Sandstone Estates
Samuel Louis Smith
Sandstone Terrace Syrah 2022
Beautifully ripe red and blue berry fruit aromas and flavors, beautifully balanced and restrained Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah, long, lingering finish, this is really super juice!! — 3 months ago
Château Citran
Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 1996
So, I am reposting this with realtime notes because I couldn’t a few weeks ago. I had it again tonight only with a Wagyu NY steak. While it went well with the steak, I think it shows even better on its own it’s that soft & elegant. I slightly over peppered my steak tonight and that could have contributed to that thought. I bought six more bottles last week for a ridiculous $39.99. For under $40, you’d be hard pressed to find a a better quality, drinkable Bordeaux at that pricepoint. I know if anyone researched the reviews on the bottling there would no scores 90 or above. Most or all I believe would be slightly below 90.
The thing that time & experience has taught me is trust in Clyde Beffa the owner of K&L Wine Merchants. He brings in older Bordeaux’s directly from Chateaux’s or Negotiants well after the fact as he has here and done very successfully for over 40 years. I have bought these kinds of older Bordeaux bottling’s to avoid drinking my wines that need cellaring too soon. Again, he has brought in a lesser Bordeaux regions and or Bordeaux producers that through long bottle evolution yielded magic after young critical reviews.
The nose reveals; older, musty funk on well aged, beautiful, ripe fruits of; soft blackberries, black raspberries, dark sweet cherry kirsch, stewy black plums, baked strawberries, dry rhubarb & cranberries. Baking soda, red fruit cola, steeped tea leaves, aged, dryish tobacco, well used leather, soft cedar to sandalwood, sandstone powder, mix of dry & fresh herbs, moist volcanic clay, limestone marl, dry river stone, well evolved and smoothed out lead pencil shavings, caramel hues, melted, warm, dark chocolate cake w/ frosting, classic older Bordeaux funk, withering to withering to dryish flowers that are dark & red.
The color isn’t even very brickish. Some barnyard, funk on well aged, beautiful, ripe fruits that are; soft blackberries, black raspberries, dark sweet cherry kirsch, stewy black plums, baked strawberries, dry rhubarb & cranberries. Baking soda, red fruit cola, steeped tea leaves, aged, dryish tobacco, well used leather, soft cedar to sandalwood, sandstone powder, mix of dry & fresh herbs, moist volcanic clay, limestone marl, dry river stone, well evolved classic, older, softened lead pencil shavings, caramel hues, melted, warm, dark chocolate cake w/ frosting, classic older Bordeaux funk, fresh to withering dryish flowers that are dark & red. Spring rainfall acidity with a well evolved, elegant, balanced, still nicely structured/tensioned, soft elegant finish that lasts two-minutes and falls on dry, well resolved tannins and perfect earthiness. Soft & complex as all get out! A steal at this price!
Photos of; the Chateau, stainless steel tanks, barrel room and Estate vineyards. — 9 months ago
Jones Family Vineyard
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1997
I coravined some of the 97 early this week and as I sipped it, it was had not to think it was the best Jones Family I’ve had. A score of 98 and I have not given a wine 98 in a very long time. But no matter where you go, there you are.
Tonight I had the 01 at the “Tasting House” and it was amazing. Their Short Ribs are amongst the best I’ve had. A deliberate wine bring knowing the wine & how well it pairs w/ short ribs.
1997 was an outstanding vintage. I think we can all agree on that. Jones Family is a TRB wine that should not fly under the radar in any vintage and I have had nearly all those good vintages since 97.
The 1997 is ethereal. The nose is pure beauty. Perfectly ripe and resolved fruits. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums & juicy strawberries. Perfect baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, sandstone/limestone, fresh tobacco, cedar to sandalwood, dark, Indian/Asian spices, camphor, black licorice, berry cola, sun tea, volcanics, tree bark w/ hints of sap, dark & red fresh flowers.
The palate is incredibly, beautiful, balanced fruit & earth. Bright cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, hovering raspberries & juicy strawberries. Perfect baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, sandstone/limestone, beautiful Indian/Asian spices w/ some plate heat, fresh tobacco, sandalwood, volcanics & dry clay, camphor, dark chocolate baking bar, black licorice, some warm caramel, berry cola, sun tea, volcanics, dark rich soil with dry leaves, tree bark w/ hints of sap, fresh & dry herbs, dark & red fresh flowers framed in lavender & liquid violets, excellent acidity with perfect; elegance, tension, balance and structured finish that last minutes landing on fresh fruit, dark spices and earth tones.
I’ve posted other bottles of 97 Jones Family that were incredible, 95-96. This one perhaps had better storage, evolution & timing. Magic. — a month ago
La Velona
Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2006
Excellent integration & evolution. Still ascending.
As one/me might have imagined, dry, sour dark, red, cherries, baked to dried rhubarb, dry blackberries, cedar to sandalwood, dry tobacco, lightly crushed rocks, limestone, dry leaves, sun tea, sandstone, dry florals that are dark, red with violets, excellent acidity and a medium tension, nicely balanced & beautifully knitted , smartly polished finish that lasts nearly two/minutes. — a year 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 . — a year ago
Pio Cesare
Barolo Nebbiolo 2009
This was nice with Bolognese.
Excellent integration & evolution. Fine tannins, some dark blackberries, dark sour cherries, blood orange w/ rind, soft spices, sandstone mineral dust, dark withering flowers, good acidity and a smooth, elegant finish that lasts a full minute.
This was in a good spot and will hold another 5-7 years, but believe its ascenion is complete. — 2 months ago
Viñedos de Páganos
El Puntido Gran Reserva Rioja Tempranillo 2009
Beautiful. Young Tempranillo is rough & rugged Wild West tumble weed. This is soft, ruby, lush falling onto minerality and dry brush.
The fruits are dryish to ripe, creamy and rich; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum into black plum pudding, dark cheries, blueberries hues on the long set, dry tobacco, sandalwood to cedar, dry herb-sage & thyme driven, limestone/sandstone minerals, black pepper, anise to black licorice, dark chocolate, caramel, mocha, moist, grey, volcanic clay, withering, dark red, flowers, round acidity, balance, softened tensioned, nicely structured and polish for days that lasts two-minutes.
Paired this with/ a dry rub tri-tip and a burgundy marinaded Cardiff Crack tri-tip. Both very different and enjoyable, but this was a slightly more enjoyable with the Cardiff Crack burgundy marinate.
Photos of; two of their different seasonal vinyards, cave entrance & large cellar vats. — 10 months ago
Enderle & Moll
Buntsandstein Pinot Noir 2021
Darker than the Muschelkalk with more weight. The M. is grown on Mussel based limestone. This is grown on red sandstone. Like the one used for the Cathedral in Freiburg. Much more approachable then the M. Dark cherries, turmeric, black tea, elderberry, hint black currant. I don’t know but - i just feel sorry for the many people who never had a chance to try these wines. The Muschelkalk is often limited to 1-2 barrels and the Buntsandstein to 3-4. The Liason their mid level wines are more broadly available and also very good. Will be at the winery in May for a barrel tasting. A ridiculous value for the money if you can find it. — a year ago
Leslye Fisher
Went great with shrimp paella. Not dry at all. Good fruity end note — 12 days ago