Ellen Clifford

9.2

Whoopsies forgot to take a picture of the bottle at the tasting so yay handy booklets I took notes in to the rescue. Thirty-one years in French oak! Almost vanilla paste, vanilla flower and candied white currant nose. Coffee, caramelized nuts, candied orange peel, and fresh lemon rind on the palate with cutting acid. All this courses through the finish but with toast. Gimme some more. — 2 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.2

Just needed time, both in storage and decant. Better on the 2nd day
Some historical stuff I found online,

The Chateau Caronne Ste. Gemme property has been making wine since the French Revolution and has existed since the mid 1600's. Now in the hands of the Nony family, who is related to the Borie family of multi-chateau fame, the estate is in excellent hands.
The vines average about thirty years of age and are located in the southwest corner of Saint Julien. The grapes are fermented in cement vats where they also undergo malolactic fermentation. From there they're aged in one third new French oak for one year before bottling. — 4 years ago

Kathryn McCarty

9.3

Just received 93 points by Wine Spectator and I can see why. It has not a typical Riesling. It has such complexity and dryness. It should age nicely. Try it before it is gone! — 4 years ago

Willie Carter

8.9

A bright light straw color in the glass. Sparse bubbles that seem to dissipate rather quickly. The nose opens as shy at first before developing into a bountiful peach harvest. There is a whiff of brioche bread but it comes and goes quickly. Plenty of citrus notes to be found especially as time goes on.

All first press juice from Grand Cru plots in Avize, Oger, and Cramant. Vines that go back thirty years. A zero dosage Blanc de Blancs is right up my alley. Despite the no dosage, there’s a distinct lack of zip here, along with a touch more sweetness than one would expect. Restrained acidity but a really nice mouthfeel. Disgorged in January of 2018 after being bottle aged for 18 months.

Smooth and easygoing in the mouth. A little off dry. Chalk and slate initially. Orchard fruit thereafter. Green apples abound along with almond slivers. Perfect as an apéritif. Exceedingly pleasant. — 5 years ago

Carter White

8.9

Richer, creamier style than prior years, probably more oak. I prefer it leaner but still very well made and enjoyable. — 5 years ago

Jeremy Krantz

9.3

Beautiful showcase of Pinot Gris grapes and stunning color. This one was served chilled and opened up over the course of the thirty or so minutes at ambient temp. I get a little sweetness and some blood orange hidden in there as well. It's slightly viscous. Another hit from Marigny. — 5 years ago

Michael

9.4

Outrageous. Honey, hay, apricots, wet leaves. Lovely structure. One of my favorite things to drink

Opened up after thirty min to an hour and evolved subsequently. Lots of dried fruit. Burnt orange and orange marmalade. Tastes like it belongs on a danish. — 5 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

One half of a double-blind, France Vs. USA 1990 vintage showdown that also included a Chateau Meyney Saint-Estephe. Both wines had great provenance and were properly cellared over the last thirty years. I opened both bottles about three hours before we got into them. Corks on both wines had held up very well but looked pretty gnarly. The Rafanelli exhibited great color, noticeable darker than the Meyney and quite a bit of sediment too which left the appearance a bit cloudy but certainly not murky. The fruit was remarkably fresh! Red and dark fruits with leather, red rope licorice, mushrooms and a heavier amount of smoke than the Meyney. Full bodied. This was remarkably tannic still! As I mentioned in my note about the Meyney, it was really hard to chose a favorite between the two. I think the Meyney had a more compelling nose but the Rafanelli had a slightly more gratifying palate. Regardless, we were all winners tonight! Sort of blown away how well this Rafanelli has aged and it has years to go before it dies. Bravo! — 6 years ago

"Odedi"

9.3

Time for my #FridayCabernetfix.
Here is a beautiful one from Napa Valley.

Deep ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity nose with blueberries, black plums, cherries, vanilla, oak, licorice, spices, earth, chocolates, tobacco, coffee and black pepper.

Full-bodied, soft and smooth, with medium acidity and nice long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, sweet cherries, raisins, vanilla, cedar, licorice, cloves, cola, chocolates, bitter herbs, coffee, peppercorn, vegetables, pencil lead, tobacco and earth.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cranberries.

This is a wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Showing nice complexity with a very yummy mouthfeel.

Still young and needs time in the bottle to mature.

Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up. After 90 minutes of airtime, it shows more vegetable notes.

Good with food, but also a great sipper. Delicious now, but will be even better in the next 5 to 10 years.

I paired it with cheeses and light appetizers.

Had it all by myself. Sometimes you need to take time for yourself, with a good bottle of wine, right? 😂

A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 17% Merlot. Aged in 33% new French oak barrels.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$85. — 7 years ago

JKT

9.1

Beautiful golden color and floral mineral complex notes followed by a lifted palate firm texture and long almost biting finish. Sweetness is all subsumed. Great with a variety of dishes from salmon sushi bake to roast chicken. Yum. Thirty one years young! — 3 years ago

Timothy Lynch

9.2

Burgundian traditionalists will scream bloody murder. New World palates will jump for joy. Either way this ripe plush pinot is best consumed in the first thirty minutes. After that the wine shuts down completely leaving one a tad stunned. (24 hours in…still asleep.) Where from here? No idea. But, for the first thirty minutes an easy 9.2. (Served with Boeuf Bourguignon/egg noodles.). — 3 years ago

Stuart Pollack

9.2

Citrus! Nose of pure citrus. Palette is citrus, almost like an orange wine but far less intense. Great for Summer where it makes one feel like one is on a tropical resort. Very enjoyable. Thirty minutes of air before consuming is essential, and I would let it warm up closer to room temperature. — 4 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.2

Clear limpid bright brick… only a step or two above Rose. I was convinced for years that Nebbiolo and I were destined for serious antipathy. Barolos and Barbarescos were not my jam. Couple years ago I dined at Del Posto in NYC and splurged on a 40 year old Nebbiolo. I swirled, sniffed, swallowed and the heavens opened and lightning struck. I had tasted Nebbiolo for nearly thirty years and I’d never had one when ready. Mushroom, truffle, acidly up the butt… and simply delicious in its lightness and power. This wine is brand new… very young, but very much related to that $400 antique. Simply more fun than I’ve had with my cloths on since Covid. Simply delightful with pasta with red sauce and chicken Marsala. Glad I bought 6 and already plotting to get more! — 4 years ago

Ericsson

9.5

This Rioja has been tamed by time. The color on this wine is medium ruby with a colorless to brownish rim. The nose is a rustic bouquet of old dry cedar, leather, and tobacco, with scents of dry dark stone fruits and dark berries. Some tertiary wet earth and damp forest floor scents as well.

The mouthfeel is captivating with oak, smoke and vanilla followed by black cherry, prune, and raisins. This is full bodied, dry, and complex with smoothed out but lingering tannings and soft acidity. Low alcohol with a finish that goes on, and on, and on till the break of dawn. You literally keep tasting everything: the dry fruit, the tannings and the acidity.

Decanted and tasted over a two hour period. Handsdown one of the best Riojas I’ve ever tasted; many thanks to Somm Rodrigo Mares at Roothouse in Guadalajara for the exceptional gift. My only wonder is how this would have tasted in twenty thirty per say. I purchase all the wines I review but do keep in mind wine always tastes best when it's gifted. Cheers to more gifts like this one.
— 5 years ago

Chris Zitzman

9.3

“Before decanting- or even much of a breathe- the ‘15 Rocca Delle Macie, Chianti Classico Riserva floats right off the glass as if it knew it’d be opened soon. seriously - this is one of the more lush and powerfully expressive Chianti’s I’ve experienced. While blackberries and hints of cherry find their way to the nose- there’s something else there that, even after thirty minutes studying my little book of aromas- I cannot pinpoint! It’s an earthy-yet youthful, “sandstone-y” type of aroma. Which I’m sure doesn’t exist but, whatever- that’s what I got. And very, very much am digging. There is a notable roundness to this wine- both in the nose as well as on the palate. The finish is long and kind of “unwinding” other flavors I missed along the journey of the swig. For its price in particular, I would even invite staunch fans of Brunello Di Montalcino to have a go at this beautifully-expressive & precocious Chianti Classico Riserva from Rocca delle Macie. #PublicofRidgewood, #PublicofPrinceton, #chianti — 6 years ago

with Beth

Scott Cowan

9.1

Delicious. One of the best Languedoc blends I’ve tasted this side of France. Of course, in France, — all over France, in supermarchés and corner tabacs, let alone actual wine shops, devoted to the finest expressions of the noble grape — one has access to scores and scores of offerings from small producers who take pride in terroir handed down over generations and all manner of wine-making techniques to coax all manner of flavors from various grapes, handed down over scads more generations.
What’s this got to do with this particular wine?
Glad you asked! For under thirty bucks, in San Francisco (i.e., what locals here call “free”) at Costco, you can taste all these generations of wine making in this bottle. Many layers of flavors. Blended and buoyant and long lasting. Good after thirty minutes if breathing in the decanter. Better after an hour. Best the next day.
Serve with charcuterie, goat and sheep cheeses. — 7 years ago

Timothy Lynch

9.3

Just terrific! A tad monolithic on night one. Night two (with a thirty minute light chill) is a red berry fruit delight. I’m simply charmed by this bottling. — 3 years ago

Daniel Bloom

9.2

Perfecto!
An old, Chinchona infused vermouth that’s date, anise, bitter luscious.
Based on 20 yr. Oloroso.
W some soda on a hot day, pow!

@Delectable Wine : This is Valdespino Quina.




HISTORY

The history of the aperitif dates back to the 5th century B.C. when Hippocrates concocted a wine-based beverage macerated with wormwood flower and other herbs, which was traditionally used as a restorative and an appetite stimulant. In the late 1700s, in Italy, a flavored wine called "vermouth" was introduced as an appetite booster before meals. This tradition later spread to France and Spain.

In Spain, the aperitif and the "tapa" have together contributed to create a unique "social occasion" which has gradually become a key attraction for the general public and tourists worldwide; that is, the longstanding association of social gatherings with Spanish gastronomy.

The main difference between Spanish aperitifs (Vermouth and "Quina" or Tonic Wine, in particular) and their French and Italian counterparts lies in the quality of the aromatic flavors and the botanicals and fruits employed. Spanish aperitifs are somewhat sweeter and lighter, whereas Italian aperitifs are distinctive for their bitter flavor, while their French counterparts tend to be drier.

VALDESPINO AND
THE ORIGIN OF THE APERITIF

The connection between the Valdespino family and the aperitif dates back to the end of the 19th century and became especially relevant in the first quarter of the 20th century, at the height of the sherry wine boom.

By 1920 the House of Valdespino was already producing several wines macerated with root extracts and botanicals. They were called "tonics" and "quinados" and were recommended as "tonic – aperitifs" or "fortifiers", as shown on the labels of the time.

From 1930 until the second half of the 20th century, The House of Valdespino was particularly active in the production of beverages macerated with different botanicals, fruits and bitter root extracts (cinchona bark and vermouth). The company marketed several wines with considerable success, mainly on the domestic market but also in countries like the USA, where, in the 60s, Valdespino, together with their associate Jack Poust, launched a vermouth with orange called "Tomboe", designed mainly for the younger clientele.

Thanks to the boost provided at the time by the export of sherry wines to England and its overseas provinces, there was a boom in the production of wines made, or rather, macerated with the root of Cinchona Calisaya, whose bark, popularly called "quina", was the basis of quinine, an extract that contributed effectively to malaria prevention.

Since then, Valdespino has been macerating and bottling blends of different varieties of their own sherries.

THE ORIGIN OF
THE "JEREZ APERITIF"

The Estévez family, owners of Bodegas Valdespino since 1999, carried on with this tradition, and continued to macerate old wines from the different Valdespino soleras with various botanicals, natural extracts and fruits. These were small productions and batches, bottled for their own consumption, elaborated experimentally and in advance of what has now become the family's new collection.

The launching in 2021 of "Valdespino Aperitifs" represents an important milestone for the company, since it is a unique range in the Valdespino catalogue.

Valdespino's original "Tonic for the Sick" label, dating back over a century, has been selected in an attempt to recover some of the iconic designs from the family labels museum. The image, somewhere between Art Deco and vintage, has inspired the design, which is intended as a benchmark for today's aperitif ranges.

This is the first time that a Jerez winery has developed a collection of aperitifs by recovering old recipes and original labels from the early 20th century, using Very Old Oloroso Wines from the founding soleras of the Jerez firm, which today constitute our prized "VOS" and "VORS" (Sherry Wines of an average of over twenty and thirty years of age, respectively).


VERMOUTH

A coupage of Very Old Oloroso Sherry Wine (aged for 15 years) and Moscatel, which provides a stylish citrus note. After undergoing a hydro-alcoholic maceration process with bitter extracts of mugwort, coriander, elderberry and gentian, together with chamomile flowers, aromatic cloves, cinnamon, dried Seville oranges and juniper berries, the final blend is then aged in barrels which have previously contained Valdespino Oloroso Wines, all these coming together to make an intense and complex vermouth with a sumptuous balance of aromas.

This vermouth is a signature aperitif with an unmistakable identity characterized by the prominence of the Old Oloroso from Jerez, alongside an elegant dash of bitterness, which is offset by the sweetness of the Moscatel. The result is a subtly balanced taste with unique spicy and citrus notes provided by the botanicals and fruits.

Bright mahogany color with coppery tones.
Intense spicy aromas with hints of Oloroso Sherry.
Citrus notes from oranges, with a lovely, spiced blend of clove and gentian. An elegant, enveloping bitterness resulting in a complex yet smooth palate. Warm and welcoming, faintly sweet aftertaste.
Serve in a tumbler glass, with ice and a slice of grapefruit or orange. Ideal as an aperitif, accompanied by nuts, olives and pickles, it also combines superbly with canned fish tapas such as anchovies, pickled tuna and the like.

QUINA

This aperitif is the result of the coupage of 20-year-old Oloroso Wines with Pedro Ximenez from the soleras of our iconic PX "EL Candado". The procedure involves a hydro-alcoholic maceration process of Cinchona bark (Quina) with gentian root, natural licorice extract and nutmeg, along with a selection of dried citrus fruits, such as grapefruit and Seville oranges.

The result is a stylish, complex, one-of-a-kind aperitif with a bitter refreshing note. The Pedro Ximenez also provides a characteristic nuance of dried fruit (sultanas, dried figs, dates) that makes this tonic wine ever more unique.

A fresh and sweet palate with citrus and slightly tart notes, all wrapped up in a spicy combination of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla … leaning into the sweet reminders of the Oloroso Sherry barrels where it is aged.

Dark mahogany color with coppery tones.
Spicy aromas with vegetal notes from the botanicals and Oloroso Sherry.
Slightly bitter notes of Cinchona, combining well with the botanicals (licorice, nutmeg) and hints of dried fruits (dates, sultanas). A stylish citrus touch and the quinine bitterness bring about a warm, lingering aftertaste.
Ideal as a complement in cocktails (Rum Old Fashioned, Negroni, Mahattan, etc), it also makes for a perfect aperitif in a tumbler glass, on the rocks, with a cinnamon stick and a twist of orange.Serve with crisps, olives and pickles.


BODEGAS VALDESPINO
CTRA. N-IV, KM. 640 - 11408 - JEREZ, SPAIN
Bodegas Valdespino - All rights reserved 2021 — 3 years ago

David Kaplan

9.1

“Pierre à Feu is sourced from Vincent's thirty year-old Sauvignon Blanc vines that are planted on the silex (flint and clay) soils that extend east from the Cher River. When I asked why he named the wine Pierre à Feu (French for "flint", or literally, "firestone"), Vincent smiled, "The name 'Silex' was already taken," [by Didier Dagueneau's estate, who produces a similar cuvée of Sauvignon grown on flint and clay; however, the cost of one bottle of Domaine Didier Dagueneau "Silex" is about the same as a six-pack of Domaine Ricard Pierre à Feu.]

In the glass, this shimmering pale yellow-gold Sauvignon Blanc reveals enticing aromas of white grapefruit, bergamot, lemon verbena, and gun smoke, along with apricot, green mango, sage and orange oil, as the nose evolves over time. On the palate, the wine is silky, polished, precise and persistent, with a fine core of yellow-green citrus and exotic fruit flavors that echo the nose, all seasoned with its namesake flinty minerality throughout a seemingly endless finish.” — Moore Brothers — 5 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

One half of a double-blind, France Vs. USA 1990 vintage showdown that also included A. Rafanelli’s Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. Both wines had great provenance and were properly cellared over the last thirty years. I opened both bottles about three hours before we got into them. Corks on both wines had held up very well but looked pretty gnarly. The Meyney still looked quite youthful and was remarkably clear and exhibited gorgeous aromatics. Tobacco, green bell pepper, leather, berries, forest floor and smoke in that order. Tannins are fine and well integrated. Persistent acid. The finish was long and had a hint of burnt toast. In many respects, an evergreen wine that, while showing certain signs of age, certainly has many years of life ahead. It was really hard to chose a favorite between the two. I think the Meyney had a more compelling nose but the Rafanelli had a slightly more gratifying palate. Regardless, we were all winners tonight! — 6 years ago