Heart's Needle

Bodegas Numanthia

Numanthia Toro Tempranillo 2008

The advantage of the 1.5L bottle. The wine is drinking beautifully. Great maker that let's you move down to Numanthia Termes for value in a large gathering or up to a Numanthia Termanthia for select friends in small gathering. This one threads the needle very nicely. This '08 is a big fruit black cherry number with earthy tones — 9 months ago

Logan Edwards
with Logan
Eric, Billy and 1 other liked this

Frédéric Magnien

Lavaut St. Jacques Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2012

Pop and pour. On the nose: pine needle, cola, dusty blackberry, mulberry leaf. On the palate: excellent acidity, damp earth, bark, mulberry. Lacking some concentration/density on the mid, but a nice juicy finish with very soft tannin. — a year ago

Andrew, Josh and 8 others liked this

Domaine Jean-Louis Tribouley

L'Alba Côtes du Roussillon Carignane Blend 2010

This wine was not this good three years ago, but has really moved the needle in a good direction! Only one bottle left. Will pair well with a lot of things as it has some wonderful delicate nuances. I guess this one is a blend but seems to have Sarah as a primary varietal. I may need to check that out!! Great wine! — 3 years ago

Mike, Eddie and 3 others liked this

Mas de Boislauzon

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2017

Brought to Tasting Group. My first of three bottles. Popped and poured, enjoyed over two days. Day 1 was tasted blind. This wine comes across quite primary with powerful, stewed bramble fruit, baking chocolate and baking spice notes indicating the potential use of French barrique. Medium-plus tannin. Medium acid. Overall, this is a good and enjoyable wine...but nothing really pushing the needle if I'm being honest. Most around the table declared it Bordeaux. None called Southern Rhône. Everyone was surprised when it was revealed, including me, which expected more considering my usually appreciation for this producer's CdP (known to have an unusually large amount of Mourvedre in the blend). The interesting thing was the French barrique call as I understand this wine to be aged exclusively in concrete...?? Day 2, the fruit was softer and slightly more muted. The stewed characteristics were enhanced and the structure seemed to be receding. Perhaps too early to tell where this is headed...or perhaps this just isn't the strongest vintage from Mas de Boislauzon. I have two more so we will see how some cellar time treats these. — 3 years ago

Tom, Ira and 9 others liked this
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Nice note. I’ve been drinking less and less Southern Rhône these day because I’m finding more stewed and/or blocky wines. Global warming? Winemaking trend toward overripeness and/or overextraction? Both?
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Tom Casagrande same. There are less than a handful of Southern Rhône producers I buy every year anymore and the list is getting smaller. It’s a tough situation for growers.

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2007

2007 vintage. From magnum and tasted 1.5 hours after being decanted. Herbal (but not mint) and woodsy nose. Medium body. Tons of thrusters at full power initially but the dark cherry, plum and baking chocolate notes were the only remaining flavors after the leap to hyperspace. That expected and (in)famous Latour power definitely in the picture but without any other stars in the cast to make this worthy of Oscar consideration. Not a top notch vintage, yet it seems like this effort is on a giant plateau and could remain there for a decade-easy. Likely would have benefited from an additional hour or two of air time but not enough to move the needle significantly…maybe to 9.3. — a year ago

Peter, Jan and 19 others liked this

Tamarack Cellars

Columbia Valley Merlot 2016

Label is well done if a bit standard. Like the cone and needle border. Tamarack is my brother’s middle name (aka larch), so I had to buy this one. Dark plum skin color. Aromas are good. Dark fruit juices and sauces mixed with woodsy freshness. Slightest hint of red meat too. Flavors are chewy, fleshy and earthy. Cherry Coke and blackberry pastry. Maybe a purple mulberry too. A little anise/fennel/licorice root. Or maybe that’s sarsaparilla. Plenty of tannin to keep the fruit flavors from running wild. Just enough wood to give it a forestry feel. This is a nice structured Merlot from WA. Not quite as dynamic or complex as the weighty bottle implies, but it’s still a great bottle. — 2 years ago

ESF, John and 3 others liked this

Manoir de la Tete Rouge

Bagatelle Saumur Cabernet Franc 2018

Everything from Manoir de la Tête over delivers. Here another outstanding value in line with the Chenin and Pet Nat proceeding. There's lots to appreciate - the smells, the tastes. Smells like black tar, cherries, pine needle, and dark chocolate leather. It's plushy in the mouth with some tannin grip. It goes down as blackberries and dark plum and an ancient limestone salt lick. — 3 years ago

Eric, Severn and 19 others liked this

Viuva José Gomes da Silva & Filhos

Collares Ramisco 2011

Columbia county 2.0: 100% Ramisco from one of the worlds great wacky wine areas- vines not just on sandy soil, but on sand, in Colares, Portugal. The closest soul equivalent I can think of is Barolo, as it has that intensity of red fruit but within such a light to moderate frame, though tannins don’t bear the same aggressiveness as Barolos. Still, the age worthiness of these Ramiscos could easily outlive me. Needle like acidity & Gorgeous red fruits. Doesn’t feel like infanticide. Have two bottles by another Colares producer which hopefully I can resist In the next few decades. Paired beautifully with baked chicken thighs with Medjol dates, lemons, thyme, & shallots. — a year ago

Owen Mazon
with Owen
Severn, Daniel and 6 others liked this

Serafin Père et Fils

Vieilles Vignes Gevrey-Chambertin Pinot Noir 2013

Great for village level…dark/brooding red fruit, musty/earth, sappy pine needle aromas with great acid and slight spice… — 2 years ago

Ken and Mike liked this

Gilbert Picq et Ses Fils

Chablis Chardonnay 2019

Kind of a pine needle viscosity: an enjoyable oiliness. part 1 of a first official post vaccinated guy weekend. — 3 years ago

Owen Mazon
with Owen
Romain, Anthony and 8 others liked this