Jay Kline

8.9

Splash decanted prior to service and presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core, moving towards a light orange garnet rim; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous, with notes of ripe and slightly dried red and black fruits: plum, blackberry, raspberry, dried flowers, leather, cocoa, earth and some warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium.

Initial conclusions: this could be a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend or a Merlot-based blend from the United States or France. Due to the appearance and secondary characteristics, I think this has 15+ years of age. And, because this was leaning heavily towards its fruit, rather than its structure, I’m calling this being from the United States. Final conclusion, this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from Napa, valley floor, from a warm vintage like 2009. Dammit, I should have clued into the softer tannins from Alexander Valley. Scoring significant points though. Drink now through 2029. — 6 months ago

Kristen Grimes

9.8

Cork pull from the WCO fundraising event, and definitely a good win! Classic cali chard... Apple and pear, a bit of citrus, and a good amount of oak without overpowering butteriness. The kind of chard that helped me fall in love with wine 💕 — 9 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

1999 vintage. This review a bit of a mixed bag. “Inherited” this bottle and had been looking sideways at it for the better part of three years. Fill decent but both the front and back labels pretty trashed. The foil up top a tad crimped in places. Ugly duckling syndrome. See a ton of this at work and occasionally able to resuscitate what appears to be an abused bottle. Cut off the foil and there was some seepage at the top trapped between the cork and the foil. Not good. Extracted the cork in three passes (3!!!) with the Durand. Cork was half saturated and dunzo. Did not decant. Color was on point at least. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.1% ABV. Less than expected sed. Poured out a fifth of a glass and let sit for 2-3 mins. Nose was big white pepper, roasted cashews and white sage…three notes that I don’t come across often over the years with Napa cabbage and flavors were hidden beneath for a spell. Gave it 15 minutes. That initial nose dissipated and a bit of magic unfolded. Light-medium body, cocoa powder, graphite, feminine, sumptuous milk chocolate, a little sweaty, dried legumes, spearmint, supremely resolved tannins. Echoes of Haut-Brion/La Mission Haut-Brion. This old-school, Stags Leap District Napa cab came through in the clutch. Seemed to gather strength the longer it was open. Given that this particular bottle was not exactly mint, more than a bit curious as to how a decently stored example of this wine would perform. Van the Man was right. Wild night is calling. Come on out and dance. 05.16.25. @Shay A — a year ago

Aravind A

9.1

Another excellent btl. Beautiful sangiovese nose of stewed tomato, wild strawberry, blood orange, rosemary....On the palate: good acidity and density, wild strawberry and pomegranate molasses. Soft chalky tannin on the finish. Very good, and calling the qpr excellent is ridiculous understatement ($9/btl!). — 6 years ago

Justin Hansohn

9.0

Very well made. Aromatics and structure very present and buzzing. Calling whole bunch fermentation on this which showed prominently after a few days, not in a bad way, but definitely perceiving in this tasting the stark difference between de stemmed and some amount of stem inclusion. — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.3

Lots of fun bottles were popped at Al’s hosting this past weekend for his birthday celebration. All were served blind. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 6 reds and 1 dessert wine.

En mag. Probably the most difficult wine of the night to identify. Hardly anyone even got close to calling this cab. I was leaning Grenache or ripe vintage burgundy as I thought I was detecting a bit of whole cluster usage due to the lifted profile and stemmy/spice red fruit notes. Yet by the end of the night, the structure beefed up and the spice turned more sweet. Lovely cherry liqueur, sandalwood, baking spices and baked red fruited pie notes. — 7 years ago

with joe, Dan and 2 others

Chris Zitzman

9.3

How do I say it with grace, poise, and within the bounds of decorum… The Dundee Hills of Oregon are calling to me. In speaking with my work-make Tommy, who has lived in Oregon and has proven to be a more than reliable source of insight concerning every & anything from Oregon: the Dundee Hills have me. Hell I think he’s warned me more than once about their playful nature yet their powerful foundations… add the 2023 Artberry Maresh ‘Dundee Hills” Pinot Noir out of the Willametter Valley to it all. From the start, the ruby color is mesmerising. The nose seems to wake up with every instance of dropping my own within it. The palate is mildly chewy and lush. As it warms in the glass and starts to tell of its true nature, deep notes of hibiscus and bramble-berry that only expand ring true. — 6 months ago

with Beth

KP

9.0

Enjoyed at Ocean Prime. Dark and jammy . Vanilla. High acidity. Low tannins. Long, dry, oak finish. — 8 months ago

Sándor Jaguar

9.1

All day baby greenbrier — a year ago

with Katie, Lynn and 22 others

Tara Rudo

9.2

Yummy from Rehobeth — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Presented double-blind. The wine pours a deep, ruby color with a near opaque core. Medium+ viscosity with significant signs of sediment. Moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, dark fruits are predominant with some purple flowers, tobacco, subtle pyrazines and a touch of earth and baking spice. On the palate, the fruit set is confirmed. The wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. The finish is very long and savory. I believe a significant amount of new French oak is being used. Based on the aforementioned, possible varieties are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc or some combination of Bordeaux varieties from either France or California. While the fruit is no-doubt abundant, there is hefty structure and a complexity that makes me lean towards the Old World. And now that my head is there, it’s very hard for me to get outside of Pomerol and I think the fruit is more of a result of the vintage. So I went with it, calling it 2009 Pomerol from a great producer. Welp…I was close and probably a huge compliment to Amuse Bouche since I think this wine is supposed to be their take on Pomerol. A very sexy wine that is drinking very well right now without a decant. — 4 years ago

Matti Jokelainen

9.0

Very nice entry level Soave from Tamellini. Light golden color with green hues. Nose is bit shy at first but opens up to ripe apple and some peach notes complemented by herbs and white currant. On palate this is nicely balanced with apple, lemon and grspe notes, slight mineral vein coming up toward the end. Slight sweetness balances the acidity well. Makes me want to try the more serious bottlings which I think is a calling card for a great entry level wine. Seriously good stuff for the price — 7 years ago

LM Segal

9.2

A manly white, to be sure, viscous and rich yet with enough bright baked apple and dense citrus to create balance. Grilled buttered shellfish calling out for this beast. — 7 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

8.9

Castillo Clavijo – Rioja Blanco – 2024
Rioja DOCa | Spain 🇪🇸

Overview:
A very casual, approachable white from Rioja DOCa, a region better known for reds, this bottle delivers exactly what it promises: simplicity, freshness, and value. Viura-driven, made in a clean, straightforward style that favors easy drinking over complexity.

Aromas & Flavors:
Fresh and subtle with notes of green apple, lemon zest, and soft white florals. There’s a gentle herbal edge typical of Viura, but nothing overt or demanding, clean and unfussy.

Mouthfeel:
Light- to medium-bodied with refreshing acidity. Smooth, easygoing, and crisp, finishing clean without weight or oak influence.

Food Pairings:
Grilled fish, light salads, seafood tapas, simple chicken dishes, or anything olive-oil driven. A reliable companion at the table without stealing the spotlight.

Verdict:
A “does-the-job” Rioja white that makes sense on the value side. Not meant to rival more serious white Rioja expressions, but a pleasant, practical option from a red-dominant region, especially when you want something uncomplicated and food-friendly.

Did You Know?
Viura (also known as Macabeo) is Rioja’s primary white grape, capable of both simple, fresh wines like this and age-worthy, complex whites when blended or oak-aged.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This is the kind of easy, reliable white you reach for when you want something light, affordable, and regionally honest, proof that Rioja can still deliver on the white side, even if reds remain its calling card. — 7 months ago

Janet

9.8

had this wine with gorgone family at edson hill in stowe for M & D’s anniversary celebration — 10 months ago

WC Fields

9.5

Stunner. Double blind this had the group calling a Cote d’ Nuits…blown away upon reveal. — 2 years ago

Andrew Edson

9.3

Wow this Bordeaux was drinking on point. Surprised by the fruit forward notes and had a long peppery finish. Was trying to hold out for it to be a 10-yr bottle but a stew was calling its name. — 4 years ago

Lenny Castiglione

9.4

Pure silk with balanced fruit and Oregon terroir. Kept calling me back. Could have drank more but shared with group of six with beef burgundy stew. Wow amazing pairing. — 5 years ago

with Hande

Jeremy.Buss

9.0

After our experiment with Giribaldi, the Sommelier recommend this one and . . . Pretty darn good! Cherry, with slight strawberry hint and I’m calling a bit of tar on the nose. Definitely fruit forward and getting better as the night wears on. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Pale lemon with aromas of nice ripe stone fruit and spice notes. On the palate apple, peach and tropical fruit flavors with a nice dollop of citrus and oak. Well balanced, fresh lingering finish ending with creamy mineral character. Nice. Tasting Sample. — 7 years ago