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Comments on my notes

(37 comments on 35 notes)

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Red
2015 Tenuta di Arceno Valadorna di Arcanum Toscana IGT SuperTuscan Blend
4/2/2024 - bonedoc wrote:
This bottle showed very ripe and sweet, like a napa blend.
  • bonedoc commented:

    4/4/24, 9:06 AM - Low!!!

Red
2018 Saxum Broken Stones Paso Robles Willow Creek District Red Rhone Blend
1/16/2024 - bonedoc wrote:
91 points
Didn’t love this, a bit out of balance, may be a little too much acidity, very tart. Cloying.
  • bonedoc commented:

    2/4/24, 10:50 AM - no decant, cloying tartness. my take was wait a few more years although i'm not sure tartness will go away. for sure, decant it for a few hours if you can.

Red
2010 Ca' Rome' di Romano Marengo Barolo Vigna Cerretta Nebbiolo
10/31/2021 - bonedoc wrote:
This was a really delicious burgundy style Barolo with red fruits, Rose petals and blood orange, rather than tobacco leather and licorice. resolving tannins, ready to drink now or over the next 10 years. 92
  • bonedoc commented:

    11/1/21, 10:20 AM - the score is at the end of the tasting note.

Red
2014 Outpost Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
10/19/2021 - bonedoc wrote:
wow - this was really good. ripe, chocolate and hints of coffee notes, concentrated. 93+
  • bonedoc commented:

    10/20/21, 2:55 PM - sweet fruit or residual sugar?? i didn't get the residual sugar (caymus), but the fruit/tannins were sweet to me... in a good way. i think this is the best vintage of this bottling i've had so far (previously tried 2011-13, which all seemed a little grapey)

Red
2010 Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso Toscana IGT Cabernet Franc
4/4/2021 - bonedoc wrote:
94 points
Chocolate notes, oak, some red fruits also, nicely done modern style.
  • bonedoc commented:

    4/11/21, 2:32 PM - Either way.... it’s delicious now, but will go another 5+.... especially in that size.

Red
2013 Ulysses Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
6/19/2020 - bonedoc wrote:
going from memory here. i remember popping the cork, taking a sip and thinking wow this is going to be good. but, over a few hours it became a little tannic - could need a few more years. low 90 pt score for now.
  • bonedoc commented:

    6/19/20, 10:04 AM - bottle variation is not talked about much, but for sure the life of an aged bottle of wine can have variability before it gets in your glass. i really wonder about bottle variation on the vineyard side.... not so much for small napa wineries where the lots/tanks are small, but for large producers that make 10 thousand cases (like bordeaux). they can't possibly blend all the wine equally so that every bottle is the same.

Red
2013 Dominus Napanook Red Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
2/16/2020 - bonedoc wrote:
92 points
Serviceable Cabernet for a decent price. (Suckling score - 5 points = reality. 97-5=92)
  • bonedoc commented:

    2/18/20, 4:32 AM - Has he ever rated anything below 95 points?

Red
2007 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
1/22/2020 - zding Likes this wine:
98 points
Strong floral notes from Syrah. Fantastic wine.
  • bonedoc commented:

    1/24/20, 2:49 AM - Zding: did you mean Syrah? There shouldn’t be any Syrah in this wine - my notes say 88 cab, 8 merlot, 4 Petit Verdot.

Red
2010 Salvestrin Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Three D Napa Valley
1/18/2020 - bonedoc wrote:
94 points
On the purple fruit spectrum w some coffee and chocolate notes, good overall balance. Nicely done.
  • bonedoc commented:

    1/18/20, 3:16 PM - If well cellared since release and going forward (like mine :)), should be good for min 5 likely 10 years. I like my napa cabs around age 10.

Red
2012 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate St. Helena
11/16/2019 - bonedoc wrote:
94 points
Decanted for two hours, purple and blue fruits, some savory notes, ripe but not over the top. Even with decant, still young and a bit premature. Wait a few years. 94+?
  • bonedoc commented:

    11/16/19, 6:53 PM - Totally agree with you, track record is there for 20-30 yrs easy w spottswoode.

White
2009 Château Carbonnieux Blanc Pessac-Léognan Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
10/3/2019 - mdbach wrote:
85 points
Opened 2 bottles, both seemed very tired. The color also seemed overly golden. Wines stored in cellar since 2012.

Compared color to a bottle of 2000. 2000 looked much more youthful.
  • bonedoc commented:

    10/3/19, 8:02 PM - I’ve had several premoxed of these and other white Bordeaux’s from the same vintage.

Red
2013 Chanin Pinot Noir Los Alamos Vineyard Santa Barbara County
6/2/2019 - bonedoc wrote:
Funk on the nose, then an hour later an empty palate. No fruit, tastes like bitter stems. I usually like the wines from this producer, but this was not good. ?85... not sure what one rates a wine that isn’t good.
  • bonedoc commented:

    6/3/19, 5:48 AM - i suppose it could have been flawed, but it definitely was not TCA. i do have a few other bottles.... we'll see.

Red
2010 Blankiet Estate Prince of Hearts Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
11/13/2017 - bonedoc wrote:
92 points
Ditto last note
  • bonedoc commented:

    7/6/18, 7:37 AM - i usually pour in the decanter, and drink it right away which is enough to allow it to open up.

Red
2004 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra Nebbiolo
5/18/2018 - jonnyoro wrote:
96 points
A wine full of potential but WAY too young. Much better on day two but still not giving much. Reduced for sure... violets, licorice, truffle, and plums reach out looking for freedom... from the big giant tannins... all the pieces will come together but not for another 10-12 years best guess especially if your cellar is a bit too cool. The stuffing of a great wine but the score is all about its potential. Don’t open one for a while- it’s shut down pretty tight.
  • bonedoc commented:

    5/19/18, 4:22 AM - Jonnyoro, at 14 yrs old don’t you think the tannins should be softening? - I worry this wine won’t soften up before the fruit fades.

Red
2012 Hartford / Hartford Court Pinot Noir Far Coast Vineyard Sonoma Coast
3/31/2018 - bonedoc wrote:
Oaky Syrah in a Pinot bottle.
  • bonedoc commented:

    4/1/18, 7:00 AM - bplant13, not sure whether your comments were intended to be insults or not, you may try a different approach in this community that values and respects eachother’s honest opinions. When Pinot is made in a very big style (as this one is) it can start to resemble Syrah. The oak is off the charts to my palate.

Red
2010 Fattoria Galardi Terra di Lavoro Roccamonfina IGT Aglianico
11/7/2017 - bonedoc wrote:
Just tried this wine and thought it was tainted, so I opened another bottle and it tasted the same. The concern is the smokiness and pepper which dominate the finish. Maybe this is the fruit profile of this wine, or maybe the barrel that both of these bottles are from was tainted - my guess is the latter. Anyone have any input? ADDENDUM: after feedback from other CT'er's, i'm thinking this is perhaps the fruit profile rather than a flaw, but for me any component of a wine that dominates the palate makes the wine less appealing to me.
  • bonedoc commented:

    11/8/17, 7:57 AM - appreciate everyone's comments - thanks! i'm thinking this is perhaps the fruit profile rather than a flaw, but for me any component of a wine that dominates the palate makes the wine less appealing to me.

Red
2010 Chasseur Pinot Noir Blank Vineyard Sonoma Coast
10/23/2017 - up4wine wrote:
This is probably an excellent expression of this style of Pinot Noir, it just not my style. The fruit is big, round, but not showing much nuance or expression of the subtleties of this varietal. I would almost go so far as to say it is a bit heavy handed and weighty; missing most of the delicacy and richness of pinot.
  • bonedoc commented:

    11/4/17, 4:34 PM - Excellent review - I appreciate your description and I think it’s objective and accurate. I like this style of Pinot, but I also like the more elegant pretty style, as well... depending on what’s for dinner and my mood!

Red
2013 Booker Vineyard My Favorite Neighbor Paso Robles Red Blend
10/18/2017 - bonedoc wrote:
92 points
Well made, balanced, concentrated wine. But, 99 PT’s from Jeb is just silly - this wine is nowhere near 99 and reduces my confidence in his ratings.
  • bonedoc commented:

    10/18/17, 2:01 PM - funny you should ask... i met Eric Jensen (the owner/winemaker) about 3 years ago and he told me that he doesn't think wine should be aged bc it doesn't get better with time. i disagree (mostly) with that comment, but it makes me wonder if he is making wines that are intended for the short term rather than aging. for this wine, i decanted and drank over a few hours and i thought it was "ready" bc of the decant, although i would say it was early in it's drinking window - to my palate i would drink over the next 5 years or so.

  • bonedoc commented:

    10/18/17, 6:18 PM - tomherer - AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH!!

White - Off-dry
2005 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese Mosel Saar Ruwer
7/15/2017 - K-Web24 Likes this wine:
96 points
Wow! Wonderful nose of candied oranges, meringue, and honeysuckle. Tastes of Meyer lemons, raisins, and lots and lots of honey. The wine has a luxurious, decedent mouthfeel with a tremendously long finish. Drinking beautifully now. Just delicious!
  • bonedoc commented:

    10/16/17, 12:21 PM - K-WEB24: what do you pair this wine with?

Red
2005 Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz Blend, Syrah
9/29/2017 - vinhslee wrote:
50 points
I bought this bottle based on the glowing review.

The wine is in pristine condition. When the cork is pulled, lush nose of blueberry, dark cherry, olive leaps out of the bottle.

On the palate, the unmistakable taste of burnt rubber keeps dominating, pushing the fruit flavours to the background. It also has some savoury edge. The flavours are intense, but more restrained than most aussie shiraz.

The rather off-putting burnt rubber taste is present even after hours of decanting. I have tasted this wine in a few other occasions and it's still there. Why no one else mention or make a note of the burnt rubber taste? Assuming that most people can detect this burnt rubber taste, can anyone enlighten me as to why this doesn't stop people thinking this is a good wine?

Even if I take this burnt rubber taste away from this wine, there is nothing remarkable about it except the rather shamelessly high price.
  • bonedoc commented:

    9/30/17, 4:50 AM - I've had this wine before and no burnt rubber.... sounds like you may have had a tainted bottle, more specifically a flaw related to mercaptin, sulphur.

Red
2010 Rhys Pinot Noir Alpine Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains
8/25/2017 - rosenst1 wrote:
flawed
PnP. Perfect cork and fill. Medium red. Fragrant nose but with an odd note to it (bacon?). On the palate this is quite awkward/angular with a lot of stem influence and that bacon note again. Perhaps needs more air and more time or is quite possibly a bad bottle. Will wait and see tomorrow - reserving judgement.
Although the bacon (brett? as one fellow wine person suggested) has faded,the wine is still out of balance with a dominance of stem-like flavors. There is underlying fruit but not appealing.
  • bonedoc commented:

    8/26/17, 3:39 AM - Hey, rosenst1: sounds like the bacon may have been Brett taint. I learned this a few years back w an expensive Italian wine - it didn't taste/smell like the description, rather like bacon.... I looked it up and discovered bacon aromas are a form of Brett taint. Some people don't mind it, but I don't like it at all.

White - Off-dry
2005 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese ** Mosel Saar Ruwer
7/27/2017 - RGCM Gananda Likes this wine:
94 points
Prior bottle was one year ago and tonight was yet another fantastic showing. Medium bodied (7.5% ABV) and opened at 47F, warming to 52F. Honey, clover/floral, peach and lemon on the nose, along with a background current of minerally acidity. Starts off with orchard fruit notes of golden apple, rich peach and soft pear then shifts to a brightening and deepening set of tropical notes (pineapple, guava, mango) and adds excellent finishing contrasts with lemon, tart orange and a wonderful mineral component. All this is set with a background of soft integrated honey and spices, fully in balance with the rest of the wine and excellent structural and contrasting acidity. My first bottle (July 2014) was clearly an aberration as the subsequent two (July 2016 and tonight) were truly something special. There's no need to wait as this wine is drinking quite well at present but given the fruit, acidity and overall balance, you should be able to hold this wine for many years to come.
  • bonedoc commented:

    8/17/17, 10:53 AM - RGCM GANANDA: what food do you pair this wine with?

Red
2007 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend
8/15/2017 - bonedoc wrote:
96 points
I overpaid for this wine but I love it, and have yet have a vintage I didn't love. Sometimes your palate is just in line w a producer.
  • bonedoc commented:

    8/15/17, 1:43 PM - I (smartly) bought 2 cases of the '06 a long time ago and am 1/3rd the way thru - I agree, it is delicious!!

Red
2005 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée Red Rhone Blend
7/19/2017 - bonedoc wrote:
94 points
Ditto last notes, silky, sweet cherry, minerality, great concentration, not a lot of barnyard in this bottle - absolutely delicious.
  • bonedoc commented:

    7/19/17, 5:40 AM - Quick decant, and drank over two hours, I think it has another five years in it for sure.

Red
2014 Realm Cellars The Bard Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
7/13/2017 - sonodoc Likes this wine:
96 points
No changes from my last note. Another excellent bottle of Realm!
  • bonedoc commented:

    7/15/17, 11:50 AM - Sonodoc - are you a doctor in Cary, NC? I'm an orthopaedist in Cary.

  • bonedoc commented:

    7/16/17, 9:29 AM - i'm Milan DiGiulio, i'm guessing we probably know one another. always nice to have another local friend who enjoys good wine.

Red
2003 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
4/8/2017 - bonedoc wrote:
94 points
Ditto previous notes, great bottle of Napa left bank Bordeaux. Drink w decant, or hold for 5-10 yrs. (btw, I HATE the stupid wax capsule - ruins the cork and makes it a small torture to open an aged bottle.)
  • bonedoc commented:

    4/8/17, 9:45 AM - Thank you! I would drink it more often, but many times I'm just not willing to put the effort to deal with the mess of the wax capsule!!

Red
2007 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Laurène Dundee Hills
10/9/2016 - bonedoc wrote:
92 points
Lovely mature Burgundian Pinot w life ahead of it.
  • bonedoc commented:

    10/10/16, 4:47 AM - No decant, drank over 4 hours - decant may have been a good idea.

White
2012 Kistler Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard Carneros
6/1/2016 - bonedoc wrote:
92 points
didn't show well against morlet cdc/mp, hobbs ed james, peter Michael carrier, stonestreet upper barn, kind of end of the pack with some leesy/yeasty undertones. maybe needs more time.
  • bonedoc commented:

    6/2/16, 5:59 AM - kistler was still very good, but not as good as the others as the competition was steep! morlet's were my favorites ma princ over coup de Coeur - in the 93-95 range. all 2012's.

Red
2012 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford
1/29/2016 - ageverett Likes this wine:
100 points
Popped to celebrate the arrival of our daughter, Alexandra Grace.

Slow ox for 6 hours in hospital room. Drank over two hours with takeout from Eatzi's. Much like our girl, this is perfection.

I really can't recall a wine that was so visually captivating upon pouring. Just vibrant and beautiful. Fruit is mostly black, some red. Persistent flavors of baking spices (particularly nutmeg) and some earl grey tea. Perfectly integrated long, balanced finish. Harmonious. Stunning. The perfect way to commemorate a momentus day. One that I will never forget.
  • bonedoc commented:

    1/30/16, 6:11 AM - Glad to hear I'm not the only one who sneaked some celebratory wine in the hospital for a child birth! Our youngest is 4, and we enjoyed (takeout) steak and cab for his first night. Congrats on your beautiful daughter!!

Red
2011 Occidental Pinot Noir Cuvée Catherine Occidental Station Sonoma Coast
7/19/2015 - bonedoc wrote:
95 points
Wow- this is tremendous. Deftly balanced medium body Pinot that gives you delicious ripe California fruit, but remains light on its feet with lively acidity. Very well made wine.
  • bonedoc commented:

    7/19/15, 1:55 PM - RustyRudy: thanks, much appreciated - would love to get to know other wine lovers in the Raleigh area. we host and are involved in several tastings in the area. feel free to email me at m_digiulio@yahoo.com

Red
2012 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 40th Anniversary Napa Valley
11/22/2014 - bonedoc wrote:
Welchs grape juice, sweet, residual sugar, overripe. To a serious wine drinker, this is almost undrinkable.
  • bonedoc commented:

    11/26/14, 7:16 PM - Mikefiend: your choice of words suggests, and your wine description confirms your ignorance in wine, as well as a lack of class. We are all entitled to our opinions.

Red
2006 Kistler Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
10/9/2013 - bonedoc wrote:
88 points
Fairly disappointing for a kistler. I overrated this wine in the past, but really never liked it. Frankly, hot, bitter, and lacking acidity and fruit - pinot Noir should not be this way. It's not a bad wine, just not up to Kistler standards.
  • bonedoc commented:

    10/9/13, 7:52 PM - I, too, have been drinking Kistler for quite a while, and agree with you on their typical style. However, I don't think this bottle was an off-bottle. Of the six or so bottles I've drank of this wine, they have all seemed to be inferior in fruit, character, and style. Kistler had overdone their wines for a short period of time (although I cannot tell you which years), then pulled back more recently over the past several years to create more balanced, acidic and delicate wines. This 2006 could represent a failed, flawed style that they tried and abandoned.

White
2009 Ramey Chardonnay Platt Vineyard Sonoma Coast
8/6/2013 - bonedoc wrote:
94 points
Compared to Ritchie, a little more rich and buttery in style. These '09 Ramey chards are top notch.
  • bonedoc commented:

    8/9/13, 10:00 AM - interesting - thanks so much for your comment. First of all, we LOVE your chardonnay's (Ritchie, Hudson, Platt) - they're absolutely outstanding... thanks for being a great winemaker! I haven't tasted all of them together under the same conditions, which is probably what I should do prior to commenting but that was my interpretation by memory from recent consumption. Do you host visitors? my wife and I may be coming out in September.

Red
2003 Bodegas y Viñedos Alión Ribera del Duero Tinto Fino, Tempranillo
7/10/2013 - bonedoc wrote:
94 points
Excellent concentration of dark cherries, pomegranate, sweet softened tannins, nicely structured and youthful.
  • bonedoc commented:

    7/10/13, 1:30 PM - Not young, but youthful in that it has the structure and fruit to last another 5+ easily.

Red
2005 Copain Syrah Garys' Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands
3/16/2013 - bonedoc wrote:
89 points
Dusty flavor hides cranberry/cherry fruit. Barely an 89 pt wine.
  • bonedoc commented:

    3/17/13, 7:07 AM - I don't know the answer, but the "dustiness" that hid the fruit may have been stems. Regardless, I'm not betting this has enough fruit to wait it out.

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