Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.8

Over the yrs, I have done a deep dive into coffee in a quest to make the perfect espresso. It has been a close 2nd obsession to my wine journey.

Pacori has come very close, closest. They make many different roasts but their “Select” is the best I’ve had and I have tried many different beans to get here.

Pacori guarantees you will have their beans within 5 days of roasting. Many sellers don’t put a roast date on their beans. Starbucks, Peet’s, illy etc. might be 30-60 days from roast date or more before you buy them. Grocery stores, longer. Fresh beans make a difference. I would rather my beans haven’t been oxidizing that long before I buy them.

Pacori offers many roasts but I like that they will do sampler 4 packs…a 1/4 pound of each you select from. Their “Select” is a perfect balance of bold and smooth. Bold darkish espresso tones w/ notes of nuts, mocha powder, milk chocolate and caramel.

I have narrowed my selections to their “Select” and “Sumatra.” Next might be their “French Roast” and then their “Black Crest.” But they are all good. Finding your wheelhouse is a pleasurable journey.

Like grapes, same as coffee, you can’t make a good bottle-cup w/o good fruit/beans.

Ranking the most important elements of making good espresso:

-Quality beans that are fresh
-Grinder
-Machine/Barista skills
-Adding a 49mm step down baskets to your standard 58mm portafilter. There is real science now that 49mm basket makes superior shots.

After waking up, this is just the best part of my morning. — 2 months ago

Wine101Hamden

9.0

Coffee beans waiting to be tossed into a grinder. Light and elegant. Easy drinking on its own. — 7 years ago

A. R.

9.1

My type of wacky wine. On the nose, roses and black pepper. Like an entire grinder or maybe a room full. Overwhelming amount of black pepper. But I like it. In the mouth, more pepper and black cherries. Light yet powerful. — 9 years ago

David Létourneau-Gouin

9.5

Wow! Bu au Grinder — 10 years ago

Jono Riehlman

9.0

[SAN PABLO-Single Vineyard] Blind tasted futures, still in barrel but got a sneak peak. Spicy aromas, like dipping your nose in a pepper grinder. Tannins firm and chalky, a touch on the green side. Finish is lingering. As it warms, spice shows through. Can't wait to see how it turns out in bottle. — 10 years ago

Jason Silverstein

9.3

At Block & Grinder, Charlotte NC — 12 years ago

shaun house

9.3

Good with food. — 5 months ago

with Nadine

Catherine Leith

9.1

Light and crisp.notes of peach and apple. Slight minerality, long finish. Good for drinking on the patio. Probably good with Asian dishes. — 7 years ago

Runbunny

9.0

Bday - Chicago pizza & Oven Grinder.
Mild. Not huge flavor or strength. Slike a session beer — 7 years ago

Jordan Wardlaw

9.3

Stunning New World Syrah. Super aromatic- loads of lavender and violets and a black pepper aroma so fresh that it might have come straight out of a grinder. Smoky and gamey components coming through with a copious amount of juicy black fruit on the mid palate. New oak influence adds a subtle layer of sweet baking spices. There’s a wonderful push-pull, yin-yang dynamic going on here. Masculine and elegant all at once. Already showing remarkable finesse, and will surely evolve into a wine one of impeccable balance. — 8 years ago

Sylvia

9.6

At Grinder — 9 years ago

Spinning_spins

9.3

Oodles of complexity. Aromas of black cherry and sea salt, and some white pepper and beeswax. Gorgeous fruit on the palate, with signature Beaujolais minerals. It's as if the winemaker held a pepper grinder filled with granite dust over the fermenting must. Get the fuck oughta here! — 10 years ago

David Webster

9.0

Finished with a pepper grinder. Grabs the nose and doesn't let go. — 11 years ago

Vitaly Domnenko

8.9

Bm. Tm. Am. Fm. — 6 years ago

Eric

9.3

Viader’s most modern style blend 60/30 Cab Syrah with Malbec and CF. My last vintage of this given they doubled the price 👎👋. Great deal when originally released. Photo with my latest random Amazon shelter in place purchase. Home knife sharpener/grinder. — 6 years ago

David Kline

9.0

Sizzle-y white top pops up the zing then cleanly unlaces to a ring toss. Start the grinder you reprobate monkey. This has all the unkempt mating-cage malodorousness one could expect from such a surly primate. Sweet smelling as crystalline micturition; apple cider vinegar , whiskey sour, and lemon lozenges. Boilermaker texture, black lime, grilled lemon, lemon-lime sweet tarts, lemon alka seltzer. Overall, a little clunky, a little feral, but the finish is worth the trundle through the funky jungle. The monkey here is still golden, shimmering in a salty sunset. — 7 years ago

Lindsey King

9.2

Crunchy neon red-purple fruit! As though you are standing in a casino that's pumping in oxygen to keep you awake, to keep you gambling. All the slot machines around you are singing and winning and flashing trios of cherries and raspberries and it's really fun but also intense at first. Getting home late at night with leftover energy. Feeling an unexpectedly tossed object find it's way naturally into your hand, revelling in your triumph as an impressed beloved exclaims "nice catch!" as though you are an incredible athlete or a skilled fisherman but in reality you're just an average human standing in the kitchen keeping an electric pepper grinder from hitting the floor. — 9 years ago

TPetty

10

Floral and light. Perfect for summer — 10 years ago

David Webster

9.9

Grab a big glass. You'll need it. Fruit pitted with a pepper grinder. — 10 years ago