1/29/2024 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This particular white is a blend of Pinot and Chardonnay which gives it just the slightest pink tinge in the glass. The OR 2020 vintage was marred by wildfires hence the reason that Pinot is in this white wine. There's just a slight funk on the nose with some white peach and a bit of strawberry. The flavors here tend more toward ripe strawberry and keylime. This is reminding more of a Rose than a white wine. Still I'm enjoying it very much.

12/20/2023 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This pours out fairly dark in the glass with just a hint of bricking on the edge. The nose shows classic notes of iodine, pencil lead and baking spices. Definitely Old World flavors waft the palate with hints of leather, ripe blackberry and black cherry. The tannins are still quite firm and chewy and the acidity is about medium.

11/14/2023 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

More old world style with mostly dark blue fruit, grippy tannins, some nice herbal notes and a fairly long finish. Definitely not a CA fruit bomb, more on the rustic and dry side.

10/4/2023 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This pours out fairly dark in the glass. On the nose we're getting a lot of ripe black cherry and a hint of old leather and just the slightest hint of menthol. The flavor profile is similar to the nose, ripe black cherry, ripe plum, some earthy undertones and that touch of menthol in the back of the throat.

Overall an excellent wine that is pairing very well with the spicy chili.

8/21/2023 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

I was a little leery about what I might find as this is a '16 vintage white table wine which most likely wasn't meant for aging. Well I must say that everything turned out OK.

In the glass this poured out with a slight golden color, somewhat darker than your average Sauv Blanc but close to the color of an oaked chard. The nose is very much in line with a Southern Rhone white, similar to a Roussanne/Marsanne blend with notes of honeysuckle and a slight hint of fennel. In the mouth I'm getting more of that Southern Rhone flavor profile including ripe apricot, a touch of honey and a hint of white pepper. This is a tongue coating wine but the high acidity nicely clears the palate leaving a medium long finish.

6/1/2023 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Popped the cork a few hours ago but did not decant (mistake), it is quite tight and still has some aggressive tannins. Despite its youth, this is a really nice wine. There's plenty of dark blue and black fruit, leaning more toward black currant and blackberry with a nice hit of acidity. I have three more of this vintage and they will be resting for quite a while before I disturb their pleasant sleep.

5/20/2023 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

For a 16 year old wine this is still going strong. Scherrer is known for balance in his wines and this is no exception. The tannins have melded very nicely and the black cherry and blue fruits are still showing nicely. This has a good bite of acidity for a CA cabernet, definitely not jammy, which makes it very food friendly. I do have one more of these but it seems to be in its prime now and I don't think I'll keep the other bottle too much longer.

5/4/2023 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

There's a touch of oak and some subtle hints of clove, honeysuckle and ripe pear. Along with those softer flavors is a nice bright bite of green apple and a bit of lemon curd. Quite enjoyable!

3/22/2023 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Right up front, I'm usually not a big fan of Malbec. I don't get a lot of complexity out of most, just a lot of over the top fruitiness/jam. I think I found my exception to the rule with this 2019 Susana Balbo offering. This is a really nicely balanced wine with mostly ripe black fruits, a hint of licorice, somewhat gentle yet present tannins and medium low acidity.

3/7/2023 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This wine is very well balanced, light on the oak, light on the fruit, mouth watering acidity (but not so much as to peel the enamel off of your teeth) and a clean refreshing fairly long finish. On the tongue it's like a soft lemon drop with a hint of lime zest.

12/14/2022 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

The nose is a little musty with a hint of apple butter (I'm thinking that the mustiness will blow off). On the tongue I get some dried apricot, blood orange, baking spices (clove, pumpkin), medium acidity, an interesting little bit of tannin and a medium finish.

11/30/2022 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This is a very smooth and well balanced syrah. On the tongue this opens with notes of ripe black cherry, a touch of anise, a hint of white pepper, mouth watering acidity and a fairly long finish. This is in a good spot right now showing a lot of fruit but will be interesting in another 5-10 years when the secondary flavors start to emerge.

9/27/2022 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This Carlisle Zinfandel is big but not overbearing. Loads of ripe blue and black fruit on the tongue with a hint of campfire on the nose. I may have pulled the cork on this a few years too early but definitely enjoying it nonetheless.

8/28/2022 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

The James Berry vineyard is well regarded in the Paso Robles region and for good reason. This example is simply delicious. We've visited Paso many times and have downed many a Paso wine. Due to the very warm climate there, the wines can get a bit big and sometimes overly jammy and hot. Not this one. Ripe black cherries, a hint of licorice, red currants, and a medium amount of acidity. The tannins are very present as this is still a young wine but they are not overly aggressive but could definitely soften with some more time.

7/13/2022 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This pours out a medium dark reddish purple and smells a bit like a ripe Gamay - ripe blue fruit with a hint of funk. On the tongue it's a different story. More like ripe black cherry, a good hit of acidity, fairly prominent and grippy tannin, a bit of that old world forest floor thing, a hint of anise and a medium long finish.

5/31/2022 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Had to use the Ah-so on this 17 year old cork and still got a few floaters in the glass. There's some obvious bricking in the glass and the nose has some definite old world earthy funk so this is going to be interesting for sure. After a vigorous swirl and a deep sniff I'm getting a lot of leather, some kind of baking spice that I can't put my finger on, macerated ripe black cherries and just a hint of Liquid Smoke (the kind in the bottle). The first thing to hit the tongue is black cherry followed by a touch of that earthy forest floor. There's plenty of mouth watering acidity on the sides of the tongue giving way to a fairly long finish. This Spanish cab is still very much alive but may be nearing its zenith.

4/6/2022 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This is a very tasty white similar to a Napa Sauv Blanc with just a bit more saline and acidity. Lemon pith with a nice glyceryl mouthfeel, a bit tart with some grassiness on the backend.

3/17/2022 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This Patty Green pinot is really in a nice spot right now. Popped the cork and let it sit for a couple hours then poured out a couple glasses. The nose is a bit subdued, showing some earthy notes and slight hint of old world funk. First impression when tasting was of ripe dark cherries and a medium amount of acidity. As the evening went on this bottle blossomed showing layers of cherry, blackberry, subtle baking spices, fully resolved tannins and a decent hit of acid.

3/2/2022 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Popped this 2017 Goldmuskateller, made from the Moscato Giallo grape (not to be confused with Muscat or Moscato). This pours out a light golden color and the first impression on the nose is some nice floral notes. The Northern Italian whites that I like tend to be bright, lean and crisp and this is right there with an addition of some tangerine like citrus and the aforementioned floral notes coming through on the tongue as well adding a bit of roundness to the palate.

2/16/2022 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Feteasca Neaga translates into Black Girl or Black Maiden and it produces an interesting wine. It pours out a bit dark in the glass but not petite sirah dark. On the nose I'm getting some ripe dark berries and a hint of old world funk. On the tongue is ripe macerated black cherries, a hint of tar, some leather, a medium amount of acidity and some firm but not overly grippy tannins.

2/16/2022 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This is a blend of (mainly) Nero Antica and Grenache. I can find little to no info on this grape but this particular producer (Domaine Vellas) has apparently rescued or found this grape in their vineyards and brought a small group of the plants back to life.

This is a pretty big wine, reminds a bit of a big, juicy Aussie Shiraz. Loads and loads of ripe black fruit with a hit of jammy black currant. The tannins are present but not over the top, providing a bit of a mouth drying sensation but leaning just a bit to the softer side. There's a medium amount of acidity that almost cleans the palate of the juiciness.

12/8/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Lovely red wine with a nose of ripe black cherry and just a hint of anise. On the tongue is a nice balance of dark red and black fruit along with soft subtle tannins and medium acidity. I don't get any of that medicinal/metallic aftertaste that tends to accompany quite a few Virginia and North Carolina wines. Overall a very enjoyable quaff.

11/23/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This is a blend of 40% Pinot noir, 30% Gewurztraminer, 20% Gamay and 10% Riesling. It pours out slightly dark pink in the glass (think Jolly Rancher watermelon) with a nose of dried cherry. Light and lively on the tongue with notes of white cherry, strawberry and a hint of keylime. Medium plus acidity makes this wine quite refreshing but there is also a bit of weight to the texture that makes it linger on the sides of the mouth for a good while.

10/27/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This is made up of Viura (90%) and Malvasía (10%). This pours out golden in the glass. A slight oxidative note is the first thing to hit the nose followed by lemon peel, butterscotch and ripe tangerine. Layers of flavors explode all across the tongue. Waxy lemon rind, orange peel, lemon curd, a hint of that butterscotch are all beautifully balanced with lovely acidity and a very long tongue coating finish.

10/19/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

The '15 Musar Jeune is fairly tasty for an entry level Musar. This is a blend of 50% Cinsault, 30% Syrah and 20% Cab. There's some nice perfume notes with a bit of ripe red fruit on the nose. A bit rustic/old world on the tongue with black/blue fruit, a touch of earthiness, fairly well integrated tannins and medium acidity. Not overly complex but definitely quaffable. This went well with pizza.

9/21/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Ripe plum, macerated black cherry, just a hint of black licorice hit the tongue mainly on the mid-palate. Tannins are quite present and somewhat drying but not over powering. Not overly complex, somewhat one dimensional but overall a decent quaff

8/26/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This is a pleasant enough rendition of pinot, light colored in the glass with nice red fruit aromas. On the tongue this is fairly subtle with more red fruit, black cherry and just the slightest hint of anise. Nothing overly complex here but not a bad mid-week quaff.

7/28/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

A good bit better than I was expecting. The nose is predominately black and dark blue berries with just a hint of mustiness, but not in a bad way. On the tongue there's ripe black cherry, a touch of licorice, fully resolved tannins and medium acidity. Nothing jammy or over extracted but also not overly complex.

7/21/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Pale light yellow in the glass. On the nose there's the slightest hint of crushed lime and a bit of sea spray. On the palate this is not an overly complex wine but does show nice traits of pineapple, lime zest, a hint of baking spice and a touch of ginger. The hit of acid cleanses the mouth nicely and the finish is medium long. Overall a very nice white Piemonte.

5/20/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

In the glass this is of medium density and transparency with little to no bricking on the rim. The nose consists mainly of ripe raspberry with just a hint of menthol and a touch of bakers chocolate. On the tongue is a lot of ripe red cherry with some white pepper and a bit of chocolate covered cherry on the finish. This is still singing with loads of fruit and appears to have a few more years left in the tank.

4/21/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

2020 Helen Dusschee Tempranillo rose that we picked up during a visit to Jim and Margaret about a month ago. This pours out fairly light orange/gold in color. The nose shows lime pith and a hint of ripe strawberry. On the tongue there's a good hit of mouth watering acidity, lemon/lime sherbet, more strawberry and just a hint of something spicy like white pepper. Extremely enjoyable.

2/21/2021 - vin0vin0 wrote:

Well this baby sure had the tannins that Nebbiolo is famous for and poured out slightly pale in the glass. Baby is the right term as this bottle definitely needs quite a few more years on its side before I would even think to touch it again. Grippy, grainy tannins overpowered the palate, muting most of the fruit. There was a decent amount of acidity but the tannins dominated and all I had was a mouth that felt like I had just sucked on a tea bag.

2/17/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Plenty of lemon pith on the nose and the tongue with vibrant acidity. There's also some nice stone fruit giving a bit of roundness and a touch of beeswax for a nice mouthfeel. As this warms up it's getting a slight bit richer with some ripe melon on the back end. This paired really well with broiled salmon and a nice salad.

2/14/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

For a 20 year old the wine pours out fairly dark and there really isn't much bricking on edges. The nose is somewhat muted but gives off some herbal notes, tobacco as well as dried dark fruit. In the mouth there is still a good bit of primary fruit, mainly ripe black cherry and dark plum along with hints of tobacco and leather. The tannins are somewhat resolved but still a bit grainy and grippy and the acidity is quite vibrant.

2/9/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Mostly ripe red cherry on the nose with a hint of menthol. Loads of ripe red and black berries on the tongue. Nothing overly complex but what would you expect from a $14 grocery store wine.

2/3/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This pours out fairly dark in the glass and the nose definitely has a lot of ripe black fruit with a bit of that Rhone Funk. In the mouth I'm getting a mix of mainly red but some black fruit as well. Loads of ripe black cherry but also some red cherry and plum. The tannins are still a bit chewy but not overly dense, adding a nice texture on the sides of the tongue. Lively acidity gives a nice mouth cleansing which lets the finish linger for a good long while.

1/6/2021 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

From Wiki - "Gray Riesling" was once widely planted in California, but declined sharply in the 1980s. Trousseau Gris can be found in a few old field-blended Zinfandel vineyards; the only standing block is ten acres of the Fanucchi Wood Road Vineyard in the Russian River Valley AVA.

This pours out a beautiful pale orange/pink and aromas of ripe melon and honeysuckle waft from from the glass. It's a bit difficult to pin down a flavor profile but I'm getting a lovely hit of citrus, kind of a creamy lime sherbet with a hint of rhubarb and a splash of pekoe tea. Lively refreshing acidity keeps the tastes lingering in the back of the mouth for a good while.

12/21/2020 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Bright and juicy with layers of black cherry, ripe plum and just a hint of leather. Loads of fruit here with some nice spice in the background. Fairly tame tannins flow smoothly on the sides of the tongue followed by some really nice acidity coming in on the back end.

12/17/2020 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This pours out medium dark in the glass. First whiff is ripe blackberries and the slightest hint of camphor. Very juicy with loads of bright red and blue fruit, black cherry, raspberry and more blackberry. Still very young with some raspy edges that should resolve over time into something awesome.

12/15/2020 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This Ridge Pagani Ranch zin pours out dark into the glass. The nose is ripe black cherry with a touch of alcohol. There's a lot of black fruit in the mouth with notes of fennel, cranberry and blackberry. The acid is mouth watering and the tannins are fairly tame. Well balanced, smooth and delicious.

12/10/2020 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Picked this up at the winery after a tasting in 2016. This pours out a medium dark red with little to no bricking. Gave this a decant but not much air time. Opens with ripe red and black cherry, vanilla, a bit on the dense/chewy side (in a good way) with mouth watering acidity and a medium long finish. Still going strong.

11/24/2020 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This crisp white wine opens with zesty tangelo on the mid-palate and is somewhat viscous/oily on the tongue. Ripe apple and pear also come through with just a hint of Christmas spice. Medium high acidity brings a bit of mouth watering to the medium finish.

11/16/2020 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

After Fred Scherrer shared a bottle of the '95 with me at Underwood Restaurant last year, I've been keeping my eye out for more. Found three of these '93s and pulled the trigger. Amazing that at 27 years old this pours out dark purple in the glass with very little bricking. Ripe dark fruit and a hint of menthol greet the nose on first whiff. Still bursting with bright acidity, there is wave upon wave of ripe black fruit on the tongue. This is just a phenomenal wine.

11/16/2020 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Anyone who thinks zin doesn't age well needs to get their hands on one of these. This wine shows layers of bright blue and red fruit supported by mouth watering acidity. Vibrant, juicy and delicious with plenty of life left, this paired exceptionally well with grilled sirloin.

11/16/2020 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This shows some age hitting the glass with a honey gold color. Rich and smooth, with hints of vanilla, tropical fruit and a somewhat waxy texture. Medium acidity with just a touch of oak showing through on the backend.

11/16/2020 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Interesting white wine made from the ancient Savagnin grape. This pours out golden honey in the glass with a nose of almond and sherry. Rich and nutty, with waxy honeysuckle and almond on the tongue reminding me of an old port but with more life and acidity. Went fantastic with blue cheese and assorted charcuterie.

11/3/2020 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

This must be in its proverbial "dumb phase" as on the first night I didn't get a whole lot of nose or flavor, which is very odd for this typically big and bold red. Now on day 2 and it has come out of its shell just a bit with a nose of zin like black cherry and that rich almost chocolatey palate.

10/19/2020 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Day two for this bottle and it is still singing! Lots of bright black and blue fruit, mostly blackberry and some fresh blueberry. Tannins are fairly soft and the acid brings the fruit to the forefront quite nicely.

10/13/2020 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

A lovely Chenin Blanc from Huet. Just a fantastic wine with loads of fresh apricot, honeysuckle, a hint of lime pith, mouth watering acidity and a finish that goes on and on. I'd love to see how this ages as I'm sure it will only get more interesting with some time.

10/12/2020 - vin0vin0 Likes this wine:

Brought this back from our Loire trip last Sept. 2019. The nose comes across as freshly sliced mushroom (but not earthy) with a bit of raspberry. Loads of fresh red fruit on the tongue - cranberry, raspberry, slightly under ripe plum, vibrant acidity, medium to small grained tannins and a fairly long finish. Excellent QPR.