Mark S.

9.0

Cherry red. Black currant, blueberry black cherry. Needle leaves tree. Clove nutmeg.
Fruitiness M+ Sweetness M Acidity M Tannin M Smooth. Bitterness M Body M++ Finish M+ % Elegant Balanced Concentrated Robust, ready to drink, aging potential. Domaine Eden Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon 18 @2100, Fred - Laz, 260120-260121 — 5 months ago

Peter Sultan

9.3

Columbia county 2.0: 100% Ramisco from one of the worlds great wacky wine areas- vines not just on sandy soil, but on sand, in Colares, Portugal. The closest soul equivalent I can think of is Barolo, as it has that intensity of red fruit but within such a light to moderate frame, though tannins don’t bear the same aggressiveness as Barolos. Still, the age worthiness of these Ramiscos could easily outlive me. Needle like acidity & Gorgeous red fruits. Doesn’t feel like infanticide. Have two bottles by another Colares producer which hopefully I can resist In the next few decades. Paired beautifully with baked chicken thighs with Medjol dates, lemons, thyme, & shallots. — 3 years ago

with Owen

Andrew Schirmer

9.5

We love Islay malts in winter— Seattle reached 17° F today, so we reached for the Oog. Gorgeous bottling if a touch sweet for my palate. Threads the needle of smoky peat/malt styles very well. Best with a few drops of water to open up. — 5 years ago

with Alsu

Gene Harlow

9.3

This wine was not this good three years ago, but has really moved the needle in a good direction! Only one bottle left. Will pair well with a lot of things as it has some wonderful delicate nuances. I guess this one is a blend but seems to have Sarah as a primary varietal. I may need to check that out!! Great wine! — 5 years ago

Aaron Rankin

9.3

The nose bursts out of the glass with pine needle, smoke, blood, olives. Palette is subdued at this stage, showing some olives and tar. Others noted extremely tannins, which I don’t pick up. I found this immediately drinkable, with plenty of life and evolution ahead. — 5 years ago

Collier S. Wiese

9.1

This is a full bodied old vine Riesling that is still crisp and dry. There is citrus, petrol and minerality on the nose. The front has a hint of petrol that finishes with green apple. Very enjoyable. — 6 years ago

Michael Meyer

9.2

Reopening week continues. One of my favorite CA PN cuvées, threading the needle beautifully between my savory wagyu, and my wife’s herbal Gonestraw chicken. Super young and the lush fruit needs time to subside into the other spice & brush components of the wine. Delicious nevertheless. — 6 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2014 vintage. Heavy bod. Darker than the liquid that pours out during your thrice postponed, oil change. Easy to slip into with some back-end, palate boxing kerfuffle. If decade-old, $$ Napa Malbec moved the needle, this would rule the roost. 03.19.25. — a year ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2007 vintage. From magnum and tasted 1.5 hours after being decanted. Herbal (but not mint) and woodsy nose. Medium body. Tons of thrusters at full power initially but the dark cherry, plum and baking chocolate notes were the only remaining flavors after the leap to hyperspace. That expected and (in)famous Latour power definitely in the picture but without any other stars in the cast to make this worthy of Oscar consideration. Not a top notch vintage, yet it seems like this effort is on a giant plateau and could remain there for a decade-easy. Likely would have benefited from an additional hour or two of air time but not enough to move the needle significantly…maybe to 9.3. — 3 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.0

Label is well done if a bit standard. Like the cone and needle border. Tamarack is my brother’s middle name (aka larch), so I had to buy this one. Dark plum skin color. Aromas are good. Dark fruit juices and sauces mixed with woodsy freshness. Slightest hint of red meat too. Flavors are chewy, fleshy and earthy. Cherry Coke and blackberry pastry. Maybe a purple mulberry too. A little anise/fennel/licorice root. Or maybe that’s sarsaparilla. Plenty of tannin to keep the fruit flavors from running wild. Just enough wood to give it a forestry feel. This is a nice structured Merlot from WA. Not quite as dynamic or complex as the weighty bottle implies, but it’s still a great bottle. — 4 years ago

Peter Sultan

9.1

Kind of a pine needle viscosity: an enjoyable oiliness. part 1 of a first official post vaccinated guy weekend. — 5 years ago

with Owen

Jay Kline

9.0

Brought to Tasting Group. My first of three bottles. Popped and poured, enjoyed over two days. Day 1 was tasted blind. This wine comes across quite primary with powerful, stewed bramble fruit, baking chocolate and baking spice notes indicating the potential use of French barrique. Medium-plus tannin. Medium acid. Overall, this is a good and enjoyable wine...but nothing really pushing the needle if I'm being honest. Most around the table declared it Bordeaux. None called Southern Rhône. Everyone was surprised when it was revealed, including me, which expected more considering my usually appreciation for this producer's CdP (known to have an unusually large amount of Mourvedre in the blend). The interesting thing was the French barrique call as I understand this wine to be aged exclusively in concrete...?? Day 2, the fruit was softer and slightly more muted. The stewed characteristics were enhanced and the structure seemed to be receding. Perhaps too early to tell where this is headed...or perhaps this just isn't the strongest vintage from Mas de Boislauzon. I have two more so we will see how some cellar time treats these. — 5 years ago

Chris McClellan

9.4

This and the Chardonnay were the best of the nite....big dark red and black fruit, weighted yet balanced on the palate with fruit, elegant mint/pine needle, acid and solid tannin structure. A blend of the 10 best barrels... Kudos to @Jasmine Hirsch who has taking over reigns of winemaker! We had a wonderful time! — 6 years ago

with Ryan, Deb and 1 other

Chris McClellan

9.3

Outstanding fresh young from Les Cras…complex wine already, fresh/tart fruit, oak, mint, pine needle, mushrooms….long finish… — 3 years ago

GaryWEdwards

9.3

The advantage of the 1.5L bottle. The wine is drinking beautifully. Great maker that let's you move down to Numanthia Termes for value in a large gathering or up to a Numanthia Termanthia for select friends in small gathering. This one threads the needle very nicely. This '08 is a big fruit black cherry number with earthy tones — 3 years ago

with Logan

Aravind A

9.1

Pop and pour. On the nose: pine needle, cola, dusty blackberry, mulberry leaf. On the palate: excellent acidity, damp earth, bark, mulberry. Lacking some concentration/density on the mid, but a nice juicy finish with very soft tannin. — 4 years ago

Chris McClellan

9.0

Great for village level…dark/brooding red fruit, musty/earth, sappy pine needle aromas with great acid and slight spice… — 5 years ago

Ely Cohn

9.1

Everything from Manoir de la Tête over delivers. Here another outstanding value in line with the Chenin and Pet Nat proceeding. There's lots to appreciate - the smells, the tastes. Smells like black tar, cherries, pine needle, and dark chocolate leather. It's plushy in the mouth with some tannin grip. It goes down as blackberries and dark plum and an ancient limestone salt lick. — 5 years ago

R Bl

9.0

Citrus! Lemon, maybe a hint of grapefruit; then a bit of pineapple, a stray pine needle; ginger. Delicious. — 5 years ago

Severn G

9.1

Nose has dried grape vines, (old) neutral oak barrel, dried black cherry, dried garden soil, (cooled) grilled tomato, graphite mechanical pencil refills, old coffee grounds and very dry compost/soil.

Palate has dried cherries resurrected in bacon fat, several day old sliced fresh cherries, blend of moist/dry soil with medium tannins. Cork pulled for a slow ox. for ~6h, then decanted ~1h. Picking up some since decanting, but still not moving the needle much. Likely great 5+ years ago, acceptable this evening.

Paired to a local pig, grilled pork chops from our favorite just over the border farmer (Highland Farm, Old Chatham, NY). Courtney only raises about six pigs every year, I'm overjoyed when we land some for our freezer, delicious factor 2x over just about anything else in the region.
(Pork was 93 points, if I had been more observant on internal temps would have been 95 points, still grilled to a wonderful medium.) — 6 years ago