| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
|---|---|---|
| Red |
2005 Domaine La Bouïssiere GigondasRed Rhone Blend more |
5/30/2014 - Le Nez Likes this wine: 91 pointsWow! This baby is at its peak. Popped and poured. An incredible value! Satiny tannins, gorgeous fruit, impeccable terroir. Only complaint (minor) is a bit hot .. 14.5 % alc. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre |
| Red |
2001 Artadi Rioja Pagos ViejosTempranillo more |
10/3/2013 - Le Nez Likes this wine: 93 pointsNot sure why this wine is not getting the kudos it deserves. |
| Red |
2004 Martinelli Pinot Noir Three Sisters Vineyard Sea Ridge MeadowSonoma Coast more |
4/21/2012 - Le Nez wrote: 93 pointsBeautifully aged pinot noir reminiscent of a premier cru Pommard. Lovely balanced palate of cherry and black currant with faded roses ... not spicy ... the tannins have integrated beautifully... Had this wine next to a 2006 Le Cadeau Pinot from Oregon and a 2008 Walter Hansel North Slope ... The Martinelli was by far my favorite and I drank it with a duck confit hash with poached eggs at lunch... |
| Red |
2009 Valdez Family Winery Zinfandel St. Peter's Church VineyardAlexander Valley more |
12/9/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 93 pointsVery attractive nose upon uncorking the bottle signaled a good wine …First impression on the nose is sweet fruit with a slight caramel overtone. First taste is like sticking your face into a jammy blackberry pie! |
| Red |
2008 Lenné Estate Pinot Noir Jill's 115Yamhill-Carlton more |
10/4/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 93 pointswow! what a follow up to the 2008! VERY drinkable right now .. hard to decide whether the Jills 115 or the Kill Hill is better ... great combination of fruit and forest floor earthiness on the palate ... |
| Red |
2009 Lenné Estate Pinot Noir Kill HillYamhill-Carlton more |
10/4/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 93 pointsthe fruit explodes on the palate ... a wonderful wine that is drinking well right now ... highly recommmended |
| Red |
2008 Booker Vineyard The AlchemistPaso Robles Syrah Blend, Syrah more |
8/8/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 95 pointsThis is one of the best rhone-style wines from California. Eric Jensen's touch is magical with his blending of these varietals. Not to be missed. |
| Red |
2005 Kanzler Vineyards Pinot Noir Sonoma Coastmore |
5/28/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 93 pointsGorgeous nose of bing cherry and sandalwood. I love the way this wine tastes with it's signature plum, earth and anise. Hugely Burgundian. It's one of my favorite pinots. Steve Kanzler is kicking ass. His wine is definitely the best interpretation of his vineyard's terroir (better than Kosta Browne's!) |
| Red |
2009 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sangiacomo VineyardSonoma Coast more |
5/28/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 94 pointsThis pinot is mind-blowingly good for being so young. Buy all you can. I was stunned at the flood of fruit that filled the table upon opening the bottle. Gorgeous bing cherry, sandalwood, some mushroom and hint of anise. The folks at Sojourn have announced that they are here to play and are serious with this vintage. They are getting access to some very exclusive vineyards (Ridgetop) and making some great wines. Bravo! |
| Red |
2009 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coastmore |
5/28/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 88 pointsI just don't get the reviews posted so far for the 2009 KB Sonoma Coast. This vintage is a definite departure for KB. It seems to be in a completlely closed phase (and this is after letting it settle for a couple of months after shipping). No real nose or aromatics to speak of. Flat, slightly tannic on the palate, but CLOSED. It's just not exhibiting anything, which is highly unusual for these wines. Usually, you get a nice nose of fruit from these wines upon opening, even when young. After 2.5 hours open in a decanter, there's still no nose, but some fruit is starting to express itself ... faint strawberry followed by plum , then it shuts down ... the tannins are quite smooth, which gives the impression of signature "creaminess" of KB's blended wines. I'm giving this wine an 88pt score for now. I recently opened a 2009 Sojourn Sangaicomo and was stunned at its beauty and approachability. For my money, Sojourn is really starting to kick ass and their single vineyard wines are in the same price range (actually a little less expensive) than the KB blends. I'm just not sure that there's enough stuffing in the KB to ever develop into a seriously good wine. I've had a lot of KB wines over the years (blends and single vineyard) and this 2009 blend is disappointing for now. Will check another bottle in six to nine months to see if anything is developing. For the record, another one of my favorite pinots - the Kanzler Vineyard Pinot - well, their 2009 vintage is pretty shut down now as well - buy you do get the nice Kanzler earthiness that has become Steve Kanzler's signature. I dont know what to make of the fact that the 2009 Sojourn Sangiacomo is mind-blowingly delicious right now, while 2009 KB and Kanzler are so shut down. That's what makes wines so interesting, I suppose. |
| Red |
2005 Copain Syrah Thompson VineyardSanta Barbara County more |
4/15/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 93 pointsI tried this wine about two months ago and again just this evening ... two quite different bottles of wine, but both an excellent expression of Thompson Vineyard's unique terroir. The first bottle from a couple of months ago exhibiting an overwhelming coffee flavor that actually distracted from the enjoyment of the wine (perhaps flawed?). The second bottle was an incredibly delicious example of a northern rhone style wine and reflects Wells Guthrie's experience having worked at Chapoutier and Chave. |
| Red |
2004 Robert Keenan Winery Mernet ReserveSpring Mountain District Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/9/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 93 pointsNils Venge strikes again! Really wonderful wine...tied with '92 Keenan Spring Mountain Special Selection Cab for WOTN. I am told the '92 was made by Randy Dunn. The '04 Mernet is a classic St. Emilion style blend... attractive nose with seductive blueberry and chocolate palate... ... still has plenty of oomph for another 10 years of aging ... very well balanced with acidity and tannins... the oak is very deftly done - it opened up nicely over the course of a couple of hours ... highly recommended ... cheers ! |
| White |
2004 J. Rochioli Chardonnay River BlockRussian River Valley more |
4/9/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 93 pointsYeah baby! Drinking quite well ... mellow pear and honeydew fruit with light, deft touch of oak and hazelnut ...nice acidity to make it food friendly ... not an oaky butterbomb... I love old Chardonnays that have the stuffing to go 6, 7 or 10 years or more ... this wine will go a few more years ... cheers! |
| Red |
1999 d'Arenberg Cabernet Sauvignon The Coppermine RoadMcLaren Vale more |
4/9/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 91 pointsWow! what a difference compared to the bottle we had in January ... had this wine again last nite and it had a really nice bouquet of mellow black cherry fruit, earth and anise... much more juicy than the earlier bottle from january ... really got to see what this wine is about ... I love Australian Cabernet ... this is not on a par with Noon Reserve Cabs, but is a solid effort. Took this to a party and it got sucked down quick...cheers! |
| Red |
2008 Lenné Estate Pinot Noir Jill's 115Yamhill-Carlton more |
4/9/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 93 pointsThis wine continues to impress me... has good acidity to make it food-friendly... love how it opens up on the second day ...lithe and balanced combination of fruit and Oregonian earth ... drink this next to a Rosella's and marvel at the difference in terroir between the two wines ... cheers! |
| Red |
2007 Priest Ranch Cabernet SauvignonNapa Valley more |
4/9/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 91 pointsNice Cab... vines are relatively young at 12 years old, but the fruit is lush. Almost blueberry-ish with saddle and earth... slight anise on the nose. Still a young wine .. should develop a bit more but does it have the stuffing to go 10 years?? ... made in a style for drinking earlier than late ... the tannins are very smooth .. not near a complex as say a Buccella cab or Noon Reserve cab, but it's half the price, eh. Well made .. not overextracted with high level of alcohol ... thumbs up.. cheers! |
| Red |
2008 Jeff Cohn Cellars Smoke & MirrorsCalifornia Syrah Blend, Syrah more |
4/9/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 90 pointsIn a word: Jammy! Really deft Rhone varietal blend. Not sure how well it will age, but it's a blackberry jam treat now. Not a lot of complexity, but some nice light tar and leather notes. Kudos to Jeff Cohn for his negociant skills and nice wine wines...cheers |
| Red |
2004 Domaine Serene Syrah Rockblock "SoNo"Oregon more |
4/9/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 90 pointsBest bottle of $12 syrah I've ever had. I purchased several of the '03 and '04 Rockblock Syrahs on closeout (in January 2011) for $12 (for the SoNo) to $19 for single vineyard. These wines are holding up extremely well and are actually drinking better than when young. The '04 SoNo has a wonderful coffee / mole and tar accent / aroma. The black cherry fruit is mellowed and soooo well integrated with the wine's earthiness. This wine readily complemented veal milanese. Big thumbs up to Tony Rynders for making a beautiful wine with great longevity for an American Syrah. Really a nice difference in style from the highly rated Parker fruit bombs that have a lot of glitz but not as much stuffing...cheers! |
| White |
2006 Eric Forest Pouilly-Fuissé Les CraysChardonnay more |
4/1/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 90 pointsDrinking very well ... Lemon-citrus flavor with hints of orange honey and hazelnut... solid minerality and nice backbone of acidity ... nice counterpoint to typical buttery-oaky chards from California .. paired well with sesame chicken with cous-cous and mango... |
| White |
2004 Neely Chardonnay Holly's Cuvée Spring Ridge VineyardSanta Cruz Mountains more |
3/24/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 92 pointsChardonnays from the Santa Cruz Mountains typically age very well, and the 2004 Neely Spring Ridge Chardonnay is no exception. It is fascinating to pair this wine alongside the explosive 2008 Neely Holly's Cuvee which has garnered rave reviews from Parker. The 2004 Neely Spring Ridge exhibits ripe, honey melon flavor with buttery caramel overtones ... the oak is well integrated and more present than in the 2008 (because the fruit has mellowed). The super-ripe tropical, pineapple nose of the 2008 (reminiscent of a great Austrian Riesling - but less minerally and stony in flavor) has evolved into a very pleasing and balanced tropical bouquet in the 2004. It looks like the huge tropical fruit of recent Neely vintages will mature into a really nice "honeyed" disposition as evidenced by this 2004. Ya gotta love what the Varner boys are doing with their wines. It's great to find someone building chardonnays built for the long haul. If you can find this on the 2ndary market, buy it. It's good to go for another couple of years. I found some of this 2004 vintage on closeout for $5 a btl (yes $5). Wish I had bought more. The release price for 2008's is around $40/btl. Cheers! |
| Red |
2008 Lenné Estate Pinot Noir Jill's 115Yamhill-Carlton more |
3/23/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 93 pointsThis is a beautiful Bugundian-styled Pinot that is still very much under the radar. Miniscule production of 49 cases. Have enjoyed two bottles of the 2008 Lenne Jill's 115 over the past six months. The first bottle was still kind of asleep.. closed on the nose and tannic. The second bottle opened recently was excellent and showing outstanding aging potential as well. If drinking now, decant and let open up for at least an hour. This wine will be great in another year and will last for 10 years at least. Lovely earthy character, forest floor aroma coupled with robust cherry fruit and , yes, a wonderful light overtone of anise! Wow! Good acidity makes it a very food-friendly wine.. pair with lamb or pork tenderloin... Thanks to zinnut for introducing me to Lenne Estate wines last year. Lenne Estate is producing some serious Oregon pinot noir ... the Jills 115 is Highly Recommended. The amazing thing is that, even with the miniscule production, this wine is still available for purchase on the Lenne wines website! I would expect this wine to be scarfed up by astute collectors... the cat is out of the bag ;-D (Note: this is not a California fruit bomb pinot) ....cheers! |
| Red |
2005 Ramey Syrah Sonoma Coastmore |
3/23/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 91 pointsOne of the most popular wines of the evening. Less fruit that when tasted a year ago, when berry & plum flavors were at their peak. The fruit has mellowed somewhat allowing the background notes of tobacco and mineral to step forward and make this a very food friendly wine. Not sure if Mr. Ramey cuts his syrah with a bit of viognier as they do in the Rhone Valley, but it seems like I tasted a small percentage of it...Mr. Ramey's wines never disappoint ;-D Bravo! |
| Red |
1999 d'Arenberg Cabernet Sauvignon The Coppermine RoadMcLaren Vale more |
1/5/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 89 pointsThis wine is on the downhill slope of its life. The fruit is fading. Enough acidity to make it food friendly, but it has seen better days ... flat nose and not much that's distinctive on the palate |
| Red |
2003 Glaymond Wines Shiraz The DistanceBarossa Valley more |
3/21/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 92 pointsInteresting wine! Got the impresssion there was a bit of cabernet franc mixed in ... very significant eucalyptus, really minty ... nicely balanced blackberry and some tar ... the fruit has smoothed out nicely ... goes well with food ...Jay Miller at WA says that Chris Ringland is consulting winemaker in later vintages ...a good wine, but not a great wine like Dead Arm or Noon Family Reserve |
| Red |
2005 Bodegas Resalte de Peñafiel Ribera del Duero CrianzaTempranillo more |
3/12/2011 - Le Nez wrote: 93 pointsAbsolutely gorgeous wine! Just hitting it's stride...this is what tempranillo is all about ... Lovely blackberry fruit filled the table upon uncorking this gem... wonderful fruit on the nose interwoven with earth... shows excellent on the palate with nicely balanced minerality with anise ..... went perfectly with lamb... I've got to get more of this stuff...one of the best wines at any price I've had so far this year...Bravo! |
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- Tasting notes: 26 notes on 23 wines
