Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Arras — Blanc de Blancs 2013
Tasmania, Australia 🇦🇺

Overview
A 100% Chardonnay traditional-method sparkling wine sourced broadly across Tasmania, aged extensively on lees for over five years prior to release, delivering depth, autolytic complexity, and finely tuned balance. Cool-climate fruit precision meets long cellar maturation for serious Champagne-caliber structure and finesse.

Aromas & Flavors
Expressive notes of toasted brioche, lemon curd, baked apple, almond pastry, and subtle chalky minerality lead the nose. Layers of fresh citrus peel, pear skin, and gentle hazelnut evolve with air, framed by savory yeast complexity and restrained creaminess. The palate delivers precision rather than sweetness, with purity and tension driving the finish.

Mouthfeel
Creamy yet lifted, with fine, persistent mousse and beautifully integrated autolytic weight. The texture feels polished and expansive without heaviness, supported by vibrant acidity that keeps the wine energetic, linear, and refreshingly dry through the finish.

Food Pairings
Oysters and shellfish. Butter-poached lobster or scallops. Parmesan risotto. Roast chicken with herbs. Triple-cream cheeses or aged Comté.

Verdict
A compelling expression of New World traditional-method excellence, delivering maturity, balance, and serious structural integrity. Rich without excess, nostalgic in its yeast-driven complexity, and confidently positioned alongside high-quality grower Champagne.

Did You Know?
Tasmania’s cool maritime climate and long growing season allow Chardonnay to retain high natural acidity while achieving full phenolic ripeness, making the region one of Australia’s strongest candidates for world-class traditional-method sparkling wines.

🍷 Personal Pick
Blanc de Blancs is my home base, and this bottle absolutely delivers. The autolytic depth, precision, and balance hit exactly the profile I love, serious, expressive, and quietly luxurious. A sparkling wine that rewards attention, not just celebration. — 5 months ago

Aloke Mukherjee

9.0

Todd & Kavita 12/19/2021 — 5 years ago

Nick Damiano

9.7

Cassis, raspberry, long finish, super interesting — 5 years ago

Brett Wise

9.3

Enjoyed this while saying farewell to a friend moving to the East Coast. Integrity, brightness, full of life. Side note - my 100th wine rating!! — 6 years ago

J. Kim

8.9

Leather, depth and dimension, has more integrity, transparency and energy than most Bordeaux’s. — 7 years ago

Jonathan McCarthy

9.5

Absolutely gorgeous. Hoisin, baked plum, worn leather, saddlery, black olive, horsetails. Gorgeous mix of fruit and savory. Wonderful integration... integrity of the balance is perfect. Get your hands on this. — 7 years ago

J. Kim

9.0

There is no magic, but everything about is solid, authentic aromas, excellent fruit quality, plush texture, sound structure, subtle, appealing oak and overall harmony and integrity. Some might prefer more earth, more personality or stronger oak presence, but it has the focus and the definition most commercial, industrial wines miss. — 8 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Fait-Main – Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2023
St. Helena – Napa Valley – California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the iconic Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard in St. Helena. Crafted by Benoît Touquette (Fait-Main), this 2023 vintage is a powerful yet precise expression of Napa Valley Cabernet, emphasizing vineyard character, concentration, and structural integrity. Las Piedras’ rocky soils and warm site deliver intensity, while Touquette’s restrained hand preserves balance and clarity.

Aromas & Flavors
Dense and focused aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry compote, and ripe plum lead the nose. The palate follows with layers of dark cherry, cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and subtle espresso. Secondary notes of cocoa, cedar, and sweet spice emerge with air, adding depth without overshadowing the fruit.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and commanding, with firm, muscular tannins that give the wine its signature “bite.” The texture is polished but unapologetically powerful, carrying weight and concentration through a long, structured finish. This is a Cabernet built for longevity rather than immediacy.

Food Pairings
Grilled or dry-aged beef, lamb chops, braised short ribs, or mushroom-driven dishes. Also excellent with hearty, umami-rich preparations that can stand up to the wine’s structure.

Verdict
A serious, no-compromise Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Concentrated, structured, and expressive of both site and winemaker. This is not a casual pour, it’s a wine that demands attention and rewards patience.

Did You Know?
Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is known for its rocky, iron-rich soils, which naturally limit vigor and contribute to the wine’s intense structure, minerality, and age-worthy tannins.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This wine has punch and precision. Dark, deep, and unapologetically bold, with a real bite that reminds you that you’re drinking something special. A standout Cabernet that shows why Las Piedras and Touquette are such a formidable combination. — 6 months ago

Carter White

8.9

Still has integrity, despite its age, but secondary/tertiary flavors dominate. There’s some dried red fruit, but lots of olive, wild herbs, green pepper. Very brambly. Well done, but not my jam. — 5 years ago

J. Kim

9.0

Surely one of the finest Cabernet made in California in terms of the aromatic complexity, but one can find better wines for less from Bordeaux. There is not enough mineral tension force one gets from the top domaines in Bordeaux, Burgundy and Rhone. Everything from Mount Eden is imbued with innate sense of integrity and equilibrium. — 6 years ago

J. Kim

9.2

Amazing flow, continuity, consistency and integrity. — 7 years ago

J. Kim

8.9

The quality outclasses most village level and even approaches premier cru level in its integrity and unity of characters. — 7 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

Notes of sea spray and oyster shell indicating that this was the only GC Chablis in the lineup. In this warmer year the Chablis was harder to pick so I was pleased to be able to do that. Touch of butterscotch and a little salty on the palate. Great to keep its Chablis Integrity in this warm year. — 7 years ago

Brett Foskett

9.1

Bubbles in my tummy. Mm mm goody. — 8 months ago

David Kline

9.4

Black cherry, raspberry, wet earth and mushrooms, with chestnut, pecan and plum. Tart cherry and ripe red cherry meet dried black cherry, lavender, and rose petal, sweet cranberry, dried raspberry, smoke and cola. Generous Pinot from older vines, that exhibits structure and integrity. Iconic.

#stoller #stollerreserve #stollerpinotnoir #pinotnoir #dundeehills #dundee #oregonpinot #pn #stollerfamilyestate — 3 years ago

with Courtney

Al Doyle

9.4

0 out of 10 on statesmanship, honesty, integrity, humanity.
Great champagne tho. — 4 years ago

Ely Cohn

9.1

Mine went through a secondary fermentation which was distracting but wore off after a few days and didn’t seem to affect the integrity.

Smells like muted cherry cola and raspberry syrup. Pronounced flavors - high acid peppered cherries. — 5 years ago

Geoffrey Green

10

Lovely union of age & integrity. Fruit, structure, earth, & balance. At its peak. Will last at most for 2 years. # 2 of 3 bottles. Delicious. Glad I waited. Aerated & decanted for 2 hours. Enjoyed with a 50 day aged prime sirloin steak. — 6 years ago

J. Kim

9.1

More California than Cabernet, but genuine intensity and integrity. Also highly transparent and high-definition. Consistently great. — 7 years ago

John T. Sules

9.2

This was a nice surprise. An enthusiastic rookie friend of mine brought this over and it was delectable!!! Kermit Lynch knows his shit. Black fruits, black pepper, balance and integrity. Love norther Rhône baby!! — 8 years ago