House Of Arras
School House Vineyard
Spring Mountain District Pinot Noir 2010
Ruby in color with a wide reddish/brick rim.
Pretty nose of black currants, black cherries, raspberries, spices, light earth, light oak, wild flowers, tobacco leaf and black pepper.
Medium bodied and elegant with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with cherries, sweet raspberries, earth, light oak, spices, tobacco leaf, dark chocolates and black pepper.
Long finish with very little tannins and sour cranberries.
This 12 year old Pinot Noir from Napa Valley is delicious now. Showing nice complexity with a soft mouthfeel.
Actually, it feels more like a Burgundy Pinot Noir. Interesting stuff.
Easy drinking and good right out of the bottle. Nicely balanced and good by itself.
This Single Vineyard Pinot Noir is peaking now. A great sipping wine.
Thank you Scott for sharing this with me.
I had the 2014 a year ago, and this is even better. Delicious wine.
100% Pinot Noir grapes were aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. Unfiltered and unfined.
13.4% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$210. ($65 current vintage). — 3 years ago
R. López de Heredia
Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2012
Tasting notes during visit to the winery where absolutely everything is done in-house by hand; preserving centuries old winemaking traditions. In the Tondonia offering one can really appreciate the time and patience dedicated to crafting this wine. The wine evolves to a rustic yet graceful profile with strong notes of dark berries with slight oak and dark chocolate. On the palate the wine is bliss, medium bodied, fully integrated, with balanced acidity and a long finish.
The juice is fermented in old large wooden “tinas,” then transferred to American oak barrels (made in house to medium toast specifications), stored underground in their +100 year old cellars for at least a year. After that it is bottled and stored in the same underground cellars and finally released about ten years later. Learning about their curated winemaking process was inspiring. — 24 days ago
Brown Estate
House of Brown California Chardonnay 2022
a perfect sip, a bit acidic on the finish, but no oak. — 7 months ago
Crowded House
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Pale lemon with aromas of ripe stone and tropical fruits with citrus and floral notes. On the palate fresh fruit flavors of grapefruit, pineapple, apple and melon with lemon citrus wrapped in lively acidity, medium+ length ending with rich fruit and lemon citrus texture. Nice! — 3 years ago
Post House
Penny Black Red Blend 2015
Vintage 2015 | Multi blend from Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Chenin Blanc. Lovely effort! I gave the wine 4 hours in decanter and afterwards it had a velvety taste. Good concentration, berries in smell. Paired with Côte de Boeuf from the grill, morels and sweet potato. The only point that I don’t like is high alcohol. With the food the wine gets a nice impression of chocolate and cacao. — 4 years ago
Paul Bara
Grand Millésime Brut Grand Cru Champagne Blend 2018
Tasted from 1/2 bottle. They come in handy for dinner for two in many cases, but especially at a restaurant that allows corkage. Most do in California. It is even harder to find vintage champagne in 375ml’s.
The 2018 vintage was good to very good. You need to taste and or read up for its best offerings.
A note, I tasted at the Billecart-Salmon property in later October 2022 with Mathieu Roland-Billecart. As insightful as that was, he was asked other than Billecart Salmon champagnes, what was one of his favorite champagnes? His reply was surprisingly an older vintage Paul Bara he had recently. That’s a producer question that gets asked often. Normally generates a pause with some minor angst to answer.
The nose shows; lemon chiffon/meringue, bruised apple to slightly cider, bruised pear, yellow & white stone fruits, just ripe pineapple, orange citrus blend, lime pulp, tropical melons, whipped, white cream, white spice-ginger, yeasty bread dough, saline, crushed limestone pulp, crumbled chalk, sea fossils, white spring flowers set in yellow lilies.
The palate is round & soft. The mousse is delicate w/ micro oxidation. Ripe; lemon chiffon/meringue, white & yellow stone fruit, slightly bruised apple & Bosc pear, lime pulp, orange citrus rind, some tropical melons, cream, ginger white spice, yeasty bread dough, sea spray, saline, sea fossils, dry crumbled chalkiness, caramel notes, heather honey, warm perfectly toasted toast, graham cracker, nougat w/ nuts, yellow flowers set in a field of white spring flowers, excellent acidity with a nicely; balanced, structured, tensioned, polished finish that lasts a minute and falls on limestone laced with soft, dry, powdery chalkiness.
Photos of; the house of Paul Bara, chalky caves w/ riddling racks, old wood basket press & a vineyard picking party. — 17 days ago
Post House
Missing Virgin Red Blend 2018
Post House Cellars derives its name from the small Post Office used to serve the local missionary community of Raithby, now a winery office and residence. Name Missing Virgin refers to printing error on Virgin Island stamp, virgin figure was omitted. Blend of 70% Pinotage & 30% Petit Verdot, deep Ruby with purple hues, aromas of fruit and sweet spice. On the palate flavors of blueberry and cinnamon with notes of wet earth. Medium+ finish, dusty fine tannins, ending with fruit, spice and earthy notes. — 2 years ago
Sipping Fine Wine
Mid 20th century fashionable country resort, popular with Hollywood due to 1892 stone Manor House & historic gardens. Blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Malbec, rest other Rhone varieties, aged 20 months in 37% new French oak. Dark Ruby, aromas of ripe berry fruits, herbs & spice. On the palate flavors of cherry and black currant with vanilla oak and earthy notes. Well balanced, fine tannins long finish ending with fruit, espresso notes and sweet spice! Nice now and will drink well over next decade. — 21 days ago