Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Pisano “Río de los Pájaros” Reserve 2024
Progreso, Uruguay 🇺🇾

Overview
An impressive white out of 100% Torrontés grapes from the Pisano family estate, representing Uruguay’s Atlantic expression of this aromatic varietal. Subtle yet elegant, this wine redefines Torrontés with finesse rather than flamboyance.

Aromas & Flavors
Enticing florals, white jasmine, honeysuckle, and orange blossom, lifted by stone fruit and citrus zest. Notes of lychee and pear gently unfold as it opens in the glass.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with refreshing acidity and a rounded mid-palate. The texture is supple yet vibrant, giving a polished feel to a grape often known for exuberance. The finish is clean, layered, and persistent.

Food Pairings
Superb with ceviche, grilled shrimp, or Southeast Asian dishes with a touch of spice. Also delightful with goat cheese salads or simply enjoyed solo.

Verdict
A sophisticated take on Torrontés, aromatic yet balanced, expressive yet composed. A must-try example of Uruguay’s potential in white wines.Cheers!

Did You Know?
“Río de los Pájaros” translates to River of the Painted Birds, Uruguay’s poetic name derived from the native Guaraní language, a tribute to its natural beauty and rich biodiversity.
— 8 months ago

Brian S

9.6

This plot cuvée was created jointly by Delphine and her father, Claude in 1995.

Its grapes come from the oldest vines of Clos, planted by Claude Cazals in 1957, located in Oger.

Clos are very rare in Champagne, there are only about twenty (21). Delphine Cazals owns one of the largest clos of the Côte des Blancs (3.70 Ha).

A passage in oak barrels is carried out for all vintages in order to bring subtle and delicate aromas.

Aging on slats for a minimum of 10 years in a vaulted cellar in Mesnil-sur-Oger is required to develop the full aromatic palette of this exceptional cuvée, highlighting all the complexity of the 100% Oger terroir.

A fine and elegant champagne with notes of white flowers and citrus fruits with an appreciable roundness and revealed by a minimal dosage between Extra-Brut and Brut Nature depending on the vintage.

Terroir: Le Clos d´Oger - GRAND CRU

Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay — 5 years ago

with Ellie

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

This is a young wine that I opened last weekend and enjoyed but, had to seal it up and put back into storage until tonight. It’s a touch faded (10%) but, like all young wine, resilient.

The nose reveals, ripe & candied; blackberries, dark cherries, plum, well extracted pomegranate, the blue fruits he does so well and I love in Pinot, dry cranberries, poached strawberries, raspberries, beautiful layered baking spices, medium intensity dark spices, steeped fruit tea, red fruit cola, hints of dry crushed rocks, limestone, dark, blue, purple flowers with hints of lavender.

The body is full with a fair amount of tannin presence. Nicely knitted structure, tension, length and balance for such a young Pinot. Ripe & candied; blackberries, dark cherries, plum, well extracted pomegranate, the blue fruits he does so well and I love in Pinot, dry cranberries, poached strawberries, touch of cooked rhubarb, raspberries, beautiful layered baking spices, medium intensity dark spice with shades of palate heat, steeped fruit tea, red fruit cola, saline notes, dry herbs, menthol, eucalyptus, hints of dry crushed rocks, volcanic minerals, dry & moist clay, limestone, leathery, wood staves, amazing dark, blue, purple flowers with hints of lavender. The acidity is excellent. The ripe, elegant, balanced, polished finish is delicious and persists nicely for minutes.

Paul makes beautiful expressions of Pinot, Rhône styles & Chardonnay. If you have not had them, well worth your time & investment to seek out.

Photos of; his Sierra Madre Vineyard...netted to keep the birds from eating his fruit, fruit near harvest time, my picture meeting Paul for the first time last week weekend at a “Matter of Taste” in Napa last weekend and their barrel room. — 7 years ago

Sarah Milsow-Guenther

9.1

Really nice Rose. Reminds me more of a French style. Really impressed. Nice acidity to it. — 8 years ago

Flora Bokma

9.1

Paired with mushroom dishes this wine is divine! I rated this same wine about a year and a half ago at 88 pts. Either the passage of time or the food pairing changed my impression. At recent wine pairing dinners that I hosted, guests raved about this wine when paired with mushroom risotto and creamy mushroom soup. — 8 years ago

Christopher McGauran

9.3

Le Pich is the Wappo Indian term for "golden eagle," and this wild birds wingspan is massive. It will come in fast and hard and treat you like a helpless mouse in the field and swoop you up into the sky in its grape soaked talons. But then, what a ride once it opens up! "Nice eagle", you say..."take me to your nest and do what you do." It's like getting punched in the face followed by a tantric massage. This is the stuff of awesomeness. — 9 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

1996 vintage. Excellent aging cork with an above average fill. Not decanted. PNP and tasted immediately. Tannins fairly bowed with the passage of decades but still showing up for the weekly hang. Light-medium body. Slightly sweet intro/startup that quickly sorts into plum, coffee and chocolate notes. This was a bad, bad tannic boy back in the day but is fully reformed now. 03.19.25. — a year ago

James Carter

9.1

This bottle came through a fraught ocean passage in 2018, with heat and humidity extremes. It has retained its fruit, structure and more. Lush blackberries, with a tannic kick. A ton of other flavors in there they you can discover. Thrilled that it survived so well. — 5 years ago

Ira Schwartz

9.5

I get it, I get it, I understand the hype now. This was the last bottle of the day, the crowd thinned down to 3 from 7 and 15 bottles had already been consumed. The color of the wine was the first hint that let me know this was going to be different. In the glass this looks like water. However once your nose gets into the glass you know this cannot be water. Notes of lime, oranges , herbs and stone fruit blast their way into your nasal passage. You almost feel there’s no need to drink it, just snort it. Everything that your nose was treated to is amplified on the palate. Pure fruit and electrifying acid. I now know what Uma Thurman’s character in Pulp Fiction experienced when John Travolta stabbed her in the heart with a shot of adrenaline. — 6 years ago

Ira Schwartz

9.7

Is it possible to drink a cloud? A perfumed nose of honey and hints of caramel that never overpower but instead tickles your nasal passage . You feel it enter you mouth but instead of exploding it just expands and covers your tastebuds with incredible freshness that defies its age. Honey, apricot , salt and that chenin wax appear in a flotilla of flavors . — 7 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.8

Absolutely brilliant. This is one of the best grenaches I’ve had in a long time. Incredible aromas of plumbs, blackberries, candied blueberries, along with hints of cinnamon and clove. The palate is absolutely stunning: seamless evolution of fruit coupled with perfectly intergrated sweet tannins leading to a finish that goes on for over a minute. I have no idea if this will improve with more time in the cellar, but I have no idea why you would wait: this is unreal. Manfred Krankle is a GOD!!! 👍 — 8 years ago

with Vanessa

Liz Gresham

9.0

Drank after decanting for few hours. Lot of alcohol taste but good with the pork roast we had. This one has lost some of it's fruit. Still solid. — 8 years ago

DL

9.3

Smells kind of floral? Not super fruity or syrupy. smooth on tip, tingles on the tongue after. Pretty sharp and dry, not full bodied or very round. Tingles on back of throat and sends a kind of wasabi spice up the nasal passage upon swallowing. Charles says very fine tannins. Overall light but flavorful for sipping — 9 years ago

with C

Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Dark ruby color. Complex aromas and flavors of dried black cherries and black raspberries along with subtle notes of leather, beef jerky and baking spices. Quite dry and persistent but with enough (well balanced) tannins and acidity. A better sipper than a food wine but quite pleasant. Beautiful texture. The passage of time has improved this wine. Thanks for sharing, Ron B! — 2 years ago

Robert Swart

8.9

Full bodied, velvet texture, medium tannins. Flavors of warn leather, dried cherries, baking spices, vanilla and a little tobacco. — 4 years ago

Josh Morgenthau

9.8

Seamless, beautifully transparent and light, tannins fallen away and left a surge of transparent energy. At first, an animal quality, horse stable notes, musk, and mincemeat. Then this resolves into pure, incisive peony, lavender and white truffle. Stunning.

Wow. Can’t keep my nose out of the glass. Every sip is like a new passage. With time, I’m increasingly taken with this wine. Increasingly acknowledging it may be as close to perfect as just about anything else I’ve tried. — 6 years ago

Julia Geisler

8.9

Thank you so much to Holly at The Whitby for sharing this pick! Very pleasant to talk with and a wonderfully versatile palate.
I received for Xmas one of those nice sunlight alarm clocks that goes off with chirping birds in the morning and weirdly that’s what I thought of when I took the first sip of this. Acidic but not in a way that makes you want to throw it out the window. A nice little wake up call (but for the evening! not the morning) with just a nice lil fruity kick to make it pleasant for sipping.
A reminder that I’d really like to try more orange wines for the sake of simply Understanding. — 6 years ago

with Chantelle

James Forsyth

9.1

I've always liked this Chianti. Maybe it is the birds. On the lighter side, glacier cherries, red berries, a rich of earth. One to drink with turkey! — 8 years ago

Jeffrey Lew

9.5

Never been a big fan, but TBH this was very good. Great complexity and nice herbal notes of rosemary and pine enveloped in dark fruit with a string of oak. I can see why people go nuts over these birds. Alas my heart is in France. — 8 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Grabbed another bottle! Wine bears the vineyard named to honor the Red-shouldered Hawks and other birds of prey that play a vital role in sustainable farming practices. Bright yellow with aromas of tropical fruits and sweet floral scents. Aged for 14 months, 75% in new French oak and 25% in stainless. On the palate melon, pineapple and peach flavors and hints of citrus, subtle yet complex and well balanced. Lingering finish, savory, ending with mineral tones and toasty oak. Outstanding! — 8 years ago