Pepper Tree Wines

Alain Graillot

Crozes-Hermitage Syrah 2022

Such a beautiful wine leading with a zesty charge of cracked pepper, grilled citrus, and barnyard, while not shying away from fruitiness. Gains weight with air and a darker, more serious stewed intensity of fruit leather and earth. Drank with a friend who really appreciated it, and we both returned to our glasses repeatedly waxing poetic with our expressions. Purchased at Astor. — 7 days ago

Rene Rostaing

Ampodium Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2019

Delicate, muted nose, floral, touch of brett. After an hour in glass - med acid, tobacco, dark chocolate, red fruit, pepper, grilled meat. — 10 months ago

Twomey

Monument Tree Vineyard Pinot Noir 2020

An excellent Pinot Noir with notes of blackberry, minerality, pine, and forest floor. On the bud, it’s enriched with raspberry, black cherry, and stewed fruits. Very smooth with a long finish. — 4 months ago

The Dreaming Tree

California Cabernet Sauvignon

absolute favorite moderately priced easygoing red — a month ago

Bedrock Wine Co.

Old Vine Zinfandel

Lighter body then I would prefer but super aggressive pepper finish perfect with filet mignon — a month ago

Dave, Douglas and 6 others liked this

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave

Hermitage Syrah 2001

It’s been a couple of years since I last encountered the 2001 vintage of Chave’s Hermitage. That bottle was a library release from the domaine and so is this example. Splash decanted directly before service. The 2001 pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous and a total umami bomb: Koji beef broth, dried and baked brambles, dried purple flowers, black pepper, Kalamata olive, organic and inorganic earth along with fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Looking back on my notes from 2024, there’s a common theme: the 2001 is all about dat bass. Drink now with some patience and through 2041. — 2 months ago

Brian, Lyle and 15 others liked this

Domaine Auguste Clape

Cornas Syrah 1998

Opened prior to dinner; enjoyed over several hours. The 1998 pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with mixed brambles, black pepper, just a hint of animale, Kalamata olive, purple flowers, dried green herbs, and rocky minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Delicious and doesn’t seem to be dropping from a cliff soon. Drink now through 2033 — 2 days ago

Jeroen, Zach and 22 others liked this

The Prisoner Wine Company

The Prisoner Napa Valley Zinfandel Blend 2016

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose of black fruits with cedar, vanilla, leather, spices, earth, chocolates and black pepper.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with black currants, black plums, blackberries, cooked cherries, light green vegetables, spices, pencil lead and peppercorn.

Long finish with soft tannins and tangy cherries.

This 10 year old red blend from California is still drinking beautifully. Complex and interesting. Nice to see that it aged nicely.

Showing slight RS on the palate, but I can live with that.

Easy drinking and good by itself as a sipping wine.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Charbono.

15.2% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$60.
— 2 months ago

Andrew, Ted and 9 others liked this
Dick Schinkel

Dick Schinkel

Big Cheers dear Winefriend 👌🍷

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1990

1990 Chateau Lynch Bages in Nebuchadnezzar. At a Lynch Bages dinner for the Commanderie de Bordeaux NY Chapter. Paired over the course of three courses vs the 1995, 1996 and 2000. The 1998 was also served earlier in the evening. So youthful, given the large format. Still got to experience different stages of evolution of the wine as it was poured throughout the night. Well balanced and beat out the other wines that night, with rhe 1996 showing more pepper and spice but also green bell pepper from the Cab Franc. The 2000 also showed strongly, but could not outshine the 1990. — 3 months ago

Ira, Andrew and 18 others liked this