Wish For (iga)
Thierry Allemand
Chaillot Cornas Syrah 2012
Frecciarossa
Sillery Oltrepò Pavese Pinot Nero
Like a rich Chardonnay. 2021 vintage for $25. Wish I could find more of it. — 2 years ago
Château Lynch-Bages
Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1989
The 1989 Lynch-Bages is arguably the pinnacle of a fecund era for the Pauillac estate. The aromatics bowl you over with their intensity and precision, complex and brimming with personality: black fruit laced with graphite and blood orange. It would shade many a First Growth. The palate is medium-bodied with gorgeous, multi-layered black fruit on top of graphite and tobacco with just a faint touch of meat juices towards the entrancing finish. Frankly, there is nothing more that you could wish from a Pauillac that is audacious and utterly charming. Tasted at the château both in bottle and double-magnum formats. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2023) — 3 years ago
Leeuwin Estate
Art Series Margaret River Chardonnay 2011
Typical nose of an Art Series Chardonnay with that dried pear character. On the medium weight palate a nice combination of ripe grapefruit and under ripe yellow peach. Medium minus acid. One can’t help but love this Chardonnay. A wonderful terroir, the Gin Gin clone, great winemaking, and an excellent vintage - ticks all the boxes. At its peak but enough acid for a few more years if you wish. That was my last bottle of the 2011. — 2 years ago
Dom Pérignon
Brut Champagne Blend 1996
Zing! Superlative bottle for superlative occasion, how I wish this was my birth year… beautiful balance of freshness either secondary, rounded characteristics. — 3 years ago
Heitz Cellar
Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1978
After missing a ‘70s and ‘80s Heitz vertical many years ago, I vowed to seek out a bottle as all the comments from the tasting were astoundingly positive. My last bottle of Heitz Martha’s was the ‘01 (which was great) a few years ago, but at 46yrs, this was quite the experience.
The ‘78 has a bit of a legendary status, so expectations were high. Upon opening, the cork was in good shape (sigh of relief) and the color was unbelievably dark ruby with some bricking (another sigh of relief). The singular signature menthol/eucalyptus began to fill the glass, alongside aromatics of red berry fruits, espresso, some sort of sweet brown sugar/caramel note, and a savory-graphite type note too. Beautifully elegant on the palate with more red fruit, herbs (bay leaf?), and even some pipe tobacco (subdued, not in your face), but it sports the classical old Napa cab profile that is pure. Spectacular wine, and I could simply smell the wine all day…the aromatics were so powerful the entire time.
Open in bottle for three hours and powered through the entire time. Wish I had another so I could have the same experience! — a year ago
Shay A
Opened for a buddy’s birthday, alongside a 2005 Tatty Comtes, 2015 Cristal, 2018 Realm Falstaff and 2023 Kobayashi M/R.
I still remember my first Allemand seven years ago and how it immediately reeled me in and every bottle since has been the exact same. The rusticity and feral nature of Cornas is why for me, as a Syrah fanboy, it’s the best and most pure region for this wonderful grape.
Removed cork about an hour before pouring. Initial notes of olive, black pepper spice and herbs, some smoked meat and a brief blood-orange citrus aromatic. Deep red/black in the glass. There’s a layer of brett (low level, adds to the intrigue, doesn’t detract) and lavender bouquet before peppered strip, herbs, raspberries and blackberries, and a sanguine tang hit the palate. Not sure of whole cluster use here but seems there’s a little bit (which I love). Wild but civilized. Medium-plus bodied with beautiful acidity and plenty of tannin for this to cruise years. On the early side, but these are so hard to resist in every phase.
I wish I could drink this every day. I need to find a wine of similar style at a better price point. — 5 months ago