Tracy Byrnes

9.3

Inky deliciousness — 3 months ago

Martinez

9.0

100% Gamay from the lieu-dit “Les Berthaudieres” in Brouilly, the southernmost and most extensive of the Beaujolais crus. Aged in concrete and barrels. Super smoky on the nose (smells like mezcal!). Elegant, savory, crunchy red fruit. Unusual, very interesting bojo. — 3 years ago

Jonathan Wall

9.3

This Melka / Skipstone ‘Preface’ towers in tiered structure. As a preview wine for the prominent portfolio, it is accurate and a relative bargain. Great stuff! — 6 years ago

Paul J

9.3

2nd half bottle of the night. 30+ minutes open in the bottle. I’ll preface this by saying it followed a strong nosed Bordeaux. One that has me checking my shoes for cow shit!

Dark red color. Nose could be mistaken for Napa but has French elements. Vanilla and cherries dominate. Not kidding, tastes like cherry cheesecake! The OH is definitely noticeable even though it’s only 14%. Medium+ finish. Very nice but totally different from the preceding wine so it’s tough to rate, especially as this is too “American” for me. — 7 years ago

with Brooke

Michael B

8.9

Will preface this review with saying that I had a healthy tasting but didn’t share a bottle, or eat any food with it. It’s composition is predominant Cabernet. Without looking at the price tag, it’s a great wine. Smells of freshly picked berries. It’s colour is almost black. Very velvety, royal dark fruit that is balanced extremely well with medium tannins. It’s silky smooth. But it lacks a certain “forte” characteristic that I look for wines (if you haven’t noticed yet). If this was a somewhat more affordable wine to buy on special occasions, I would nearly be in love. For the price (2012, $500 euro), and my own personal tastes, I truly think you can save yourself a handful of money and enjoy your best personal favourite wine and not have any fear that you are somehow missing out. Because of the reasons mentioned above, my rating is good, but not breaking 9/10 — 8 years ago

Anne Carman

9.5

Preface this to say if this is a sub 9.5 wine, I want to know the fianos that rate higher. Exquisite crisp minerality enveloped by a smokey floral essence and slight tingle on the tongue. Brings back to the region's perfect synergy of cuisine of the sea and the indigenous wines to match. Takes you back. — 10 years ago

Edie Frankenfield

8.9

End cap clearance at my local shop, purchased on the recommendation of the wine guy - glad I did. Should preface by saying I was easy to convince as I love Grenache & Syrah. Followed his recommendation and had small glass when opened then recorked and waited 24 hours. Glad I listened! Tannins mellowed on day two, dark fruit juicier. Hints of cinnamon, allspice and tobacco. Paired very well with prime rib. — a year ago

Paul J

9.6

I’ll preface this with the fact that I don’t drink a lot of Pinot as I’m not a huge fan.

This was an awesome rec from the guys at Amathus! 30+ minute decant. Lovely red color with ever so slight brown edges. Nose contained oak, vanilla, and strawberries. Cherries, cream, maple syrup, and cinnamon on the palate. Definitely on the sweeter side. This was like drinking cheesecake with cherries and cinnamon on top. Reminded me of the Dimchurch Shiraz, except in Pinot form. Could have been a little deeper, but had a great finish! Paired lovely with a sausage stuffed chicken breast, small Cornish potatoes, and cinnamon covered pears. One of the best dinners I’ve cooked in a while too, so I’m sure that impacted the experience and rating :)

Best Pinot I’ve ever had!! Buying more! — 6 years ago

with Brooke

Adriana Fabbro

9.8

Must preface this post with the admission that a wine like this can never fully live up to its hype; regardless, it was a sensational bottle: powerful and muscular with precision and grace; dried orange peel, sandalwood, cedar, red brick and just a hint of sour cherry fruit. We didn’t decant or open early for fear of losing those delicate, appetizing, evocative aromatics (sotto bosco, white truffle, roasting game, roses, sandalwood again) unique to old Barolos. This wine is wonderful today, but don’t anticipate it getting any better—then again I don’t foresee a wine built like this falling apart any time soon. A wine for kings (and birthday week princesses) indeed! — 6 years ago

with Maura

Mark Flesher

9.4

A great way to end a 6-day vacation. Bottle enjoyed with family over a great meal. I will preface this by saying this bottle is extremely young. Will do much better in about 5 years. After an hour of oxidation, this one had a lot of candied black cherry, wildflowers on the nose. Entry of black cherry, cola, middle which is a combination of sweeter yet more ripe black cherry with a hint of bacon fat. Finishes acidic, even after 2 hours. This wine is great structure, but still extremely young. Will develop very nicely. — 8 years ago

Jeffrey Howell

9.6

Delicious, well balanced — 9 years ago

Pooneet K

8.9

Nice but needs some time to open up - either a couple years or an hour in a decanter. Deep dark red fruit with a hint of spicy poking through the considerable structure. — 10 years ago

Christine Lueschow

9.0

Preface by saying I am just getting into wine and that this was my first bottle.

Was on sale at the grocery store so didn't have big expectations but was pleasantly surprised.

First glass was over powered with the tannins but picked up black cherry, raspberry and chocolate notes. Next day the wine definitely mellowed and balanced out more and picked up almost an espresso flavor towards the end.

All in all, this was a wonderfully affordable and tasty wine that I will pick up and enjoy again.

P.S. Great when added to a meat spaghetti sauce for added flavor and the wine has been open for too long ;) — 10 years ago

Michael Walker

9.7

Third of the K Laz tasting - marginally better than the Mending Wall but again unsubtle CA blend with too much Merlot/Malbec influence - but definitely more drinkable — 2 years ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.5

There are outstanding wines and then there are really really good wines that just get you: for me, Aurelian Laherte gets me every time from his entry level wines to his tete de cuvées. Fuck it, why do I need a preface—this is an outstanding wine, with both low and high brow appeal.

There’s a nostalgic & almost primal appeal that reminds me of 90’s strawberry / cherry jello layered mousses. Perhaps because this is one of the most fruit forward champagnes out there (tart cherry, strawberry, rhubarb, cranberry, pomegranate) as a blend of red wine, saignee meunière and direct press meunière. The wine is enriched by decadent layers of vanilla and pastry (no hate for the genius use of oak barrels here). The color, the packaging, the generous nose — everything about it is very easy and enjoyable if a little bit confected—hedonistic, yet complete & complex.

This wine treads the line between red wine and champagne offering the best of both worlds. On the one hand, you get fascinating depth and richness with a dosage of only 2.5g/l —fruit is prominent, flavors are concentrated but the acid delivers an unbuffered punch. The vibrancy and character of the Laherte Freres wines across the spectrum and vintages continues to impress me.

Please don’t spread the word though as these are still some of the most affordable grower champagnes out there…

— 4 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

From a 375mL. Popped and poured. Preface was, allegedly, a re-label of some project that Philippe Melka was/is involved with. This was my last bottle from an original purchase of seven. Much more complex at this stage in its development. Fascinating nose of cassis, plums, pipe tobacco, chunky beef stew, leather, spices, and alfalfa. On the palate, it’s rich with dark berries, espresso and spices. Tannins are fine and mostly integrated at this point. Long finish. Probably drinking at peak pleasure right now but has plenty of staying power. — 8 years ago

Tiffani Tenorio.Yarris

9.0

I really enjoyed this wine and loved that it was holding up beautifully - I must preface I enjoy older wines, and love wines on all lengths of their journey. Apple, melon, lanolin - rich mouth feel - finishes elegantly and soft. — 8 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

I will preface this note by disclosing that I am generally not a fan of Super Tuscans. I like old school Toscana. But I will try to be objective here. The nose is very evocative of a classified growth Bordeaux: lots of cedary, gravelly scents and some dark berry fruit underneath. In the mouth it is concentrated and soft, but develops weight in the back half of the palate. Some peppery heat from alcohol at the end too. I know it’s predominantly Sangiovese, but it really does taste very Left Bank, except for a little note redder fruit at the end. — 8 years ago

with Angelo

Steve Bachmann

9.1

I'll preface my comment with noting I am not a petite sirah drinker when it is the dominant grape (usually too overpowering on its own). While this is also the deep deep purple typical of petite Sirah, it had a much lighter mouthfeel than expected and tannins were resolved. Almost silky. So kudos on this effort. — 10 years ago

Melissa Hubmer

9.9

Let me preface this by stating that for the most part, Im not a red wine drinker. However, this red wine changed all of that for me. It is very smooth and full of flavor. Just a bit of dry and no bitterness. I am now open to try more red wine, knowing they can be as good as this one. — 10 years ago