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Wine Scores
Below is a listing of the wine review scores we frequently reference in our notes. While these sources remain an excellent source of information, we always recommend that you trust your own palate. Scores in these publications often represent the personal taste of an individual critic, which may not always coincide with your own. We have a huge team of excellent wine professionals that can match wines you've had in the past with new arrivals that meet your flavor profile.
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Customer Reviews - Chris Bottarini
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Chris Bottarini
A novice wine afficionado from Northern California traveling the world one glass at a time ...
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Reviews |
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2006 Ducluzeau, Listrac
(out of stock)
Review Date: 11-11-2012
Saturated ruby-purple in the glass. Loads of ripe plums, black cherry & vanilla oak nuances. A nice, medium body with perky, yet resolved tannins & a streak of acid to balance it out. Finishes on the dry side which should pair perfectly with BBQ burgers tonight! After dinner, more of the tart fruit & minerals showed. The spice component kicked up too, no doubt from the salt from the rub on the burger.
Price: Hidden
2006 Cantine Ascheri Barolo
(out of stock)
Review Date: 11-3-2012
Concentrated ruby-purple in the glass. Classic nose of tar & roses. Nice cherry & spice notes with chewy tannins lined by an acidic spine. The finish lingers on ... Would be great to see where this would be in another 5-10 years yet it was delicious tonight with Duccios bison lasagna.
Price: $29.99
La Montina Franciacorta Brut
Review Date: 11-3-2012
Light straw, honey gold color ... A little darker inthe glass than I would except. Nice apple, pear, lemon curd notes & finishes with a toasty, brioche note. A nice spice note too. Great bottle of Italian bubbles made in the traditional method.
Price: $29.99
1999 Kalin Cellars Livermore Valley Sémillon
Review Date: 10-21-2012
Reviewing this wine will be fun & nostalgic for me since the producer hails from the small Marin County town I grew up in. Showing a very pronounced honey-gold color in the glass. Looks like an aged Sauternes in appearance. The nose is a potpourri of floral & citrus fruits. I get honeysuckle, ginger, orange rind, peach, the faintest hint of neutral oak & fresh mushroom. The palate is equally enticing & is the epitome of unctuous ... Even at this age this hasn't shown any signs of slowing down! Gobs of orange, peach & grapefruit with a perfect string of acidity to balance everything. A little of the savory mushroom comes through as well. This is one of those rare wines that continues to unfold with each glass. It's a red wine drinkers white!
Price: $27.99
2006 Angelo Germano "Mondoca Dardi " Barbera
(out of stock)
Review Date: 10-13-2012
A gorgeous saturated ruby purple in the glass. Lots of tar, cherry & leather with a hint of spice on the nose. Loads of chunky red & black fruits on the attack. Little to no tannin but plenty of lip smacking acidity! Another excellent Angelo Germano gem.
Price: $27.99
2010 Claude Branger "Les Fils de Gras Mouton" Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie
(out of stock)
Review Date: 9-29-2012
Pale straw colored in the glass. Lots of lemon & wet stone minerality both on the nose & the palate. Nice pleasing acidic spine that balances the fruit. A great summer wine!
Price: $9.99
2004 Colognole "Collezione" Chianti Rufina
Review Date: 9-22-2012
Nice saturated ruby color in the glass. Lots of dark red fruits, leather, & loads of spice on the nose. Once in the glass chunky red fruits, relatively resolved tannins & a pleasing acidic backbone abounds. This is one of the most enjoyable Chiantis I have had.
Price: $29.99
2007 Yabby Lake Pinot Noir Mornington Peninsula Victoria
(out of stock)
Review Date: 9-8-2012
Nice ruby-red color that I would expect from a new world PN. The nose has really mellowed since opening this close to 1 hour ago. I'm picking up strawberries, cloves & a hint of mushroom. Lots of juicy red fruits with only a touch of oak spice & cinnamon. It's great to see a New World region making a PN at 13.5%. You can truly appreciate the fruit & medium structure to this wine without being hit by a wallop of alcohol!
Price: $22.99
2009 Pipeau, St-Emilion
(out of stock)
Review Date: 9-1-2012
Ruby-purple in the glass. The nose is reticent of gorgeous toasty oak, currant, espresso, plums & spice box. Lots of chunky black fruits on this. This being my first go for a young Bordeaux I'm beyond impressed by the 2009 vintage in St Emilion. With that being said, this has plenty of life ahead of it for those with a proper cellar!
Price: $31.99
2009 Domaine Jean Descombes (Georges Duboeuf) Morgon
(out of stock)
Review Date: 8-18-2012
Nice ruby red in the glass. Lots of plums & blackberry & spice on the nose. Telltale Burgundy-Gamay nose of dark fruits with some spice. Lip smacking black & red fruits on the attack with a clear spice note on the lingering, acidic finish. Should be a great food wine!
Price: $15.99
2007 Joseph Swan "Zeigler Vineyard" Russian River Valley Zinfandel
(out of stock)
Review Date: 8-4-2012
Saturated Ruby in the glass. So much happening on the nose ... loads of blueberry, blackberry, plum, earth & a hint of pepper being the most prevalent. Built in a decidedly fruity yet not jammy style. There are still plenty of acids to balance out so this one will be great with BBQ chicken tonight! I have been a HUGE fan of J Swan wines for years! This one, as always, does not disappoint.
Price: $26.99
2007 Bonny Doon "Le Cigare Volant" Rhône Blend
(out of stock)
Review Date: 7-28-2012
A nice, saturated ruby-purple in the glass. After having had several dozen Rhone wines I am always struck by how different the "CA Rhone Ranger" wines are from the actual AOC Rhone. When you sick your nose in the glass you are instantly hit with telltale AOC Rhone signals. Strong game notes, followed by plums & dark cherries with a spike of pepper so similar to a Cotes du Rhone. What I love is that all the fruit is rich & forward like a ripe, French vintage rather than a CA fruit bomb. There is a nice spine of acid to keep everything in balance. Delicious juice from Bonny Doon!
Price: $29.99
2009 Gostolai "Incantu" Vermentino di Sardegna
(out of stock)
Review Date: 7-14-2012
This wine is almost amber, honey-gold in the glass. There is a richness on the nose that leads you to believe this will be a bomb with no spine. I was told that the vinification process for this particular Sardinian is leaning towards orange wine due to the extended contact with the skins for a few days. For sure rich, almost like a Napa Chard but the streak of acidity out the back says different. Loads of unctuous honey & melon fruit, structure from the use of oak & a streak of acid to cut through it all to keep it fresh. Ended up being a fantastic pairing for Pesto pasta tonight!
Price: $19.99
2000 Camensac, Haut-Médoc
(out of stock)
Review Date: 6-23-2012
Saturated ruby in the glass. For starters ... I love the nose on this! Having had another vintage of Camensac before this brings me right back. Loads of earthy, mushroom, oak, spice, cassis, herbs & minerals abound in this classic vintage Bordeaux. Lots of chunky fruit in the middle. If you are. Lover of claret or Cabernet it would be hard not to love this wine!
Price: $34.99
Marguet Pere et Fils "Cuvée Reserve" Brut Champagne
Review Date: 6-11-2012
Light & pale straw in the glass. Loads toasty brioche & apple skins on the nose. The first impression you get is of a rich wine no doubt from the PN content. Tons of toast, peach, white acacia flowers & a finish that won't quit! Exceptional way to toast my 33rd birthday!
Price: $34.99
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