Down Under

Produttori del Barbaresco

Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2019

First time tasting the ‘19 vintage, and the Produttori edged out one of my fave under the radar barolistas this early on. Maybe because it released sooner? Both red fruited with sour cherries and elegant tamed tannin/acid, but the Produttori had another gear of sweet incense and hard candy. The vintage does remind me of a more approachable’13 from a tannin perspective. — 21 days ago

Lyle, Serge and 16 others liked this
Jay Kline

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I feel like Giacomo Fenocchio’s single vineyard Barolos need a lot of time (although Villero is usually a bit more approachable young)
Jae Cho

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@Jay Kline yep, agree 100%. I have a few to lay down but I usually open one at release to see how many I want to buy.

Dark Horse Wines

Limited Release Double Down Red Blend

Deep red. Very wine tasting, no fruit — 4 months ago

Enderle & Moll

Liaison Pinot Noir 2021

Enderle & Moll Pinot Noir
Liaison 2021
Baden, Germany
12.5% ABV

German Pinot is supposed to be the next big thing, the best Pinot Noirs outside the Cote D'Or. And Enderle and Moll is reputedly its top producer , with a cult-like following in the German-speaking world. They make 3 versions, somewhat comparable to regional level , village level and grand cru, their top wine being the Buntsandstein. The Liaison is their mid-level offering from old vines up to 50 years old grown on limestone and sandstone soils. Needless to say , I've been dying to try one and see if it lives up to the hype.

On Day One , pop and pour. Very light, translucent ruby. Pretty red fruit and fresh mushroom aromas lead to a light yet intense entry on the palate with bracing , mouthwatering acidity dominating the wine at this stage. Showing more '21 Germany than Pinot character at this stage, so corked and revisited the next day.

On Day Two, this has completely transformed . The first thing noticed is that the color has become darker and deeper, and now looks like classic young burgundy. Aromas are also much more developed , with scents of Indian spices underneath the cherries , raspberries and forest floor. The tiniest hint of wood adds breadth and depth to a bouquet of classic pinosity, but with a character all its own.

On entry, this shows typical flavors of red fruit (currants , marasca cherries , cranberries ), brown spices , and sous bois in a light -bodied but incredibly intense package , with bracing acidity unlike any Pinot Noir I've ever tasted. Despite all the mid-palate energy , this has only moderate length and intensity on the finish. There's a bit of barely noticeable tannin. Built for medium term aging , it will be interesting to see if it remains balanced as it develops. Regardless , the acidity helped make it exceptionally good at the table , here paired with an herb and teriyaki roasted Salmon.

The Liaison can be found for around $30 here in the States , making it an excellent value, though California Pinot lovers might find the level of acidity shocking . While it's not going to make me think about pouring my Wilamette Valley Pinots down the drain , this is really good for the level, and really food friendly. A Pinot for Italian Wine lovers .
— 4 months ago

Pinotman liked this
Pinotman /// Andreas

Pinotman /// Andreas

I am drinking E&M all levels since their second vintage in 2009. They have never disappointed. However they are not for the faint of heart. And some need a lot of age - very nice review !

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1994

This magnum has been laying down for 30 years and is fully mature, medium bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with blackberry, tobacco, earth, coffee and black cherry on the nose. Soft textured, with no tannin remaining, the wine ends with a cherry. An Easter treat. — 19 days ago

Adriano CammarataDaniel CammarataMichael Cammarata
with Adriano, Daniel and 1 other
Tom, Douglas and 6 others liked this

Taittinger

Comtes de Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Chardonnay 1996

Happy Valentine’s Day! Continuing our tradition of pulling one of these each year - 11 down, only 1 more to go after this! Reminder that we need to choose a new case of something soon.

This is excellent as always but I’m not sure hits quite the same high note as last year’s bottle. Fine mousse, nose a bit more restrained. Palate is explosive and so deep with wonderful candied caramelized lemon peel. Wonderful pairing with carbonara!
— 2 months ago

ESF, Severn and 13 others liked this
Neil Valenzuela

Neil Valenzuela

Baller wine!
Jay Kline

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Oh snap!

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1994

Visiting an old friend. Now I'm down to 2 bottles in my cellar . I bought a case 25 years ago and every once in awhile I enjoy this ageless wine. It still has a soft mid pallet lingering red berry and tannic flavor. The richness of this Cabernet has done nothing but improve over the years. I dare say it will not further improve but hopefully it will linger at this quality level.the mouth feel is an experience in and of its self. What a wonderful treat🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 6 months ago

Ira, Shay and 1 other liked this

SLO Down Wines

Broken Dreams California Chardonnay 2021

Ted
9.1

Totally stumbled on this dudes wine. Although I did text him like the bottle says and he hasn’t responded yet. That’s ok. The wine is really good. — 7 months ago

Jeni
with Jeni
Tom, Andrew and 4 others liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1995

Classic lunch bags. Inky sour cherry and stony grippy fruit. Really straight down the line bordeaux. Classic. — 2 months ago

Paul Woolls
with Paul
Juan, Iwan and 15 others liked this

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

1995 vintage. Great fill, foil and label. Perfect cork. From a top-notch cellar. Decanted and tasted over the course of two hours. Volcanic ash-styled sed vs chunky-style. Big funk on the nose that resolved after 7-8 minutes. Wine was showing decently (in the 69-72 degree range) but lacking any tannic structure. Placed the decanter atop an ice bucket bath to drop the temp down to 60 degrees or so. Took about 20 minutes but the tannins kicked in the door to say hello. Fruit components stayed constant. Pauillac tendencies were all there. As is the case often with older BDX, the decaying matter/leaves at the onset transitioned to graphite/lead pencil and espresso flavors. This was a superior bottle in great shape. Top of this wine’s specific bell curve. Comparable bottles would look to be drinking this well for the next 5-7 years without dropoff. Out of larger format…could possibly push this into 9.4 status. 2.5.24. — 2 months ago

Ron, Jan and 17 others liked this
Ron R

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Gonna do a “fly by” one of these days. Buckle up…
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

@Ron R Let me know if you’re headed to SD. E-mail me at: scott@asrestaurant.com
Ron R

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👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

SLO Down Wines

Sexual Chocolate California Red Blend

Eye catching and provocative with a proud price point - but wow! It works! Barry White singing in the background with lavender and satin sheets Smooooooth. This is incredible from nose to tail on a way most blends don’t achieve. Strong punch, so it’s like an iron fist delivered in a velvet glove. Oh my my - definitely a worthy glass! — 6 months ago

ESF liked this