| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
|---|---|---|
| Red |
2004 ksana Malbec Gran ReservaMendoza more |
12/29/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 pointsWhat a difference a couple of days makes. When first opened, this wine had an overabundance of blue fruit showing on the both the nose and palate - so intense as to make it quite unpleasant. My wife gave an immediate DO NOT LIKE stamp and would have nothing to do with it. I finished my glass, but at that point just put a cork in it and left it on the counter. |
| Red |
2008 Olsen Estates Red WineYakima Valley Red Blend more |
12/31/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 88 pointsA very nice second bottle shared with friends on New Years' Eve. Good mix of red and black fruit with just enough oak to balance things out. Great QPR. |
| Red |
2004 Rockledge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon The RocksSt. Helena more |
12/31/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 92 pointsI was looking for an opportunity to share this bottle with someone, and New Years' Eve provided it. No decanter available so poured through Vinturi; each glass needed considerable time to open up. Still, it was much more approachable than I had feared. Interestingly, a lot of red fruit in the nose with notes of chocolate but in the mouth it was all blackberry, black currant, cocoa and a bit of leather. Medium acidity and well-balanced tannins. A perfect bottle to finish out the year. |
| Red |
2006 Humanitas Merlot Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard Napa Valleymore |
12/29/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 92 pointsA beautiful wine. It's in a particularly good place right now; poured through Vinturi and consumed over the course of an hour. This bottle had a little funk on the nose that blew off in minutes, and after that it was pure pleasure. Blackberry, black currant, dark chocolate, leather and a bit of tar simply explode in the mouth; the finish has a hint of maple with surprisingly good tannins and medium acidity. |
| Red |
2007 Cornerstone Cellars Grenache Stepping StoneRed Hills Lake County more |
12/27/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 pointsNotes consistent with previous bottles. I really wish I had bought another case of this wine while it was sold off due to a label change; it's delicious. |
| Red |
2009 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Campo de Borja VeratonGarnacha, Grenache more |
12/21/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 87 pointsFirst night, this was tight and very acidic; decided to hold until we had some food to pair it with. Two nights later, served with a gnocchi with tomato sauce, roasted kale and sauteed greens. It was much happier with the food; strong raspberry flavor with good acidity (much more in balance than before). A bit too much heat on the finish, though. All in all an okay wine, but there are better examples of Grenache out there with lower alcohol levels and a more balanced presentation. |
| Red |
2009 Our Cellars Pinot Noir Wine GarageSonoma Coast more |
12/22/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 90 pointsStill very nice, straight-up California Pinot Noir. Black cherry, nicely tart, and just enough smoky oak. Went well with a split pea soup and salad at a solstice dinner. |
| Red |
2007 Clos de los SieteValle de Uco Malbec Blend, Malbec more |
12/19/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 88 pointsPoured through Vinturi and waited about an hour to start tasting. Cherry and wet stone on the nose, quite restrained. Blackberry, black currant, more wet stone on the palate; much drier than you might expect, with tannins that aren't as coarse as a pure Malbec often exhibits. I suspect with more open time and a good cut of steak this might present even better, but as it stands it's enjoyable if not a bit overrated. |
| Red |
2006 Saxon-Brown Syrah Camp Block Parmelee-HillSonoma Valley more |
12/17/2011 - Leomania Does not like this wine: 84 pointsThis is a most unusual Syrah. Both on the nose and in the mouth, it has a strange set of smells/flavors - earth, leather, mushroom, green olive. Most notable for me was the sense of drinking a dirty martini, both from a flavor and an apparent saltiness. There was something enjoyable about the experience, but it's still a "don't like" - I wanted some berry flavors to present themselves, but if they're there it's nigh on impossible to detect through the other funky elements. |
| Red |
2006 Viña Caliterra Malbec Tributo Single Vineyard Block #EspinoColchagua Valley more |
12/14/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 90 pointsA very, very good bottle. Brooding dark berry fruit on the nose with mushrooms and earth. Blackberry, ripe plum and mocha flavors with a bit of spice. Tannins have softened, medium acidity. I think this wine is in a perfect place right now. Too bad this was my last! |
| Red |
2007 Cornerstone Cellars Grenache Stepping StoneRed Hills Lake County more |
12/13/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 pointsLovely wine. Sweet cranberry and raspberry, good minerality and acidity, nice background tannins and subtle oak. Great value. |
| Red |
2006 Esterlina MerlotCole Ranch more |
12/12/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 90 pointsNotes consistent with previous. Still among my favorite Merlots. |
| Red |
2003 Uvaggio (L'Uvaggio di Giacomo) il Lupo Barbera/NebbioloNapa Valley Red Blend more |
12/9/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: NRGood, unfamiliar berry flavors in this (stemming from the Nebbiolo, I would assume). I didn't drink it with anything so it didn't present as well as it might have; I'll avoid a rating as a result. Glad to have tried it. |
| Red |
2007 Humanitas Syrah Weed FarmsDry Creek Valley more |
12/9/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 91 pointsTerrific. Blackberrry, black currant, mocha and leather. Moderate acidity and fine tannins, with sweet oak balancing things out nicely. I know of no newer vintages of this wine, but hoping this wasn't the last. |
| Red |
2007 Lynmar Estate Pinot Noir Russian River Valleymore |
12/8/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 91 pointsSimply lovely. Yes, there's oak, but it's very well balanced by lots of red fruit and a nice ramp of acidity into a relatively short but pleasant finish. Well-executed, not at all overdone... and did I mention delicious? |
| Red |
2006 Havens Wine Cellars MerlotNapa Valley more |
12/7/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 92 pointsMy last bottle... it was truly splendid. Had some leftover carnitas from dinner at a Mexican restaurant last night, and between that and an hour decant this wine was nearly epic. To be sure, it has softened over the past couple of years, but that's not to say it was past its prime. It was perfect tonight, with good fruit up front, good acidity and the softest of tannins all making for a most enjoyable wine. All black fruit, a bit of leather and anise. Nice finish. I'll miss this wine. |
| Red |
2009 Claudia Ferrero Rosso Toscana IGTSuperTuscan Blend more |
12/4/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 pointsThis is a very good Super Tuscan, especially for the price. A blend of 34% Cabernet, 34% Merlot, 16% Montepulciano and 16% Alicante created for and sold by K&L Wines, it's simply delicious. I got more blue and red fruit from it than black, with nice minerality and good acidity. Good on its own, but looking forward to a bottle with dinner soon. |
| Red |
2006 Villa Mt. Eden Zinfandel Antique VinesCalifornia more |
12/5/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 pointsNice bottle of Zin. Notes consistent with previous. No hurry to finish these, they're holding up nicely. |
| Red |
2006 Andrew Murray Syrah Great Oaks VineyardSanta Ynez Valley more |
12/4/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 89 pointsMost enjoyable. This is the last bottle of a trio of Syrahs from Andrew Murray purchased on Woot, and I've got to say each was very good. This one had all of the blackberry and cassis one could hope for, with relatively low acidity and very well-integrated tannins. But the real key was that the oak was simply perfect; no overt toast or tannins from an excessive oak treatment. Nicely balanced. |
| Red |
2008 Olsen Estates Red WineYakima Valley Red Blend more |
12/1/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 87 pointsThis red Rhone blend is quite nice. The Syrah is the star, a not quite inky purple in the glass with red tinged legs. Good blackberry and cassis flavors, lighter in style than many Rhone blends, with relatively low acidity and tannins. I didn't feel any decanting was required, although I did use a Vinturi for the first glass. Very good QPR on sale through FullPull Wines. |
| Red |
2009 J. Vidal-Fleury VentouxRed Rhone Blend more |
11/30/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 88 pointsFirst bottle opened. Served at a meeting of soccer parents, so my share was pretty limited. Still, it opened up nicely over the course of a half hour. Raspberry, wet stone, and a bit of spice. Very enjoyable. |
| Red |
2009 Altovinum EvodiaCalatayud Garnacha, Grenache more |
11/30/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 87 pointsSolid Garnacha. Served at a soccer parent meeting, everyone enjoyed it. Raspberry and wet rocks... great combo! |
| Red |
2009 One Hope Pinot Noir Reserve Arroyo Secomore |
11/29/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 86 pointsAn easy-drinking Pinot. It is light-bodied, with strawberry/raspberry flavors that aren't pronounced. The oak is out in front in this wine, and there's just enough acidity to keep it enjoyable. I wouldn't bother trying to pair it with anything, but it was pleasant enough to quaff on a weekday evening. |
| Red |
2004 ksana Malbec Gran ReservaMendoza more |
11/28/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 88 pointsPoured through Vinturi and drank over the course of 45 minutes or so. Very drinkable right from the get-go but it continued to evolve during that time. Initially there's an interesting blue fruit in there, akin to blueberry but that's not quite it. My wife zeroed in on olallieberry which I'm not too familiar with but she's blessed with a good taster so I'm not going to disagree. Medium acidity and well-integrated tannins. Very enjoyable. |
| Red |
2006 Sol Rouge Gypsy RougeRed Hills Lake County Red Rhone Blend more |
11/27/2011 - Leomania Likes this wine: 88 pointsVery nice bottle of wine, drinking well right now. Enjoyed it on its own with my wife on Sunday evening after a busy holiday weekend. This is a red Rhone blend made from grapes grown in Lake County, CA and the mix is not published. The predominate flavor of raspberry that's tart and sweet at the same time has me putting my money on Grenache as a major component. Reasonable acidity, present but subtle tannins. I liked it well enough to lament that this was my last bottle. |
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- Tasting notes: 280 notes on 169 wines
