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Wine Type Vintage Name Variety Locale Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More...
Red

2013 Wellington Alicante Bouschet Old Vines Noir de Noirs

Sonoma Valley more

7/6/2015 - buffyst Likes this wine: NR

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.

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Red

2015 Castello di Gabbiano Chianti Classico Riserva

Chianti Classico DOCG Sangiovese Blend, Sangiovese more

12/1/2020 - buffyst Likes this wine: NR

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.

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Red

2011 Mas Doix Priorat Salanques

Grenache Blend, Grenache more

2/24/2016 - buffyst Likes this wine: NR

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.

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Red

2012 W.H. Smith Pinot Noir Maritime

Sonoma Coast more

1/19/2018 - buffyst Likes this wine: 92 points

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.

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Red

2015 Sixteen 600 Zinfandel

Sonoma Mountain more

11/18/2020 - buffyst Likes this wine: NR

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.

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Red

2008 Château Le Thil Comte Clary

Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend more

10/18/2014 - buffyst Likes this wine: NR

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.

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Red

2005 Clarendon Hills Grenache Romas

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3/9/2014 - buffyst Likes this wine: NR

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.

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Red

2007 Moon Mountain Vineyard Petit Verdot

Sonoma Valley more

9/16/2013 - buffyst Likes this wine: 90 points

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.

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Red

2019 Château Bourdieu

Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux Red Bordeaux Blend more

5/15/2021 - buffyst Likes this wine: NR

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

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Red

2016 Gulfi Cerasuolo di Vittoria

Red Blend more

2/9/2019 - buffyst Likes this wine: NR

First day: A nice bit of funk which was missing from the previous bottle (12/31/18). Gulfi is the kind of wine you open, decant for a couple hours, put back in the bottle, and stopper overnight. Second day: this really sang with lunch. I might have thought a blythe soprano was vamping with a small combo at a Teatro Massimo matinée . . .

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Red

2014 Cathedral Ridge Zinfandel Hillside Vineyard

Columbia Valley more

3/22/2018 - buffyst Likes this wine: NR

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.

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Red

2016 Chionetti Dogliani Briccolero

Dolcetto more

11/30/2018 - buffyst Does not like this wine: NR

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.

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White

2012 Array Cellars Chardonnay Dijon Clone Otis Harlan Vineyard

Yakima Valley more

4/2/2018 - buffyst Likes this wine: NR

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.

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Red

2012 Castellani Chianti Classico Riserva Campomaggio

Chianti Classico DOCG Sangiovese Blend, Sangiovese more

3/1/2019 - buffyst Likes this wine: 90 points

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

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Red

2010 Agharta Wines Syrah

North Coast more

12/29/2018 - buffyst Likes this wine: 92 points

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.

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Red

2016 Bodegas Tobia Rioja Viñedos de Altura

Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo more

4/15/2020 - buffyst Likes this wine: 89 points

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

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Red

2015 Château La Tour Figeac Lucie 45

St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend more

10/28/2020 - buffyst wrote: NR

Cool young sinewy farmer with big plans surveys a small but unique parcel in Saint Emilion chewing on a stalk of straw . . . 14% abv. HOLD.

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White

2016 Domaine Des Augustins Vouvray Silex

Chenin Blanc more

12/26/2018 - buffyst Does not like this wine: NR

Sorry to say that for this vintage I must agree with SABABA1022. Almost cloying. Too bad.

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Red

2015 Boedecker Cellars Pinot Noir

Willamette Valley more

8/7/2020 - buffyst Likes this wine: 90 points

This screwcap Pinot Noir is delectable, . . . especially given the modest tariff. Dark cherry red. Medium bodied. Slight tearing. Nose to glass: candied apple, cherry, cola, plum, and strawberry. On the velvety palate: extracted cherry, black raspberry and strawberry flavors are supported by earth, confectioner’s sugar, cherry pit and must, with a hint of wood spice. Nicely balanced. Blind, I surely would have guessed Willamette Valley, reminiscent of Ken Wright’s style. Serious bottle variation, though. Previous bottle was raw, making no improvement. This one was really something. QPR. 13.3% abv.

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Red

2016 Scott Paul Cellars Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge

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8/15/2021 - buffyst Likes this wine: 91 points

Last and best bottle. In fact, the only bottle I truly enjoyed. Served at a cooler temp than usual. Translucent cranberry color. Medium weight. Bright red fruit. Slight vanilla oak. Faint white pepper. Balanced. Medium finish. QPR. D/H.

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Red

2015 Frick Winery Cinsaut

Dry Creek Valley more

11/13/2018 - buffyst Likes this wine: NR

From roughly an acre of 62-year-old vines in the western bench of Dry Creek Valley comes a surprising, head-pruned and dry-farmed Cinsault. Dark and dense garnet, this medium-plus-bodied Rhone varietal displays aromas of fruitcake and spicebox as the slightly alcoholic nose fades away with a little air time. The palate reveals deep fruit flavors (cherry, raspberry and strawberry) that are lifted by keen acidity against a supporting background of cinnamon, vanilla, and faint dried fruit (cranberry, currant, fig, and pomegranate). Bill Frick's lush Cinsault finishes long and dry. This is a very nice showing. Should age well for at least half-a-dozen years. 358 cases. QPR. D/H.

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Red

2009 the girl & the fig Syrah Projet de Vie Crane Vineyard

Sonoma Valley more

1/19/2019 - buffyst Likes this wine: NR

A one-time, one-barrel production by Winery 16600 (Sam Coturri) for the girl & the fig, the 2009 Projet de Vie is one of the finest Syrahs I've ever tasted. I purchased this when there were only five (5) bottles left on the shelf at the Rhone Room. Aged 25 months in neutral oak and six years in the bottle, this dark purple, full-bodied treasure brims with class and personality. A unique and highly rewarding tasting experience. 14.5% abv. D/H.

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Red

2016 Sansonina Merlot Veneto IGT

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10/27/2021 - buffyst Likes this wine: 91 points

Agree with PDEV (2 years later). Unlike anything we have in the States, yet unmistakably merlot. Inviting ruby. Medium frame. Aromas of autumnal vineyard, dried flowers, herbs, figs, plum pudding, shoe polish, vanilla bean, walnuts. The palate showcases bright red fruits (especially cherry and plum). Medium acids, medium finish. Good integration. Terrific company for seabiscuits and bavarian emmentaler, through aronia berry tortiglioni, w/ fresh-picked shiitaki mushrooms and shallots in a chunky tomato basil sauce. This is in a very nice place, but also is fine to keep cellared. 13.5% abv. Day 2: Lustrous fruit; all-in-balance; 92-93pts.

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Red

2016 Sansonina Merlot Veneto IGT

more

3/3/2023 - buffyst Likes this wine: 93 points

Last bottle. I was thinking this might not need much of a decant. And ta-da, enter a classic and luxurious stunner strolling across the red carpet of my tongue. Lip-smacking, with the faintest echo of pucker. Blackberry palate-staining, with a hint of chalk on entry. Seamless from start to finish. Medium+ viscosity. Acids etch an equal balance of freshness to the well-integrated tannin and oak. Il finale è la canzone d'amore del gondoliere, perfectly phrased. Will be interesting to see how this develops over the course of a spagetata evening. Grazie mille, Sansonina mio!

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Red

2017 Buontalenti Chianti Classico Classique

Chianti Classico DOCG Sangiovese more

9/13/2021 - buffyst Likes this wine: 92 points

Chianti with a terrific QPR, via Garagiste. Have not seen this available anywhere else, stateside. We enjoyed this with Sicilian cocoa and black garlic Busiata in a homemade red sauce. Med.+ body. Pure, firm red fruit in nose and mouth. Great balance and structure. Freshness that quenches all the way down. After tasting the last of the bottle this afternoon, we think our young Buontalenti should cellar well for at least another decade. D/H.

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  • Tasting notes: 312 notes on 292 wines

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