USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
Much fuller then I expected. This wine shows the quality of the fruit being picked from this vineyard. Bordering on tropical, and great lip smacking acidity. 88-89
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
Rich, full, with a great richness balanced by the tropical fruit and acidity. As much as I complain about overoaked chards, I liked this better then the silver, although I'd probably prefer the Silver on the 2nd glass. This wine is a bit a name brand, but the quality is there. 90-91
This didn't hold its own with the other cabs. Very ripe, almost pruney. But the mouthfeel is rather thin. Just not working out. Still a decent cab, but overmatched by the Phelps and Newton. 86-87
7/24/08: Retried. The palate was more blackberry this time around. Pushing the envelope on being over the top, but the fruit is so tasty it works. 91+
4/16/08: This is some good zin. Not at all in that over the top style I usually find with Rosenblum. Very berry flavors. Almost candied rasberry on the palate. Some tannins as well. Not cheap, but a great expression of zin. 92+
Beautiful plum nose. A little overipe. Great mouthfeel. Slightly hot. Some will love this, but others are going to find it overripe and over done. High 80's
USA, California, Sonoma County, Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Not as big and syrah like as I remember the '04. We sell a boatloas of this, and I'm not sure why. It's a godd pinot, still fairly big in style, but nothing exciting about it. 86+
I really like this bottling for the price. Very restrained, almost classy. The oak and fruit are both there, but not in your face like so often with Cali chards. A really nice bottle of chard.
Pungent, with loads of that NZ SB fruit. Big fruit profile. Very nice, but not any better then numerous well made SB's that are running for half the price of this wine. 89-90
This is gorgeous. Lots of tannins, and its tight right now, but a real purity to this wine. So much more restrained then most Napa cabs. With the way other Napa cabs are pricing themselves, this has become a QPR. 92-93
2005 Robert Hall Rhone De Robles 86 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
Not as bad a I remember from last year. Chocolately nose, Ripe, but w/out the doft mouthfeel I remember from the '04. Decent. 86-87
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2004 Robert Hall Meritage Hall Ranch 87 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
Chocolately on the nose. Decent fruit. Not as full or rich as I expected. Doesn't really impress me as a flagship offering. 87+
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2006 Mer Soleil Chardonnay Silver Unoaked 89 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
Much fuller then I expected. This wine shows the quality of the fruit being picked from this vineyard. Bordering on tropical, and great lip smacking acidity. 88-89
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2005 Mer Soleil Chardonnay 91 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
Rich, full, with a great richness balanced by the tropical fruit and acidity. As much as I complain about overoaked chards, I liked this better then the silver, although I'd probably prefer the Silver on the 2nd glass. This wine is a bit a name brand, but the quality is there. 90-91
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2004 Shimmer Winery 86 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Chocolate, dark red fruits. Ok, but soulless. 85-86
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2004 Waterbrook Syrah
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Pretty aromatics. Great fruit, with a little gaminess reminding you its syrah. Tasty. 88+88
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2006 Cline Cellars Zinfandel Sonoma County 87 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County
Ok, but not at the level of the last vintage I tried. Good fruit, but w/out that smooth rasberrieness I remember from previous vintages. 87-88
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2005 Newton Cabernet Sauvignon Unfiltered 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Great nose, full of dark fruits and cab aromas. Big fruits fill a med+ body. Has some stuffing. One of the better cabs I've had from Newton. 90+
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2005 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Rich ripe fruits. Very ripe in style, with some pretty big tannins. 89+
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2004 Rodney Strong Symmetry 86 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
This didn't hold its own with the other cabs. Very ripe, almost pruney. But the mouthfeel is rather thin. Just not working out. Still a decent cab, but overmatched by the Phelps and Newton. 86-87
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2006 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard 92 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
7/24/08: Retried. The palate was more blackberry this time around. Pushing the envelope on being over the top, but the fruit is so tasty it works. 91+
4/16/08: This is some good zin. Not at all in that over the top style I usually find with Rosenblum. Very berry flavors. Almost candied rasberry on the palate. Some tannins as well. Not cheap, but a great expression of zin. 92+
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NV Townshend T3
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
One year later I tried this again. The verdict? Not very good.
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2005 Portteus Rattlesnake Red
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Rattlesnake Hills
I thought his was pretty awful. Dirty flavors.
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2004 Steele Wines Merlot Stymie Founder's Reserve Lake County 88 Points
USA, California, North Coast, Lake County
Beautiful plum nose. A little overipe. Great mouthfeel. Slightly hot. Some will love this, but others are going to find it overripe and over done. High 80's
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2006 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côtes du Rhône Parallèle “45” 84 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône
Clean fruit, but very lean. 83-85
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2006 Orogeny Pinot Noir Green Valley of Russian River Valley 86 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Not as big and syrah like as I remember the '04. We sell a boatloas of this, and I'm not sure why. It's a godd pinot, still fairly big in style, but nothing exciting about it. 86+
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2005 Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 87 Points
New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough
Screams pinot on the nose. Done in a bright, acidic style. Good, but not on the level of many similarly priced NZ pinot noirs. 86-88
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2006 Rodney Strong Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 84 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Easy drinking in stlye, if slightly boring. But varietally correct, and not priced too high. Mid 80's
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2006 Steele Wines Pinot Noir Carneros 87 Points
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
Smooth, very ripe. Ok. 87+
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2005 Trimbach Riesling 87 Points
France, Alsace
Aromas of apples and minerals. The palate is austure, with a mineral component. 86-88
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2005 Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 88 Points
New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough
Oaky on nose. Lots of oak. The fruit is restrained. Good. 87-88
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2006 Rodney Strong Chardonnay Chalk Hill 90 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Chalk Hill
I really like this bottling for the price. Very restrained, almost classy. The oak and fruit are both there, but not in your face like so often with Cali chards. A really nice bottle of chard.
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2006 Rodney Strong Chardonnay Sonoma County 87 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County
Good. A mini version of the Chalk Hill. 86-87
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2006 Robert Mondavi Winery Fumé Blanc 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Pungent SB nose, in a good way. Med+ mouthfeel. Very nicely made. 88+
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2006 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 89 Points
New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough
Pungent, with loads of that NZ SB fruit. Big fruit profile. Very nice, but not any better then numerous well made SB's that are running for half the price of this wine. 89-90
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2004 Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve 86 Points
France, Alsace
Nice citrus notes. Medium body. Ok 85-86
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2006 Benton-Lane Pinot Gris 87 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Med+ body. Not as yummy fruit as other ORE PG's, but it's good. Wouldn't be my purchase at its price point. 87-88
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2006 Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina 86 Points
Italy, Campania, Falanghina del Sannio
A little chalkiness, but not like I remember from previous vintages. Doesn't reach the heights of the '05. 86-87
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2003 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga
This is gorgeous. Lots of tannins, and its tight right now, but a real purity to this wine. So much more restrained then most Napa cabs. With the way other Napa cabs are pricing themselves, this has become a QPR. 92-93
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