10/7/2022 - w9oh wrote:

TOO LATE!!! Long gone...

8/19/2017 - w9oh Likes this wine:

Took a while to open up and this bottle's provenance was known to have not been ideal. Complex, no faults, still fresh, even youthful. I suspect this bottle would have revealed a masterpiece had it been stored better.

7/19/2017 - w9oh Likes this wine:

Very solid wine - lighter color, full bodied but nuanced, complex - textbook Nebbiolo. Leans towards old style. Excellent.

6/9/2015 - w9oh wrote:

Had the 9, 10 and 11 side by side... same conclusion for all three wines: excellent SB but SB still sucks.

6/9/2015 - w9oh wrote:

There was a little reductive funk on this right at first, but it blew off. The wine is terrific Sauvignon Blanc but proves the point that SB is a third rate grape variety. Can't help but wonder what Chenin or Chardonnay might do in the same area. Way too expensive for what it is (or rather, is not).

6/9/2015 - w9oh wrote:

Excellent and amazing Sauvignon Blanc - which like having an excellent and amazing 1988 Yugo to drive. The grape can only be so good and this about as good as it gets.

6/9/2015 - w9oh wrote:

near perfect Napa Cabernet

3/13/2015 - w9oh Likes this wine:

A near perfect example of classic Rioja

2/14/2015 - w9oh Likes this wine:

Straight up good example of modern Barolo

12/19/2014 - w9oh Likes this wine:

I import this wine to America - by definition a Rioja wine labeled Reserva could not legally also be called 'Cosecha'.

12/17/2014 - w9oh wrote:

Amazing wine - beaujolais lovers will find it fascinating, complex, intrinsically elegant, delicate, light... worth seeking out... one of the best value wines I have ever had.

12/17/2014 - w9oh Does not like this wine:

This wine was long gone....

5/23/2014 - w9oh Likes this wine:

Exactly as billed, elegant, essence of Cabernet. Old school cru bourgeois from a cool vintage....nice.

5/14/2014 - w9oh wrote:

CORKED - bummer. This 1/2 bottle was purchased at the winery. I had a magnum (that came through normal distribution channels) of the same wine that was corked a month ago and a 750ml bottle that was corked a year ago. I know these wines and the difference between funk and TCA... this was TCA... all three times. Anyone else have cork taint issues with the 2001 Reserva?

4/21/2014 - w9oh Likes this wine:

Loved this wine... long, personal connection to it, imported 10 cases years ago (via Terry Theise), this was the last bottle. It was always the finest example of elegance and delicacy in dessert wine and the final bottle did not disappoint. Very special.

4/14/2014 - w9oh Likes this wine:

This wine sang - almost perfect... smells like Tempranillo/Rioja, drinks like Bordeaux. Has many years left.

Disclaimer - I import RODA for some states. This vintage is no longer available and was old stock from the previous importer. I will not score or review current vintages of wines my company, 220 Imports, sells.

4/19/2014 - w9oh wrote:

Bottle was not what it should be, perhaps corked below perceptible threshold.

10/14/2013 - w9oh wrote:

Don't get it. Love this winery but this wine is just not all that special - in fact it was really out of balance and just did not taste good. Bottle was sound, flavors were awful.

4/22/2012 - w9oh Likes this wine:

great complexity and balnce

4/19/2014 - w9oh Likes this wine:

Excellent - bought this wine on deep discount... it's perfect, exactly what it should be; a Sauterne Slayer - Better than most any Sauterne. Apricot, honey, fig, reduced melon, botrytis, smoke, spice/clover/jasmin.... great balance and structure...not cloying or obtrusively sweet.

4/19/2014 - w9oh Likes this wine:

was not able to find any reference to this producer, anywhere but the wine was spot on - good Sercial, a little weak. In the context of great Madeira, it was not very special - but it was sound and fun to taste.

4/19/2014 - w9oh wrote:

Really darn nice.... not a great wine to age forever, but singing. Seamless - right bank Bordeaux like a good vintage of Figeac...of course this is 1/5 the price.

Cassis, cherry, blackberry, near perfect balance... not 'big' but very complex. Best value red for 2014 so far...

4/19/2014 - w9oh wrote:

Corked - serious bummer.....

4/19/2014 - w9oh Likes this wine:

Amazing wine - interestingly more restrained than most Hebrart, lots of dimension, great mid palate, expressive.Yeast, spice, oak, melon, cassis, yellow plum... herbs - this is a great champagne. Perfect balance.

4/19/2014 - w9oh wrote:

Outstanding... smells like St Joseph, drinks like Bordeaux, elegant, terrific.

4/19/2014 - w9oh wrote:

Bottle was long gone....not even close... tasted over a period of several hours.

4/17/2014 - w9oh Likes this wine:

Disclaimer - no score given as I am the importer for RODA in 7 states. I wanted to note the rather diverse responses to this wine and say 2 things. 1. I have tasted several a bottles a week for the past 3 or 4 months and out of dozens of bottles, I have found only 1 off bottle (and it was with someone here, who also noted it as off). I am a long time industry veteran and this wine is one of the most consistent wines I have ever experienced. 2. Rioja is one of the most misunderstand categories. 'Modern' should be used in the same way the art world uses it. Virtually all wines from Rioja are 'modern' - a process designed in the late 19th century. With very few tweaks or exceptions (Caceras introduced Stainless tanks, RODA uses French instead of American Oak) most every producer that exports to the U.S. is technically 'modern' - from Lopez de Heredia to Palacios Remondo and every style in between. The 'Post-Modern' wines are single vineyard Grenache, or inky black wines and they taste as though they could be from anywhere - Australia, California, Italy....These are not traditional Rioja, but they have their place, too. Just wanted to share those ideas with you. This wine is not, in any way, fading. 5 more years and it might be ready to start drinking! 2004 is a great vintage. Go long on this one.

4/17/2014 - w9oh wrote:

Amazing wine, but in the amazing context of Madeira, rather ho-hum.

11/17/2013 - w9oh wrote:

Very good Manzanilla

11/17/2013 - w9oh wrote:

Terrific Chardonnay, had a few days after a monster Chevalier-Montrachet tasting and this held up. Mineral, balance, fresh, delineated and precise. Balanced enough to have very experienced palates guess it as Burgundy in a blind tasting.

ABC nailed this one.

9/3/2013 - w9oh Likes this wine:

Mature, supple, very nice, probably about as good as any Sangiovese can ever be (88-89 points), and certainly far better than 99.9% of Sangiovese based wines.

Color was brick reed, it was perfumed, palate had the good side of prunes, dark chocolate and earth. No flaws, elegant, balanced, solid.

7/5/2013 - w9oh wrote:

This wine was cooked and oxidized!

Par for the course - about what i expected. There's an exotic edge here and it's really fresh, not as cloying as Bual or Malmsey. Got better after an hour, can't wait a month or two to see where it's at.

6/24/2013 - w9oh wrote:

- Crimsom color - After several bottles of this wine I am still beguiled. It's modern and clean, but has an underlying edge of classic Rioja. Like someone blended 90% Artadi with 10% Herredia.
Classic silky Rioja feel, underlying tannin, nice age, this wine asks a question instead of making a statement. A quiet and understated star. I've had minor bottle variation from the case, the best was hitting 94-95, but most bottles I'd say 91-ish for.

6/15/2013 - w9oh wrote:

Exotic, floral, lemon, zip without an edge. Super complex. Drink now (2013).

5/2/2013 - w9oh wrote:

Outstanding! Not even remotely Rioja-esque. 100% Graciano - there is a reason one sees Graciano blended into all of the great wines (Heredia, Murrieta...) in quantities of less than 10%. This wine reminded me of Petite Sirah. Black, brooding, tannic. There is complexity, but no delicacy. Intense black fruit, spice, long finish. 13.8% - well balanced, lots of stuffing. This would be fun to lay down for ten more years.

5/1/2013 - w9oh wrote:

Straight up classic Rioja - warm dill, vanilla, red fruits on the nose. Supple texture, red plums, cherries, cassis, nutmeg and cinnamon on finish. Amazing value - under $10 at Costco. Real wine. Not great, but excellent.

4/30/2013 - w9oh wrote:

Have no idea what all the buzz is about. New world Pinot... Amazing label, very average wine.

4/18/2012 - w9oh wrote:

The only Cabernet I have ever had that rivals this at it's price point was almost 20 years ago (1985 Saddleback) and if you adjust for inflation this is just off the charts. I have lots of experience with Mount Eden and this wine re-affrims for me that they are the best winery in California, no if's ands or butts. Keep in mind, this is the baby brother to Mt. Eden Cab. If you are educating anyone on what Cabernet should be FROM ANYWHERE, this is the wine you should use. Big brother (the 2007 Mt. Eden) blew several Bordeaux's off the table late last year at a tasting I was at - only 1989 Pichon Lalande finished higher and the crowd was decidedly old world. Amazing.