Reviews

Bevan Cellars Ontogeny

Because I've reviewed this wine a ton of times, I'll simply add that there were slight pyrazine and green peppercorn flavors that came from this bottle. Overall, a flavorful creature indeed, but in a…

Morlet Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Cour de Vallée

Gorgeous purple-red berry fruit saunters effortlessly across the palate with dark soil, wet cedar, cigar leaf, and black spice notes. Carries with it a conspicuous amount of sediment, but it's so…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

As good as it was 1.5 years ago. A big, mouthwatering wine that is somehow able to finesse its way clear of being a brute. Super luscious blue and black berry fruits, with embers, slate, anise/dark…

Gilbert et Christine Felettig Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune "En Vallerot" Blanc

Stoooopid good at $19! Needs about two+ hours of air to really open up.

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The O.G. Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

It's been 3.5 years since my last bottle. This has progressed nicely, and could likely use even another year or two to fully come together. Followed over the course of 72 hours (Days one and two were…

Domaine Matrot Meursault 1er Cru Charmes

Similar to three months ago. Certainly a succulent Charmes, with the ripe lemon and white and yellow peach notes dominating. What it slightly lacks in tension, it certainly makes up for in flavor. A…

Château Pape Clément

Displaying a similar flavor profile to the bottle I had six months ago, but this bottle was more muted and shut down in terms of expressiveness and exuberance. It was a "nice" wine, but it took more…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Almost four years have past since I last took a shot at this wine (my tasting note on 7/3/16 is vastly different than my experience today). Patience has paid off for sure, as this once spun-up purple…

Château de la Maltroye Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Château de la Maltroye

I would suspect some bottle variation going on with this producer. The bottle I had a few months ago was much more brassy and slightly oxidized than this most recent bottle. Here, this was much…

Domaine François Mikulski Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières

A little more filled-out since my having this last year, with ripe and zesty yellow citrus and limestone flavors making for both a mouthwatering and classic experience. A wine that can certainly be…

Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Romanée

Continues to impress with its swirling array of mineral-injected citrus flavors and pithy/punchy delivery. A chalky frame keeps everything in keen focus. Notable chiseled speed here. Mid-palate…

Château Rouget

I can pretty much just cut/paste my tasting note on the 2015 with this 2016. So, I did.... :)

Arrow & Branch Sauvignon Blanc Heritage Reserve

Just as awesome as last year. It was great on first pull, but also improved even more with air. Such controlled verve and focused flavor expansion. The kiwi-meets-green apple flavors are really…

Memento Mori Sauvignon Blanc

Drink these up now...as in, before the summer kicks into full gear (well, by COVID standards at least). This bottle was even less expressive than it was 6+ months ago. Medium-light on the attack and…

Domaine Launay-Horiot Pommard 1er Cru Les Chaponnières

Black cherry, tea, earthy black raspberry, and some wet cedar. More medium and even tempered than the more complex 2016 version. Air in the decanter for 2-3 hours made for deeper tonalities; black…

Hartford / Hartford Court Chardonnay Far Coast Vineyard

Round, plush, and full of gooey vanillin oak that almost completely washes over the ripe lemon curd and tropical fruit flavors. Saccharine-driven and cloying. Zero cut or frame.

Château La Marzelle

Similar to previous notes. 2-3 hours in the decanter helped, but could've used longer to deepen the mid-palate drop even further. Very attractive dark berry fruit, black licorice, and earthy spice…

Domaine François Mikulski Meursault 1er Cru Les Poruzots

Served side by side with a '16 Mikulski Meursault (general; non-1er), this zesty '15 Mikulski Poruzots 1er carried brighter focus and more chiseled mineral elements when compared to the general…

Domaine François Mikulski Meursault

Continues to drink beautifully. Served side by side with a zesty '15 Mikulski Poruzots 1er, which carried brighter focus and chiseled mineral elements to it. However, this Meursault offering held its…

Domaine de la Vougeraie Charmes-Chambertin Les Mazoyeres

Earthy wild red and purple plum, black raspberry, spice box, incense, bitter cacao powder, garrigue/underbrush, and some cedary forest floor. A front end straight-shot delivery of primary flavors…

Domaine Henri Boillot Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières

Lemony yellow citrus, travertine, fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice, green apple, and some white flowers.

Domaine Henri Boillot Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets

Primary red and black cherry fruit. Similar to the 2017 version, with perhaps a tick less depth. Today, I prefer the comparative promise the 2017 shows, with its heightened vivacity and budding…

Château Saint-Pierre

Dark black cherry, black raspberry, licorice, plum, embers, and some bitter chocolate and soft wet cedar. Medium bodied, with a balanced push of young but budding luscious fruit. Holding back its…

Domaine Taupenot-Merme Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru Rouge

Man.... For $33 I should have backed the truck up with this wine (of course, now that I see it's around $50 now - which is still a reasonable tariff). This WAY over-delivers for its class and…

Gilbert et Christine Felettig Gevrey-Chambertin La Justice

Primary black cherry and slightly earthy rhubarb notes, with subtle citrus on the back end (with a lot of coaxing and swirling in the glass to try to bring out any true depth of flavor). Youthfully…