Erica Cessna

9.2

PA fine wine & good spirits — 23 days ago

Doug Powers

9.9

[9 hour decant] Stunning vintage port, great aromatics, very fine color, super nice balance between fruit and spirits, super long, lingering finish, great wine to celebrate having hot water again in our house (7 days to locate and have a new water heater installed), pretty much a PERFECT bottle of vintage port!! — a year ago

with Jim

Paul T HB

9.5

Not a Rose’ Retailer notes, Blend of 35-50 year old cognac One of the best Cognacs ever to hit K&L, the Navarre Veille Reserve is the pride and joy of importer and K&L friend Nicolas Palazzi, the man behind the K&L Faultline Cognac and Guillon Painturaud expressions. Nicolas has told me time and time again that of all the brandies in his stellar lineup of grower-producer spirits, the Navarre fills him with the most pride. That's probably because it tastes so damn good. Jacky Navarre is one of the last purists among the artisan cognac distillers. The fourth generation of cognac makers in his family, located in Gondeville since 1811, he takes care of his small Grande Champagne estate with a very basic rule, "Let nature do most of the work." With the exception of an ultra-rare, impossible-to-get aged release, Navarre only makes one Cognac expression - the Vieille Reserve. It's made with 100% Ugni Blanc, and Jacky distills the brandy on the lees. The brandy sees no sugar, caramel or boise, and no water is added at the end. The natural 45% cask strength is achieved through evaporation! There are few other Cognac producers who take such care with their product and the attention to detail shows through in the flavor. The flavors of the grape are not overpowered by caramel or nougat, but are allowed to shine alongside supple vanilla. The finish is incredibly rich and wonderful, loaded with barrel spice and toasted nuts, but delicate and almost haunting in its litheness. Amazing in every way.
— 5 years ago

Erica Cessna

9.0

Fine wine good spirits clearance — a month ago

Romain Fitoussi

9.0

A fine sparkling, vinous, all in fruit, of a beautiful vivacity. Citrus fruits, white fruits, biscuit. Elegant.

Un pétillant fin, vineux, tout en fruit, d’une belle vivacité. Agrumes, fruits blancs, biscuit. Élégant. — 3 years ago

S.S. Mandani

9.4

Apple cider, mulling spices, cinnamon top note, yellow raisins baking on a pizza.

Fine, fine bubbles. Beads of freshness bursting with vivacity and life. Strong apricot and mango. Fruit forward, but also herbaceous on the mid palate. A bit of thyme, a bit of sage. Slight grapefruit astringent note right at the end.

Just enough to round out a full complexity of flavors. Super refreshing. Chill to the max and enjoy with an array of cheeses, on a lawn chair, with Indian food, or like me, post vegan Mexican from Jajaja watching a movie about extraterrestrial life. What can I say? I’m a nerd in more than a few ways.

Another winner from Bloomer Creek. The Guwerz comes first, then this, then the 100% Riesling. — 5 years ago

Amy O'Neill

9.1

Super light. Crisp. Close to Chablis. Really liked it. Recommended at Fine Wine & Spirits. Chardonnay but doesn't taste like it at all. — 4 months ago

Doug Powers

9.2

Dark fruits, spirits, a fair amount of structure showing (like Taylor), this is quite fine and should improve for 3-5 years, at least. I cannot recall seeing Ramos-Pinto often in California shops. — 3 years ago

with Jim

Romain Fitoussi

9.0

A solid Beaujolais-Village, bearing the stigma of the beautiful Beaujolais wines. Tiled ruby color, of a certain concentration. Superb open nose, between candied red fruits (cherry, strawberry), dried floral bouquet (Pink, peony, iris), white pepper, and notes of aerial evolution tending towards truffle, medley, nail polish. Close to a Burgundy in more airy and more floral. Fine and final body on vivacity. Beautiful nobility, superb for its price. Drink a little refreshed.

Un Beaujolais-Village solide, portant les stigmates des beaux crus du Beaujolais.
Robe rubis tuilée, d’une concentration certaine. Superbe nez ouvert, entre fruits rouges confiturés (cerise, fraise), bouquet floral séché (Rose, pivoine, iris), poivre blanc, et notes d’évolution aérienne tendant vers la truffe, pot-pourri, vernis à ongle. Proche d’un Bourgogne en plus aérien et plus floral. Corps fin et finale sur la vivacité. Belle noblesse, superbe pour son prix. À boire un peu rafraîchi. — 3 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.9

The 2010 Montrose boasts a killer bouquet with beautifully delineated black fruit laced with cedar and tobacco. With time its sous-bois scents become more prominent. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a little grainy in texture with fine acidity. This is a masculine and broody Saint-Estèphe that will need another decade in bottle to shave its edges. But what immense structure and density. Fantastic. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the BI Wines & Spirits 10-Year On tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, April 2020)
— 6 years ago