10/19/2016 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Crisp, a little yeasty, fine bubbles

2/2/2014 - Onthelees wrote:

Sweet and Lambrusco-like with a melange of fruity flavors and some balancing traits. Not my thing but my daughter will love it.

4/27/2013 - Onthelees wrote:

Garnet color; barrel, tobacco and ripeness aromas; dominant flavor is tobacco, stems, slight acid and not much fruit followed by dry lasting tannin; begging for a grilled anything and perhaps a cigar for dessert. A little thin on mouthfeel but interesting nonrtheless

7/6/2013 - Onthelees wrote:

- Brick color. It's lacking fruit with a light/medium body. Round texture with a medium finish - More fruit than the last note with cherry and raspberry predominant. Quite stemmy and dark. Enjoyed this bottle. Good value

2/6/2015 - Onthelees wrote:

Corked

12/31/2012 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Deep opaque purple; nose evolved over days initially black fruit, sweet raisins and later more anise and tobacco; palate with blackberry, good balance and strong component of cigar which like the tongue coating tannins were very long-lasting and enjoyable as was the enhanced feel; different than I remember but not a lesser wine. The last glass consumed with a fabulous hickory grilled T-bone and a real homemade Caesar salad. Not bad at all!

8/22/2013 - Onthelees wrote:

Clear light tan; strong nose of lime, rind and a whiff of vanilla; intense lime and rind flavors with moderate to strong acidity and minerality and background of a touch of aspirin. Noted the same terminal bite as Snoman. Settled down day 2 to more approachability. Enjoyed the uniqueness of this wine but not sure I would seek out

2/25/2013 - Onthelees wrote:

Well I guess Paul Hobbs is going to kick me off the list if he finds out I bought and drank this one but I am a sucker for Nero d' Avola. Flat as a pancake upon opening; almost no nose and unidimensional palate. Opened up almost immediately adding acid and nano-tannins. Second day, an almost fruitcake cornucopia of aromas including mostly red fruits but also cloves, cinnamon. On the palate, tart Cherry Heering with pretty impressive acid, cloves, zest and fruitcake spice. Sweeter as well. What do you want for $5 at Trader Joes? Not bad!
Addendum: don't let it sit for more than a day or two as it becomes sweeter and disjointed--ugh

6/23/2013 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Pale straw color; shy nose of citrus and hints of iodine; citrusy lemon with clearly stated salinity and iodine with good acid and length. Just in time for summer

3/8/2015 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

But for the excited words of tasters I respect, we would have waited on this one. Light gold with a bright, crisp, citrusy mix of lime, lemon, and grapefruit warming to pear, peach and vanilla, brimming with tingly mineral acidity. An oral alert- a vinous L.E.D. in your mouth. Very glad we did not wait.

2/10/2014 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Pretty much as others review it. Citrus and cream nose, lemon and minerals with moderate acidity. Quite lean. May not be quite as good as 2011 but maturity could make a big difference. Very good.

8/10/2013 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Consistent with previous note, maybe better; this is becoming a favorite. A friend aptly stated, "It reminds me of good champagne absent the bubbles." Great.

3/10/2013 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Gold; lemon, honey and after time toast on the nose; lively flavors of lemon, cream, a touch of honey, something almost tropical, and minerals with a little spice on the medium finish. Moderate and welcome acidity. Delightful and refreshing, both physically and stylistically. "Five out of five" per my Chablis-loving wife. American Chardonnay redefined.

9/2/2015 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Gold tinted straw color; aromas more generous than 19 months ago with more flowers, pear, even melon to accompany the peripheral vanilla cream noted last time; fresh palate with moderate (compared to the 2013 Trout Gulch bottling) acidity and mouthfeel leaning toward silky; lemon, pear, apple, cream and, later, grapefruit flavors with zest sparking the finish. Minerality was less evident than the last bottle. More depth this time around but not quite as much cut. Love this wine but still think the 2011 was better.

7/25/2017 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Has improved over the last bottle. Pale yellow, nose of citrus, chalk and a touch of sweetness, but quite chilled which likely covered the nose to some degree. Crisp lemon with trailing hazelnut, minerals and a silky mouthfeel, long finish sprinkled with a micron of powdered sugar. Day one was more Chablis-like but day 2 provided the greater overall satisfaction, picking up body and depth. Fabulous Chardonnay.

4/23/2022 - Onthelees wrote:

Tbd

7/25/2017 - Onthelees wrote:

Agree with most of what has been written here. I felt this was a tight and needs time.

5/19/2013 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Pale tan in color. Somewhat reticent nose of peach, yeast and maybe a little earth. Also perhaps a hint of aspirin. Light on the palate with hard to pin down flavors of peach, mango, earth and maybe a pencil tip of graphite. Maybe. Moderately long on the finish. Better with time. Good for light aperitif or fish.

2/1/2015 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Consumed over a week ago so no detailed notes. Our two bottles were fresh yet complex, fruity and great food wines. The petrol notes mentioned by others were evident suggesting Riesling as one component but their easy drinking buoyant nature made them fun. Some residual sugar. Would buy more next time if A-N chooses to vinify.

7/25/2017 - Onthelees wrote:

Delightfully bright and complex, fruit tasted Californian with no sense of oak, just layers of welcome complexity. Agree that this was the best experience with this wine to date

10/19/2016 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Fresh, fruity but slightly lean, smooth mouthfeel, moderately long, trailing herbal elements, just different enough to justify the tariff. I will buy this every time A-R decides to vinify it.

4/30/2016 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Slightly turbid ruby. No decant. Very little on the nose and very flat unimpressive palate. Day 2, a completely different wine. Vivid nose of cherry, strawberry, earth and herbal notes. Medium body and medium + acidity with soft tannins. Palate reflects the nose with delicious red fruit, and savory earth and herbal components. Moderate + length. Delicious. Obviously this wine needs a good decant.

5/4/2015 - Onthelees wrote:

Deep burgundy; the most appealing aspect of this wine is its lip smacking acidity which was truly mouthwatering; the nose showed prominent brandied cherry and herbs: the palate offers herbal elements, cherry and strawberry flavors which evolve through a spicy phase into the acidic, lightly tannic finish. Thin from a body perspective with average length. Less complex on day 2.

11/22/2016 - Onthelees wrote:

Opens up beautifully with a decant

8/2/2013 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Pale tannish yellow, muted citric and aspirin nose; refreshing apple, lemon and grapefruit palate with crisp acidity and moderately long finish; fun and enjoyable summer wine

9/12/2015 - Onthelees Does not like this wine:

Pale yellow; pear, almond nose with a little funk; initially very round and unfocused but second day, the palate reflected the nose and became brighter with more intensive acidity. The funky note persisted as well as almond and green bramble notes. My wife did not finish her glass. An odd wine

6/4/2013 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Consistent with previous notes

5/5/2013 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Consistent with previous note. Gorgeous glowing salmon color begging for a flute even in the absence of bubbles. Visible sediment again but did not bother to decant. Same/similar nose of strawberry, marshmallow and earth. Earthy strawberry and some graphite on the palate with decent acidity. Enjoyed in our home. 89-90 and a good value.

3/19/2013 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Iridescent salmon peach color; strawberry, earth and graphite on the nose with marshmallow notes on opening, silky strawberry and an earthy graphite mid palate, moderate acidity not apparent at all temperatures as noted by others. Moderately heavy sediment was a surprise suggesting decanting for the next bottle. Very reminiscent of a Sterling Cabernet Blanc we purchased at the vineyard in 1983. My wife enjoyed this more than I did.

10/19/2016 - Onthelees wrote:

Last of eight bottles. Consistently outstanding

5/14/2015 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Pale coppery serum color, less vibrant in color than the last two vintages; obvious watermelon tinged lees suspended at the bottom of the bottle; soft yeasty melon nose; soft, earthy, melon palate with silky, softly full mouthfeel, saline notes, a little sweetness with persistent earthy pleasure. Acidity moderate with subtle minerality; Less verve, more sex in this vintage. Very good.

5/3/2014 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Salmon pink color; nose of strawberry, vanilla and herbs. No marshmallow this year; bright palate of strawberry, earth, herbs, with perfect acidity, minerality and an enjoyable light bitter edge. Different from last year but not lesser. Perfect seasonal wine.

5/26/2014 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Spent more time with this bottle. PNP. Salmon pink. Strong nose of yeast and earth evolving to light fruity strawberry over time. Initially the palate was fragmented with yeast followed by sour strawberry and earth. This came together over forty minutes into pleasing strawberry with light vanilla overtones, minerals and moderate acidity. The following day it was a completely integrated. This needs air, maybe even a decant before serving. Will experiment.

7/16/2014 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Decanted this bottle for forty minutes. Yeast like sediment noted. Peach color with copper accents; aroma of strawberry, and yeast. Strawberry and peach palate with earth, yeast, a touch of vanilla and a silky mouth feel. Moderate acidity as expected. One gets the sense that this rose spent some time sur lie. Decanting made a noticeable positive impact.

9/14/2014 - Onthelees wrote:

Last bottle. Easy drinking rose, strawberry and yeast with better than average mouthfeel and good acidity.

2/21/2013 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Like it? Such a pretty ruby red you just can't look away. Personality? Layers and layers. She just draws you in. And what is that scent? Italian? Oh, American. Wow! Upon opening the perfume of this wine is alluring in its complexity. On the palate wave after wave of plum, strawberry, almond, cherry and some mocha with excellent acidity and a dry mildly tannic finish that lingers. Enchanting. Like? Noooo...LOVE. And she will be much better as she ages.

7/16/2015 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

PNP and enjoyed over several days; turbid ruby with purple highlights; nose of raspberry and herbal notes; moderate acidity with average mouthfeel; palate evolved and was temperature and time sensitive; raspberry, herbals, smoke, a touch of cocoa, pepper, even a little green pepper. Got the same initial effervescence that many experienced. Moderate tannins that were enjoyable. I liked this wine more with each glass and especially when warm. Looking forward to next bottle.

12/5/2015 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Was reductive and disjointed upon opening but evolved very nicely with air over two days. Did not spritz on this occasion and has a more integrated profile than in July. Delicious red fruit, enjoyable herbal notes but what really stood out was the citrus like acidity which endured deep into the finish so you could focus on it for 20 seconds or so. I was not successful in finding the right paring for this wine and wonder if it is best consumed alone. Fun!

7/11/2018 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

It’s remarkable how these A-N Syrahs come out of their reductive hiding if you wait long enough. I drank this three weeks ago so details are lacking. But the experience was as recent tasters have expressed. Garnet with purple highlights, savory, bramble and vegetal elements superimposed on red fruit, smoked brisket, medium acidity and moderate length. Excellent balance. Agree with comments about lighter body which leaves me a bit wanting but the overall experience is easily positive. I just wish it didn’t take so long.

7/27/2014 - Onthelees wrote:

This wine reflects the greater Arnot-Roberts style. Out there, creative, yeasty, satisfying, at times on the edge, sometimes brilliant. This trousseau almost varies from mouthful to mouthful and is very temperature sensitive. At times I like, other times I am neutral. There was bottle variation last year. Lets see what happens with the next bottle

6/24/2018 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

A completely unique wine experience from the gem-like color, light body and transitional red-rose palate to the balanced acidity and microfine tannins. At a perfect drinking point. It took awhile to understand this wine and it’s cellaring needs, but it is eminently clear that I should have purchased more. Great summer wine too.

10/8/2015 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

The best of our three bottles. Crystal clear light ruby; nose of earth and root; crisp acidity and dusty tannins supporting a light body; initially the palate was dominated by bitter roots but opened up to bright cherry and cranberry fruit with a delightful balance of earth. Refreshing; I think this wine deserves a few years in the bottle, much as the producer has suggested. An excellent food wine

8/10/2013 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Last bottle was flawed. Not this one. An alluring cranberry color introduces this wine to the eye of the drinker, setting the tone for the goodness to come. Aromas of red fruit greet the nose followed by a palate of strawberry, cranberry and just the right amount of bitterness, mounted on a frame of the perfect amount of acid and a quality mouthfeel. Fruit flavors became more enhanced as the wine opened up. Paired well with salmon with sesame oil, soy sauce and honey. This is a quality rose-red hybrid of sorts. Count us as A-N fans.

1/18/2013 - Onthelees wrote:

Lovely rose color; the rest? Not sure what all the singing is about. On the first day the nose had a chemical structure superimposed on a soft fruity almost strawberry fragrance with a palate which was not well integrated. Came together somewhat on the second day with a palate almost of flat champagne and a prolonged bitterness that lasted well after the glass was done. None of the brightness described below. Flawed? Will hold my second bottle for 6 to 12 mos and retry.

3/5/2014 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Ruby to garnet color; nose of red fruit, earth, forest floor and a touch of herbs. Medium bodied with cherry, strawberry fruit, moderate earth, leather, a touch of licorice evolving towards light spice and herbs on the moderate finish. Enjoyable acidity. Lean. Better as it opened up. Very good for the price.

7/15/2014 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Very much like my previous note. Savory is the right word for this wine. This is a Pinot that you hold in your hand and savor the passage of flavors from cherry to earth to acid to herbal finish. There is something in that long herbal finish that invites your mind to linger. That alone is worth the purchase.

9/16/2014 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

It's an hour later and I am still enjoying the elegant creaminess of this wine. Nose of lemon, bread and a hint of pear. Palate shows pear, apple, lemon, and cream with nice mousse, balanced acidity and terminal minerality. The cream hangs on for over a minute. Easy drinking and satisfying

9/11/2013 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Reposting note on the correct wine. Appreciate the note from Tward. Abbocato per the Net means "a touch of sweetness," an apt appellation for yet another Umbrian white charmer. A wine of the month at our vinous proprietor, it is light gold in color and offers a shy nose of soft citrus. Flavors of lemon, grapefruit, a hint of sweet pear and a trailing sense of vanilla cream followed by a very light coating of tannin. Amazing for low double digits. 90 may be more appropriate. Four good Orvietos in a row.

9/29/2013 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

The white alternative to a terrific Moccagatta Barbaresco shared with parents. About as I remembered it in the previous note, maybe not quite as good. Impressive trailing minerality. The old man found it too sweet. No surprise there.

12/31/2012 - Onthelees Likes this wine:

Pale yellow green, sweet pineapple on the nose; citrus and apple notes and light tannins on the finish. Balanced acid. Refreshing and very good with food. We love this grape or shall I say instead, these grapes!