Adam Kincaid

8.9

I’m not yet a frequent South African wine drinker, but I know one when I smell one. Just a tiny bit of burnt rubber on this one, a tell-tale sign. The aromatics on this blend are slightly muted but I pickup some blackberries, tar, sawdust, and a little chocolate. It’s actually a bit lighter drinking than expected though, medium bodied and medium tannins. Has a spicy and game -like quality to it, not too much fruit. Plums and dark cherries if anything. Good balance all around. Medium finish. — 2 years ago

with Jillian

Josh Morgenthau

9.1

Not showing as well aromatically as previous vintages, some of which have been my favorite rosés of all time. However, this has wild strawberries and sawdust on the nose and is chock full of acid and minerals per usual. Still a very good bottle of wine.

Maybe needs more time in bottle? — 5 years ago

Severn G

9.2

Nose has raspberry puree, sliced black cherries, oak bark, moist earthy soil, plum peel, dried blueberries, dried roses and crushed rock.

Palate has spiced cherry compote, damp cigar wrapper, cedar sawdust, (light) dried plum and medium tannins with a very long finish, round and beautiful.

Decanted 2+ hours; more time needed here, in decanter and cellar. Future bottles should be 2026-28.

Date night at home tonight with takeout from our favorite, intimate French bistro; Braised Duck Leg with Red Wine & Cranberry Jus, House-made Spaetzle & Mushroom Ragout.

+

Winery (back label) notes:
Murto Vineyard Pinot Noir is from selected blocks of Robin & Mike Murto's outstanding old vineyard (est. 1978) in the Dundee Hills. The grapes are fermented using indigenous yeasts, and the wine is aged for 18 months in barrel. The wine is gravity bottled without fining or filtration to preserve the clean earthiness, bright red fruit, and intense spicy flavors and aromas of this vineyard. (619 Cases) — 6 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

@Delectable Wine this is AP #97

Sick nose. Sawdust, porcini mushrooms. Lemon, lime, complex. Simple. Spice. Juicy, complex, good acidity, sweet rock candy, long and complex, this needs mega air as it is not showing as well as the previous wine. Juicy, sweet and mineral but needs air. After air the nose becomes insanely confectionary. Green tea, bark, so so much spicey Apple. Complex, chewy and dense but seems more light bodied than the other wine. So nimble. Wow. — 6 years ago

Severn G

9.1

Nose has dehydrated cherry, fresh raspberry, slightly smokey oak, old cedar closet, dried strawberry, over wintered mint, dried eucalyptus and dried blackberry.

Palate has delicate cherry + raspberry, semi-dried blueberry, fresh strawberry, cedar sawdust with still notable tannins.

Being hesitant, we only decanted about 20m before dinner, needs much more time in the decanter/glass, as after an hour it's finally starting to show it's worth. — 6 years ago

Jakub Kalinowski

8.9

Dark, burly and still very & surprisingly youthful. Slowly starts opening only after 2h in decanter & glass with black currant compote, green bell peppers, coffee and pencil shavings. There’s an uplifting whiff of menthol, too.
On the palate this comes across as very young, with big & chewy tannins. But what great quality these tannins have - fine as sawdust, juicy, polished. Add to this fresh acidity and good focus & precision plus nice length.
No fireworks but this is a v. nice classic Bordeaux.
Retasted after 4 years, will wait with the other bottles at least another 4. — 6 years ago

Steven Beishuizen

9.0

On the nose, this is frozen raspberry... On the palate, this tastes darker... Blackberry, cranberry... Tree bark, cedar, sawdust... Eucalyptus... Very mushy wood... Pretty big body here though... And the tannins are really contributing to that... Soft, chewy... Medium length with baking spice. — 2 years ago

with Anita

Manchester Sheldon

8.9

The cork split so we decanted and filtered it carefully. Ruby colors. Forest floor and toasted sawdust. Plum and some licorice. Barely any tannins. — 5 years ago

Severn G

9.3

Nose has cherry, ripe blackberry, leather, strawberry jam, dried cranberry, ripe plum, dry leather and moist cigar.

Palate has blackcurrant jam, ripe plum, ripe strawberry, dried cherry, cedar sawdust with firm tannins and a long finish.

A notable improvement over our prior bottle a few years back.

Cork pulled for slow oxidation for 2H, then decanted 4H, more time appreciated. Drink now or hold until 2024-28.

57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot & 10% Petit Verdot — 5 years ago

Adam Beasley

9.4

So incredibly rich and complex, this is one of the best whites I have had in a while. Jasmine, orange blossom, lemon pith, tangerine, sawdust, white pepper, and a blue cheese thing on the nose. Heavy bodied and oily in the mouth with piercing acidity and a saline finish. — 6 years ago

Adam Beasley

9.1

Old vine Cinsault with a splash of Pais. This was unexpectedly awesome. Roses and bright,, dusty raspberries really jump out of the glass along with some sawdust and cherry taffy. Low tannin, med acid, and racy in the mouth. Tart, pure fruit and a rusticity that’s appealing. Cool wine. — 6 years ago

James Webb

9.6

Dsgd 12/1/17 - how does one put this wine into words... it’s sheer complexity and unrivaled structural perfection. Its nose has caramel, mahogany, citrus, berries, flowers all packed into so many layers. The wine changes with air and temperature revealing all things interesting. They attack is so well balanced, as is the entire wine. It’s a black LBD of a wine with sequins all over. Not gigantic but also fully expressive, it sits on a throne of champagne royalty. — 6 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.6

Nose is relatively mute initially. But then each aroma reveals itself. Beautiful cherry, like stunning and detailed cherry like you will not believe. Holy shit. Sawdust. Like wood shop, end of class, 8th grade sawdust. So pure. Spice. Some roses. Heavenly nose. Palate is exquisite. Amazing ripe tannins intermingled with dynamic fresh and super deep cherry fruit. Palate is elegant. No hard edges. Superb power and concentration. Dense yet lithe. Superb sap and length. Amazing build on the finish. One of those finishes when you think it ends it really is just beginning. Wow. After like 15 minutes this nose goes into overdrive. Just an insane perfume that leaps out of the glass. — 7 years ago

with Matthew

Severn G

9.5

1993 | Riesling; Auslese
Hermann Ludes; Thörnicher Ritsch
Mosel; Trier, Germany
APN 3 560 027 01 96

Caramel popcorn, honeycomb, old forgotten leather, moist oak sawdust; Honey drizzle on dehydrated lemon zest, dehydrated Granny Smith apple slices, buttery apple pie. Oily & viscous mouthfeel, cane sugar but drying. Fantastic experience, 30Y young, drink 2023-2038. — 3 years ago

Charlie Tapp

9.6

Red fruit, menthol and sawdust. Hard to beat old Dunn. — 5 years ago

John Hagood

9.0

From Schneider’s $49.99 for twenty year old bottled in 2010. Nutty woody tawny. Acorns, old figs, sawdust. — 6 years ago

Vanessa

8.9

Golden hue. Bright and balanced with citrus, papaya, star fruit, dusty minerality, sawdust, tomato leaf, and crushed rose petal notes. Vintage 2017. ABV 13.5%. — 6 years ago

with Deked1

Severn G

9.4

We recently pulled some cases out of storage, which haven't seen the light of day for nearly 15 years, so I'll have some fun posts in the next several months.

Nose has dried vanilla bean, dehydrated cherry, oak sawdust, mashed blackberry, used coffee grounds, dried strawberry and dried blueberry.

Palate has tanned leather, very dried cherry, over-ripe plum, plum skin, hardwood charcoal, dried raspberry with a mildly tannic grip remaining.

This bottle is in its sweet spot, likely will hold here (in proper storage) for another 5-8 years before decline. Don't ever count out Chilean wines for longevity!

Paired with a beautiful merlot steak from a local farmer in Columbia Co. NY (Kinderhook Farm), boiled then smashed red potatoes finished with a compound herb butter and fresh, local asparagus. I'm finally grilling, and it's barely May!

(Also a stellar pairing with dark chocolate peanut butter cups!) — 6 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.2

Cool label. It’s terroir art apparently. Smells complex and strange. Blood orange peel? Sawdust from pine or fir? Flavors are strange. Pine needles and red/purple fruits. Complex and fresh even 10 years later. Licorice and fruit skins. It’s tart, chewy, woody, and inky. Deep and dense. Last long. It’s muy delicioso. — 6 years ago

Rob Pendell

9.0

Wonderful soft palate with notes of plum and blackberry. Some cherry on the front end with a hint of asphalt. Full mouthful of peach and grapefruit with undertones of almond, tobacco, pine, licorice, cardamom, red velvet, turmeric, oatmeal, cayenne, newspaper, Oreos, bicycle chain, chitlins, camembert, burnt umber, huckleberry, Ripple, plain yogurt, lemongrass, kohlrabe, anise, eggplant, kohlrabi, everything bagel, paczki, aspartame, caramel, coconut, latte, beef carpaccio, pine nuts, Wonder Bread, calamari, watermelon radish Jolly Rancher, aglet, sawdust, gnocchi and red grape. Finish is definitely Bruno Kirby. Pretty complex. — 8 years ago