Heath & Johanna VanDeLinder

9.0

Very nice sub-$20 Costco wine. Smooth and velvety. Nice flavors and balance. Definitely one of our favorites in this range. — 5 days ago

Adam Shaylor

8.9

Prunes and figs. Proves that if you want a good Priorat without having to pay Priorat prices, you buy a Montsant. — 5 months ago

Ericsson

9.1

Sweet, sweet, but good, good. — 6 months ago

Ayyyy

9.3

tasty wine light red — 7 months ago

Herb Listen

9.4

BCN JR and Carl — 10 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2014 vintage. Drinking as a more traditional St. Estèphe here vs lusher, newer vintages. In a great place currently and showing well. Not ridiculously expansive and otherworldly but doesn't need to be in the mid-$40's resto cost. Checks so many boxes. Leaner, chiseled and durty. Classic Stèphie. 1.30.25. — 3 months ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.0

2022 vintage. First vintage under Lorenzetti ownership. Oak dominating initially, needs a few hours to open up. Concentrated black fruit with serious oak influence. Lots of potential, but doesn't have the charm of the 2020 today. Ab. 14,,5% — 6 months ago

Jamie Lauder

9.0

From Akita in Tohoku, Japan.
Super ripe green melon and white flowers on the nose.
Rich mouth feel.
Ripe Bosc pears, ginger and sweet persimmons with a white nougat finish.
Very smooth and easy drinkable Nihon-shu. — a year ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Tasted from 1/2 bottle. They come in handy for dinner for two in many cases, but especially at a restaurant that allows corkage. Most do in California. It is even harder to find vintage champagne in 375ml’s.

The 2018 vintage was good to very good. You need to taste and or read up for its best offerings.

A note, I tasted at the Billecart-Salmon property in later October 2022 with Mathieu Roland-Billecart. As insightful as that was, he was asked other than Billecart Salmon champagnes, what was one of his favorite champagnes? His reply was surprisingly an older vintage Paul Bara he had recently. That’s a producer question that gets asked often. Normally generates a pause with some minor angst to answer.

The nose shows; lemon chiffon/meringue, bruised apple to slightly cider, bruised pear, yellow & white stone fruits, just ripe pineapple, orange citrus blend, lime pulp, tropical melons, whipped, white cream, white spice-ginger, yeasty bread dough, saline, crushed limestone pulp, crumbled chalk, sea fossils, white spring flowers set in yellow lilies.

The palate is round & soft. The mousse is delicate w/ micro oxidation. Ripe; lemon chiffon/meringue, white & yellow stone fruit, slightly bruised apple & Bosc pear, lime pulp, orange citrus rind, some tropical melons, cream, ginger white spice, yeasty bread dough, sea spray, saline, sea fossils, dry crumbled chalkiness, caramel notes, heather honey, warm perfectly toasted toast, graham cracker, nougat w/ nuts, yellow flowers set in a field of white spring flowers, excellent acidity with a nicely; balanced, structured, tensioned, polished finish that lasts a minute and falls on limestone laced with soft, dry, powdery chalkiness.

Photos of; the house of Paul Bara, chalky caves w/ riddling racks, old wood basket press & a vineyard picking party. — 2 months ago

Stephanie Wu

9.0

Bosc pear and white flowers. Balanced acidity. Having this on election night — 6 months ago