Vanessa

9.0

Happy Prosecco Week!  We’re celebrating the occasion with a special bottle that is NOT the kind of Prosecco you’d use for your mimosas …

It’s the 2021 Cartizze, Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG produced by Bisol, a family-owned and -operated winery since 1542.

It comes from the prized, historic hilltop site of Cartizze (a “grand cru” level vineyard in Prosecco Superiore DOCG). This single vineyard site is treasured for its ideal growing conditions, capable of producing the highest quality fruit to make highest quality Prosecco.
 
Elevations stretch up to 1,000+ ft offering both cooling influences and increased sunlight interception, especially with a south-facing aspect. Fruit going into a Cartizze wine must be hand-harvested, which promotes fruit selectivity.

You may notice the label doesn’t even mention “Prosecco” … this is because the quality of the location “Superiore di Cartizze DOCG” supersedes any other naming convention in terms of indicating the wine style.

Its color is pale lemon with a delicate, creamy mousse. The nose opens with a medium intensity bouquet of lemon peel, ripe pear, apple, quince, white peach, honeysuckle, white blossom, and blanched almond. On the palate, this wine is off dry, with medium alcohol (ABV 11.5%), and medium(+) acidity, lending balance to the structure and profile. Flavors match the nose and it’s delicious, layered, and vibrant.

Cheers to the diverse world of Prosecco! — a year ago

with Deked1

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

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

9.0

Solid 9.0. #barossa valley #barossavalley blend of #gsm #grenache, #shiraz and #mataro or #garnacha #syrah and #monastrell #mourvedre Deep deep color typically ripe (low latitude=intense sunlight) medium (+) aromas of red and black fruit, hints of ink, chocolate and toast. On the palate...as one would expect, ripe and juicy. Maintains a lovely balance between the ripeness and juicy sweetness of the fruit, the medium acidity and the high alcohol (hardly noticeable) and ripe tannins. Good stuff. Reminds me of my wines from Campo de Borja. #australia #southaustralia — 4 years ago

Mervyn

9.5

When I took this from my storage, it was on the cold side. Left in the sunlight for two hours, and tasted so much better for it. A very smooth blend and very much to my palate — 5 years ago

Adi

9.1

What a lovely Syrah comes from the north of the Rhône Valley, from my favorite St. Joseph.

🍇The domain extends over the longest river stretch in the north of the Rhône. The nature of the soil is very reminiscent of the neighboring Hermitage: granite, with the addition of sand and gravel, the east-facing slope receives less sunlight than the Hermitage, which results in slightly fewer berries, but it knows how to create competition for the Hermitage, Cote Rotie or Cornas.

🍇It usually doesn't need much time in the bottle compared to Cote-Rotei or Hermitage, and the prices are more affordable, which is why it's a particular favorite of mine.

🍇 It has power, infinite tannins run through it, ripe and delicate, perfect seasoning and lots of harmony. It has character, it has depth, full body, 14% alcohol, it has aromas and flavors of smoke, refined barrel, herbs and lots and lots of red and black fruit, maybe raspberry, maybe black cherry, maybe plum.

🍇The finish is soft, long and caressing.

🍇 Elegant, young, full of life, opened before its time, but I really loved it.

Cheers ! 🌿🥂

(From "Raisins in Facebook- it's all about wine and good people" — 2 years ago

Stas Medvedev

9.3

🏅 Rating 93/100 (4,3⭐)

Intense color with greenish hue. Fragrant aromatic, concentrated, sea salinity. Floral, almonds. Medium body. Unmistakably demonstrates the Grand Cru level which is accessible now and has immense potential for years ahead. Fully justifies the nobility of Vaudesir which often considered on par or the runner up to Le Clos.

Fairly steep slopes of Vaudesir with NW exposure provide cool temperatures and sunlight in the evening. Vines of Louis Michel parcels were planted in 1950-70s.

Winemaking with indigenous yeasts, spontaneous malo and matured for at least 18 months. Wines never see oak, stainless steel tanks only.

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Instagram: @wine_talks_club — 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Follow up to the Clos Fourtet and to close out the Allen Brothers Ribcap.

The nose reveals, dark, ripe & slightly stewed fruits of; blackberries strawberries, black raspberries, black cherries, dry cranberries & blueberries. Steeped fruit tea, anise to black licorice, dark, fruit liqueur, dry crushed rocks, dry herbs, dry twigs, cinnamon, light nutmeg, clove and vanilla, leather, cedar, graphite, dry tobacco to cigar ash, dark spice, sweet tarriness, eucalyptus with candied mixed in with withering, dark florals & red, blue, purple flowers that are set in lavender.

The palate is, rich, ruby and round. The mouthfeel is glorious. This is a perfect window for a first bottle of the 08 Dunn Howell Mountain. The dusty tannins are round and about 50% resolved. This 04 has another 15-20 years of good drinking ahead of it...properly stored of course. Dark, ripe & slightly stewed fruits of; blackberries strawberries, black raspberries, black cherries, dry cranberries & blueberries. Steeped fruit tea, anise to black licorice, dark, fruit liqueur, dry crushed rocks, slightly, moist clay, dry herbs-sage, dry twigs, cinnamon, light nutmeg, clove and vanilla, lots of dark melted chocolate, mocha powder, leather, cedar, graphite, dry tobacco to cigar ash, dark spice, sweet tarriness, dry, dark earth, limestone minerals, slightly, moist clay, volcanics, eucalyptus with florals that are candied mixed in with withering. They are dark, red, purple, blue & violets that are set in lavender. The acidity is round and near perfection...Colorado rushing river like. The long, well knitted, balanced, elegant finish lasts minutes.

Just misses 95. It will be there in another 5-7 years and could stretch to 96 at its peak.

The advantage Howell Mountain has is it sits above the fog line (more sunlight hours) and benefits from cool nights giving it slightly longer vine fruit ripening & better acidity.

Photos of; the legend, Owner-Winemaker Randy Dunn, an aerial view of his Howell Mountain Vineyard, barrel room and landing pad to process fruit for fermentation. — 4 years ago

with Christina and James

Adriana Fabbro

9.0

When in the Great White North, one eats poutine and Alberta beef and drinks bold reds from the Okanagan Valley recommended by the friendly cashier. Brings to mind Columbia Valley Merlot, but on steroids in terms of the concentration of the color and intensity of the tannins (rustic, dusty), flavors and aromas reflecting the high, dry dessert UV intensity and long growing season sunlight hours (still light here in Canmore after 10pm). More dark fruit (blackberry, black currant, black plum—some raisened/craisen notes, but mostly ripe and fresh) and herbal character (menthol, thyme, resin) than I normally find in Merlot that makes this wine really intriguing and distinctive. I think I’ll have a second glass… — 2 years ago

Ian Hamel

9.2

2022/4/17 with roast pork shoulder with new potatoes and carrots, garlic and rosemary. From the pop, this was less all-out than the last bottle. It was more about shadow and sunlight - clouds drifting across the sun. At first it seemed quite severe - hot, blasted stone, like those first traditional Barolos I loved 20 years ago - but also flashed juicy, tart berries, bitter cherries and spring flowers. There’s beautiful structure here - both tannin and acid - so I’m sure the future holds many more fascinating encounters. — 3 years ago

William Paley

9.5

a great one. so easygoing and satisfying I get the wax and I get the papaya flicker and it’s wonderful with all kinds of food and with afternoon sunlight, which makes it look so pretty in the glass — 4 years ago

with Marisa and Jess

Julia Geisler

8.9

Thank you so much to Holly at The Whitby for sharing this pick! Very pleasant to talk with and a wonderfully versatile palate.
I received for Xmas one of those nice sunlight alarm clocks that goes off with chirping birds in the morning and weirdly that’s what I thought of when I took the first sip of this. Acidic but not in a way that makes you want to throw it out the window. A nice little wake up call (but for the evening! not the morning) with just a nice lil fruity kick to make it pleasant for sipping.
A reminder that I’d really like to try more orange wines for the sake of simply Understanding. — 5 years ago

with Chantelle