Jay Kline

9.4

La Ca’Növa is now under fifth generation leadership; they used to sell all their fruit to Gaja. Super traditional methods with a twist; they used botti made of Austrian oak instead of Salvonian. Vigna Bric Mentina is a sub cru of the Montefico MGA where the soils are relatively sandy.

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two hours. The 2015 “Vigna Bric Mentina” pours a garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity and no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe Morello cherry, raspberry, strawberry, roses with freshly cut stems, cedar chest, dried herbs and gravelly earth and minerals. There’s also a kiss of VA, just in case you needed a reminder that this is a traditional Italian wine, lol! On the palate, the wine is bone dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and slightly savory. This is absolutely baller. How did I sleep on this producer for so long? Oh yeah…I remember: access. I live in Omaha. Welp…now I have another producer to chase. Drink now with patience (enjoy the ride!) and through 2045. — 14 days ago

Joanne Frette

8.9

Petillance and bright acidity. Melt water with wild strawberries. — 5 years ago

Melissa Gill

9.1

Get me to the beach — 5 years ago

Michael Chelus

9.1

Black cherry, raspberry, currant, vanilla, blackberry and oak. Medium-bodied and soft tannins. — 3 months ago

Matthew Cohen

9.6

Nose: mostly closed on open. Some peach skin. Tiger lilies. Yellow roses. Really pretty with some air. Almost a little vanilla bean but not in an oak way. A 9.6 nose.

Palate: dry elegant peach. A kiss of honey. Mineral. Very elegant. Expansive. A kiss of elegant richness. as this opens more just pure elegance. That vanilla bean. A kiss of peach.

Fass selections. — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Henriot often flies under the radar and I get it, there are so many options out there...but don’t sleep on this house. This, their most modest offering, delivers immense pleasure for the price. A near 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (I guess they use 5% Pinot Meunier) the Brut Souverain displays well ripened pears, lightly roasted nuts, slightly burned brioche and a kiss of citrus. The texture is rich and creamy. The finish is long and satisfying. No disgorgement data. While there is a code on the back, I was social and wasn’t going to give myself the brain damage to decode that mess. — 5 years ago

Keaton Kail

9.5

I feel like I’m rating this so high but if you’ve got a more impressive $30 American Chardonnay tell me about it 👇🏻.

Seamlessly mineral-driven, unencumbered on the palate by a kiss of oak, and distinguished by a bright purity of acid expressed as citrus oil and apple juice. Greek yogurt, lemon curd, perfectly ripe Granny Smith, tart pineapple, salted butter puff pistachio pastry. — 6 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Opened just prior to dinner and decanted. The 2010 “Reflet” pours a deep ruby/purple color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with heady notes of dark brambles, spiced cured meat, purple flowers, black pepper, Kalamata olive, dried green herbs, granitic earth, and a kiss of warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is squarely in the zone and fantastic stuff. Drink now through 2035+. — 3 months ago

Shay A

9.4

For planning purposes of something in the future, I tasted 2014 central coast Syrahs from high end producers blind. Along with the Lillian (my bottle), there was SQN, Andremily, Torrin Akasha, Booker Fracture, Alban Reva and Alban Lorraine.

First off, I love these wines. The price in comparison to the others is impressive, and it always delivers. I double decanted this about two hours prior to the blind tasting. Dark purple in the glass, with aromatics of both sweet oak as well as whole cluster stem inclusion. Loads of dark floral notes, ripe blackberries, cherry jerky and that kiss of sweet oak. The palate remained the same from opening through the end of the blind tasting…a distinctly fuzzy profile on the palate with gorgeous mid palate depth and richness of blue and black fruits with plenty of herbal flair and spice. It toes the line between cool climate Syrah with their signature black peppercorn and iron, as well as big central coast Rhône style with its rich and textural palate. No rush on opening, but it sure is great now.

Out of the 7 in the lineup, this was the “cheapest”, and tied for 3rd place (with the Andremily being the runaway favorite, Alban Lorraine taking second, and this tying the SQN). — 5 years ago

Matt

9.2

Like drinking lightning bolts ⚡️ Ripe green pear, white peach, tart citrus, zest and pith, citrus blossom, tea leaves, crushed chalk, a layer of spring honey just barely. Tense on day one with electric acidity. Day 2 showing more aromatic complexity and a kiss of breadth on the palate. So much acid and rocks. Day 4 still fresh as a daisy — 6 years ago