Will Stanley

9.2

Third and final time trying the 2017 Condrieu ‘La Petite Côte’ from Yves Cuilleron, a wine I first tried in 2020 and described then as ‘liquid sunshine’. At seven/eight years of age, it might not be quite as stunning as it was on that first occasion, but it’s still a gorgeous, joyful wine full of Amalfi lemon, white flowers and nectarine, with an oily, waxy texture and lovely bitterness on the finish. Definitely better young, but holding up nicely, and I’d buy this again. — a year ago

Severn G

9.2

Happy Thanksgiving to all of the Delectable family.

Good wine, good food, good to see family again, good to hear a favorite song about '...twenty-seven eight-by-ten color glossy pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back...' all makes for a perfect afternoon.

Nose has black cherry, menthol, moist peaty soil, dried blackberry, ripe blackcurrant and cedar box.

Palate has dehydrated cherry, ripe blackberry, tart cherry, leather, medium tannins, medium acidity with medium finish. — 5 years ago

Jeff Dunn

9.3

What a badass bottle! The wine is fantastic too — 5 years ago

Willie Carter

8.9

A clean and clear garnet in the glass with light purple undertones. Floral and fruity notes collide on the palate with fresh violets, wild strawberries, and cherries. What’s most interesting about this one is that it presents as a bit more mature than it is. A six year old Brunello that’s drinking as if it were closer to eight to ten years of age. What that says about the future, I’m not sure. There’s the requisite austerity and elegance in abundance here, though it does feel like something left out. A touch of character. More red fruits on the palate, along with tobacco, vanilla, and dry earth. Plenty of leather on the medium length finish. This is a very good, standard Brunello. Very precise and stoic, there’s not a hair out of place here. In both good and bad ways. — 6 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.1

The 2009 Merlot by Ferrari Carano has aged gracefully since its release eight years ago. On the nose, lighter herbal undertones mingle with black tea, dark currants and shades of red cherry tomato that are all neatly woven together in the glass. Soft, with a silky texture, the Merlot delivers ripe black fruits that combine with chocolate covered red cherry and Asian spices. Showing really good tension considering its age, this beautiful wine will cellar well over the next five to seven years. Drink 2019-2025- 91 — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

This is their Bordeaux style red. The nose shows; dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, blueberries, strawberries & cherries. Dark chocolate, vanilla, dark spice, clove, some nutmeg, dark fruit cola, black licorice, a whiff of cherry cough syrup with dark, red and blue fresh & withering florals.

The body is near full with dark, meat, tarry and sticky tannins. The structure, tension, length and balance allow it to drink early but needs to be held 6-8 years plus. Dark currants, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, blueberries, strawberries & cherries. Dark chocolate, vanilla, dark spice, clove, some nutmeg, dark fruit cola, black licorice, a whiff of cherry cough syrup, deep, dark, heat penetrating dark spice, tobacco with ash, big leather with dark, red and blue fresh & withering florals. The acidy is good. The finish is nice, balanced but needs time to reveal its best self. 91 now with the potential for a little higher score in six to eight years.

We also had their 2017 Divas Chenin Blanc. It was very enjoyable but, didn’t have time to take notes as we had to get to Raats.

DeMorgenzon translates into morning sun.

Photos of; the grounds around DeMorgenzon, barrel room and stainless tanks in their cellar. — 7 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.0

First winery on day three traveling from Sonoma to Napa Valley was Pride Mountain Vineyards with Paul. First wine was the Carneros Chardonnay. This bottling is made up of 100% Chardonnay from three vineyards within the Carneros region of Napa Valley. Aged for a total of eight months in 25% new French oak, of which seven months are on the lees. Only 1,900 cases produced.

Medium lemon yellow in appearance. Fruity nose with white apricot, kiwi, green apples, a touch of butter and some gravel. Medium acidity (6.5/10) and medium bodied. Tons of spices and baked apples on the palate followed by a touch of zestiness and gravel. Long finish. Drink till 2023.

$$ - Tasted at the winery. Retail price is $42.00. — 8 years ago

with India

Nathan Renfro

9.6

2003 vintage. Wow this wine is singing! Gotta be right in its prime now. Soft silky tannins but still with just a bit of an edge. Blue fruit and cassis galore. So we’ll integrated and structured. Getting hints of tertiary flavors of leather and tobacco. Medium plus finish. Great luscious mouthfeel. — 3 years ago

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8.9

The 2017 Fabius shows dark florals and balsam herbs, giving way to crushed ashen stone and hints of damp earth. Here I’m finding velvety textures and fleshy black fruits energized by bright acidity that give way to a staining of minerals and spice. This tapers off lightly structured with remnants of plum and hints of tobacco. It’s a balanced and pleasurable expression of Syrah from Montalcino that refines for six to eight months in a mix of 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th-pass barriques. (Eric Guido, Vinous, January 2022)
— 4 years ago

Jeffro Beaudeen

9.4

Holey Shinoley Batbrain another amazing save! figured I'd be dumping this one along with its brethren on the shelf into my fine wine vinegar barrel but instead someone slipped in at some point and replaced the contents with a fine premier cru burgundy . . Reminiscent of a Mid90s Charles Dugat Gevrey Clos St Jacques . . and is drinking like an a-point seven year old instead of it's 26 current years of age . . slight and bring out the rim; solid plum and some Asian spice notes, evolved secondary and some tertiary notes, tinge of barnyard that helps a pair with the 36 hours sous vide braised then flash fried elk tongue I am pairing it with . .  perfect balance of fruit and acidity, long long long lingering finish -- what a fabulous surprise . . I would've been delighted had it been that vinetard designated premier crew burgundy at a couple hundred bucks, but to open some thing like this for probably eight dollars and change when I bought it makes the smile slightly broader. Happy I have more 😁🍷 — 5 years ago

Ericsson

9.2

Second bottle on Super Bowl LIV Sunday with Wagyu Cross and artisanal bacon burgers. Light ruby color. Red berry and vanilla on the nose (vanilla almost overpowering), little bit of tabaco towards the end. Red fruit and vanilla continue on the fore pallet. New oak is very apparent and then, it is smoothly counterbalanced by well structured tannings and a long finish. Modern take on Cali Cab, pleasantly surprised and glad to indulge. — 6 years ago

Severn G

9.3

50/50 Syrah & Petite Syrah blend.

Color, it's so purple and dark! Reminds me of Heitz 'Ink Grade' Port.

Nose has ripe, crushed blueberry and blackberry, light creamy oak, cut plum, prune and just a touch of baking spice.

Palate has blueberry juice with acidity subdued by mellow oak, crushed blackberry, black currant, faint cedar plank, moist-tanned leather and light black pepper.

After ~3hr decant we still had trailing heat from the alcohol (15.2% ABV), but it disapated in another hour or so. A great paring with some local Delmonico steaks on the grill, cooked to a beautiful 130°F.
When good protein is served at our house eight paws will be in waiting on our dining table. My wife and I only take two of our six chairs, others will have one hungry 🐈 each. We all enjoyed a great meal tonight, some albeit some with much smaller portions.

This is the youngest version of this bottle in our cellar, the 2010 can easily reach 2023-25. — 7 years ago

Richard A Mason

9.1

Bought bottle during trip to Napa this spring. Glad I bought several bottles.
— 8 years ago

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9.3

(15% alcohol; the wine's Malbec component comes from a 1998 planting in Gualtallary, the Cabernet Franc from Altamira): Saturated ruby. Knockout vibrant nose combines dark berries, licorice and violet; already conveying a strong impression of personality. Densely packed and intense but quite fine-grained, offering terrific delineation to its flavors of crushed black fruits and violet. This very backward wine finishes with serious but suave tannins, terrific length and excellent energy and cut. I'd like to revisit this in six or seven years, at which time it may merit an even higher score. (Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, July 2018) — 8 years ago

Kelsey Song

10

A great 30th birthday wine! — 4 years ago

Mel Carrico

9.7

Very good, slightly tart, dry and juicy, one of my favs! — 4 years ago

Alex Skandalis

9.2

If you like this type of red this will be in your wheelhouse. — 5 years ago

Will Stanley

9.2

This is only my second ever German Riesling, the first also (I think) being a Kabinett that I tried, as a relative newbie to wine as a whole, some seven or eight years ago - and hated. But something about Germany’s bottomless pit of wine styles, and the fierce delineation of its vineyards, appeals to me, and as someone who drinks far more old- than new world wine, it was about time I popped a cork and dived in.

In short, this was an immensely enjoyable wine - particularly on the second night. Rough notes from the night as follows: apricot, apple tart, a slight petrol note, petrichor, and a saline edge, with passion fruit lining the finish. The smell reminds me of boat trips in Greece - diesel engines combined with fresh sea salt, I guess. Immediate tangy impression on the front of the tongue that lasts through the finish. Very ripe and linear. Medium acidity in this off-dry style.

I’ve now massively got the bug. Anyone got some Spätlese they could lend? — 6 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.7

The 2013 ‘Sur Echalas Vineyard’ Grenache is simply captivating now at the six year mark. An aromatic melange of teaberry with wet stone, pomegranate seed, Umami and iodine greet you, showing some thrilling range right upon opening. The palate shows off its silky texture that gently glides across the mid-palate. Ripe red fruits dance with shades of blood orange zest, cigar ash,, damp earth and stony tones that all collect momentum on the palate. Thrilling at this stage in its development, the 2013 Horsepower ‘Sur Exhalas Vineyard’ Grenache will provide drinking enjoyment for at least another seven to ten years. Drink 2018-2025- 97 — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I’ve been staring at this vintage in my collection for some time now. Decided it was time even though further benefits would come with more years in bottle. That’s not to say, we are not throughly enjoying this on a lazy sunny evening.

The nose reveals; lemon custard to meringue, green apple, lime zest, pineapple, grapefruit with pith, amazing honeysuckle, fruit blossoms, honey, flinty notes, some dry herbs, nuts, hints of butterscotch & toffee, some very light vanillin, crushed limestone minerals, jasmine and white spring flowers.

The body is round and voluptuous. The mouthfeel is incredible and creamy. Flat out gorgeous and sexy. lemon custard to meringue that falls into lemon sourness, green apple, lime zest, pineapple, grapefruit with pith, stone fruits, amazing honeysuckle, fruit blossoms, honey, steely & flinty notes, some dry herbs, nuts, more butterscotch toffee than the nose, some very light vanillin, more white spice with a little heat than the nose, crushed limestone minerals, powdery chalkiness jasmine and white spring flowers with greens. The acidity is amazing pure and simple. The long, round, voluptuous, gorgeous, elegant, incredibly well balanced and persists several minutes. Such a great producer! Believe the hype.

Excellent with Brie & white crackers with a drizzle of honey. As well, with the dry white Grand Queso which, has some nice nuttiness that plays well into the wine.

Notes on their vinification. Their viticulture is largely natural, with the old vines severely pruned in winter to reduce yields. After hand-harvesting, the fruit is pressed immediately and settled for half a day. Fermentation is largely in cuve, and the malolactic proceeds at its own pace, followed by a year’s aging in small oak barrels called feuillettes.

The feuillettes, about half the size of a barrique, are one of the keys to the expressiveness of Raveneaus wines. Averaging seven to eight years in age, they don’t contribute new oak aromas and flavors, but serve to gently open the wine during the élevage. This enhances the wonderful perfume and creamy texture that are the hallmarks of these wines, particularly when they are mature.

Their Foret Vineyard is only .67 ha. and the vines are roughly 15 years of age.

Photos of; Owner-Son and half of the winemaking team Jean-Marie Raveneau, Isabelle Ravenea in the cellar and the metal work sign that hangs above their facilities. If not for that sign, you would never know they were there on a quiet back street not far from the center of town. — 7 years ago