Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

My continued quest to try as many 2022 Burgundies as possible.

This leans into 93 with a 92.5.

Nose of bright mid fruits with a core of dark, cherry hard candy, red licorice, baking soda with beautiful red florals.

The body is somewhat thicker than the previous two. Dark cherries, poached strawberries, blackberries, light black raspberries with some blueberry hues. Dry, fine top soil, barrel shaving dust, dry, fine tannins. Dark rich earth with dry leaves, dry twig, sagebrush, mid berry cola, light baking spices, soft dark spice, dry pipe tobacco, limestone dust, dry river stone, bright candied red, dark florals, rainfall acidy with a juicy, well balanced, elegant finish that lasts 90 seconds.

10 plus years of cellaring with add additional point or two. Maybe, three? — 2 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.4

The 2018 ‘Sestina’ is a gorgeous blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc. Sourced from some esteemed sites like the Red Willow and Dionysus Vineyards, the wine showcases anise and sagebrush aromatic tones alongside dark currant jelly and shades of black cherry syrup that all meld together. The palate is soft, round and generous, showing a beautiful sense of balance. Ripe blackberry jelly and mocha tones collide with smoky minerals, saline drenched boysenberry and firm tannins holding everything in place. This has a long life ahead of it and try to give this at least another year before consuming. Drink 2022-2041- 94 — 5 years ago

Jamie Lauder

9.2

2014 vintage. This is great wine from Okanagan Valley in British Columbia.
The nose is full blown blueberries with cloves, smokiness and black pepper. More a combination of Washington State and Northern Rhone.
Tasting, bright blue/black fruit with hints of mint, sagebrush and bacon......mmmmmm.....who doesn’t like bacon??
This wine finishes so smooth with acids and tannins in beautiful harmony and balance.
— 6 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

This outstanding 100% Merlot was largely sourced from the Loess Vineyard (66%) with smaller portions from the Mill Creek Upland and their 40-year-old original block at the Leonetti winery. Needing a two hour decant to fully open, the 2018 Leonetti Merlot slowly unveils layers of toasty oak that are woven together with black cherry cordial, sagebrush and milk chocolate tones that all come together in the glass. The silky texture truly impresses, as the wine effortlessly glides across the mid-palate. Cocoa powder dusted red cherries greet you, while flavors of underbrush, damp earth and espresso bean all enliven the senses. A complete wine, the 2018 Leonetti Cellar Merlot will enjoy a long life in the cellar. Try to resist this stunning new wine for at least another two years. Drink 2022-2040- 95 — 6 years ago

Willie Carter

9.2

A pretty light purple color with a wide ruby rim. Vintage after vintage, this is about as consistent of a wine as I’ve found. It’s an odd blend, Nebbiolo doesn’t really need help but the Merlot and Cab do add body. On the nose, the fragrant red fruit is supplemented by sagebrush, cigar smoke, and dried roses. Well integrated tannins and very pleasant acidity. Beautifully structured and a very nice level of complexity. It takes time for all of the secondary characteristics to show but it’s more than worth the wait. The palate follows the nose with more smoke and roses. Lively cherries, tobacco, and exotic spices round things out. Not nearly as austere as the Italians that I usually love but this is still a fantastic Nebbiolo. — 7 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.7

Sourced from the Loess, Seven Hills, Holly Roller, Serra Pedace, Mill Creek Upland and Leonetti Old Block Vineyards, the red blend was aged for 22 months in French oak before bottling. The final blend is a smaller than usual portion of Cabernet Sauvignon (73%) and an unusually high portion of Malbec (22%) with just a touch of Cabernet Franc (5%). This wine needs a two hour decant before enjoying. Once aroused, this slowly unveils green bell pepper, blueberry compote, creme de cassis and sagebrush tones that fill this highly perfumed nose. The palate is decadent, revealing an exceedingly plush texture. With bright acidity and serious weight, the wine expresses copious dark fruits with sweet pipe tobacco, blueberry compote and dark chocolate shaving flavors. Seductive in its youth, this stunning new bottling will have an exceedingly long life ahead of it. Try to resist this beauty for at least another year. Drink 2020-2045- 97 — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

My continued quest to try as many 2022 Burgundies as possible.

On the nose, beautiful mid red berry w/ some darker fruits, bright red florals that are slightly withering.

Lovely, ripe, juicy strawberries, cherries, pomegranate, raspberries with tones of blueberries. Light dusty, dry top soils, dry twig, sagebrush, dry river stone, crushed, dry, limestone, some barrel shavings due to their 1/3 new oak use, understated red cola, baking soda, some light dry herbs, bright, red, dark & some blue forals, big acidity (maybe a bit too acidic) with a lovely fresh, elegant finish that lands a bit short. This doesn’t show a ton of depth now, but may in time. — 2 years ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.2

Medium ruby color. Medium+ intensity aromas and flavors of ripe dried red fruit (red cherry, red plum and dried cranberry) some black fruit (dark cherries) there are some herbal earth aromas and flavors of sagebrush and dust, dirt as well as a roasted pepper (reminds me of Carmènere) On the palate it is dry, medium acidity high alcohol and a medium+ velvet smooth tannin. Medium(+) body and medium+ finish. #valpolicella #amaronelover #amarone — 5 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.3

Sourced from their estate vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley, the 2018 ‘Fred’ Syrah is an awesome new terroir-driven wine by a’Maurice. Right away you notice the dusting of white pepper that falls upon tar, bacon fat and shades of violets on this evocative nose. The Syrah shows great verve and sense of tension as beautiful red and dark fruits march on with chocolate, sagebrush and dried herbs on the palate. Beautifully balanced and showing great texture and poise, the 2018 ‘Fred’ Syrah will enjoy a long life ahead of it. Drink 2020-2032- 93 — 6 years ago

Ryan Guy

9.1

Day 2... Smokey, sagebrush, herbal note are lifted and upfront. Plum, tobacco, and blackcherry show with time in the glass. Dark fruit dominates on the palate with a sweet cream, bramble berry midpalate. Spice and clove notes too. Finish is dry, shows a little heat, and persists with moderate tannins. This has integrated some, but could spend 5+ more years in the bottle easy. Drink now with a decant. — 6 years ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.2

My love affair with Atlas Peak Merlot continues. Much lighter and more brick red / ruby in color than expected which is fitting for this more rugged, rustic expression. Red vines, brambly things, gravel, sagebrush, dusty tannins, beautiful acidity (thanks to that iron rich volcanic soil maybe?). Drinking nicely today, but would want to revisit in 5, 10 years. — 7 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.4

The 2011 ‘Gran Reserva’ Rioja by Marques de Caceres is up there with the best Gran Reservas I have sampled from this storied winery. This beautiful wine was sourced from 35-50 year old vineyards with some sections in the Rioja Alta region being 65-85 years old. The grapes for this wine were cropped at a mere 2.4 tons/acre, as the wine is largely sourced from higher elevation sites that are set on limestone and clay. The wine was then aged for 24 months in French oak and then aged for four years in the bottle prior to bottling as the final blending is largely Tempranillo (85%) with smaller parts Graciano and Garnacha. Needing more than an hour in the decanter to fully unwind, the wine slowly unveils black tea and black cherry cordial aromas that mingle with shades of sagebrush and leather, with citrus rind undertones that are all marvelously brought together in the glass. The palate is deep and seductive, showing a wonderful texture and tension that runs through the wine. Exotic spices and chocolate shavings mingle with suggestions of hoisin sauce, peat moss, wild blackberry cobbler and cran-orange flavors. Complex and highly gratifying at the eight year mark, this exotic ‘Gran Reserva’ will cellar well for decades — but is very hard to resist in its youth. Drink 2019-2040- 94 — 7 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 2016 ‘John Lewis Reserve’ Syrah by Gramercy Cellars is another scintillating effort from the superstar winemaking team of Brandon Moss and Greg Harrington. Entirely sourced from the Les Collins Vineyard, this wine underwent 100% whole cluster fermentation. It comes off initially quite reticent as this is needing at least a one hour decant to fully evolve,. Once aroused the wine slowly unveils exotic spices that collide with the fresh herbs, black fruits and dusty terroir that all settle in the glass. The palate evokes a wonderful feeling of elegance, as this shows off brilliant sagebrush, blood orange peel, cigar ash, pomegranate seed and shades of huckleberry that give this serious range and an exotic edge. A nice beam of salinity also runs through this wine, as the mouth-watering acidity adds to the enjoyment. If enjoying in its youth, be sure to give this stunning new wine at least a one hour decant. Drink 2020-2035- 95 — 7 years ago

Ryan Guy

9.5

Dusty cellar notes. Earthy, dried cherry, strawberry, dried sagebrush, raspberry too. Integrated tannins, with plush red fruit and a gentle warmth to finish. Vanilla, cardamom, and subltle spices on the palate too. Stand out wine. — 3 years ago

Emily Kresie-Harrington

9.1

2010 vintage. Still rather sturdy and structured. Fruit quality seems ripe and roasted, with red plum, raspberry, black cherry, tobacco, allspice, sagebrush. Seems like it still had quite a few years left in it. — 5 years ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.1

An excellent example of #valpolicella #classico #superiore it’s almost too good for the category and seems more like a #ripasso deep ruby color. Medium+ aromas and flavors of ripe strawberry, and red fruit (ripe red plums and red cherries) then there is a undertone of herbal (sage and sagebrush and thyme) secondary aromas and flavors of subtle oak (tobacco and cedar). — 5 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

Made by superstar winemaker, Randy Dunn, of Dunn Vineyards, the 2017 ‘Feather’ by Long Shadows is a masterful effort from this exciting warmer vintage in Washington. Once on the nose there is a lovely round core of toasty oak that wraps around the rich dark fruits, sagebrush and chocolate fudge aromatics that all meld in the glass. The palate is silky smooth, revealing a round and generous mouthfeel. The seamless effect created mid-palate is utterly fantastic. Black currants and blackberry cordial dance with shades of Black Forest Cake and espresso bean on this highly complex palate. This finishes long with dark fruits and a beam of minerality. While enticing to savor now, the 2017 ‘Feather’ will have a long life ahead of it. If enjoying in its youth, be sure to afford a two hour decant prior to enjoying. Drink 2021-2040- 95 — 6 years ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.3

Too young, but still one of my favorites from the flight. Tart, taut red and black brambly fruit. Dried tea leaves. Spice. Sagebrush, red clay, dry creek bed and other such wild earthy notes. — 7 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 2016 Figgins Red Wine is a stunning new bottling by superstar winemaker Chris Figgins. On the nose you can really smell the Petit Verdot undertones as this shows off gorgeous blackberry compote with blueberry pie, sagebrush and green pell pepper aromas that all build marvelously in the glass. The palate is gorgeous, showing a silky texture and wonderful sense of minerality. A bright beam of salinity runs through this beautiful wine, slowly unveiling bright black cherry and Turkish coffee flavors that collide with blueberry pie and Chinese black tea flavors. Polished and layered, this is seriously good in its youth but it will evolve well for decades to come. Drink 2020-2040- 95 — 7 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

A true stunner at now twenty years of age, the 1999 ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 95) features fruit from the storied To-Kalon Vineyard which lies right behind the Mondavi winery. On the nose this shows wonderful floral tones with red rose petals masquerading with dark kirsch, sagebrush, and wild mushroom aromatics that all meld in the glass. The palate is viscous and silky smooth upon the attack with intense wild blackberry purée, Umami, white truffle shavings, and a beam of salinity alongside the dusty terroir. Overall, this complex and beautifully balanced Napa Cabernet is magical now and will continue to develop well for the next ten to fifteen years — 7 years ago