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Tasting Notes for Cobbster

(593 notes on 297 wines)

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Red
12/26/2021 - Cobbster wrote:
With burgers on the grill!
Red
I’m not sure what this says about either my wife or me. On May 21 we opened a bottle of Carnival in her hospital room at Northern Westchester Hospital. I’ve reviewed Carnival of Love every Valentine’s Day since 2008; it became a tradition for us after our first tasting in 2007. The 2007 vintage still impresses, with a lovely smoked black fruit nose. On the palate you get mouthful of creamy black fruit. We drank the bottle over the course of four nights (I refrigerated the bottle between dinners), and I don’t recommend saving an open bottle. Day 2 was as good as day 1, but day 3 lost its edge. On day 4 it was no longer pleasurable. On Thursday morning (5/29) my bride of over 30 years died after a year-long battle with lung cancer. Rest well my love.
Red
12/7/2013 - Cobbster wrote:
91 points
Nicely mellowed. A hint of eucalyptus on the nose. Blueberry fruit and herbal spiceness with soft tannins. Really quite nice.
Red
11/9/2013 - Cobbster wrote:
The last time I tasted was December 31, 2007. This bottle is not nearly as appealing, no doubt a result of age. Although still delicious, it's much more muted than I recall. Smokey nose, on the palate the fruit flavors are slightly stewed with a touch of sweetness.
Red
I bought 3 of these back in 2007, but this is my first tasting. Bottle 1 was a flavorless disappointment.
Red
2/16/2013 - Cobbster Likes this wine:
93 points
Popping open a bottle of Carnival on Valentines Day has been a tradition for my wife and me for many years now. Sadly we could not make dinner on Thursday (our first miss), so this report is from our deferred-but-still-devine Saturday dinner. This year I decided to open an '07 since I have only one last bottle of the '06. I'm a HUGE fan of the '06 and my previous tastings of the '07 didn't thrill me. But that was then, this is now! Although the '07 isn't quite as nuanced and layered as the '06, it has really settled down: on the nose you get the black cherry scent with hints of vanilla, on the palate a rush of creamy black fruit. I didn't taste any of the heat that can be typical of the Carnival; it's probably past that point now. I didn't shake this since it's way beyond the window where it's needed, but it does open up over an hour or two. I enjoy exploring how it changes over the evening, but some of the vibrancy fades over several hours and I prefer it right after opening.
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White
10/23/2012 - Cobbster wrote:
89 points
Nose of lemon grass; mineral and apple notes with just a hint of quinine on the finish.
Red
2005 Kilikanoon The Medley South Australia Grenache Blend, Grenache (view label images)
8/21/2012 - Cobbster wrote:
89 points
Stewed dark fruit still dominates, with a new creamy quality and a hint of honeyed sweetness.
Red
8/11/2012 - Cobbster wrote:
91 points
My last one...popped and poured. Nose and palate are the same as my 9/4/11 tasting: black cherry nose and palate with less of the dark chocolate. Very tasty, but it didn't hold up as the evening hours ticked away.
Rosé
6/24/2012 - Cobbster wrote:
70 points
Not much to recommend this: grassy and astrigent with little fruit. Maybe drinkable mixed with seltzer, but not straight from the bottle.
Red
6/12/2012 - Cobbster wrote:
92 points
Lovely nose of black cherry with hints of eucalytus; rich black fruit flavors. Wish I'd bought more.
Red
4/22/2012 - Cobbster wrote:
90 points
Lovely herbs and spice nose. Light on the palate with a pleasing blend of berries and leather. Very nice.
Red
3/7/2012 - Cobbster wrote:
92 points
I picked up 4 of these back in '08 and never tried one. Opening challenge: the top 3/4 of the cork disintegrated immediately; first pour full of cork and set aside. Second pour is fine. Intense nose of smoky fruit. Licorice dominates the palate with more smoked black fruit. Opens up over the hours and needs air. I'd guess this has several more years of cellaring ahead.
Red
2/14/2012 - Cobbster wrote:
94 points
Valentine's Day redux: over 5 years now I've tasted this vintage and it hasn't changed much. Smokey black fruit with a creamy finish, but it does take some time to open up. If you like this flavor profile (as the reviews attest, it's a polarizing wine) you'll not be disappointed. This is one of the many reasons I love Valentines day.
Red
12/25/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
90 points
Lots of roasted black fruit.
Red
12/2/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
80 points
If you are a syrah fan, move along. There's nothing here.
Red
N.V. Artiste Attuned Santa Ynez Valley Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
11/5/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
90 points
It's been a while since I've had this...bought these at the winery back in 2008 on a Santa Barbara trip. Still lovely and consistent with previous tasting.
Red
9/4/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
91 points
Nose of black cherry, more black cherry and dark chocolate on the palate. Oddly, the acidity is up along with the tannins, which change the flavors to feel younger than the bottle I opened in 2008. Could be the beginning of the end...
Red
8/1/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
flawed
Odd. Only two bottles I had were both spoiled. The first effervesced like a champagne, the other not quite so much. This refermentation is likely caused by contamination during bottling rather than bad corks. Given that all tasters are reporting the same thing, I'd say it was a production problem. No other Roblar wines I've ever tasted (42 bottles according to CT) showed this issue.
Red
7/26/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
80 points
With age the steminess I've tasted in the four previous bottles is now gone, but there's no real depth or grace here. There are much better values out there, especially from this AVA.
Red
6/29/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
70 points
There's no accounting for taste I suppose. My last of 4 bottles and none were very good. This example tasted of alcohol, phenol, and stems, which completely overwhelm the vanilla-laced fruit. I'm not sure where this wine could ever earn 'outstanding' or 'extraordinary' ratings. But again, there's no accounting for taste. I say if you have any bottles either use them for cooking or give them to someone you don't like very much.
Red
4/17/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
85 points
Purchased this in the tasting room back in May 2007. Not as bright-flavored as I remember, but otherwise has the same flavor profile.
Red
3/26/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
89 points
I wanted to LOVE this wine. It was my first bottle of KB after waiting two years to get on the mailing list. Don't get me wrong, the wine is very nice: beautiful nose, rosy color, lip-smacking tartness. Great finish. But I've had all this before in far less expensive wines. I hope the 08/09 RRVs I have don't disappoint.
Red
3/23/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
88 points
Luscious and full. Great value.
Red
2005 Glaetzer Godolphin Barossa Valley Cabernet-Shiraz Blend, Red Blend (view label images)
3/19/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
89 points
Consistent with last tasting. If you like this style of wine (brawney Australians), which I do, then Godolphin hints at how huge they can be. Unfortunately what the nose offers upon opening doesn't carry through to the palate and the palate fades not long after the bottle is open. It simply doesn't offer the layers of interest you'll find in other wines like Elderton Command, Carnival of Love, Two Hands Ares, or Penfolds Grange. I suspect Godolphin was better at release than it is now.
Red
3/7/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
94 points
Black cherry and licorice nose; nicely layered smoked black fruit flavors and a finish that lasts for days...
Red
2/26/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
90 points
Not the depth I've come to expect from Command. Black fruit nose and tarry on the palate. The finish is quite long with oakiness poking through at the end.
Red
2/14/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
90 points
Not much has changed since the last time i tried this: grilled flavors dominate. Let it breathe and you have what amounts to a great value if you enjoy this type of wine.
Red
2/14/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
94 points
Valentine's Day again? Already? This is the fourth V.D. that I've popped open a Carnival and it is still an explosion of of smoldering, smokey fruit. This bottle was not as layered or nuanced as previous bottles and the finish not as creamy. The blueberry/cherry flavors were buried under the smokeyness and no amount of air let them emerge. It's probably an awkward phase, or maybe just this bottle. Two more bottles left, so the extended tasting continues next year. Same time, same place.
White
1/30/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
89 points
Slightly floral nose, crisp granny smith apple flavors balance against a hint of sweetness.
White - Sparkling
1/29/2011 - Cobbster wrote:
90 points
Stunned to find the bottle and even more so to discover nice fresh white peach and tons of bubbles. I'm not saying hang on to any you have, I'd drink up. But a pleasant surprise.
Red
11/20/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
85 points
Black fruit nose; smoked fruit flavors with oak filling out the finish.
Red
11/6/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
79 points
Thin and one dimensional; stewed fruit. Move along, there's nothing to see here. :-O
Red
10/22/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
90 points
A little more sweetness than last tasting; otherwise consistent.
Red
10/19/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
82 points
Vegetable garden nose with a wisp of leather; nice tart fruit and a hint of oaked in the finish.
Red
10/19/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
79 points
A watered-down shadow of what it once was.
Red
10/19/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
84 points
Floral and leather nose. Nice and fruity with a touch of oak in the finish. Great value.
Red
10/18/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
82 points
The fruit is not as pronounced as the last tasting; otherwise consistent.
Red
2004 Foxen Range 30 West Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara Red Blend (view label images)
10/16/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
Slight menthol nose; rasberry and red cherry fruit with a vegetal hint.
Red
N.V. Artiste A Good Year Alexander Valley Malbec Blend, Malbec (view label images)
10/10/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
90 points
Unchanged since my last tasting, and still outstanding.
Red
10/5/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
88 points
White pepper dominates then eases away to a graphite finish.
Red
2006 J. Lohr Cuvée Pau Paso Robles Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
9/18/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
88 points
Smokey stewed fruit nose; pleasant and uncomplicated flavors.
Red
8/28/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
93 points
Nose is just like my last tasting: eucalyptus, black fruit and just a wisp of smoke. Palate has evolved with more plum flavors. Still a creamy delight.
Red
8/17/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
82 points
Consistent with last tasting; fades away after an hour or two.
Red
8/9/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
89 points
Consistent with last tasting. This wine really delivers on the QPR.
Red
2005 Glaetzer Godolphin Barossa Valley Cabernet-Shiraz Blend, Red Blend (view label images)
8/7/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
89 points
Very tasty nose gives hints of black smoked fruit, but the palate doesn't deliver on the come-on. It's a very nice wine, just not as layered as I expected. There are many other great choices at this price point.
Red
8/1/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
83 points
Bought in the tasting room; memories add a few points. Still enjoyable if lacking in depth.
Red
7/31/2010 - Cobbster wrote:
80 points
Always a fan of Vintner's Cuvee, but this is not one of the better examples. Dull flavors.
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