| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
|---|---|---|
| Red |
2013 Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valleymore |
3/11/2024 - Magnum PI Does not like this wine: 87 pointsEven considering the price point of $50, this is mundane with nothing to recommend it. There is no facet of this bottle that supports a tenable argument that it is anything other than pedestrian. I would say "drink now", but am leaning towards "drink never". The "87" was generous. |
| Red |
2005 CrossBarn (Paul Hobbs) Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valleymore |
2/3/2024 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 89 pointsI enjoyed this bottle undecanted with friends over dinner. I was not paying a lot of attention to the wine, but I did note its mellow character, typical black fruit, and overall pleasant mid-palate I would say it has time left, but has gone over the hill and is starting to decline. |
| Red |
2011 Joseph Drouhin MorgonGamay more |
1/8/2024 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 87 pointsI enjoyed this bottle tonight, undecanted, over a couple of hours, paired with salad, vege samosas with tamarind sauce, vege meatballs, part of Meredith's grilled cheese sandwich, and mashed potatoes and gravy. Soft, balanced, still in the zone but probably not what it once was. Elegant, easy to drink, great with the meal. Initially lots of barnyard, some cigar or tobacco, which I believe was mentioned in another review, very light root beer for a minute, some berry notes. There was another note or two which I could not identify. Suffice it to say that the quality and complexity was well worth the price tag. |
| Red |
2001 Turley Petite Syrah Library VineyardSt. Helena Petite Sirah more |
12/14/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 92 pointsI enjoyed this bottle, undecanted, with my friend Tyler, after he walked down the street to my house. I found this bottle in my cellar, and thought "why not". I have never had a bottle of petite syrah this old, and did not have high expectations. I have to say, I was very surprised. No bricking or fading on the palate. The nose was inviting, and the mid-palate was very enjoyable. I was probably more focused on my conversation with Tyler, and with switching back and forth between the Turley and the 2006 Sine Qua Non rose, I didn't spend a lot of time analyzing the notes. Dark berries, herbs, maybe cassis. Very balanced and easy to drink. The SQN rose was better than expected as well. A big night for old wines! |
| Red |
2016 Substance Cabernet SauvignonWashington more |
12/10/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 88 pointsA nice little Walla Walla cab. Excellent value. Showing secondary notes. Very good balance. More complex and balanced than one would expect. Holding up well. Plenty of life left. Kind of hard to score, because it is very well done, but, $15? Are you kidding me. Maybe the best under $20 stateside cab I have had. Doesn't have that "wow" factor, but does provide more than I expected. I think 88 points is fair, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. |
| Red |
2013 Tenuta Vitalonga Umbria Terra di ConfineRed Blend more |
12/4/2023 - Magnum PI Does not like this wine: 75 pointsThis is a difficult wine to analyze. Both the nose and the mid-palate were all over the place. I drank this wine with spaghetti, red sauce, undecanted. I am not about 90 minutes into the bottle. The bottle initially had a pleasant nose of slight chocolate, prominent plum, and not much on the light palate. I found that over the first hour, the notes were constantly evolving, and the mid-palate was gaining weight. A hint of smoke, or no, maybe some cardamom, with emerging tar. Finally, I thought the wine was finding it's identify. Just as quickly as it was starting to come together, the wine shifted into an awkward sort of amalgam of overly acidic puckering something. This wine was never really harmonious or charming, and ask I type this, I sense the fruit is dropping out. For me, this bottle doesn't work on any level. |
| Red |
2015 Domaine Lafage Côtes du Roussillon Bastide MiraflorsSyrah Blend, Syrah more |
11/23/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 91 pointsI enjoyed this bottle undecanted over a couple of hours, with tacos and beans and rice. I have had this bottle from numerous vintanges, and this vintage, many times. I was surprised at how fruit forward and vibrant it still is at this stage. I predict it will be in it's prime for another 3-5 years given the initial primary notes and the time it took to open. Initially dark fruit, then a bit of blueberry, then a core of cherry. Constantly evolving. A consistent, sometimes dominant note of spices. I could not identify the spice, but it was very pronounced and very unique. Harmonious, inviting on the nose. I would say it is more inviting and complex on the nose than the mid-palate, at least for me. Very good with food. Probably one of the veyr top wine values of my life. I would recommend buying several cases in a top vintage and starting in year 3-5. The quality and complexity belie this humble appellation. |
| Red |
2015 Château PuygueraudFrancs Côtes de Bordeaux Red Bordeaux Blend more |
11/17/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 88 pointsDrank this bottle undecanted over two hours, spaghetti with red sauce and bread. Very youthful, balanced, good acid. Nose is rich, full-bodied, very earthy, herbal, some pepper. Hard to say for sure, but might benefit from some time. Pretty impressive for $20. |
| Red |
2011 Domaine Anne Gros & Jean-Paul Tollot La 50/50Côtes de Brian Syrah Blend, Syrah more |
11/13/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 88 pointsI enjoyed this bottle, undecanted, over three hours, with tacos, beans and rice. Black fruit, spice, herbs, pepper. Balanced, tertiary notes, interesting. In a good spot right now. Will likely hold for a few years. The complexity makes this wine interesting. Decent value for the money. However, I don't know that many people are going to pay this kind of money for essentially a Cote du Rhone / villages, even if it's a good one. Price notwithstanding, it's a very nice blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, and Cinsault. Will pair nicely with Mexican, steak, spicy Indian, barbecue. |
| Red |
2005 Château FontenilFronsac Red Bordeaux Blend more |
11/3/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 91 pointsI enjoyed this bottle undecanted, with a baked potato, macaroni and cheese, sauteed green bean and mushrooms. Still very much in it's prime drinking window. What an unbelievable bottle at this price point. |
| Red |
2007 Domaine Bressy Masson RasteauRed Rhone Blend more |
11/2/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 85 pointsI found this bottle deep in my cellar the other day, and decided to open it as it was clearly past the typical drinking window and was simply taking up space. I poured a glass, undecanted, while Jeannien made tacos and rice. I expected a fruitless, woody, sourish wine that might go down if I put enough hot sauce on the tacos. Imagine my surprise when the nose revealed pronounced spicy / herbal / dark notes. The mid palate was not lacking either. The fruit was gone, but plenty of tertiary notes remained. Similar to the nose, with some cherry. Scorched wood or earth, spices, herbal notes, still very enjoyable. Kind of a "wow" moment. |
| Red |
2004 Freemark Abbey Cabernet SauvignonNapa Valley more |
8/24/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 91 pointsEnjoyed this bottle decanted at Venue, with my friends Jordan and Megan. I purchased a case of these bottles on release and forgot about them in my cellar until recently. The color was very dark, with no signs of age. Immediately open on the nose . . . vibrant and youthful. inviting dark fruits, the mid-palate was consistent. Balanced, tannins fully receded, classic Napa. Mostly dark fruit and cassis. Still very youthful. Will last another five years easily and probably longer. |
| Red |
2010 Saint Cosme Châteauneuf-du-PapeRed Rhone Blend more |
6/24/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 94 pointsI drank this bottle over two days, undecanted, both nights with Indian food. Saint Cosme is one of my favorite producers, and I have had many bottles over the last 15 or so years. This is their best Chateauneuf du Pape since my introduction, edging out the '07, which I am still drinking. I scored that bottle 93, and I can say with confidence that the '10 is better in several ways. More complex, first, with notes of dark fruit / berries, slight hint of strawberry, a charred aspect, liquer, and a high note which I cannot identify. On night one, the wine was balanced, still youthful, enjoyable, a very good value. The second night showed a much bigger palate of notes, and a mature, elegant wine. Given air, this is a great value, and would easily compete with CDP's from a higher price range, depending on your preferred style. At its peak, but could use a decant. |
| Red |
2018 Bodegas Ilurce Graciano Rioja Rio Madremore |
6/18/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 87 pointsI enjoyed this bottle on Father's Day with a black bean burger and Mexican style corn. This bottle has improved since the last time I opened one, and I have to say, I am very impressed. I seem to remember paying $10-$12. Dominant note of root beer, noticeable pepper, evolving into dark fruit, hint of licorice, dark fruit. A lot going on here. |
| Red |
2017 Fabre Montmayou Cabernet Franc ReservaLujan de Cuyo more |
6/16/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 87 pointsThis is drinking well at the moment and in my mind, a very good value. I would not have suspected Cab Franc. Herbs and some dark fruit. Undecanted with a black bean burger and mac and cheese. |
| Red |
2007 Rosenblum Cellars Petite Sirah Kick RanchSonoma County more |
6/15/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 93 pointsI enjoyed this bottle, undecanted, with my friend Antonio, at the house, with chicken wings, steamed broccoli, and macaroni and cheese. I did not expect a lot out of this bottle, but it came through nicely. Dark fruit/berries, mocha, light touch of lavender. Rich without being overdone. For my taste, this was very well done. |
| Red |
2007 Neyers Merlot Neyers Ranch - Conn ValleyNapa Valley more |
6/14/2023 - Magnum PI Does not like this wine: 85 pointsI drank this bottle undecanted, with garlic mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and a black bean burger with pepper jack cheese. This bottle is still very drinkable, but I found very little about it charming or enjoyable. The fruit and mostly dropped out, but there are still a few notes to contemplate. The biggest problem is that the alcohol overpowers whatever is left of the tertiary flavors and mutes the fruit. |
| White - Sweet/Dessert |
2015 Château d'YquemSauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend more |
6/8/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 97 pointsToday is Brookie's birthday, which we celebrated at V. Mertz and the Matchbox 20 concert. We enjoyed this half bottle throughout dinner, undecanted. This vintage is outstanding and drank well right away, and continued to open a bit over the following two hours. Well-balanced and elegant, classic D'Yquem. This will be a thing to behold in 20 years. Happy birthday Brookie! |
| Red |
1990 Château Cheval BlancSt. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend more |
6/8/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 95 pointsBrookie and I drank this bottle from her birth vintage, on her birthday, at V. Mertz, prior to the Matchbox 20 concert. I purchased this bottle many years ago, and have been looking forward to drinking it on a special occasion, which this certainly was. This bottle has been touted as a "wow" experience, a "future legend", and other superlatives. I found it to be nothing of the sort. Very good, enjoyable, but nothing all that remarkable. Very balanced and well-integrated, with a very dominant note of green pepper, which just didn't work for me. The class was undeniable, the finish was above average. There was nothing about it that took it from a very good bottle to the next level. Brookie thought it was exceptionally good, and perhaps the best bottle she has ever had. Ah, Brookie. Happy birthday. 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3) |
| Red |
2013 Freemark Abbey Cabernet BoschéRutherford Cabernet Sauvignon more |
6/3/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 96 pointsBrookie and I enjoyed this bottle with Jordan and Megan at "Well and Good". Unfortunately, the restaurant did not have a decanter, so we poured glasses and put the rest in a carafe. The bottom line is that this is going to be a great bottle in about 8-10 years. The wine didn't really open up much over dinner, but it is obviously very good and will need some time. |
| Red |
2008 Elio Altare BaroloNebbiolo more |
5/31/2023 - Magnum PI Does not like this wine: 82 pointsI bought a six pack of this wine and started drinking bottles last year. Old, oaky, bereft of character or charm. Nothing to recommend this bottle. The balance is good, the palate is soft, but honestly, that is about as much as I can say for it. The cork was intact, I don't see any signs of leakage. It just seems old before it's time. This is the third bottle in two years. I don't know what to say, but it is not good. 82 is probably generous. |
| Red |
2007 Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Les GarancièresRed Rhone Blend more |
5/18/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 94 pointsMy friend Antonio and I drank the bottle at The Indian Oven East, with dinner. Decanted for an hour, consumed over the following hour. Really excellent bottle of Gigondas, in a great spot, probably starting to decline, but still very good. Elegant, balanced, awesome finish. Dark fruit, earth, spices emerging. The dominant note was an iron / bloody core with floral notes. Very classy. |
| Red |
2016 Alain Jaume Lirac Domaine du Clos de SixteRed Rhone Blend more |
5/18/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 91 pointsI enjoyed this bottle undecanted at The Oven East with my friend Antonio. I have had this bottle in numerous vintages and find that it is always a great bottle for the price. Drank well upon opening and continued to unfold the following two hours. Well balanced, great fruit, no detectable heat, decent nose. Dark fruit, earth, maybe some liqueur note, probably other things as well. This is a very well made wine, probably at its peak, and may hold for another 3-4 years. Pretty hard to beat for the money. |
| Red |
2017 Saint Cosme Côtes du RhôneSyrah more |
4/30/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 90 pointsI love Saint Cosme, and have been a fan for many years. I visited the winery in 2009, and drank some CDP barrel samples. Anyone who doubts the genius of Louis Barruol need only open a bottle of one of his reserve Gigondas. Tonight I stumbled across an unopened case of '17 Cotes du Rhone and decided to have a little taste with Indian food. In my mind, the wine surpassed any other CDR I have had from this domain. All the usual notes, harmonious, balances, drinking well above it's humble status. I drank this one straight out of the bottle, and I am curious as to how it would have opened had I decanted it. Will try another soon and report back. |
| White |
2016 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des BriordsMelon de Bourgogne more |
4/23/2023 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: NRI don't drink a lot of muscadet, so I don't have an opinion in terms of typicity and I'm not going to give this a score. I will say, that for the humble appellation, this is a very well made wine and a great value. So many notes on the expansive mid-palate. Saline, a bit of lemon, sweetness, apple, iodine maybe, some type of rocky note. Much more complex than the price tag would suggest. Fresh, balanced, engaging. |
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- Tasting notes: 145 notes on 139 wines
