Tasting Notes 315 found

Possibly best ever from here. I've been enjoying this "tooth-stainer" for nearly a decade, and the production has always been small. Opaque purple/black. Med. body with subtle black-fruit aromas that expand with airtime. More balanced and refined than previous vintages. Although very young, this is already quite impressive. Drank solo (without food) with friends last evening, and the bottle disappeared quickly. The palate showed beautiful blackberry, blueberry, cherry, mineral and earth tones. Med.+ acidity. Med.+ finish. I had intended to let this rest for a few more years . . . But it was thoroughly enjoyable, and has some new fans as a result. The 15.7% abv is not even noticeable. QPR. Drink or hold. (1538 views)

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Easy 90 or something, and a Chianti Classico, pedestrian-priced, outperformer (without the fiasco). Dark, crystalline ruby. Long legs: top to bottom of glass. Bright cherry reindeer nose. Super food-friendly. Med. acids. Tannins and alcohol in balance and in-tegrated. Smooth operator. 14% abv. A nice surprise. QPR. (2585 views)

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A brilliant experiment from the warm 2011 vintage, this seductive blend of 65% Garnacha, 25% Cariñena and 10% Syrah is ripe with aromas of red & black fruits, herbs & spices (garrigue, crocus, nora, vanilla), freshly-ground coffee beans, and moist tobacco. The rich and concentrated palate expands with extracted black cherry, boysenberry, raspberry, smashed-plum, and licorella flavors. Jubilant acids balance silky tannins, and a long, dry-ving (sic) finish. Salanques is the second wine from Mas Doix; however, in 2011 the grand vin was not produced. So, some of their best fruit bl/ended here. 15% abv (no heat). QPR+ Drink or hold. (2424 views)

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Complex and richly-styled, the 2012 Maritime has a coastal rhythm all its own. Violet-garnet. Ripened red fruit aromas (cherry, plum, strawberry) are backed by black tea, wet earth, mushroom, and rosebush bramble after a winter's rain. Nose is more pronounced the second day. Viscous, medium-plus weight, but light on its feet with agile acids that trace a round mid-palate. Beautifully balanced, this wine is sly, subtle, deep and funky (in a George Clinton way -- not brett, perhaps, but sensually delicious). Lip-smacking, with a so-long finish that tips the hat to winemaker Bill Smith. High QPR, despite some bottle variation. Last one: wish I had more. Anxious to try the 2013. 14.4% abv. Drink or hold. (1144 views)

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Zinfandel like this is why I live in Sonoma Valley. Pitch w/ ruby rim. Med. plus body (but not at all heavy). Earthy aromas that reach to the sky. So authentic, so homegrown. Acids balanced just beneath the surface, sending subtle currents to the edge of the glass shore. Purest fruits echo from the nose to mouth, and back again. Superb integration of tannins and alcohol (14.6% abv). Black, blue and red fruit mingle and sing, weaving blueberries, boysenberries, cranberries, currants and licorice into a sphere that not so much collapses as implodes to the finish, candied and peppered. So good. Sorry: too difficult to assign a number to this. QPR. D/H. (378 views)

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The '05 Clarendon Hills Old Vines Romas is a dense, red-purple, full-bodied celebration of all things vinous. On opening, the wine displayed perhaps the purest expression of blackberry aromas I've ever encountered; I just wanted to inhale it forever. The integrated palate is an amalgam of blackberry, cherry, and raspberry, with background notes of cardamom, truffle and vanilla -- all exquisitely balanced. The mid-palate carries a youthful stream of refreshing acidity that leads to a long, tantalizing finish. 14.5% abv. Although not inexpensive, this wine is extraordinary, and worthy of enjoyment for many years to come. (2999 views)

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Amazing wine, amazing value. Deep maroon. Medium to full-bodied. Rich texture. Blackfruit galore, boysen-berry, cedar, cocoa powder, licorice, and tabac. Excellent balance of fruits and acids. Pleasantly chewy tannins. Merlot w/2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Robust: finished the remainder of a glass in the morning after it had been sitting out all night (that's how much I enjoyed it) and there was no noticeable deterioration. Will buy again (14.5% abv). Drink or hold. (2140 views)

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An easy score of 90; better than the overall vintage for Sonoma Valley. 70% Petit Verdot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Black-rose color, medium body, fruit forward. Briary blackberry, raspberry, red currant, chewing tobacco, mincemeat, and herbs. Nice balance of sugars and fruits. Good acidity and silky tannins make for a structured, complex, medium-plus finish. Terrific QPR. Kudos to winemaker Carol Wilson. Drink or hold. (1719 views)

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Agree with Vitroman. Easy 90-something. A crowd-pleaser. Enjoyed with dinner (vegetarian from our local cantina). So good, that it was gone with the sun set. Has perfect balance, acidity and a juiciness that probably should be illegal. Will be interesting to see how this develops in bottle; i.e., if the others don't disappear by summer . . . 14.5% abv. QPR. D/H (3922 views)

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Deep Ruby, My Dear. Lustrous black fruits (especially blackberry) and chocolate on a medium frame with good structure, acids, and integration. A little over-the-top, but quite enjoyable. (561 views)

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Agree with WINIAC's recent note. In fact, in a blind tasting, I would have difficulty identifying this as a Dolcetto. I probably would guess it hails from somewhere in California's Central Valley (!). Nice body. Silky texture. But lacks structure. Too grapey for me. Second day unchanged. (2005 views)

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Sometimes I think there should be a Tasting Note category: "I really like it." That is the case with the 2012 Array Cellars Dijon Clone Chardonnay from Otis Harlan Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. (Yeah, I wish I had purchased a case.) This Burgundian doppelgänger was whole cluster pressed, French oaked and sur-lee aged, with the benefit of native yeasts. For me this wine lays to rest any question regarding the inferiority of domestic Chardonnay. In fact, I dare anyone to host a blind tasting of your best Chardonnay from Burgundy, include a bottle of the above Array with your selections, and see what happens. (Okay, it is a Dijon Clone -- quite possibility Washington's oldest.) Color of sauterne gold. Medium body. Marvelous mouthfeel. Exquisite, refreshing acids. Long fervent finish. 13.6% abv. Really worth your time and study. (862 views)

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Agree with JPINSB's recent note. And it improves with air. 13% abv. QPR. D/H. (2009 views)

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This medium-bodied Syrah from Alder Springs (Mendocino) is at once elegant and expressive. Delicate aromatics, including blackberry, blueberry, cherry, raspberry, rose petal, white pepper and quince, dance in the glass. Good concentration but not heavy in the mouth, thanks to vibrant acidity and seamless integration. The 2010 may be on the peak. New world at its best. A feather in the cap for Pax Mahle. 14.7% abv. Drink now. (880 views)

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Completely agree with CORKSCREWS. Dark fruit and spice. Licorice on the medium finish. QPR. D/H. (1683 views)

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