David Kline

9.2

One of the last of this year’s pumpkin offerings. Often I give them a year to mature, but this one is earmarked for early retirement.

Southern Tier Brewing Co Maple Warlock Imperial Pumpkin Stout

Brown-black dark Chocolate color. Palm marrow, cappuccino head. The Wedge lacing holds the wall until Timelapse roadkill rumble reduces to spotted beetle back. Maple nose shows chocolate, then Turkish coffee and coffee liqueur and s’mores. Palate is burnt caramel, black strap molasses, baking chocolate, chicory, and dried violets. Touch of graphite. Finish is sweet maple syrup and ginger.

#southerntier
#SouthernTierBrewing #SouthernTierMapleWarlock #MapleWarlock #Warlock #MapleWarlockImperialPumpkin #ImperialPumpkinStout #ImperialStout #STBCBeer #NYbeer
— 14 days ago

with Courtney

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Yes I know this is way too early but I really wanted to see where this was. From a very old “mixed black” vineyard on a hill of decomposing slate loam. With an hour of air it’s showing deep, low-toned berry fruit, cracked stones, and a little warm gravel. Structured and very old world on the palate, it’s got a youthful wall of tannin guarding it right now, but there’s nice flavor density underneath and no hint of jamminess or residual sugar. Stow it for 3-5 years at least. But it will be really good. 9.2+ — 3 years ago

Severn G

9.3

2000 | Red Blend
(65% Cabernet Sauvignon / 28% Merlot / 7% Petit Verdot)
Château Lagrange
Grand Cru Classé (3ème), Left Bank
Bordeaux; Médoc, St-Julien, France
(93-94; Drink 2030-40)

Ripe black currant, damp leather, pencil lead, raspberry-fig bar; Dried black cherry, chocolate espresso cake, faint vanilla. Decanted 10H.

Paired with long braised (local, Columbia Co. NY ❤️) lamb shanks, charred carrots w/ maple glaze and garden mashed potatoes. A great 2023 Easter dinner, BDX is the best pairing for lamb, of many preparation styles.
(We're finding that the cats also enjoy a savory lamb dish. 😉) — 3 years ago

Shay A

9.4

My last bottle of Cirq. I think the quality is extremely high, but the evolution and secondary market is hard to justify when similar priced wines (ex: Marcassin) are in a different realm.

This straddles bright and moderately lean Sonoma coast Pinot with ripe OR style pinot. When compared to Michael Browne’s Kosta Browne wines, its got a more elegant profile while retaining the rich fruit. Plenty of ripe cherry, black cherry, potpourri, and sandalwood aromatics. The palate here retains a lot of freshness to go along with the spiced rhubarb, black pepper, and maple drizzled black cherries. Acidity is very vibrant and keeps this wine afloat.

Pretty? Yes. Do I see this getting better? Not necessarily, just different. — 4 years ago

David Kline

9.3

Fat Orange Cat Cat-O-Lantern
Imperial Brown Ale

Coffee black belly; Latte summit. Bag-o-bones lacing includes crocodile skulls Alosaurus spines, falcons and equine bits. Fades to black fast. Rich coffee-mocha nose has chicory and chit scent chunks and chips. Burnt brownie and brown sugars. Coffee continues on the palate with cinnamon and nutmeg and a green streak of allspice with maple. Deep and raisin-y. Chocolate and chili!

#FatOrangeCatBreCo #FatOrangeCat #CTbeer #ImperialBrownAle #CatOLantern #twelvepercent #oakaged #barrel #brownale #beer #bier #biere #birra #cerveza — 3 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

From one of my favorite co-ops. I believe they are still the third largest co-op in Europe. Their tasting room sits on the top of the hill in the center of Barbaresco under & to the side of the church with an easy downhill short walk to Gaja.

2019 was a very good vintage in Piedmont.

The nose shows some light smokiness and lightly grilled meats. Dullish fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, raspberries with notes of black raspberries. Sandstone, dark earth and dark withering flowers with red roses.

The palate is ripe, juicy and lush. Quite pleasant for a youthful Barbaresco. Blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black raspberries, raspberries & blueberry hues. Crushed sandstone & limestone, nice mid spice, dry tobacco, tough leatheriness, barrel shavings, soft presence mix of dry & fresh herbs, dry river stone, red cola, brilliant red florals, red & pink roses, excellent acidity with a nicely tensioned, structured, balanced, elegant finish that lasts minutes landing on wood & dry earth.

Another one to cellar 8-10 plus years. — a year ago

Delectable Wine

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9.5

The 2020 Old Hill Heritage Wine shows why this site is considered one of the very best in all of Sonoma. The pedigree is evident. A wine of volume, textural depth and intensity, the 2020 is a showstopper. Black cherry, chocolate, licorice and dark spice lend tons of complexity to this statuesque Zinfandel-based field blend. All the elements come together so beautifully. It's hard to fully capture the Old Hill with words, as it really transcends descriptors. But when you taste it, you know. You know you are tasting a wine from a very special place. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2022)
— 4 years ago

Norman

9.3

I bought this years ago for my dad since its “made” in San Carlos. He told me he liked his Jack Daniel’s better… Given dad’s gone and mom doesn’t drink bourbon I’m drinking it now and enjoying it! It’s got some power, mainly on the front of tongue/lips. Finish goes for a while and the flavors are nice. Light wood and sweetness. Cheers Dad! Btw the price on this thing now (not at all what I paid) would have sent him through the roof. — 5 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

My first wine after a two-month hiatus. I ended up buying a case of this in increments at Costco for a price not even close to what I’ve seen anywhere else for their 2021. Since I think highly of this producer and the vintage, I didn’t bat an eye acquiring w/o tasting first. Also, I was aware that every major wine critic gave the 2021 VHR flagship Cabernet a score of 98 w/ Lisa @ TWI a 💯.

Only coravined a glass & let it stand for 30-40 minutes and consumed over the next half-hour detailing my notes.

Baker & Hamilton is the other or second wine of VHR depending on how you see it. If you didn’t know this was another or second wine, you would never know it. Both bottling's come front the same vineyard in Oakville.

When I first put the glass to my nose, I almost thought for a few seconds & wanted to say that’s Coombsville it’s that dark & brooding, but make no mistake it’s Oakville fruit.

The nose is full & brooding. Dark currants & cassis and inky as is the color. Candied violets leap out of the glass. Ripe rich; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum and dark cherries wrapped in dark chocolate. Sandalwood, sweet tarriness, fresh tobacco, crushed limestone, volcanics, dark spices with aromatic heat, clove oil w/ withering dark flowers, sweet lavender & endless lift of candied, lush violets.

The body is full, lush, ripe & brooding. It drinks rather well for such a young wine baring a bit of alcohol throat burn. 14.8% ABV. Cellaring time will tame it. The 21 is a two decade and more wine. It needs 7-8 years to integrate everything in this full & packed Cabernet. Lush, ripe; blackberries (almost pie), black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum & raspberries around the edges. Melted dark chocolate, anise into black licorice, dark spices w/ heat, clove oil, nutmeg, cinnamon stick hovers, vanillin, fresh & dry tobacco, dry top soil with limestone mixed in, crushed rock & stone, strong sandalwood to cedar, light rain on clay, dry herbs-bay leaf & a hint of ground sage, notes of iron pan, dark withering flowers, lavender & candied violets for days, round acidity-maybe a bit to high for today’s consumption, huge length & structure, not quite in balance but it will get there, well made/knitted with a full elegant finish that lasts minutes & lands on spice & earthiness. It’s a huge wine that will end up adding two points as it evolves & integrates.

A few things about the producer & this wine. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard aged 23 months in French oak, 85% of which was new. Most of the Vine Hill Ranch fruit from 71-acre Oakville vineyard is sold off. What they keep, 40% of that fruit goes into their VHR flagship wine and 60% makes the Baker & Hamilton. The label of Baker & Hamilton is an homage to the hardware and agricultural implements of the company co-founded by third-generation grape grower Bruce Phillips’ great, great grandfather R.M. Hamilton, who emigrated from Scotland to California in 1849 hoping to make his fortune in gold.

Photo’s of, VHR vineyard, Bruce Phillips-Managing Partner and Winemaker-Francoise Peschon. — a year ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.7

Parker 94 when it was released, its improved since then 🥩 recommended I was saving this until I found some more available, Tynan just released more of these one off 2012 today. This is a nice bottle 👍🏼. Not a fruit bomb pop & pour, I’ll take this over 3/4 of $100.00 bottles out there.
Winery notes-
It has an opaque inky black center with dark and deep ruby edges. A concentrated and layered perfume of cassis, smoked cardamom, black licorice, black fig, old cabinet, and chocolate ganache leap from the glass. The Petit Verdot lends crushed black pepper and incense aromas. This young wine is loaded with gobs of silky supportive tannin that build on the entry and carry all the way through to fleshy and gorgeous finish.

This wine is a "one-off" of sorts. Unfortunately, the vineyard was replanted soon after 2012, so I was only able to make one vintage. It's composed from a steep hillside block just 200 ft below the Meleagris Vineyard. Planted to Clone 6 and named Chiquito by its then owner and farmer, Cornelius Corbett, this steep east facing hillside is planted on deep rocky Aiken loam. The well-drained soils provide a perfect spot for growing Cabernet. A bit of Petit Verdot from the Stagecoach vineyard was co-fermented with the Cabernet to add a touch of richness and complexity. The Stagecoach Vineyard is across the valley atop the red clay and volcanic soils near Pritchard Hill. Together, the two varietals provide a synergistic layered darkness that is both brooding and inviting.

95% Cabernet Sauvignon
5% Petit Verdot
pH 3.85
Alcohol 14.4%
TA 5.2 g/L
124 Cases Produced
Unfined -- Unfiltered

— 6 years ago