Peter Sultan

9.3

I started drinking Beaujolais several decades ago because it was cheap & farmers wine—true terroir, etc.. “Poor man’s Burgundy etc.. Lapierre Morgon was about 15-20$ then. Obviously times have changed as have prices. This all a wind up to when I find that aliveness again in Beaujolais, I perk up: here it is, in an aged, dark fruited Fleurie; the fruit is gorgeous, full, & dense; balanced acidity. From plots 60-90 yro, full on cassis & ribena. Aged Fleurie released late, & it’s wonderful. So for 32$- on sale around 26$-it’s a pretty, soulful creature. The reason why I got into Gamay. Plenty of sediment so decant. Savio Soares importer, who else? — 2 months ago

Willie Carter

9.0

Sometimes you just want the usual comforts without sacrificing any quality. The customary pale gold in the glass with a creamy mousse and abundant perlage. A very easy going and aromatic nose of citrus fruit and floral accents. Pencil shavings, pears, and biscuits. As far as entry level bottles, this is head and shoulders above many. Not lacking in elegance or balance whatsoever.

Impeccably fresh with a luscious mouthfeel and classy structure. This improves considerably after some time in the glass. The palate follows the nose closely with more floral and yeast notes. A little elderberry, honey, and green apples to compliment. Long refined finish. Really nice and pleasant from first sip to the last. — 5 years ago

Belinda

9.5

Really delightful fruit with depth, and for the price of ~$13 from Astor, an absolute bang for the buck. A versatile red that can fare well with takeout, upscale meals, or home cooked comforts. — 6 years ago

Michael Mallon

9.0

Funky, savory, sweet, harmonious. A very madeira like sake but a creature unto its own. — 2 years ago

Romain Fitoussi

8.9

Cherry dress, charming nose of the Burgundian PN between strawberry, cherry, mushroom, cloves; discreet breeding tip between vanilla and tobacco. In the mouth it is lively, with a mineral marker that imposes itself. Semi-Light body that comforts the breeding tannins. Chanson lays the foundations of Burgundy in what is most essential, magnifying the PN. Easy to drink, elegant. 2019 at its peak.

Robe cerise, nez charmant des pinots-noirs bourguignons entre fraise, cerise, champignon, girofle, pointe discrète d’élevage entre vanille et tabac. En bouche c’est vif, avec un marqueur minéral qui s’impose de lui-même. Corps demi-Léger confortant les tanins d’élevage. Chanson pose les bases du Bourgogne dans ce qu’il y’a de plus essentiel, magnifiant le Pinot-Noir. Facile à boire, élégant. — 3 years ago

David Kline

8.9

Light golden color reminiscent of apple juice. Warm apples, baked pineapple, grilled lemon, walnut brioche, pine nut, hazelnut, and Bosc pear and vanilla cooking aromas. There is light Spanish cedar trailing. NorCal wildflower honey meets pine nettle and orange peel on the palate. Cedar plank, green peppercorn, currant leaf, lemon zest, grapefruit oils, and flash of cinnamon oil paints a pleasantly complex narrative of autumn comforts and campfire smokes with brittle caramel bits and bee pollen place it squarely in the meadow. Packs a surprise for those who underestimate it based on pale color. No caramel color here, and no dark shadows. Bright, lively, alive. #compassboxgreatkingstreet #compassbox #compassboxwhisky #scotch #blendedscotch #edinburgh #scotchwhisky #whisky #whiskey #artistsblend #johnglaser #nonchillfiltered — 6 years ago

with Courtney

Adam Kincaid

9.1

Sho-nuf I like my chateauneuf! Wild, floral, but muscular and strong.

Usually, I try to pay attention during wine tastings, but honestly a lot of the time I am just imagining how well I would do in American Gladiators. Especially the early 90s version. (When I was a young and impressionable kid.)

I thought Malibu was an idiot and I knew I could take him out in the jousting competition, though I was certain Nitro would bash my head in with a pipe pretty quickly. Diamond... she scared me. The intense lipstick reminded me of some horrible creature of the night in search of blood. I preferred Lace. In fact, I really preferred Lace. (The first version: Marisa Pare. Not the later Lace played by Natalie Lennox Merritt.) I imagine the reason I have a penchant for wild tangled hair now is because of my infatuation with American Gladiator Lace when I was 4-7 years old. When I was younger, I would often imagine battling with Lace. As the events got more intense she would throw herself on top of me in frustration and we'd roll down the gladiator pyramid, making out in a heap of sexual energy and wild animalistic thrusting.

But I digress.

This wine smells like Lace. — 6 years ago

Jay Kline

9.8

Okay, so we’ve had Gentaz and Verset along with a ridiculous collection of other truly great wines; the likes of which could have easily stood very much on their own and been the showpiece of the night. But we weren’t finished yet. So why not another mythical creature? Chave’s Vin de Paille is so rare. It’s only been made a dozen or so times in history and always in tiny numbers. The 1990 Vin de Paille pours like a liquid Tiger’s eye with notes of persimmons, golden raisins, and peach crisp. So rich and yet, not cloying. An amazing pairing with foie toast and candied chestnuts. Drink now through infinity. Honestly, I don’t know how a wine like this ever dies unless it lives a hard life. — 2 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.1

F-ing delightful, Pegasus, take me away. Well first let the Pegasus catch its breath (aka let the vino breath), then hop on. Smells a little earthy as a winged horse is want to be, but take sip and the steed takes flight. Fly through hella raspberry…orchards? Descend enough to grab those and some cherries fresh off the tree then accelerate through a tunnel of (politefully chill) oak barrels and chill. Oh! But this flight didn’t have turbulence rather (abandoning metaphor) it is supes silky but while it punches with fruit and pepper it then smooths itself across your tongue like a lace tablecloth. Aka achieves smoothness with texture and the flavors and sensations seem to pop all over my tongue prior to my hopping on my metaphorical pegasus who is (describing the finish) descending into a cherry orchard (not just cause I’m doing a stage reading of Chekhov’s “Cherry Orchard” soon) and lovingly (as lovingly as a creature with wings and hooves can) sending me to find my way back through the barrels to who knows? It’s like I’m Alice in Wrinkle in Time-land. Cool Pinot from NZ I’d like to take another flight on a different Pegasus Air line. Just to see. — 4 years ago

S.S. Mandani

9.5

Quarantine materials ready. Creature comforts are getting me through this thing. Give me good coffee, pavement to pound, a pen that dances on the page, a worn notebook with still empty pages to fill, jazz weaving the air, and a bottle of wine, and I will kill all the time there is.

A magenta shawl in the glass.

Earth’s fragrance caught in a bottle. Sweet, sweet clay. Leather. Intense plums and orange zest. Sea breeze. This is a memorable and rich bouquet.

Subtle smoke quality reminiscent of the char in the bark of good brisket. A reserved dark fruit quality which is there, but just teases you as a spicy black peppercorn note swings in for a jab. It’s smooth.

An eloquence in the expression and structure. Like a mathematical proof or a line of poetry you cannot easily forget.

It slaps. — 6 years ago