Lyle Fass
Enderle & Moll
Liaison Pinot Noir 2021
After a warm 2020 this 2021 is more backwards and classic and reminds me of the 2016‘s. The first bottle had a touch VA which blew off. Second one has no VA. Violets and a hint of roses. Robust beautiful cherry 🍒. Touch bark. This is a top vintage for them. Awesomeness in a bottle for a ridiculous low price for this quality. It’s hard to put the glass down - it is that good. So in this instance I do rate this higher than Lyle F. 3 days later on the Argon line - this is still exceptional elegant and unique. Gained weight and at the same time super elegant. What a wine. — 10 days ago
Luyton Michéle
Hermitage White Blend 2019
Magnificent.
Nose: floral but elegantly so. Lovely. Yellow flowers. As this opens a white and yellow flower melange. Really close to burgundy weight and elegance wise. Really. Close.
Palate: delicious. Fine minerals. Touches of stone fruit. Great balance. Peach pit. Lovely sprightliness. Magnificent.
Long elegant finish. Mineral. Hint of brine. Almost chablisien. Mountain stream.
Fass selections — 3 months ago
Cantina Tomaso Gianolio
Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2019
I’ve been wanting to try the wines of Cantina Tomaso Gianolio for years but finding them on this side of the Atlantic has been a challenge. As of now, I don’t know much about where Davide and Igor Gianolio source their fruit but the family has been making these wines in a traditional manner for over 90 years so I’m sure the source is exceptional. So traditional, even the cork is short and stubby, lol!
Popped and poured; enjoyed over two days. Consistent throughout. The 2019 pours a light garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing and tar forward early but it quickly transforms into a veritable beauty with notes of raspberries, rose water, tar, star anise, talcum powder, and dry, stony earth. On the palate, the with is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Elegant and lovely expression of the 2019 vintage. Drink now with patience and through 2044 (if the cork will keep that long). Huge thanks to @Lyle Fass for the assist! — 10 days ago
Domaine Sebastien Dampt
Côte de Léchet Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2022
A rough day. So which wine will never disappoint? Dampt Cote de lechet.
Nose: lovely. A green apple skin mineral perfume. White flowers get this to 94.
Palate: sweet green apple. Salty. Mineral. Utterly delicious. This is not the acid driven hammer that 21’was but it’s in the range of being as good.
Fass selections. — 8 days ago
Weltner
Hoheleite GG Riesling 2018
A very ripe vintage here.
Nose: tropical fruits. Yellow flowers.
Palate: tropical. Mineral of course. Delicious. Not as razor like as other vintages.
Needs 2-3 years or a serious decant now. Day 3 much better. It’s gone from goofily tropical to seriously tropical. Great balance. You get that weltner razor like balance. Bravo. More lemon on the palate with elegant 33% pineapple.
Fass selections. — 2 months ago
Domaine Catherine Cuchet-Béliando
Cornas Syrah 2017
Wrapping up a wild weekend, I finished this bottle of Cuchet-Beliando Cornas that I opened Friday evening. It was awesome on the pop and pour and continued to develop in a lovely arc through Sunday evening when I enjoyed my last glass. The 2017 pours a deep ruby/purple with a magenta rim and what’s basically an opaque core. Medium+ viscosity and moderate staining, with some signs of sediment. On the nose the wine is developing with notes of the most pure black and red brambles, some blueberries, a bit of animale, deli case, pimento loaf, lavender, a whole Pensey’s bag of Tellicherry pepper corns, black olives, cedar and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the palate although the brambles are a bit more red. The finish is long and with loads of meat and black pepper. This is a stunning Cornas that has some real class behind the feral Cornas curtain. I really love this…but I’m an absolute sucker for the Rhône. Drink now with some patience but this will be brilliant for decades. 2024-2057. Thanks for the assist @Lyle Fass — a month ago
Vini Barbaglia
Boca Nebbiolo Vespolina 2016
Nose: sweet roses and cherries. Intense and beautiful. So floral
Palate: sweet cherries. A bit right but so lovely and balanced. Juicy. Still young. Has a decade to go at least.
Needs an hour. Then magnificent. The 20% vespolina just takes this over the top.
Almost a 9.6. A perfect boca.
Fass selections — 20 days ago
Bellaria
Assunto Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese
Man. Our customers are really missing out on brunello. This is lovely. As aromatic and nuanced as very good Northern rhone wines. Just a different character.
Nose: very lithe lilacs. As this opens a hint of game. Sexy.
Palate: texture is so silky. Perfect early to midseason cherries. Not at all heavy. This is high altitude Brunello. Juicy. Hint of Sangiovese spice. Maybe a hint of black pepper. As this opens more hidden density and just an expensive taste.
Sensual but classy cling on the finish.
Fass selections. — 2 months ago
Jay Kline
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 2019 pours a deeper garnet (than the Barbaresco) but otherwise the same with a transparent core, medium+ viscosity and no staining of the tears. On the nose, more power here too. A tar bomb early which settles in and takes a seat behind a basket full of black cherries, macerated blackberries, roses, orange rind, menthol, fresh sage and some dried basil and old wood. On the palate, bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Such a lovely body and don’t even get me started on the texture. I’m smitten. Drink now with patience through 2049. Thanks @Lyle Fass for the assist! — 4 days ago