Boundary Breaks Vineyard
Podere Sapaio
Volpolo Bolgheri Red Blend 2021
You can tell the quality of the wine just from the nose. It needs some time in the bottle until it breaks out. So much potential here.
The colour is deep purple… just like the crown in the label.
— a year ago
Boundary Breaks Vineyard
Finger Lakes Gewurztraminer
Very nice! — 5 years ago
The Ojai Vineyard
Roll Ranch Vineyard Syrah 2002
Aromas of dark black fruits - blackberry, plum, blueberry. Bold and big, with soft integrated tannins that draw you into the inner sanctum of the grape varietal. A tinge of age at the ends, but not in the fore front. Nice lovely finish lasting over 30 seconds before it breaks down. Definitely at its peak of performance. Paired well with the bolognese. Even better with the veal chop with figs, pluots, and watermelon radish. As Elizabeth says, this is a gorgeous wine. “It’s a grown up, but not old”. Or as I like to say, like a 40 year old classy lady wearing an evening gown and pearls - just stunning! — 6 years ago
Kapcsándy Family Winery
Roberta's Reserve State Lane Vineyard Merlot - Cabernet Franc Blend 2012
This is a wine of distinction, noses full of flavour whilst delivering a crisp but smooth rounded velvet experience on the palate. From Napa It sets a high boundary for USA wines to follow. — 6 years ago
Serafin Père et Fils
Les Millandes Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Pinot Noir
An excellent wine but not an irreplaceable one. Does not push the boundary and remains too conservative. — 7 years ago
Boundary Breaks Vineyard
No. 198 Reserve Finger Lakes Single Clone Riesling 2022
Color: Pale white / tinge of yellow
Aroma: Petrol, freshness, crisp, grass, meadows, what you would imagine gushing river water to smell like
Tasting notes: Asian pear, slight cheddar, sweet leaves
Texture: Laced with silk, rich, creamy, comforting, mouth hug
— 3 years ago
Boundary Breaks Vineyard
Glitz Bubbly Gewürztraminer
Just enough bubbles to make you go hmmmmm. Soft crisp mild so mild tartness. — 5 years ago
Boundary Breaks Vineyard
Finger Lakes Unoaked Chardonnay 2019
A supple fragrance of leaf fronds and slight tropical fruits like pineapples, lychee, and mangoes. Finally some underlying pine aromas.
A little less balanced, but in a good way. Leaning towards higher acid, but the tropical sweet notes balance this out, which is a nice playfulness.
It looks stunning in a glass, and has that end note of unctuous salinity and the overall freshness of skiing through pines. — 6 years ago
Denis Jamain (Domaine de Reuilly)
Les Pierres Plates Reuilly Pinot Noir
Crispy and light on the nose and sharp floral spring in the mouth, really well balanced dry, crisp, a hint of stone and a cold but sweet afternoon in the garden, breaks fat, great taste. My style and you feel the crisp is from france — 6 years ago
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair
La Romanée Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2016
No. 2 in the Vosne Romanee Grand Cru bracket. Tasted blind. My brief note (sensory overload has set in again!): A perfumed woody smokiness - sweet and gorgeous with a beautiful texture and mouthfeel. “ With Romanee Conti to its eastern boundary it is similar but slightly different. Les Richebourgs to its northern boundary. La Romanee is a Monopole owned by the Liger-Belair family and is the smallest appellation in France at. 0.8452 hectares producing only 250 to 350 cases each vintage. A wonderful wine with at least 2 decades of cellaring before it reaches its peak. — 6 years ago
Venus La Universal
La Universal Montsant Syrah Blend 2015
Quite suave with it’s elegant texture and fine tannin, but there’s a rustic edge that breaks up the ripeness and adds dimension. Found the alcohol very balanced. — 3 years ago
World's End
If Six Was Nine Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
I have been fairly critical of the 2010 Napa Cabernet vintage. This 2010 World’s End is one of the Napa producers that breaks with the many others I’ve had that were leaner, lacked structure, tannins & complexity.
This wine was just under $45 when I bought it upon release. Tonight, it is far out delivering that price point. In fact, as good as it is with tri-tip tonight, I wouldn’t open my next bottle for five more years.
The nose shows; some smoke & char, ruby, moist, forest floor with dry leaves, candied/ruby, candied, perfumed, brilliantly, floral fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plums, plums, blueberries, sour strawberries & raspberries. Dark berry, liqueured cola, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, anise to black licorice, steeped, black fruit tea, mellow, dark spices, dry crushed rocks, clay, dry, top soil, mint/eucalyptus, bay leaf, dry crushed rocks, dry stems, tobacco, dry leather, graphite, bright limestone with fresh & just withering/candied; dark, purple, black, red, blue florals framed in violets and lavender.
The body is; full, ripe, lush & juicy. The palate guide is that of a very well made & expensive Cabernet. Tannins are; dark, tarry, chewy, sweet with baby to adolescent teeth. This 2010 has 15-20 years of good drinking ahead with proper storage. The tension, structure, length and balance are just starting their singing lessons. It is very Bordeaux like; moist, forest floor with dry leaves, truffles, mushrooms, candied/ruby, candied, perfumed, brilliantly, floral fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plums, plums, blueberries, sour strawberries & raspberries. Dark berry, liqueured cola, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, anise to black licorice, steeped, black fruit tea, mellow, very, dark Indian & Asian spices with just the right amount of palate heat, saline, smoke & char, black, cracked, black pepper, dry crushed rocks, clay, dry, top soil, dry, river stones, mint/eucalyptus, bay leaf, dry crushed rocks, dry stems, tobacco, dry leather, graphite, bright limestone with fresh & just withering/candied; dark, purple, red, blue florals framed in violets and lavender. The acidy is good to very good but, could be a little better. However, it does hold the alcohol level just in check. The long, complex finish is; ripe, well balanced fruit & earth, nicely knitted & balance which; slides into earthy, dark spicy, dry, dusty, tarry tannins on the long set that persist for several minutes.
Still needed a two to three hour decant.
One of the more complex wines I’ve had in some time.
Cuvée note, “If 6 Was 9" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded on his Jimi Hendrix Experience LP in 1967.
Photos of; World’s End Winery, staff at the sorting table, the famous & picturesque Napa Valley sign and their barrel room. — 6 years ago
Jon Potter
lovely gentle Riesling — 6 months ago