Reviews

Impensata Sauvignon Blanc Ciminelli Vineyard

Clean, crisp, and just what the doctor ordered on a hot summer day whilst kicking up dust and walking the vineyard rows in the middle of the afternoon. Lemon, grass, and pumice notes are flanked by…

Impensata Las Posadas

With the Franc element seemingly providing a ton of lift, brightness, and energy, the Las Posadas is similar in profile to the Englehart in terms of fruit flavor, except more red berries on the…

Impensata Proprietary Red Wine Engelhard Vineyard

The nose hits you square in. well, the nose. with washed ripe berries and warm red licorice. On the palate, this is teeth staining and chocolatey ripe, with mixed berries and dark spice. The 2019 is…

Impensata Merlot

This is my second stab at this wine, and although I can see why others favor the 2018, I may be straddling the other side of the line with my love for the 2019. I simply find the 2019 to be a…

La Pelle Cabernet Sauvignon Ceniza

A beautiful wine that seems to need a bit more time to unravel. Black cherry and earth dominate at the moment, with lurking complexity that beckons for a few more years in bottle before it comes to…

Greer Cabernet Sauvignon Greer Vineyard

2018 and 2019 side by side. Okay and tannic, but less so than the stern and bitter 2018, this 2019 has broader shoulders but has little fruit expansion to offer. Check back in ten years in hopes the…

Greer Cabernet Sauvignon Greer Vineyard

2018 and 2019 side by side. The 2018 is all wood chips and bitter tannins. "Leave these alone," is the best advice I can give here. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit concerned about the direction…

Château Léoville Las Cases

Raspberry seed, leather, earthy funk, and a bit of haunted house closet dust make for a Las Cases that seems a bit older than its vintage would indicate. The initial pull was a bit balled up, but it…

Domaine Henri Boillot Bâtard-Montrachet

Lemon confit, lemon juice, wet travertine, unripe yellow pear, and hints of cardamom kick off the medium-bodied delivery of super pure fruit. The clarity is most notable here, with just enough…

Dom Pérignon Champagne Rosé

An outstanding Rose, and one that perfectly marries smooth strawberry and cream goodness with a nice cut of orange rind, white rock, and lemon pith flavors. This is in a perfect place right now, and…

Krug Champagne Vintage Brut

This thing is on absolute fire, acting more like all the other amazing and super electrifying 2013 Champagne I've been sampling recently. At first, this is nothing like any Krug I've had, with a…

Eisele Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

Whoa, what a strong nose! Yellow citrus and zest, stone fruit, lychee, lemongrass, and an overall tropical vibe, this is a Sauv Blanc with quite a bit of punch and panache. Certainly richer than most…

Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Primary black cherry fruit, slightly chewy, with subtle spice, rolling beautifully to an undulating finish.initially. The length is short lived, as its compactness closes it down on the back end with…

Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard

Slight poblano chili on nose with obvious funk. Ever so slight mushroom notes peeking out, but not so overpowering it becomes off-putting. Same flavors on the palate, with leather and green…

Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Altagracia

Funk on nose. No funk on palate, with a rounded mouthfeel and lighter fruit notes. Silky on the front end, but much shorter finish (compared to the 2014 served next to it). Soft and caressing…

Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Altagracia

Black cherry red and black licorice, Christmas spice and cedar provide a nicely medium-bodied richness; this had been open for 2 hours, which seems to be about right in terms of proper service.…

Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Cuvée No. 744 Extra Brut

2016 base. Gentle applications of yeast, lemon, and mineral notes make for a lighter-bodied experience. Soft and small bubbles carry grilled lemon and slightly salty flavors on through the finish.…

Château Belair-Monange

Sauvage, black cherry, meat drippings, and sanguine notes creep along the palate, ending in a clip of dusty tannins on back end that seem to disallow the flavors from fully expanding. This bottle…

Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Cote de Bechalin

Honey and nugget flavors compliment grilled lemon and slight burnt sugar (not sweet) notes, this is a Bechalin that is a bit oxidized, but luckily not too brassy, with medium to light perlage and a…

Dom Pérignon Champagne P2

This presents as super young and chiseled, but also giving mid-palate electricity with wonderful yellow citrus and stone fruit. Chalk-laced minerality without being powdery or "chalky" necessarily.…

Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchère

Notable breadth and power, this is a broad shouldered ripe lemon and vanilla (thankfully not sweet) animal. For as beefy as this is, there is poise and focus. It is super yummy and hard to spit…

Jacques Selosse Champagne Premier Cru Lieux-dits Extra Brut Mareuil-sur-Ay Sous le Mont

Signature Selosse, with all the oxidative (but not brassy) hallmarks that make this a unique but not completely isolating Champagne. This was more deeply pitched and colored than a 2006 VC Grande…

Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon

A great showing, especially for the first part of consumption. After being open for a bit and/or resting in the glass for a while, it started to fade. That said, the first sampling of this was quite…

Dom Pérignon Champagne

A much more electric performance than its 2012 sibling, this 2013 Dom is perhaps the best young vintage yet. I've sampled this twice now with consistent results (first at French Laundry a few months…

Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Cote de Bechalin

This shows incredibly young and chiseled, but it does so in a pulsating and sparkly fashion, which adds to the allure and complexity of its overall performance. Prickly pear, lemon juice and pith,…