Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Grace Koshu 2023 – Yamanashi GI, Japan 🇯🇵

Overview
Produced from 100% Koshu, Japan’s signature indigenous white grape, this wine is fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel to preserve purity and transparency. Grown in the elevated vineyards of Katsunuma, Yamanashi, it beautifully expresses the restrained elegance that has made Grace Wine an international benchmark for Japanese fine wine.

Aromas & Flavors
Yuzu, lemon peel, green apple, white peach, Asian pear, and delicate white flowers lead into subtle mineral notes with hints of wet stone and citrus zest. Delicate rather than aromatic, everything is driven by finesse.

Mouthfeel
Light to medium-bodied with vibrant acidity, a steely mineral backbone, and exceptional precision. The texture recalls the purity of Chablis with a subtle sake-like silkiness, finishing remarkably clean, refreshing, and focused.

Food Pairings
Sashimi, sushi, crudo, oysters, grilled white fish, tempura, steamed shellfish, or lightly seasoned Japanese cuisine.

Verdict
An elegant expression of Japan’s flagship white grape that prioritizes freshness, balance, and precision over power. Refined, mineral-driven, and wonderfully food-friendly, it stands comfortably among the world’s finest delicate white wines.

Did You Know?
Koshu has been cultivated in Japan for nearly 1,000 years and is believed to descend from ancient grapes that traveled along the Silk Road before adapting to Japan’s humid climate. Today, Yamanashi is considered the spiritual home of premium Koshu wines.

🍷 Personal Pick
One of the purest and most distinctive white wines I’ve experienced. Its combination of crystalline freshness, mineral precision, and understated elegance makes it a benchmark not only for Japanese wine, but for delicate, terroir-driven whites anywhere in the world. It has earned a permanent place among my favorite food wines. — a day ago

Keimu

9.1

Best Prosecco I’ve had in the U.S. so far!
Not bitter. Was really happy with it. From Wegmans - $13 - inaugural Fork in the Road. This should be a go-to!! — 2 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.4

Fantastic new sour from Jolly Pumpkin (new for me, anyway). This is a collaboration between JP and Baston Brewery, it’s a blend of JP’s La Roja and Baston’s Nectar Des Dieux Triple. Super complex with layers of molasses, brown sugar, chocolate, but also the acidity of La Roja. One of the most interesting JPs I’ve had in a while. — 4 years ago

with Vanessa

Anne Richardson

8.9

A fun semi sweet table wine. Goes down easily. Even the bottle is fun - red!
A note: it is produced in Palisade, CO not in CA as listed on the front page. — 6 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.5

Road tar, smoked black fruits, green olive, and loads of meaty, gamey notes emerge from the 2016 Northern Blend, which is 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier that was co-fermented and aged in used barrels. This big, sexy, exotic effort just screams Syrah and is full-bodied, has terrific depth of fruit, polished tannins, and just overflowing amounts of character and charm. Drink it any time over the coming decade or so.
Jebs review, can’t disagree. Great for $30.00 — 7 years ago

Nicole

9.5

She sprints into the fog laddened forest. Her white gown floating behind and showing glimpses of her calves and delicate feet.

You follow in hopes of a glimpse of her face or a kiss from her lips. You come to a fork in the road. Which way did she go?

Her laughter floats through the crispy air. The pursuit continues. — 8 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2023 vintage. Medium body. Always nice. Possibly Matt's best wine year in, year out. This could use another year to knit. Hoping to taste again down the road. Definitely believe in his abilities and the authenticity of this vineyard. 3.23.26. — 3 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Truly artisan, made in small batches from the Angeleno Wine Co. This is a quite different Albariño sourced in collaboration with Bokisch Vineyards. The V.22 was the only vintage they made as it ended up being a little bit of a warmer year in California. Grapes for this wine were harvested on August 2022 at 20.9 brix, destemmed and macerated for 20 hours overnight, then pressed it off.
It fermented in tank and then racked half of it into stainless steel barrels and half in regular neutral Hungarian oak barrels. Fermentation took off from the indigenous yeasts on the fruit and in the winery. The wine in stainless steel was not allowed to go through MLF, while the wine in oak barrels was allowed to go through MLF naturally. After 7 months, it was blended the two wines together, filtered it, then bottled.

All this processes resulted a compelling multi-layered and extremely complex Albariño never tasted before, the array of citrusy from lemon peel, ripe mandarine, to some hints of fermented pineapple on both nose and palate, takes you to a joyful savory roller-coaster, it has the prefect balance of oak and acidity, perfectly balance on the mid-and-back-end of the palate. Mouthfeel is exotic and sharp but not tarty, a very harmonious combination of acidity and dry, clean and crispy finish. If you are lucky to find it, get it as it will not disappoint. Cheers! — a year ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.3

Medium purple in color; black cherries, plums, and graphite on the nose; high acidity; medium tannins; tastes like blackberry jam, crushed gravel, and licorice with a long finish. Nellie says it's ok with food. — 3 years ago

with Nellie

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.5

From the winery: "This single vineyard wine, located next to our winery block on Roennfeldt Road, was planted by Dave Powell in 1994 with cuttings off old RunRig vineyards - some of the oldest genetic material in Australia. The Barossa's first co-fermented Shiraz/Viognier, Descendant has been joined by many more in the last couple of years - a testament to its success. Shiraz is crushed straight on top of Viognier, which has been lightly pressed for RunRig. The blend of fruit is then co-fermented and later the wine is matured for 18 months in barrels that had been previously used for RunRig. The deep red clay soils in this vineyard produce fruit which is very savory, textured and rich, a satin-like texture and a glorious perfume. Of all the Torbreck releases this is one that really needs patience. Its immediate charm can be enjoyed upon release with a few hours breathing, but after the first 6 months, the rest should be locked away for at least 5 years." — 5 years ago

Matt Perlman

9.3

Couldn’t get over how pretty and light on its feet this Zin was. Looks like Nebbiolo in the glass. Sour cherry, dried herbs and flowers, mesquite smoke, sourdough yeast on the finish. Worthy accompaniment to some top tier bbq brisket by @Steven Perlman — 7 years ago

Philip Patston

8.9

Another cocktail in a can. It’s actually pretty good. Best over ice with lime but even from an icy cold can it’s pretty good. Has a good ginger kick and is not too sweet. Great for parties and picnics. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have a six-pack of this 05. I thought after 10 years in bottle, it would be interesting to check in on its evolution. While tasty, I’ll wait another 8-10 to open another. Even after 2-3 hours in the decanter, it’s still a very young adolescent. On the nose, slightly sour blackberries & dark cherries, dark currants, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, anise, whiff of spice, steeped tea, dry stones, dry crushed rocks with dry top soil, caramel, vanilla with fresh & dry red florals. The body is thick & full. Tannins are starting to round out. It’s velvety on the palate. The fruits are; bright, fresh & ripe and really show the greatness of the 05 vintage. Dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, baked black plum, haunting blue fruits, baked strawberries, cherries, raspberries on the long set, dark spice, clay & loamy dry top soil with crushed rocks, dry stones, cigar with ash, graphite, dry stems, slight herbaceous character, mint, used leather, clove, caramel, vanilla, fresh & dry red florals with violets. The round acidity is about perfect. The structure and length are still strong. The balance is in harmony. As for the long finish, it’s lush, ruby, rich and well polished. Photos of; Chateau Brane Cantenac, large wood vats, Henri Lurton and Estate vines. Producer notes and history...Chateau Brane Cantenac began in the early 17th century. At the time, the estate was known as Domaine Guilhem Hosten. Even that far back, wine was produced from the property. In fact, the wine was so highly regarded it was one of the more expensive wines in Bordeaux. It sold for almost as much money as Brane Mouton. This is interesting because of who went on to buy the vineyard in the 1800’s. The Baron of Brane, also known as “Napoleon of the Vineyards”, purchased the Chateau in 1833. At the time of the sale, the estate was called Chateau Gorce-Guy. To get the funds needed to purchase the Margaux vineyard, the Baron sold what is now called Mouton Rothschild, which was at the time of the sale, known as Chateau Brane-Mouton. Not such a good move with hundreds of years in hindsight! In 1838, the Baron renamed property taking his name and the name of the sector where the vineyards were located and called it Chateau Brane Cantenac. The Chateau later passed to the Roy family, who were well-known in the Margaux appellation in those days, as they owned Chateau d’issan. Moving ahead to 1920, the Societe des Grands Crus de France, a group of merchants and growers that owned several chateaux located in the Medoc including; Chateau Margaux, Chateau Giscours, and Chateau Lagrange in St. Julien, purchased Chateau Brane Cantenac. Five years later, M. Recapet and his son-in-law, François Lurton, took over Brane Cantenac along with Chateau Margaux. Lucien Lurton (the son of François Lurton) inherited Brane Cantenac in 1956. Today, the estate is still in the hands of the Lurton family. Brane Cantenac is owned and run by Henri Lurton. After being given the responsibility of managing Brane Cantenac, it was under the direction of Henri Lurton that large portions of the vineyard were replanted. Vine densities were increased, the drainage systems were improved and the plantings were also, slowly changed. The vineyard of Brane Cantenac is planted to 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and .5% Carmenere. Carmenere was used for the first time in the 2011 vintage. The only other Chateau I know that still uses Carmenere is Clerc Milon. The 75 hectare Left Bank vineyard of Brane Cantenac is essentially unchanged since it earned Second Growth status in the 1855 Classification. At least that is the case with the 45 hectares used to produce the Grand Vin of Brane Cantenac. Those 45 hectares are planted surrounding the Chateau. Those vines are located just in front of the Cantenac plateau and are the best terroir that Brane Cantenac owns. They have other parcels, which are further inland and much of those grapes are placed into their second wine, Le Baron de Brane. Those additional hectares can be divided into 3 main sections. Behind the Chateau, they have 15 hectares of vines on gravel and sand, 10 hectares across the road with sand, gravel and iron and a 13 hectare parcel with gravel called Notton, which is used for their second wine. The vineyard is planted to a vine density that ranges from 6,666 vines per hectare on the plateau and up to 8,000 vines per hectare for the vines located behind chateau, in their sandier soils. The higher levels of vine density are always found in the newer plantings. The terroir of Brane Cantenac consists of deep gravel, sand and clay soil. Experiments in the vineyards are currently looking at becoming more organic in their vineyard management. Today, more than 25% of Brane Cantenac is farmed using organic farming techniques. It is expected that over time, the amount of hectares farmed with organic methods will be increased. Brane Cantenac has gone through 2 relatively recent modernization’s in 1999, when they added began adding the first of their smaller vats to allow for parcel by parcel vinification and then again in 2015 when they completed a much more complete renovation of their cellars and vat rooms. While Brane Cantenac is a traditional producer, they are no stranger to technology as they were one of the first estates to embrace optical grape sorting machines. In very wet vintages, they can also use reverse osmosis. To produce the wine of Chateau Brane Cantenac, the wine is vinified in a combination of temperature controlled, traditional, 22 oak vats, 18 concrete tanks and 20 stainless steel vats that vary in size from 40 hectoliters all the way up to 200 hectoliters, which allows for parcel by parcel vinification. 40% of the fermentation takes place in the oak vats. The oldest vines are vinified in vats that are selected to allow for separate parcel by parcel vinification. The younger vines are vinified more often together in the same vats. However, the Carmenere is entirely micro-vinified, meaning that those grapes were completely vinified in barrel, using micro-vinification techniques. This can also happen because the amount of grapes produced is so small. Some vats can be co-inoculated, meaning they go through alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation simultaneously. At Chateau Brane Cantenac, malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of French oak tanks and barrels. The wine of Brane Cantenac is aged in an average of 60% new, French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. The initial 2 months of aging is done with the wine on its lees, which adds more depth to the wine. There second wine is Le Baron de Brane. Le Baron de Brane is not new. In fact, previously, the second wine went under the name of Chateau Notton, which took its name from one of the main parcels where the grapes were planted. During the late 1950’s and into the 1960’s, having a second wine was important as the estate declassified 3 vintages, due to extremely poor, weather conditions in 1956, 1960 and 1963. Production of Chateau Brane Cantenac is about 11,000 cases per year. — 8 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Sanguis Amour Fou Rosé #12, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
An adventurous, skin-contact rosé by Sanguis, the Santa Barbara auteur driven by Matthias Pippig. Amour Fou #12 is a bold, sensory-rich expression blending Grenache, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Roussanne (skin-fermented), and Pinot Noir, with a vibrant splash of Cabernet Sauvignon noted in earlier editions. It embodies the wild-spirited, terroir-first approach that defines Sanguis.   

Aromas & Flavors
Enchanting and layered, grilled peach, tangerine peel, crushed petals, and wild herbs on the nose. The palate shines with juicy watermelon, subtle herbal spice, and a lingering chalky minerality, reflecting the cool coastal vineyards.  

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with a lively structure, delicate tannic grip, and a finish that is both fresh and enduring. The skin contact gives it a nuanced grip while maintaining aromatic finesse.

Winemaking Notes
This vintage is a co-ferment in concrete and seasoned oak, with prolonged skin contact. It’s meticulously unfiltered and artisan in style.  

Food Pairing
Terrific with grilled shrimp tacos, gazpacho, or sushi. Also delightfully versatile with charcuterie and summer fare.

Verdict
Amour Fou Rosé #12 is a fearless, complex rosé that defies simple categorization, it’s bold, elegant, and utterly compelling. A must-try for any adventurous wine lover. — 10 months ago

Jenks

9.2

I have several vintages of this and haven't really drank any of them because they're all mostly massive wines that need time in the cellar to chill the F out, but I opened this a few Sundays ago and I guess I missed that this vintage came in under 14%. Freaking delicious. This is going to be excellent down the road. — 2 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.0

63% Temp, 17% Petite Verdot, 10% Graciano, 9% Tannat. Dark color. Almost black in low light. Aromas of smoke, cherry cobbler and licorice root. Maybe slight petrichor. Flavors are nice. Dense and fruit driven. Cherry pits and licorice chews (the Dutch salty, fruit flavored kind). Hint of herbal backbone (sage and basil meet mint and marjoram). For its fairly low price (think this was $12.99) this is a great CA wine. Restrained but big. Fruity but balanced. Fun but elegant. And it’s from just up da road! Nice work neighbors. — 4 years ago

Ron from VA

9.2

Note: this is for the NO SULFITE ADDED “Vino dal Bosco” build using fruit from Baer Ridge Vyd in Rockingham Co. — deep, mouthfillingly dense, yet LOW tannin Purity Bomb. Spectacular with pizza or chili… Pure heavy-extraction bliss from a HUGE VINTAGE. STEWED cherries and Colombian coffee. 20$ at Wegmans in Cville. Spectacular artisan build :) — 5 years ago

Melissa Simpler

9.2

Enjoyed this wine at Blind Dog in Park City. Outstanding Pinot Noir. Fruity and smooth. Only 32 barrels made so may not be easy to find, but if you find it, buy it! — 6 years ago

Nathan Renfro

8.9

When in Canada!! Very thick, very sweet, light honey, apple. — 7 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Dark crimson with youthful purple tinges. Primary nose of raspberry spice and pepper. On the palate same delicious spice and pepper with good body and weight. As good as it is now it will be better with cellaring. From the near perfect growing season in the Yarra in 2015 it has a 1.5% splash of Viognier co-fermented with the Shiraz. 20% whole bunches. This Wine won the Trevor Mast Trophy for Best Shiraz at the Royal Melbourne Wine Show in 2016 and also the Best Single Vineyard Wine. At only $30 a bottle and a limit of 6 bottles it flew out the door and I was lucky to get a 6 pack back in October 2016. — 8 years ago