Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
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Red |
2015 Carlisle Zinfandel Carlisle VineyardRussian River Valley more |
6/28/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 94 pointsThis wine is one of several Carlisle 2015s that seem to be a moving target. I.e., out of two bottles of the same wine, purchased from the same source, one will provide a much different experience than the other. I don't think it's bottle variation either -- maybe more like bottle...evolution? 9 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3) |
Red |
2016 Carlisle Syrah Papa's BlockRussian River Valley more |
6/26/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 96 pointsBeen following this bottle for the last eight hours or so. Off the pop my friend and I took first sips, followed by "WHOA", followed by some silence, followed by some mumbled descriptors, followed by more silence... |
Red - Fortified |
1997 Smith Woodhouse Porto VintagePort Blend more |
6/24/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 92 pointsSecond of three bottles. Drank the first in October 2017. In that TN, I wrote that the wine was still too young at 20 yrs old, and that this bottle next to me wouldn't get opened for another ~five years. No regrets re: jumping the gun, though -- tonight the tannins are slightly more resolved, and there's an almost tawny-like entry of caramel and nuts. Similar flavor profile otherwise -- chocolate, cherries, raisin, and the spiced apple that another reviewer mentioned. |
White |
2016 Lichen Estate Pinot Noir BlancAnderson Valley more |
6/22/2018 - tomherer Does not like this wine: 81 pointsRecent LastBottle offering -- they billed it as the sort of wine that people will think you're cool for bringing to dinner, and also described it as, and I quote, "singularly fascinating". Well, it isn't. And I don't go to a lot of dinners where bringing white Pinot Noir buys you street cred, so this wine doesn't do a whole lot for me. 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
White |
2014 Wrath Chardonnay FermataMonterey more |
6/16/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 92 pointsFirst time trying a Wrath wine. So far, so good. Fermata translates from Italian into stop or halt, which is to indicate that ML was stopped at about the halfway mark, presumably to create a "best of both worlds" profile that's rich and crisp at once. Mission accomplished imo, with the rich side being more tropical than buttery for me -- lots of coconut and pineapple, as well as banana, honey, and apple pie a la mode. Opulent finish with good length. |
Red |
2014 Whitehall Lane Tre Leoni Napa ValleyRed Blend more |
6/3/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 91 pointsPleasant surprise here -- was a check-in gift at the Harvest Inn in Napa for a one-night stay. Generous gift, but wasn't expecting much from a comped bottle. But this is really delicious stuff, and a super fun blend, which isn't what I expect from the folks at WH. Not that they don't make great wines, but the ones I've tried have been play-it-safe Bordeaux styles. This has the Cab and Merlot, but also some Syrah and Zin. WH's site says it's mostly Cab, with smaller (but equal) part Merlot/Syrah, with a little bit of Zin splashed in. To me it tastes less like a mostly-Cab blend and more like a version of The Prison, albeit one that trades in its tank top for a collared shirt. |
White - Sweet/Dessert |
2016 Patterson Cellars Roussanne Late Harvest Yakima Valleymore |
6/2/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 96 pointsBottle five of five. Intended to stretch them out about a decade and only got six months -- prob a better indicator of how good this wine is than anything I can write here. Orig. purchased at the tasting room, and was totally blown away but unsure as to whether or not it was one of those times where the day's excitement added a few points to the score. |
Red |
2015 WesMar Pinot Noir Russian River Valleymore |
5/28/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 92 pointsBottle two of two. Notes similar to 4/15/18, except that this was absolutely singing off the pop. Integrated, ready, delicious. |
Red |
2006 Domaine Les Verrières Coteaux du Languedoc Clos des SoutyèresRed Rhone Blend more |
5/26/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 92 pointsAm in spring wine cellar cleaning mode and looking for a glass of something that's collecting dust to drink with lunch. Sort of remember buying this, but def. had forgotten it existed. Really impressed with the quality and the condition -- def time to drink up, but can't imagine this has declined much if at all. |
Red |
2008 Ridge Monte BelloSanta Cruz Mountains Red Bordeaux Blend more |
5/21/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 94 pointsGot a chance to take out one of my all-time favorite clients out to lunch today. He runs the sales organization for the largest wine distributor in New England, but is the last person that would ever let you know how successful he is. Thought it might be difficult to choose a wine for the occasion, but somehow, when I got down to the basement underneath our office...it pretty much picked itself. The wine today turned out to be just like the guest of honor, which if I had to describe both in just one word, it'd be...classy. |
Red |
2016 Carlisle Zinfandel Piner Olivet Ranches Russian River Valleymore |
5/18/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 92 pointsPnP last night, and it was good, but somewhat loud and unsettled. Saved half a bottle for tonight, and it's way more pullled together. Blackberry, black cherry, plum, mesquite smoke, BBQ sauce, red apple, and Jolly Rancher. The acidity is focused like a laser and pushes the detailed, lightly-tannic finish on and on. Certainly ready to drink now if you don't mind a little volatility, but I'm going to try to not check in on my next bottle until 2020-22. 92 now, 94 if/when it settles into itself. Either way, the QPR and the authenticity (site and producer) here are just silly. |
White |
2016 Carmenet Chardonnay Vintner's Collection ReserveCalifornia more |
5/7/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 88 pointsNeeded a glass of chard tonight, and nothing cold in the fridge, so got the cheapest thing in the grocery store cold case. For $9, would have heen happy with just about anything, but this is really good! More tropical than buttery — pineapple, coconut, lemon. Balanced, with a nice toasty finish. Good for a weeknight in or to bring to a party. Will repurchase. |
Red |
2009 Martinelli Zinfandel Jackass VineyardRussian River Valley more |
5/6/2018 - tomherer wrote: flawedTrashed. Tempted to say over the hill, as it was all prunes and alcohol, although the recent reviews here are all glowing, so possibly flawed? Perhaps shouldn't have held onto something with such ABV for so long, but doesn't make this any less tragic. |
Rosé - Sparkling |
2013 Rotari Brut RoséVino da Tavola Pinot Nero, Pinot Noir more |
4/28/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 89 pointsElegant and thought-provoking for 18 bucks. Great fizz, small bubbles, fresh red fruits. Some thyme and white balsamic give it a faint medicinal streak. Light-bodied, dry, and refreshing. Tastes young at five years old, and should go another five years before starting to fade. Terrific value. |
Red |
2015 WesMar Pinot Noir Russian River Valleymore |
4/15/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 92 pointsFirst bottle of WesMar for me. Been eager to try it, since every time I try a small producer that Air Guitar & Pinot Noir endorses -- e.g. Wren Hop, Drew, Kesner, etc. -- it ends up being a great discovery. |
Red |
2016 Carlisle Syrah Sierra Mar Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlandsmore |
4/11/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 96 pointsToday was one of two occurrences of the most important day of the year -- Carlisle Shipment Day. Also, whatever I pulled out and tasted was going to be my 500th CT TN, so I asked Mike which one he'd recommend for the the occasion. Without a second's hesitation: "I’d do Sierra Mar. It’s smokin’ right now." Well, alright then, Sierra Mar it is. 8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
White |
2016 Viña Santa Rita Chardonnay 120 Reserva EspecialCentral Valley more |
4/5/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 87 pointsI'm beyond impressed with this little guy. Currently on closeout within the New Hampshire state liquor system. Closeout price is...wait for it...$4.50 a bottle. At first I thought that it was being sold at a huge discount, but then checked WE's review -- they gave it 87 pts and a best buy designation -- and they list SRP as being only $6!. |
Rosé |
2015 Rock Wall Wine Co. Uncle Roget'sYolo County Grenache more |
3/31/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 92 pointsOpened this pink Roget right after a pink (Pol) Roger, and the difference wasn't actually as stark as we anticipated. Got this for ~$7 on auction -- believe SRP is $18 -- and honestly would be happy with this at either price. Like any wine that Rock Wall makes, it's bold and makes a strong effort to showcase the main variety, in this case Grenache. |
Rosé - Sparkling |
2008 Pol Roger Champagne Brut RoséChampagne Blend more |
3/31/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 93 pointsWas saving this for a special occasion, but found myself tonight kind of tired, stressed, etc., and needed to turn that frown upside down. So pop went the cork. Color is much darker than expected -- gorgeous deep shade of pink that could easily pass for a Kir Royale. 4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
Red |
2013 Emeritus Vineyards Pinot Noir Hallberg RanchRussian River Valley more |
3/30/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 91 pointsThis wine is usually either a good or a great QPR; based on this bottle, I'd say the '13 vintage is only on the "good" end of that spectrum. Classic RRV profile -- cherry, cranberry, spicy cola, cinnamon, vanilla. Still has a few tannins to shed. Finish is pretty and detailed but a bit clipped. Might actually be a few years yet before this peaks. Not the best HR they've put out in recent years, but still very nice. |
Red |
2014 Carol Shelton Wines Zinfandel Karma Reserve RedRussian River Valley more |
3/27/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 92 pointsUsed to be that a vintage of Carol Shelton would be hit-or-miss, with a few QPR standouts and the rest coming in at various levels of drinkable. She's killing it with the last few vintages though, and it's more than just the great raw material CA has given her to work with lately. The current lineup doesn't haven't a single weak spot (that I can find, anyway), and includes several wines that compete with far more expensive/respected ones. This wine is a good example of that (outdoes the Prisoner for half the price, and could even hold its own with entry-level Bedrocks or Carlisles), as is the 2016 Coquille Blanc, which is by far the best domestic white Rhone blend under $40 that I've had in the past few years. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
Red |
2013 Siduri Pinot Noir Elsbree VineyardRussian River Valley more |
3/25/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 91 pointsScrew-'n'-pour, followed for about 10 hours. Beautiful from the first sip, and hadn't changed much if at all by the last sip. There's nothing "big" or Belle Glos-ified about this wine -- actually might be the classiest CA pinot I've had so far this year. Alcohol is just over 14% iirc, and well-integrated. Sour cherry, raspberry, sandlewood, and licorice on a chiseled frame. The red fruit lingers for quite a while. Not overly complex or layered, but it's complete, refreshing, and delicious. Drink now or for at least the next few years. |
White - Sweet/Dessert |
NV Alvear Pedro Ximénez Montilla-Moriles Solera 1927more |
3/21/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 96 pointsNot seeing a lot of rave reviews on this wine recently, but I'm finding it to be freakishly good. Maybe because I haven't had this style of wine in many years and because the price is so low that it's blowing away my expectations? 5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
Red |
2014 Argot Pinot Noir EstateSonoma Mountain more |
3/21/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 91 pointsOpened this too soon, but it's still immensely pleasurable, especially after an hour or two of air. This wine is all about red fruit, with cranberry, apples, and barely-ripe raspberry that almost seem to hover in mid-air. Some orange marmalade too. It's crisp, airy, long, and delicious. Really, really delicious. The community avg of 96 is just goofy though -- for me, 96 denotes a world-class wine, nearing the best of the best. This wine isn't close -- for one, it's too simple, and much worse, it's hot. The 15.1% gives off a nice sear, which on its own disqualifies any Pinot from being top-tier. And, makes $70 a hell of a stretch. 91 as-is, maybe 93-94 without the heat. |
Red |
2014 Carlisle Syrah Papa's BlockRussian River Valley more |
3/19/2018 - tomherer Likes this wine: 95 pointsWhen I saw Matt Scott’s score, thought he might be getting carried away, but holy shit, not even. Profound. In the top few Carlisles I’ve had, and being my favorite winery, I’ve had a few. Blueberries in cream covered in milk chocolate. Plum, purple flowers, licorice, lead pencil, thyme, coriander, vanilla. Layered and long. Fine tannins, but polished overall. Amazing now with a decade or two to go. All hail team Officer and Maddox. |