Eric Urbani

9.4

This is a specialty liqueur brought from Brazil by a friend. Gorgeous honey flavor without being cloying at all - going to experiment with a few cocktails with this - abv 20.5%. — a year ago

Kevin Løk

9.0

Grateful for having visited this charming mom and pop domaine last summer and for finding room in the suitcase to bring this friend home. I guess there was some thought to wait but so it goes — no complaints here. Fruits have mellowed significantly in 16 months’ time if my booze-addled memory can be trusted (it can’t). Grip is getting grippier. I think we’re out of the young and ripe phase. Time to tuck these 17s away til the next pandemic. — 4 years ago

with Caroline

TheSkip

9.2

This wine made me think of all the different reasons we buy wine. Especially to buy in some quantity and especially "blind" not ever tasted it.

This hit a lot of the marks for me:
- visceral appeal based on my previous (and maybe current love) for the Elephant Six collective. I suppose that there is wine in homage to this makes me officially old.
- inaugural vintage. I love to get in on the ground floor of things
- recommendation of a trusted friend. @Greg Ballington is a steady hand in his thoughts and writings. His scores mean something. So a solid 9.2 was reason to act! Far better than my ramblings which are more fit for the back of the napkin to be tossed at the end of the eve.
- label. Yes. I do judge by the label. This is totally in my style.

This is a very nice wine! In the glass, there was the tell tale purple rim. Explosively fragrant with a melange of cedar and blackberry. I found the palate not exceptionally complex, but the blackberry and blueberry notes came through nicely.

Sometimes Syrah can finish quite sharply in a bitter sense. This finished quite beautifully and is my major reason for the score.

I am excited to try the big brother shortly. — 8 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.2

Delightful as an espresso cocktail but drink it in any glass you want with ice if you want. And it’s coffee so have it in the morning. If you want. — 2 years ago

Peter Sultan

9.3

An old trusted friend, a special year too. It’s not just the Gorgeous black fruits, or the perfect oak monster integration, or the balance-it’s really the lift & freshness that elevates this into one of my favorites, period. With some age it has also shedded some of its monolithic early character too. Love to taste in another five to seven years. Oh, & a remarkable value for about 28$ at its lowest price. — 5 years ago

David From The 504

9.6

Drank with a friend after a few cocktails... should have started with this puppy. — 8 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.1

Malvasia, Tocai Friuli, and Chardonnay blend that has become an old and trusted friend over the past few years. The 2019 is medium gold, bit higher ABV than past vintages at 14.1, and the weight on the palate is considerable though lively and not cloying. Round, sweet, juicy fruit with notes of melon, peach, and lychee dominate, but there’s a hint of funky shroomy bottom that balances things out before the creamy, lengthy finish. I’m so happy that these Cal-Ital blends are gaining a foothold in the New World. This wine rocks with Mediterranean cuisine like lamb/chicken Kabobs with dilled herby rice and creamy hummus. Solid QPR and I’m finding that as summer finally sneaks in, I’m popping more and more white table blends. — 3 years ago

Pippy Thatcher

8.9

Ahhh, a trusted friend. Robust, jammy, mild smoke. — 6 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.2

Working on an October entry and getting into absinthe. As far as price this is your friend. THE BEST black licorice. That’s all. I love it so much. Cocktails containing it to follow. — 6 years ago

Haute Epicurean

9.0

Balanced, fresh and clean --- like a trusted lifelong friend. Superb! — 8 years ago