From the Rock Block series, the 2018 Magic Nights is the latest iteration of this compelling succession. Black berry and mineral notes are beautifully weighted, with a mid-palate that brings on the…
Earthy and slightly flat on entry, with the front end giving comparatively less oomph than its siblings. A linear and stemmy execution, with dusty gravel, green peppercorns, blackberry seed, and…
Unripe red raspberry, sour red cherry, green peppercorn, and plum skin notes present as painfully young, holding the fruit back a thousand yards from expansion. With vigorous swirling in the glass,…
Though I was admittedly less drawn to the second vintage iterations of the Allbaer collection (they were not PS), I continue to love this inaugural representation of the brand, finding the Un Petit…
Sour red cherry, dust, and bitter bark. Light and linear, with a complete drop-off on the finish. Not a ton going on here except some sour and bitter notes competing with some light-bodied red fruit…
Not sure the deal here. A strong bitterness, with blackberry seed and an acrimonious pasty finish that paws at the palate and leaves a furry texture in the mouth. A concerning showing.
I could cut and paste most of my tasting notes for the 2019 Songbook and place them along with the beautiful 2018, with the exception of the slightly dialed-back ostentatiousness displayed with the…
Initially a red berry and cedar dominant profile, which quickly gave way to vivacious black cherry, spice, gravel, and faint hints of Italian seasoning (dried thyme and oregano). The spice and cedar…
There is a celestial weightlessness with this wine that highlights its ability to be both powerful and harmonious. Textbook Grenache flavors of kirsch, red and black cherry, garrigue, and herbs are…
This comes off as big and brash, with a mid-palate that wants to desperately go deeper but is stifled by the sense of booze and grainy grippiness. Crunchy blackberry seeds, chocolate cake batter, and…
A bit less gushing than the Profuga and a bit more muted on the finish (gently clipped by some unresolved wood and acid - which I personally don't mind for the purpose of cradling the ripe and…
Similar to my note on January 4, 2022 (more info than you probably need to know in that note), the Estate Cuvee shows much more complex and reachable than the bruiser boy Côte-à-Côte. Where the…
As was before when I sampled this last year, the Profuga is a wonderfully deep and unctuous outpouring of dark berry, black spice, and fresh earth goodness. Darker than the 2019 Distenta I Grenache…
Ready, giving, luscious, chewy, and a big polar bear hug of black berries and chocolate chunk goodness that doesn't skip a beat in terms of textural dreaminess and seamlessness. The 2012 Harlan's…
Day One: Balled up, spun up, angry, and.angry. A double-decant for a few hours prior and a constant house arrest monitoring/revisiting over another five hours did nothing to nudge this stubborn…
With Bill Harlan's assertions that he is crafting wines from the Bond brand that are designed to age, then the 2002 Vecina makes a compelling argument as to why that is indeed true. Earthy and…
This dude was ready to go in so many ways, even with relatively limited decanting acrobatics. Double-decanted a few hours before consumption and then followed over the course of 4-5 additional hours,…
This is the obvious standout for me amongst the 2018 Bonds, with well-delineated blackberry, unripe plum flesh, purple and red plum skin, and red cherry flavors complimented by a meaty element adding…
The first line on my notes reads, "Of course. Why wouldn't 2019 be epic?! It's like it's not even fair to any other wine on the table." .though, in fairness, I will admit there was a bottle with some…
Boy oh boy, here we go with the blackberry biggin of biggins. I was instantly reminded of the 2019 Bevan Crane, with the oak and the coffee and the riiiiich berry fruit.and the oak. I suppose there…
Boy is this a tight and stubborn monkey; a little awkwardness and wonky alcohol surfaced here, further distracting from the would-be flavors hoping to emerge on the delivery. Furry, flinty, and…
Though there was a certain group who preferred the 2016 Venge served next to the 2013, I appreciated the extra tension the 2013 provided. For me, the 2013 and 2016 couldn't be more different. For…
Blackberry and plum notes provide the plushest and most rounded profile (by Bond standards) of the 2018 lot. Air becomes somewhat of a weapon here, with extended time in the glass clamping down on…
