Ellen Clifford

9.1

The classic caramel/baking spice notes crop up on the nose but cut with fresh apple cider. The palate follows suit, bringing pear and citrus into the fold. The body is a medium-plus premise, and while the flavor profile verges on rich and the alcohol elevated, somehow, it all integrates into more than the sum of its parts. New bottle look, dependable, delicious taste! — 17 days ago

Al Shikoh

9.6

medium lemon yellow, watery rim, moderate tearing; lemon custard, Golden Delicious apple, buttered brioche; fleshy, lemon cream, apple, buttered toast, excellent persistence; full bodied, bright acidity, 14.6% ABV; made from 100% Chardonnay sourced from Mon Plaisir estate vineyard planted in 1990 in rocky, volcanic-origin rhyolite soil exclusively to Old Wente clone, most lush of their single vineyard Chardonnays, “Mon Plaisir” meaning “My Pleasure”, 2015 was drought vintage with very small intensely flavored crop; naturally fermented in barrel, undergoes malolactic fermentation, aged 11 months on the lees which were stirred weekly; $95 — 4 years ago

Anna Vocaturo

9.6

Crisp, Refreshing, lots of grapefruit, grassy- concentration of flavors from 45-48 year old vines, they lost a lot of the crop in 2018 — 5 years ago

Jason Goodfellow

9.0

Complex, rich, dark fruit, aged qualities and good for any red meat meal. Look no further for high quality under $60 — 4 months ago

Evan McKenzie

8.9

Darker yellow appearance, very light aromatics, minimal oak, lemon, high acid, medium + minerals, 13.9% EtOH

2016 crop of Wente Selection Chardonnay hand-harvested on 9/23 with a yield of 1.05 tons per acre. Whole-cluster pressed and cold fermented in seasoned French Burgundy barrels. 147 cases produced. — 4 years ago

Andrew Holod

National Sales Grapes of Spain

9.1

Winery: Luna Beberide
Wine: Fina Luna Beberide
Vintage: 2017
Denomination of Origin: Bierzo
Grape: 100% Mencia

This wine has changed names with the 2017 vintage. Former called Finca la Cuesta, this is sourced from the same, estate vineyards on clay and broken slate. The winery has reduced the amount of new oak and time in wood with this vintage lending a fresher fruit character. Good thing as 2017 crop was drastically reduced by frost.
Medium opaque purple. Nose of plums, graphite, a hint of gamy/butcher block. On the palate this is fleshier than previous vintages, with a silky, Merlot-like character. Persistent and concentrated while maintaining a sense of levity. — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

After Jim Clendenen graduated with a pre-law degree in ’76, he was assistant winemaker at Zaca Mesa Winery for the 1978 harvest, and in 1981 he pulled a “triathlon” and handled three harvests in one year as Jim worked crush and directed the harvest at wineries in Australia and France. Small crop, early ripening with concentrated fruit, aromas of tropical fruits and toasty notes. On the palate fresh pineapple and pear with oak tones, a bit creamy, almost buttery, a bit overdone, but still a good value. Medium finish with a round mouthfeel and bits of mineral on the ending. Tasting Sample. — 5 years ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.3

Very much like all the Ponsot wines from this era, and Domaine des Chezeaux was a "mettayage" agreement, Ponsot taking care of the vines, making the wine and getting 50% of the crop. We like it a great deal, actually.
Great bottle. — 10 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.3

The 2017 A Quo is the only wine Montepeloso bottled in a brutal, challenging vintage in which dehydration took with it 40% of the potential crop. All of the best fruit went into the entry-level A Quo, which is positively stellar in 2017. Red cherry jam, mint, cedar and wild flowers are all wonderfully fused together in a sumptuous, racy Bolgheri red that punches well above its weight. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, March 2020)
— 4 years ago

Maggie Harrison

9.7

This was amazing. I’ve never had anything like it. The story told to me about this liquor is that the fruit comes from old old orchards on or near the Chave estate. Apricot trees used to be a big crop for the region a long time ago! this is a sublime drink — 5 years ago