Reviews

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Barrel sample. Anyone who knows me knows that LPV is directly in my wheelhouse, and based on the performance of this LPV, it should be in your wheelhouse, too. Aside from the 2019 M7 (which was just…

Kongsgaard Chardonnay The Judge

A gorgeous wine. For me, my experience here is best explained by a comparison some might find unfair. Nevertheless, here goes nuthin'... Take all of your favorite things about Aubert's best…

Harlan Estate

Barrel sample. Fresh berries and charcoal, as if you took the best made blackberry pie and fired it up on an old school open-flame Weber BBQ. Texturally this is a complete dream, with fine grained…

Harlan Estate

Essentially a younger and more rambunctious version of the 2012, which is a great sign of things to come. Powerful and heady on entry, with blackberry liqueur, charcoal, graphite, and black raspberry…

Harlan Estate

One of the best wines I've ever had.

Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 166eme

Of course, you always must start out a Harlan tasting with a nice glass of Krug to best assist you with sauntering around a Napa legend's property in style. This Champagne behaves just as most other…

Bella Oaks Vineyard Proprietary Red

This wine zips by the front end and rushes straight into mid-palate pleasure, with deep and dark plum and red and black cherry flavors complimented by earth and subtle spice notes. Stays ever-juicy…

Impensata Proprietary Red Wine Engelhard Vineyard

A fun and fruity entry pushes forward with ripe and dark berry fruit that saturates the palate and finishes with a lingering tinge of youthful booze. Less nervy and acidic on initial entry than the…

Kinsman Eades Cabernet Sauvignon La Voleuse Du Chagrin Geeslin Vineyard

You want an Eisele that went on a major Miami Vice bender, pararescued its way out of an Apache AH-64 on to Pablo Escobar's zooming SCARAB, tripped on 60 kilos of Bolivian marching powder,…

Kinsman Eades Cabernet Sauvignon Anjea Sleeping Lady Vineyard

A barrel sample to be sure, with all the succulence and flamboyance you'd want from a burst of astound-me juice rocketing to the back of your throat. But again, even with a barrel sample like this,…

Kinsman Eades Cabernet Sauvignon Anjea Sleeping Lady Vineyard

The best wine I've had from the Sleeping Lady site. I've honestly never been wholly impressed with that vineyard nor convinced it had the ultimate potential to compete with some of the big boys in…

Kinsman Eades Cabernet Sauvignon Rhadamanthus

Well now party people, you can add me to the list of Cellar Trackers who are all about trumpeting the Kinsman label. The hype is real my friends. I know you don't need me to convince you otherwise,…

Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier Brut

Unripe pear dominant, with additional yeasty/bready notes battling with a steely-meets-chalky frame. Somewhat simple and abrasive on the appendages. Missing some nuance. This is fine as an aperitif…

Christopher Tynan Wines Syrah Judge Family Vineyard

I've written a few times on this wine and am always impressed with the wonderful balance between unctuous flavor expansion and cooler climate restraint and focus that ultimately make this wine so…

Christopher Tynan Wines Syrah Judge Family Vineyard

Barrel sample. A Cote Rotie lookalike, the 2019 Syrah is bursting with bunches of violets mixed with unripe blackberry, blackberry seeds, Chambord, red raspberry, purple licorice, freshly washed…

Christopher Tynan Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines Meleagris Gallopavo

Barrel sample. Outstanding acid and beautifully defined fine-grained tannins fashion a gorgeously fresh and grippy MG. Blackberry seed and freshly popped pomegranate seeds lead the charge, with the…

Christopher Tynan Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines Meleagris Gallopavo

Electric and fresh, exhibiting matching sparkle akin to the 2019 MG barrel sample, the 2018 MG is locked-and-loaded with acidic vitality and dynamism. With notable structure and acidic speed, this is…

Christopher Tynan Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines Meleagris Gallopavo

My second time trying this wine (since 12/07/2019), the 2017 MG carries interesting plum and muddled blackberry flavors complimented by red/purple licorice, vanillin black cherry, and some dark spice…

Christopher Tynan Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines Meleagris Gallopavo

Two years since I've last sampled this juice. One of the most phenomenal wines I've had all year, the 2012 Tynan MG absolutely soars from the glass with aromas of ripe blackberries and earth. On the…

Promontory

At the French Laundry. Red berry fruit, unsmoked cigar, leather, and additional deeper plum notes make for a more sophisticated delivery of flavor, especially when served side-by-side with the…

Realm Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

At the French Laundry. A mouthful of ripe fruit illustrative of what one might expect from this house and this site. A whopping wine from a big vintage from a vineyard that often produces succulent…

Domaine François Mikulski Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières

At the French Laundry. A solid producer from a solid site makes for a worthy Meursault and a perfect complement to the food. Succulent yellow citrus, spritely green, yellow, and white stone fruit,…

Domaine Larue Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Sous le Puits

At the French Laundry. Lemon seed, yellow and white citrus, and chalk flavors dart from the glass, with a linear, Pinot Grigio-esque profile that is leaner than what I typically want from a 1er P-M.…

Melka Sauvignon Blanc Mekerra

At the French Laundry. An invigorating and lively example of Sauvignon Blanc. I have enjoyed this wine on a number of previous occasions and each time it delivers a complex and captivating array of…

Dom Pérignon Champagne

At the French Laundry. A starter for the table, this bottle of 2010 Dom is a typical expression of the house, if but seemingly a little more advanced and gentler than other tauter vintages. Bruised…