Haunting Whisper Vineyards

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2004

If you know, you know.

Just eying the bottle evokes a sense of mysticism—these are increasingly rare sightings, relics of a winemaking philosophy nearly lost to time. Opening it after a recent visit to the winery feels familiar, almost fated.

The color holds strong despite its 20+ years, with a core of garnet that defies its age. On the nose, memory takes over: the scent of the underground cellar, the mold-covered walls, the rustic perfume of wood and brick. Then come the classics notes—dried rose petals, red berries, and a whisper of spice.

The palate surprises with more volume than the bottle’s vintage muster’s. Lively red fruit mingles with savory earth and warm spice, carried by silken tannins. The finish lingers with a trace of wet oak, grounding the experience in place and time.

This is a wine of lineage, character, and quiet perseverance—a style too uncommon today. Most importantly, it was opened, shared, and deeply enjoyed.
— 16 days ago

Paul, Dave and 8 others liked this

Pétrus

Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 1928

A hint of tar, dried roses, tangy plum. Good soft fruit with a haunting quality Clearly aged but relatively fresh given it’s almost a centurion Pretty and memorable — 7 months ago

Matt LichtenbergPaul Woolls
with Matt and Paul
Jan, Joe and 9 others liked this
Jay Kline

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Pre-war Petrus 😳
Conrad Green

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A real treat

Domaine Armand Rousseau

Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru Pinot Noir 1985

Supple floral nose with soft raspberry and a gorgeously expressive and enticing nose. Long, haunting and light. Oh lord. — a year ago

BOT Matt LichtenbergPaul Woolls
with BOT, Matt and 1 other
Tom, Jan and 10 others liked this

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)

La Tâche Pinot Noir 1964

Soft and subtle fruit. Delicate floral notes with bright and light finish. Haunting and evocative. You need to lean in a bit. Very good. — 2 months ago

BOT Matt LichtenbergPaul Woolls
with BOT, Matt and 1 other
Juan, Jay and 8 others liked this

Domaine Jean-Marc Bouley

Les Rugiens Pommard 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2013

I’m on a roll with Côte de Beaune reds lately! This 13’ Rugiens was absolutely incredible. Still brimming with youthful energy - it demanded patience, taking three hours to unfurl, but when it did, what unfolded was a wine of breathtaking purity, intensity, and drive. Dark cherries layered with musky florals and a whisper of spice mingled with a strikingly mineral core. It grew in stature across the palate, building to a finish that was both super long and fine, leaving a resonant, stony echo. Another profound lesson in weightless intensity! — 5 months ago

Ira, Andrew and 14 others liked this

Domaine François Raveneau

Montée de Tonnerre Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2013

Not sure there are better 13 whites than Raveneau. Lafon also comes to mind. It’s an early drinking vintage (by Raveneau standards) while you wait for 12 and 14. Also, no Chapelot this year so it’s blended in here. A multi hour advance decant has it rocking, stunningly aromatic, soaring with layers of créme fraîche, baking spice, crushed stones and a whisper of botrytis influenced saffron. The palate shows immense power, concentration and depth of waxy yellow fruit chiseled with Chablisen minerality. Brilliant tension and racy lemony acids provide a seamless balance to its power and richness. MDT always hits 🫰🏻 — a year ago

Mark, Paul and 8 others liked this

Château Calon-Ségur

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 1959

From a great looking bottle with a fill almost into the neck. Double decanted and left in the bottle for 5 hours before attacking it. Amber color. Good weight and haunting nose. Notes of old cedar, mocha, plums, cola, dark fruit, molasses and some sweet red cherry. Early on it’s all about the amazing nose. But with time the wine gains weight and you have a gorgeous old St Estephe in front of you. Still giving its all, and although the fruit is somewhat faded, this has complexity and structure that still drives the experience. And that nose is simply stunning. Great showing. — 3 years ago

Eric, Brian and 18 others liked this
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

Sounds fantastic!!

Domaine Catherine Cuchet-Béliando

Cornas Syrah 2019

Lyle Fass
9.8

WE ARE SO BACK! Best Beliando since 15 and is it better? Maybe! Haunting nose of blackberry and blueberry but so crystallized. Unreal fruit character and depth. Crazy granite. Such a deep nose but 10.0 on the clarity. Gorgeous herbs like lavender, rosemary and thyme and just unreal soft clay is only way I can describe it. Unreal decaying leaves and so much granite. 9.9 nose. Just insane. Palate is massive and initially it’s brutally closed but man what a wine. Powerhouse of a palate with raspberry/blueberry/blackberry crystallized fruit. Big tannins and so primary now but wow this is so so good. Unreal concentration, depth and complexity but showing 5% of itself. 9.6 now but as this wine and frigid night in NYC develop@it will get higher. Getting sappier with air and the fruit is so 19. Decadent yet crystallized. Now some sweet green olive on the nose. Ethereal violets, the level of crystallized, clear fruit on the nose is the most precise ever on any beliando. Nose is 9.9999 now. Huge power, depth and concentration and just outrageously rich, decadent yet energetic black raspberry, with almost a pastille element and just outrageous concentration. The finish just echoes and echoes with that ethereal finesse. This is a benchmark Beliando. 9.6 to 9.8 now. — 3 months ago

Ray, Ira and 15 others liked this
Jay Kline

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Oh snap! @Lyle Fass just popped off!
Lyle Fass

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@Jay Kline I missed wine!
Jay Kline

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@Lyle Fass I can’t wait to try this.

Dom Pérignon

Brut Rosé Champagne 1988

Very pretty. Soft strawberry and roses. Steeliness. Haunting and delicate. Still. Vivacious. From mag — 7 months ago

Amanda CrawfordMatt Lichtenberg
with Amanda and Matt
Shay, Jan and 7 others liked this

Michel Rebourgeon

Les Brouillards Volnay 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2020

Lyle Fass
9.5

Gorgeous nose. Some sweet wood initially with an unreal haunting Volnay ethereal quality. Yowza minerality and a gorgeous floral streak. Expansive and just so pretty. I love the mineral depth here. Wow. Sweet fruit, elegant and so complex with awesome purity and depth. Sweet and energetic and lovely lift. Beats 19. By a lot. Terrific inner mouth aromas and sweet, crunchy and velvety tannins. Awesome length and structure. Super mineral driven finish. This is tremendous. Let’s see what air does. The wood blows off so quickly! Just so complete. Stunning value here. Extra juicy. Real complexity here. The fruit on this is divine. — 3 years ago

PS, Peter and 8 others liked this