Practical Matter

Dark Matter Wines

Limitless Howell Mountain Red Blend

Big, fruit forward red. Probably should he greater than a 9, but the jammy, soft finish I wanted. — 4 days ago

R. López de Heredia

Viña Tondonia Reserva Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2011

You're not 40 every day and I wanted a special wine to celebrate that special day. Fortunately the wine bar / open kitchen restaurant we went to had that special wine, amongst 400 references, that I had been desperate to taste for a long while. I didn't take notes so it's all from memory, but the nose is what I liked the most. Coconut notes, leather, cherries, coffee... I spent probably 15 minutes in total smelling that wine. The palate was great with some acid drive, some matter but not in an overwhelming way, some gentle, well integrated tannins in the rear, before a long finish with savoury notes, red fruits, coconut and that gentle grainy tannic layer. A great experience to top up a day to remember.
Oh and if you happen to be in Warsaw, Poland and be looking for a great wine place, make sure to check out Kontakt - wino & bistro.
— 4 months ago

Scott@Mister, Ira and 14 others liked this
Peter van den Besselaar

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Congrats Daniel! Fine experience.
Paul K

Paul K

Happy Birthday @Daniel M ! Great wine! Great review!
Daniel M

Daniel M

@Paul K thank you, Sir !

Espectacle del Montsant

Montsant Garnacha

A very well made and balanced wine with extreme clarity of raspberry. The problem is 16%(!!!) alcohol. I think no matter how well you make wine trying to keep that in check will be difficult. There were some sore heads this morning 🥳 — 2 years ago

Anthony, Lyle and 5 others liked this

Von Winning

Win Win Riesling 2019

Excellent every day Riesling. It combines fruit, acid and minerality in an ideal matter. Very good value for the money. — 4 years ago

Jones Family Vineyard

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

Somm David T
9.8

I coravined some of the 97 early this week and as I sipped it, it was had not to think it was the best Jones Family I’ve had. A score of 98 and I have not given a wine 98 in a very long time. But no matter where you go, there you are.

Tonight I had the 01 at the “Tasting House” and it was amazing. Their Short Ribs are amongst the best I’ve had. A deliberate wine bring knowing the wine & how well it pairs w/ short ribs.

1997 was an outstanding vintage. I think we can all agree on that. Jones Family is a TRB wine that should not fly under the radar in any vintage and I have had nearly all those good vintages since 97.

The 1997 is ethereal. The nose is pure beauty. Perfectly ripe and resolved fruits. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums & juicy strawberries. Perfect baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, sandstone/limestone, fresh tobacco, cedar to sandalwood, dark, Indian/Asian spices, camphor, black licorice, berry cola, sun tea, volcanics, tree bark w/ hints of sap, dark & red fresh flowers.

The palate is incredibly, beautiful, balanced fruit & earth. Bright cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, hovering raspberries & juicy strawberries. Perfect baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, sandstone/limestone, beautiful Indian/Asian spices w/ some plate heat, fresh tobacco, sandalwood, volcanics & dry clay, camphor, dark chocolate baking bar, black licorice, some warm caramel, berry cola, sun tea, volcanics, dark rich soil with dry leaves, tree bark w/ hints of sap, fresh & dry herbs, dark & red fresh flowers framed in lavender & liquid violets, excellent acidity with perfect; elegance, tension, balance and structured finish that last minutes landing on fresh fruit, dark spices and earth tones.

I’ve posted other bottles of 97 Jones Family that were incredible, 95-96. This one perhaps had better storage, evolution & timing. Magic.
— 20 days ago

Bob, Scott@Mister and 10 others liked this
Bob McDonald

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@Somm David T I recall having several bottles of the 97 Opus One which were all stunning.

Cesari

Classico Amarone della Valpolicella Corvina Blend 2017

Tasted too young and not airy enough. Nevertheless: exuberant nose, big matter in the mouth, omnipresent tannins, alcohol present, sweetness, acidity, aromatic bouquets, everything is marked! The breeding is already relatively melted. A wine carved for the guard. To forget a few years in the cellar. Very nice product!

Bu trop jeune et pas assez aéré. Néanmoins: nez exubérant, grosse matière en bouche, tanins omniprésents, alcool présent, sucrosité, acidité, bouquets aromatiques, le tout est marqué! L’élevage est déjà relativement fondu. Un vin taillé pour la garde. À oublier quelques années en cave. Très beau produit!
— 2 years ago

Bob, Ira and 13 others liked this

Jean-Paul & Benoît Droin

Montée de Tonnerre Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2014

The nose is made of lemon, crushed rocks, chalk and there is little touch of juicy pear that pops up after a while and when the wine is warming up slightly. We could add a tiny touch of vanilla from the barrel but it's very discreet. Lovely. This is everything I'm expecting from a 1er cru chablis. The palate is made of a massive acid backbone, almost overwhelming! There is matter to balance it but it's trodding on a very thin edge. Notes of chalk and lemon, and lemon peel are showing all around the way making for a super dynamic, vivid mouthfeel. The finish lasts for ever with this lemony and chalky notes but that vanilla touch that appeared in the rear on the nose makes a discreet comeback in the end and on the sides and that almost reminds me of white burgundies from way down south around meursault and puligny. Awesome, intellectual wine that delivers! — 3 years ago

Mario, Scott@Mister and 15 others liked this

Domaine Le Roc

Cuvée Don Quichotte Fronton 2020

First wine of 2025. Served along pork Filet Mignon. No notes as we are enjoying our first 2025 meal with my family. A bit of age on it. A new, fun label that represents the owners' family quite well (a group of artists). Violet, blackberry and pepper. Great width, great matter, long finish, nice caressing tannins. Happy new year ! — 4 months ago

Ira, Peter and 9 others liked this

The Prisoner Wine Company

The Prisoner Napa Valley Zinfandel Blend

Revisiting this disruptive wine as I often do. This time 24 years after it’s initial release, and much has changed since since it’s inception. The wine is still exciting, maybe for the wrong reasons, maybe for the right reasons but exciting nonetheless. It’s still a big and bold beast of a wine, no matter the vintage. — 7 months ago

Andrew, Daniel and 6 others liked this

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

1995 vintage. Great fill, foil and label. Perfect cork. From a top-notch cellar. Decanted and tasted over the course of two hours. Volcanic ash-styled sed vs chunky-style. Big funk on the nose that resolved after 7-8 minutes. Wine was showing decently (in the 69-72 degree range) but lacking any tannic structure. Placed the decanter atop an ice bucket bath to drop the temp down to 60 degrees or so. Took about 20 minutes but the tannins kicked in the door to say hello. Fruit components stayed constant. Pauillac tendencies were all there. As is the case often with older BDX, the decaying matter/leaves at the onset transitioned to graphite/lead pencil and espresso flavors. This was a superior bottle in great shape. Top of this wine’s specific bell curve. Comparable bottles would look to be drinking this well for the next 5-7 years without dropoff. Out of larger format…could possibly push this into 9.4 status. 2.5.24. — a year ago

Ron, Jan and 17 others liked this
Ron R

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Gonna do a “fly by” one of these days. Buckle up…
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

@Ron R Let me know if you’re headed to SD. E-mail me at: scott@asrestaurant.com
Ron R

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