The wine has mineral, herb and red berry and volcanic soil on the nose. Very terroir driven with small dark red fruits a pleasant earthiness of clay and chalk that add dimension and layer to this. The wine is very well made with beautiful structure, finesse and sense of place. — 4 years ago
I’m a believer in terroir, but this wine, which is an absolute ringer for Chablis, throws everything in question. If this were grown at Rorick with its limestone that would make sense, but semillon from the Napa valley floor? Out of the bottle it’s quite lithe, showing lemon and a bit of seashell minerality, but with an hour of air it begins to show some crisp apple and white stone fruit, and some white flower. Lovely, unusual wine. Enjoyed with grilled salmon and salad. — 4 years ago
Decent mid-weight white burgundy, but not all that exciting. Clean, crisp, nicely balanced but with absolutely no “wow”. You have to question the price/quality ratio with wines of this type. Kiss of death is almost no sense of “terroir” or place—- just another dry white! — 5 years ago
Fucking glorious Garnacha. Sous bois, turned earth, wet leaves, cinnamon, ground cloves, pepper, allspice, tar, crushed black plum and cherry fruit, almost dried tones mixed in, burnt earth, dried herbs, wilted flowers. Nose is subtle, but definition is there. Plate is a kaleidoscope of dark spices, savory earth, and gorgeous muddled fruit. Exotic, alluring in every sense, structured w/ powerful tannin almost reminiscent of Nebbiolo. A captivating wine in terms of texture and elegance. — 3 years ago
Podere Fortuna ‘Fortuni’ Pinot Nero 2014: Medium-bodied. Ruby red color. Robust red & dark fruit aromas & tastes. Smooth spice finish. This Toscana Pinot was the first of my 3 Italian Pinot Neros. All in all, this was a beautifully crafted wine that with each sip, I felt a sense of Tuscan terroir & sun, inviting me to try more. Overall, this was a superb Super Pinot Nero. We’re off to a great start! Cheers🍷 — 4 years ago
San Esteban — 5 years ago
The 2016 Brittan Vineyards ‘Gestalt Block’ is a scintillating new release by this storied Oregon winery. Sourced from their vineyard in the McMinnville AVA, as the ‘Gestalt Block’ is set on their western facing hillside that is set on broken basalt. Deeply colored once in the glass, the ‘Gestalt Block’ starts off with deep wet stone influence that connects with the shades of cran-pomegranate and guava with peat moss aromas that all collide in the glass. The mouth-watering acidity of the wine is truly gorgeous, as is the great sense of stony terroir. Silky and soft on the mouth, this delivers gobs of racy acidity and a light dusting of salinity that runs through the dark fruits and earthy undertones on the palate. Truly novel and esteemed in the land of Oregon Pinot Noir, the ‘Gestalt Block’ will have a decade or more in the cellar. Drink 2019-2032- 94 — 5 years ago
Pale pinkish orange with delicate vivacious bubbles. Smells of summer. Aromas of raspberries and orange peel initially with more floral notes. Bruised strawberries, smoke, and crushed herbs. Energetic is the word of the day here. This packs much power and liveliness into the glass. The vinous nature is striking and the 12% of still red wine certainly has its say.
Predominantly Pinot Noir with 25% of Chardonnay from Grand Cru terroir in Aÿ. Graceful, yet intense there’s a sense of heft and substance here. Also a sense of freshness. The palate follows the nose with more pronounced red berries and soft floral notes. Spices, mint, and toasted bread. A beautiful rosé perfect for this time of year from an excellent grower house. — 4 years ago
2015 vintage. As I am moving to Bordeaux (and more precisely Bourg sur Gironde) it makes sense to dig a bit deeper in the Côtes de Bourg appellation. It's not the most renowned part of Bordeaux, even with one pricey superstar (Roc des Cambes). But wow, did this one exceed my expectations! The estate has an ancient history, but up to 1993 the grapes were sold to a local co-operative. The present owner Philippe Betschart moved the estate since 2010 into organic and biodynamical farming. This "Terroir" is a somewhat atypical blend (65% of both Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon, with the remainder Merlot) for the region where Merlot is king. More black than red fruit in the nose (cassis, blackberry) with some tobacco and a discrete licorice touch. In the mouth it has amazing elegance. The 14% alcohol go unnoticed, the fruit is bright and lively and the tannins velvety. This has class and depth for the price range (under 20 euros). Highly recommended. — 4 years ago
Benjamin Carson
Light red. Really drinkable. Super nice — 6 months ago