Jennifer Lower

9.1

Very good. Would pick up a bottle (had at a bunko’s night). Paired well with a lemon meringue pie. Easy drink on its own. — 4 months ago

Brito

9.3

Excelente! - Sofia Assyrtiko/Moschofilero — 8 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Birthed the year we were married and one of the more stunning producers we learned to embraced.

Love you endlessly Sofia! ❤️

Just picked when we were married & likely still in tank.

I can’t tell you enough how much you need to find a well aged & stored bottle. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

#Remembrance #Love 6/25.

Sofia loved Penguins. We played w/ them in Dubai and she also skied indoor while I had a spot of Champagne and watched from a very big window. Only in Dubai. They have to build things of that nature…cus w/o them…just a bunch of sand. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Amazing pair w/ my Braised Short Ribs. Savory meets savory fruits.

Photos of; Pierre, staff and Sofia & I in La Landonne Vineyard, the process of Short Ribs.

The one mineral you see in this vineyard with some prevalence that I’ve not seen in others is quartz. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Straight up my wheel house for Old World Syrah.

It is called Cote-Rotie or translation roasted slope for a reason.

The nose has beautifully, lightly floral fruits that are; blackberries, dark cherries, plum, black raspberries, poached strawberries and hues of blueberries. Some black pepper, steeped black tea, hues of roasted chestnuts, sandalwood, some dry tobacco, used leather, red cola, dark, rich earth, dark, red, blue withering florals framed in amazing violets.

The body is smooth as silk. The fruits are ripe & juicy; blackberries, dark cherries, plums for days, black raspberries, poached strawberries and hues of blueberries. Some black pepper, shades of lightly, grilled meats, steeped black tea, hues of roasted chestnuts, sandalwood, some dry tobacco, crushed rock powder, river stone, dry top soil, used leather, red cola, dark, rich earth, dark, red, blue withering florals framed in a. amazing field of violets. Rainfall acidity, soft structure & tension, well balanced and an elegant, beautiful, lush finish. Damn beautiful wine.

Sofia & I walked the La Landonne vineyard with Pierre and tasted in the cellar w/ Rene & Pierre.

Excellent with both Tri-tip’s…rubbed & marinated. — 2 years ago

Collier S. Wiese

9.5

Fantastic! Probably the one of the best roses I have had. — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

It has been a while since I’ve opened a Clemence. A favorite of mine & Sofia once upon a time. Still drink it, just not as often as I have moved to mostly Extra Brut. This is a Brut at 8g. Excellent Champagne & value at $44.99.

I believe there are only two resellers you can acquire it, one east coast & one west-K&L. You have to buy it pretty quickly once they get their container. It took several yrs building that relationship as Launois is careful about who they let resell their cuvées. In fact, it is even difficult to get in France. K&L has standing orders from some French citizens they ship back to France once they receive it. Kinda crazy.

The palate has nice mousse with lively acidity and micro oxygenation. Lime/lemon pulp w/ zest, stone fruits-white dominant, grapefruit w/ pith, bruised red/golden apples, Bosc pear, caramel, vanillin, some yeast, baguette crust, white spice, gritty, grey volcanics, chalky bits, limestone marl, oyster shells, yellow flowers/lilies, spring flowers with a little greens mixed in, very good acidy, well; made/balanced/tensioned with a smartly polished, elegant finish that lasts minutes and land on excellent minerality.

If you get to Champagne, visit. They have a huge museum of champagne/wine artifacts that date back to BC. My two pics do not show its enormity. They are about 35-40 minutes south of Reims.

They are the only producer I know of that places a rubber casket attached to the bottom of their corks. So, next to never do their cuvées have cork taint.

Enjoying it with the Jasper Hill Farms - Willoughby, buttery washed soft white cheese. Try with Rainbow Crisp crackers or warm baguette. Also, on apples with and w/o honey. — 5 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

#Remembrance #Love 6/25

One of our special stops in Maipo, Chile.

The day we visited, they had just received & were using their basic bottle labeling machine. They were elated to no longer have to do it by hand. 2018.

49% Carmenere, 42.5% Cabernet & 8.5% Syrah.

Picture of Sofia in Nefertiti’s Tomb. The top of Sofia’s bucket list.

The fruits are ripe and dryish; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum with big skin, plum pudding, darkest cherries & strawberries hues, creamy raspberries. Dark chocolate w/ fudge frosting, caramel, mocha, deep, dark spices w/ some palate heat, moist, forest floor with dry leaves, clove, nutmeg, soft cinnamon stick, vanillin, black tea, black licorice, dry river stone, moist, grey, volcanic clay, limestone & dry crushed rock minerals, dry top soil, some black pepper, dry tobacco & chewy leather, oak wood shavings, dry, withering & candied flowers, excellent, round acidity with a ruby, fresh, round, well; tensioned, balanced, knitted, smartly polished finish that lasts minutes.

Still has 10-15 years of good life ahead.

It was Bordeaux that first embraced Carmenere and the only Chateau that I know that still blends it is Clerc Milon…only about 2-3%. Chile champions Carmenere now.

Photos; Sofia & I tasted on top of that structured & their barrel room. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

What I didn’t realize until this week is when I bought this 2013, Sofia & I tasted this with Roger in his cellar before it received the label shown in this post in 2015.

This was $25 on release and it is beautiful tonight as it was last weekend.

Ripe, juicy; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, purple fruits, blueberries & some dark cherries. Grilled meats, light black pepper, dry galet stones, spice, dry top soil, dry tobacco, used leather, slightly moist volcanic mineral mixed w/ clay, sandalwood, dry & withering dark, red & purple florals, rainfall acidity, a well balanced, nicely structured, beautifully tensioned, balanced, elegant finish that last two-minutes and lands on minerality and florals.

Photos that Sofia & I took in 2015, wood vats, my backside looking at cement tanks, estate vineyard and their facility building. — 2 years ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.3

Sofia’s favorite vineyard plot. A “smoke show” we called it. Generally the 19s were the standouts — beautifully balanced and giving all of the dried herb and earthy notes typical of great Chianti Classico — but this was an exception, opulent and spicey (allspice, cinnamon, cedar) and so so fragrant. Stay in the look out for these wines — Sofia (the estate manager) and Giocomo (vineyard manger and cellar master, most recently of Isole & Olena) are making some really intentional and pretty wines here. — 3 years ago

Lyn Farmer

9.4

Very much a contemporary style of Amarone this is an elegant wine with finesse without sacrificing it punch. 15.5%abv, just 3.6 g/L residual sugar. Deep Ruby and loaded with fruit - black cherry, plum and prunes, blackberry, cassis, chocolate and seductive hints of Chinese Five Spice, including star anise and cinnamon. Elegantly poised, this feels light on the palate despite its full body. Very long finish, excellent with hearty food (I had it with boeuf Bourguignone). — 3 years ago

Juan Pablo Perez

9.0

Nariz: Pasas, ciruela, higo, chocolate, cuero, tierra. Nariz muestra bastante evolución, algo como un oloroso.

Boca: Tanino M, Acidez M-, Alcohol Alto pero no se nota.

A tomar ahora. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have enjoyed this producers vineyard over many vintage and this might be the best.

The 22 vintage is stunning and as good as it is, 23 might be better based on a somewhat limited exposure at this point.

The entry is glorious…such balance and wire to wire it doesn’t change much.

Green apple, perfect lemon & lime pulp into subtle candy, grapefruit, white stone fruit, kiwi, tropical melons, pineapple, cream reduction, saline, perfect sea fossils, fine powdery taut chalkiness, crisp volcanics, white spice, grey volcanic minerals, limestone marl, mix of fresh & dry stubble herbs, honeysuckle, light caramel, warm lightly done toast, yellow florals, spring flowers with greens, grand waterfall acidity, beautiful structure-tension, incredible balance with an elegant finish that lasts two-minutes and long sets on volcanic minerals and spice.

Decanted 1 hour.

When I first started buying this bottling, it was $50-$60, now $150. Might be my last bought. My white spend has a more limited range than my red. Don’t think I’m alone.

A property Sofia & I have visited in 2015. — 7 months ago

Jose Lorenzo

9.9

Damn near perfection. Stone fruit, acidity throughout, lingering elegance. I’ve never cheated on Sofia but drinking this makes me feel like I am. Cheers boys and girls. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

#Remembrance #Love 6/25

Sofia’s favorite producer of Pinot Noir.

Her picking the Merlot at Chateau Mouton Rothschild in 2012. If your 12 Mouton Rothschild is better than expected, you’ll know why.

My favorite picture of Sofia. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

93 that leans into 94 and will see another point or two with 10 years in bottle.

Sofia and I used to go to their futures luncheon for many years. This vineyard consistently yields fruit that makes one of their best Cabernet’s.

It’s lush as it enters and falls onto dry, meaty tannins. Blackberries, creamy black raspberries, black plum with skin, dark cherries & purple fruits. Dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, limestone & volcanic minerals, moist clay, dry tobacco, new, raw leather, still very woody, mixed mid & dark berry cola, plenty of baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dark spices with some heat, some dry herbs, dark melted, chocolate, cocoa powder, caramel notes, bright, fresh & candied florals that are dark, red, blue and framed in violets & lavender, ver nice round acidity with a highly structured, tensioned, well balanced and polished finish that lasts 90 seconds but still lands squarely on wood. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Happy birthday Honey. 🥳🎂🎉 🌹

This is absolutely as exquisite as when we had it for Christina’s birthday March 1, 2023. The benefit tonight is time & attention to focus on it. Delicious.

Green apple, lime, lemon pineapple, stone fruits, slightly bruised golden apple and pear, leans into apple cider, cream, ginger ale, nuts w/ skin, very fine powdery chalkiness, limestone, saline, biscuit dough, sea fossils. Amazing body and acidity, fruit blossoms, jasmine, yellow florals and well; structured knitted, balanced, extremely well polished finish that lasts two-minutes. Drinking beautiful now & with time & life for 10 yrs or more. Love you Sofia.

#MaxwellThisWomansWork — 3 years ago

Jose Lorenzo

9.3

My Sofia Loren… classy and always a beauty — 4 years ago

Gil Castro

9.0

I really liked this. Crisp and refreshing!!! Good to start the New Year. — 4 years ago