Reviews

Château Carbonnieux

Black and red currant, black and red cherry, chalk, tobacco leaf, espresso powder, plain 'ol dirt, smoked beef bark, and raspberry seed. The alcohol keeps it from fully expanding its flavors, with a…

Domaine Pernot-Bélicard Bourgogne-Aligoté

Yellow (and subtle orange) citrus, stone, and faint grass. Extremely dry from start to finish. Light-to-medium bodied. Lacks complexity and depth of flavor. Reminded me of a Picpuol with slightly…

Château Cos d'Estournel

Packed and stacked, locked and loaded, 5 by 5, and whatever other militaristic colloquialism you want to use to describe a wine that is party-ready for a suave shindig, but not until 2030. Red…

Olivier Leflaive Auxey-Duresses Blanc

Lemony and tangy, with some lemon and lime zest (one of my favorite notes in white Burgundy), acacia flowers, honeydew, and hints of honey. Medium bodied, but beautifully flavorful and mouthwatering.…

Château Rauzan-Ségla

Plum, red and black cherry, kirsch, cassis, limestone, and blood orange. Red and purple plum and plum skin notes ride throughout the delivery, finishing youthfully fuzzy and a bit clipped on the back…

Domaine Lafouge Auxey-Duresses Les Boutonniers Blanc

Lemon and vanilla cream lead the push of flavor, with some melon rind and hints of grass. Middle of the road and medium all the way around, with an elevated purity of fruit that adds sophistication.…

Domaine de Chevalier

A purple-crimson hued stallion, with upfront class and sophistication from the very first sip. Red currant, red and black cherry and raspberry, red plum skin, cassis, tobacco spice, and the slightest…

R. & L. Legras Champagne Grand Cru Saint-Vincent

Still sticking with my previous note. For me, this is a Champagne to pop now and over the short-term. In a decent window now. Still has some refreshing qualities along with some reductive elements.

Domaine Pernot-Bélicard Bourgogne Blanc

Lemon water, white melon, alcohol, and chalk. Light bodied, lacking depth and flavor. A racy delivery that rides overly lithe and diluted. Finishes fast and weak in flavor. Extended exposure to air…

Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc Oncle Vincent

Grilled lemon, lychee, dehydrated nectarine, almond skin, and some hints of oxidation/lamp oil. Light-to-medium bodied, with an agreeable mid-palate weight (with moderate flavor expansion), but a bit…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Pellet Vineyard

The Pellet displays very similar to the Kenefick, perhaps even a hair deeper and intense, with a darker, more brooding profile. There is also some elevated red fruit that skips across the palate and…

Patiné Cellars Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard

Darker in profile than the Ancillary Pinots, the Patine kicks out more black cherry and spice notes, followed quickly red cherry and earth elements. Also a bit richer than the Ancillary duo. Drink…

Ancillary Cellars Pinot Noir Sangiacomo Vineyard

Very similar to the Sun Chase, if not a little lighter on its feet overall in terms of depth of flavor and elongated finish, the Sangiacomo impresses for its freshness and purity of higher-toned red…

Ancillary Cellars Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard

A healthy does of rhubarb and muddled strawberry lead the charge here, with a slight vanilla cream note on the finish. If you try hard, you'll maybe detect a citrus element, but it plays…

Steltzner Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District

Cotton candy confection is at the forefront of this wine at the moment. Some purple and red berry fruit notes, laced with vanilla and whipped cream. Hold for 3-5+ years so it can hopefully shed some…

12c Cabernet Sauvignon G3 Reserve Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Almost indistinguishable from the 12C, the 12C G3 Reserve displayed a same red and black fruit interlaced with cedar and dry, dusty soil notes; exhibited nearly-identical weight distribution and…

12c Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Red and black fruit, and seemingly the most light-footed of the 2017s in the tasting. As is typical with the 12C, a cedar and earth element rides throughout the delivery. A much daintier example of…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Kenefick Ranch

The 2017 Quivet Kenefick and Pellet samples tasted identical to me in their current states. Some sweet vanilla and strawberry cream elements encircle the red cherry core, with hints of spice barely…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

A more red/purple fruit profile this vintage, with less of the black fruit and scorched mineral elements as is typically the case with this wine and from this site. The front end hits the palate with…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Round Pond Vineyard

Similar as I recall from barrel, but ultimately the Round Pond was somewhat of an enigma for me. There is purple fruit intermingling with tobacco leaf and earth, but I was getting a Pine-sol note…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Twins Vineyard

Lighter bodied than the Steltzner, but with a very similar fruit profile; exhibiting red and purple berry fruit and some strawberry vanilla cream to add some interest. Purple plum shows up on the…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Steltzner Vineyard

Red and purple berry fruit, pulverized granite, and some subtle spice. Much less black and intense this go-around than from when I had it out of barrel. A very satisfying and complete wine, though…

Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

My notes on this wine started out with "WAIT," as the first sip displayed a walled-off demeanor fortified with tannins and an almost bitter clamp that initially stomped on the fruit. Luckily, with…

Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

Purple and red fruit. Initially an unassuming and straightforward delivery, but the Scarlett picks up some weight mid-way through and pushes its fruity character on through the medium finish. A much…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elysian Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Structure and tannins lead the attack here, with some hot-off-the-presses, racy red and black fruit flavors that are pushed rapidly over the palate with significant heft and energy. Stops in time to…