Pinotman /// Andreas

9.4

Well i think the 2010 vintage was a bust but this 2012 is stellar. A cellar find - i cleaned up - did bring it to a party were - i am sorry to say / the “clowns” (except the host) did not get what was in front of them so 1/3 of the bottle was left behind. Bottle 343 out of 450. Super earthy and big. Just 13% more a steak pinot - than a salmon one. Tea leaves, dark fruit, iodine, lime. Will put this under Argon and drink the rest tomorrow! — 5 months ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.3

My first Von Der Mark wine. And wow. He is a Pinot specialist from Baden. Vines near Freiburg like Möbitz. A Dutch fellow who is also a MW. I zoomed with him for an hour before he sent me samples. The right people liked his wines and that was enough for me to get samples.

Ridiculously high toned nose. Just incredible. Huge Pinot aromas that are classic and delightful at the same time. It smells like Chambolle like it’s crazy. Or a killer Vosne Romanee Village wine. It’s one of the Jost lifted aromatic wines I’ve had. Usually wines have an aromatic ceiling. This has none. Straight to your brain. There’s a citrus undertone. Ethereal floral complexity. Elite. It’s broad but filled out and clear. There is also a lovely earthy funk. Wow. Vosne Romanee violets. This is crazy aromatic. Like elite. Palate is so good. This is so elegant, has such terrific mouthfeel. Terrific compact fruit intermingled with crazy spice. Juicy and so clean. Sour, mid season cherries form a sweet/tart interplay that is terrific. Awesome ripeness and just insanely fresh, deep, pure and fleshy cherry fruit. This has guts as well. Sweet, ripe tannins and minerals abound in the finish,which is crazy long. This is as easy to ponder as it is to drink. — 6 years ago

TheSkip

9.2

With thanks to @Henrik Poulsen who continued to espouse the greatness of these wines. Almost as good as @Mike Smith , which I would suggest is a high compliment. — 7 years ago

Norman

9.0

This app is getting worse and worse on its identification. They have to have changed the algorithm to reduce compute time and so now it just picks the first possible match. Sad since it used to be incredible. @Henrik Poulsen same for you? — 8 years ago

Norman

9.0

The next one I will decant as directed by Henrik. — 9 years ago

with Jason, Gunja and 2 others

Shay A

9.4

Date night out with my bride before she begins a new year of teaching kindergarteners next week. Best Italian BYOB in Fort Worth and it's not even close!

This is now my 3rd Acumen wine, and all have been very good. I first had the Mountain Side Red, then the Cab Franc, and now this "Right Bank" red (69% CF, 29% Merlot, 2% Cab). This has been my favorite of the three. In the glass, it has a ruby red core but it grows to almost black as it gets to the perimeter. Very aromatic, with ripe blackberries, birch wood and white pepper. Smooth entry. Extremely lush fruit as it coats the palate. Medium bodied. I get this violet/purple tart on the finish, alongside a hint of hibiscus and cola. @Henrik Poulsen , this was fantastic! — 9 years ago

Jan A

9.7

From the famed La Crau lieu-dit and the last vintage of Henrik before his son took over — a year ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

No formal notes. Spectacular. Sweet. Elegant. Pure. Sappy and elegant. But 17 Möbitz Kanzell smoked it. — 5 years ago

Laura Purdy

9.4

Loved spending the afternoon on a Zoom event with some wine club friends and @Henrik Poulsen to talk all things AO.
Paired this with a white bean and kale dish. — 6 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Look at that Fucking color. Yes that is what Pinot is supposed to look like. Gorgeous. Unreal nose. Sour cherries, dry leaves, pinpoint precision. Takes 45 minutes to an hour before the symphony begins. But the unfurling and aromatic nuances are just gorgeous. The fruit is almost non existent on the nose the first 15-30 minutes then BAM! Palate is just amazing. Red Riesling on another level. This showing reminds me of Möbitz. It’s so ethereal and lacey. Stunning. Amazing delicate and refined red cherry fruit. More mid to early season cherries and gloriously juicy and perfectly ripe. This is so fine. Velvety and delicate Lacey tannins weave in and out of the finish. Stunning almost silly freshness. Stellar. — 7 years ago

Ryan M

9.1

Brazilian steakhouse and a night tour of Stanford 🌲 🏈 . Thanks for the great hospitality Michael & Henrik, look forward to more visits.

Now the wine:
Raspberries, floral notes, toasted oak, light body. Paired well with the filet and skirt steak. The Pelissa vineyard is located on Oakville Crossroads directlybehind the family winery, creating this Estate grown & produced Zinfandel. — 9 years ago

with Daryl

Matthew Christ

9.6

Insane. Great wine. — 9 years ago

with Lyle

Norman

9.4

An impossible Rose to get, but thanks to @Henrik Poulsen I got some along with an even better story. We will be trying his Rose in two weeks with a bunch of friends. I'm sure it will be as good. Had this during the crazy heat wave a few weeks back. It made having no a/c bearable. — 9 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.5

Nose has a lovely earthiness. 90 minutes in - laser cherries and cherry flower. Wow.

Palate is early season cherry and cranberry. Internal aromatics are what make this great. So elegant. Cherry flower. Cranberry flower. Really gorgeous. Still so fresh. Elite level palate vibrancy.

I should be drinking this with some important wine person but life is short. Plus my wife is here who birthed and raised 3 great kids so she gets the nod.

Bought from fass selections. — 4 years ago

Joachim Haug

9.3

Goe fra henrik. Bra med paprikachips ala steinsfjorden — 6 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Glorious showing. As this ages if reminds me more and more of Möbitz. Gorgeous nose of crushed berries, spices, raspberry cake, mineral, limestone, sour cherry. Just dizzying. What a nose. So delicate and transparent. Palate is pitch perfect Red Riesling. So juicy and transparent with wonderful freshness and purity. Sour cherry, red berry, red cherry fruit. Terrific inner mouth aromas. So complex and juicy with just unreal energy and freshness. Amazingly linear and just straight as an arrow. Outrageous value. Terrific sweetness of fruit but just so perfectly judged. — 7 years ago

Henrik Poulsen

9.0

Initially a bit muted (and slightly off) on the nose this has minerality in spades.
This is not for everybody but the production numbers also “helps” with that.
540 bottles produced. — 8 years ago

with Kurt-Inge

Jeanette Hrnyak

9.4

This wine was bright and more youthful than its 2002 age. Deep purple in color and flavorful on the palate. Bonus was it stumped both Ray and Henrik! Thank you and good night everyone! (Exit stage right). — 9 years ago

Norman

9.0

I'm less harsh than @Henrik Poulsen ;) as I liked it but it's a big CA chard. Lacks the finesse and sharpness of an Aubert but sometimes the day calls for an in your face wine. Let it open up as it's a flat and flabby right out of the bottle (and I know those living in a glass house should not throw stones). As I say this the wife is going back for another glass so that says it all. — 9 years ago

Shay A

9.3

Build-your-own-pizza night with our lovely brides, and I wanted to try something unique. I normally don't drink Cab Franc with pizza, but it actually worked nicely.

My introduction to Acumen was about 3 months ago and I had their Mountain cab...really liked it. Found out that Denis Malbec was the winemaker through 2015 before his passing, and @Steve Matthiasson was the viticulturist. Steve is now the winemaker. I was then re-introduced to Acumen by @Henrik Poulsen , who shares a love of cab franc, like I do! Henrik, thank you for getting me re-acquainted with Acumen! My understanding is that the Acumen cab franc was made in small numbers, and was mainly a project for the family to enjoy.

Acumen is an Atlas Peak project, so naturally I enjoyed it as Mountain fruit is my favorite. This cab franc needs air time, but even as it opens, there is no trace of green pepper. Tart and dark fruit dominate the nose, mainly dusty blackberries. Deep red/black in the glass. Very nice mid palate texture and the finish was of crushed rock, truffled mushrooms, blackberries, and a touch of rhubarb. Thanks again, Henrik! — 9 years ago

with Luke and Cody