What Would Mikey Drink

1. Truffly nose. Delicious detailed tar infused roses. Massive tannins will need a long time. Buy and cellar. Great character. Oak but well balanced. Like this one a lot. Grade a. Gaja sori san lorenzo. 18 points 2. Warm dirt muted nose. Darkest of the bunch. Closed and clenched but jam packed with stuffing. Will [...]

Magical pinot. This is the best American pinot I’ve tried. Outrageous cinnamon and lavender filled flavors, dense, sappy but light as air with a spellbinding finish. This makes me realize what is possible outside burgundy. This wine is filled with charactor, something that often goes missing in the overly ripe Calfornian typical style. Memorable on [...]

Outstanding ’05 red burgundy. Although a tautology, I will have to keep drinking this wonderful vintage to find out if it can do wrong. As much as I love Bouchard’s version of this wine, this is better. There’s a compelling richness, and depth of flavor, that’s rare from wines at this price. Beautiful piny forest, [...]

I’m on the Rhys mailing list, and am thankful. This is an absolutely delicious mouth full of pinot, and it was $29. Sign up for their list. This wine is a light ruby. There are wonderful aromas of mushrooms and fresh mint. Excellent, subtle initial mouth feel, silky and minerality, with a touch of oak [...]

As I’d expect, this fills the room with the smell of white truffles. At the start, it is a tannic, closed beast. There’s something strange, and off in the palate like burnt rubber. Slowly it goes away and in its place is a lovely wine. Now, after being opened for 2 hours, it is a [...]

This is a Bordeaux style wine from the south of France. At first it is astringent and somewhat thin. After about 30 minutes it opens into an easy to drink, though indistinct table wine. There is chocolate, espresso, and cedar. I deduct about half a grade because the finish doesn’t last. It is reasonably priced, [...]

Very pretty and feminine for a cabernet. Lighter purple. Not as deep as most high-end California examples. Delicious aromas of something like cinnamon baked apple and spiced blackberries. Silky smooth, medium bodied palate. There are some pretty, small fruits like cranberries and blueberries. Delicious, but I expect more power at this price. Still an excellent [...]

Saxum again proves to be one of my favorite producers from California. I’ve been on their mailing list for about 2 years, and buy all I can. You can sign up here: Saxum Site. Even though there is a wait, do yourself a favor and sign up. I paid $45 from their list, and the [...]

This is an inky, teeth-staining black purple. The richness is evident from the first pour. Powerful, heady aromas of graphite, stewed dark fruits, coffee grounds, crushed pepper fill the room. Thick and hearty palate attack. Lots of oak to go with the super ripe fruit. Even though it has the requisite fireworks, there is a [...]