| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments Comment Date Community Score More... |
|---|---|---|
| White |
2016 Union Sacré Gewürztraminer Belle de NuitSanta Barbara County more |
6/10/2017 - Ben Christiansen wrote: 98 pointsMineral and some earthy funk on the nose with the gewurtz perfume buried underneath. And some power on the back. |
| Red |
2001 Tolo Cellars Cabernet SauvignonPaso Robles more |
11/5/2010 - kenhoeve wrote: 95 pointsConsumed over two days. Opaque at the center, a soft dark crimson on the rim. Day One pnp- A nose of asian spice, oak, and dark berry you could smell from the garage. The cork smelled so strongly of cinnamon, clove, and oak that I could have rubbed it on my neck for a night out. On the palate the flavors repeat the nose along with strong oak treatment, a little sweetness, and still some tannin on the finish. Very good but lacking depth as the oak and sweetness are a touch cloying. Full bodied, full flavored, good balance. First day 91. Wine was sealed, no vac, and stored at room temp. Day two- stunning change. Blaring nose of dried herbs, cedar, leather, milder spice, all covering a cup of cherry balsamic reduction. Again, everything on the nose gets on the palate and it is smooth. In fact, what is so shocking about this wine is that it carries itself in a fairly delicate manner at 15.3%abv(after a day open!). The body remains, the tannins are there but round and resolved, and the balance is perfect. The tannins remain on the finish and slowly build grip for what seems like forever. This is ultra high dollar Oakville Cab from... San Luis Obispo. Like the previous guy, I have never rated a wine this high on CT. But I've had enough cabs to know that this IS classic. And I have three more bottles. Josh my man, send me the next Opus!
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| Red |
2001 Tolo Cellars Cabernet SauvignonPaso Robles more |
12/11/2013 - kenhoeve wrote: 95 pointsPop and pour into decanter. Freaking delicious. No signs of age in color or on the palate, this bottle is immortal. Fresh berries, stem and forest floor, bubblegum, perfume/florals, black currant, cedar, exotic spices. Round and full, with good proportion and excellent line. Medium long finish of perfume, berries, and tannic grip. This will make old bones, the tannins and the acid are still there, and the bottle still is not throwing much if any sediment. Hands down, classic cab for the princely sum of $35. More notes to come...
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| White - Sweet/Dessert |
2009 Château Doisy-DaëneBarsac Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend more |
4/18/2013 - Redguy Likes this wine: 94 pointsI know it's early but thought I'd check in... glad I did. This amazing effort from Double D really caught me off guard. Started off as a pnp, then sampled over the next 4+ hours. Upon opening, this showed an extremely fine texture, a delicately composed disposition, great concentration, and electric sweetness resulting in an effortless and classy appeal. No baked apricots here. After a few hours air and as it warmed, fatness, richness, depth, and power came forth. Much more purposeful, but still with that extremely fine texture and near weightless impression...the least sticky sticky. After airing and warming this exploded with opulence and immense sweetness, butterscotchy candied citrus fruits, pear juice, and a bit of graham cracker. So purposefull yet effortless as it excites each taste bud intensely. There is plenty of acidity here, it's just so well integrated within the massive sweetness it's easy to miss. Great structure as well. From start to finish this danced across the palate: with ballet like movement when chilled and more like salsa when aired and warmed to 55+. Nothing short of fabulous in the mouth, this rolls around like liquid quicksilver coating every measure with luxurious golden ripeness. Sexy!
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| Red |
2001 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña TondoniaTempranillo Blend, Tempranillo more |
12/7/2012 - VTCellarDweller Likes this wine: 92 pointsThis was the first bottle opened from two cases acquired over the last 18 months. It was decanted for two hours with minimal sediment. It was consumed several days ago with dinner but I did not take notes at that time. The descriptions proved in earlier notes by Flamengo and several others are consistent with my recollection so I will restrict comment to my overall impression.
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| White |
2015 Freie Weingärtner Wachau / Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner Terrassen Federspielmore |
10/3/2016 - grafstrb wrote: 91 points-- opened 1.5 hours before first taste --
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| Red |
2018 Château Roland La Garde Grand VinBlaye Côtes de Bordeaux Red Bordeaux Blend more |
5/26/2022 - Motz wrote: 91 pointsAmong the best surprises of this year. Old School, in all regards. The winemaker showcased the terroir's purity.
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| White |
2013 Ruth Lewandowski Wines Grenache Gris Naomi Gibson RanchMendocino County more |
9/7/2014 - bretrooks wrote: 91 pointsConsumed over 2+ hours. Pale peachy-pink in the glass, with an almost-imperceptible effervescence upon pouring, just a hint of secondary fermentation. The nose makes me think of a dry rosé, reserved and more floral or pithy than anything else. On the palate, this is medium in weight and shows some white Rhone waxiness alongside plenty of lemon/grapefruit zip and an intriguing background note of rhubarb or almost-ripe strawberry. Delightful and unusual stuff, and I'm glad to have another.
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| Red |
2001 Nannetti Brunello di Montalcino i VerbiSangiovese more |
4/7/2013 - bretrooks wrote: 90 pointsNot decanted, consumed over ~3 hours...best from ~2 hours on. Colorwise, this is dark blood red transforming into rusty brown, but the palate doesn't seem as tertiary as might be expected. Dark plummy fruit with funky notes of anise and smoke, maybe just a hint of gamy meat or barnyard. Good acid and integrated but slightly drying tannins.
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| Red |
2008 Passopisciaro PassopisciaroSicilia Nerello Mascalese more |
11/2/2013 - bretrooks wrote: 90 pointsNot decanted, consumed over 2+ hours, mostly with a lamb dinner which in retrospect probably called for a heftier wine. Also, this was our first Sicilian wine (but not our last, I expect).
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| White |
2012 Tercero Roussanne Camp 4 VineyardSanta Ynez Valley more |
10/13/2014 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 90 pointsI really like this wine... but mis-matched it with dinner!
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| Red |
2005 Tolo Cellars Syrah ReservePaso Robles more |
7/7/2011 - kenhoeve wrote: 89 pointsPopped and poured, notes taken at 2 hours open. Very dark burgundy. Black licorice and red cherry on the nose, high toned, with some time there is a hint of smoke to hint you toward syrah. The house style dominates on the front with massive fruit of red cherry and licorice with a slight candied quality, but that is not a bad thing if you wait around for the midpalate where things unfold. The midpalate is where this style shines as the fruit gains in depth and layers of very well integrated exotic spices become lengthy upon a stong acid spine. There is red and black cherry, a deep plumminess, with complicating notes of allspice and cardamom. The structure is overwhelmed by the concentration so the finish is obscured. Doesn't matter all that much because the flavors continue to linger. At this young stage the wine shows well with fatty meats and dark chocolate. Overall the alcohol is fairly well held in check and while it delivers some great flavor it will become more structured and subdued to reveal hidden layers over time. An excellent effort.
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| Red |
2013 Brancaia Tre Toscana IGTSuperTuscan Blend more |
10/27/2017 - Bin707LoversDetroit Likes this wine: 89 pointsVery interesting. When a writer has a feeling about a wine, an amateur writer like us, it's so reaffirming when it's already laid out there by another...
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| Red |
2014 Benanti Etna RossoEtna DOC Nerello Blend, Nerello Mascalese more |
11/27/2016 - bretrooks wrote: 89 pointsOpened, tasted, and then saved to consume with dinner the next day (not decanted). Light-to-medium-bodied with firm acidity, showing tart cherry/raspberry/cranberry fruit, a background layer of dried herbs/spice, and an earthy note like dust, humus, or mushroom. There's also definitely some of that ash/mineral/metallic element that I've gotten in Etna nerellos before. Quite nice for the price, and seems like it will be versatile with food for the next handful of years at least. 89ish for now with definite upside.
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| Red |
2011 Quinta de Foz de Arouce Vinho Regional Beiras TintoRed Blend more |
1/10/2016 - bretrooks wrote: 89 pointsNot decanted, consumed over 2 1/2 hours. Dark and rich but also poised and delicious, in its way. A welcome acidity lifts the palate, keeping notes of blackberry/black currant and baking chocolate from becoming too brooding. I like this and am glad I took a chance on it...might have to pick up some more. 89ish, and I don't have experience with the baga grape, but I expect this will drink well for at least the next 2-3 years.
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| Red |
2010 Bodegas Nekeas Garnacha El Chaparral de Vega SindoaNavarra more |
9/27/2013 - bretrooks wrote: 89 pointsNot decanted, consumed over 2 hours. This has come along a little bit since my 5/28/2013 note. A bit on the darker side of grenache, especially in its price range - dense red berry/cherry fruit with a nice spiciness and plenty of acid integrating well. Maybe no special complexity to the fruit, but this is shaping up to be everything you could hope for from a grenache of this style in this price range. 89-90, and ready to drink now or over the next few (several?) years.
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| Red |
2019 Devil's Corner Pinot NoirTasmania more |
11/30/2021 - fingers Likes this wine: 89 pointsAfter an hour unscrewed. Light ruby red color, clear and sediment free. Medium powered, simple bouquet of cherry jam and light brambly oak. I like the palate balance and mouthfeel and basic fruit flavors that create a pleasant day-sipping kind of pleasure. The 13% abv is perfectly behaved. Nothing complex to think about, just the notion that something from his part of world can actually show a good sense of place and terroir, which this does in my novice opinion. Well done.
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| Red |
2010 Antonio Vallana e Figlio Spanna Cuvee Bernardo VallanaColline Novaresi Nebbiolo more |
12/22/2013 - bretrooks wrote: 89 pointsNot decanted due to lack of decanter, consumed over 1 1/2 hours. Should have given this more air - upon opening, this was fairly tart and structured, showing a bit of oaky, slightly smoky/herbal character but not a lot else. After an hour or so, some red fruit started (just started) to reveal itself, with the familiar tarry notes coming forward as well. |
| Red |
2006 Bodegas Palacio Rioja Glorioso Reserva EspecialTempranillo more |
6/22/2014 - bretrooks wrote: 88 pointsNot decanted, consumed over 2+ hours. Tart black cherries and neutral oak influence, hints of dust and leather, a little tight and dilute overall at this stage. This could integrate and improve over the next couple of years, but at the moment it pretty much comes off as a straightforward example of old school-leaning reserva Rioja. I enjoyed this well enough, but I probably won't seek out more. 87-88.
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| Red |
2011 Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico RiservaChianti Classico DOCG Sangiovese more |
6/6/2015 - bretrooks wrote: 87 pointsNot decanted, opened 30 minutes before pouring out & consumed over ~2 hours. No great depth, perhaps, but this is a solid wine with everything in its proper place for a baseline CCR - not-too-ripe cherry fruit, a bit of woody/peppery spice, decent structure & balance to work with food and maybe last a few years. Made by Villa Cafaggio, this is an excellent weeknight/cellar defender option at <$9.
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| White |
2011 Novy Family Wines Sauvignon BlancRussian River Valley more |
10/17/2013 - bretrooks wrote: 87 pointsIntense straw yellow color. Medium weight, with slightly spicy green pepper notes most prominent and a lesser amount of lemon/grapefruit. Friendly and well-enough made, just a bit green for my taste and on the simple side.
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Comment posted by bretrooks:
11/12/2018 3:42:00 PM - I know this is an old note, but I just ran across this wine and saw your 98-point score. Is that a typo, or is this something pretty special? I'd be curious to know, if you have a minute to comment. Cheers!