Ellen Clifford

9.3

Sauvignon Blanc in Napa is having a moment (or had it been and I’ve been neglecting it?). I’ve tasted some fun, elegant, evocative bottlings recently and this Gamble Vineyards example is another lil’ example of how malleable and exciting SB can be. I’ve “dated” about four SBs in recent months and like, I can’t give just one of them the rose they are all special.
This particular specimen has the tropical fruit vibes of passion fruit and ripe citrus laced with good-ol’ honeysuckle florals. The palate is like “surprise I saw oak!” And I was like “I didn’t know we were seeing other people but cool cool” especially as it is well integrated and subtle oak, rounding out the corners and ballasting the further citrus on the palate. I’m not saying forget CAB Sauvignon from Napa but give the Sauvignon BLANC a swirl. — 3 months ago

Peter Sultan

9.1

What a deal/qpr -& released with some age. Persistent cherry life savers, some gamey notes. I used a big ol Pinot Noir glass for first time, kinda fun. Day 2 notes: so much deeper & nuanced, with the cherry life savers giving way to a meatier, meaner body. The QPR is now glowing. — 4 years ago

Adel K

10

My favorite! — 5 years ago

Peter Sultan

9.0

May not have the character of say a Baudry or Raffault Chinon, but still a profoundly true-to-terroir Chinon with all that fine grained dark berry earthiness, low on the funko-meter, & just plain ol’ low alcohol fun. Paired with brunch cheesy egg casserole of Gruyère, nutmeg, Parmesan etc that soaks overnight in Half & Half. — 10 months ago

Jay Kline

9.6

We pulled this from our cellar and brought it to V. Mertz for dinner. We enjoyed a couple of other wines as aperitifs and then ultimately did what anyone given the opportunity should do: pair it with lamb chops. We poured it into a decanter while we enjoyed the conversation and opening courses. Given the setting, there were no formal notes however, I can confidently report that the 2015 “Tintot” absolutely slaps. From the first sip to the last, it was all balance, power and class. It was also a spectacular showcase for Mourvèdre. It was hard to fully judge color because the lighting was so low but it appeared to be nearly opaque. A touch feral with a slightly gamey element to it but there’s a great big ol’ basket of black and blue fruits with red and purple flowers, garrigue, some black pepper and cedar chest. Structure is still quite firm but totally enjoyable. While this is an unusual assemblage for the region, it still comes across as a wine from Chateauneuf-du-Pape. This was my first “Tintot” and it has left quite the impression. Drink now with an hour decant or over the next 7-10 years. P.S. it probably goes without saying, but the pairing with lamb chops was sublime. — 2 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.0

Good ‘ol reliable Dassai 50 — 5 years ago

Jeffrey Vlasic

9.7

Ol’ faithful. — a year ago

with Michael

Donald Williams

9.6

Tempranillo blend only tells part of the story. No telling what else is in there, but it sure works. — 2 years ago

with Bonnie

Peter Sultan

9.0

Very solid Loire Sauvignon Blanc. Steep Hill Importer-I like their portfolio as seems to emphasize true to type varietals. Nothing flashy, just good ol fashioned terroir. — 4 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.0

Not always my favourite on the table, but always solid. Dassai's like the Penfolds of sake - producing high quality beverages at a scale that's accessible to the multitude. In 2013, Asahi Shuzo, Dassai's brewery, sold 1.14 million bottles of sake, which is peanuts compared to what Treasury does, but no mean feat in a struggling sake industry. For me, Dassai is at least large enough to have reached little ol' Kuching, and to have been one of my first encounters with a Junmai Daiginjo.

I've always found Dassai's quite rich and it's no different here. Exotic nose of melons, pineapple, candied fruits even. Palate's like a fruit punch, plush but toned back by herbaceous notes and some acidity. Clean, lengthy finish. Very approachable. The best drink on the table this time. — 5 years ago