Burnt carmel, nuts, concentrated, with verve. A real treat. — 2 years ago
One of the January ‘21 selections from Verve Wine’s Grand Tour subscription. Takes me back to Italy - like a great house wine this is better than the price point. Verve says go with pork ragu but we did Berkeley’s Cheese Board veggie pizza and it’s all there, it quenches and you want more, a perfect dinner wine. Love it. — 3 years ago
The 2006 ‘Pedestal’ is a sinfully good warm vintage Merlot by superstar enological consultant Michel Rolland that is drinking marvelously at now thirteen years of age. Following a long decant, the Merlot slowly unveils ripe black currants that combine with sandalwood, cigar ash and Turkish coffee aromatics that meld together in the glass. The palate has tremendous freshness and verve considering its age, as this silky wine effortlessly glide across the mid-palate. Still showing serious power and concentration, the ‘Pedestal’ leads with a deep core of dark fruits that mingle with suggestions of milk chocolate, pipe tobacco, leather and anise flavors that sing in harmony. Fantastic now, this beautiful wine has at least another decade of life left. Drink 2019-2028- 94 — 4 years ago
Dark inky in color with a short, dirty brick rim.
Strong nose of black currants, cooked plums, oak, licorice, spices, coffee, pencil lead, cola, peppercorn, leather, bone fire smoke, dark chocolates and sweet candy.
Full bodied and soft with medium plus acidity and nice legs.
Dry on the palate with plums, cherries, strawberries, currants, wood, licorice, spices, dark chocolates, black pepper, graphite, peppercorn, leather, vegetables, tobacco and espresso.
Medium plus on the finish with fine grained tannins and tart raspberries.
This is a very nice Brazilian Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Feels like an old world wine.
This 8 year old has a nice mouthfeel, but not fully balanced. The mid palate is very tasty, until the ending, which is a bit too tart for my taste. I actually liked the nose better than the palate.
Needs 90 minutes to open up properly and remove the barnyard notes.
Paired very nicely with food.
Thank you Alex for sharing.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tannant. Aged in Oak barrels. A small production of only 4250 bottles. This blend was only produced in this 2011 vintage.
13.5% alcohol by volume.
89 points. — 4 years ago
The 2019 Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard is another incredibly distinctive wine in this range. Candied ginger, passionfruit, lemon confit, white flowers and tangerine oil give this mid-weight Chardonnay tons of character. Bright acids lend freshness and verve to a Chardonnay that is very much on the exotic side of things. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2023) — a year ago
I am amazed that sitting with this wine this weekend actually showed better than from a 1.5L several years ago. Glorious in all of its unctuous splendor, the 2003 Chateau Coutet is one of the great wines made this vintage. The balance mid-palate is incredible, as is the unctuous texture. Rich vanilla creme brulee, butterscotch and roasted pineapple tones combine with minerals, and sour mango on the palate. With serious weight and verve, this is really singing now at the seventeen year mark and will continue to provide drinking enjoyment at least for another decade. Drink 2020-2032- 96 — 4 years ago
Carter White
Depth, complexity, verve, it has it all, fantastic! — a month ago