Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Ruby with elegant red fruit aromas and gentle floral spice, aged for 10 months in French oak. On the palate flavors of cherry and cranberry with notes of tea, herb pepper with wet stone notes. Soft tannins on a long finish ending with fruit, spice and earthy mineral notes. Very Nice! — 5 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Chappellet — Grower Collection “Five Blocks” Calesa Vineyard Chardonnay 2022, Petaluma Gap AVA, Sonoma County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview:
100% Chardonnay sourced entirely from the Calesa Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap AVA. Planted with Robert Young and Dijon clones in one of Sonoma’s coolest, wind-influenced regions, allowing slow ripening and naturally vibrant acidity. Aged with 100% malolactic fermentation and approximately 35% new French oak.

Aromas & Flavors:
Expressive aromas of lemon meringue, ripe lychee, mandarin peel, and baked guava. The palate layers citrus-driven energy with baked stone fruits, subtle spice, and savory undertones.

Mouthfeel:
Creamy and polished from full MLF, yet beautifully lifted by fresh acidity. Medium-to-full body with integrated oak influence, soft texture, and a long citrusy, savory finish.

Food Pairings:
Lobster risotto, roasted chicken, buttery seafood dishes, creamy pasta, grilled halibut, or triple cream cheeses.

Verdict:
A beautifully balanced California Chardonnay that delivers richness without losing freshness. Complex, aromatic, and polished, showing how the Petaluma Gap can bring tension and elegance to a more textural Chardonnay style.

🍷 Did You Know?
The Petaluma Gap became an official AVA in 2017 and is heavily shaped by strong Pacific winds and fog intrusion, helping Chardonnay retain acidity and precision even with full flavor development. — a year ago

Jocelyn Yard

9.9

Liquid perfection and shockingly drinkable straight out of the bottle. Didn’t need to decant — 6 years ago

Aupa Monyatsi

9.6

Absolutely amazing wine, well rounded with a vanilla finish. Lawwd!!! — 7 years ago

Marc Pimentel

9.1

Cami really likes this wine. Grape dvine — 7 years ago

Timothy Lynch

8.9

Given its pedigree it's a tad uninteresting. Perhaps its prime was five years ago. (2001 Vintage.) — 8 years ago

Joseph Gannon

8.9

Youngish, which is to be expected for Raffault. Full of promise, revisit in five years — 9 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Damilano – Lecinquevigne Barolo – 2016
Barolo DOCG – Piemonte, Italy 🇮🇹

Overview
A classic, elegant Barolo from Damilano, sourced from multiple vineyards across the Barolo commune (“Lecinquevigne” = five vineyards). 100% Nebbiolo, expressing a refined, traditional profile with precision rather than brute force. The 2016 vintage delivers clarity, balance, and aromatic purity, an excellent example of Barolo with both structure and charm.

Aromas & Flavors
Beautifully expressive bouquet of rose petals, dried cherry, tart red berries, orange peel, and subtle spice. The aromatic profile remains lifted and graceful through the glass, maintaining freshness and definition until the last sip.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with vibrant acidity and finely knit tannins. Elegant, linear, and well-proportioned. After ~45 minutes of decanting, the wine opens nicely, gaining aromatic depth and textural harmony without losing its Nebbiolo-driven tension.

Food Pairings
Ideal with braised meats, mushroom-based dishes, truffle pasta, veal, or aged hard cheeses. Also compelling with savory, umami-driven plates.

Verdict
A very well-made, classic Barolo that emphasizes elegance and aromatic finesse over power. The 2016 vintage shines here, offering balance, poise, and a clear expression of Nebbiolo’s signature “rose and tart” character.

Did You Know?
Lecinquevigne is Damilano’s interpretation of a multi-vineyard Barolo, designed to showcase the broader Barolo terroir while maintaining consistency and approachability, especially in strong vintages like 2016.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
Graceful and expressive rather than imposing. After a short decant, this Barolo truly comes alive, floral, tart, and polished. A refined take on Nebbiolo that rewards patience and attention. — 6 months ago

Susan Hanners

9.1

Cranberry/currant on the nose, bizzare color, 1st sip raspberrish second taste apricot yet tart — 6 years ago

Kristin the Wine Girl

9.4

Ripe and supple berry pie. Dark dark spicy fruit in a velvety coat of midnight cacao, nutmeg, cinnamon and clove. Big tannins that cling to palate all the way through the finish. Relax back in your recliner near the fireplace for this one! Perfect rainy day wine. — 6 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.0

Not exactly my style but it’s done well, so it’s good. Actually ended up enjoying this more than 75’s Cab. — 7 years ago

with Krystal

Kristin the Wine Girl

9.0

Cigars and ripe red cherries on the nose. Red apples from the Wizard of Oz trees and smoked bing cherry on the palate. Click your heels, Toto. We’re not in Kansas anymore. Grab your broomstick and take flight with this delightful berry manifestation. Or take shelter. This berry hurricane is headed straight for your mouth. — 8 years ago

Sky Morrar

9.5

Dried herbs, earth, and cedar on the nose. Delicious blackberry and chocolate flavors dance on your tongue in delight. A medium finish and soft tannins. — 8 years ago

Edward Nelson

9.2

Rocco’s takeout and a nice bottle. Not a bad Saturday night. Bonus that the wife is letting me call the ball after dinner. — 8 months ago

President Obama

9.5

Fuck that's good. Thanks Derek. — a year ago

Kamall

9.2

Deep, dark and lovely texture. — 5 years ago

Kristin the Wine Girl

9.3

Smooth velvety delicious mouth symphony. Perfection in a California Cabernet. www.freerunjuicewine.com — comment and tag me if you would like a discount code! Cheers friends! — 6 years ago

Myke Morgan

9.0

Very fruit forward cab, with minimal tannins or chalkiness. A nice quality everyday wine. — 7 years ago

with Anjanette

Eric Urbani

9.1

Really nice blend. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

When it comes to my B-day, there is only one fit, an old Pichon Lalande with my Ribeye. As a lover of Bordeaux, these two are my favorite pairing. It’s a very slow walk to the finishline. A small bite of steak and a sip of 89 Pichon Lalande. Then, repeat until finished. I had some concerns about this bottle. A slightly slippery and crumbling cork. The first sip was not bad, but not what you want or are expecting. After some time in the decanter, it really started to shine. On the nose; ripe, ruby, floral cassis, blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, baked strawberries, blue fruit hues, dry cranberries, baked rhubarb, saddlewood, soft, used leather, bay leaf, touch of sage, hint of spearmint, eucalyptus, vanilla, cinnamon, crushed dry crushed rock powder, black turned earth, dry brown soil with clay, tobacco leaf and perfumed red florals with violets. The body is full, round and silky. Tannins are well resolved at around 80%. The texture, length, tension and length are in a sweet spot. The fruits are ripe, ruby & expressively floral. Blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, baked strawberries, blue fruit hues, dry cranberries, baked rhubarb, saddlewood, soft, used leather, bay leaf, touch of sage, hint of spearmint, eucalyptus, vanilla, cinnamon, crushed dry crushed rock powder, black turned earth, dry brown soil with clay, scorched earth, tobacco leaf and perfumed red florals with violets. The acidity is just a little off but still nice. The finish is divided nearly equally in fruit, earth, florals and herbaceous. It’s very enjoyable but falls just a little short in longer, lingering length. This bottle had good storage, not great. Even so, still has another three to five years ahead. A bottle with excellent storage has another five years beyond this one. Photos of; the backside of Pichon Lalande, angled terrace view of their vines right next to Latour, my steak & twice baked potato (so good) and CEO Nicolas Glumineau. — 8 years ago