Diane Is Moving To CellarTracker

9.8

From Thirst Wine Merchants. Strawberries and cream, apple, lemon, vanilla, mineral water, pears, wow. — 6 months ago

Diane Is Moving To CellarTracker

9.4

From Vanderbilt Ave. Wine Merchants. Cherry approaching medicinal. Would be better if warmer and sunny weather 😕 — 2 years ago

Christian Carroll

10

Sooo good so tasty!! I drink one bottle every day it's amazing!! — 3 years ago

Guillermo Gonzalez

8.9

From Wine Merchants What’s Jason Drinking 1.14.22. Cherry, cedar aromas. Fruit leather, licorice. Lot of structure, chewy tannins. Killer with char grilled lamb chops. Credit to @Lars Fasel for grilling tips. — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

It is only for variety that I drink any other N/V Blanc de Blanc Grand Gru Champange. For just under $45, this is extremely hard to beat.

This is my style, primarily reductive with just the right amount of oxidative characteristics.

The nose is fresh & ripe with green & golden apple, very, ripe pineapple, mango, ripe green melon, lemon & lime zest, excellent white spice, cream brulee w/ burnt top, light, salted caramel, touch of fresh herbs, pronounced chalkiness, grey volcanics, sea fossils, saline, bread dough, baguette crust, limestone with spring flowers, yellow lilies and jasmine.

The palate is ripe, lush, lively & dazzling fresh. Shows gentle, beautiful mousse & micro oxygenation. Ripe with green & golden apple, very, ripe pineapple, mango, ripe green melon, lemon & lime zest, kiwi, grapefruit w/ a hint of sugar, white peach, honeycomb, excellent white spice with just the right even medium heat, cream brulee w/ burnt top, bruised Bosc pear, lemon meringue, vanilla bean, light, salted caramel, nougat, silvered almonds, touch of fresh herbs, pronounced chalkiness, grippy grey volcanics, sea fossils, saline, bread dough, baguette crust, limestone with spring flowers, yellow lilies and jasmine. The acidity is lively & simply perfect. The long, rich, well polished & balanced, finishes gently & persistently on the palate with soft spice in the long set.

If you can receive wine shipments from K&L Wine Merchants in SF, you owe it to yourself to order some bottles of this cuvée. They are the only retailer in the US Launois allows to rep their cuvées. Guarantee you won’t regret it.

Wine that bridges the palate from the end of white cheeses to vinaigrette salad.

Photos of, one of their Grand Cru Vineyards, House of Launois, two pics of their extensive Champagne tool & artifacts museum. — 6 years ago

Connor Smith

9.2

Sanlúcar de Barrameda was the port that Christopher Columbus set off from in 1492. Just 1 year earlier, duties on wine exports from Sanlúcar had been abolished to take advantage of English merchants desperate for new supply after the loss of Bordeaux.

It began a centuries-long romance between Sherry and English wine lovers, as immortalized in Shakespeare's Henry IV Part 2, when Falstaff glorifies sturdy Spanish 'sack' over thin Bordeaux 'claret' and Rhine 'hock'.

But the honeymoon, quite literally, was not to last. Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon drove a wedge between England and Catholic Europe, and left English wine lovers in need of a new source once again. But Sherry fanatics wouldn't have to go entirely without. When Sir Francis Drake sailed into Cádiz and burned the Spanish fleet in 1587, he carried away 2,900 butts of Sherry - enough to supply London for years - as his most famous prize.

(This is adapted from notes for Le Dû’s Wines ‘History of Wine 1453AD-Present’ seminar, where this wine was poured) — 7 years ago

Martin Sher

9.2

LS Cabernet. Tasty and/but too young. Long Shadows private tasting 7/8 — 8 years ago

Michael Piaker

9.1

6 October 2018. Thirst Wine Merchants, Brooklyn, NY. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

For me, there are a lot stories associated with this little brother to Leoville Las Cases. Made by the same technical team, but certainly a different terroir.

Older vintages that were brought in by Clyde Beffa at K&L Wine Merchants kept me from opening my more expensive-younger Bordeaux in my collection. Starting w/ the 97 vintage well after its original release, I believe they sold through two lots of 5,000 cases over different years. A vintage crushed by critics. But with some long time cellar, value & quality. Magic!

This has always shown me QPR and to be a great fatty steak wine- Ribeye or Ribcap.

The 2007 Bordeaux vintage, critically not well reviewed. With basically 16 yrs plus in bottle, more special.

This has really come around and still ascending. Ripe, elegant, lush; dark currents, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherry skin, black plum skin, poached strawberries, black, rich, turned earth with dry leaves, moist & dry clays, graphite, tobacco w/ ash, slightly used leather, dry river stone, limestone minerals, dry top soil, pepper, some sweet tarriness, mix of fresh & dry herbs, mid, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, some cinnamon & understated vanillin, dry, withering, dark & red florals, nice acidity with good tension, structure, finally balanced & elegant finish that lands squarely on soften earthiness, some spice and lasts two-minutes.

This still has 15 years plus of life ahead.

Paired with Costco Prime Ribcaps. — a year ago

Jay Kline

9.1

BTG at Howard Street Wine Merchants. The 2017 Prapò pours a deep ruby with a garnet rim and a transparent, but nearly opaque core. Medium+ viscosity with no staining on the tears. On the nose, this was initially funky stewed cherries, Twizzlers and tar. The fruit profile seemed to freshen up with some air and along came a dozen dark red roses, leather, dried herbs, orange zest, and some asian spices. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Sometimes I wonder how certain 2017 Barolo’s will age, primarily due to the heat and solar nature of the vintage. This is one that has me scratching my head. Perhaps it’s the healthy southern exposure of the Prapò MGA? It’s drinking well now on the pop and pour but I’m curious how it will show towards the end of the decade? I say drink’em. — 2 years ago

Helen Stickney

9.9

Purchased from Cambridge Wine Merchants. Absolutely delicious — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Haut-Bailly Dinner in SF with Veronique Sanders of Haut-Bailly.

The 2012 is living up to its reviews. It’s good & well priced. The dark fruits are ripe, juicy, cola notes, menthol, dark, moist, turned earth. Drinking nicely now but, still a hold for another 5 years plus.

Served with Coq au Vin. Baby Carrots, Mushrooms, Pearl Onions & Red Wine Sauce. Mathilde French Bistro

Photos of; Clyde Beffa Owner of K&L Wine Merchants & Veronique Sanders, dinner menu & pairing & dinner guests. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.

The fruits are ripe, ruby. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, raspberries & strawberries. Dark rich soils, dark spice, crushed dry rocks, black licorice, tobacco, soft leather, graphite, Great balance fruit and earth. The body is velvety and statin. The structure, length, tension and balance are just coming around. The texture is gorgeous. The acidity is round and excellent. The finish delicious and persists nicely.

Photos of; our dinner group, The K&L Bordeaux Buyer-Ralph Sands and Alfred talking about the wines, Clyde Beffa Jr. -Owner of K&L Wine Merchants and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 7 years ago

Martin Sher

9.3

Been having a lot of LS here and that’s been a very good thing. Epic dinner in Spokane with some of my very best friends. (5/6). — 8 years ago

Martin Sher

9.1

The LS “American” blend. Long Shadows private tasting 5/8 — 8 years ago

Diane Is Moving To CellarTracker

9.6

From Thirst Wine Merchants. Vinegar which subsides revealing watermelon Jolly Ranchers. Would have hit hard in Peak Summer 🍉 — 2 years ago

Diane Is Moving To CellarTracker

9.7

From Vanderbilt Ave. Wine Merchants. Lemons, vanilla, cake, dandelions, 🤤 — 2 years ago

Libby Denker

8.9

Very light and drinkable. — 3 years ago

Kim Stone

9.3

A favorite. Purchased at Denver Wine Merchants. Would buy in 1/2 cases. — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have mentally thought about doing this post for quite awhile. Opening this 2003 Verdignan brought on the appropriate moment. I am a believer in paying respects and it’s the basis of this post.

We learn to drink certain wines from the regions we live near or from the people we learn & enjoy wine with as we walk the road to understanding what we really enjoy. I started as an exclusive CA Chardonnay drinker for many years before moving on to nearly every varietal and regions offer. Next was Napa Cabernets which, led me to my true love, red Bordeaux. It was a bit of curve getting there but, once I had them with proper aging, I was hooked for life.

While my curiosity got me to Bordeaux wines, there one person that helped shape my Bordeaux palate and I agreed with more than anyone else’s, including every well known wine critics at that time and even today after spending 10 weeks learning from several Master Sommeliers on my way to passing the Court of Master Sommeliers exam and becoming a Sommelier myself. This person is Clyde Beffa Jr., Owner of K&L Wine Merchants.

Clyde has been traveling to Bordeaux for over 40 years and sometimes multiple times in a year. His palate and experience are second to none. Especially, when it comes to Bordeaux.

I owe him a lot. He taught me the importance of letting good Bordeaux’s age 20 years plus. What were the jewel value producers. Brought in Bordeaux wines direct from the Chateaus that had 10 years of bottle age and older. Bordeaux’s that critics did not like young but, he knew something special had taken place over time as he was tasting them much later in their lives and often. I bought and drank a lot of these wines. They also kept temptation at bay in me reaching for my too young and more expensive wines.

He is very kind and kind enough to allow me to travel with him & key staffers to the 2014 En Premier to taste what was a very difficult 2013 Bordeaux vintage. You can go to En Premier and then there is going with Clyde. You have all the key appointments, Chateau accommodations/dinners and taste somewhere around 1500 plus wines in 6 days. He is loved by the Bordelais and for good reason.

So, I dedicate this post to him. He is the one who told me to buy this little known 2003 Verdignan at the same “Affordable Bordeaux Tasting” I mentioned in my Chateau de Candale post on Friday. As of Friday, that was the wine of the tasting. Well…until I coravined this slowly over the weekend. This 2003 was under $25 and it is one of the very best Bordeaux’s I had in some time. As well, perhaps the best QPR in my over 20 years collecting wine. Clyde knew that day just how good it would become. He said, forget about this for 20 years. So, I am a little early here.

Clyde has recommended more great Bordeaux’s to me that most people don’t hear about, let alone try. He told me to buy the poorly reviewed 91 Pichon Lalande when he brought more into the store seven years ago Chateau direct. It was a very difficult vintage with spring frost, hail storm and a difficult growing season. He described as “Heaven in a Bottle” and It most certainly the case. To this day, Pichon Lalande is my favorite steak wine and the 91 is still my favorite vintage. I purchased a 3L from him recently that he brought in direct from the Chateau for my 60th next year. Can’t wait to open that with our good friends and celebrate.

As for the Verignan, the nose reveals; dark brooding & slightly bake fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark spice, dry tobacco, graphite, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals.

The body is full, rich, lush, satiny with plenty of well rounded, soften tannins. The tension, structure, length and balance are excellent and will continue to improve. This will last another 15 years and beyond with proper storage. This is a very classic Bordeaux well balance in fruit and earth. It is sheer elegance on the palate. It’s why I love Bordeaux more than Napa and I love Napa Valley Cabernet. Dark brooding & slightly bake, ripe fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, boysenberries, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, dark chocolate bar, touch of mocha powder, light caramel notes, Expresso notes, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark Asian & Indian spices with just right amount of palate heat, dry tobacco, graphite, dry twigs with a little sap, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs/sage, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals. The acidity is round and nearly perfect. The long finish is, classic, elegant, well balance fruit and earthy Bordeaux that persists softly on the palate for minutes with just the right amount of spice.
This is a heady wine that you really think about as you slowly sip and it affects your whole body. Can’t wait to have another in five years.

Photos of; Chateau Vergignan in Medoc near St. Estephe, their vineyard that reveals where Bordeaux gets its earthiness, Owner Jean Miaihle who acquired the property in 1972 and a wide shot of their vines. — 6 years ago