5/7/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Rating this higher than I did a year ago. Tannins still prominent. I'd give it another 5 years minimum if you want to experience the wine's best.

5/3/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

My friend gave me this bottle, calling it "Baby Rayas". I drank Rayas 2007 last night, and I like this every bit as much or more. This delivers a similar elegant, light, herbal, Burgundian style. Dehydrated, not bright, fruit. This shows prominent matchstick, which is something I enjoy. Recommended.

5/2/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Mea culpa. I think I overrated this the first time trying it in 2020. After this third time drinking 2007 Rayas, I believe I succumbed to irrational exuberance the first time I tried it. This is an excellent wine, but not perfect, as I rated it then. Very floral with cherry and bramble notes. Not ethereal. Time would have to create better balance, not just flavors, for the score to increase.

5/2/2024 - Montesquieu Does not like this wine:

This was either a bad bottle or long past its prime. Since so many other recent ratings extol this wine, I'll withhold a derogatory score. The bottle I drank was simple, thin, and short. 85? Flavors lacked balance and elegance. My friend couldn't know the provenance of his bottle, and perhaps bad storage would explain our experience. If this was a representative bottle, then my preferences don't resemble others'.

5/1/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Drinking in preparation for my tenth bicycle assault on Mont Ventoux next week. Will this be the year I crack 1h20m? Age, weight and wine aren't working in my favor. But back to this fine bottle, which delivers exceptional value. Big, rich, and very complex. Dunnuck nails his descriptors, which I'll simply echo: "black cherry liqueur, black raspberries, Provençal garrigue, ground pepper, and truffly earth." My prior bottle three years ago was perhaps pre-optimal, but we're now in the early phase of a long drinking window that should last another 10+ years.

4/28/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

5th bottle from a half case consumed since 2020. This continues to be a very good wine for the money and an everyday crowd pleaser. The flavors are rich in fresh red and black fruit but not extracted. There's little earth or terroir, so not a complex or intellectual wine. It paired well with a peppered filet mignon tonight.

4/27/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

This blew my mind. Had never heard of it before tonight. Just a shade below my WOTN against legendary competition (Leroy, DRC, Petrus, Guigal, Yquem).

4/27/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

This bottle was magical. My WOTN against Leroy, DRC, Petrus, Guigal, Yquem. One of those bottles that hooks you on Burgundy and never lets go.

4/27/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

From magnum and drinking great. More age won't improve it.

4/27/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Very good now but not yet outstanding. Might hit peak window at 15 years of age.

4/26/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Three years since my last bottle, and I continue to sing this wine's praises despite it's not appealing to everyone. What I love are the herbal notes. The potpourri of herbs add richness, complexity, and body to dried/dehydrated fruit flavors of raspberry and cranberry. One friend was ambivalent and called this a "food wine". That's not my take. I prefer the dry herbal notes without food, because food can mask or overwhelm the wine, and I enjoy the dry herbal notes unaccompanied. Another friend was more complimentary. I think the Envinate Canary Island reds are singular and fully worthy of the Wine Advocate praise. One friend liked this at cellar temperature upon pop and pour, but I preferred it with some warmth and air, which softened enhanced a round herbal mouthfeel.

4/26/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

I collect Dunn HM from the 1980s and early 1990s. It and Ridge Monte Bello, with 20+ years age, are my favorite American reds by far. This 1984 Dunn HM, with pristine wax cap and cork, was the first "past its peak, but still good" Dunn HM I've ever had. My many other Dunn HM's from 1985-1988 have shown extraordinary mushroom soup funk and glory - what I'd consider peak tertiary window. This 1984 was maybe 5 years past its tertiary peak. Some flavors of bandaid (bad), mint (surprised), tart cranberry, and funk mixed with still-solid dried fruit. For a 40 year old wine, it is a standout success for California, though below the other 1980s Dunns I've had. Would rate an 88 today. I'm not entering a score because its ratings past-prime shouldn't discount its ratings in peak.

4/24/2024 - Montesquieu wrote:

As a Monte Bello collector since 2001, I normally don't open bottles until they're mature - 15+ years in good vintages, 10+ in an off one. I made an exception in this case to assess the smoke presence and whether these should be consumed younger as a result. My palate isn't the most sensitive, but I do believe I detected smoke, which challenged the otherwise good MB core. The wine was still a good wine, though not for the price, for the first 60 minutes. After that, the smoke became more prominent relative to other notes. Consequently, I'll plan to consume these younger than normal and without long decants.

4/21/2024 - Montesquieu wrote:

A cardboard-dry bottle lacking fruit and balance. Hit and miss as I drink through the case. The prior bottle was very good, but this one mirrors another underwhelming one from last year. Maybe the hit-and-miss is our fate if we've saved this 15+ years.

4/20/2024 - Montesquieu wrote:

A bit of a mess of flavors. Solid wine for the price point, I'll admit, but not one I can fall in love with. It comes across as a fruit jam full of red, blue, and black berries, all a bit overdone. I love many Bolgheris for their lean, elegant style. None of that here. I'm guessing the Syrah in the mix tips this the wrong way for me. I'll make the most of my half case but not buy again.

4/19/2024 - Montesquieu wrote:

Terrific crisp acidic dry Riesling. Near effervescent sparkle. Stone and citrus flavors. Loved it.

4/19/2024 - Montesquieu wrote:

Far less extracted and hot than the Reserve. Complex flavors of red and black fruit and bramble. Solid value drinking well out of the bottle now.

4/13/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Bordeaux for Napa lovers, but far better than Napa. I've commented three other times on this wine so will simply say it's luscious, complex, provocative, and profound. It'll surely age well and benefit from tertiary flavors. Yet it's fully enjoyable now and, frankly, a great value at this stage. The only California Bordeaux blends I'd pick over this are Ridge MB and Dunn HM, and both need 20+ years in good vintages. This extracted beast performed on release. Normally not my style, TR really rocks my world. A great wine.

4/13/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Drink up. I rated a bottle 98 in 2020. This one wasn't that, but it definitely had everything you'd hope for from a 24 year old PLL. An excellent, elegant, mature Bordeaux.

4/7/2024 - Montesquieu wrote:

Tannic during first 30 minutes of air. Tart thereafter, with the tart dominating other flavors like plum, cherry. Solid but not exceptional on its own. This needs a great food accompaniment to shine.

4/4/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Reiterating my prior impressions about this provocative, truly unusual wine. Prominent flavor profile is cranberry, which is similar to the "sour cherry" I described last time. Enjoyed it and don't know what else to compare it to.

4/3/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

In the bullseye of its drinking window. So rich and complex. If dessert wines are your thing, this delivers extraordinary joy and value. Reminder to self: the next time an amazing Sauternes vintage like 2009 occurs, again buy cases of half bottles of La Tour Blanche, Doisy-Daene, Coutet, Guiraud, and Rieussec. Glorious over a multi-decade drinking window.

4/3/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

My final bottle peaks with a 95 rating. Remarkable complexity for its midweight, elegant body. Initial impression of smoke quickly dissipates in favor of currant, herbs, graphite, bramble, dried red fruit, pomegranate, and dried flowers. That's a lot of descriptors merited by a terrific, sophisticated wine for the vintage.

3/31/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Final bottle from half case. Drinking nicely in tertiary phase. No rush and no reason to wait. Nice performer for the price.

3/30/2024 - Montesquieu wrote:

Bright tart cherry. Beautifully done in this style. Cherry isn't my favorite fruit, and tart isn't my favorite profile, so calibrate my score accordingly. I genuinely enjoyed this and expect others to rate it more favorably.

3/29/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Final bottle of a case that finishes on top. I've consistently agreed over the years with Wine Spectator's initial praise and rating of this wine. This has shined in both its primary and now tertiary evolution. We drink tons of Gigondas because it's Mrs. Montesquieu's favorite. This 2010 St. Cosme is easily the best entry, <$40 Gigondas we've had from St Cosme, Santa Duc, St. Damien, and many others over the years. Rich, savory, even meaty in its older age. Plum, overripe strawberry, fruit cobbler. Terrific.

3/23/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Second time this was my WOTN, although this time, the comparison was an eclectic group of Cote Rotie, Amarone, Zin, and 1905 Sherry. Beautiful vintage drinking well now and surely better in the years ahead.

3/23/2024 - Montesquieu wrote:

Insanely intense. Great for Zin, but Zin isn't my thing.

3/23/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Second time in a short period cracking one of these beauties. Best on day three and cooled to refrigerator temperature. Again, primary flavors of fig and date. Intense like WD40 and LOOOOOONG.

3/23/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

1.5 years since my last bottle. This is now fully mature in its primary phase. Smooth and integrated. Good but not extraordinary. Chance for something great with more time and tertiary development.

3/22/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Wow. Again wow. What a vibrant, fresh, youthful, exuberant wine. Massive flavors of bramble, allspice, red fruit. This was incredibly good.

3/22/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Surprisingly bright, vibrant, and piquant. Sharp acid and alcohol. A bit imbalanced. Will stand up to any meat.

3/22/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Truly outstanding for the price. Reiterating prior rating. Just be sure not serve too cold. Our bottle arrived too cold at a restaurant, and that hurt it. Give it 30 minutes and some warmth.

3/22/2024 - Montesquieu wrote:

Dried fruits. Lacks the dark, earthy depth of some Bierzos I've preferred recently. Maybe age will benefit. Neutral relative to the price.

3/22/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Outlandishly good. Far more provocative than other vintages of Cacador I've tried. Vibrant wild red fruit, bramble. No reason to age this. Great now.

3/22/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Reiterating my 94 rating on a new bottle. Black fruits, black olive, pepper, licorice, some alcoholic heat. Should improve for 5-10 years.

3/22/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Rating this for current experience, which is outstanding, not future peak, which will surely be better. Guessing 10 years from now will be optimal. Still tannins to resolve and tertiary complexity to unfurl.

3/15/2024 - Montesquieu wrote:

Overripe for my taste preference. Stewed fruit, plum. Jammy. Fans of extracted New World cabernet will enjoy this more than I did. It's a quality wine of that ilk.

3/14/2024 - Montesquieu Does not like this wine:

Yet another bottle from this lot that is tart without the cherry. Fruit just isn't there. I love it when herbs, tea, and earth flavors give depth and complexity to elegant fruit. But there's no fruit and no elegance in this or 3 of the other 4 bottles I bought of this. I declined to score 2 of the other 3 bottles, but I'll now call this spade a spade. Presumably other lots of 2015, and other vintages, of this wine are better than what I've experienced. FWIW, my bottles were purchased at a "too good to be true" price from Garagiste. My countless other purchases from Garagiste over the years have not let me down the way this did. I'm blaming the bottles not the winemaker (given other favorable reviews) or retailer.

3/12/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

This American pinot overachieves for the price. Initial PnP notes of tartness and orange peel blew off within 30 minutes, after which the aerated profile emphasized pomegranate fruit with plenty of herbal and floral complexity. I have a preference for red Burgundy, but I think one would have to spend 2x-3x for Burgundy of comparable quality. This is probably in the beginning of a 10-15 prime drinking window.

3/10/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

7th bottle from a case being consumed since 2012 or so. As an Yquem lover, I vacillate between scoring this based on my love for Yquem or its merits relative to other Yquem vintages. I'm going to do the latter and propose that this falls short of classic Yquem from great vintages. It's very good but not outstanding or transcendent.

3/10/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Final bottle from a half case consumed over the past 10 years. Not decanted. Initial savory impression gave way to a clean, lean wine featuring notes of iron, blackberry, wild raspberry. Mature but not tertiary. I would guess that it doesn't improve from here.

3/6/2024 - Montesquieu wrote:

Components don't add up to an ideally balanced wine.

3/3/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

This is an exceptionally good wine for the $37 I paid. Wow! Powerful flavors of tar, blood, plum, bramble, pepper, black olive. Chalky mouthfeel. But not heavy. I recall buying lots of Bierzo in the 2010-2012 time period when it was dumped in the US market at heavy discount after the economic downturn. Those wines were solid values but lightweight and less remarkable. Things have changed in a short period. Bierzo now produces amazing wines at all price points. I'd call out this bottle, Palacios Corullon, and Ventosa Valtuille Cepas Centenarias as some of the world's best sub-$40 wines, at least for my palate. I'd happily exchange a lot of wine in my cellar history for more of these. I see online shops in the US still have this, so I guess I should go buy more...

3/2/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Extraordinary bottle and easily my red WOTN amongst a great lineup at a collector friend's retirement party. Full of smoke, tar, olive. Resolved and well integrated tannins. No tertiary development. This can age for decades, but I'd argue this bottle sat in the bullseye of its peak window.

3/2/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Wow, this really rocked my world. Nothing like any other Rhone blanc I've had before. It surprisingly combined my favorite Chardonnay flavor (toasted bread crust) and my favorite Chenin Blanc flavor (flint/matchstick, e.g. Guiberteau Breze). It had the soft mouthfeel of a Rhone blanc without the sweet floral notes. A revelation I'll look to repeat.

3/2/2024 - Montesquieu wrote:

I would have rated this bottle an 86 as it tasted old, not flawed. But that's so far below other recent ratings that I'll avoid tossing the score into the mix. On a night of great wines, I tossed rather than drank the rest of this.

3/2/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Brigher than I prefer, though with enough dried fruit and herb flavors for me to still like this for its modest price. I shouldn't criticize the wine for falling short of the 100 point Suckling rating because it's still well made and a good value. I'll need to drink a few more Anita bottles before definitely deciding whether it makes my Beaujo shortlist led by Foillard and Desvignes.

2/27/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Cracked my first of four bottles tonight, which will be enjoyed over multiple occasions in the next week or so. This has the second-highest viscosity of any wine in my experience, just trailing Valdespino Toneles (which happens to be my all-time benchmark for extracted dessert wine). Our table of 10 collaborated on tasting impressions and concluded the primary fruit flavor was dates (which we picked over fig). The complex, meaty flavors of dates/fig better characterize this than simple, intense flavor like raisins. Nearly everyone picked honey as the biggest secondary flavor. Those were followed by notes of caramel, cacao, nutmeg, and, for me, balsamic. Several people couldn't handle the intensity and failed to finish their small pours. I love intense dessert wines like this, but even for me, a few small pours were enough. The bottle will last through several meaningful events this week.

2/27/2024 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

Two hour decant. We drink lots of Alban and opened this Reva early in its window to pair with Texas barbecued brisket. Typical Alban terroir-heavy, lean, intellectually complex style that I prefer to the extracted jellies some prefer. This is a solid Reva vintage that can be enjoyed any time for the next few decades.