Old World Players

Old World Winery

L'aureate Sonoma County Chardonnay

Solid white. Not funky. 2022. — 6 months ago

Domaine de la Côte

Bloom's Field Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

Strawberries, eucalyptus and plums on the nose, maybe even a lil crushed raspberry on a medium body, with a ruby core with purple hues through the edges. Old world styled, gripping tannins and dry, with prominent eucalyptus, ripe plum, cigar smoke, and tart cranberries and maybe even a lil tar. Definitely could use some time to soften, but still beautiful! — 8 months ago

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2007

Served to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep ruby color with a slightly orange rim. Medium+ viscosity and some moderate staining of the tears. There appears to be some sign of sediment as well. On the nose, the wine was intense with notes of dark cherries, a mix of red and black bramble fruits, licorice, some leather and dried gravelly earth. I don’t detect any use of barrique but maybe some large format oak. This has an old world nose to it that was really lovely. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose and while the fruit had some power, it came in a body that was pretty fit and tidy. Alcohol is medium+. The finish is long and had some stoney minerals too. I called Brunello di Montalcino from a warmer vintage like 2009. Whoa…2007 Beaucastel! Damn, they hit so different than most other CdP’s. So much more restrained! But now that it has been revealed and I’ve allowed more time for it to breathe in my glass, I totally get its sense of place. One of my big takeaways is that I need more experience with these wines, particularly with age because that’s when they become more interesting to me. This is drinking well now but I expect it will continue to do so through 2032 with ease. — 10 months ago

Lyle, Ira and 11 others liked this

Bodegas Volver

Tarima Hill Old Vines Alicante Monastrell

True old vine depth in both texture and flavour. A nice departure from Tempranillo or garnacha while retaining all the bold characteristics of Spanish old world reds. — 2 years ago

Enderle & Moll

Liaison Pinot Noir 2021

Enderle & Moll Pinot Noir
Liaison 2021
Baden, Germany
12.5% ABV

German Pinot is supposed to be the next big thing, the best Pinot Noirs outside the Cote D'Or. And Enderle and Moll is reputedly its top producer , with a cult-like following in the German-speaking world. They make 3 versions, somewhat comparable to regional level , village level and grand cru, their top wine being the Buntsandstein. The Liaison is their mid-level offering from old vines up to 50 years old grown on limestone and sandstone soils. Needless to say , I've been dying to try one and see if it lives up to the hype.

On Day One , pop and pour. Very light, translucent ruby. Pretty red fruit and fresh mushroom aromas lead to a light yet intense entry on the palate with bracing , mouthwatering acidity dominating the wine at this stage. Showing more '21 Germany than Pinot character at this stage, so corked and revisited the next day.

On Day Two, this has completely transformed . The first thing noticed is that the color has become darker and deeper, and now looks like classic young burgundy. Aromas are also much more developed , with scents of Indian spices underneath the cherries , raspberries and forest floor. The tiniest hint of wood adds breadth and depth to a bouquet of classic pinosity, but with a character all its own.

On entry, this shows typical flavors of red fruit (currants , marasca cherries , cranberries ), brown spices , and sous bois in a light -bodied but incredibly intense package , with bracing acidity unlike any Pinot Noir I've ever tasted. Despite all the mid-palate energy , this has only moderate length and intensity on the finish. There's a bit of barely noticeable tannin. Built for medium term aging , it will be interesting to see if it remains balanced as it develops. Regardless , the acidity helped make it exceptionally good at the table , here paired with an herb and teriyaki roasted Salmon.

The Liaison can be found for around $30 here in the States , making it an excellent value, though California Pinot lovers might find the level of acidity shocking . While it's not going to make me think about pouring my Wilamette Valley Pinots down the drain , this is really good for the level, and really food friendly. A Pinot for Italian Wine lovers .
— 5 months ago

Pinotman liked this
Pinotman /// Andreas

Pinotman /// Andreas

I am drinking E&M all levels since their second vintage in 2009. They have never disappointed. However they are not for the faint of heart. And some need a lot of age - very nice review !

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1985

Bright scarlet color, mostly translucent. Red fruit, gravel stone, spice, dark earth, some tobacco and some leather. Fruit is somewhat faded but still present. I think the 85 LB is moving towards being past peak, but still delivers a nice old world experience. — 2 years ago

Andrew, Eric and 20 others liked this

Dominus Estate

Dominus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2016

Napa Bordeaux style blend, pop n pour with scents of wet earth and perfectly ripe red fruit. Exquisitely balanced on the palate, soft tannins, medium alcohol… Loved the wine, definitely old world character, but must say there is short finish (a bit disappointing with this caliber of wine to be explicit). Still, great wine. — 7 months ago

Vino, David and 22 others liked this

Tenuta San Guido

Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2017

Popped and poured, no formal notes. Despite its relative youth, the 2017 Sassicaia is showing very nicely right now. To my palate, this does as good a job as any in deftly straddling New and Old World…and just leans enough towards its structure and non-fruit characteristics to give it a sense of place. To be clear, there is plenty of fresh and delicious fruit, it’s just that the structure and the firmness of the tannin and acid is so “favoloso”. Drinking well in its youth but should drink very well through 2042. — 10 months ago

Shay, Lyle and 11 others liked this

Hamilton Russell Vineyards

Hemel-en-Aarde Valley Chardonnay 2020

A lovely melding of Old World finesse and New World exuberance. Green apple, pear, white peach, ripe lemon oil, flint, acacia, and the barest hint of toasted brioche. Mouth watering acidity but not at the expense of texture. Long, beautifully ripe finish. Stunning. — 2 years ago

Ira, Tom and 4 others liked this

EnRoute Winery

Les Pommiers Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2019

Paul J
9.3

PnP’d. Lovely Pinot for someone who isn’t a huge Pinot fan. Earthy with varied fruit and lots of complexity. Medium plus depth. Old World style. Good cigar wine. — 2 years ago

Eddie, Steven and 10 others liked this