Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Terralsole (Land Towards the Sun), a very small, family-owned organic winery located in the Southern Tuscany. They truly produce award-winning Brunello di Montalcino, and exceptional Super-Tuscans IGT.

This Pasticcio label falls into their cult wines they produce, it was created to honor the Bordeaux tradition, where the winemaker Mario Bollag made his wine Oenology studies.

This super-Tuscan is a blend of indigenous grape Sangiovese with an outsider varietal of Cab Franc and Merlot, the result; very red fruit driven perfumy-styled that wake up anyone’s olfactory sense, it has some delicacy. On the palate, the medley of berry flavors are harmoniously concentrated, ripe and remarkably fresh for a V.2006,  the wine literally dances on your mouth gracefully and elegance.

Mouthfeel overall is dominated by richness, and lush with a juicy finish but not over lingering, just right!
Check other Super-Tuscan and Brunello from Terralsole, your palate will thank you! — a year ago

Stephanie Losee

9.1

Opened this is a Left Bank v Right Bank taste-off against a 2015 Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot and this one won handily. Smooth and balanced, with a long finish. Probably even better in a year or two, if I can wait that long to drink the second bottle! — 5 years ago

James K

9.0

Drink now. Nice tertiary notes and complexity. Round. Fruit starting to fade. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Normally, we are just fine with their N/V Rosé Champagne. Thought it was time to switch it up and pull out a bottle of vintage.

The nose reveals; blood orange, tangerine, pink rose petal infused strawberries, pink grapefruit w/ a dash of sugar, rhubarb, under ripened watermelon, Rainier cherries, apricots, peach, hints of black cherries, touch of oyster shell, saline, sea fossils, grey volcanics, some white spice, crumbled, dry chalk, hints of bread dough, yeasty notes & baguette crust/toast, coriander, fruit blossoms, peach colored lilies, orchids in a field of wild flowers.

The mousse is extremely delicate with micro-oxygenation. Caresses the palate like a feather duster. Blood orange, tangerine, pink rose petal infused strawberries, pink grapefruit w/ a dash of sugar, rhubarb, under ripened watermelon, Rainier cherries, apricots, yellow peach, hints of black cherries, marmalade fruit pieces, touch of oyster shell, saline, sea fossils, palate gripping fine grain grey volcanics, limestone minerals, pronounced white spice with gentle yet punctuating heat, vanillin, crumbled, dry chalk, hints of bread dough, yeasty notes & baguette crust/toast, coriander, fruit blossoms, peach colored lilies, orchids in a field of wild flowers. The acidity is beautiful...near perfect. The finish is; elegant, very refined, well knitted and balanced in fruit & earth and persists endlessly with just the right level of white spice. Excellent.

Photos of; House of Billecart, Riedel Sommelier Flutes, Billecart Tasting Salon and cellared bottles. — 6 years ago

Mickie Meinhardt

8.9

May be time for me to explore the Dinger Lakes, as I enjoyed this so much. Super high acid on this, tart and vaguely tropical, right and dry and puckering even. But crisp, v light, drinkable and refreshing. Replace your Sauv Blanc with this on a hot day. — 7 years ago

John Smith

9.4

Special wine here. You can taste the age in all the right ways. Medium-full, earthier than your average cab. Just excellent. — 7 years ago

brando cox

9.0

Remarkable Rioja at an affordable price! Let it decant for an hour and you will be rewarded with a dark fruit forward, balanced oak and the right touch of smokiness....to compliment our seared Tuna filets. Rioja, so hot right now. — 7 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Classical Right Bank of Bordeaux blend of Merlot 60%, Cab Franc 35%, Malbec 3%, Cab Sauv. 2%, this particular V.2020 delivers an incredible array of soft ripen cherry aromas, decent structure, not so highly complex, but it has few layers of mulberry compote, dark cherry and açai berry, balanced acidity, nice hint of oak in the mid-range.

The most remarkable aspect was the soft tannins and its smoothness is so inviting that its finish provided a subtle savory taste at the back end of the palate. Awesome!

This wine will give the full round for the money, accessible price point that outperforms seamlessly, a crowd pleaser!
— a year ago

Joe Fischer

8.9

This was a really nice wine for the price at our Italian V-day dinner on Kauai. Red fruit notes with a bit of floral aroma. Raspberry and red cherry on the bud with a nice spice note finish. Tannins are just right. — 4 years ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.0

Quite dark & structured with dark fruit, a touch moss, a whiff of fresh mushrooms,
On the palate this shows juicy acidity, a plush, firm tannic structure and dark cherry & ripe strawberry. Richer & a bit more burly, but soo drinkable and good friendly. This is a really good wine, and so good quality-price-ratio!
4h decant and drinking v. nicely right now. — 5 years ago

Amit Srivastava

9.1

Opened a merlot after a long time ... well balanced . No decanting . Not v big on the palate .. just right — 6 years ago

Ben Hearns

9.1

amazing napa cab. 2014 drinking v well right now. opened up beautifully. full body and pure perfection. — 6 years ago

S.S. Mandani

9.2

A bed of leafy greens, super scents of petrol. Also, vibrant citrus, freshly sliced oranges.

Vibrant. Vivacious. What’s another word that starts with “V”?

Really, really love the carbonation here. Wasn’t expecting it. It’s surprising in all the right ways, playing off the dry, sweet, and acid components expertly.

Victorious. — 6 years ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.0

Dark ripe cherry with a touch of kirsch. Some woody aromas from the 12m in barriques, a touch of leather plus a pinch of dark chocolate. Quity fruity & round for a Mencia, with the wood v. nicely integrated and the earthy-irony streak subdued and showing only in the finish. This is nicely polished and harmonious, the tannins a touch too dry, but a fine wine and a pleasure to drink right now. — 7 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Bright gold color. Lovely aromas of white flowers, green apple and orange zest. Flavors of unripe peach, lemon, apple, asparagus and a distinct note of white pepper on the long and lingering finish. Bone dry with mouth watering acidity. Just a bit of CO2 right out of the bottle. Clean and crisp. So refreshing. Aging nicely. A taste of Spring! Thanks for sharing, Kase! Revisited in March 2025. Actually better with more aging. Beautiful balance and weight. — 2 years ago

Andrea Watt

8.9

Big and bold with oak right on the front then blackberry, vanilla, and a hint of pepper. — 3 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

It’s 1/2 bottle n/v Billecart evening.

This is a more appropriate color of rose for the Rosé color of this champagne.

My go to n/v Rosé Champange for a number of reasons…quality & 1/2 bottle availability are right up there.

Blood orange, black cherries, Rainer cherries, lean strawberries, pomegranate juice, hints of raw rhubarb, grainy, grippy, sharp chalkiness, crunchy volcanics, limestone, sea fossils, baguette crust, deep white spice, orange lilies, peach roses, excellent, lively acidity with a rich, well balanced smart finish that starts clean, ripe fruits falling onto perfect minerality. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Starting the long Labor Day weekend in Big Sur the right way with a little N/V Krug Grande Cuvée. @Nepenthe

Happy Labor Day weekend all! 🍾🥂

Noses reveals; heavy bruised red apple, Bosc pear, overripe pineapple, lemon meringue, tropical melons, lime zest, white spice, sea fossils, deep crisp chalkiness, grey volcanics, yeast & bread dough, nougat, baguette crust, limestone, caramel notes, cream, vanillin framed in yellow lilies, white & spring flowers & mixed greens.

The palate is, ripe, lush, fresh and lively. The mouthfeel all Krug beautiful. Bruised red & golden apple with hints of cider, Bosc pear, overripe pineapple, lemon meringue, tropical melons, white stone fruits, lime zest/candy, white spice, sea fossils, crisp chalkiness, grey volcanics, yeast & bread dough, nougat, baguette crust, limestone, caramel notes, cream, cream soda, vanillin framed in yellow lilies, spring flowers & mixed greens. The acidity is near perfect. The long, elegant, well knitted & balanced finish is gentle until the long set when you get a full presence of white spice and minerality that persists for minutes.

This bottle was composed around 2011 and is made from over 120 different wines that span over 10 years. It is 47% Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay & 17% Pinot Meunier. — 6 years ago

Daniel M

9.1

Superb nose with tar, meat juice, black currant, an irony thing. This is inviting and strong, very inviting. The palate is wonderful! Super acid backbone with a bright black currant all along, a velvety touch on the sides that remains all along, tannins have already started to integrate. There is width, there is length, there is fruit, there is grip. The finish lasts for a long time with a nice fruit, some meat juice too and a pinch of bitterness. V
In a great place right now! — 6 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.5

Rather suddenly, and without much explanation, Bordeaux found itself in the middle of my crosshairs as being the next place I wanted to conduct a deep dive in. With this shift in my general attention from New World to Old World I began to do more research on the various appellations, prominent chateaus, and nuances of Left Bank and Right Bank, as well as compile a spreadsheet highlighting specific bottles I wanted to seek out. For a reason unbeknownst to me, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou was the producer I wanted to start my deep dive with. I researched the history of the chateaux, learned about their wines, priced out vintages that were immediately available for my acquisition, and added it to my Bordeaux spreadsheet, waiting for the time to pull the trigger and purchase a bottle (or two) to start the trek with. As far as wines are concerned it was all I could think about: Ducru-Beaucaillou. Apparently, the mere act of researching a chateau left me beguiled, craving a wine I had never even had before! With all of this research in mind I’ve learned over the years that as much as I thoroughly enjoy researching and trying wine, it’s certainly more enjoyable to share the knowledge and the experiences with others. Enter @codyuzzel, who has heard more than his fair share of my wine ramblings over the years. One day we began discussing Bordeaux, Left Bank v. Right bank, and changes in our thought patterns about the region over the years, which eventually lead him to asking the million-dollar question: Are there any producers you’ve highlighted that you’re particularly interested in? I told him that Ducru-Beaucaillou was in my crosshairs, along with a handful of other producers that I’d explore once I’d tried Ducru. That’s when he texted me the picture; a picture of him holding a glorious bottle of 2012 Ducru-Beaucaillou. “I took this pic before we started this conversation.” Given the serendipitous nature of this occurrence he extended an invitation to pop the cork upon our next meeting, which is interesting in and of itself given that I had been thinking about visiting him at the wine bar just earlier that day. It’s moments like these that truly make the wine journey a sweet and rewarding one. Thanks, Cody, for your generosity and epic invitations.
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Anise, graphite, plums, and blackberries. Very polished and very delicious. — 7 years ago

with Cody