Vin d’Ottawa

9.5

In early 2020, we picked up this Alsatian Grand Cru Gewurtztraminer. We wondered what the highest grade of Gewurtztraminer would show & tonight, 5.5 years later, we found out.

This tastes almost like Japanese Umeshu (plum wine) but with the sweetness exchanged for subtlety. Lychee & pineapple are at the forefront and it eases indulgently into Marzipan.

Great with curry and imagine it would be just as good with blue cheese. — a month ago

with Gillian

Byron C Mayes

9.3

Wow! Deep burnt orange in color. Big nose of plum (surprise). Medium bodied palate of… plum! And a real plum at that. Not too sweet, rather just as sweet as a very ripe plum. The finish is like what you get from a bite into an actual plum. This ain't your father's plum wine. This plum flavored sake is a fantastic finish to a Japanese or any other meal. Drink with fresh plums when you by it! — 3 years ago

Andrew Holod

National Sales Grapes of Spain

9.1

Pours a surprisingly deep yellow. Nose offers plenty of ripe golden fruit. Palate entry medium sweet and seemingly a bit simple.
Day two paired with German brats braised in caramelized onions/carrots and sauerkraut. The sauerkraut completely changes this wine converting the sweetness to a fresh acid and the flavor profile to an almond tinged white cherry and plum. Very, very interesting food and wine pairing.
Try this with picked/fermented foods as umeshu, kimchi, sauerkraut etc for an interesting change in perception. — 4 years ago

Raun Kupiec

9.3

Not like any Sake I’ve drank before. A rich almond aspect, almost marzipan like, with the plum sweetness underlying the profile. A really fascinating dessert wine. — 2 months ago

with Barbara

Aaron Tan

9.1

The last and probably the best bottle from a lot of four purchased from our local importer. There was quite a bit of bottle variation in our Malaysian importer’s 19’ Envinate release - the Migan’s and Palo Blanco’s were quite the rollercoaster ride - but the Vinas de Aldea seemed to have gotten the good side of the container. Like the last bottle, this was full of floral elegance and tangy energy. Super complex aromas of violets, ripe cherries, sweet herbs, pepper, and a touch of coffee and flint. All finesse on the palate, but has depth too. Sweet red fruits, bittersweet herbs, umeshu, and an absolutely lovely, Mosel-esque slatey minerality; finishing sharp with grippy, chalky tannins. For me it was firmly in that red kabinett territory, and downright perfect with our fatty Angus picanha. Loved it! — 2 years ago

Fabian Kühlhorn

9.2

The aromas are truly something else. So much blossom, but not at all as you may find in say a Muscat. Apricot, cooked peach and umeshu-like plums. Reductive. Astringent mouthfeel, fine tannins. Yellow fruit palate with a pretty long finish. — 3 years ago

Norman

9.0

This was all part of our Sake Day 2025 experience. We only tasted 60ish sakes out of an estimated 450, so a small fraction of what was available. While I attempted to rinse the glass with water and stay hydrated it’s difficult to fairly rate in this environment and I use it solely as a time to try a wide variety and interact with the brands. Heavy yuzu. Not a sake. — 3 months ago

David Shaw

9.2

Sherry Umeshu Cask Finish, exclusively for Shinanoya. Light wood aroma, golden brown color. Very clean, subtle — 2 years ago

Mike Smith

9.0

Light and flavorful. Very refreshing. — 3 years ago

Aaron Tan

8.9

In stark contrast with the rather polished and fruity Margaret River Bordeaux blend, this was all rustic and savoury. Sure under that veneer of volatile acidity and strong leather aromas, lied some nervy black cherries with lovely cedar-spice and licorice, yet in typical Musar manner, most in the group found this difficult to drink. I believe it's the combination of grainy tannic structure plus VA-derived vinegar aromas and umeshu-like twang in this finish that threw most off. I, on the other hand, found it quite compelling. — 4 years ago