasta. Comté, aged Gouda, or Saint-Nectaire.

Verdict
A classic Right Bank profile: generous Merlot fruit framed by Cabernet Franc finesse. Traditional, powerful, and approachable, drinking beautifully now but with the structure to evolve gracefully for another 8–10 years.

Did You Know?
Lalande de Pomerol, though often overshadowed by its famous neighbor Pomerol, offers exceptional value. Many estates here share the same terroir characteristics, producing wines of impressive depth at a fraction of Pomerol’s price tag.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight: This bottle delivers Right Bank soul without the Pomerol price, rich yet refined, and an excellent “insider’s pick” for Bordeaux lovers. Cheers! — 8 months ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.5

Vintage 2006 | popped and poured with risotto funghi and truffle | half transparant | cassis cedar eucalyptus leather, still much fruit after 18 years in smell | lush mouthfeel — 2 years ago

Yoly Sardinas

9.0

Great wine! Paired well with my Short-rib and risotto — 5 years ago

Vanessa

9.0

Brunello di Montalcino (Sangiovese) and wild mushroom risotto. An earthy, savory, yummy pair. A delicious and comforting conclusion to a long week.
#ｔｇｉｆ

Renieri, Brunello di Montalcino, 2015, ABV 14.5%. — 5 years ago

with Deked1

Bob McDonald

9.2

In a cellar overhaul at the beginning of the year I found I had 6 of these (now 4) which need to be drunk over the next few years. Herbal menthol and mint aromas. With time strong scent of Geraniums. Medium weight and savoury with M minus Acid and Tannins. A very good Cabernet in the lighter style - more Cru Bourgeois than Napa. Tasted again 16 weeks later on 1st October with consistent notes. Tasted again on May 8th 2020. Dark Ruby in colour. Touch of asparagus on nose like Sulphur Dioxide. Other notes as above. Typical Cabernet notes - medium weight. Really the only Tasmanian Cabernet worth considering. — 7 years ago

Lotta

9.0

Nice to asparagus 👌 — 7 years ago