Upstairs Wine
Old Westminster Winery
Maryland Rosé Blend 2022
2022. Had it at the winery when it was released on 5 March and was hoping to enjoy some all summer. Well, I probably shouldn’t have put the bottle I bought in the upstairs fridge instead of cellar. Getting another in this month’s allocation, but may need a few more. Goes great with the goat cheese stuffed piquillo peppers and roasted olives I’m snacking on. — 3 years ago
Bel Colle
Riserva Monvigliero Barolo Nebbiolo 2004
The nose is pleasant but a bit musty and tired, like I’ve rented a 150 year-old farmhouse on the coast of Ireland for a quiet weekend away. Upstairs, in an old sock drawer, is an ancient bag of potpourri containing dried herbs, crusty rose petals, and lumpy brittle strawberries that mingle with the peat and damp hay drifting through the air. The palate is fresher, brighter, the same but somehow newer, like the proprietor of the old house, a 30-ish strawberry blond named Fiona, whose great-great-grandfather built this place with his bare hands, has burst through the front door to greet me with a wink and wry smile. Like her, this wine is feminine but not delicate, stout but not burly, complex but not ostentatious. I’ll spare you any further indulgence of this tortured metaphor, but this wine is nearly everything you want in a mature Barolo – the acid is bracing in a good way, the tannin fully resolved, the balance exquisite, the length prodigious. — 6 years ago
Mvemveraats
De Compostella Cabernet Franc Blend 2016
The nose has nice ruby, ripe, dark, floral currants/cassis. Fruits are slightly candied. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plums, dark cherries, blue & purple fruits with faint raspberries & strawberries. Dark chocolate, mocha, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, black turned earth, steep tea, soft leather, saddle-wood, fresh tobacco, eucalyptus/mint, dry brush with dark, red, blue and violet flowers.
The body is full. Tannins are robust, dry, dusty, meaty, tarry, chewy and sticky. The fruits on the palate are slightly candied & floral. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plums, dark cherries, blue & purple fruits with faint raspberries & strawberries. Dark chocolate, mocha, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, black turned earth, steep tea, soft leather, wood plank, dry tobacco with ash, dry crushed granite minerals, eucalyptus/mint, dry brush with dark, red, blue and violet flowers. The acidy is really nice. The finish is ripe, ruby, juicy leading to dry sticky tannins & minerals. Needs some more time but delicious now.
Photos of; the view from their tasting room, lots of beautiful original artworks from famous local artists...a few of them the Uncle of our host, examples of some of the soil structures around their tasting room vines and their upstairs tasting room.
@Shay A Same here. — 7 years ago
Raats
Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2018
It’s fuller & creamy on the nose than their Original Un-Oaked Chenin. More pronounced wet wool as well. Lemon, lime, grapefruit, white peach, green melon, honey notes, very under minerals & chalkiness, light straw notes, wafting dry herbs with yellow flowers and lilies.
The palate show a little more pronounced wet wool quality than the nose. Lemon, lime, grapefruit, white peach, green melon, honey notes, some cream, very under minerals & chalkiness, light straw notes, wafting dry herbs with yellow flowers and lilies. Nice round well done acidity. The finish is polished fruits, yielding to very pleasant minerality and chalkiness.
Photos of; the view from their tasting room, lots of beautiful original artworks from famous local artists...a few of them the Uncle of our host, examples of some of the soil structures around their tasting room vines and their upstairs tasting room. — 7 years ago
Keermont
Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
The nose shows, ruby, ripe, dark currants. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark sour cherries, blueberries & black plum. Vanilla, dark spice, clove, black, rich soil, soft leathery notes, tobacco with ash, some graphite, blue flowers, violets and some lavender.
The tannins dusty and sticky. ruby, ripe, dark currants. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark sour cherries, blueberries & black plum. Vanilla, dark spice, clove, black, rich soil, soft leathery notes, tobacco with ash, some graphite, blue flowers, violets and some lavender. The acidy is good. The finish starts ripe and quickly slides into dry tannins & earthiness. Needs a bit of time to show its better self.
Photos of; Keermont property as viewed from the top of their hillside vineyards, tasting terrace and his upstairs tasting room where we tasted.
— 7 years ago
Domaine de L'Arjolle
Synthèse Côtes de Thongue Merlot 2015
Vintage 2015 | brown rim, cedar, laurel, flint. It was three years ago I tasted this terra vitis Languedoc wine and I took all my bottles from the cellar upstairs. Good premonition, the wine is à point. Good taste, easy now without tannins, a bit sultry. Perhaps the wine was more interesting when young, because it had more tension. Lovely though. Paired with spaghetti tunafish. | second day +0,2 air makes it more rounded and completes the sultryness — a year ago
Donati Family Vineyard
Claret Paicines Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
A few years ago I tried one bottle of this central coast Bordeaux blend anticipating it would be very fruit forward and typical of the Cabernet-based wines from that area. Instead of getting the overwhelming fruit, I got a very well structured and balanced young wine that I could tell was made with great restraint and care. I guess the rest of the half case that I bought from Last Bottle Wines for very short money as best as I can recall was misplaced and ended up hidden in the back corner of my basement. Clearing out a few things for the holidays, My significant other brought a bottle Upstairs for us to try. Just upon cracking the bottle I could smell the tremendous aroma of a new world highly crafted wine that one would expect to come from one of the renowned vineyards in Napa. We decanted the wine as there was a fair amount of sediment indicating the winemaker was an originalist and did not filter nor did he or she fine the wine. On the first sip I was shocked that this Appellation with with the finesse of a artisanal wine maker with could produce a Stags Leap or Rutherford quality Bordeaux blend! Amazing! Congratulations to the growers, and makers of this excellent bottle! — 4 years ago
Paul Dolan Vineyards
Mendocino Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Costco repeat buy. Love/ definite a fav cab ( bold, smooth, good finish)
(enjoyed w Jenny @ her house while kids played upstairs ) — 7 years ago
Raats
Stellenbosch Cabernet Franc 2016
The Raats 2016 Cabernet Franc shows ripe, lush and beautifully floral fruits. Blackberries, dark plum, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries dark chocolate, mocha, caramel, vanilla, light; cinnamon, clove & nutmeg, herbaceous notes, tobacco, dry crushed minerals, saddle-wood, black, dark, rich soils and fresh, red, dark and blue florals. Beautiful acidity. Elegant, ripe, well polished, rich finish.
Photos of; the view from their tasting room, lots of beautiful original artworks from famous local artists...a few of them the Uncle of our host, examples of some of the soil structures around their tasting room vines and their upstairs tasting room.
@Shay A I think you would like their Cabernet Franc and appreciate the QPR as well if you can find them in TX or another state that can ship to you. — 7 years ago
Raats
Dolomite Cabernet Franc 2016
Dolomite translates to decomposed.
The nose has bright, ripe cassis. Blackberries, blue and purple fruits, black raspberries and poached strawberries. Dark, rich earth, a little vanilla & caramel, soft wood notes, light leathery quality, black licorice, dark berry cola, understated granitic soils with bright, blue, purple and red fresh florals.
The body is round, lush and near full. The powder, dry, dusty, meaty, tarry and sticky tannins. Nice structure, tension, length and balance. Easy to drink early but, better in five years. The fruits are bright and ripe. Blackberries, blue and purple fruits, black raspberries and poached strawberries. Dark, rich earth, a little vanilla & caramel, soft wood notes, light leathery quality, dry tobacco with ash, black licorice, dark berry cola, understated granitic soils with bright, blue, purple and red fresh florals. The acidity is like a river. The finish is ripe and well balanced.
Photos of; the view from their tasting room, lots of beautiful original artworks from famous local artists...a few of them the Uncle of our host, examples of some of the soil structures around their tasting room vines and their upstairs tasting room. — 7 years ago
Tenuta San Guido
Bolgheri Sassicaia Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2012
Usually not a huge fan of Italian wines, but yeah, have been buying some Sassicaia over the years. As I put away some wines I stumble across this 2012 that should be ready to drink, so I bring it upstairs to decant it. Great nose and typical flavor profiles emerge. Nice acidity and a some background menthol flavors that remind me of some great Chateau Musar vintages. This is a vibrant wine with tannins still strong, but integrated; better on day 2.
Not one of my favorite wines, no surprise, but a solid well-made enjoyable Bordeaux blend — 2 years ago
Mud House Wines
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
We had at Louise's upstairs. Very nice - would have again — 4 years ago
Château de Grand Pré
Beaujolais Gamay
Fuller bodied glou from Violette. Drank on lionels first bday upstairs in 56 with MarDav — 6 years ago
Château de Montfort
Demi-Sec Vouvray Chenin Blanc 2017
Glass at wine bistro upstairs at urban space manhattan. Sweetest reisling she had, though I thought it had nice balance. Paid 14 for glass for a bottle that cost 16 — 7 years ago
Raats
Red Jasper Red Blend 2016
The 2016 Jasper is a blend of; 60% Cabernet Franc, 31% Malbec , 7% Petit Verdot & 2% Merlot.
The nose is a little shy. Muted, ruby, dark berry fruits. Dark, rich soils, herbaceous notes, woody notes, powdery minerals, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries and poached strawberries. Hints of caramel & mocha, black licorice and dark & blue fresh flowers.
The body is ripe, juicy and full. Dark, spices, tarry, meaty and sticky tannins. Ruby, dark berry fruits. Dark, rich soils, herbaceous notes, wood plank, powdery minerals, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries blue fruits, and poached strawberries. Touch of mint, crushed, dry granite, dry brush, hint of caramel & mocha, black licorice and dark & blue fresh flowers. The acidy is again very good. The finish is well balanced, ripe, juicy and evolves on the long palate set with dark spice and dry tannins.
Photos of; the view from their tasting room, lots of beautiful original artworks from famous local artists...a few of them the Uncle of our host, examples of some of the soil structures around their tasting room vines and their upstairs tasting room.
— 7 years ago
Raats
Original Unwooded Chenin Blanc 2018
Raats was an interesting visit from all our others. Raats is considered a small producer in the 8th ranked wine producing country in the world.
Raats buys the majority of their fruit. The vines around their tasting room, they work but, do not own. They produce their wines at another producer’s facility. It’s a daunting expense starting a Cellar Door or Winery. Custom wine crush facilities are a trend not just in Napa but, other parts of the world as well. In this particular case, it saves the owner enough money to drive the very nice cars parked outside their tasting room, one a Ferrari.
This is their no wood/oak Chenin Blanc.
The nose shows; soft tones of wet wool, peach, white, lemon, dry green herbs, grapefruit, chalkiness, volcanic minerals & yellow flowers.
The body is round, full and beautiful. Soft wet wool, peach, white, green melon, a little sour lemon, dry green herbs, grapefruit, chalkiness, palate pressing medium intensity volcanic minerals & yellow flowers. Nice round acidity and a well balanced, polished finish.
Photos of; the view from their tasting room, lots of beautiful original artworks from famous local artists...a few of them the Uncle of our host, examples of some of the soil structures around their tasting room vines and their upstairs tasting room.
— 7 years ago
Thomas-Labaille
Les Monts Damnés Chavignol Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc 2015
Staycation 2018 @CAA ; Josie is upstairs FREAKING OUT and we enjoyed ridiculously good mussels in a lobster curry broth, caesar salad, pork + halibut. Solid night for romance, per Danny. As for the wine, not as dry as AUS SBs, though light fruit with a quick finish. Easy to drink and would have again. Now to finish so we can eat affogato and return to Josie before she dies of a heart attack (that old dog does *not* like change) — 8 years ago
Bestpolar
Château de la Coste Rothschild Margaux 2020 in Coffee Room of Naval and Military St James for my birthday with Tig (RAF) and Xavier (won 7s major Cup last week) and Deborah upstairs earlier ✅ — 3 months ago