8/14/2014 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

Decanting is key here. Still young. Napa Cab-blends are not my favorite, but with a rich meal, this stands strong. Still a bit hot and tannic, even after 90 minutes of fresh air.

7/7/2014 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

For the price and time spent in the cellar, shockingly good with fatty fish. Rich with mineral notes. Recommended. Enough going on here for 2016, but is at peak now. Younger party bottles were too acidic.

The wine looks yellow colored. The legs are fast. There is no sediment in the bottle.

7/15/2014 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

Quite good; a little too grapey for my palate. Went well with steak, grilled corn, roasted broccoli. Very good if you find this at a fair price, and a good weeknight wine with beef, as long as you're not cooking prime or anything. Decanted for an hour; this has enough structure to last another year or two. Definitely did not fall flat in the glass or decanter. Again, don't pay too much for this, but it's still a quality wine.
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle.

7/1/2014 - fjmgstl wrote:

This still has some life left in it. A real bargain on closeout. Wouldn't have wanted to drink this in 2011, however--still relatively tannic.

5/1/2014 - fjmgstl wrote:

I've had this in the past and found it thoroughly enjoyable for its price, but something was off with this bottle, and neither my wife nor I could place our noses/palates on what exactly the issue was. Ended up using as cooking wine in a steak sauce.

4/10/2014 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

Quite good. I think this is something that develops with age. Well-balanced with pork with spicy mustard sauce. Give it some time in the cellar; right now, it's a pale yellow. It could become very good in a few years.

3/25/2014 - fjmgstl wrote:

Still drinking well. Shockingly good with rich, oily, simply prepared fish (i.e. wild-caught salmon).

3/15/2014 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

Still has some life left in it. A real bargain, and the 80% cab franc makes for an interesting wine. Not for everyone, but it's coming into its own. Getting a nice brick color. No sediment--yet.

3/15/2014 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

I like it, but drank it too cold and over an extended time period. Let's see how bottle no. 2 fares. Definitely the potential to be a very nice, well priced, premier cru Chablis. Lots of minerality.

3/15/2014 - fjmgstl wrote:

Even though there was some cork leakage, this was still good. Just tasted slightly older than a 2012. Perfectly palatable and considering the leakage, this can age well.

3/2/2014 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

Phenomenal. I don't feel like I have enough experience with wine yet to really describe this, but it's one of the best I've had so far.

2/11/2014 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

If you're looking for the classic Alsace blend, this is probably it. Pale, quaffable, not incredibly complicated. A tabula rasa for most Asian cuisine. A little on the high end for what it is, but Hugel does a good job nevertheless. A good apértif or a good wine with a light meal. Drink now.

2/15/2014 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

Still good, but starting to collapse a bit more quickly on the finish and is losing structure. I still think this will drink well through the end of the year and the quality for price is excellent. Still a go-to party wine, as it is interesting yet accessible.

1/28/2014 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

Drank with a Swiss lamb/raisin stew that used AOC Beaujolais. A bit young but really came alive in a burgundy glass. Drink at cellar temp or maybe a bit below at this age. Fresh grapes, herbs, soft tannins. Can't wait to find another bottle and try it again with some more age.

1/27/2014 - fjmgstl wrote:

Cork was terrible. With good storage conditions, this bottle should not have seeped this much. Really disappointed.

1/27/2014 - fjmgstl wrote:

Meh. For the price it's okay; could probably use some more age. Valpi on the cheap: pay up for the good stuff.

1/16/2014 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

Surprisingly green for a nine-year old bottle. Also, the corks on all three bottles I bought last year (this was the last one) have been brittle. No oxidation and fill level normal. Starts like a dry German Riesling but then twists mid-palate into rose, mineral, and stone fruit. Finish is about 30 seconds. Light to medium bodied with a bit of effervescence at first; that disappears after about 10 minutes in the glass or decanter. Overall, a unique wine suited to seafood. Went very well with whole roasted striped bass and escargot. Can easily improve, but watch out for dry corks--drink now if cork is brittle.

1/2/2014 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

Decanted about half an hour before drinking. An excellent, subtle wine that really develops in the glass. Lots of finesse: smooth, integrated tannins. Feminine qualities: lavender, somewhat floral, soft but not flabby. Medium-bodied. Pairs well with meaty seafood (swordfish, salmon) and shellfish (lobster/scallop "terrine") along with red meat (venison). All around impressive--one of the best wines I've tasted in a while. I don't think it's fading, but it's definitely in a sweet spot right now, so drink up.

12/29/2013 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

For the price, very good. Still young and a bit green. Enough structure, acidity (high right now), and residual sugar to last until the end of the decade. Slightly effervescent as young German varietals can be.

12/27/2013 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

Finished 3/4 of this bottle on my own while viewing films on an otherwise boring Friday night. Opened up a bit, but not a very complex wine. Easy to drink though. Smooth tannins and some dark berry flavor. I don't see this holding up much longer, so drink it now if you have it. Worth the $8, however.

12/8/2013 - fjmgstl wrote:

Solid for the price, expresses some classic Sicilian traits (berries, etc.), but not overly complex or structured. Little development in the glass. Definitely one to drink now or over the next year.

12/6/2013 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

A bit too much fruit up front, but after decanting and drinking over a lengthy meal, developed nicely. Very good balance, round, pleasant. Good wine for chicken and root veggies.

12/1/2013 - fjmgstl Likes this wine:

Normally, I'm not a huge fan of American "craft brews." That said, I always look forward to the yearly release of Founders' Breakfast Stout. It's easier to come by than it was in the past, and I stocked up in 2012, drinking many then and then saving a four-pack in my cellar. A year of aging certainly brings out the already present punch of booze, but the hops have married with the malt, coffee, and chocolate notes in a most beautiful way, and the increased booziness and concentration of the beer makes it a most pleasant drink. For a non-bottle conditioned beer, this undeniably improves with some age, but I wouldn't go much past mid-2014 unless you're keeping this in a wine cellar. Looking forward to sampling the fresh 2013s I recently purchased. While not for everyone, this receives high praise from someone who drinks mostly wine, brown liquor, and Belgian beers.