12/8/2019 - RAMwines wrote:

Even after all these years this Dehlinger Syrah still maintains a nice ruby red color and a very pleasant nose with berries showing through. The tannins are just about gone, but there is still some structure with hints of spices.
Enjoyed this Syrah over a 4 hour period, including using a cup in tonight's recipe of an Italian sausage with spices served over a Penne pasta.
Still have 3 bottles left which I'll attempt to drink in the near future.

11/22/2019 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

My last 2006 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir. I miss them already.

11/14/2019 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Last bottle of 2006 West Side Road Neighbors.

11/3/2019 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Opened on Saturday evening, finished during the Patriots game Sunday evening. Now that my cellar is all together in Ohio. I'm enjoying some older wines.
The Rochioli River Block Vineyard Designated Pinot from Williams Selyem has always been one of my favorites. Simply because the grapes from Rochioli are some of the best Pinot grapes in California. This 2008 certainly did not disappoint. Even though it is an 11 year old Pinot Noir, it was not lacking in any way.
The wine was a deep ruby color from the edges through the complete pour. Long legs apparent on the swirl. No real sediment to speak of. On the nose I detect all sorts of berries, most prominently blackberrys with a hint of cinnamon. The first taste seems like red currant with black pepper. mixed in. I would describe the body as medium to full. Relatively big for a Pinot. The texture seems full and round. And the finish lingers for a long time and gets sweater as it lingers.
I have 3 more of these in the cellar which I'm looking forward to enjoying over the next couple of years.

10/4/2019 - RAMwines wrote:

This bottle is one of two which were purchased from the winery about 10 years ago, put in the cellar and then totally forgotton about. Looking for something different last night, I spotted it in my red blend category and decided it was time to open one.

The wine looks ruby colored. With moderate sediment in the bottle. On the nose I detected the aroma of blackberrys and raisins. It had a medium body and a somewhat round texture. The finishes lasted a good period of time which brought me back for another taste. Overall, I was plensently surprised by this blend of Cabernet and Shiraz. I won't wait another 10 years before opening the second bottle.

7/1/2019 - RAMwines wrote:

Inventory update

5/3/2019 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Wonderful sparkling wine. Only available at Rochioli's tasting room. Purchased 1 to start off dinner with my son and his wife the next night at Baci in Healdsburg. Was surprised to learn that Baci had this specific wine and vintage on their wine list. Mentioned to the restaurant owner that I did not know that this wine was distributed anywhere beyond the winery. According to the Baic owner, they are the only restaurant that has this sparkling wine. Apparently they are close friends with Tom Rochioli. Baci was very kind and agreed to open this wine for us and only charge the standard corkage fee.
A fantastic sparkling wine and a wonderful Healdsburg restaurant.

6/23/2018 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Opened with dinner last night at Garwoods Restaurant in Carnelian Bay, Lake Tahoe, CA. Rochioli Single Vineyard Pinots never fail to impress. Getting better with every passing year. Planning on opening a 2013 Sweetwater Pinot tonight at the Lone Eagle Grill in Incline Village.

6/22/2018 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Fantastic age worthy Cab. Drank with dinner last night at Garwoods Restaurant in Carnelian Bay, Lake Tahoe, CA. So glad I still have a few bottles of this 2004 Cab in the cellar.

7/2/2017 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Originally purchased in 2011 as part of "My Burgundy Project" on the CT Discussion Boards.

The Burgundy was bright in color with an attractive and interesting nose, although I had trouble discerning exactly what I was smelling. On the palate this Burgundy was very enjoyable with lots of fruit and hints of earthiness and wood. Actually reminded me a little of some Oregon Pinots I've enjoyed. Still some tannin left on the finish. This certainly could have been left for a few more years.

We consumed this over dinner on the Patio at Glen Eagles Restaurant in Carson City, NV, http://www.gleneaglesrestaurant.com/.

Since "My Burgundy Project" is no longer active, I'm slowly consuming the Burgs I purchased and laid down in the cellar specifically for that purpose. Referring back to old Project notes, I still remain a devoted Northern California Pinot Noir devotee. I've never tasted a Burgundy that can hold a candle to a Rochioli Single Vineyard Pinot from the East Block, West Block or Little Hill vineyards.

5/4/2017 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Straight from my wine cellar, I let it sit open for 20 minutes just to warm up a little. From the very first taste this Rochioli S.V. reminded me of just why I spend the money for these wines. Rochioli is, IMHO, one of the top 5 Burgundies in the world! They never fail to impress.

5/3/2017 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

I have an ongoing effort underway to explore some of the older wines in my cellar that have been just forgotten about over the years. This week, I went back to Fred Scherrer's 1999 Alexander Valley Cabernet. I actually have a few of these hanging around.
Like the previous reviewer, upon initial opening and taste, I thought that after almost 18 years this Cab was definitely over the hill. Although not yet turned, it was tasting like just an over-age Cab that's been hanging around too long.
I wasn't doing much this evening so I just let it sit for a while. To my surprise as the evening went on this wine opened up very nicely. I would say that it turned into a relatively smooth, yet lush and enjoyable Cabernet after about 1 hour. I'm going to make a concerted effort to drink more of these '99 Scherrer Cabs this summer.

5/2/2017 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Rochioli Single Vineyard Pinots continue to be among my favorites. Although almost 9 years old, this West Block Pinot continues to deliver in every aspect. California Burgundy at it's best.

12/16/2016 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Drank by my wife and her 2 girlfriends at The Steakhouse at the Circus Circus Hotel Casino in Reno, NV last night. All 3 of them and the Sommelier thought it was exceptional. The Sommelier would like to know where he can purchase some. :-) Smig did a wonderful job with this Cab.

10/13/2015 - RAMwines wrote:

What a surprise! I've had a couple of bottles of Fred Scherrer's 1999 Alexander Valley Cab stuck away in my cellar for years. It was literally lost. I opened one this evening. At first it smelled and tasted pretty over the hill. Not much going for it after 16 years.
But I was in no rush as I was spending the evening catching up on emails. As the night went on, the wine opened and presented a nice structure with some fruit on the palette and a nice long finish.
Who would have thunk that a 16 year old Alexander Valley Cab would be so enjoyable.

10/1/2015 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

This is the last of my 2006 Kosta Browne Amber Ridge Pinots. It was originally purchased from the winery when first released and has always been stored while aging at 55 degrees and 60% humidity. The wine was a little cold when first opened, having come straight from my wine cave. We took our time and let it warm up a little in the glass.
To the eye this Pinot was a red ruby color, with a mineral toast and hints of black pepper on the nose. The first tastes was of a well aged, smooth Pinot with some pepper and blackberries on the palette. It had a medium body and a very smooth texture. As the bottle was slowly consumed over more than an hour, the Pinot continued to develop more structure with some acidity and a long finish.
For a not-so-great vintage, this 2006 has certainly held up well.

9/22/2015 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Enjoyed with a nice meat lasagna. Deep ruby red color. Spices on the nose and the palate. Nice finish with obvious tannins. Rochioli... a class Pinot producer.

9/22/2015 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Opened immediately after removal from the cellar, at 55 degrees. Let it breath, and warm up, for about 30 minutes. Nose was full of spices and a chocolate earthiness from the first sniff. On the palate, the wine seemed somewhat closed. I procrastinated for another half hour or so and the wine began to open. Lots of spices with come tannins slowly coming through. As the next hour went by, some berry fruit began to emerge. All in all, a very enjoyable Pinot from a not-so-great vintage. Kosta Browne is hard to beat.
Well, then again, there's always Rochioli Single Vineyards.

8/31/2013 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Nothing like an older Dehlinger Pinot. Delicious!

8/31/2013 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Ant Hill Pinots are fast becoming some of my favorites.

7/18/2013 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Not sure what previous tasters were experiencing, but this bottle of Passalacqua cab was very enjoyable. Opened and poured immediately, this cab had a wonderful full nose of spices and fruits. On the palette the fruits continued with a nice balanced acidity. As the wine was drank over the next hour it continued to open and show more complexity and a very pleasant finish. General consensus was that this wine had years of aging left. This was the 4th bottle of an original 12-bottle case purchased directly from the winery in 2005 and has been untouched since purchase aging at 55 degrees and 60% humidity. Looking forward to another in about 6 months.

6/30/2013 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Great Cap. Still time left. Wish I had more.

6/22/2013 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Fantastic!

6/22/2013 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Great Cab!

6/6/2013 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Why did I ever give up my Dehlinger mailing list position. I'm drinking my last few bottles very slowly.

This 2004 Reserve Pinot was even more exceptional than the 2004 Papapietro Perry Mukaida Vineyard Pinot which was drank just before this Dehlinger.

6/6/2013 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Exceptional Pinot! Unfortunately, my last 2004 from the Mukaida Vineyard.

5/25/2013 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Wonderful wine. Full nose of spices and berries. Well balanced with enough acidity to compliment the lamb shank that I had with it. Paloma makes a find Merlot!

5/24/2013 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Actually need a little time to open up. But once it did, it was very enjoyable with berries on the palette and a nice barnyard aroma. Enjoyed with Lamb Chops at The Grill at Quail Corners

5/23/2013 - RAMwines wrote:

Opened as bottle #18 of My Burgundy Project. Straight from my cellar, I opened it and let it sit for 30 minutes to warm up a little before tasting.
When approached, it displayed a nice earthy nose with spices and berry fruits mingling together. On the palette it was well balanced with more berries coming through. Unfortunately, the finish was somewhat disappointing as it was very weak and seemed to almost totally disappear over the couple of hours that it was consumed.
Considering the hype about the 2005 vintage, I expected more.

5/6/2013 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

My very last bottle of the 2001 Rochioli East Block. All 6 that I've drank over the past 5 years have been wonderful. This last bottle was decanted for about 1 hour, than enjoyed over 3 hours. The aroma in the glass was subtle fruits and a little forest floor. Not over-powering at all. On the palette there were lots of berries and spices obvious. The remaining tannins were gentle on the taste buds. Overall this Pinot was really great. Think it would have lasted another year or 2. Wish I had more.

5/2/2013 - RAMwines wrote:

Upon opening the wine displayed a subdued nose of berries, but not the barnyard aromas often experienced. On the palette it was immediately obvious that this wine needed some time to open. I put it aside for about 30 minutes. Later the LeClerc Bourgogne surprised me as to how the nose had opened. Along with the obvious berries, a earthy fullness had developed. The wine was beginning to show some of its character with hints of oak and a well-rounded balance. The acidity was not over powering yet still obvious. Enjoyed with friends.

4/25/2013 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

A surprisingly good Burgundy for the relatively small price tag of just over $21. Big full nose. Well rounded and very balanced on the palette. With a nice lasting finish. Consumed as bottle #16 in My Burgundy Project.

4/18/2013 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Great nose, lots of fruit, lingering finish. First bottle I've opened in a couple of years. Seems to be getting better. Almost as good as their Pinots.

1/10/2013 - RAMwines wrote:

Bottle #14 of My Burgundy Project.

A really nice nose of earthiness and some berries. Almost barnyard-like, but not as overpowering as some Burgundies (and Oregon Pinots) I've had. On the palate the "Les Roncières" was very tasty with lots of berries, some hints of coffee and chocolate and a relatively full body. The acidity seemed well balanced and the finish lasted for minutes. Some other tasting notes commented that this Burg was too "sweet" for at least one taster, but I enjoyed this fruity Burgundy quite a bit. Must be my California Pinot palate.

12/27/2012 - RAMwines wrote:

The '07 Chevillon Villages displayed all of the barnyard nose characteristics that you would expect, very similar to many Oregon Pinots, along with some dark berry aromas. A very pleasant nose that further led the unsophisticated Burgundy taster toward the anticipated Premier Cru experience of the earlier Chevillon Les Bousselots. But on the palate the differences began to become apparent. The Villages Burg was relatively open and ready to be enjoyed with lots of fruit and some earthy tones. The wine developed nicely in the mouth and maintained a relatively long and enjoyable finish. However, there was a slight abruptness to the overall balance that definitely separated this Villages wine from the earlier Premier Cru.

Overall the Villages version was enjoyable and earned a rating of 89 points on my personal Burgundy scale. It would be interesting to see what a couple of more years in the cellar might bring to this wine. But considering the $56 price tag, I think I'll pass in favor of the Premier Crus that are only a couple of dollars more.

12/20/2012 - RAMwines wrote:

The wine had come right out of my cellar 15 minutes earlier and was a little colder than I would have liked for the first pour. On the nose there were some very subtle hints of fruit, but none of the usual terroir that I expected. After the first taste I was moaning under my breadth about another disappointing, too young, closed-up wine, as there was not much going on with my taste buds. I immediately decanted and poured the majority of the wine slowly, hoping for maximum aeration in minimal time.

Over the next hour or so, this Burgundy began to open and show more fruit and barnyard characteristics on the nose and some cherries and spices on the palate. But I expected more for my $60. The overall conclusion reached by everyone tasting the wine was that I should have waited a few years. Oh well, we live and learn.

12/17/2012 - RAMwines wrote:

Still lots of floral characteristics on the nose. Nice fruit and spices on the palate with a lingering finish. My last 2003.

12/13/2012 - RAMwines wrote:

Pop & pour, drank over 2 hours. Lighter bright color, nice berries with a little earth on the nose. On the palate this Burgundy was weak with citrus on the finish. Initially I was disappointed and expected more for my $45. The second half of the bottle seemed to wake up with more fruit on the palate. Enjoyed finishing the bottle, but don't think I'll purchase anymore.

12/11/2012 - RAMwines wrote:

This was the WOTY in 2011 for good reason. Wonderful subtle nose with hints of vanilla. Well rounded on the palate with cola and black berries. Finish lasted forever. Very well balanced.

12/10/2012 - RAMwines wrote:

Getting close to that time when I should finish the last 2 bottles in the cellar. Still nice fruit after a little Venturi action. Has probably seen its peak.

12/8/2012 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Dark fruits and cola on the nose. Cherries and chocolate on the palate. Well balanced, nice long finish. Enjoyed with dinner at
4th St. Bistro - Reno

12/6/2012 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

After decanting for 30 minutes, my initial whiff of the '07 Chambolle-Musigny was a little unsettling. I'm not sure exactly what I was smelling, but it was not what I expected. My best description of the aroma was of something very metal-like. It put me off such that I hesitated to taste the wine and continued to swirl my glass for another 10 minutes. That initial aroma seemed to go and a more typical earthiness rose from the glass. The initial taste was of some fruits and licorice. There were noticeable tannins and a delightful finish that lasted for many minutes. Over the next couple of hours this Burgundy continued to open and show more lively fruits and spices.

Overall impression: This was a very enjoyable Burgundy. Structured and well balanced. Perhaps the best that I've tasted over the first 10 of My Burgundy Project. I know where there are a couple of more bottles available and I think I'll pick them up and lay them down in the cellar for a while.

12/5/2012 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

This Zin, at 12 years old, still has lots going for it. A nice balance with fruits and spices coming through on the nose and palette. The finish is getting a little light after all these years. Guiseppe Battaglini makes really quality Zins from his estate grapes, some of which are 130 years old.

12/4/2012 - RAMwines wrote:

Initial impression: After decanting for about an hour, the nose of the '09 Aloxe-Corton showed some hints of spices and a smoky earthiness. On the palette the wine was straining to open. It seemed to show a balanced potential with hints of fruit coming through, but it needed more time. After another 30 minutes of much stem swirling, more berries and spices were evident.

Overall impression: This Burgundy continued to get better over the 2 hours or so that we enjoyed it. The structure was well balanced with some acidity that lingered through the finish. But not at all overly astringent. The second half of the decanter went well with a pizza comprised of peperoni, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic. See the CT Forum at https://www.cellartracker.com/forum/fb.asp?m=246164 for more details.

11/29/2012 - RAMwines wrote:

Not Rated. This is my first 2010 Burgundy and it was a total disappointment. Although I decanted this wine and tried to consume it over 3 days, it was totally closed. The nose was just barely discernible as burgundy-like. On the palette there was not really much going on. Over the 3 days that I continued to taste this Burg, nothing much changed.

11/28/2012 - RAMwines wrote:

A big fruity and spicy nose immediately after opening. Lots of berry flavors on the palette. Well Balanced with a nice long finish. Drank with dinner at La Familia Italian Restorante in Reno. Really nice Pinot!

11/24/2012 - RAMwines Likes this wine:

Initial nose of sweet strawberries and some spices. With a little earthiness detected. To the taste this Burgundy was very drinkable with more berries coming through and a nice lingering finish. A little lighter that I would have liked, but a nice experience.

On the second evening the aroma seemed more enhanced with the sweetness moving more toward the earthiness rather than the fruit. On the palette the wine seemed pretty much unchanged from the previous evening. Finished this Burg with a meatball and parmesan sub from a local pizza shop. It worked well. For the price and the occasion, or lack of one, this Burgundy was very acceptable. May consider a couple of bottles for the cellar
to compare in a year of 2.

11/21/2012 - RAMwines wrote:

My last 2004 Little Hill. Opened and drank with friends over a couple of hours. Started with a wonderful nose full of cherries and blackberries. Big full wine on the palette that expressed itself with lots of fruits and spices. Filled the mouth with its velvety texture. Finished lingered for minutes. Tom Rochioli knows how to make a Burgundian Pinot Noir!

11/20/2012 - RAMwines wrote:

Consumed over 2 hours with wine friends, not decanted.

Initial impression: Wine was somewhat subdued with a nose that I could not seem to identify. On the palette, this Burg seemed to be thin without a lot going for it.

Overall impression: Although the wine opened somewhat over the 2 hours it was consumed and showed some nice berry fruit, it remained somewhat disappointing. Although only my fourth bottle in "My Burgundy Project", this was the most uneventful so far. Looking forward to more exciting Burgs in the future.

11/15/2012 - RAMwines wrote:

Decanted and consumed over a 2 hour period as part of an ongoing "Burgundy tasting and comparison to CA Pinot Noir" project.
Initial impression: Nose was somewhat subdued with the hint of cherries. The taste was fruity with a little acidity coming through. The finish lingered but did not thrill me.

Overall impression: Over the 2 hours that this Burg was enjoyed, the nose opened up a little more than the initial impression, but on the pallete the wine was best described as a little dissapointing. Especially after last week's very positive experience with a 2007 Domaine Robert Chevillon Les Bousselots.

Comparison comments: Although everyone tasting this Burg agreed that it would be a nice food wine, no one was ready to consider this Pommard as a replacement for any of our regular Pinots daily drinkers available at half the price. Like 2010 Calera Central Coast] ($23) or the 2010 Morgan Santa Lucia Highlands Twelve Clones ($28).