2/2/2024 - kdubler wrote:

I have now opened 3 of these and 1 of the three was corked. At this point I do not believe it is an issue with the wines overall, just bad luck on the one.

Overall these wines are drinking beautifully. Drank next to wines from Marsannay, Chambolle-Musigny, and Savigny-lès-Beaune and many people preferred the Mercurey.

1/16/2024 - kdubler wrote:

Drank with a winemaker friend. Still very much alive. This tasted like it may be immortal. Tannins were still tight, but very pleasant. Red and black fruit in the background behind notes of tobacco, forest floor and a mineral note that I can only describe as gravel? Lovely wine, sad it is my last one.

12/29/2023 - kdubler wrote:

Very disappointed with this bottle. Yes it's old, but it was dead. Funky and tasted much more like an old California wine than an old Italian.

Hoping others are better, I have 4 more...

12/24/2023 - kdubler wrote:

Surprisingly still very much alive. Although you will not mistake it for a high quality Barolo reminded me more of an entry level Barolo/Barbaresco or even a nice Nebbilo d'Alba. At 13.6% alcohol it does not stand out but adds just a hint of heat on the finish. Very earthy nose, but also some dried red fruit. I wish that more Central Coast producers made Nebbiolo.

Good enough that I went out and foud more at auction...

11/27/2023 - kdubler wrote:

Every time I drink this wine I wonder why Aglianico is not more popular. This was both powerful, and delicate at the same time. At 22 years old it still drank like a baby, likely could have lasted another 10-20 years. Red and black fruit with a smoky edge like grilled meat. Absolutely fantastic

6/18/2023 - kdubler wrote:

Great Savennières, showing it's age, but likely in the heart of its drinking window.

6/18/2023 - kdubler wrote:

Sadly Corked

6/18/2022 - kdubler wrote:

Soft tannins, but big fragrant nose. Slight barnyard with bright red and black fruit. Different from so many Syrah wines I’ve had. Easy drinker, was great with a burger

5/23/2022 - kdubler wrote:

Was just a slight bit corked sadly.

3/15/2022 - kdubler wrote:

I think the note saying musky is a good explanation. Bruised apple aromas, very herbal, almost rosemary. Dry with medium to elevated acidity. I thought it was so much fun to drink, but I can say it is not a style for everybody.

3/15/2022 - kdubler wrote:

Exactly what I want out of a Savennières. Dry with so much going on. Amazing depth that could go with so many foods. Elevated acidity, which has been mellowed with age, but still lifts the wine and keeps it fresh. Loved it!

2/27/2022 - kdubler wrote:

Light gold in color, great depth. Hint salty with very little fruit, many mineral. Loved it

2/27/2022 - kdubler wrote:

Nice wine, not too sweet, paired well with cheesecake

2/27/2022 - kdubler wrote:

Great depth, medium plus body with the acidity to keep it fresh. Lovely wine

2/16/2022 - kdubler wrote:

First of 6 bottles I purchased. I'm not a big Gewurztraminer fan, but thought it would be fun to have more Vendanges Tardives so I bought a 6 pack. Nose on this is very expressive, with Dried apricot, peaches, honeysuckle and just potpourri. The acid is medium to low, but enough to balance it out somewhat. Would be great with a fruit dessert or cheese, but could also work with some savory dishes. Delicious, and I'm happy to have more.

2/16/2022 - kdubler wrote:

When we first opened this wine it was tight and was not showing much. We left it sitting in the bottle cork off for about two hours before we got back to it. By that time it had come alive. Kirsch and Strawberry on the nose with a dusty clay like tannin. Finish was medium length. Closer to Bourgogne than most German Pinot Noirs I have had. '05 was warm so that likely helped this wine, but it was easily my favorite Alsatian Pinot Noir I've had.

2/14/2022 - kdubler wrote:

2nd time I've had this wine in the past few months. Once again high acid and tight tannins. Fruit showed through just a little bit more than last time, but still tasted very Italian. Delicious

2/7/2022 - kdubler wrote:

Popped and poured. Really nice acidic streak with an obvious lemon note. Medium body with just a small hint of an almost phenolic bitter note. Slight herbal edge as well. This is delicious. Absolutely loved it, happy to have a magnum waiting to be drank as well.

Had with a Shrimp Pasta dish with fresh Basil and Mint and it was perfect.

12/31/2021 - kdubler wrote:

This wine had mixed reviews. While all agreed it had a ton of depth, it still had so much tannin. Nose was a bit surprising, almost smelled sweet, but on the palate a complete bruiser. If you like Amarone these are a must try. Not as beautiful as the Bordeaux blend from the evening, but just such a powerhouse it was something special

12/31/2021 - kdubler wrote:

2nd from a 4 pack purchased, and this one drank much better. Had a gravelly and graphite aroma that made me think of Bordeaux, but also had something that was so Italian, would have been hard to place blind, but either way it drank perfectly! Many peoples wine of the night

12/31/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Purchased a few at auction, this was my first time opening one. This is a polished bold red with great depth. Red and black fruit, with medium acid and tannins. Not a beast of a wine in size, but just layers and layers of fruit. A tryout wonderful wine. Potential the wine of the night, but had so many others with age, it’s hard to compare

12/31/2021 - kdubler wrote:

1 of 2 left from a car repurchase a few years ago. This one showed its age more than many of the others. Was not dead, but was past it’s Best Buy date.

12/20/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Light, simple and just delicious. Exactly what I want in a Prosecco

12/9/2021 - kdubler wrote:

This wine is difficult to give a proper tasting note. My first experience with a "Col Fondo" Prosecco

One in the group described it as "wild" and I feel that is the best description possible. When first opened it was aggressive, sour, very aromatic and, well wild. After being open for 15-20 minutes it calmed down a good amount, but this is not for everyone. Has a slight beer or hard cider feel to it. We had this with Garlic Herb Escargot and it actually worked very well. Almost a salty lemon taste to the wine cut through the fatty buttery snails perfectly.

One of the other tasters said it reminded them of a Sparkling Chenin, and I can see that, especially if is a funky Chenin.

12/9/2021 - kdubler wrote:

When I first removed the cork I was a little worried, it almost had a weird slime on it, but the wine was sound.

Tannins are still quite tight and acid is elevated. Fruit is in the background, but more of a style then over the hill, in fact I'd say it has years ahead of it. Hints of fresh herbs and almost just a touch of VA, I find it adds to the wine, but some may find it distracting.

Group as a whole loved it, glad to have more to watch it's journey over the next few years.

10/23/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Exactly what I want in a burgundy! Medium body, with tannins that are present medium, but still tight just beginning to release.

Fruit is present, but almost in the background. Mineral and earthy in a way that’s hard to explain a few days later…

Drinks well above its Village level, especially for a middle of the road village.

9/20/2021 - kdubler wrote:

This wine was fun. Just an explosion of fruit. Very bright red and black fruits. Fresh and just shinning. Fun to drink.

9/3/2021 - kdubler wrote:

No in-depth notes. had with dinner, fairly one-dimensional. Elevated to high acid with a lot of citrus, not much else. Not a bad wine, especially for the money, but nothing special.

8/27/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Had mixed feeling about this wine. Tasted of SB, but seemed to lack a sense of place. While only 2 of the 12 barrels it was aged in were new, they left an imprint. I actually think this wine needs age to really come alive.

Stylistically it was hard to place. The time in a barrel softened the fruit, but it still had a slight grapefruit tinge which brought me back to NZ. It was not my favorite right now, but I will hold the other for 5 years or so and see if it takes on more depth in flavor...

7/26/2021 - kdubler wrote:

First time trying this wine from any vintage, but this was just magical! 48% Tocai Friulano, 41% Ribolla Gialla and 11% Chardonnay.

Tasted to me like a Northern Italian Kerner had a child with Sancerre. Crisp tropical fruit, with a hint of green grass, not enough to get in the way, just enough to add depth. Even though it had tropical flavors, it did not come across over ripe, which can often be the case. Also had beautiful floral elements which I could not place all of them, but almost a jasmine aroma.

One of my favorite white wines I have had in a years...

7/18/2021 - kdubler wrote:

This wine was everything you are looking for with a Sauvignon Blanc. Had the green grassy almost hay aromas and also had lime zest and a hint of tropical fruit.

Stylistically it is somewhere between a NZ and Sancerre. I was a fan and I'm often not a huge fan of SB.

I also love bottles with glass stoppers so that doesn't hurt

6/7/2021 - kdubler wrote:

This is still very dark in color. Full bodied with elevated tannins and acidity. Almost everyone at the table guessed Cabernet Franc, but most thought new world potentially. This was turned up to 11, but also the alcohol was held in check... The strong chalky earthy aromas coming off this lead many back to the Old world, but was hard to place.

I liked it, but needs more time

6/7/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Another older, random bottle I got at auction which over delivered. I do not know the exact blend but had a hint of menthol on the nose a darker fruit profile. Tannin was still present, and this wine has the stuffing to last a few more years.

6/7/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Still had so much life ahead of it. More brown than red anymore, but the flavor was still fresh. Dried cherries, a hint of smoke and Chinese 5 spice. Tannins lingered in the background, just enough to balance it out. I wish there were more American made wines like this...

6/1/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Love this Rose every year! Fresh and Bright. No in depth notes, but buy a case and have a great summer!

6/1/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Short note, but still much too young. These wines can live forever and this is just beginning to show itself.

5/21/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Birthday event 2021 (My House): God I love Prum. I usually hold these wines for a while because I believe they drink better with some age, but hard to think it will get much better. This was delicious. Slightly sweet, crisp apple and pear, with jasmine and honeysuckle notes. Not as much Petrol, I expect that to come with age, but just a great example of a young fresh Riesling.

5/21/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Birthday event 2021 (My House): Started the night with this wine and I only had a small taste. Simple delicious rose.

5/21/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Birthday event 2021 (My House): This was a bit of a strange wine. Upon opening and pouring it almost had a head on it like a bear. Extremely bubbly, but in a fine way, just strange. Needed some air, had a slight funk upon opening. Once it breathed a little it was very pleasant, bruised apple slight oxidated note on the nose. On the pallet it was very fresh and much more tart than the nose lead me to believe. I loved it, but if I had another I may decant it...

5/21/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Birthday event 2021 (My House): I've said it before and I will say it again, I do not understand why Port gets all the love, I will take a great bottle of Banyuls over it every time. The purity of the fruit on this 45 year old wine is amazing. Still taste like a baby, would likely have lived on another 20+ years. Slight caramel aromas, but really fresh red fruit mixed in with date and fig aromas. Can't even notice the alcohol, just adds to the body. An amazing dessert wine

5/21/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Birthday event 2021 (My House): I've been drinking some great Loire Valley Chenin recently so I thought it would be fun to open this up and see how it compares. Slightly lower acidity, and elevated body. Creamy, while still have alcohol in control. You get the wool or lanolin aroma people speak of, with some orchard fruit thrown in there as well. A great Chenin, at a great QPR, but can't stand up to the best of the Loire...

5/21/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Birthday event 2021 (My House): Very floral nose with an almost bitter smell that distracted from the aroma. On the pallet it is actually very nice. Slightly lower acidity than I would hope for, but enjoyable. Good summertime wine

5/21/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Birthday event 2021 (My House): Interesting Sparkling wine. Had very little sparkle, even for a Ancestral method. Reminded me of Strawberries and cream. No in-depth notes, but was very pleasant.

5/21/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Birthday event 2021 (My House): I wanted to love this wine, I like Orange wines a good deal, but I did not love this.

A bit more bitter than I expected and slightly lower acidity made it come across flat. It did have an interesting fruit profile of peach and nectarine, but I did not love it.

5/21/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Birthday event 2021 (My House): I absolutely love this rose. It has notes of under ripe strawberry and a hint of melon. Some nice herbal notes as well. The acidity is elevated with just a slight hint of VA, not in a bad way, but it lifts all the other flavors instead, just perfect... Hard to beat the depth of this rose

5/6/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Just a delicious bottle! Strange color, looked somewhere between an Orange wine and rose. Onion Skin could explain it, but slightly more pink...

On the nose it was a ton of fresh fruit, strawberry, melon, raspberry, peach, you name it. On the pallet it was extremely mineral, not as herbal, but tasted like a strong metal edge. I absolutely loved it, one of my favorite roses. Not just something to slam on the beach, but somethign with depth of flavor to relax and enjoy.

4/11/2021 - kdubler wrote:

2nd time having this wine and pretty consistent notes. Red and black fruit with elevated acidity and medium body. For the price this drinks great every year, and this is no exception.

Had with a steak with mushrooms and it worked very well. For grilling out back its an easy pairing

4/10/2021 - kdubler wrote:

When first opened this bottle was way too cold, had it stored with the whites. Almost came across tannic, like grapefruit pith. Once it warmed up it drank beautifully. Strawberry, grapefruit, and a nice herbal edge. Slightly flat, drank closer to a red wine than a white as far as mouth feel and acidity. Drink it a little warmer, and realize it is a very different style than neighboring Provence and you should be happy.

1/21/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Trio of Muscadets: Still tastes so young! Like biting into a granny smith apple. The color does show the age when compared to the other two younger wines. This does appear to have the most acid of all the wines.

High Acidity. Slight mineral edge, but not as the second wine.

1/21/2021 - kdubler wrote:

Trio of Muscadets: Comes across a little flat after the first two wines

Still elevated acidity, but just lacking a bit

Not a bad wine at all, I would gladly drink anytime