| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
|---|---|---|
| Red |
2007 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir TenSta. Rita Hills more |
2/25/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 90 pointsThis is the lowest score I've given a Sea Smoke Pinot. Not too low at a 90, but there's something missing for me about Sea Smoke the last few vintages. I don't know if it's the new(er) winemaker or what, but Sea Smoke used to blow me away...incredible tasting experiences with particularly the Botellas and Tens (not as big a fan of the Southings). So, relatively speaking the 2007 Ten is not my favorite relative to other Sea Smokes. But, against other Pinot Noir, this is still very nice. A bit young and rambunctious still, but a nice blend of dark cherries, lavender and blood orange with a hint of smoke. Incredible acidity on this wine, especially for a California Pinot Noir. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (10) |
| Red |
2007 Vietti Barbera d'Asti Tre Vignemore |
3/8/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 89 pointsI'm with jwobkk on this one in that I'm a big fan of Vietti as a producer - haven't met one of their wines I didn't like. Tart cherry, herbs and pepper, with a very broad mid-palete, great acidity and mid-length finish. Looking forward to getting more of this for the cellar. On a side note, doesn't pair well with Girl Scout Thin Mints cookies...although I'm perfectly fine eating and drinking them separately. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (6) |
| Red |
2007 Caduceus Cellars Primer PasoCentral Coast Syrah Blend, Syrah more |
4/2/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 pointsWanted to try the '07 because I've had the '06 and I tasted it alongside the '08 which is using Arizona grapes. The '07 is a California blend and quite nice. Super funky when we opened it, but I think it was a little tight and was just coming out of the cellar at about 57 degrees. Once it warmed up and the funk wore off, this was a lush, big wine, mostly black fruit and oak that wasn't too overbearing. Big finish. Nice work, Maynard. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4) |
| Red |
1998 Quilceda Creek Red Wine Columbia ValleyRed Bordeaux Blend more |
6/22/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 pointsI'm having a bit of a heart-wrenching couple weeks because I've finally set aside all the wines in my cellar that aret technically past their prime and am trying to go through them before they pass over to the other side. This Quilceda, in particular, is hard because it's the first Quilceda Creek that I could get my hands on and the wine that turned me on to them (well, that and all the crazy ratings and attention, but that is a much less compelling story). It's still a very good wine. A bit steely and metallic, but lively fruit and acidity still, with a touch of nutmeg, spice and chocolate. Has some leather on the nose as well. All in all, going to be sad to see this one gone. Cheers, '98. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2007 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse RedColumbia Valley Red Blend more |
1/21/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 90 pointsRaspberry, blackberry, mocha, smoke (from the carmenere...rare for a US wine) and pepper - it's lush, broad on the palate and well balanced, with a long, lingering finish. This is an incredible wine for the price (about $15) and if I can find any more, I'll pick up everything I can et my hands on. Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2007 Vietti Barbera d'Asti Tre Vignemore |
4/12/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 90 pointsi can't say enough good things about this wine - i'm increasing my score to a 90 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2007 Zero One Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon The Wild SkyWalla Walla Valley more |
7/1/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 pointsSometimes there's not much reason to reinvent the wheel, especially when someone else captured everything you were thinking - RobertDwyer is spot on on the description (below). The only difference for me is that I think it drinks more like a 90 than a 93, but, still, a very good wine. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| White |
2009 Kim Crawford Sauvignon BlancMarlborough more |
4/28/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 89 pointsWhen I think of Sauvignon Blanc right now, I think "we'll always have Kim Crawford." I really think this is setting the standard right now for value priced, exceptional SB. Grapefruit, peach and citrus on a huge nose, with more of the same on the palate. Just the right amount of pith for me - and I like pith, especially the bitterness and acidity (I often wonder if I'm describing this right, so, let me know if you think of grapefruit pith as something else that I'm not thinking of). If you like SB, a good cold crisp glass of white wine in the summer and want a quality bottle under $20, this is your wine. Great stuff. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2005 Vietti Barolo CastiglioneNebbiolo more |
5/5/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 94 pointsOn the nose - cherry, strawverry, straw and anise. Great tannins and acidity and as well balanced as I remember from the last time I tasted this wine. Still young, but a beautiful wine hiding away, just waiting for some special event years down the road. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2008 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coastmore |
3/21/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 pointsJust received my 2008 allocation this week and I couldn't open one of these fast enough. And, as always, Kosta Browne delivers. It's too young now, but shows a ton of promise. Tart raspberry and trawberry, smoke (i.e. smoked meats, not tobacco smoke) and dirt on the finish. Incredbily well balanced, with all the components working in harmony and such a strak contrast to some of the other wines I've tasted this week. The acidity is also very bright and this wine has a lot of life. I'm not sure if every vintage of Kosta Browne is better than the last, but they all strike a chord with me when I taste them. Another fantastic wine from the boys over at Kosta Browne (now, hopefully, they won't let the acquisition change the quality of the wine). 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2007 Chappellet Mountain CuvéeNapa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/28/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 89 pointsI had this wine about 4 months ago and was really underwhelmed - flat, one dimensional, oakey...if I remember correctly. But, we bought another bottle this week, mostly because it was one of the least expensive reds available to us on our vacation in Hawaii (prices vary in Hawaii, but most of the wine is more expensive than on the mainland). And, this time, I really liked it. Rich, multi-dimensional, dark fruit, with just a touch of oak, but plenty of tannins and life. Really enjoyed this wine - to the point that it's definitely back on my radar. In retrospect, I wonder if the last bottle we bought had someone gone wrong. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2006 Hightower Cellars Red Wine Red MountainRed Bordeaux Blend more |
12/30/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 88 pointsPart the Garagiste #9 mystery wine case that I just picked up today, this is a much better wine than I expected, mostly because I've been living in Washington for almost 20 years now and have never heard of them. And, that made opening the mystery case all that much better as it was a wine I didn't expect. Win-win on that count. And, a win on the wine itself. Bold, ripe fruit, with earth, leather, chocolate and whip cream. I'd say it tastes very much like a Red Mountain wine, but that's only gut and don't have much to back it up except for my own memory of Red Mountain wines. Anyone else had this? Would love to hear opinions on that aspect of it. Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| White |
2007 Scholium Project The Prince In His Caves FarinaSonoma Mountain Sauvignon Blanc more |
12/25/2009 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 91 pointsThe Prince in His Caves blend is, technically, a Sauvignon Blanc...but, this wine is unlike anything I've tasted in the Sauvignon Blanc category. First off, when I poured it into my glass, it was cloudy and the color of an almost ripe apricot. Not white, not yellow, but more of an orange color. Definitely, the most unusual color I've seen in a white wine (without getting into a discussion of MD 20/20 or Boones Farm, which don't really count as wines anyhow) and I was intrigued from the first pour. On the nose, this wine is pure apricot. At first I got peach - as sweet as a peach Jolly Rancher - but, as it warmed up a bit, the flavor became richer and a bit more sophisticated, much more like an apricot. There's also a little pineapple, honey and a touch of roasted marshmallow - even taking on some mild characteristics of a Semillon or even a sweet Riesling. Not nearly that sweet, but certainly has some of the same tropical fruit and raisin qualities. Very interesting and complex on the nose. On first taste, I was taken aback by how much it tasted like the nose...again, pure apricot, part ripe, part dried. There's also some tart lemon and good honey taste, but more of a light honey, not a dark rich honey. It's much drier like a Sauvignon Blanc, as opposed to a Semillon or Riesling, and doesn't have much of a front-end. This one arrives at mid-palate, then explodes into the finish, lasting longer than most whites. 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2008 Chariot GypsyCalifornia Red Blend more |
5/7/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Does not like this wine: 75 points$5 and not worth the money. I can't believe how hyped this wine is - it's sweet, unbalanced and diluted. Don't believe the hype. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2005 Rutherford Hill Merlot Napa Valleymore |
3/6/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 85 pointsA little too oakey, overbearing fruit and just a bit off balance for me. On the nose, I picked up smoke, oak, pepper, coke (say that 5 times fast), but not much fruit…that came in the mouth with dark, ripe cherries followed by the oak and pepper. Strong tannin structure, with mild acidity and a bit too hot for my taste as it meandered into a fairly long finish (longer than I expected). 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| White |
2009 J Vineyards & Winery Pinot Gris Californiamore |
7/29/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Does not like this wine: 85 pointsSweet, not like a dessert wine, but so far from the crisp European Pinot Gris / Grigio that I like. Not my style, but if you like American Pinot Gris, try it - still average, but might be worthy of that style if you're a fan. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2005 Concannon Vineyard Petite SirahCentral Coast more |
3/6/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: NR$15 petite sirah that blew my socks off - very nicely restrained petite. from my glass to my cellar. Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2008 Owen Roe Sinister HandColumbia Valley Red Rhone Blend more |
5/12/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 87 pointsI have been a fan of Owen Roe wines for a long time now (see http://www.rjswineblog.com/search?q=owen+roe), but I'm finding that the lower end wines are starting to taste diluted to me. Not sure if there's a specific reason or if my palate is starting to move away from wines like these, but the '08 Sinister Hand just isn't what I expected or wanted it to be. Bummer. I guess I'll stick to the higher end Owen Roe wines. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2008 Double Diamond (Schrader) Cabernet Sauvignon Amber Knolls VineyardRed Hills Lake County more |
12/7/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 pointsFor my palate, this wine is a stunner and one of the more unusual wines I've tried this year. The first thing I noticed was the incredible red chile component. Not red pepper or the chiles passed off in grocery stores as authentic. I'm talking chile ristra hanging from the awning of a rundown adobe hut just outside the city of Roswell...or, better yet, a ristra hanging off the side of a building in the Taos pueblo. Not cooked, but still dry and reaking of the warmth, heat and slight bitterness of a dried red chile. Seriously, that's like home to me. You'd think it's a weird flavor on a red wine, but, man, this one really made me feel homesick. On top of that the black fruits, cumin, star anise and a touch of cinnamon top this off to be one of the late surprise hits of the year for me. Huge mouthfeel, but with restrained tannins and a long, lingering, take me back home kind of finish. Outstanding stuff and well worth trying if you can get your hands on some (the 2008 is already sold out). Very nicely done, Schrader. 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Red |
2006 Joseph Phelps InsigniaNapa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
5/5/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 pointsHadn't tasted this California legend before tonight and I was surprised that it wasn't as big as I expected - much more subdued and supple. Loses a little structure on the mid-palate, but good dark fruit, butterscotch and cedar, with great acidity and finish. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Red |
2007 Clos de l'Oratoire des Papes Châteauneuf-du-PapeRed Rhone Blend more |
12/7/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 87 pointsI think I may be at the end of my Châteauneuf-du-Pape rope. I've tried so many different CDP's and none of them match my palate that well. I know there are a ton of people out there that love their CDP's and the 2007 vintage is being sold as an epic one, but there's something just off for me. It could be the overall fragility of the wines or the fruit or the funk I sometime get, but, overall, CDP's just leave me empty. Not enough mouthfeel or finish. So, probably not going to give any CDP a high rating, at least for my palate. This one is perfectly fine - feels well balanced, fruit is tasty and there are some good Christmas spice notes, but, overall, just leaves me wanting more. If there are any suggestions on a CDP that I must try, let me know, but, for now at least, I'll probably give up the ghost on CDP. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Red |
2004 Château Lafite RothschildPauillac Red Bordeaux Blend more |
5/5/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 97 pointsThis one and the Mouton Rothschild were worth the price of admission at the Wine Spectator Grand Tour tasting. Unbelievable wine. Intense, complex wine and so well balanced. Different flavors and textures come in waves every sip and the finish lasts for a good long time. This was my first Chateau Lafite and it exceeded all my expectations. Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Red |
2006 Cameron Hughes Zinfandel Lot 86 Lodimore |
4/19/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 82 pointsAnother Costco find with the Cameron Hughes Lot 86 Lodi Zinfandel 2006. Picked this one up for $10 at my local store in San Francisco. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| White |
2009 Weinkellerei Römerhof RieslingMosel Saar Ruwer more |
11/11/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 88 pointsPretty subtle nose on this wine, but still has very nice aromas of mango, orange and lemon. The nose does start to get a little bigger as the wine warms, but still pretty subdued. The palate, however, is anything but. Rich, buttery start on the front palate, with a sweet jolly rancher opening (maybe watermelon or grape), apple, pear and lemon mid palate and a massive oily, buttery finish. There is plenty of acid on this wine, but it's 2 - 3 layers in, as the richness wears off a bit and your mouth starts to pucker just at the end. For those of you who know, sweet Riesling is not my thing and this one is too sweet for me, but, if you like that, definitely worth a try. 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Red |
2008 Luca MalbecValle de Uco more |
5/5/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Does not like this wine: 84 pointsDiluted and way out of balance. |
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- Tasting notes: 472 notes on 453 wines
