Vivacity Fine Spirits
Ackerman
Cuvée du Bicentenaire Crémant de Loire Sparkling Blend 2014
Château Montrose
Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2010
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)
— 5 years ago
Château Margaux
Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2010
The 2010 Château Margaux performed far better at this horizontal than at Farr's blind tasting a few days later. It has a beguiling bouquet, highly perfumed with crushed violets infusing the blackberry and crushed strawberry scented, hints of pencil box and cedar emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. There is a wonderful sense of symmetry here with a silky elegant finish that is amazingly persistent. It is one of the best wines that Paul Pontallier ever made. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the BI Wines & Spirits 10-Year On tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, April 2020)
— 5 years ago
J. Navarre
Vieille Réserve Grande Fine Champagne Blend
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.
— 4 years ago
Château Figeac
St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2010
The 2010 Figeac has a youthful and exuberant bouquet with black cherries, boysenberry, cassis and violets that soar from the glass. There is no stopping the aromatics here. The palate is rich and sensual on the entry with precocious red fruit laced with blood orange and cedar. It firms up a little towards the structured finish that exerts fine grip and there is real persistence in evidence. This is a very classy 2010 Right Bank, this bottle showing even better than the example at BI Wines & Spirits a few days earlier. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal. (Neal Martin, Vinous, April 2020)
— 5 years ago
Domaine Alexis de Benoist
La Sagesse du Jesune Homme Gamay Noir 2014
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. — 2 years ago
Bloomer Creek Vineyard
Riesling Grüner Veltliner 2019
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. — 4 years ago
Château La Mission Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 2010
The 2010 La Mission Haut-Brion has a very flattering bouquet with detailed red and black fruit laced with chestnut, cedar and sous-bois. This is supremely well focused. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins. There is immense depth here, more savoury than expected with chestnut once again, white pepper and a tinge of dried blood towards the finish. Outstanding. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the BI Wines & Spirits 10-Year On tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, April 2020)
— 5 years ago
Bryant Family Vineyard
Proprietor Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Been breaking out some fun wines deep from the cellar to keep spirits HIGH during the stay at home Cali mandate. Day 10 is no exception......time for dinosaur steaks and a 2009 Bryant Family!!
Decanted 1 hour. An arresting deep dark garnet color(lots of cloudy sediment). On the nose: caught me completely off guard with stewed meat, black olives, band aids, some licorice, red berries, and floral. Taste: Wow, this is singing "Stairway to Heaven " ....no garage band version, this is Led Zeppelin 1970s!! Dark cherries, chocolate, espresso, tobacco.
A Mark Aubert beauty with fine, silky tannins coating the mouth. An elegant, rich, soft wine with a long toffee/blueberry finish — 5 years ago
Romain Fitoussi
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. — 2 years ago