Bande Apart
Pago de los Capellanes
Joven Roble Ribera del Duero Tempranillo Blend 2027
This 2021 is the freshest Pago I can remember. Expressive nose, with red tones, apart from the plums and blueberries. Good acidity and length. Pleasant. — 3 years ago
Bernard Faurie
Hermitage Syrah 1987
Tannins that we’re falling apart, smoky/meaty, high acidity — 4 years ago
Felton Road
Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2019
This is the third bottle each two years apart and this opened very nicely after about an hour or so
I’ve increasingly liked this wine although given it the same rating
It’s well structured aromatic and just an all round good expression of well made Central Otago Pinot
Probably open the next three each with a year or less further age — 10 months ago
Château d'Yquem
Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2007
Okay … cork completely fell apart on opening. Wine seemed unaffected though. Deep color but not yet dark. It was not as thick as I would have expected for 16 years. It was a bit underwhelming vs expectation. Not lengthy in its finish and missing the array of tropical flavors but was still good. Just not great. — 2 years ago
Domaine Tempier
Bandol Rosé Blend 2019
Red berries, salt, wet rocks. Light bright pink for a FUN AND #FLOUNCY start to summer! Mouthwatering citrus acidity with a hint of salinity, and a medium long finish to boot. This went so quickly but would have also been great with seafood or light summer fare. Much more elegant and no bitterness in the finish which sets it apart from other rosés. — 4 years ago
Spottswoode
Family Estate Grown St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
This 09 was upgraded to 100 points by Lisa Perrotti formerly of Robert Parker in 2020. I didn’t taste a 💯 & the first time she & I have been this far apart.
This 09 was velvety, smooth, beautiful & elegant with nicely ripe fruits. But, it really lacked the depth & complexity I have come to expect from this producers bottling.
Touched into 94 with a few sips. Decanted a 1 1/2 hours & enjoyed over the next two hours.
@NepentheBigSur If you haven’t been there, well worth the time to visit. — a year ago
Faunus
Sirah Nero d'Avola Blend
Had this for $23? At Al Giardino in Taormina Sicily. A bargain and a different blend. We thought it was great for the price/value consideration. Dark berries and plum. A bit of leather with the tannins just fine. You can pick apart the two grapes in the blend. — 3 years ago
Cantillon Brewery
Fou' Foune Lambic 2020
I may have given other sour beers a 10, but this takes the cake. Insanely well balanced. What sets this apart is the underlying creaminess with tannin. I wonder if it’s from apricot pits. Huge apricot flavor and sour complexity. Perfect bubbles coat your entire palate. I was not expecting to buy into the hype of this so hard. Would love to do an apricot sour tasting to see what others (SARA, Rare Bareel) are like next to this. — 5 years ago
Brad Jensen
Held up well over the last 28 years! Took a gamble on some birthday wine and it payed off well. Prominent bricking and the cork obviously fell apart, but the wine maintained the rustic, leathery notes of age, with hints of black tea, overripe plum, and some lingering acidic energy, like a ripe strawberry with some dark chocolate. Medium bodied, with some leathery, smoky ash over the dark cherry like fruit, there’s notes of cranberry and strawberry compote still alive in here. The finish lingers for a while, fresh, but not acidic with tannins that only really started to show after a few hours of opening. Grippy, but well integrated. If the measure of a great wine is in its ability to last, this wine has earned the title despite poor storage conditions and lack of faith from its sellers. — 16 days ago