Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Blend of five vineyards from two appellations in Santa Barbara County; Solomon Hills and Gold Coast; from Santa Maria Valley, Peake Ranch and Zotovich; and Drum Canyon from Sta. Rita Hills. Ruby color with aromas of red fruit, baking spice and earthy notes. On the palate flavors of raspberry and cherry with white flower notes and an array of spices. Fine dusty tannins, long finish ending with fresh fruit, spice and earthy tones. Nice! — 4 months ago

Jeremy Pollard

9.4

Well this was an excellent choice! Couldn’t decide on dessert and wine so opted to combine them into one. Didn’t take a sip for a good five minutes as I was too engrossed in the nose. Blossom and citrus and sweet tangerine. All sorts of lusciousness and concentration and sweetness but finishes clean and lingering. What a delight to wrap up the night. — 3 years ago

Willie Carter

9.3

Oh my, what an absolute joy. This right here sings the song I want to hear. A pale old gold color in the glass. Perfectly precise perlage with a plethora of tiny, fine bubbles and showcasing innate creaminess. The nose is slightly intense opening with aromas of hazelnut, chalk, and lemon zest. Warm buttered brioche takes over for a moment full of bliss then a bit of smoke. Juicy peaches and pears commingle with fresh herbs and spices.

100% Chardonnay from the five Grand Cru villages of Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Oger, and Mesnil-sur-Oger. The tête de cuvée of Champagne Taittinger and it shows. It’s a very noble, prestigious champagne that matches complexity with downright deliciousness. The juxtaposition between luxury and comfort is evident here. Like coming out of a bath and slipping on your finest robe. The racy acidity and exquisitely dry nature of the wine belies the dosage of 9 g/l.

Very creamy in the mouth and though it starts off a bit demanding, it soon becomes so inviting after some time. Every sip demands the proper time and contemplation. Chalky and rich, positively bursting with citrus fruits. Apples and toast everywhere along with gun flint and more smoke. Medium long finish with traces of spice. A powerful, graceful champagne that’s full of finesse. This can go for decades longer but if you open it now sit with it for a while. Give it the proper time. You might fall in love just a little. — 4 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.7

The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie is showing a much darker and more backward bouquet, as earth tones and smoky minerals give way to woodland berries, white smoke, crushed fall leaves, worn leather, and a hint of licorice. On the palate, I’m finding soft textures with depths of dark red fruits and spice, as savory herbs and mineral tones come forward, overlaying fine tannins. The finish is long, showing its powerful structure, as dried black cherry and inner florals resonate over a core of grippy tannin. Hands off the 2015 Madonna delle Grazie for at least the next three to five years; it’s an epic wine in the making. (Eric Guido, Vinous, April 2020)
— 6 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Outstanding Pinot Noir! Beautiful aromas of cassis, raspberry jam, Flowers and baking spices. Red and black fruit flavors with hints of earth and spice. Medium body, and enough tannin to five this wine some heft. There is a lushness to this wine. Love this producer. Revisited in December 2021. More floral aromas. Still fantastic! — 7 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.3

This was a big ol' boy! After the 84 Chappellet, I had to switch gears a little bit! Second wine served blind to more or less the same crowd. Poured black and inky. Nose with a little bit of meat but this was mostly black dark roasted fruits. Entry was dark blackberry, sweet plums, figs, baking spice. Power. Lots of guesses for syrah and petite sirah and I don't think anyone really thought this one was 11 years old. Finished with a lot of roasted sweet and chewy tannin. I didn't think I was in the mood for this kind of wine until I realized that I was in the mood for this kind of wine! I think this one has another five to ten years easily. Wondering why this one seems to get lower scores on Delectable, but I have a feeling that most people don't give these the age they need. — 7 years ago

with Dan, Bradley and 3 others

Randy Fuller

9.0

This yellow-gold wine rings the “old-style Cali” bell in all the right ways. A nose of apricots, mangoes and apples is helped along with the smell of buttered popcorn. Oak treats the palate as well, draping over the tropical fruit like a sunshade. The acidity is zesty, yet the mouthfeel tends toward creaminess due to the wine sitting on the lees for five months. The oak is a definite part of the wine, but the effect is softened enough so that it's a pleasure, not a pain. — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Deep Ruby with aromas of rich berry fruits, oak and floral spice notes, aged 16 months in French oak (20% new). On the palate flavors of blackberry, plum and cherry with hints of cacao, cedar and leather, adding some herb spice notes. Fine tannins, good acidity, well balanced, ending with fruit and sweet mineral notes. Nice, will age! Grab a Rib-eye! — 6 months ago

Daniel M

9.0

Riesling from down under (Clare valley) with a tiny bit of age on it. Why not?
The wine is sporting a bright gold color which is not usual in dry Riesling examples I'm used to.
The nose is typical with lemon zest and petroly notes, some flowery touches too and a tiny vanilla thing. The palate is fresh, very long and acid driven but as well a bit more muscular, wide and thick than the usual German dry Riesling examples I'm used to. The mid palate is wide and there is almost a tannic thing with a vanilla note that develops over the finish. Lemony notes complement that vanilla tune and make up for a long, joyful and structured wine. Good stuff and more complex than what I expected. Thumbs up 2 hands 😆 — 2 years ago

Ericsson

9.5

This is big, broad and bold. Hundred percent cab aged in seventy-five percent new French Oak. Limited production to just over two hundred cases.

Visibly the wine is a deep ruby color with a tight rim.

The nose is intense with dark fruit, cassis, coffee, dark chocolate, but also earthy humid forest aromas.

The mouthfeel is luxurious and enveloping with the perfectly ripe dark fruit, just a touch of dried spices, vanilla, oak, and a long savory earthy finish. The wine is dry, full bodied, ultra smooth with round but persistent tannings with medium plus alcohol and medium acidity.

It’s extremely surprising to me how approachable the wine is at release. Although, I may know the reason: the cave wine making and cellaring facilities at Porter; I can certainly feel the humidity of the caves in the wine. Praying I can keep my hands off my other couple of bottles for the next 5-10 years, just to see how much better the wine will be then. — 5 years ago

Gene Buonviri

9.1

Enjoy a Champagne that has a tradition of five generations, fresh, delicate, fruity and refreshing. Pale gold with hints of red berries and bit of honey. Pleasing acidity with a delicious finish.
— 6 years ago

with Justinian

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.4

Very young at this point...medium gold in glass with hints of tobacco and leather notes from oak. A bit tight initially, the wine opens expansively in the mouth with apple, banana, brioche, and juicy ripe pear. Huge future predicted, but on this day was an also-ran. Hands off for a few years. — 6 years ago

Peter Sultan

9.1

Gold color fairly reticent nose, probably needs decant but did not. A fave producer. Mostly lanolin, beeswax, medium body. Had with five spice duck. Yum! — 7 years ago

with Owen

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

There are some professional critics that would tell you this 09 Bella’s Garden is at the end of its life. I understand this producer to buy into that. This wine is drinking beautifully with at least five years of good drinking still ahead.

The nose reveals slightly stewed dark currants and fruits. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, olallieberries, boysenberries, black cherries & blueberries. Black licorice, dark cola, black pepper, steeped dark fruit tea, limestone minerals, smokey meats, sweet tarriness, used French Roast coffee grounds, touch of rubber toy=va, liqueur notes, mocha powder, light dry herbs and withering & fresh dark florals, violets and lavender.

The body is lush, ruby, elegant and full. The tannins are round, velvety smooth and still have some teeth. The structure, tension, length and balance says this wine is right around its peak. Great mouthfeel. The fruits on the palate are candied. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, olallieberries, boysenberries, black cherries & blueberries. Black licorice, dark cola, black pepper, steeped dark fruit tea, limestone minerals, smokey meats, mid intensity dark spice, sweet tarriness, used French Roast coffee grounds, hints of black olive, touch of rubber toy=va...a bit less than the nose, liqueur notes, mocha powder, light dry herbs, moist clay, underbrush, dry crushed rocks and withering & fresh, amazingly bright dark florals, violets and lavender. The acidity is a lukewarm rain shower. The gorgeous finish is flat out elegant, well balanced fruit & earth and persists for minutes.

I would have given this a 94 if not for the touch of va.

Photos of; Two Hands Cellar Door, fountain in the courtyard, tasting bar as you walk in and the view from our patio tasting. — 7 years ago

Daniel M

9.1

After Thorne shotfire barossa shiraz which was round, very oaky and lacking a bit of acid, I wanted another expression of the same varietal from the same region, but with more zing to it.
Boy this one is zingy!
The nose is showing blackberry, black pepper, a tiny soy sauce note along with an eucalyptus thing. This is very inviting and quite complex! The palate shows a massive acid drive, extremely powerful, but not overpowering at all. A big and bright blackberry note shines through and through, some width, some matter on the sides, a silky mouthfeel that turns into a great tannic wall in the rear with a strong grip and a drying effect that continues till the very end. The finish is all about blackberry and a reminiscence of that eucalyptus /mentholy note that could be felt on the nose. The finish is long and the after taste of blackberry keeps on for almost a minute. Great take on Australian Shiraz, without the artificial, sometimes overwhelming oak treatment. I like it very much. Two hands deserve a high five! — 2 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.6

Great with some Snake River Wagyu Gold label New York Strip
According to some website the following information is helpful
Located on a small hill above the village of Bages in Bordeaux, lies the Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste. The estate was classified as a fifth-growth in the 1855 Classification of the Medoc and its Cabernet Sauvignon-based grand vin is known for its velvety opulence. The winery makes a second label called Lacoste-Borie that is made from lots of its declassified fruit which is mostly Merlot. The soils are a classic mix of gravel of differing depths, mixed with sand and some clay, and allow excellent, much-needed drainage for the vines. After centuries of evolving ownership following the 1855 Classification of the Medoc, the estate landed in the hands of François-Xavier Borie who has guided the estates fortunes elegantly and successfully since 1978. — 4 years ago

Chris A

9.0

A very well and perfectly balanced big French Bordeaux...blanc! It’s not all red gold from the old world, sometimes that special corner of the wine world turns up golden whites like this one: soft, buttery and supple that then transforms into a light creamy mid-section and joins hands with a citrus bite at the finish. Full mouth feel and just perfect. Paired with a white pizza, but this will go with anything you’d drink a Chard with - even solo. Viva la Bordeaux!! — 6 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.6

Dessert outside,

2019 Best Extra Añejo Tequila from the Beverage Tasting Institute: "Gold color. Attractive aromas of cedar, caramel, crushed pineapple, eucalyptus-vanilla, and fine tea with a round, vibrant, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a smooth, complex, very long allspice, lime leaf, dried mango, smoke, and sea salt finish. Exotic aromas and superb integration make this the Cognac or Single Malt-lovers Tequila; a must-try." (04/2019) Distiller's note: "A distinct tequila, El Tesoro Paradiso® is slowly aged for five years in French oak ex-Cognac barrels. Created by Don Felipe Camarena in collaboration in with Alain Royer of A. de Fussigny Cognac, this unique tequila has an earthy taste with a hint of minerality, tropical characteristics, and sweet notes of butterscotch." — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Family-owned winery, founded by the Williams Family in 1981, devoted to sustainable principles and producing wines with respect for terroir. Fermented in new French oak barrels, usually four to five days then racked to concrete vessels to complete fermentation sur lie for 10 months. Pale light gold with medium+ aromas of floral, stone and citrus fruits. On the palate this full-bodied wine shows flavors of peach, tart apple and lemon peel flavors. Long finish with generous acidity ending with an earthy nutty wet stone character. Nice! Tasting Sample. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

I’ve had a a fair amount of older Williams Selyem Pinot Noirs, this one is the most different. It seems more extracted and darker than the bright; cherries, strawberries & pomegranate Pinots from them that we’ve had a run on over several years.

The noses reveals, deep, dark, ripe; currants, blackberries, black cherries with liqueur notes, baked black plum, black raspberries with hints of blue fruit. Touch of smokiness, cinnamon, clove, vanillin, black licorice, mid intensity, sweet tarriness, herbaceous notes, mint/eucalyptus character, touch of tree sap, black, rich earth, steeped fruit tea, limestone, dry rock powder, dark chocolate bar, mocha notes with fresh, withering & dry, dark, red florals and just a hint of violets.

The body is medium full. It has gorgeous mouthfeel. There are still round, softened, teethe & tarry tannins here. Tannins were in the bottle neck which, is not always traditional even in older Pinot’s. The structure, tension, length and balance are really nice with another three to five years of good drinking ahead. It’s right around its peak. Perhaps, just the other side of the bell curve. Dark, ripe; currants/cassis, blackberries, black cherries with liqueur notes, baked black plum, black raspberries, cooked rhubarb, raisins with more blue fruit showing vs. the nose. Touch of smokiness, cinnamon, clove, light nutmeg, vanillin, black licorice, mid intensity sweet tarriness, herbaceous notes, mint/eucalyptus character, touch of tree sap, black, rich earth, steeped fruit tea, limestone, dry rock powder, dark chocolate bar, mocha notes with fresh, withering & dry, dark, red florals and violets beaming on the finish. The acidity is excellent. The long finish is; ruby, ripe, elegant, gorgeous, extremely well balanced and persists on the palate with warm, dark spice.

IMHO, Williams Selyem Pinot Noirs do not score well early and really shine at 10 years plus in many vintages. They are a Sonoma Pinot pioneer and a gold standard comparison for other producers and Pinot lovers to take note.

Photos of; Williams Selyem winery, Sofia’s great handy work with flowers and one of our two raised garden boxes. 💐 🌸 🌺 🌹🌼🥀 🌽 🥒🥬 🍅

Happy Memorial Day weekend all! Hope you are grilling & enjoying some of your favorite wines. — 7 years ago