The nose is almost feral and wild, like it's gonna blast you with a fistful of Stemmy-McStemminess. Then the palate front-loads the tastebuds with rich berry fruit. There are some rocks and bark that…
California Chardonnay richness catches you first on the front end, but then the acidity rushes to the party and envelops the inside of the cheeks. Amazingly buttery without being buttery or popcorny;…
Hey now, for as much as Ultramarine can be a hit/miss experience for me, this thing did every right tonight. Offerings from Heintz have produced the most consistent and best lineages from this house.…
Much more chiseled than the 2018 Heintz Rose, though less overtly exuberant, this 2019 Hirsch Rose offers up crisp strawberry, crunchy watermelon, pink grapefruit, orange spray, and travertine notes…
A solid rendition of Eastside, if not understandably juvenile and a bit unresolved. Air broadened the spectrum and expansion of flavors, but had a tendency to flatten the focus as it warmed in the…
The 2014 Stonestreet Upper Barn is less succulent and engaging than the 2006 Peter Michael Mon Plaisir (Upper Barn) and 2022 Sphaerics (if and only if - Upper Barn) served beside it. There is a nice…
The 2006 Peter Michael Mon Plaisir has a blast from the past similarity to the 2022 Sphaerics, with a little bit of a sherried profile without being too pineapple-y. Still good freshness here; kinda…
I finally figured it out. Any time I can't decide between a Hefeweizen or a Champagne, I reach for Ultramarine. The brats and kraut sparkling wine. The chotomy to my dichotomy.
A full bodied, masculine front end kicks off a rush of deep and dark black cherry, black raspberry, and soil notes. A pine needle flavor adds further interest on the finish. This is a broad stroke of…
Clementine, lime, white travertine, and a long lemony finish mark the latest vintage of the 2021 Platt Chardonnay. It is both vibrant and full, with energy and acidity that fully encompass the back…
Not so sure I'm too stoked on the track record here with some of these sparklers. This one opened up with extremely aggressive bubbles (and yes, it has been resting on its side and treated with kid…
My experience with this wine on day one was on par with others in that this bottle displayed a strong medicinal note (Band-Aid meets NyQuil), aggressive and foamy effervescence (a la hefeweizen),…
Lemon, citrus rind, white stone fruit, Asian pear, and sea spray. Perfectly balanced and less sweet than many Ultramarines I've experienced historically, there is nice cut here on the back end that…
In a predominantly French folly of bottles at the table, the Immortal was clearly the Yankee gym rat trying to push its way through the patiently waiting line at the local Parisian jazz club. Huge,…
Grippy blackberry, with healthy doses of green peppercorns, bark, menthol, and pyrazine elements make for a profile that is fairly strict and taut. There is a bitter tinge that carries through the…
As much as I have championed Ultramarine as a unique alternative to Champagne (In reality, they really couldn't be further apart in many ways, but that's not necessarily a bad thing), I unfortunately…
There were a couple of Auberts in the tasting that I inadvertently dodged and for whatever reason was unable to conjure up the logistical prowess to get to them and proffer some sort of comparison…
My preference in the world of Ultramarine tends to gravitate toward their BdBs, though the Rose can be a fantastic alternative to bubblies across the Atlantic. In fact, this BdB was served next to…
Disgorged 11/15/2022. My notes from last year pretty much sum up my experience this go-around (12/15/2022). This bottle showed yeastier elements than the seemingly drier and more cut bottle from six…
More accessible and blacker fruited than its 2013 sibling served next to it, the 2015 is still just as medium-bodied but offers more mouth-watering fruit, with less of the 2013's green elements…
Revisiting this wine, I can't help but continue to be impressed by the tension and acidity that swarm around the gorgeous yellow citrus fruit. Even as this warmed up in the glass (beyond what I would…
I used to drink the 2013 vintage of this wine back when it was an inaugural release. I loved it then and I find it just as interesting now. The 2014 is a more rounded delivery and less intense than I…
Putting on the California shades and temporarily leaving Champagne in the rear view mirror, I get a real sense of what this sparkler is trying to convey, which is basically, let me be me. Every time…
