David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

I was given this tasting kit they sometimes send to customers on their list at this year’s Pebble Beach Food & Wine.

The nose is somewhat muted. Yet, still beautiful. Dark, lush, ruby; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, mulberries, dark cherries with ripe strawberries hues. Dark chocolate, beautiful, soft baking spices, dry herbs, dry top soil, dry volcanic powder, tea leaves, some tarriness, tobacco w/ ash, lead pencil, leather, back licorice, dark, red, withering flowers framed in violets.

This drinks incredibly well now but needs more evolution. Many will find this hard to resist now.

The palate shows; dark, lush, ruby; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, mulberries, dark cherries with ripe strawberries hues. Refined but medium plus tannins, dark chocolate, coco powder, beautiful, soft baking spices, dry herbs, dry top soil, dry volcanic powder, tea leaves, some tarriness, rich, dark forest floor w/ dry leaves dark, dry brush, fine, powdery spices, tobacco w/ ash, lead pencil, leather, back licorice, dark, red, withering flowers framed in violets. Perfect acidity and a round, plush, well balanced/knitted, beautiful structure, nicely tensioned finish w/ length that lasts two-minutes falling on to nice earthiness. Las Piedras for minerality always.

There are a host of people involved in making Lithology wines; on the ground, Winemaker/Geologist, Matt Sands. Assistant Winemaker is Mark Pittman. Consulting; the world’s largest Wine Consultant-Michel Rolland, Philippe Melka & Maayan Koschitzky who’s resume includes, vineyards in Israel to Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle.

Photos of; my tasting kit, one of their single Vineyard Cabernet garage, facility and on the ground Winemaker, Matt Sands.

There are a host of people involved in making Lithology wines; on the ground, Winemaker/Geologist, Matt Sands. Assistant Winemaker is Mark Pittman. Consulting; the world’s largest Wine Consultant-Michel Rolland, Philippe Melka & Maayan Koschitzky who’s resume includes, vineyards in Israel to Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle.

Photos of; my tasting kit, one of their single Vineyard Cabernet garage, facility and on the ground Winemaker, Matt Sands. — 4 months ago

Shengli Hu

9.1

Blackberry, cassis, vanilla, coconut, dark chocolate, smoked ribs, forest floor, graphite, game, leather, sweet baking spices. Such an oak bomb but with loads of grilled meaty ashy charcoal. Wet crushed dark stones. Guilty pleasures. — 10 months ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.5

Wow very surprised. Sister and her husband had two bottles of this. One had excellent fill and this was that bottle. Medium minus garnet and tawny red. Lovely nose with tiertary notes of leather, damp forest floor and tobacco leaves. Medium minus tannins (5/10) with a medium minus body. A hint of mulled cherry on the palate with tons of leather, truffles, mushroom and earthiness. Medium length finish. Drinking beautifully right now. — 2 years ago

with Sean and India

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I was given this tasting kit they sometimes send to customers on their list at this year’s Pebble Beach Food & Wine.

This is quite good & somewhat approachable for a Napa Cabernet so young. Yet, not entirely surprising given the vintage, terroir & winemaking team. But, it should lay down another 7-8 plus for you to get your full price of admission.

The nose reveals ripe, rich, lush fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, lots of blueberries, mulberries, black plum skin & deep, very dark cherries. Big cocoa/mocha, fresh with some slightly dry tobacco, soft leather, black licorice and mid & dark berry cola, dark chocolate to chocolate cake to chocolate pudding, soft baking spices, dry herbs with an undertone of spearmint, soft barrel shavings (I like the wood & barrel toast they have selected), soft, elegant forest floor with dark, slight candied with some withering red, flowers that are set in lavender & liquid violets. Beautiful!

The fruits are perfectly ripe, lush, ruby; blackberries, black raspberries, lots of blueberries, mulberries, black plum skin & deep, very dark cherries. Big cocoa/mocha, fresh with some slightly dry tobacco, soft leather, black licorice and mid & dark berry cola, dark chocolate to chocolate cake to chocolate pudding, soft baking spices-nutmeg, cinnamon clove & vanillin, dry herbs with an undertone of spearmint, soft barrel shavings, dark Indian/Asian spices-some Allspice mixed in, pronounced lead pencil, soft, elegant forest floor with dark, slightly candied with some withering red, flowers that are set in lavender & liquid violets. Flowers/florals are exquisite. Excellent round acidity with an extremely well balanced/knitted with an amazing glorious finish that goes on and on. Really well made. I would like to try this again in another 7-10 years. One dent, it does show some alcohol burn. 14.8% ABV. Feels above 15. Maybe, 15.5.%.

There are a host of people involved in making Lithology wines; on the ground, Winemaker/Geologist, Matt Sands. Assistant Winemaker is Mark Pittman. Consulting; the world’s largest Wine Consultant-Michel Rolland, Philippe Melka & Maayan Koschitzky who’s resume includes, vineyards in Israel to Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle.

Photos of; my tasting kit, one of their single Vineyard Cabernet garage, facility and on the ground Winemaker, Matt Sands. — 4 months ago

John Tan

8.9

Gout de Jaune. Intense, petrol bomb nose. A little austere.

The textbook 2013 L'Étoile Vin Jaune has a deep golden color and a captivating nose with aromas of exotic spices, iodine, forest floor, green nuts and a touch of volatility that added freshness. 2013 was a cooler year in the region, and despite the 14.5% alcohol, the wine feels quite fresh and balanced, with clean, focused flavors, pungent and long, very tasty, with a bitter and salty touch on the finish. It's very long and has a nice combination of power and elegance. This matured for the mandatory six-plus years in barrels under a thin veil of yeasts and was bottled in the 62-centiliter Vin Jaune bottle, clavelin. 2,500 bottles produced. RP93+, 2013; issue date Apr 2021 — 2 years ago

Michael Greene

9.5

Birth year wine for my birthday. This bottle may out live me. Pencil shavings, dark berries, forest floor. A bit of bricking but no sign of fading, so much structure still. Not usually a bordeaux drinker but this is brilliant stuff. — 3 years ago

Vanessa

9.3

Happy Bastille Day!  Joyeux 14 juillet! 🇫🇷

A great day to sip something fabulous and French, like this 2020 Maison Joseph Drouhin Clos des Mouches. 🍷

Maison Joseph Drouhin is a dynamic, family-run estate, established by Joseph Drouhin in 1880 in the Beaune region of Burgundy.  It’s now run by Joseph’s four great-grandchildren – Philippe, Véronique, Laurent, and Frédéric – with operations spanning from Burgundy to the Dundee Hills of Willamette Valley, Oregon (Domaine Drouhin). 🫶🏻🫶🏻

This wine has a medium ruby hue and an array of aromas and flavors such as strawberry, raspberry, cherry (red and black), mulberry, rose, spice, potpourri, black licorice, forest floor, toast, vanilla bean, crème brûlée, nutmeg, star anise, cardamom, and clove.

It aged 14-18 months in French oak (25% new), lending those baking spice, vanilla, and confectionery notes.

On the palate, it is dry, with vibrant acidity, creating tension, and a medium (+) body, with warming alcohol (14% ABV), medium tannins that are polished and velveteen, and a lingering finish.

This is an outstanding wine capable of long-term aging with potential to gain complexity unveiling additional tertiary dimensions over time. 🕰️ — 5 months ago

with Deked1

Yaw Awuku

9.5

Aged 8 years and introduced itsself with wonderfully dense aromas of dark fruits and forest floor. Fresh and peppery on the palte, but in a very smooth way. Dark fruits and black cherry. Finely grained mineralic Texture and a long, long finish! — 10 months ago

Mark S.

9.1

Forest flavor. 30 min Smooth, deep plum and raspberry. 3 years, enjoyable 2019 @1800, medoc, 220613 — 3 years ago

Mark S.

9.1

Sweetness from Strawberry and forest flavor. Enough concentration from Gevrey’s terroir. 2016 @3150, xiaduo - ET, 211104 — 3 years ago