The Mortal Vintner

Bodegas Arane

Clos Pepin Casa Aurora Red Blend

Consistent w previous notes but even better- more open & full on palate. Medium bodied but plays light on palate, & somehow feels playful. Fresh black fruits, & in layers so some depth. . A young gun vintner on the Mencia scene. — 2 months ago

Owen Mazon
with Owen
Severn, Bob and 3 others liked this

Pride Mountain Vineyards

Vintner Select Cuvee Sonoma County Merlot

Pride Mountain Vineyards Reserve Claret 2013, Sonoma County, California

It is time for some Merlot on this
#MerlotThursday.

This is a delicious Merlot based Bordeaux blend from from Sonoma County.

Full bodied with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, chocolates, black currants, black plums, black cherries, cedar, vanilla, light earth, licorice and light coffee.

Long finish with medium tannins.

This 10-year-old is drinking very nicely now, and it will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Would be nice to visit it again in 5 years.

Showing nice complexity with a great mouthfeel. Elegant and rich. Powerful and fruit forward.

Drinking very much like a Napa Cabernet.

Good right out of the bottle and better with airtime. Good by itself or with food.

A blend of 62% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Petit Verdot. 14% of the grapes are from Napa Valley. Aged in French oak barrels for 22 months. A small production of only 450 cases.

14.8% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$200.
— 5 months ago

Pride Mountain Vineyards

Vintner Select Cuvée Mountain Top Vineyard Merlot 2003

Still fresh, well structured and balanced. Has more than a few years left. I wish I had another — 4 years ago

Severn, Hermes and 5 others liked this

Beaulieu Vineyard

Reserve Tapestry Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1998

1998 | Red Blend

Quite vegetal and austere after a few hours of decant, couldn't drink it. Shuffled aside, after almost two weeks it finally shed its mortal coil and reminded us of the beauty of Tapestry. Our finale of the BV 1998's in the cellar.
— 3 months ago

Steve, Dawn and 23 others liked this
Pinotman /// Andreas

Pinotman /// Andreas

Need to do the same clear out.
David T

David T Influencer Badge

96 was a very good vintage for this bottling. Took 15 plus years but excellent once it got there. 97 better, but still needs time to get to the beauty of the 96 was 5 years back or so and is now.
Paul T- Huntington Beach

Paul T- Huntington Beach

Ha,
My bad. I was off by 10 years, 2006 is what I have

La Ca' Nova

Montestefano Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2017

Case in point. Same vintner. Same vintage. Same varietal... Softer all around with licorice notes. Acidity at medium, medium plus tannins but not overwhelming.

92+ points
— 2 years ago

Kimberly, Byron and 14 others liked this

Anselmo Mendes

Contacto Monção & Melgaço Alvarinho 2018

Interesting- like a Muscadet aged on its lies. Solid though the vintner apparently gets kudos — 4 years ago

Severn, Vanessa and 6 others liked this

Heinz Eifel

Kabinett Riesling

A true kabinett? Check. Under 10% alcohol? Check, 8%. A deal? Check, Under 15$. Female vintner, check. A simple wine to drink while playing Rummikub with the family during a pandemic? Check. — 4 years ago

P, Alex and 3 others liked this

Sonoma-Cutrer

Grower-Vintner Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2021

This wine colors up a medium-dark ruby in the glass. It has a savory nose, while showing plenty of blackberry, black plum and black cherry. The oak spice is lovely, with clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise and a slight note of coffee. The palate is just as much a treat as is the nose. Dark fruit shows strongly, with a good acidity and tannic grip. It is not a brawny wine, but it is not too delicate, either. The finish lingers awhile and leaves a savory memory behind. — 5 months ago

Serge, Daniel P. and 2 others liked this

Filipa Pato

3B Bairrada Rosé Espumante Baga

The label would normally be off putting to me, but I’m always interested in a female vintner, especially when she is the daughter of a famous Portuguese maker. What a revelation-drinks more like a sparkling Savoie or alpine rose. Close to the bone dry. Lovely pink color. Fine mousse. I love that label now…. — 6 months ago

Daniel, Bob and 4 others liked this
Peter van den Besselaar

Peter van den Besselaar Influencer Badge

Filipa Pato wines are 🍀

Spinifex

Esprit Barossa Valley Red Rhone Blend 2004

ESF
9.5

Stunner - just dense & inky, brooding effusive nose of a berry compote, rich ripe saturated with pervasive spine of minerality, Herbes de Provence. Just jaw dropping. So soft & plush on palate, like sinking into an old Cadillac, crushed velvet, gobs of dark fruit, sweet baking spices, pepper and extraordinary length on finish. Tasted w/vintner prior to release (knew it would be epic) - drank & sold a lot of this. In the zone now w/many years ahead — 3 years ago

Vanessa, Aravind and 9 others liked this
Bob McDonald

Bob McDonald Influencer Badge

@ESF Great patience for such a delicious wine from the get go.