Schramsberg Vineyards was founded in 1862 by Jacob Schram when he purchased 200 acres and began the development of hillside vineyards in Napa. In 1870, Chinese laborers dug what became the first hillside caves in Napa Valley for aging and storing wine, with the winery quickly ramping up production. By 1880, Schramsberg was producing 8,403 cases of wine annually from 50 acres of vines, which ramped up to about 28,361 cases from 100 acres of vines by the year 1890. If this history sounds familiar, it’s because the Davies family purchased the Schramsberg property in 1965 and I’ve reviewed several of their still wines starting with the 2012 Ferrington Vineyards Pinot Noir in Who Wants Pie? on October 9. With their ownership, Jack and Jamie Davies started producing sparkling wines under the historic Schramsberg label with a goal of producing America’s premier sparkling wine.
Fun fact: Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs was served for President Nixon’s 1972 “Toast to Peace” with China’s Premier Zhou Enlai. Since then, Schramsberg sparkling wines have been served at official State functions by every U.S. Presidential administration.
Today’s Wine: 2005 J. Schram Sparkling Rosé
79% Chardonnay, 21% Pinot Noir; 12.3% ABV
The 2005 J. Schram is a bright salmon pink in color and fully transparent. On the nose, this sparkler showcases aromas of strawberry, raspberry, peach, baked red apple, toasted almond, brioche toast, and a hint of lees. Once in the mouth, the wine shows notes of cherry, strawberry, blood orange, apricot, grapefruit, hazelnut, and lightly buttered toast. Moderately full-bodied, this sparkling wine has vibrant mouthwatering acidity into a long finish ending in notes of crisp red apple skin and crunchy red berries.
Price: $110. Though this is one of the best sparkling rosés I’ve had, I would be perfectly content saving $40 and buying a Veuve Clicquot Rosé Champagne even though it’s a NV bottling. Pair this with shrimp, salmon, cold cuts, or sweet cheese.
This is an easy one today so I can prepare for the Christmas Eve festivities, and if you celebrate the holiday as well my wine review shouldn’t keep you too busy! I wrote about Alpha Omega a couple times in the past, first reviewing the 2015 Unoaked Chardonnay in A Napa Take On Chablis and then the 2016 Cabernet Franc in The Cabernet in Cabernet Sauvignon.
Long story short, Alpha Omega is the creation of Robin and Michelle Baggett following their move to Napa Valley in 2006. Though Robin began his foray into wine much earlier, in 1988 as a grape grower and in 1998 by starting Tolosa Winery, Michelle worked in the design and development of hospitality brands before the couple culminated their pursuits into Alpha Omega. Today, Alpha Omega is known largely for their red wines and particularly high-quality single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, though they produce Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and late harvest wines as well.
The 2012 Proprietary Red is opaque deep ruby in color, almost black at its core. This needs some time to breathe, though once it opens up the nose emits aromas of blackberry, blueberry, plum, cassis, black cherry, cedar, graphite, tar, cinnamon, and oak. In the mouth, this expressive palate shows notes of blackberry, juicy plum, prune, dried leather, loamy earth, cocoa, black pepper, licorice, lavender, and a touch of vanilla. This bottling from Alpha Omega is medium- to full-bodied with high acidity, grippy medium (+) tannins, and a medium (+) finish with inky, concentrated dark fruit notes dominating.
Price: $90. Personally, I would pay up for the single vineyard wines from Alpha Omega or go with a different producer in the same price range. This wine is a bit far into the “people pleasing” category in my opinion with its rich, concentrated, and expressive fruit alongside vanilla and oak. This being said, however, most people would like this. Pair this with steak, a burger, pepper-crusted tuna, or grilled lamb.
Vérité was founded in 1998 by wine industry visionary Jess Jackson. Though Jackson is most well-known for starting Kendall-Jackson after purchasing 80 acres of land he converted to vineyards in 1974 (he started bottling his own wine in 1982), he always wanted to create a wine that would stand up to the greatest in the world. This vision, and his belief that it could be accomplished in Sonoma County, helped lay the foundations of Vérité. During the 1990s, Jackson traveled to France and met vigneron Pierre Seillan who had already spent decades creating world-class wines in Bordeaux and Tuscany. The two struck up a friendship, and when Seillan visited California in 1997 Jackson asked him to start Vérité with him and this passion was born.
Seillan is a vigneron who follows a micro-cru philosophy throughout the viticultural and winemaking processes. This philosophy came about after Seillan worked across eight different appellations in Bordeaux, allowing him to realize the endless nuance between different vineyard sites. In bringing this philosophy to Vérité, Seillan crafts each wine from more than 50 micro-crus harvested and fermented separately before being aged in French oak barrels varying in toast. The resulting wines are characterized by an elegant and complex architecture that “embodies the timeless traditions of France and the limitless possibilities of California.” Though Jess Jackson passed away in 2011, his vision lives on through Seillan and will continue to do so under Hélène Seillan who joined as assistant winemaker to her father.
Vérité produces three wines including La Muse (Merlot dominated), La Joie (Cabernet Sauvignon dominated), and Le Désir (Cabernet Franc dominated). In addition to the micro-cru philosophy, each wine is produced with a belief that we are servants of the soil in winemaking and the wines should therefore “express the unfettered voice of the terroir.” Sonoma County is one of the most diverse winegrowing regions on earth and with vineyards located in the Bennett Valley, Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill, and Knights Valley appellations Vérité wines elegantly display this nuanced terroir.
The 2008 Le Désir is a beautiful medium ruby color. These wines are made for the long haul, so we decanted this bottle for about an hour before trying any. Once the wine opens up, the nose showcases aromas of dusty blackberry, black cherry, peppercorn, sous bois, white truffle, cigar box, mint, and oak. In the mouth, this beauty shows notes of blackberry, blueberry, purple florals, cigar box, smokey earth, green herbs, pepper, licorice, and a hint of oak. The wine is full-bodied with medium acidity, medium (+) tannins, and a long finish.
Price: $400. I’ve wanted to try a wine from Vérité for quite some time, though it is no easy price to stomach. Thanks to a very generous friend who brought this over for a party, I finally got a glimpse into why their wines are so pricey. Pair this with grilled beef (especially filet mignon), duck, or lamb.
Futo Wines was founded in 2002 by Tom and Kyle Futo when they purchased Oakford Vineyards. Futo started as a 40 acre property with 7 acres planted under vine in the hills of Oakville, though Tom and Kyle added an adjoining 117 acres in 2004. This new property resulted in the addition of 6 acres of vineyards that were planted under the direction of famed viticulturist David Abreu and winemaker Mark Aubert. 2004 also marked the first vintage of Futo Wines, 80 cases of the Futo Oakville bottling. The winery was not yet completed, however, but was finished in 2008 in time to receive that vintage’s harvest. Late in 2011, Futo expanded yet again with the purchase of 40 acres in the Stags Leap District that included 9 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon planted in 1986. This estate vineyard allows for a more efficient marriage of Oakville and Stags Leap fruit to produce the OV/SL bottling.
I had the privilege of visiting Futo and tasting with Daniel Ha back in September, and this was one of my favorite visits during my trip. We took a tour of the property, including the winery, before sitting down inside to taste the 2012 OV/SL and 2014 Oakville bottlings. These are both delicious wines full of power and complexity, while also displaying the unique terroirs of Oakville and the Stags Leap District. All of the farming at Futo is done by hand and vineyard management is 100% in-house which helps provide consistency across vintages yet constant improvement. Jason Exposto’s winemaking style is focused on restraint rather than influence, another excellent facet of the experience when tasting Futo’s wines.
The 2012 OV/SL is an opaque medium to deep ruby color. I let this decant for about an hour before drinking. Once the wine opens up, the nose showcases aromas of blackberry, plum, graphite, tobacco, red meat, smoke, earth, chocolate, and oak. When this wine hits the palate, I get notes of blackberry, blueberry, black raspberry, cedar, cigar box, loamy earth, slight iron, green herbs, and forest floor. This wine is full-bodied with medium (+) acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish. 880 cases produced.
Price: $200 (but $250 direct from the winery). Certainly not a cheap bottle of wine, but everything I’ve tried from Futo is outstanding. If you can find this for a deal retail, it’s certainly worth trying. Pair this with steak.
Supposed to spit it out…..but no way Jose am I spittin’ this stuff out, it tastes like fruit!
Dr. Steve Brule
Today’s Story: Las Jaras Wines
Las Jaras Wines was founded in 2014 by winemaker Joel Burt and Hollywood comedian/director Eric Wareheim. Joel Burt, a winemaker at Domaine Chandon, was growing tired of making wines in a cookie-cutter, corporate, and mass-produced manner when he met Eric and the two realized they shared a passion for fine wine. The duo started planning their own wine label where they could produce wines in homage of “the old days” (think 1970s Napa) and Las Jaras was born. Joel describes their Cabernet “like a Dunn from the 80s, but way more approachable” and each wine in the portfolio is made largely using similar traditional techniques.
To achieve this style of wine, Joel remains very hands-off throughout the winemaking process. Las Jaras sources their fruit from various old vine vineyards, though most comes from Mendocino County. All fruit is hand-harvested and each variety goes through separate winemaking processes, all being hand-sorted at the crusher. Though each variety is vinified differently to best express that variety’s unique character, the long story short here is that Joel doesn’t add sulfur, the wines ferment with only natural yeasts, and bottling is accomplished with no fining or filtration. Today will be my first bottle from Las Jaras (and hopefully not my last) as I can appreciate wines made in traditional fashion with lower SO2 and alcohol content to better express the terroir.
The 2018 Sweet Berry Wine is a beautiful medium purple in color and moderately opaque. This takes a little bit of time to open up, but once it does the nose showcases aromas of blueberry, raspberry, strawberry jam, licorice, sweet tobacco, cured meat, cinnamon, and violet. In the mouth, this Carignan-dominated blend shows notes of tart cherry, cranberry sauce, plum, wild underripe raspberry, baking spice, sweet tobacco, and green herbs. Overall both the nose and palate come off quite sweet, actually reminding me somewhat of the Martha Stoumen Zinfandel I reviewed not too long ago. The wine is medium-bodied with high acidity, low tannins (surprisingly), and a long finish.
Price: $35. All gimmicks aside, I think this is a great value particularly for those not familiar with a more “natural” way of making wine. I put “natural” in quotes because Joel Burt takes the word with a grain of salt when it comes up to describe his style, but it does fit. Pair this with honestly any type of food you want, but steer toward chicken, duck, pork, or beef brisket – and you can add barbecue to all of that minus the duck.
For a little comedy behind this wine, check out the video here. For a more serious note on the winemaking process for this bottling (they go into a lot of great detail) check out the fact sheet here.
Domaine du Gros ‘Noré was founded in 1997 by Alain Pascal, though he and his father Honoré grew and sold grapes on the property beforehand. Born in a small house surrounded by the vineyards in Bandol, Alain grew up to become an amateur boxer (thanks to his burly build and bear-claw-sized hands) and avid hunter but he always wanted to be a farmer. Though Alain and Honoré sold most of their fruit to Domaine Ott and Château de Pibarnon, the father and son duo also produced wines for their family’s enjoyment without estate bottling and commercializing it. After his father’s death, Alain shifted focus and founded Domaine du Gros ‘Noré (named after his father) which quickly helped catapult him to the forefront of winemaking in Bandol.
From the very beginning of his domaine, Alain sought to create wines through minimal intervention. Part of this vision includes fermenting his wines with only indigenous yeasts and not filtering them before bottling. Though he first became recognized for ripe and full-bodied wines thanks to his practice of allowing the grapes to mature fully on the vine before harvest, over the years he tried shifting toward wines of freshness and complexity by harvesting slightly earlier. The resulting wines offer both power and silkiness while depicting the sunny hillsides of Provence, its clay soil, and terroir in beautiful clarity.
Domaine du Gros ‘Noré consists of 16 hectares of vineyards, which Alain farms with help from his brother Guy. Alain’s vineyards are predominantly clay with some limestone, and the Mediterranean microclimate brings warm weather and full sun that culminates into expressive fruit.
Today’s Wine: 2010 Cuvée Antoinette
95% Mourvèdre, 5% Grenache; 15% ABV
The 2010 Cuvée Antoinette is deep ruby in color with bright ruby rim variation and slight particle presence in the glass. Once this opens up, the nose showcases aromas of ripe cranberry, cherry, red and purple florals, leather, cured meat, cigar box, loamy earth, graphite, and wet gravel. I also get a bit of heat on the nose, likely due to the relatively high 15% ABV. On the palate, this wine shows notes of cranberry, raspberry, dusty blueberry, smoke, tobacco, charred earth, mushroom, underbrush, and chocolate. The wine is medium-bodied with medium (+) acidity, medium dusty tannins, and a long finish dominated by dark fruit and earthy tones. While drinking beautifully right now, there is definitely another decade to enjoy this wine.
Price: $82. I paid a bit more than this here in the USA’s Midwest, but I think $82 is a great price-point for the wine. This is a beautiful representation of Mourvèdre and was a library release directly from the domaine. Pair this with gamey meats, especially venison or buffalo and bison.
Booker Vineyard as it exists today stems from the purchase of 100 acres by Eric and Lisa Jensen in 2001. The history of this land, however, traces back to the late 1920s when Claude and Dick Booker, two orphaned brothers, purchased land on Paso’s Westside that amassed to more than 1,200 acres by the turn of the century. The Bookers were some of Paso’s best-known residents for their farming knowledge and philanthropy, with their largest gift being 100% of their estate left to charity when Dick died in 1990 and Claude died in 2000.
Now back to 2001 with Eric and Lisa, the couple intended to use their new land to grow grapes for some of the best wineries in the Paso Robles area. Though they achieved this goal selling grapes to Saxum for five years and L’Aventure for two years, Eric and Lisa wanted more out of their land and decided to bottle their own wine beginning with the 2005 vintage. A unique and more personalized expression of their land, Booker wines are made by Eric Jensen himself.
Though Booker is not certified organic or biodynamic, their farming practices pull inspiration from both methods. The Jensens have come to realize that biodynamic farming practices help maintain the interconnected lifestyle and cycles of all entities in the vineyards, providing a boost to soil and vine health that becomes apparent in their wines. Furthermore, the vines are planted in rather high density so each plant can focus its energy on few clusters that create concentrated wines rather than an abundance of fruit. This is also important because Booker’s vineyards do not get much water.
Much like the mentality in the vineyards, Booker makes their wines in minimalist fashion. Eric strives to interfere as little as possible, with his red wine fermentations started using pump-overs and moving to punch-downs in most cases once fermentation starts. The wines are not racked until bottling and these wines are typically aged for 18 months. For more, check out the Booker website here where much of the above information finds its source.
Today’s Wine: 2016 Vertigo GSM Red Blend
52% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre; 14.9% ABV
The 2016 Vertigo is medium to deep ruby in color and moderately transparent. Once the wine opens up (you will need to decant this) the nose offers enticing aromas of blackberry, blueberry, red berry jam, baked cherry, licorice, lavender, a touch of smoke, leather, game, chocolate, and a hint of vanilla. On the palate this wine displays delicious notes of blackberry compote, blueberry, black plum, candied cherry, scorched earth, graphite, blood, bitter chocolate, green herbs, and stony minerality. The wine is medium-bodied with high acidity, high tannins, and a long grippy finish dominated by dark berries and plum. Overall this is a complex yet sweet GSM that, while beautiful now with some air, needs time to fully come together in the cellar.
Price: $80. This is not cheap but fairly priced, though I would steer you toward better value wines (such as Ridge GSM) if you intend to drink it now. You need to be patient for a few more years with this one but will be handsomely rewarded. Pair this with red meats and game accompanied by mushroom or pepper sauce.
Château de la Guimonière was a very historic 15th Century estate with origins dating to the château built there in 1487. The estate’s vineyards were located on the hillsides of Layon à Chaume in the town of Rochefort sur Loire and occupied 19 hectares under vine. 16 hectares of vineyard land was planted to Chenin Blanc, while the remaining 3 hectares consisted of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Unfortunately, based on my research, it appears the château is now simply a cottage designed for family or group travel accommodations. Perhaps you can stay there when visiting the area for some Loire Valley tastings.
As recently as the late 1990s, under ownership of the Germain family, the estate produced sweet wines after Bernard Germain purchased Château de la Guimonière, Château de Fesles, and Château de la Roulerie. Shortly thereafter, thanks to how difficult it can be to make sweet wines in the Loire Valley, the family sold off Château de la Fesles and Château de la Guimonière. They maintained ownership of Château de la Roulerie, however, which seemed to have the greatest promise thanks to its origins way back in the 11th Century. Perhaps I will try to find one of their wines to review someday.
Bonus fact: Bernard Germain, the former owner of Château de la Guimonière, is the father of Thierry Germain whose Domaine des Roches Neuves I reviewed a wine from in early November. Bernard’s other son Philippe runs Château de la Roulerie.
Today’s Wine: 1997 Coteaux du Layon Chaume
100% Chenin Blanc; 13% ABV
The 1997 Coteaux du Layon Chaume is a disconcerting pale to medium brown in color, almost more reminiscent of a sherry or white Tawny Port. There is zero sediment in the bottle and the wine is almost entirely transparent. Though many people would probably dump this out on first sight, I gave it the old college try and was handsomely rewarded. The nose offers still delicate aromas of dried apricot, baked peach, orange marmalade, honey, white florals, mixed nuts, and slight earthy game while remarkably not really showing signs of oxidation. Once in the mouth, this wine showcases notes of candied orange, quince, marmalade, marzipan, licorice, caramel, toffee, and white floral liqueur. Medium- to full-bodied, this peculiar wine shows medium (+) acidity and a well-rounded finish that ends medium (+) in length.
Price: $100. At this price, I would not buy this wine again. While it was certainly a fun wine to try (I don’t have many wines from producers no longer in existence, or wines that come out brown but taste pleasant) I wouldn’t call it worth trying again. Pair this with rich, pungent cheeses or drink it alone for the odd experience.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery was founded in 1972 by Tom and Sally Jordan, a husband and wife duo from Colorado. During the early years of their marriage, Tom and Sally shared a passion for French food and wine that they expanded upon by traveling throughout France, ultimately realizing they wanted a vineyard of their own. Not believing they could realistically purchase one in France, the couple had their epiphany over a glass of Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour by realizing they could achieve their dream of crafting French-inspired wines in California. It was May of 1972 when this passion came to fruition and Tom and Sally signed the deed for their property in Alexander Valley.
At this time both Alexander Valley and the Napa Valley were quite rustic, full of prune orchards and cattle without much vineyard land. Tom and Sally removed the prune orchards on their property and set about planting 200 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot on the valley floor. Two years later, in 1974, the couple realized it was time to construct a winery and plans began for their 58,000 square foot French-inspired chateau overlooking the vineyards. The chateau took 18 months to complete, though the production wing was completed first one week before the 1976 harvest – Jordan’s first vintage.
Funny enough, Jordan hired André Tchelistcheff in 1974 as an enology consultant. If that name sounds familiar, it should because I wrote about André in my post on Beaulieu Vineyard. André was essentially the architect behind the Georges de Latour bottling, coincidentally the same wine that proved impetus for Tom and Sally to start Jordan, and he helped the couple select fermenters, oak tanks, barrels, and picker-stemmer and presses. André also hired Jordan’s winegrower Rob Davis to oversee the first vintage in 1976, and Rob remains winegrower to this day.
In 2005, Tom and Sally’s son John took over as CEO of the winery and while he remains fully committed to carrying on his parents’ vision he is making important steps in bringing the estate into the modern world. One of his major initiatives, for example, is making the winery more eco-friendly through sustainable practices and more diverse uses of the land. This endeavor so far includes “reducing the winery’s energy consumption, composting all of the winery’s organic waste, and installing hillside solar arrays to offset 75% of the winery’s electricity usage” – source. One of the most important traditions John carries, on the other hand, is hospitality. Jordan was one of the first (if not the first) wineries in Alexander Valley or Napa Valley with an executive chef in house and a hospitality wing that married wine tasting with food and entertainment with such ease. A visit to this winery is a must if you are in the area.
The 2015 Cab is an opaque, deep ruby in color with purple at its core. This wine requires some time to open up due to its youth, but once it does the nose emits aromas of black cherry, blueberry, pomegranate, purple florals, cedar, tobacco, graphite, smoked red meat, and a hint of vanilla. Once in the mouth, this gorgeous wine showcases notes of ripe cherry, boysenberry, black raspberry, earthy green herbs, cigar box, iron, and clove. The 2015 Cab is medium-to full-bodied with medium (+) acidity, medium (+) yet dusty tannins, and a long finish dominated by notes of cherry, earth, and black peppery spice. I think Jordan achieved their goal in producing Bordeaux-like wines in California, particularly with this 2015.
Price: $55. Jordan is a great value for this price range, as this drinks like a wine 25-50% more expensive. These wines have great aging potential as well, with many Jordans drinking beautifully after 10+ years of cellaring. Pair this with filet mignon, lamb, roasted chicken, or grilled pork loin.
Château d’Yquem has a very long, mysterious history that traces its roots back to the 15th Century. One of the most interesting snippets of this history, for instance, is that the estate belonged to the King of England during the Middle Ages! In 1593, however, southwest France again came under control of the French crown by Charles VII and has remained as such since. It was also this year that the d’Yquem estate came under control of Jacques de Sauvage, a descendant of a local noble family. Though some winegrowing practices and late harvesting existed at this time, the Sauvage family did not start building the château for several more years and then began the long process of assembling land for the current estate plot by plot.
Jumping forward in time, it wasn’t until 1711 that the Sauvage family fully owned the estate under Léon de Sauvage d’Yquem. Furthermore, under the rule of Louis XIV, Château d’Yquem received noble status. The magnificent estate switched hands yet again, however, in 1785 when Françoise Joséphine de Sauvage d’Yquem married Count Louis Amédée de Lur-Saluces, a godson of Louis XV. Sadly, three years later in 1788, the Count died in a riding accident but his widow took over management of the estate and quickly displayed her acumen by sustaining and improving d’Yquem. One of the most notable practices at d’Yquem was established under Françoise Joséphine de Sauvage d’Yquem, for instance, which is picking over several passes (sometimes picking one grape at a time). Another notable feat under this young widow is the admiration noble figures around the globe felt toward d’Yquem, including Thomas Jefferson who reportedly purchased 250 bottles of the 1784 vintage for himself and additional bottles for George Washington.
Romain-Bertrand de Lur-Saluces, a grandson of Françoise Joséphine, took over the estate and helped guide it through seemingly endless successes in the second half of the 19th Century. For example, d’Yquem’s wines became a necessity for the rich and powerful throughout Europe, Russia, and Asia. In 1855, Château d’Yquem was awarded Premier Cru Supérieur in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, the only Sauternes awarded this level. Times changed, however, as they always do with estates of this age when World War I came and the château transitioned into a military hospital under Eugène de Lur-Saluces (a son of Romain-Bertrand). Eugène’s son Marquis Bertrand de Lur-Saluces took over the estate following the war (he had served in the trenches) and he is responsible for much of d’Yquem’s strength to this day. For instance, Marquis Bertrand fought relentlessly to save the estate during the Great Depression, helped determine many legal aspects of the Sauternes appellation as President of the Union des Crus Classés de la Gironde for forty years, and was a leading proponent of château bottling to guarantee authenticity. His death in 1968 changed the tides once again.
Though Bertrand was childless at the time of his death, he took precautions and named his nephew Alexandre de Lur-Saluces manager of Château d’Yquem. Alexandre struggled at first through difficult vintages, a crisis in the Bordeaux wine trade, and an inheritance tax that almost forced the estate to fail, though his efforts were saved with the exceptional 1975 vintage followed by several more during the 1980s. Alexandre managed the estate exceptionally well until 1996 when a family feud exploded over his brother’s decision to sell part of his 47% ownership stake, thus in turn requiring LVMH Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton to step in and purchase 55% of the estate. Though under new ownership, Alexandre remained manager of the estate until his retirement in 2004.
Though I could go on and on about d’Yquem’s terroir, vineyards, and winemaking practices I will leave it here with the history of Château d’Yquem. I encourage you to take a deeper dive on their website here to truly appreciate what goes into a bottle of this sacred juice.
Today’s Wine: 2001 Château d’Yquem
80% Semillion, 20% Sauvignon Blanc; 13.5% ABV
The 2001 d’Yquem is vibrant gold in color while being fully transparent. The nose cannot be mistaken for anything but d’Yquem with aromas of baked golden apple, grilled pineapple, dried apricot, peach, honey, caramel, almond and hazelnut, white pepper, and white florals sewn together in elegant harmony. Once in the mouth, this wine showcases notes of orange peel, Dutch apple pie, creme brûlée, orange marmalade, honey, hazelnut, butter, and white lily flowers. The palate and its lip-smacking profile make it difficult for anyone to not savagely gulp this down. The wine is full-bodied with high acidity and a very long finish that sticks with you all night long.
Price: $450-650 for 750ml, $300-350 for 375ml. Somewhat of a funky price range on these bottles (depending where you are in the world) but nonetheless d’Yquem is reserved for a special occasion. Pair this with cheesecake, lemon tarts, custard, or savory cheeses.
JB's Wine Talk 