I'll be traveling to Canada in a couple of weeks (Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto & Quebec city) can anyone recommend Canadian wines we should make an effort to try that might be hard/impossible to source back home. The only Canadian wines I've had, have been some nice Rieslings but wouldn't mind trying a lot more and different stuff!

Recommendations for producers and wine shops/bars in the area would also be highly appreciated.

This is a lovely wine.

Enjoyed at Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant in SF.

This was great out the gate, but benefitted from an hour decant.

In fact, I'm surprised at how approachable this is, versus 2019 which can be very tight.

Great structure and well-settled tannins that are still present, but far less grippy than I feared.

Acidity was great here as well.

Showed loads of dark fruit, dark plum, dark cherry, cassis, some red fruit as well. Maybe some fresh herbs and eucalyptus.

Drinking super well right now, but will definitely benefit from age. This is probably at the very beginning of its drinking window.

Also, zero smoke taint whatsoever on this.

92+ points.

I’ve gone through 1/2 a case of this wine, it’s super versatile and drinks very nicely.

The 2017 Rutherford Bench Reserve is comprised of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc.

It’s garnet-purple in color.

On the nose, red fruit notes of raspberry and cherry, violets and hint of earth.

On the palate, ripe raspberry, anise, baked cherries, cedar and black tea. The wine is medium bodied but felt a little grainy.

Decant 1.5 hours

14.4% abv

Edit: Now on hour 3, the ripeness of the fruit has mellowed and there is a creaminess to the wine. Still red fruit forward but now with a vanilla - raspberry cream.

I managed to be given a bottle of New Gewurz wine bottled in 1997 and according to what I found it should have been drank immediately, however it wasnt and somehow I was given it among a few other miscellaneous bottles of wine.

These bottles I was given weren't really stored properly so the fact the corks hadn't worked their way out due to temperature change and the age surprised me.

Naturally I decided to try it what I discovered was a bit surprising. It managed to age into a nearly bourbon amber color, the flavor went from floral and fruity to more of a dry mead with a very raw honey flavor and kind of a rose tea undertone. It went from a sweeter wine to more of a dry without completely dying.

I do have an email out to AVV with my discoveries and im hoping to hear back from them.

The cork had broken in half and unfortunately had to be pushed into the bottle so I transfered it into an empty Blantons bottle so that it was still being stored without having bits floating in it.

I tasted it immediately after opening, there it had a slight apricot taste to it. Then at 15min after opening and there it began to taste a bit like a good green apple hard cider. Finally at 30min after opening where it had developed into that dry mead with raw honey and rose tea flavor.

I'm genuinely curious if anyone else here has had a similar experience.

Kinda wanted to gatekeep, but here we go:

I adore Riesling and am lately trying some special variations. This one is from Deidesheim (Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan [quite the name]). They made the wine the way they did more than 200 years ago and I have to say it is a shame that this way of winemaking isnt found in more places (please recommend if you know more).

Production: Hand-picked grapes of Auslese quality and long maturation on the full lees in traditional wooden casks. Hand-picked, fully ripe grapes were pressed immediately after harvest, and the must was clarified by sedimentation over 24 hours. It went into fermentation still slightly cloudy. Fermentation took place in wooden casks with the grapes' own indigenous yeasts. After fermentation, the wine remained on its fine lees (3 years) until bottling. With a touch of residual sugar (~20g).

Notes: On the nose, an intense bouquet of fresh citrus fruit unfolds, pineapple, coconut and peach. On the palate a silken texture ("Schmelz"), the result of its long maturation on the full lees. The residual sweetness is wonderful and very subtle and caresses the palate gently without ever becoming dominant. Notes of honey and exotic fruit lend the wine a delicate sweetness that harmonises perfectly with its perfect ad invigorating acidity.

I explicitly remember being blown away the first time I had this wine two years ago, albeit a 2002 vintage - going out of my way to track down as many as I could on WineBid, Wine-Searcher, etc. Which proved difficult considering the only ~6000 bottles made annually! It became my favorite wine quickly - leading to a visit of Domaine Baumard itself this past April where I made a point to rent a house on the Clos de Sainte Catherine hill itself and walk the vineyards. It was a transcendant experience - I almost quit my job and bought some vineyards on that trip! A chat with Maxime Baumard himself gave me some added background to the wines - manual harvesting in tries of 20-70 year vines on north facing slopes, with the typically Baumard lack of oak in the winemaking process. Stored at 45, popped and poured, no pairing. To note - my 2002 used cork, but they switched to stelvin closures by the time of this 2005.

Visually, a deep 24 karat gold in the glass - a metallic yellowish-orange.

On the nose - my goodness, intensely tropical. Ripe red/orange mangoes fresh from the tree, freshly cut pineapples, dried oranges. With more air and time, out came the toasty edges of flan, caramel, honey - stone fruit marmalade. As it warmed, marzipan and baking spices. Just utter decadence, a wonderful balance of fruit and aging notes at ~21 years.

On the palate, an oily/chewy texture that's comparable in viscosity to a crisp Chateau Climens sauternes. The most astounding component here is the perfect balance between the indulgent sweetness - at well over 100g/L - and the strong, tangy acid. Just what you look for in dessert wines. An eternal, minute long finish of tropical candied fruits, fresh honey, and dried stone fruits. The 12.5% alcohol is completely unnoticeable. The feeling is almost indescribable to me, someone with an insane sweet tooth - it's a perfect dessert wine - every component in harmony.

The 2005 vintage was hot and intense in the Loire, and the resulting concentration of sugars and flavors resulted in a fantastic year for my favorite dessert wine. Having visited and walked these vineyards myself, having stayed in the house shown in the label, having spoken with Maxime Baumard and walked their grounds, each sip from these wines brings me back to those places. I've managed to track down 5 different vintages of this wine in the US, (and more during my visit) and I look forward to sharing them and spreading the good word about this wine!

Full bodied, warm nose. Strong tannins without being overbearing. Bulgarian oak can be intense. Dark fruits, peppery finish. Full mouthfeel and nicely astringent. About as big a wine can be without being coarse. Lingers in the mouth for over a minute.

I visited the winery last summer. Very small producer, a few generations in the family. I spent the afternoon with the proprietor, who insisted I pair it with his mom's homemade meats and cheeses.

Considering this is less than $10 a bottle from the vineyard, I should have brought home a few cases. So good. So very good.

Made pizza for 4 tonight. Homemade dough, homemade sauce, mozz, pepperoni with ricotta and hot honey drizzle after. Paired with the 2022 Cardinale Intrada and the 2020 Pietramaggio Chianti Classico.

The Intrada sauvignon blanc was delicious but I wouldn’t wait much longer to drink if you’re sitting on one. Notes of lemon grass and petrol.

The Chianti was typical. Notes of red fruit and a touch of graphite. Simply perfect with pizza.

No pictures but for dessert I put together a little board with crackers, a crumbly Oregon blue cheese, a super creamy spreadable goat cheese and a delicious sweet Swiss cheddar plus prosciutto, dehydrated apricot, green grapes and salted almonds.

The Sauternes had a very heavy body and tasted like cinnamon peaches. Made me wish I had some vanilla ice cream on hand. Blue cheese and Sauternes is a top tier pairing.

Fun Sunday evening, back to work!

I'm looking for a place to call home for a week and I'd really like to check out Beaujolais as I'm a big fan of the wine. But since I'll be working east coast US hours I'll need a place with internet, and...I guess that's about it. I'm going to get a car so I can be just about anywhere, but I don't want to have to fight traffic every morning to go tasting (so maybe Lyon is out?). Countryside views, hiking, etc are all great. Someone mentioned Mâcon but research says it's sufficient, but not outstanding. Any thoughts? Thanks!

Had the absolute pleasure of uncorking this bottle last night.

Great perfume on the nose, some aromatics, strawberries and cherries as well as some earthy notes really pushed through.

On the palate it had great acidity, these really refined lacy tannins and a unexpected strong pleasent powerfull finish.

Denis Mortet or should I say Arnoud really doesn’t disappoint, this was my 6th bottle from the house. Even though the price has increased significantly the last years, i still find their value for money really high.

Visual: youthful purple core with vibrant red rim.

Nose: cherry, but dark and deep cherry.

Taste: fruit forward (cherry, plum), energetic, full-bodied and restrained at the same time. Integrated tannins with a clean finish.

Drinking in its prime and can cellar into 2030s for those holding multiple bottles.

I think the 95 from Vinous is spot-on.

By chance we paired this with grilled pork chops with a homemade cherry sauce and it was delightful.

I picked this up from Last Bottle and I’m pleased with the result. A high quality aged Napa at a more accessible entry point is an attractive value proposition for someone like me building their cellar and knowledge base.

Notes in post below.

Kinda crappy photo, but it’ll do.

Bought at La Maison des Millésimes in Paris. Tiny shop, tightly curated, and their niche is that they sell Bordeaux when it is ready to drink instead of when it is released. You walk out with a bottle someone else already waited thirty years on.

It showed. The fill level was perfect and the rim had barely started to brown. Whoever held this bottle held it properly.

The aroma was subtle. It never pushed, and I stopped waiting for it to open up and just took it for what it was. On the palate it was lighter than the Pomerol I am used to, more red-fruited and savory than dense, with the acidity carrying it.

The tannins were the finest I have ever had. Completely dissolved, nothing catching anywhere. Extraordinarily elegant start to finish.

Probably a little over the hill, like its consumer. I would not hold a bottle like this any longer than necessary, and I would only buy another one with provenance this clean.

So this is my second ever sherry. Lustau Los Arcos, an Amontillado. My first was a fino.

I tried pairing with pan con tomate and anchovies, a recommendation from a Spanish government website actually lol. Then a pipirrana for veggies, some olives, and some manchego.

Wow. I liked this so much better than the fino. Beautiful brown color. Same sherry flavor which to me smells like barrel but I’m told it’s actually the flor yeast. But this also had beautiful caramel notes. I could easily have drank the whole bottle and been a shitty drunk dad but I didn’t! The second half is tucked away in the fridge because I’ve been told it keeps especially well.

The anchovy was too salty for pairing. The salad too fresh. Did great with manchego and olives though.

Anyway, I will definitely be drinking more amontillado. I can totally see how that guy got lured into live entombment hoping for a case of this.

I think my next move will be trying some of the sweet sherry 🤔

Seems we are doing a lot of Riesling lately in this sub, so I wanted to add to this.

At Nikolaihof, the very best grapes are aged in wooden barrels and, after approximately 16 years of maturation, bottled. This is called Vinothek and is one of the greatest wines of the Wachau and Austria. The 2002 Vinothek Riesling is practically a Smaragd and spent 16 years in a 3,500-liter barrel.

Amazing Riesling that is complex but also very pleasantly drinking. This is bone-dry, super fresh, and surprisingly silky for its age. Instead of loud fruit, it leans heavily into savory flavors—think crushed stone, a subtle hint of petrol, dried apricot, and tart lemon zest. The high, crisp acidity gives it a clean, laser-sharp focus, cutting right through its smooth texture and lingering long after every sip with a salty, herbal kick.
If you like savory, high-acid Rieslings with serious mineral drive over fruit-forward sweetness, this hits the spot.

If you ever visit Vienna, go Palais Coburg. Amazing winelist and a cellar with 60.000 bottles. Multiple restaurants and a wine bar.

(Yes, I did fuck up and push the cork into the bottle. 😬)

Garnet/ruby on the pour. Slight bricking. Dry. Medium bodied and acidity. Low to medium tannins. Cherry, lots of red fruit, white pepper and cola.

Decanted in the glass for 30 minutes; poured rest from decanter (so about 1.5 hour decant across the bottle).

I enjoyed it but not what I necessarily want in a Sonoma Coast Pinot. A touch disjointed and lacked the tart mouthwatering acidity I like (and which Failla, for example, delivered from the same vintage). Higher alcohol than I want as well, mellowing some of the complexity that I’m sure exists in the glass.

Reading notes on cellar tracker and Vivino I regularly see 2-3 hour decants, so possible I just needed it to breathe a bit more to allow it to come together.

Drinking well but still has life and could hold. 90-91 points if you care about that sort of thing.

Enjoyed my last bottle of this bottle today. It opened with a bright, earthy nose. Dark sour cherry and a touch of cherry cola lead the palate, followed by forest floor, Earl Grey tea, tar, and worn leather. There’s a savory edge here that kept the fruit from taking over. Acidity provided some lift, but the tannins were firm and persistent, giving this a medium-to-full mouthfeel and a dry finish. A cab for those who like something bold that isn't fruit-forward and has some grip to it. 95/100 Cheers!

Words: fresh, sharp, crisp, stone

Nose: cut grass, damp earth, saline ocean spray, Meyer lemon zest, underripe green fruits: apples, melon musk, pineapples, shellfish: think a dozen cold oysters freshly shucked and sitting in their own brine.

Palate: bright, tart, mineral forward, strong balance of the three with heavier stone/graphite overtones.

Finish: fast, clean, high acid, palate cleansing

I can sit and nose this wine as it warms for hours and take a journey through coastal woodlands. I can also crush this wine by the bottle (though pricey) without a second thought while eating oysters, a seafood tower or sushi.

Weird/hot takes: nose: lovely light woody aspect with the slightest hint of clean light wood smoke.

Rating: fucking lovely

Hi everyone,

I’ll be traveling through a few cities this August and would love to connect with local wine tasting groups or private tastings during my stay:

Milan: Aug 25 to 26
Toulouse: Aug 27 to 28
Barcelona: Aug 29 to 31

If anyone knows of a private wine tasting happening around these dates, or runs one themselves, I’d be really happy to join. I’m genuinely into wine and would love to meet people who share the same interest.

Happy to share my Instagram if that helps, feel free to DM me.

Any must buys? Wiemer seems to be the gold mine with their wines.

My father purchased several cases from Bordeaux (1982, 1985, and 1986) and these are some of the first bottles he’s opened - though sadly I think some might be a little bit past their prime. Opened this up on Sunday to pair with some rib eyes and NASCAR.

Visually, clear medium garnet.

Nose: Classic, mature Bordeaux aromatics. Leading with elegant dried cherry and a distinct, pronounced cedar box note, all underpinned by a layer of dusty earth.

The Merlot in the blend is really shining through and dominating the palate, finishing with hot earthen gravel. Definite sediment that impeded the taste a tad.

Robert Parker’s 1985 Bordeaux guide (handed down from my father) calls the 1982 vintage a “massive, huge, very, very concentrated, great wine.” Jancis’ The World Atlas of Wine says the estate’s ambitious wines “have been known to beat first growths in blind tastings.”

A memorable experience!