OG red-table-cloth Italian but amped up. This wine soared… dark, rich purple… blackberry, earth, loam, touch of saddle-leather and tobacco. Explosive aromas that delivered a big, friendly hug. Remarkably understated weight on the palette… complex, NOT jammy and long finish with round, expressive tannins. This zin reinforced my contention that good Cali zin deserves consideration anytime pasta, red-sauce, and veal are on the table. Happy Easter, Vinous! — 3 years ago
A decidedly more natural approach to Chablis and I gotta say, this bottle was fantastic. All of the character one would expect from Chablis: bright citrus fruits, crushed shells, chalky minerals and racy acid…just amped up a little more than usual for a village wine. Theres an energy about this that’s truly compelling. Wow. — 4 years ago
Ronco del Gnemiz Serena Palazzolo Sauvignon 2019. Plenty of varietal character with lime, boxwood, gooseberries, elderberries and kiwi fruit with an oyster shell minerality in the background giving complexity and dimension. The palate is driven by a linear and persistent acidity that is amped up on the treble and focused through the mid palate with a solid finish. As an entry level wine there is no denying this is an overachiever.
Paired with seared Pike Perch with a rough potato mash and a simple sauce made with reduced creme (creme double) flavoured with plenty of lemon and dill.
— 5 years ago
The 2016 Syrah Watch Hill Vineyard is dense, powerful and super-concentrated. Inky blue/purplish fruit, lavender, menthol, licorice and spice notes are all amped up in this rich, beautifully resonant Syrah. Dollops of Viognier add brightness and floral top notes, but the Watch Hill remains a pretty big, yet nuanced, wine. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, September 2018) — 8 years ago
It is very pure—red raspberry, red cherry, and licorice, amped up with damp soil on the nose. The palate brings more licorice/anise/tarragon vibes, with a little lilac winking on the finish. The acid is vibrant, the tannins are dusky, and the alcohol is respectful. — 2 years ago
Popped and poured; no formal notes. As an American who loves to drink Beaujolais, I have had a lot of experience drinking the wines of Clos de la Roilette yet this expression has eluded me. Similar to the 3.14 from Foillard, this wine is an amped up version of their “Cuvée Tardive”. In fact, the fruit for “La Griffe du Marquis” comes from the same source as “Cuvée Tardive” but it’s a selection of the very oldest vines, some around 90 years of age. Uniquely, “La Griffe du Marquis” does see some time in used barrique. This was quite tasty and while the warmth of the 2015 vintage is obvious but I get the sense there is enough structure to see this age well. Drink now and over the next 15+ years. — 3 years ago



Superb amped up expression of chenin in chameleon mode, hiding between waves of acid and mineral. Probably prefer to WS chardonnays most days of the week if I’m honest. — 7 years ago
Amphora, skin contact Pinot Grigio from Foradori. What’s not to like. This is amped up Pinot Grigio, savory, a little tannic and delicious. — 2 years ago
Fresh acidity right to the front of the palate. Lemon, honey, and vanilla in the nose. Pretty amped — 3 years ago
Lots of cinnamon and clove overlaying dark cherry, ripe strawberry, plum, cedar, and oak. Light tannins, medium alcohol, high acid, and long finish. They toned down the alcohol and amped the oak in this vintage as compared to a 2014 I’ve tasted, which is slight improvement in my opinion, but backing off the oak would be even better. — 4 years ago
Quite reductive at first, sinewy and fleshy, ripe and intense lemon curd, apple and pear, smoke, mineral and marine elements, classic Chablis notes but amped. Great potential but could use some more time to harmonize — 5 years ago
Stunning. The real deal with concentration and acidity. Not amped into Napa cab. The best wine I have had in months. — 6 years ago
It’s a very rich style chardonnay, but it’s unapologetically delicious. Professional scores have it as high as 97 and the purity of fruit along with the deft use of french oak and balanced acidity are certainly deserving. It strikes a nice balance even with everything amped up and an alcohol level of 14.6%. Only 326 cases made, if you see a bottle in the wild drink it! — 7 years ago

This is one of the very best bottles of Chablis I’ve had. Intensely pleasing. Amped up. Everything I love about white wine. I am really sad that I only had one bottle but thrilled I got to experience it at its peak. — 7 years ago
Danny O'Brien
WOW. Absolutely fantastic port-style dessert wine. The flavors imparted from the barrel aging are really amped up but not unbalanced, it almost drinks like a port finished bourbon. Beautiful caramel brown color, stewed prune, fig and date on the nose, which transfers directly to the palate along with a thick, creamy vanilla note with a touch of barrel char. Juice is absolutely worth the squeeze — 3 months ago