Festival '34
Schramsberg Vineyards
North Coast Brut Rosé Blend 2017
A blend of about 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay, light Salmon color with aromas of berry and citrus fruits with floral notes on soft mousse. On the palate flavors of strawberry and raspberry, creamy with lemon citrus texture. Youthful, lively acidity, long finish ending with yeasty spice and mineral notes. — a year ago
Simon Colin
Morgeot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Chardonnay 2020
I got to taste this again from 750 the next day at a seminar led by Simon Colin and Pierrick Bouley at Boulder Burgundy Festival. — 3 years ago
Kosta Browne
One Sixteen Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2020
Pale golden color, complex aging, 34% new French oak-15 months, 30% stainless-4 months; 18% in Foudre for 9 months; rest concrete egg for 14 months. Aromas of stone fruits, oak, nuts, floral and spice. On the palate flavors of peach and pear with honeysuckle, integrated toasty oak and nice citrus tang. Long finish, ending with a wet stone mineral character. Outstanding! Will age well! — a year ago
DeLille Cellars
D2 Columbia Valley Merlot Blend 2019
It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.
Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Strong spicy nose of raspberries, sweet cherries, light oak, spices, licorice, earth, eucalyptus, herbs and peppercorn.
Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with plums, cherries, raspberries, spices, light oak, herbs, licorice, dark chocolates, peppercorn and earth.
Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cranberries.
This is a very tasty Merlot based Bordeaux blend from Washington State. An Interesting wine that feels more like a Right Bank Bordeaux. Tangy and spicy.
Right out of the bottle it definitely feels like a new world wine, but once it opens up it changes.
This 3 year old is so very young, and would be better in 3 to 5 years. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.
I really enjoyed the nose, once it opened up. The palate needs some more bottle time, but it has good potential.
Needs time to open up properly, so be patient. I used the Zencore to expedite the process. Took about 8 minutes.
I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.
A blend of 60% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (55% new).
14.3% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$50. — 4 years ago
Rattalino
Trentaquattro 34 Barolo Nebbiolo 2013
Lovely nose of spice, some plummy fruit, dark cherries and dark florals. Mostly roses. Juicy, sleek and has some big tannins but extraordinary fruit and depth. Very linear. Wow the minerality is really shining through here. Lovely opulence and roundness and well and the spice runs throughout. Almost a 9.5. Maybe with air. — 5 months ago
These were purchased direct from the cellar, I also bought the entire Gilodi library. And even from one perfect, pristine cellar, there are still bottle variations. Why? Because the seal is a cork. You’re dealing with a living thing, topped with a piece of bark. Some evolve beautifully. Some don’t. That’s old wine.
This is exactly why I always say: after 10 years, there are no great wines, only great bottles. It’s not about storage conditions or chain of custody. It’s just the nature of the beast.
At Fass Selections, we don’t offer refunds on wines over 5 years old for this reason. It’s part of the romance and the risk. You win some, you learn from some.
And if, hypothetically, I did have to offer refunds on every old bottle that didn’t show perfectly? I’d stop selling old wine tomorrow. That’s how fragile the whole ecosystem is. It only works when everyone accepts the romance and the risk.
G.D. Vajra
Albe Barolo Nebbiolo 2018
John Osgood
Killer white — a month ago