David Shaw

8.9

Revisiting the cider — 22 days ago

romo

9.2

Best of three very good single-variety bottlings (S, G, and this M). Slightly savory with judicious oak and some stems — 2 years ago

Lance E. Farman

8.9

My standard for perry is very high. This is very good. Perry is hard to execute and this is close to textbook. — 4 years ago

George

9.8

Ascender Ginger- Crisp dry with a hint of ginger — 7 years ago

Vanessa

9.2

Here we have the Benoit Lahaye ‘Blanc de Noirs’ – a non-vintage white bubbly made with 100% Pinot Noir, representing a blend of two parcels in Bouzy (Vaux-Bétins & Raies Tortues), each contributing a unique personality to the cuvée.

Harking back to more traditional winemaking methods, it was barrel-fermented naturally & bottled without filtration.

It has a pale gold hue w/ expressive aromas & flavors of baked red apple, cider, raspberry, fruit cake, lemon curd, cherry blossom, toast, clove, cinnamon, pastry, almond paste, and nougat next to chiseled mineral & wet stone notes.

With an ‘extra brut’ dosage (5g of sugar/L), this wine is bone dry, with a fine-beaded, creamy mousse, that is nicely balanced by a racy acidity. It has a kinetic energy & persistent finish. It’s absolutely delicious.

Who ever said you can’t sip bubbles on a Monday night?

I believe every day is worth celebrating in one form or another. Plus, this counts as studying for our WSG Champagne Masters class. Also, it’s Eiffel Tower Day!!

Cheers. — 3 months ago

with Deked1

GV

9.4

Henney's is a modern cider with roots only back to the 1990s, but they very much make their drinks using g traditional methods of pressing the fruit and using local Herefordshire apples.

This is a delightful amber coloured cider with good apples aromas that show it is real cider with real apples. It is a [very] moreish medium sweet taste with the apples, a little caramel and just enough tartness to make this a real summer stunner.

Adam and Eve may have got in trouble with an apple but Henney's are the Gods of cider. — 3 years ago

Rhonely Boy

9.1

Slight haze (10 month skin contact in clay vessle, natural ferment, unfined, unfiltered, sediment in bottle) medium yellow-gold

Clean scent, very mild scent of apple cider vinegar, stones, youthful and would be interested to see where the aromas go with age. Smells like a good healthy natural wine.

Dry, medium acidity, medium tannin, medium body, medium intensity of clay and stones, light notes of dry under ripe peach.

Wine is more about texture than fruit and other characteristics. Medium finish.

Nice wine, not your typical Marsanne, look forward to future vintages. Would be interesting to see a portion of the Marsanne (or Roussanne) done in stainless (fruit retention) and blended in. Should talk with Big Basin about Roussanne - “2015 Roussanne Homestead Block is a super-expressive wine. In this vintage, most of the wine (80%) was fermented and aged in amphora, an approach that has worked beautifully here.”

TECHNICAL INFO
* Appellation: El Dorado Vineyard: Fenaughty Varietal: Marsanne Clone: Tablas Age: Planted 1990 Elevation: 2600 feet Soil: Decomposed granite w/red clay loam Harvested: September 12, 2017 Pressed: July 18, 2018 Maceration: 10 months in handmade Italian clay Fermentation: Wild yeast and bacteria Bottled: August 10, 2018 Production: 59 cases Release date: November 2018 — 7 years ago

Abbas Zand

9.3

Orange blossom, and marmalade aromas.
Sweet entry, orange, and citrus marmalade flavors. Bright acidity. Ends without leaving too much of a sweet aftertaste.
Excellent desert wine, or with spicy food.
$10 — 5 months ago

Winton Sweum

8.9

Medium gold; nose subdued by a bit of oxidation but showing mineral, wood and a touch of honey; just medium bodied with enough cider-apple fruit and mineral to balance the brightish acidity, and finishing slightly saline. Romo, why not? — 2 years ago

with Laura

Kristin the Wine Girl

9.2

Oaked pomegranate cranberry nose with sundried strawberry pomegranate craisin campfire cider palate. Perfect Thanksgiving wine. — 6 years ago