Else Wines

Tenuta Il Poggione

Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2015

Second time trying this from the 2015 vintage, first enjoyed five years ago. This was my Christmas Day wine, when it’s always hard to really appreciate or concentrate on a wine what with everything else going on! I ordinarily go for familiar favourites from the Rhône, or aged Bordeaux. Anyway, this Brunello was still super macho, austere and in need of either more time in bottle or some very rustic, Tuscan food. Or both! — 7 months ago

Peter, Neil and 3 others liked this

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Blend 2006

There is no point drinking any other CDP. And the ‘06 is a follower to the ‘05, ‘07, ‘08 and ,09. But what a magnificent wine. Fruit has calmed down and integrates with earth. And the Rayas pepper is there. Cannot mistake this wine for anything else. Simply stunning. — 5 years ago

Sarah ShauerLee LangstaffCynthia Langstaff
with Sarah, Lee and 2 others
Shay and James liked this

Salon

'S' Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Brut Chardonnay

This was a tremendous bottle. We were fortunate enough to tear into a pair of delicious Salon ‘04s last month but this was something else. So much concentration, poise and grace. I don’t believe I’ve tasted a better Champagne - 1996 — 7 years ago

Scott, Shawn and 15 others liked this
Ira Schwartz

Ira Schwartz Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Fraser McKinley and oh so young .
Ira Schwartz

Ira Schwartz Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Fraser McKinley just has some other ‘96’s will try to get to my notes today.
Fraser McKinley

Fraser McKinley Influencer Badge

Yes @Ira Schwartz this was still very fresh. It’d be lovely to have a dozen of these in the cellar to work through over the next 20 years or so...

Domaine Pascal Cotat

La Grande Côte Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Light straw color. Very tight in the nose, even after being open for a couple of hours. Notes of light citrus, kiwi and white flowers. Not much else. High pitched and fruit abundant in the mouth. Light acidity and structure, almost to a flaw. Closed down? Needs more age? Will wait a few years more and check in on this one down the road. — 8 years ago

Eric, Mark and 9 others liked this

Evening Land Vineyards

La Source Seven Springs Vineyard Chardonnay 2009

Chardonnay was on the mind most of the day and it was time to pull this cork...

Evening Land’s 2009 La Source Chardonnay from Seven Springs Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA is the highest scoring Oregon white wine EVER from Wine Spectator. In fact, only one Oregon wine (red or white) has ever outscored it, and just so happened to be the Evening Land 2012 La Source Pinot Noir from the exact same vineyard.

Needless to say, expectations were high (even with the amount of salt I take with WS). My immediate impression was actually surprise because of the lack of acidity. An hour open and taking it down 10° from cellar temp improved its balance. The minerality certainly makes the wine but its purity oscillates at time. Poached pear, quince, lemon blossom, with crushed white rock, and wild herbs. Definitely an exceptional Chardonnay, but I would reserve “best ever” status for something else.

— 8 years ago

Arden, Jonathan and 17 others liked this
P A

P A

@Isaac Pirolo Nice review and pic

Jean Foillard

Côte du Py Morgon Gamay 2016

John Howard
9.3

What everyone else said. So delicious. — 8 years ago

Anthony FilibertiMari Stauffer
with Anthony and Mari
P, Ron and 38 others liked this

Dom Pérignon

Altum Villare Brut Champagne Blend 2013

I don’t know what’s going on with this app but it seems that my posts are taking 1-2 days to show up??!! Their tech support also does not respond. Is anyone else having issues?
Anyway the Dom is always very good
— 8 months ago

Martijn, Paul and 10 others liked this
Martijn

Martijn

Yep. Same here.

Château d'Yquem

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1967

Not quite as viscous as previous bottle but nose/flavor profile still like nothing else. — 4 years ago

Romain, Ira and 10 others liked this

Trefethen Family Vineyards

Oak Knoll District Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

A touch simple...and a touch delicious :) Balance if nothing else. — 6 years ago

R. López de Heredia

Viña Cubillo Crianza Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2009

A group of us met up for happy hour and I was asked to chose the wine. The shop we were meeting at had three bottles of Viña Cubillo on the shelf; none remained when we were done. I think the group had full intentions of drinking other things but why bother when this is available. I mean, what an incredible value and it hits all the spots: bright cherry core, some olive and baking spice, bright, beautiful. Nobody else at the table had ever had anything from LdH. Now, they won’t forget. It’s always nice to share great wine with open minded people. — 7 years ago

Ira and Daniel P. liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Special Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

It’s a phenomenal wine in all aspects. I don’t know what else to say. — 8 years ago

Domaine Gilles Berlioz

Les Filles Vin de Savoie Chignin-Bergeron Roussanne 2016

A transportative wine. Honey and almonds on the nose. The palate’s fresh and mineral. But it has that alpine character that transports you to the mountains. Nothing else like it. Bought from Fass Selections. After an hour gets much more complex. This is great but yet very different. An anti ennui wine. — 8 years ago

Lyle Fass
with Lyle
Lyle, Severn and 9 others liked this
Lyle Fass

Lyle Fass Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Nice
9.3
Lyle Fass

Lyle Fass Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Some label

Quintessa

Illumination Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Shay A
9.2

Weekly Wednesday Wine Committee and this was a special treat as not only was Weston from Montagu Wines in attendance, but Jason Moore, owner and winemaker for Modus Operandi Wines out of Napa. Blind format as always. 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert.

Every part of me, and most everyone else in the room, called this New Zealand SB. Never had a SB with so much grass and jalapeño pepper on the nose. More grapefruit rind came in to play later and it had a typical SB finish with acidic/stone driven notes, but what a nose!
— 8 years ago

Dick, Paul and 23 others liked this
Ryan Vento

Ryan Vento

Solid SB

Vincent Dauvissat

Chablis Chardonnay

Picking up some color which I thought unusual. Everything else in place — 8 months ago

Henri Giraud

Argonne Brut Aÿ Grand Cru Brut Champagne 2014

Delectable Wine
9.6

The 2014 Argonne was much more open when I tasted it last year, which is probably a good sign for its long-term aging prospects. Tangerine oil, white flowers, spice, brioche and a kick of sweet oak all run through the 2014. More than anything else, I am struck by the wine's linear intensity and drive. Argonne is 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay done in 100% new oak. Disgorged: December 14, 2022. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, May 2023) — 3 years ago

Domaine Dujac

Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2005

Nose was a bit muted for the first hour but everything else was magical! — 5 years ago

Ira liked this

Mount Veeder Winery

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

5/19. Just as good as the two previous vintages. My go to if something else does not catch my attention. — 7 years ago

Eric liked this

Ant Moore

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Strong pear aromas. Smells like the pear flavored jelly belly tastes. Nice balance on the tongue. This is the crispest wine I've tasted. Acids are there but don't make you pucker like most everything else. — 7 years ago

Pétrus

Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend

No tasting notes necessary. Almost unreal flavor, textures capable of restructuring your brain cells. This wine almost ruined me by raising the bar impossibly high for everything else that followed. Now regretting I sold my double magnum of '70 in 1997. "Dark chocolate-covered berries, fresh moss, leathery clay bound in a sensory rush that lingers all evening". This is what separates the classics from so many wines; One thinks of it and can taste it for the rest of your life. — 8 years ago

Brian and LM liked this

Myriad Cellars

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard Syrah 2014

So very good.

Nothing else to say!
— 8 years ago

Brandon, Rob and 16 others liked this
Bill Bender

Bill Bender Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Dr. Brevity, M.D.