1st monthly wine group meetup for 2025, and everyone went big tonight. Nose: dark fruit, wet forest floor, sweet spice, cedar, truffles, touch of roasted meat. Taste: silky, energetic, balanced wine with red plum/berries, minerals, damp earth, tobacco, cinnamon chocolate espresso wrapped up in an amazing medium plus finish. YUM! — 23 days ago
Tout a été dit et redit sur le Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select et le duo Doug Shafer et Elias Fernandez. Par contre un peu moins sur le Chardonnay Red Shoulder. Il provient du Red Shoulder Ranch dans le district de Carneros au nord de la vallée de Napa. Red Shoulder est une espèce d'épervier qu'on retrouve près du vignoble. Le 2021 est un vin achevé. La robe est jaune claire sans aucun signe de vieillissement. Le nez est complexe avec des notes de gingembre, de citron, de beurre et de vanille. En bouche le liquide est puissant, long, avec les mêmes saveurs qu'au nez avec du fruit de la passion en prime. L'alcool est un peu dérangent en bouche avec ses 14,9%. Ça se goûte ! — 24 days ago
Renowned for being well made, medium gold color, fine bubbles and mousse, aromas of fresh stone fruits, warm biscuits and hints of floral, blend of 66% pinot noir and 34% chardonnay. On the palate fresh fruit flavors of white peaches, cherries and baked apple with hints of citrus zest. Long elegant finish ending with rich yeasty mineral character. Bring on the tuna tartare! — 21 days ago
No notes. Silky white flower palate, medium bodied, mineral core. Saludos Armenia!! Paired beautifully with spicy white bean stew with Harissa & jalepeno. Was inspired after watching Somm 4, which documents an Armenian iconoclast fighting the odds to revive his native wine culture. — 22 days ago
Highlight of the night! And a surprise to some degree. I kind off had given up on Lynch Bages. Given the high price, to me, the 2015 and 2016 were below expectation. But, boy, this 2018 rung all bells. Super concentrated, layers of evolving dark cherry, blueberry, current flavors and a superb balanced finish. All one could wish for. — 23 days ago
Poured into a decanter maybe an hour prior to service. The 1970 Tondonia Gran Reserva pours a garnet color with a transparent core, moving towards a slightly orange rim. Medium viscosity with light staining of the tears and some signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous and absolutely brilliant with a mix of desiccated and ripe fruits: dried Morello and Montmorency cherry, cocoa powder, mushrooms, old leather bound books, an entire cabinet full of dried herbs and spices, a memory of barnyard and a deciduous forest floor. On the palate, the wine is dry with good structure still: medium tannin (fully integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and makes me believe there is something bigger than us in this life. This bottle, on this afternoon, gives the confidence to embrace the mystery. Drink now with an hour of air but I get the sense this is one of those Energizer Bunny wines… — 23 days ago
Gilbert Van Hassel
Old school barstool showing what nebiolo can do. Very refined tannins, a bit port like burn. Excellent. Too bad Flavio is not well and may stop making wine.
— 21 days ago