Mats Rytther

8.9

Starts quite drinkable, mellow but firm tanninic, some what developed stern wine. No oak discernable and a good wine to fenomenal orice. . After breathing a bit burned rubber comes out. Makes The wine drinkable but dissapointing. Leaving to next day and The rubber goes away and The wine is almost perfect again. — a month ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.1

Nose is very 15. Ripe and bright cherry fruit, dusty earth and some spice. The clarity is ok not great. Palate is juicy and bright but very 15. Not hot at all but the fruit lacks focus. Very fresh. Not awful but as it ages the “15” comes more into focus. Tannins are stern and hard and it finishes very mineral. — a year ago

Byron C Mayes

9.1

Star bright vibrant pink. A bit paler than I’m used to with Tavel. Medium full palate or ripe strawberry, earthy cherry, and stern mineral. Medium plus acidity. No tannins but a decidedly tannin-esque mouthfeel. Medium finish. 2020 was a superb growing season in southern France and this Tavel is a spectacular example of the effects of that vintage. Pale as it is, it still delivers that distinctly Tavel punch on the nose and palate that makes it an excellent wine for a wide range of foods. Take it to your Thanksgiving table for a stellar T-Day pairing. Drink now or hold through 2030 for a classic Tavel experience. — 3 years ago

Austin Hohnke

9.2

So consistently good. Pineapple, baked apricot and golden raisin. Medium to full with stern acidity. I’ve found this wine is best at 3-5 years with a decant. So unique and original. Love the packaging. — 6 months ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

These are pop ‘n pour notes. Will update tomorrow. For now, the color is dense and youthful. Nose reluctantly gives up deep ripe cassis and berry notes, moist clay, cedar, and pretty red florals. Dense in the mouth, and still pretty tannic, but there is very nice depth of fruit behind the stern texture and dry profile. Still several years to go before peak. For now, 9.2. Could be significantly higher later.

DAY 2: It’s opened and softened some, but the tannins, while settling, are still there. This suggests to me that at least 3 or more years are needed before the peak plateau is reached. — a year ago

Byron Fuller

9.0

Stern and classic. Less fat than I expect from pinot rosés. Served young could be a Bandol. — 3 years ago

Ryan Vento

8.9

Sampling this new addition to my collection, which is also my very first Kavalan. On the nose it closely resembles bourbon, with notes of caramel, holiday spices, dark chocolate, and creme brûlée. On the palate, however, it’s a bit more stern and less suave than I anticipated with notes of worn saddle leather, toasted nuts, clove, espresso, and bananas foster. The finish is quite warm. — 3 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Deep ruby , garnet rim. Quite a lot of cedar , leather and dark fruits . On the palate lots of cassis , blackberry , cedar , grafite . Fills out well on the palate , quite stern but fine tannins . Good acidity . Long and complex on the finish , but needs time , 10 years perhaps and will last a further 10-15 . This was decanted for 4 hours. — a year ago

Delectable Wine

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9.4

The 2019 Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarosse has a composed and more backward nose with blackberry, raspberry coulis and cedar, quite airy yet focused. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, quite stern and structured, backward and unyielding towards the finish laced with graphite that lingers on the aftertaste. This seriously requires time. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2023) — a year ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Dark crimson in colour. Red florals with earthy beetroot notes on a medium bodied palate with medium plus intensity. Still quite stern tannins but overall starting to break the confines of over extraction finally at 12 years of age. This is my last bottle and the best of 6 originally bought. Previous notes have said that this is a Shiraz drinkers Pinot and I still stick with that assessment. I believe Dry River are now making their Pinots less extracted and more approachable at a younger age. In summary this is excellent, it just needed time. — 3 years ago