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

2018 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Wine Pagani Ranch

 Sonoma Valley Zinfandel Blend, Zinfandel more
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4/26/2024 - VAGenius Likes this wine: 90 points

Brambly nose shows blackberry, black raspberry, and toffee. Firm palate delivers a smack of dry black fruits, iron, black peppercorn, and a dark briny note riding on acidity. The brine builds onto the finish with dry, sticky tannins, stewed black fruit, peppery dry herbal notes, and lots of fruit skins mixing with oak. Complex but slightly austere as the fruit is dark and brooding.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    5/2/2024 6:41:00 PM - Wow, for such poetry I expected a higher score.
Red

2019 Planetary Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Polaris

 Napa Valley more
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11/17/2023 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: 94 points

There is no reason you should know of this winery. 60 cases a year. Yeah, that’s family, friends and gifts.
The grapes are from a two-acre parcel in Yountville, California: that’s prime, top shelf, best you can get, Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.
Planetary Estate Polaris is a classic Napa Cabernet Sauvignon offering gorgeous fruit and the perfect amount of oak. There is concentration, lift and exquisite balance, and most importantly, this wine makes me grin with pleasure: it’s that satisfying! 14.1% alcohol.
My wife, who doesn’t usually drink red wine, kept on asking me for a sip from my glass.
This tastes like a $100+ bottle. Full disclosure: I stocked up on this and the 2018 Planetary Estate Polaris vintage before writing this tasting note. You should too.
Available at K&L who purchased all of the remaining cases. Thank you K&L!

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    3/10/2024 9:52:00 AM - Similar. Wine Spectator's Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon vintage chart lists the 2019 vintage at 97 points and the 2018 vintage at 99 points, but that's like comparing two almost identical Number Two pencils. Most defining is the quality of the grapes and the skills of the winemaker: either you like the "style" or you don't, and I do.
Red

2019 Hahn Grenache North Highlands Cuvee Santa Lucia Highlands

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2/20/2023 - ByronCellar wrote: 93 points

I continue to really enjoy this flavorful and complex wine. Pretty much my "house wine" these days.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    2/25/2024 9:41:00 AM - Hi Byron, where did you buy the Hahn Grenache? Not finding a source. Any steer is appreciated. der Schmecker
Red

2015 Green & Red Vineyards Petite Sirah Tip Top Vineyard

 Napa Valley more
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9/15/2023 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: 95 points

A truly elegant wine, worthy of a white linen tablecloth, silverware, candlelight and medium rare beef. Oh so smooth, but serious and potent. Kings of yesteryear, ages before our time, didn't drink wine better than this. Bravo Jay Heminway. Bravo!

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    1/24/2024 7:00:00 PM - Okay, I got a little carried away there. Just uncorked another bottle, delicious as ever, but tonight? 92 points, which leads me to raise the question: are points solely determined by the wine or by the receptivity of the taster in the moment? Still glad that this wine is in my glass.
Red

2013 Mount Veeder Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

 Napa Valley more
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12/26/2023 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: 88 points

3 liter magnum. A certain funkiness reduced my enjoyment of the wine. Nonetheless, we emptied the bottle by the end of the night.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    12/26/2023 4:05:00 PM - Hi RichEB1, yes indeed! Purchased at Costco. I wouldn't wait much longer. Still purple and aside from a somewhat dry cork, no sign of decrepitude, but I don't believe it will get better.
Red

2018 Precedent Zinfandel Mokelumne River Kirschenmann Vineyard

 Lodi more
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6/20/2023 - tward Likes this wine: 90 points

Excellent. Maybe not quite as wowed by this bottle as I was the prior one, but still such an excellent Zin. Blueberry, baked blackberry, dusty, a forest / pine berry I can't put my finger on, but is very Zin, a brambly berry thing, a hint of dried, crushed sage. Great ripeness of fruit that is never heavy, seemingly framed by dried earth and brush.

I will buy more. Only hesitation here is seepage ranging from ~30% - 60% up the cork on this bottle.

14.6% abv

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    11/6/2023 12:23:00 PM - I saw your comment. K&L currently lists 66 bottles of the 2018 Precedent Zinfandel available to K&L's Insider's Advantage Email Recipients for $19.99. I went back this weekend and purchased another bottle even though I have cases of Zinfandel from other producers.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    11/6/2023 6:43:00 PM - TWARD, one more comment. Right across the Kirschenmann Vineyard on Schmiedt Lane is Bedrock's Katushas’ Vineyard. Morgan Twain-Peterson poured me a glass of the 2022 vintage at the last wine pick-up day and it was delicious! I immediately purchased two bottles right there and then and have since purchased two additional bottles from K&L. Ready to drink right now. Exhilarating wine! I'll review properly in a few days/weeks, but Katusha's Vineyard 2022 vintage has given me newfound respect for Lodi Zindfandel. Try it.
Red

2019 La Honda Winery Pinot Noir Sequence

 Santa Cruz Mountains more
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3/29/2022 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: 91 points

Muted tart berry nose. Flavor on the tongue is strawberry with a tiny bit of earthiness and an appropriate amount of tannin to make this an adult wine, not a candy wine, but a wine that tastes of terroir.

The terroir is specifically the sun, soil and elevations found in these towns south of San Francisco in the Santa Cruz Mountains: La Honda, Hillsborough, Woodside, Portola Valley, Los Altos Hills, Saratoga and Los Gatos, in other words, prime Silicon Valley land, the grapes of wine aficionados who have the time, money and interest to grow quality grapes in a benign climate.

This is delicious wine, a fine Pinot Noir.

As the winemaker Charlie Miller writes on the label, Sequence is La Honda Winery's flagship wine and as a flagship wine, the care, craftsmanship and quality comes through.

I'm biased. I live here and love knowing that the grapes were sourced from the yards of homes that I have driven past or walked by, but honestly the quality and value of this wine is very high. The wine tastes natural, of the environment where the grapes were grown, without unnecessary meddling.

Purchased at Bianchini's Market in Portola Valley. I will definitely stock up on this terrific Pinot Noir!

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    1/4/2023 5:02:00 PM - HMike: hope to meet you there sometime!

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    1/4/2023 5:20:00 PM - No. My father was.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    2/14/2023 8:21:00 AM - HMike,

    I'm attending La Honda Winery's Open House this Saturday, February 18, in Redwood City. Let me know if you are attending too. Would be fun to meet. Thanks, Tom Carroux
Red

2018 Clos de Luz Carménère Massal 1945

 Cachapoal Valley more
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9/11/2022 - JandBWines Likes this wine: 94 points

Strong zin but not overpowering

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    1/31/2023 6:47:00 PM - This wine is made from Carménère grapes.
Red

2015 Château d'Aiguilhe

 Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux Red Bordeaux Blend more
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5/15/2021 - mattwhite wrote: NR

Warning to other users: Be aware that out of 132 reviews of this wine to date, exactly 1/2 (61 reviews) have been posted (score only with one exception) by 2 users. 45 reviews of 91 points each posted by some user going by "Schorschi," and 15 in the 90 to 92 by "SMG." Cellartracker should look into this abusive activity and deal with it appropriately.

To the wine in question. 14.5% abv. and it is evident from the first taste. Dense, sweet, modern, it is a fruit-forward wine that, while superficially enjoyable, lacks depth, complexity and a sustained finish.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    1/31/2022 6:23:00 PM - Appreciate that you point out that some reviewers are putting 'thumbs on the scale' by scoring this wine many times. CellarTracker should limit the number of times one reviewer can score a wine.
Red

2018 Penfolds Shiraz Bin 28 Kalimna

 South Australia more
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1/17/2022 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: 92 points

Smooth is the defining characteristic. A rounded wine if that makes sense. Not as penetrating as Bedrock's Syrah or as complex as John Duval's Entity Shiraz, but a very pleasant wine. Top 100 Wines of 2020 - Wine Spectator.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    1/20/2022 4:26:00 PM - srh: thanks for your comment! Always nice to get your feedback. The Wine Article you posted for 2018 Penfolds Shiraz Bin 28 Kalimna contains a Palate description that is just outstanding. Thanks for sharing!
Red

2019 Bedrock Wine Co. Bedrock Vineyard Heritage

 Sonoma Valley Zinfandel Blend, Zinfandel more
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7/25/2021 - zscheiner Likes this wine: NR

Least ready if the 2019s I’ve opened so far. Great aromatics, dark fruit, noticeable tannin even with a 3 hour decant. Lots of promise but give this some time.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    10/21/2021 7:05:00 PM - Too early.
Red

2019 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Wine Dolinsek Ranch

 Russian River Valley Red Blend more
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10/3/2021 - zscheiner wrote: NR

First miss for my palate from a ‘19 Bedrock, but admittedly this is a bottling I rarely order because Morgan’s descriptions make it clear it’s not for me. Palate staining, full-bore with ripe berry fruit and intense acidity. This is a layered, riper, fuller-bodied Zin. Could imagine it will calm down and integrate with a year or two more in bottle.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    10/21/2021 7:04:00 PM - Great description of Dolsinek Zinfandel, which is why I love this wine. This definitely improves with age. Some Zinfandels are age-worthy and Dolsinek is one of them. Hope you purchased another to lay down for a few years.
Red

2017 Domaine des Bernardins Beaumes-de-Venise

 Red Rhone Blend more
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8/17/2021 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: NR

My previous points remain accurate. This is such a resoundingly wonderful wine. Yes, luckily I stocked up on this, but I wish I had purchased more. I'll put Domaine des Bernardins Beaumes-de-Venise on my BUY LIST for future vintages. This is why I drink wine. Merci Beaucoup Famille Castaud!

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    9/10/2021 5:25:00 PM - srh: that is a splendid idea!
White

2019 L'Ecole No. 41 Sémillon

 Columbia Valley more
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7/1/2021 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: 89 points

Mid-weight. Viscous. Non-trivial, not a throw-back shot of white wine, but worth savoring, offering texture or mouth-feel. A fine alternative to Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. I'm glad that L'Ecole 41 makes the effort to craft a stand-alone Semillon. Thank you. I'm a fan of L'Ecole 41, a high quality company, visit them in Walla Walla if you can.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    7/22/2021 4:17:00 PM - Thanks srh! Nice to get your comment.
Rosé

2019 Fields Family Wines La Vie

 Lodi Rosé Blend more
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6/30/2021 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: 92 points

One of the best Rose wines I've ever tasted. My wife loves La Vie which means a lot to me, as she is persnickety, refusing taste pours at restaurants until she is presented with a wine to her liking. Roseann loves Fields Family' La Vie Rose which tastes of strawberry, cantaloupe, sunshine and summer. A delicious wine. We went for a tasting after seeing Fields listed as a winery that influenced Morgan Twain-Peterson of Bedrock. Oh yes, this wine is the real deal. We love La Vie, purchased several bottles at the tasting and then telephoned later to order more. A terrific wine! A standard for summer Rose. Immensely enjoyable (and that's what it's all about)!

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    7/1/2021 11:52:00 AM - Stephen Rash: thanks for the tip! I'll seek out Sans Souci.
Red

2014 K Vintners Syrah Milbrandt Vineyard

 Wahluke Slope more
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12/11/2020 - Kustjagr Likes this wine: 94 points

OK, so back to drinking this again. Finally, it has gotten back up to 94. The tantrum years are over. It is again subtle, fruity in a good way with this perfect well roundedness with no hint of anything offensive ... at all. Almost like a good Pomerol kind of roundness to it. Will be cool to see how high it goes over the coming years.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    4/1/2021 6:55:00 PM - I'm uncorking another bottle of this tonight and reminded that wines like K Vintner's Milbrandt Syrah is why, yes why, I drink wine. This is such an experience, so dense, so smooth, so powerful and magnificent that I steered clear of opening another bottle until I was ready to, until now. Wow! Just fantastic. I'm glad that you also appreciate this.
Red

2013 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Signature

 Napa Valley more
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1/29/2021 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: 94 points

This makes me want to sing! Such a complete Napa cabernet sauvignon, just delicious, from start to finish. One of the benchmark Napa cabs. This is a stellar wine. Smooth, rich, deep, perfect. Bravo!

I've been a fan of Chappellet for many years --- because of the quality of the wine in the glass and the reasonable price and the jaw-dropping awesome land --- so I know this is extraneous, but I have to express my kudos to the family for developing the Grower Collection as a way to increase volume and leverage their obvious ability to craft first class wine in order to meet the requirements of a steadily increasing number of shareholders/family members. Intelligent approach, keep on going. Love the wine.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    2/1/2021 1:20:00 PM - JEPOO7 I stand corrected. I've had other 2013 California cabernet sauvignon that were uninspiring. Wine Spectator rates the Napa 2013 vintage as near flawless and I've found Wine Spectator to usually be accurate. Certainly the Chappellet 2013 cabernet sauvignon is fantastic. Thanks for commenting.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    2/2/2021 9:16:00 AM - JEP007 I'm fortunate that I have two more bottles of the Chappellet 2013 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. Looking forward with anticipation to uncorking them in the future. Cheers!
Red

2015 Ridge Geyserville

 Alexander Valley Zinfandel Blend, Zinfandel more
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12/29/2020 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: 92 points

Smooth, dense, complex, a flavor profile that offers entry, mid-range and length. Such a great wine, a great zinfandel blend. 50th Vintage so I knew this would receive special attention to bolster the Ridge brand and I stocked up: I'm so glad I did. This is why I drink wine, why I drink Zinfandel, why Ridge is always welcome in my glass.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    12/30/2020 3:59:00 PM - Hi srh, responding to your comment. I'm still developing the right format for my tasting notes. I'm starting to gravitate to the format used by THE DRUNKEN CYCLIST although this Ridge tasting note does not follow his format. There are 209 tasting notes for this wine, some of which, like the one by TOMLEE, list the various varietals in the blend. Also, Ridge does a superb job of describing what's in the wine on their label, so I did not see the need to repeat easily available data. I do plan on revising this tasting note on my second tasting to include more descriptors of the actual taste or flavor of this wine. I was in a rush last night and simply didn't have the time. Regarding PAIRING: I sought a wine last night to appease my desire for 'grapey' goodness. I know how many varietals taste and I was in the mood for a Zinfandel. In other words, food and pairing wine with food was not a consideration. I chose this Ridge Zinfandel because I knew it would be deep and smooth without crossing over into the gonzo land of too much alcohol. Food was an afterthought and frankly, didn't matter. I was in the mood for a great glass of wine. DECANTING: this is a five year old Ridge Zinfandel so I figured it wouldn't need decanting, because it was too young for sediment and old enough to have matured and rid itself of the sharpness of youth. I typically only decant wine when I know the bottle will be consumed in one sitting. This bottle will be consumed over several days and therefore it remained in bottle for easy storage. Apologies for long answer, but heck you asked :).
Red

2017 Domaine des Bernardins Beaumes-de-Venise

 Red Rhone Blend more
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7/29/2019 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: 91 points

Gorgeous wine. Round, elegant yet hearty. 65% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre and 5% Grenache Blanc. Steel tanks and large oak foudre resulting in a fresh, but smooth flavor. $20 K&L. I just ordered more. Lovely wine. Decanter rated this 94 points.

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    5/31/2020 8:30:00 AM - Hi SRH, I did not use a decanter prior to tasting the 2017 Domaine des Bernardins Beaumes-de-Venise. I rarely use a decanter, primarily to smooth out a young tannic wine, or to transfer the contents of a bottle that has sediment or a damaged cork. der Schmecker
Red

2016 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Esola Vineyard

 Amador County more
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2/28/2019 - Rktekt3 wrote: 85 points

Are we certain this is primarily Zinfandel?

  • Comment posted by der Schmecker:

    8/13/2019 7:18:00 PM - Amador zins are different from Mendocino zins which are different from Sonoma zins... from Napa zins. Yes, this is a zinfandel! It's terroir.

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