Jan de Weerd

9.4

Was planning on a 9.3 but then the pizza came and the wine became even more pronounced, intense, rich, penetrating dried red fruit, earthy and minerally laced. It is one of our most favorite Amarones. We had the opportunity to visit the winery last year. Here is the story: https://spokenwines.com/our-blog/ten-years-with-campagnola-our-amarone-of-choice — 3 months ago

with Chris and Tammy

David C

9.2

Very mild sweetness, great flavors, good value. Says bottled in 2022 on the bottom of the back label. — 3 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.3

The 2012 Angélus has a fragrant bouquet: a mixture of red and black fruit, truffle, crushed stone and light wilted flower scents. Very pretty. The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation and good acidity, quite sappy with modest depth. Fairly structured with a dash of white pepper and peppermint on the finish. This Angélus has tons of personality and is drinking well now. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2022)
— 4 years ago

Will Stanley

9.4

My first time trying one of the wines from Cantina del Pino, an estate with greater ties to Barbaresco’s roots than most. The Vacca family were long a part of the Produttori but in 1997 branched out (yes, a pun: it was they who in the 1920s planted the now iconic pine tree on the highest point of the Ovello lieu-dit), and now produce two single vineyard Barbaresco bottlings (this, and an Albesani), as well as a generic Barbaresco and Langhe, Barbera and Dolcetto wines.

Tragically, winemaker Renato Vacca died in March last year after a yearlong battle with cancer. The 2016 vintage, just bottled, is supposed to be superb.

For now, though, the Ovello from the less lauded 2012 vintage. This is a knockout wine, still young, and with great promise. The nose is very exotic, quite heady & oaky even after a two hour decant, but opened up as the evening progressed, to give gorgeous aromas of macerated cherry, blackberry preserve, cinnamon, cedar and old leather. It screams Nebbiolo, and it’s the first Nebb I’ve had in a year or so.

The palate is very concentrated, with ripe and intense flavours of cranberry, dried cherry, cured meat and tobacco leaf. There is great tension and energy through the mouth, which only this village - or its neighbour - can achieve. The finish is long and impressive. A seductive, ageworthy wine.

94+ — 5 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 2002 Billecart-Salmon ‘"Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart" Brut Champagne (WWB, 95) which has a massive mouthfeel and glorious texture right now. This vintage is just thrilling to enjoy right now, made from 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay and resting for ten years on the lees. A bright beam of salinity falls over the limestone driven terroir, as Pink Lady Apple, kumquat zest and cinnamon infused sourdough bread flavors collide with minerals and the unctuous texture on the mouth. Generous, showing glorious length now at nearly the twenty year mark, this gorgeous bottling will have a long life ahead of it. Drink 2020-2035- 95 — 6 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.2

The 2004 Seavey Merlot is showing marvelously now at the fifteen year mark. Aged in 40% new French oak, the wine is a silky blend of 75% Merlot with the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and Petit Verdot (10%). The earthy tones aromatically are really nice, as this shows dusty terroir that has settled with the black fruits and black tea aromas that all come together in the glass. The palate is soft, rich and downright elegant. Black fruits collide with shades of creme de cassis and mocha, with the lovely damp terroir terroir that round out this beautiful palate. This is absolutely singing at the fifteen year mark but has another ten years left. Drink 2019-2029- 92
— 7 years ago

Ericsson

9.3

Ten year old Albariño, I wanted to give it a shot. The wine certainly retains is freshness, salinity, the essence is there. The peach and stone fruit flavor gets a bit more savory. Cheers. — a year ago

romo

9.3

Ten-year old Chenin giving herbs and nuts, waxy with searing acid. Great find at this fantastic restaurant. — 3 years ago

Judy Rankin

8.9

Crisp and light, a little fruity — 3 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

Holy moly. This is some wine. What a value! Insane, deep nose of dark cherry fruit that is so vivid and so clear. Wow. Tree bark, dusty earth, and just insane clarity here. The palate has incredible sweet fruit. So sappy and elegant! Yes this year this has elegance. Nimble and so red Riesling. What inner mouth aromas. Complex, concentrated and so pure. As this airs it’s like a blackberry jam/perfume with black cherries. What an insane wine! $24.99 is just a joke. Amazing grip and palate presence and what energy. Just sick. 9.49. Almost a 9.5!

Wow, with air this gets suppler and sweeter while the aromas have gotten so precise. Think it’s a 9.5. Wow. — 4 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

Been over a year since I’ve had this and really dug it last time. Glorious cooling spices. Lovely mineral and earthen scents. Oolong tea. Tree bark. Perfectly ripe cherries. Just gorgeous. So complex and layered. So delicate and pure. 9.5 nose. Palate is dynamite. Full of energy, power, concentration and depth. Very Red Riesling. So sappy. Ripe, sweet and velvety tannins. Superb structure and sap. Just brilliant. — 5 years ago

Jay Kline

9.1

I don’t hide the fact that I’m a massive fan of Brovia and their Freisa which they produce in a dry, still style is among my favorite values in all of Piedmont. The grapes for this wine come from the Villero cru and are aged exclusively in stainless steel. Production is extremely minuscule with under 1000 bottles made per year however, tracking some down is well worth the effort. The 2017 version has aromas of dark blackberries, roses, and tar while the palate is packed with strawberries, mulberries, blueberries and dried herbs. Impressive structure with mouth-drying tannins and snappy acidity leading to a long, tongue-smacking finish. Capable of aging? Yes, and probably would be an interesting one to follow over the next five to ten years. That being said, these are really meant to be consumed on the younger side while we wait for the Barolo’s to mature 😉. This bottle was paired with the “kamikaze” lasagna we got last night from Au Courant which, as it happens, was also my source for this bottle. — 6 years ago

Seth Morgen Long

Broker • Arterberry Maresh / Winemaker • Morgen Long

9.5

There is richness and density here but plenty of vibrancy and acidity. Youthful for a ten year old, and drinking well but no hurry. — 7 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Traditional Bordeaux-Style blend. Very dark ruby color with slight hints of purple. Savory aromas of earth, baking spices, herbs and black cherries. Ripe plum and black cherry flavors with additional hints of baking spices, tobacco and dried herbs. Pleasant creamy vanilla oak note on the long finish. Dusty tannins and well balanced. Opulent, complex and still quite fresh for a ten year old wine. — 2 years ago

Jose Lorenzo

9.2

So great full to still have my allocation of these amazing Pinots every year for the holidays. Never an off vintage. Cheers — 3 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.4

The 2012 Montrose has a taut and focused bouquet with crisp blackberry, tobacco and light earthy scents on the nose. Fine vigour and class evident here. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannins on the entry, fine acidity, lightly spiced with a nicely proportioned and focused finish. This is a solid, almost swarthy Montrose, though it is surpassed by more recent vintages. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2022)
— 4 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.4

Nice bbq chicken 🐓 bottle Wine Advocate review & rating 92 points, be released in 2015, the 2008 San Leonardo is a wine in its infancy. The nose is immediately redolent of dark cherry, blackberry, leather, tobacco, mint and eucalyptus leaf. You will also appreciate the floral tones of pressed rose and almond blossom that lift from the glass. The harvest schedule played out on time with Carmenère coming in at the end of September and Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon towards the beginning of October. The 2008 vintage is especially marked by a duality of floral and menthol notes that rise from the glass with brilliant intensity. The 2008 vintage needs ten year or more to find its proper footing. — 5 years ago

Brett Rogosin

8.9

This needs time. Plenty of time. I decanted 3 hours, then drank it over days and still quite tannic and lots of acidity. Closed at first, but the nose is opening with inky ripe blackberry, black currants, little bit of vanilla, and a touch of menthol. The palate is more tart currant and blackberry pits with menthol and tree bark. For the price I’d buy a few, start drinking in 3-5 years+, then have each year thereafter. — 5 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.7

Ethereal, silky and marvelously poised, the 2011 Le Pin (WWB, 97) is sourced from an extremely small estate is located in the commune of Pomerol. It is amongst the world's most expensive red wines, as this was very graciously shared by my colleague Dr. Hong. I was most impressed by the opulent, pillowy texture of the wine, which is still quite primary now at the eight year mark. Elegant tannins line the massive core of dark fruits, all leading the breathtaking, near minute-long finish. This true heavyhitter really needs another ten years of bottle age to hit its stride and will provide drinking enjoyment past my lifetime. Drink 2025-2055- 97 — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Had another chance to try this wine. Family-owned and operated growing just over ten acres of grapes and producing around 1000 cases per year. Berry, spice and floral aromas explode on the nose. Fresh fruit flavors, raspberry and cherry, citrus notes and hints of vanilla, great balance with acidity. Firm tannins, lingering finish ending with earthy tones and a bit of pepper. An enjoyable Pinot at a reasonable price. Has short term aging benefits, but why wait. Tasting Sample. — 8 years ago