Ira Schwartz

10

Wine stimulates our sense of smell and taste but in this case it also created a tidal wave of emotion. Through a tremendous act of generosity a dear friend shared this special bottle when he heard me lament I was not able to secure a bottle of wine to celebrate my mother’s 100 birthday. My friend stood the bottle up for several days. We decided it made sense to PnP. As you can see the cork was intact and the color of the wine defied its age. The excitement to take that first sniff was overwhelming for me. Old but alive scents wowed me. Lots of tobacco, leaves, leather and dried fruit. In the mouth those same scents were transferred to my palate thanks to a tsunami of acid. At about the one hour mark the wine quickly entered a death spiral. I cannot imagine another bottle of wine that will ever conjure up that amount of emotion and happiness. When I described my experience to my mom, a very broad smile came over her face. A blessing to share this experience with my mom and a privilege to taste a wine like this. — 11 days ago

with Richard

Brian Duffy

9.5

Is there another gear when you ratchet up your wine experience?
Clos de la Tech Pinot tasting -- outstanding craftsmanship and pursuit of quality. Intro of 2012 vintage features several stars, led by Cote de Sud -- truly a nugget among semi-precious gems. And then...back to the residence for 2012 Mastro Janni Brunello (swell) followed by 2009 Brigaldara Amarone (special). And then...out comes the 2000 Quintarelli Valpolicella -- is there another level, an overdrive gear from here? Arguably NO, this Quintarelli answers every question wine consumers may conjure. Yes, I believe this is the destination! — 8 years ago

with Zack

L.J. Hollins

9.2

Drank like a champ! Stout black stone fruit declares new world rearing but intense fines-herbs underpinnings suggest French lineage. The clarity in flavors conjure images of Sugarplum faeries...and Québécois lumberjacks. — 9 years ago

Andrew Holod

National Sales Grapes of Spain

9.3

My wife commented that this had too much color and heft, given its age.
Deep, vibrant purple. Intense plummy fruit bouyed w warm toasted aromas that conjure vanilla, cumin, toasted oak. Dense, fleshy, long, with resolved tannins that still offer plenty of structure and elegant acidity. Among the best domestic, 'natural' wines I've had. — 3 years ago

Ely Cohn

9.3

If there is such a thing as wines that can conjure a personal connection irrespective of “greatness,” but a connection of language and dialect, this is one of those wines for me. The same is true of all Ovum wines I’ve tried - quiet wines of place. Voluptuous but not clamorous.

Green herbs and aloe. Ice box spiced lemon meringue pie. Fat and creamy. Minty lemony creme brûlée. — 6 years ago

Ron Haber

9.5

2012 Cabernet. Julien Fayard strikes again. Soft, round, elegant-sipping each taste slowly to conjure up the flavors in the back palate. — 8 years ago

Matt Perlman

9.7

Will probably never come across this wine again and that thought made me a bit wistful as I tried to somehow conjure just one more sip from my pour...just stupendously good, simply in another register from any other Grenache-based wine I've ever tasted — 8 years ago

David Kline

9.3

Scribbly, disjointed scumble above very cloudy toddy. Cut blood orange, red grapefruit, persimmon, table grape, and baked lemon. Wild, yeasty notes, with scraped aloe plant, dill, carrot, and carnation-daisy. Whoa. Chardonnay perfumes envelope dried green olive and green apple tastes. Weird, white pepper-dried raspberry that has nutritional yeast and cedar. Lime-pineapple devoid of fructose. Active mouthfeel has lemon peel oils, grapefruit pith, salty guava, amplified dragonfruit, and kafir leaves with crushed poppyseed dusting. Stone fruit stone tastes. Overall, a Brett-like orange, with floral suggestions of lillies dragging. Complex, and really amazing, finishing with a tartar-biscuit nod to warm Champagne vintages. Only nature could conjure this. Steel pans with whole citrus and stone fruit purées that turn herbal in the tangle of peel, leaves, stems and seed. — 5 years ago

David Kline

9.4

Heavenly blackberry and rich plum conjure up raspberry reductions that smoke a little but stay focused. A stony and crisp, almost granite texture followed by a baked currant and toffee, aromatically. American coffee, sweet licorice and oaky cedar bordering on pine, with cherry spiraling to a bitter, dark, baker’s chocolate that expands endlessly. Dense, rich and layered endlessly. #themaiden #harlanestate #harlan #billharlan #napawine #napa #napavalley2005 #napavalleyforever — 6 years ago

with Courtney

Chris DeBarr

9.2

The taste of those funny-looking, gnarled cider apples from old orchards might strike some as funky, but not as much as Basque cider to my palate. To me this is pretty, even delicate, and much more terroir based than most ciders out there. Can't wait to conjure cocktails with Quebrada! — 8 years ago