Seth Masterson

9.2

To me good wine stands out from average wine when I can sense three things from it: time, place and intention.
This rustic garnacha clearly carries these three indices.
The top layer of smell is rustic- farm, soil. Sticking my nose in the glass I'm greeted with a maraschino liquor soaked cherry wood barrel.
The palate tells me it's been maturing and mellowing for three quarters of a decade - this is mature but eagerly waiting to be opened. There aren't layers to this- it's straight forward, direct, open and expressive. Elegant in it's simplicity but certainly not posh. Dry, but very much alive, like the garrigues that was once rooted where this vineyard now stands. This is central Spain. — 4 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.2

Ok so I thought this one might have been past prime. Now I know....it's still got 3 years before it is at pop and pour. Still very young. Acidity on the front and back. Bing cherry and milk chocolate with a brambly middle. Took it almost an hour to get going. Would have gone well with something fatty to mellow it out. If you have this vintage or the 14s or 16s, there is still a lot of time. Not sure that this will improve note wise by additional aging but I definitely think it would help the acidity settle down a bit. — 7 years ago

with Shay and Clare

Severn G

9.1

It's officially Spring in New England, as witnessed by the 4-6" of snow still covering our property. 🤨
This means it's chimnea time again 🔥 and I've collected some snow into a sizeable mound to act as our outdoor chill station for hopefully the next 6 weeks or so 🤞.
Today's theme is wines we can drink slightly colder and still have some appreciating quality.

Light red fruits with a steely finish, nice acidity. Not overly complicated, but simple, quaff-able and easy on our budget at just over $10/bottle. This will be wonderful once the (real) warm weather arrives. — 8 years ago

Marc Stubblefield

Wine Sales at Vino Carta and Kogod Wine Merchant

9.1

Age your Muscadet, people. I mean, absolutely drink it young (the '15 is stellar), but lose a few in the back of your cellar. While this isn't as zippy as it once was, it's gained layers of complexity as the citrus gets more honeyed and burnished, and the lees character becomes somehow both more forward and more integrated. Worth contemplating. I think I paid $11? — 9 years ago

Keith Levenberg

8.9

Still plenty of personality to this, but neither the freshest nor cleanest bottle of wine you're likely to come across. Starts out smelling of musty attic and old used books, and it never kicks it entirely, but does pick up enough other elements like cedar and cigar box to keep things interesting. What it doesn't really pick up is any fruit, which is fine for its age, but it's a bit disappointing once you compare it to something like the '75 Beychevelle which is in much better shape now with plenty more stuffing. The tannins have completely melted away so the texture is fine and it goes down easy. Interesting now, but would have been better 5-10 years ago. — 10 years ago

Marc Stubblefield

Wine Sales at Vino Carta and Kogod Wine Merchant

9.0

Some years this good at the price. Some years it's great. '14 is great. Easy, juicy, fresh, glou glou carignane. Gone in a flash. — 10 years ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.2

The colour is dramatically golden, but is amazingly bright
I thought that perhaps it was gone but the wine has found a balance
It's still fresh with a nectarine fruit
After that it starts with white nougat, hay, lanolin, ferns, lemongrass, ginger, sesame, nearly laksa-like scent.
I admit this could have been a hole in the water, but the wine is singing
Perhaps not extremely long, but unique
At peak — 5 years ago

Will Fink

8.9

Rose petal, tart cherry smooth tannin. Absolutely delicious & well-integrated - on day 2. Needed time to open up, but it's a wonderful balance of rustic & elegant, with lots of what was once red fruit. The acid is still haunting. I adore this wine. It may not be top of its class, but it excels at being what it is. — 6 years ago

Michael J Clark

9.2

Takes a few minutes but really good once it's ready — 8 years ago

with Julia

Peter Dimmick

9.2

Patience is a virtue when drinking this wine, as it takes longer than expected to open up. But once it did, wonderfully elegant. Extremely floral and herbaceous nose. Elegant and easy. Spicy at the end. Close your eyes and take your time with the finish, it's worth it. — 8 years ago

Chris Stickney

10

This was amazing!! Notes of pepper, vanilla and caramel and of course the beautiful dark fruit. The color is almost an inky black...absolutely a beautiful wine. I'm sad that it's gone. — 9 years ago

with Chelsea

Jim McCusker

9.3

I don't know about all of you, but I'm getting tired of fighting Delectable on identification of bottles. Really has gone downhill recently. Anyway, this is NOT the grand cru...but it's still terrific! — 9 years ago

with Vanessa

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.0

Very well-balanced. But I wish it was a bit fuller-bodied. Sort of like how it's cool to see a gymnast standing one footed on the beam, but would be far more impressive to see an Hillary do it.
90 points

-UPDATE: this thing opened up really nicely over an hour or so (I was distracted from my drinking, usually it's all gone quicker than that). — 10 years ago

Dan R

9.2

From magnum. Wild. Savage, sanguine notes of juicy wild berry, rose, mushroom, and barrel funk on the nose. This tugs the palate in many directions at once, at times dark fruited, others herb-tinged, others earthy, smoky as well. This needs time. It's a big boy, too, with big boy tannins and real presence in the mouth. Wine of character. Good stuff. — 5 years ago

Roger Ray

9.1

"experience the dark aroma of pure African cacao. The darkness continues once on the palate but with a touch of spice as if to suggest that this wine has a lot more personality than it's willing to show you. Let it linger a moment to discover a burst of red fruit, roasted hazelnut and even more spice" — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.2

A very nice SB. Pours a light to medium straw color in the glass. Viscous. The nose is peach and honeysuckle and a hint of lemon. Full bodied SB from the start with a soft, rich mouthfeel. Peach, pear and lemon cheesecake. Sharp acidity still from front to back with great finish and went well with Calamari, Salmon and a spicy fish dish. Probably would have paired well with lemon cheesecake since this note is in abundance on the front.... but it was GONE before it got to that. If this isn't current vintage, it's only one vintage off...these are typically held back a few years and I think that does these WELL. Bravo Jones Family. — 8 years ago

Margot Mazur

9.3

Deep red with a burgundy rim. Deep toasted nuts, walnuts, cherry on the nose, spices. Then roasted nuts, blackberry as it opens up. Reminds me of Christmastime. Definitely have never had a wine like this before. All the normal fruity qualities on the nose that I'm used to are gone. On the palate--black cherry, cigar, leather, tobacco, almost like meat if I remembered what that tasted like. Deep, intense, well balanced. I never knew wine could taste like this. It's amazing. A whole new experience. — 9 years ago

Jason and Jennie

9.2

Taking this to dinner tonight. Coombsville fruit. Kirk venge. Reserve bottling. Winery no longer exists. 40 bucks on last bottle (reg 110). Hope it's aged well 😬.

Update: this was probably awesome as a younger wine. With the fruit gone, the alcohol dominates.

— 9 years ago

David E

9.1

This is dark and capable of impressive range. Black fruits, red fruits, spice and oak all play a role but not at once. Excellent balance and intensity; absurd Sogrape nonsense name. I think it's worth it. — 10 years ago

Xavier Valero

9.6

Great wine. Deep purple. Great fruit. Oak on the nose, slow to open. But once it does it's amazing. — 10 years ago