The Poor Man's Guide's
Wine Reviews

The specific aromas and flavors here echo the 2000 with all its complex roasted nuts, exotic spices and umami richness. But what you get here is a whole added dimension of depth, minerality, and pungent tangy structure. This wakes up your palate and reverberates there like it has a life of its own. Definitely has that "umpf" factor, in a good way! Layers of depth, midpalate punch, this has it all. If you drink it now, decant for a good 4 to 6 hours, otherwise hold it for 10 to 100 years for even more complexity and grace. Bravo! Three Stars.

Fresh and airy. Aromas mirroring a bunch of different grapes. A goosey aroma like Sauvignon, some wax, flowers and honeysuckle. A hypothetical Suav blanc, Chenin blanc and Viognier mix. The flavors are similar. Airy and fresh with pure flavors of wax, melon, gooseberry, honey, flowers and chalk. Vibrant and refreshing. A great value and a great relaxing fun wine. Two Stars.

A very young profile without a hint of advanced aromas and flavors, this is a classic young Savennières with intense flinty minerals, chalk and hints of wool and wax. In the mouth, this is what I look for in young dry Chenin. Thrilling mineral-imbued acidity back up a full-bodied wine that clearly has depths to plumb. This is very young and primary and in that raw oysters stage of Sav. This should evolve beautifully and open to a first rate Sav in many years. The best young d'Épier I can remember drinking! Three Stars.

Initially quite sulfury, but as it warmed up in the glass this was overwhelmed by almond and ripe tangerine. These pretty and fine aromas open the door to a palate that is lively. The initial burst of sweet fruit is quickly given a shock of minerals, tangy acidity and a hint of grapefruit pit tannin. Great grip. Two Stars Plus.

Tincture of benzoin, honey, fresh red apple sauce and chalky minerals seem to be the trademark of this wine's aroma. Rich and quite ripe apple, tangerine and something like quince. Wooly and full yet with bright acid. Not nervous and super mineral like these can be. This seems to be from a riper, warmer year. While very nice now, I don't think this will make old bones like the more tense, structured examples can. Drink within 5 to 10 years. Two Stars.

Fresh and simple oyster shell and tropical fruit. Happy and pure, crisp, just a whisper of sweetness, grapefruit, orange and lemon. Yummy to gulp down with spicy Thai food! One Star Plus.

The flavor profile here is similar to past vintages with the tight, vibrant, pure fruit. But somehow this seems more grapefruit and other citrus than the past few vintages, less dense minerality. Great vintages of this seem more like a true expression of bottled rocks! This has a bit less flesh and power and less obvious terroir. Good but not up to the 05 through 07. Whereas those could age for 10 years plus, this I'd drink in its youth. Still a screaming bargain for the price. One Star Plus.

This has all the flavors that are going for the 1999 but in a bit of a softer package. It feels more plush, round and juicy. More approachable now without that searing intensity that makes the 1999 almost hard to drink at this stage. This will never have the depth, power and complexity of that great wine, but frankly that is splitting hairs. This is a great wine in its own right. Its use is just a bit different. This will show better in the next 20 years while the 1999 is still just a baby. This will probably last less long than the best Vin Jaune, but 50 years instead of 150 isn't anything to turn up your nose at. Three Stars.

Deep, DEEP and peppery black fruits, figs, plums, blackberry and cassis jump from the glass. My notes kept saying "deep". Deep and smokey, meaty even. Rustic and chewy. An excellent, terroir-driven Chinon full of fun, chewy potential. Chunky, bordering on velvety. Two Stars.

Cayron is a unique Gigondas. Not the forward, ripe, fruity Grenache-styled southern Rhône. This is more serious…a nose of smoldering incense and piney herbs like rosemary and savory. The flavor profile is more austere, almost aristocratic…pinched and tight, in a good way. Gives you the sense that this comes from a serious, but alive, place. Two Stars.

Smokey roasted earth, blackberries, pepper and spice. Not complex but just right for a northern Rhône Syrah. Rich and dark peppery fruit that is quite deep and palate staining. A bit of smokey bacon and meat makes you know its in the Northern Rhône. Yummy and great with steak and other grilled meats. Two Stars.

Smokey scorched earth, brambly berries and hawthorn. Meaty and earthy, masculine, tannic and chewy. A man's wine! LOL This is a rustic, chewy mouthfeel that wants some boar and elk. Two Stars.

Very light in color. Meaty and real from-the-earth, pinot-like perfume with fresh bright cherry fruit. Not terribly complex but very pretty. Bursting, juicy cherry fruit is soft and supple but with hints of spice and a deep meaty umami note. Almost like a half-Burg, half-meaty, stoney Beaujolais. One Star Plus.

Fragrant aged nose of rose petals, barnyard and earth along with ripe berries. Chewy and ripe but with that telltale Burgundy Pinot sappy bite and acid that gives it liveliness and a silky texture. A fine Bourgogne and drinking very nicely now but improved with about an hour in the glass, fleshing out and becoming even riper and more forward. Two Stars.

This 2007 VP is a great Dow. I decanted it for about 12 hours and enjoyed it slowly over two days. While it started out quite tight, young and monolithic, it slowly unfurled to show layers of dark fruits smothered in smokey, dark chocolate. This has all the stuffing to be a great Vintage Port with ample structure and layers of depth that are only just starting to unfold after a couple days open. Impressive. But this needs time. For the real fireworks wait 10 to 20 years, or more. This could ultimately warrant Three Stars. For now, Two Stars Plus.