Day Watson

9.5

So light and a nice mix of fruit and earth. Great summer red. — 17 days ago

romo

9.0

Over the top heaviness, if that’s your thing. — 5 months ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Paolo Bea dinner at Semo. All wines were prepared by opening and slow-ox, prior to service. Abbreviated notes due to the setting. The 2019 Cerrete is a veritable abyss: deep, dark, dense and mysterious. Dark cherry, licorice, blood and sneaky high tannin. So young. I thought this worked well with the venison. Almost impossible to believe this is 15.5%; everything is so balanced. Drink now through 2049. Bottle No. 161/9639 — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Paolo Bea dinner at Semo. All wines were prepared by opening and slow-ox, prior to service. Abbreviated notes due to the setting. The The 2020 Santa Chiara appears a deep orange color with notes of marmalade, apricot, flowers, and varnish (VA). The palate shows low+ tannin and decent acid. Tasty, complex stuff as usual. A lovely pairing with gougère of prosciutto, green olive and honey. Drink now through 2030-ish. Bottle No. 2814/5940 — 7 months ago

romo

9.2

Called Gruner. Group favorite, my #2. lemon meringue, white blossoms, nutmeg. Crushable. — a year ago

Chris MacLean

9.3

He’s not picking early, yet the wine is well balanced and fresh. Expressive. Plenty of fruit. Expanding brambly strawberries and underbrush. Firm tannins. Luminoso! — 4 years ago

with Sarah

Nick Farrell

9.7

Cheese rind, sherbet, VA greatness. — 6 years ago

Winston Jones

Host OrganicWineReview, Assistant Buyer Savvy Cellar Wine Bar

9.0

Tasty but over extracted. — 15 days ago

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.5

Love this wine. Medium body, spicy, cinnamon, salty. — 3 months ago

romo

9.1

Still too hot, but manageable. — 5 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Paolo Bea dinner at Semo. All wines were prepared by opening and slow-ox, prior to service. Abbreviated notes due to the setting. The 2017 Pipparello pours a garnet color with funky Montmorency cherry, red carnations, and balsamic notes. Wonderful structure and delicious with the quail. Drink now with patience through 2037. Bottle No. 642/9930 — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service; enjoyed over the course of dinner. The 2009 pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core and a burnished rim; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears and plenty of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe black fruits: black plum, salmiakki, mixed flowers, some nail polish, blood, wild herbs, a mix of organic and inorganic earth and exotic spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long. It’s been several years since my last 2009 Pagliaro and it certainly hasn’t lost any of its potency. A special wine from a special vineyard cared for by a special producer. Drink now with a decant through 2039-ish. Bottle No. 3815/9570 — 7 months ago

Peter Sultan

9.3

Don’t know if I settled down the third time around or the wine did, but a more focused experience this time. Who knows, maybe three times a charm. An ethereal light to medium body, all balsamic, mushroom notes & wild black currants. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga Martínez, now run by children Manuel, Isabel & Isaac Muga Caño. Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice, unmistakable Muga. 4 grape blend from the Haro district (70% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), palate shows cherry and currant flavors with espresso, vanilla & toasty oak tones. Soft full tannins, lively acidity on a medium+ finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Nice value! Great vintage! — 6 years ago

Lance E. Farman

9.5

Such a fun bottle to drink. — a month ago

Clay Bullwinkel

9.5

Fabulous full bodied orange trebbiano wine. Minerals, herbs, tannic, — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.6

Paolo Bea dinner at Semo. All wines were prepared by opening and slow-ox, prior to service. Abbreviated notes due to the setting. The wines of Paolo and Giampiero Bea are very special to me and I am grateful to have enjoyed so many of them, over the years. However, the Passito is extremely rare and this is my first encounter. The 2011 pours a garnet color with a most interesting and attractive nose of Castelvetrano olives, dark cherry, salmiakki, and palo santo. I would categorize this as off-dry; certainly not sweet. There’s excellent structure too so that may play a role in my perception of sugar. Perhaps the profile varies from vintage to vintage however, if this is representative, I could see myself going well out of my way to drink this. Brilliant. Drink now through 2036. Bottle No. 1716/3699 — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Paolo Bea dinner at Semo. All wines were prepared by opening and slow-ox, prior to service. Abbreviated notes due to the setting. The 2020 Lapideus pours a hazy straw color with notes of undigested hay, black lemon, Brachs butterscotch, white and yellow flowers, and some tarragon. The palate shows low+ tannin and acid works well with the halibut crudo. Drink now through 2035. Bottle No. 800/2610 — 7 months ago

Clay Bullwinkel

9.3

The nuns and Paolo Bea. Robust hearty orange wine blend. — a year ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Just opened another bottle! Founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga Martínez, now run by children Manuel, Isabel & Isaac Muga Caño. Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice and oak. 4 grape blend from the Haro district (70% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), 36 months in oak, palate shows elegant flavors of cherry and currant with espresso, vanilla & toasty oak tones. Soft full ripe tannins, lively acidity on a long finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Great vintage! — 5 years ago