Azienda Agricola Sofia
Nickel & Nickel
John C. Sullenger Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
93 that leans into 94 and will see another point or two with 10 years in bottle.
Sofia and I used to go to their futures luncheon for many years. This vineyard consistently yields fruit that makes one of their best Cabernet’s.
It’s lush as it enters and falls onto dry, meaty tannins. Blackberries, creamy black raspberries, black plum with skin, dark cherries & purple fruits. Dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, limestone & volcanic minerals, moist clay, dry tobacco, new, raw leather, still very woody, mixed mid & dark berry cola, plenty of baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dark spices with some heat, some dry herbs, dark melted, chocolate, cocoa powder, caramel notes, bright, fresh & candied florals that are dark, red, blue and framed in violets & lavender, ver nice round acidity with a highly structured, tensioned, well balanced and polished finish that lasts 90 seconds but still lands squarely on wood. — a month ago
Rene Rostaing
Ampodium Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2016
Straight up my wheel house for Old World Syrah.
It is called Cote-Rotie or translation roasted slope for a reason.
The nose has beautifully, lightly floral fruits that are; blackberries, dark cherries, plum, black raspberries, poached strawberries and hues of blueberries. Some black pepper, steeped black tea, hues of roasted chestnuts, sandalwood, some dry tobacco, used leather, red cola, dark, rich earth, dark, red, blue withering florals framed in amazing violets.
The body is smooth as silk. The fruits are ripe & juicy; blackberries, dark cherries, plums for days, black raspberries, poached strawberries and hues of blueberries. Some black pepper, shades of lightly, grilled meats, steeped black tea, hues of roasted chestnuts, sandalwood, some dry tobacco, crushed rock powder, river stone, dry top soil, used leather, red cola, dark, rich earth, dark, red, blue withering florals framed in a. amazing field of violets. Rainfall acidity, soft structure & tension, well balanced and an elegant, beautiful, lush finish. Damn beautiful wine.
Sofia & I walked the La Landonne vineyard with Pierre and tasted in the cellar w/ Rene & Pierre.
Excellent with both Tri-tip’s…rubbed & marinated. — 2 months ago
Mary Taylor
Sofia Brescia Veneto Frizzante Bianco
Another excellent MT buy-- I could just drink this all day in the sun.
Lovely lemon zest and melon, bright acidity and dry finish. Light but persistent effervescence makes a truly delightful wine. — 3 months ago
Mt. Brave
Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Many of you that see my posts know I don’t open a Napa Cabernet this young. However, this was selling at my Costco for $69.99. K&L Wine Merchants $99.99. Delectable at $115. So, I had to buy a four. I coravined this bottle for a Somm friend last weekend who likes his Napa reds young. 🤷♂️
While this has seen a bit of bottle evolution, it still needs another 6-8 yrs before I open another and has the potential to pick up another point or two then.
Nose shows; brambly blackberries, stewy black plum, black raspberries, darkest cherries, boysenberries and strawberries off the glass edges. Dry tobacco, leather, dark spice, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon notes, vanilla, anise, dark, rich, turned earth and withering, dark, slightly candied flowers.
The palate expresses some evolution. It is rich, ripe; brambly blackberries, stewy black plum, black raspberries, darkest cherries, boysenberries, hints of blueberries and strawberries off the glass edges. Tarry, dry medium plus tannins. Dry tobacco, leather, dark spice with a touch of heat, mixed darker berry cola, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon notes, vanilla, black tea, anise, mixed fresh & drier herbs, dark, rich, turned earth, barrel shavings/dust, a hint of black pepper, moist, grey clay, dry top soil, dry river stone and withering, dark, red, slightly candied flowers with violets, very round, phat acidity with a well; balanced, big structured, tensioned, lush, elegant and nicely layered & polished finish that lasts a full 90 seconds. Still kind of in its primary stage.
This is made by Chris Carpenter who also makes; Lokoya, Cardinale, La Jota, Hickinbotham (Australia) made at Yangarra. Sofia & I tasted at Yangarra and after tasted his Hickinbotham with him in 2017.
Photos of; staff picking on Mount Veeder, Chris Carpenter in the cellar and scenic shot of Mount Veeder. — a month ago
Terreno
A Sofia Chianti Classico Sangiovese 2018
Sofia’s favorite vineyard plot. A “smoke show” we called it. Generally the 19s were the standouts — beautifully balanced and giving all of the dried herb and earthy notes typical of great Chianti Classico — but this was an exception, opulent and spicey (allspice, cinnamon, cedar) and so so fragrant. Stay in the look out for these wines — Sofia (the estate manager) and Giocomo (vineyard manger and cellar master, most recently of Isole & Olena) are making some really intentional and pretty wines here. — 9 months ago
Roger Sabon
Prestige Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2013
What I didn’t realize until this week is when I bought this 2013, Sofia & I tasted this with Roger in his cellar before it received the label shown in this post in 2015.
This was $25 on release and it is beautiful tonight as it was last weekend.
Ripe, juicy; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, purple fruits, blueberries & some dark cherries. Grilled meats, light black pepper, dry galet stones, spice, dry top soil, dry tobacco, used leather, slightly moist volcanic mineral mixed w/ clay, sandalwood, dry & withering dark, red & purple florals, rainfall acidity, a well balanced, nicely structured, beautifully tensioned, balanced, elegant finish that last two-minutes and lands on minerality and florals.
Photos that Sofia & I took in 2015, wood vats, my backside looking at cement tanks, estate vineyard and their facility building. — a month ago
Rene Rostaing
La Landonne Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2016
Amazing pair w/ my Braised Short Ribs. Savory meets savory fruits.
Photos of; Pierre, staff and Sofia & I in La Landonne Vineyard, the process of Short Ribs.
The one mineral you see in this vineyard with some prevalence that I’ve not seen in others is quartz. — 2 months ago
Kristen Grimes
Amber color after 22 years, still a pop from the cork and some bubbles, almondy fino sherry aromas with definite notes of oxidation, a little honey sweetness, still pleasant to drink! Thanks Mom 💙 — 7 days ago