4/14/2024 - DesMarteau wrote:

Holding up well…but no reason to buy this . Takes an hour to open…disjointed…chateaunuef qualities like raisins , leather, seawater, blueberries…just doesn’t really come together and makes you wait for nothing

4/12/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

Will only improve with time….cherry cranberry hint of sage tart acids. Fruit forward and nice …QPR at $30

4/7/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

Love Benovia...needs 30 mins. definitely a CA pinot...but still pinot unlike a lot of sonoma stuff these days. light, floating raspberries, strawberries, baking spices....changes in your mouth and subtle. great range too...

4/7/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

Can age longer....took 1 hour to open and blow off the cough syrup finish. cherry, anise, raspberries...still evident tannins on the end. long finish. well made and wish I had a few of these to test over time.

4/5/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

Soft cork gave some concern…broke apart. Wondered about storage…

Nose of raisin and soy sauce…needs 30 mins of air. Starts a bit disjointed and candied . Really improves with air ….comes into a harmonious blend of cherry, raspberry, kiwi, spice. Concentrated and pretty well made ….

3/31/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

hard to rate this young....definitely a well made wine. Black ink, traditional malbec characteristics....subtle blue fruit that is a bit shut down, seawater, cassis, tannins....give 10 years

3/31/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

quite the QPR. structured multidimensional cab that surprised me. Obviously the oakville designation gives a buyer some comfort. Blueberries, cassis, pencil lead, spice...very integrated and easy to drink young...can see it getting better with 10 years in the cellar. should buy more :)

3/31/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

let age...late release as it is. first day was disjointed...came together overnight (375 put off in fridge vacuum sealed)....next day integrated cassis, blueberries, spice, hint of chocolate.

3/24/2024 - DesMarteau wrote:

After 3 hours of air it’s pretty integrated. Dusty cherries, hit of blue cheese, graphite, spice, tannins settling ….

3/21/2024 - DesMarteau wrote:

My first pineau grape wine (I think). Such a strange bottle of wine ….i didn’t have the opportunity to give much air …20 mins or so. Post bottle effervescence that did blow off. Very disjointed wine that may improve with age. Cranberry juice color and texture. Cranberry, soft strawberry, extreme tart acid like young green apple, then a tannic backend . Interesting experience/ experiment….but this is not a $50 wine IMO. Good experiment at $15.
Won’t rate as I think this needs a couple of years. Can’t ever see this being a good value .

3/18/2024 - DesMarteau wrote:

Decanted and I think it helped….no sediment in this wine at all. Thin red ruby color, clear….light , and after an hour a bit of integration and complexity develops . Clear strawberries , plum, a hint of spice….simple and confirms my notion that Mouvedre is a bending grape

3/17/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

very concentrated...like most of Robert Foley's stuff. Needs an hour + decant to really open...probably 2. deep purple core with a brownish edge that turns purple with air. a bit out of balance upon first sip...tons of bluefruits, brambleberries, spice and syrupy. after another hour or so...it really feels lighter and better integrated. Very rich that paired well with BGE ribeyes. Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, spice, graphite...long long finish.

3/8/2024 - DesMarteau wrote:

Bad cork and ruined 😡

3/3/2024 - DesMarteau wrote:

Bright, cheery, one dimensional….this may improve as I could see a few years in the cellar could help by a year or 2

3/2/2024 - DesMarteau wrote:

Not rating yet as I know I opened this way too young. tight, tart, muted fruit...air helps a little but I think this needs a couple of years to be approachable.

2/25/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

Ready to drink upon opening ..gave 30 mins of air….prunes cherries, blueberries….approachable and integrated

2/24/2024 - DesMarteau wrote:

watermelon, strawberries, kiwi...light ...maybe a bit of gelatin...not amazing.

2/24/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

drank this a bit too young I think...opened up as it warmed from cellar temp...but still pretty tight over 90 minutes. deep core of strawberry, tart kiwi, spice, blueberries...not rating as i don't think i allowed it to show it's full potential. i can see this being in the low to mid 90's easily as it's so well made. not a value at $60...but well made.

2/13/2024 - DesMarteau wrote:

a little young...opulant fruit...out of balance. cherry, strawberry, tart lemon. Needs a couple of years.

2/12/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

buy more...easy approachable....cherry, blueberry, spice...integrated and balanced. think, rich and very economical.

2/12/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

delicious ....opens quickly and nicely layered and integrated. cherry, blueberry, spice....long finish.

2/12/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

drinking perfectly...could age. dusty cherry and blue fruit that is immediately approachable. nice integration and long finish.

2/11/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

interesting small batch syrah. young and concentrated enough to age. will go for years IMO. A blend of concentrated cherry, ash, and blueberries. Syrah characteristics and still light mouthfeel....got for $30 on sale...OK QPR at that pricepoint....hard to chase at $45.

2/11/2024 - DesMarteau wrote:

been a long time since I had a St Innocent...I remembered why I like them so much. in a good drinking window but still on the youthful side. I think this can age long in proper conditions. Shows restrained strength while being subtle. Strawberries, flowers, spice, hint of tar...integrates more over time. like it.

2/4/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

Easy to drink....give 30 mins of glass air...improves over an hour or two. blueberries, cherry. a little hollowness...spice. long finish. the hollowness fills out as it gets more air. integrated and straightforward...not overly complex or layered.

1/21/2024 - DesMarteau Does not like this wine:

strange concept...syrah and pinot blend...and domaine serene foists this on wine club members if you're not watching for $85 per bottle. way overpriced.

1/20/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

decanted for an hour....continued to improve over the next hour. dark still...subtle nose. starts off with a watery hollow mid palate...strong finish of dusty mushrooms, muted cherry, spice, lavender long finish...over the hour...the midpalate fills out. very subtle and well made/aged wine.

1/20/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

buying this from the winery is highway robbery....they charge way too much. with that being said, I find these wines age so well...are a bit brighter than other oregon pinot's...and more subdued than their sonoma cousins....
light cherries, strawberries, spice, kiwi...subtly and delicately layered and integrated. can pair with anything...tonight was shrimp cocktail and filet mignon...

1/19/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

even though it's 13 years old....it's still young. dark purple with a slight brown hue. Opens nicely over 20 mins and continues to evolve in the glass....a bit disjointed. core of deep cherry...menthol, cinnamon...a bit tart that feels like youth and it continues to integrate over the 2 hours we consumed it. See it getting more integrated with bottle age and i think it can easily go 10 - 20 in a cellar and improve.

1/14/2024 - DesMarteau wrote:

I don’t have much luck with rioja ….obviously doesn’t fit my pallet ….hour of air in glass…deep cherry core. Layered cherries , slight essence of cinnamon , tannins fading but still there …more one dimensional than layered .

1/13/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

Hard to rate ….way too young to open …just did it to try and gauge the quality. Very think…black ink color . After 2 hours in the glass it shows a little . Cherry, tart strawberry, blueberry, bleach, tar, long finish and soft tannins. Will buy more and age at least 10. Mid nineties points seem justified…just way too young to drink.

1/12/2024 - DesMarteau wrote:

Strawberries, kiwi, bright and out of balance. Today this is a 85….age and the ability to mellow this should improve

1/3/2024 - DesMarteau wrote:

Doesn’t show much. Popped and poured….drank over an hour . Flat cherries, a little spice ….not interested even thoug I can buy retail without much age on it .

1/1/2024 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

Hard to rate …too young and I knew it lol. Black ink, not showing much other than length and tannins. Let a glass sit out 24 hours and fruit showed up with no signs of oxidation. A bit of cherry , blueberry, and cocoa dust. Wait 5 - 10 to open .

12/31/2023 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

Great …give 30 mins of air…could age “longer …19 years.
Strawberry, cassis , kiwi, cool layers on the end .

12/30/2023 - DesMarteau wrote:

Dark…nose of dusty blueberries…let breath 30 mins and consumed over an hour or so . A bit hollow in the mid palate that I sometimes experience with Sonoma cab….didn’t expect that with a hotter climate cab blended with Syrah. Nothing special in this bottle , especially given the price point

12/29/2023 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

still young...drank some that had air then popped and poured a bottle ....tremendous cherry and blueberry fruit...integrated...plum, spice...thick ...easy to drink and gains layers with air. let age a bit.

12/29/2023 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

well made...young. takes an hour to open a bit at this young age...after 3 hours shows its full potential. Dark, brooding, concentrated. Cherry, Blueberries, Cassis, an interesting sonoma plum element. Nice at a very decent pricepoint.

12/28/2023 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

young...but easy to drink. popped and gave 30 mins of air. current, plum, blueberry...nicely integrated and the first wine i've ever had from mexico.

12/26/2023 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

Consistent with my last note …interesting and integrated even more ….love this

12/22/2023 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

Hard to rate …very young ….translucent raspberry color …hard to say what this will be in 10 years….gelatin tar and strawberries……doesn’t really move much over 3 hours . Will let my others sit for 5 years at least

12/2/2023 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

Young…dark fruit….tar , plum, blackberry….integrated and opens with air….would like to age and see what happens. Need to buy more

11/24/2023 - DesMarteau wrote:

Last one …held up very well as it’s still vibrant and consistent with my other note .

11/19/2023 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

In a great place. Cherry , blueberry, rich deep spice and fruit …

11/19/2023 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

interesting nose upon opening...seawater, cherry, spice...medium weight. after 45 mins integrates a bit...smoke, cherry, seawater...like it.

11/19/2023 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

OK...this is overrated by RP's Erin Brooks by a wide margin...integrated cinnamon sugar and deep blueberries. very one dimensional and cant see it becoming more complex with age.

11/19/2023 - DesMarteau wrote:

Overall agree with @Mikecu6...dark, brooding...too young to drink IMO...is better as it calms down. dark concentrated bluefruits, bleach, cinnamon, long finish. not a ton of range as it feels a little shut down that air helps with but age will do more.

11/19/2023 - DesMarteau wrote:

dark, opulent nose...Dark Cherry, blueberries...a bit hollow in the midpalate. gelatinous finish....young...maybe a year or two this will settle.

11/19/2023 - DesMarteau wrote:

Interesting pinot...lighter weight, starts off peppery, cranberries, tart kiwi..long finish. Balance of the above changes a bit over the course of a hour. A bit strange on the flavor profile and balance. Can see why this sells well below asking from Gary V.

11/12/2023 - DesMarteau Likes this wine:

45 min of air ….picked up color and weight. Soft cherry , strawberry, graphite, crushed stones, flower pedals. Soft , easy to drink .