Riddley Walker

9.1

Яблоки, айва, свити, крепкий нектарин, тархун, латекс, белая корочка. Стройная кислотность и приятный тонус. Легко, ненавязчиво, без большой комплексности, но аккуратно скроено, в меру напряжённо и с хорошим балансом. — 3 days ago

with Rin

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Tried this a year ago, wow, still nice! Bodega Catena Zapata is one of Argentina's high altitude Malbec pioneers. The Catena family began making wine in Mendoza in 1902. A delight to taste this wine. Straw with green edges, a blend from several vineyards, 80% from Uco, packed with aromas of rich stone fruits with citrus and floral notes. Flavors of peach, apple and Asian pear with toasty character. Well balanced, generous acidity, crisp on lingering finish ending with a gorgeous mineral tang. — 10 days ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

As I was showing up, this bottle had already been opened for about two hours and was right at its prime. Poured a lighter straw color into the glass. The nose was very heavily honeydew and melon with a hint of lemon. Hint of straw also in this nose. The front of this wine is powerful yellow fruit. Didn't get much of a tropical note. Didn't go more the direction of grapefruit as it did guava and pear. Finished strong. Full and in-your-face. I think that this is the first Belle Cote I've had the chance to have, and definitely didn't disappoint. I was definitely not wanting to open up a white wine to compete with this one! Drink or hold, as I feel that this one has another 5-7 years left and will probably develop quite nicely in that time frame. — 4 days ago

with Dan and Keith

Henrik Poulsen

9.2

100% Chardonnay.
Dosage = 0.5 g/l

Refreshingly crisp and brimming with minerality.
I believe this is a blend of 2011/13-vintages.

@Delectable Wine This is “Composition”. I didn’t find it in your database. — 4 days ago

Fredybeans

9.6

Robe or
Nez ultra expressif mûre, épices, racinaire
Bouche ample exubérante mature avec des bulles fines
Finale longue mature et très ample pour un vin si jeune
Un vin hors norme pour un vin si jeune — 8 days ago

with picolator and El

Jennifer

9.0

I’ve had this wine a million times. I just want to show @Paul Treadway Huntington Beacher Bum or PROVE we have the same wine opener 💁🏻‍♀️. — 4 days ago

Shay A

9.6

As if Part 1 of Saturday night wasn’t incredible enough, Part 2 of the final and main event for the Fall WNH was all Sine Qua Non wines. The most spectacular lineup of wines I’ve ever seen, and an overall wonderful ending to an amazing trip with fantastic people.

The night cap to a mind blowing weekend. Liquid gold with such pronounced aromatics...bananas foster, honeyed baked pear & marzipan. Electrifying on the palate with mouth coating flavors of caramel mango, white chocolate, truffle butter. Viscous and lingering finish. A treat to enjoy, courtesy of @Bill Bender . — 9 hours ago

with Mike, David and 5 others

Matthew Cohen

9.2

Nose is stone fruits. Very dense on the palate. Rich. Apricot pie with enough acidity to keep it interesting. A wine to drink with chicken in cream sauce. Internal aromatics are intense and very different. Almost spicy. Interested to try a non 15 version of this. Bought from Fass Selections. ... as this.opens a cross between old burgundy and a hint of the Loire with northern Rhône density. A wine you sort of have to try because it’s from a place we’ve never heard of. — 7 days ago

with Lyle

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

The 2008 Launois Special Club might be the best they made in the 2000’s that’s been released. Pronounced (loon wah). My palate tells me part of this was aged in tank and some of it in wood.

It’s made from two plots of 65 year old vines, one in the Grand Cru of Oger called 'Chenys' and one in Mesnil called 'Derriere Maison’. The plots in Mesnil are their oldest.

The nose reveals, bruised green & golden apples, apple cider, bosc pear without skin, overripe pineapple, meyer lemon, lime zest, spice, touch of nutmeg, cream soda, baguette crust, walnuts, volcanic minerals, sea shells, nice chalkiness, yellow lilies, acacia blossoms and spring flowers.

The body is full, rich, soft & creamy. Micro bubbles. The palate shows nice backbone of minerals and excellent chalkiness. Bruised green & golden apples, apple cider, bosc pear without skin, white nectarines, overripe pineapple, meyer lemon, lime zest, spice, coriander, touch of nutmeg, graham crackers, cream soda, baguette crust, walnuts, volcanic minerals, sea shells, nice chalkiness, yellow lilies, acacia blossom and spring flowers. The acidity is magnificent. The long, rich, well balanced, elegant finish astonishes. It’s very good tonight but will wait another 3-4 years before I open another.

Photos of, the House of Launois, two different areas that make up their champagne museum that encompass Champagne’s history and then some, as well as, some of their Grand Cru Vineyards.

This 08 Special Club was/is a steal at $69. — 3 days ago

Arden Barnett

9.4

My kind of white... high acid, heavy citrus notes but a bit tamed the first day. However, on day 3 this wine was absolutely gorgeous. The nose really opened up with hints of mangos, papaya, and grapefruit zest. The depth of this wine reminds me of the 2000 Rochioli Chard I had a few months ago and the finish takes me back to eating fresh mango at the street market in Tel Aviv. Fantastic. Thank you @Jack Thompson — 4 hours ago

with Jack