A barrel sample. Open your arms up super wide because here comes a big slathery fruit hug that might initially suffocate the senses with its wrap-around Lennie Smalls-like power. But without worry…
A barrel sample, carrying firm and fine tannins that showcase blackberry, black licorice, and violet notes with cleverness and class. The floral component becomes more intense with air, racing…
A barrel sample, and one that is all about yummy Crane goodness. If you're a fan of this site, then this will not disappoint. Flamboyant and chewy-sweet fruit wash over the palate with notes of…
A barrel sample, with ripe, black fruit dominating here. A chiseled minerality is already able to shine through the periphery of the massive dark core. This LPV was somewhat similar to the initial…
A barrel sample, showing some heavy reduction on the nose, but quickly giving way to gobs of powerful fruit. A massive mouthful. Dark berries and oak char dominate at the moment, with the sense that…
FRESH GRAPEFRUIT! ...with lemon-lime, guava, clementine, white flowers, and dry grass notes all making for a compelling Sauvignon Blanc. Year in and year out, Sam Kaplan crafts an exceptional…
Rooti-Tooti-Fresh-And-Fruity, the 2017 Estate pops out of the fold with blossoming red and black cherry flavors that shake out plump money-maker-rump-shaker berry fruit. Veers more toward the red…
A TON of fruit roars on to the palate with gobs of black cherry and plum flavors. Succulent and flamboyant, suffused with black raspberry liqueur and fruity mixed berry elements that create a…
Instantly yummy, with an added dark and serious streak that is certainly attention-grabbing. A textural masterpiece, with fine-grained tannins offering the perfect frame and speed by which to carry…
Higher-toned and red-fruited on entry, with cranberry puckering the tip of the tongue on the first flash of the initial entry, quickly giving way to an instantly easy-going fruity mid-palate.…
An intensely scented nose foreshadows a correspondingly floral entry on the palate, with penetrating notes of violets, deep cranberry, crunchy black cherry, and slight citrus and mineral notes. There…
Deep black cherry dominates, with a broad push of full berry fruit flavors washing over the palate. Finishes with a plush feel on the back end, with a "hug me like a teddy bear" demeanor enticing for…
Lemon curd, pie crust, vanilla bean, and a touch of dried apricot notes make for an affable delivery of flavor that kick-out mouthwatering essences drawing you in for another sip. Though the wood…
Juicy yellow citrus flavors are complimented by a nice touch of oak that offer measured succulence and an excellent mouthfeel. This stays in a very nice lane, with focus and the delineation of its…
Lemony goodness that is barely nipping at the heels of 1er Cru quality. It's clean and fresh as expected but has some character to find - if it can. I'm happy with the bit of zip it offers on the…
It's been nearly two years since I last had this wine. I'm absolutely loving it. The oak influence is so subtle that it's barely detectable over the beautifully proportioned yellow citrus fruit…
Bright, clean, and impeccably fresh, this inaugural Bien Nacido Chardonnay from La Pelle impresses for its beautiful and finessed lemon zest, lime rind, unripe yellow pear, stone fruit, oyster shell,…
My favorite Malandes Grand Cru, Les Clos impresses with its juicy succulence-meets-balanced energy. This is drinking beautifully now, continuing to improve each time I check in with this. Flavor…
With some air, this starts to take off quite nicely. An elevated perception of acidity, which I enjoy, kicks off a vibrant front end attack of fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice and white travertine.
Juicy plum flavors unfold and become more complex after a slow O2 for about an hour. Black cherry, licorice, and gravel notes emerge to add interest. Became a bit stemmy on the final sips (some…
This is coming into a nice drinking window now, especially with a bit of swirling in the glass to coax out its deeper tones. Black cherry, loam, and a kiss of spice kick off the medium gourmand…
Well this was a very pleasant surprise. I've written quite a bit about the up-and-down journey of this particular wine, but I'm happy to report that this most recent bottle was fantastic. Whether it…
Candied red cherry liqueur and dried flowers dominate the youthfully primary profile, with a linear expression of the varietal currently limiting the layering of the execution. A stunted flavor…
Two years since my last tasting note on this wine. In a perfect place right now, with an enveloping mouthfeel coupled with just the right amount of vivacity to keep everything moving right along…
Black cherry, vanilla, cherry cough syrup, Cracker Jack molasses, and blackberry seed. The front end is a simple and linear shot of fruit unable to achieve much depth or complexity (from PnP to…
