Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
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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) |
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 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 Fall Line Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valleymore |
7/5/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 91 pointsI don't know why this is, but I've become accustomed to wines in the $20 - 25 price range being inconsistent. The good ones are pretty good, but the bad ones tend to always have at least one of the following problems - too much oak, diluted, over ripe, out of balance or too much heat. This Fall Line actually has none of that. It's not horribly complex, nor is it a wine to be cellared, but it is a very good wine. Big cherry up front, dissolving mid-palate into a rounder, darker fruit and finishing with a smooth, zero-heat, peppery finish. A very elegant wine for the price. Quite impressed with this wine and definitely feel like my blind buy from Garagiste paid off on this one. If you can find it, it's well worth a try. |
Red |
2006 Boudreaux Cellars MerlotWashington more |
11/5/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 91 pointsHoly tannins, Batman – this thing is HUGE! And a verified tooth stripper. Very, very young. Felt to me like it will become smooth over time (5 – 10 years?) and/or a lot of decanting, but it was very angry at us for having woken it from its youthful slumber. That said, everything’s there – the body, the weight, the suppler dark fruit, leather and smoke notes – and this is a very nice Merlot. It’s not as supple and elegant as say a Blackbird or even a Pedestal, but give it some time and this wine will be fantastic. |
Red |
2007 Quivira Zinfandel Wine Creek RanchDry Creek Valley more |
2/18/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 83 pointsRipe cherry, plum and cedar all play different roles on this one, creating a wine that's too off balance. Add to that a hot finish and I think I'll pass on this one the next time around. Unfortunate, though, because I do think Quivira is putting out some decent wines, just not this one. |
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 Dunham Cellars TrutinaColumbia Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
5/16/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 88 pointsThe Trutina is always a deal at around $20. I first tried this many years ago and loved it, but I was surprised last night by how big the fruit was and how hot it was on the finish. Still, a good wine for a good price and Dunham is definitely worth having on your list of go-to Washington wines. |
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 |
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) |
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 |
2007 DeLille Cellars Syrah DoyenneYakima Valley more |
3/24/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 90 pointsNot sure I'd go as far as a 95 on this one, as JACK does, but this is a very nice wine. Well balanced, with not yet ripe dark fruit, tobacco and a little spice, from a well trusted WA wine producer in DeLille. I did not know about this label until I tried it as part of a TasteLive event hosted by Hospice du Rhone (disclosure: this wine was sent to me as a sample), but is definitely on my radar now. |
Red |
2005 Château PlincePomerol Red Bordeaux Blend more |
12/24/2009 - rjhilgers@gmail.com wrote: 92 pointsThis really is a beautiful wine. Definite blackberry, licorice, tea and oak, with a little touch of earth and leather. It's a complex wine that's incredibly well balanced, with just the right acidity and tannins to make it feel vibrant and alive through the strong finish. Amazingly velvety and textured for a 2005 - particularly since it was just released in early March. No doubt this will get better with age, but certainly a great wine now - I can only imagine what it would taste like if decanted for an hour or so before drinking. |
Red |
2007 DeLille Cellars Doyenne AixRed Mountain Cabernet-Shiraz Blend, Red Blend more |
4/4/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 pointsGreat flavor profile on this wine with lots of black fruit, earth and spice notes. This is a big wine, but not in an aggressive sense - it still has enough elegance to win most people over (at least everyone at our table). Doyenne may be one of my new go-to Washington wines. 61% Syrah, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Mourvedre. |
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 |
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) |
Red |
2005 Domaine du Coulet (Matthieu Barret) Cornas Les Terrasses du SerreSyrah more |
9/7/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 pointsKind of surprised by this one, which is fitting since it came in my mystery case from Garagiste. Still young and very tannic, but on the 2nd night smoothed out quite a bit and even got a "hey, honey, check this out - pretty good..." You'd be shocked by how seldom that happens in our household. On the nose, big, bold dark berry fruit and earth, covered in a thick blanker of sweet and smokey maple bacon. Very nice acidity on the palate, with blackberry and cherry fruit, with, like I said, a mouthful of grippy tannins. Very nice wine. |
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 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 |
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 |
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) |
Red |
2008 Double Diamond (Schrader) Cabernet Sauvignon Bomber XNapa Valley more |
12/7/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 91 pointsI was excited to get this wine from Schrader, particularly after Wine Spectator gave Schrader so many accolades for their wines this year. This wine is billed as "Amazing Quality, Exceptional Value" on their website and I have to agree with that. This wine is everything I think is right about big California Cabernet - not too over-oaked and not too over-ripe, it drinks very smoothly with smooth tannins and an incredible flavor profile of dark cherries, tobacco, saddle leather and a touch of warm earth. At $40, it's not necessarily a weeknight quaffer, but it certainly drinks easy and solidly competes with wines in its price range. |
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 |
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) |
Red |
2004 Camille Giroud Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru CaillesPinot Noir more |
7/29/2010 - rjhilgers@gmail.com Likes this wine: 88 pointsCrazy assortment of things going on with this wine - old musty car (think old 1960's leather upholstery), swisher sweet cigar tobacco and fruit leather. Come to think of it, reminds me of a fugitive running hard cross country, feeling in the clear, having evaded the authorities in his 1963 Buick Invicta, smoking cigars and eating homemade fruit leather (little does he know, the roadblock is just over the next hilltop). Grippy tannins and a mid-length finis. Not my favorite, but definitely on my list of interesting wines and one to try again. |