4/23/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Pours a nice fair dark ruby with maybe the slightest amount of bricking. The nose beckons with plum, cocoa, tobacco, herbs and soil. On the palate, wild raspberry joins these notes amidst ample acidity. Quite nice from the PnP, without need for decanting. Have been very satisfied with these inexpensive 2005 Bordeaux reds.

4/5/2024 - wicozani Does not like this wine:

Wow! Pours a light yellow, with the nose beckoning with white flowers, iris, peach and lemon. The same on the palate - the most juicy and tasteful over the past 15 years - with significant minerality amidst the most acidity we've experienced. We've bought this wine in every vintage for the past 15-17 years, and this is the most tasteful and energetic of all we've tasted before. You can't argue with that! Exceptional value here. I keep this on-hand whenever a recipe calls for white wine, especially with chicken or veal marsala recipes.

4/2/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

PnP and paired with buffalo chili. A dark ruby in the glass, the youthful nose beckons with raspberry, dark cherry, forest floor, and oak spices. An exuberant youthful palate, with very good intensity and concentration along with decent acidity; don't notice the 15% ABV. Still on the young side, may improve yet.

3/30/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Decanted two hours before pairing with oven-braised beef chuck stew. A dark ruby cloak, the nose beckons with both red and black berries, cassis, RC Cola, tobbaco, medium dark chocolate, and orange rind on the finish. I'm finding this RC Cola note quite common with these Tor Kenward cabernet sauvignon wines. Great balance - weightless - with ample acidity. This paired wonderfully and should last a good while longer.

3/27/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Decanted one hour before consuming with Italian sausage hoagies with marinara sauce. A lush fair dark ruby in the glass with color extending out to thinning edges; no bricking. The nose beckons with black currant, balsamic, leather, tobacco with an overall slightly oxidized note. In other words, PERFECT for my palate (and my partner's). Very good concentration and intensity. This was absolutely savoury and dry. Super pairing with the dish and very happy to have one bottle remaining. Should be good for another 5 or so years. Would like to source more bottles of this vintage if able. Fabulous!

3/23/2024 - wicozani wrote:

Disgorged October 2022. Pours a light yelllow with green highlights. Lots of toastiness on the nose along with Meyer lemon. On the palate, reserved bubbles and very acidic, with a salty marine character. Definitely a close Chablis-like Champagne, which I understand the producers are after.

3/12/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

We've had at least 10 vintages of this inexpensive cabernet and this one is one of the best. Pours a deep purplish ruby, the nose features stewed plums and red berries, medium dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, and orange rind on the finish. Nice complexity for such an inexpenisve bottle; best we've ever had. Great QPR for mid-week enjoyment with beef or pork.

3/10/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Excellent cork and decanted off significant sediment 3 hours before being paired very well with Beef Bourguignon I from the New York Times Cook Book published in 1961. A dark purplish ruby with good color out to the edges. Beautiful nose of blueberry, cassis, plum, sandalwood, truffle and oak spices. Quite structured on the palate, tannins largely resolved, with excellent concentration and intensity. Candied fruits on the palate with sandalwood, truffle, mahogany, and spices. Great performance for 30 years old!

3/6/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Cork in good condition and decanted off significant sediment an hour before pairing with beef pinwheel steaks. Pours a nearly opaque purplish ruby. Ripe plum, mulberry, forest floor and orange peel on the nose. These carry forward to the palate with medium body, resolved tannins, ample acidity and nice balance. Well kept bottles of this are still in good condition.

2/25/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Decanted two hours before pairing with Instant Pot beef stew. Pours a near opaque ruby in the glass, the nose beckoning with dark cherry, ripe black plum, tobacco and oak spices with a bit of tannins remaining. The fruit has survived the undoubtable heavy oak treatment, and this survived very well in the decanter overnight. I believe this to be at peak now, and glad to have one remaining bottle.

2/4/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

First of a case. Decanted for an hour. Pours a medium+ ruby, while the nose beckons with dark cherry, red plum, orange rind, and graveled soil. Significant powdery and drying tannins on the palate with extensive graveled soil. The most earthy Brunello I can remember tasting. After 2 more hours, the fruits became a bit candied, which was nice, but still present tannins and soil. This should age very well. Deserves a very long decant if opening now.

1/31/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Pours near opaque in the glass, the nose beckons with dark cherry, blueberry, cassis, oak spice, and prominent tobacco leaf. These notes follow on the palate with good+ acidity. Was a nice pairing with a grilled T-bone steak. Shortish finish, but excellent QPR once again which is typical of Bogle Vineyards.

1/28/2024 - wicozani wrote:

Bitter blackberry and structure from heavy oak treatment are about all that remain. Very fruit -poor.

1/24/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Pours a dark non-opaque ruby, the nose features dark cherry, plum, baking spices, and mineral. On the palate, cinnamon and nutmeg are noticeable, with ample acidity. A little less impressive than other Sierra Madre vineyard pinot noir that we've had, but very nice.

1/20/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

A pale yelllow robe, which foams up a bit when poured. Nice nose of lemon, apricot, brioche, and minerality. Lots of dry extract on the palate; this really sticks to the roof of one's mouth. Medium+ bodied and ample acidity and good concentration. This was better than expected and was accompanied by a long finish. Punching way above its weight.

1/18/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Part of an auction purchase for us to experience an well-aged Brunello di Montalcino. A medium ruby in the glass extending out to highly thinned and slightly bricked edges. The nose beckons with soft red berries and plum, along with an aged leather-bound book, mahogany, violet and overripe orange rind. Still decently present on the palate, with still very good acidity, a touch of spice joins the aromatic notes. A nice pairing with a Best Italian Meat Sauce pasta. One bottle left and will be glad to consume in upcoming months.

1/15/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

A purplish ruby in the glass with good color extending out to the slightly thinning edges; no bricking. Nose features dark cherry, wild raspberry, menthol, and minerality. Very good intensity and concentration. Cherry kirsch, touch of vanilla, wild raspberry, touch of bread, and minerality on the palate. Nicely long finish. Excellent on its own and with food. Always a treat to experience a bottle from one of our favorite small-production artisinal winemakers, plus Fred is a heck of a guitarist!

1/10/2024 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Opened in the cellar at 56 degrees, the initial nose was very tobacco-laced. As it warmed up the tobacco receded and was replace by dark plums, ripe blueberries, touch of herbs, forest floor and slate. Quite structured and seemingly holding back a lot in reserve. This probably never got above 68 degrees, and never approached my definition of jammy or plush. First of 16, and shall decant the next one for several hours and bring up to 72-74 degrees.

11/23/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Opened at 0900 for Thanksgiving. Purchased on release. PnP. A medium+ ruby robe with shades of purple extending out to thinning but still colored edges. Long languid legs indicative of the high glycerol and ethanol in the 2005 vintage. The nose beckons with plum, tobacco, forest floor, pencil, and a hint of smoke. Meaty aged blue-black plum, pouch tobacco, and just a touch oxidized. Still some tannins hanging around on the finish.

Will update this note after seeing how it progresses and behaves with our turkey Thanksgiving dinner.

11/23/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Opened at 0900 for Thanksgiving. Purchased on release. PnP. A medium ruby robe with shades of purple extending out to thinned clear but not bricked edges. Long languid legs. The nose beckons with plum, forest floor, and a hint of sherry character.

Will update this note after seeing how it progresses and behaves with our turkey Thanksgiving dinner.

11/15/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

A surprisingly opaque dark purple robe with slightly thinning edges. The nose beckons with dark cherry, red plum, and hints of citrus and oregano. Many of the aforementioned notes on the palate, along with some oak spices and forest floor. No secondary notes thus far, this has a significant lifespan still ahead.

10/13/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

From magnum. Half was decanted 45 minutes before pairing with a mixed cheese and charcuterie board. A medium+ yellow in the Riedel Vinum XL pinot noir glass with flashes of gold. Served a bit too cold, but still striking toasted brioche and nuttiness on the nose, with soft meyer lemon and heaps of slate. Quite structured straight from the bottle, with still very good acidity. The shocker was visiting the decanted portion. Much more obvious nose, this time with a striking note of freshly minced ginger, with all the other notes amped up. Everyone around the table noted these exquisite changes. Beautiful performance on the celebratory occasion. The fourth or fifth time we've had this vintage, and it bested all those previously poured from 750ml bottles. One magnum remaining - when should we open it?

10/9/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Pours a deep golden yellow in the glass, the nose beckoning with grilled pineapple (and a touch of banana) flambé. On the palate, very generous with smoky pineapple, meringue, toasted almond, and minerality. This is the first California chardonnay we've had to come close to emulating meursault. Agree this will remain excellent for the next year or two. One left.

9/23/2023 - wicozani wrote:

Our last bottle opened straight out of the cellar. One of our favorite wineries. A very discrete nose with faint red berries and minerals. On the palate, very dry with still present tannins, revealing a watered down cherry and red currant along with asparagus, which then tries to be disguised as a Rijoa with vanillic American oak on the finish. Unfortunately, in its elder state it is very fruit poor and falling apart. Well past time to have consumed this.

UPDATE: decanted this and the asparagus note resolved. Still bricked around the edges and a very dilute body. But, contributed to a very nice edition of braised beef stew, so not all was lost.

9/4/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

This is a big boy wine, especially for Italy. PnP to accompany leftover oregano marinara with rigatoni and spicy Italian sausage. A brilliant ruby robe, not opaque, its glycerol and alcohol flashing with the very lazy, long legs when swirled. Stated 15% ABV on the label, and this comes bounding out supercharged with red berries, citrus, herbs, and biscuity soil. Accompanied by excellent acidity and juicy tannins. As stated below, quite dense for an Italian red, and was good to go from the cork pull and paired excellently with the lunch meal. First of 12, and feel this should probably be consumed now and through the next five years.

9/3/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Opened at 0730 and double decanted over five hours before pairing with a holiday lunch at 1300. This bottle was still closed after this but gradually unfurled to reveal a garnet robe in the glass with slightly bricked edges. Very aromatic on the nose, with smoke-tinged plum and mulberry, forest floor, smoked meats, violet. The overall effect approaches incense, though nothing like the 1998, my favorite bottle of all time. The last glass at 1530 was the best, with the fruit now taking a clear step forward, the body starting to fan out nicely. This bottle proved too young still. Will reserve our second bottle for 5-10 years or will decant for a minimum of 12 hours. Exceptional chameleon!

9/1/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Opened and decanted for one hour prior to pairing with pizza. A slightly light orange-inflected ruby in the glass, the nose beckoning with cherry, damp leaves, leather, and suggestions of both rose petals and orange rinds. Tannin largely mitigated, this had very good acidity and intensity. Probably at peak now or just past, owing to a touch of oxidation. Was an unusual but very good pairing for the pizza.

9/2/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Opened to pair with French blintze with creme fraiche with smoked salmon and caviar. Served in Vinum XL Pinot Noir stems. A golden yellow in the glass with fine bubbles, the nose features Meyer lemon, biscuit, slate, and a suggestion of red berries. Very fresh for this bottle disgorged in 2015, with very good acidity, dryness, and complexity. This bottle was a perfect match for the pairings, and performed better than a bottle consumed several years ago. Excellent!

8/23/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Pours an opaque dark ruby in the glass with thinning edges but no bricking. PnP, and did this ever quickly develop in a stemless glass. Cherry, dark cherry, red alpine currant, definite forest floor, and tar on offer. Initially dull but within 10 minutes really exploded with air! Very good intensity when paired with Osso Buco, with good concentration and acidity. There might be some proverbial bottle variation, but this is our first one and it is really rocking with this pairing.

8/10/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Decanted 1 hour before pairing with grilled American Bison New York Strip Steaks. A dark garnet in the glass reaching out to thinning edges with some bricking shown when swirled. On the nose, a large amount of balsamic cassis, spiced plum, touch of brett, and forest floor. Very good intensity and concentration with a big spiced plum note through the mid-palate. Long finish, wrapping up a wonderful bottle. Solid 94.

8/6/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Toughened wax capsule, cork broke off at nearly its bottom. Had to push the remaining cork in the bottle and decant through a screen. Lots of sediment. Intially a tired garnet in the glass with brown tones and slight bricked edges, accompanied by a decent nose of black and red fruits, forest floor, pink pepper, and a touch of garrique. Subsequently left to decant for 5 hours and brought over to a neighbor's dinner event for pairing with smoked beef brisket. After 5 hours of decanting, the color was now reddish purple extending out to thinning edges, the very aromatic nose now featured blue and black fruits, peppery spice, a touch of oxidation, and alcohol. Very structured now, mild tannins, and a great match for smoked brisket. Was everyone's favorite on the night. Will not get any better as fruit is becoming quite poor, so best to soon consume.

7/19/2023 - wicozani wrote:

An odd bottle from a mixed auction lot. Is this still alive at 25 years? Decanted 45 minutes prior to pairing with spicy rigatoni marinara with marcenasco tomatoes. A muddled purple with brown highlights with bricked edges, the nose features plum, leather, tar, and mahogany. On the palate, unripe tart plum, along with aforementioned leather, tar, and mahogany. Very dry. Not nearly as good as the 3 20-year old CCRs we had two years ago (which were each scored in the mid-90s). A nice lesson in a Chianti Classico with multiple tertiary notes.

6/27/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Pours a purplish ruby out to the clearing edges with no bricking. The nice nose beckons with cassis, blueberry compote, and underbrush. Medium+-bodied with the best acidity of the previous three bottles. Paired nicely with Instant Pot tomatoey beef stew This is the best showing we've had yet.

6/18/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Decanted 1 hour before pairing with grilled steak kabobs. A dark ruby robe with a nose of cassis, dark cherry, red plum, tobacco and forest floor. Dense on the palate, more so than any other vintage of this wine we've had in the past. Surprising in a good way. Good acidity and a 30+ second finish. This was really rocking on this evening. Would happily acquire some more if available.

6/18/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Appears a dark rose in the shadows, but medium orange in bright sunlight. The nose beckons with dried apricot, dried cherry, and orange bitters. Very dry and savory on the palate, with dried apricot, a tempered lemon, dried cherry, and finishing with a savory, bitters-laced finish. Very unique and well-made wine. Went well with strongly flavored cheeses with truffle crisps and non-wheat wafer crackers.

5/23/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Opened straight out of the cellar. A medium+ purplish ruby, the open nose beckons with dark cherry and black licorice. On the palate, dark cherry, black plum, blackberry, licorice, and a touch of garrigue. Very open straight away, and also was quite good at or near cellar temperature. Many wines are shut down at cellar temps, but not this one. Our final bottle and the best one yet.

5/14/2023 - wicozani wrote:

Double decanted over three hours and consumed over two hours while playing cribbage. A near opaque purplish ruby in the glass with no bricking. The reticent nose features dark cherry, black plum, blueberry, soil, and a hint of nutmeg. Soft on the palate, the merlot and cabernet sauvigon dueling for supremacy, with the 4% cab franc contributing a bit of herbaceousness. Tannins nearly fully resolved, lacks a bit of acidity. Improved a bit in the glass. At the end i thought it was approaching the scent and flavor of a cherry cordial. Time to drink up, I reckon.

5/6/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

An opaque garnet in the glass, the initially reticent nose shows dark cherry, smoking barbeque, and earth. Cherry, red plum, smoky embers, and garrigue on the palate appear after a lot of swirling. I believe this to be shut down at the moment, but perhaps starting to emerge. First of four and will be interested to follow.

4/2/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

When first opened very dumb and simple with drying tannins on the finish. Subsequently decanted for 8 hours before pairing with breaded chicken breasts stuffed with chili relleno. Now an opaque dark ruby robe, with a very nice nose of Chinese 5-star spice accented blueberries, cherry, forest floor, and ethanol. Structured on the palate, tannins now supportive, the cherry is tart bing cherry. 30+ second finish. I believe this to be still too young, though agree that the fruit is growing poor. Dramatic evolution with the long decant is essential.

EDIT: This is a fantastic pairing with this dish; absolutely perfect. Would also pair nicely with pork cutlets/chops. Not a steak wine. Just has enough fruit to be memorable.

3/18/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Decanted for 90 minutes prior to pairing with grilled ribeye steaks. An inky garnet in the glass, the nose beckoned with blackberry liqueur, black currant, oak spices, and slate. Full-bodied with vigorous push through the mid-palate. Very attractive touch of oxidation on this with a tiny bit of dried fruit character. Long finish. Incredible showing for this 20-year old Aussie shiraz. One of the finest red wines we've had over the past 18 or so months. Our only bottle.

1/15/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Quickly double decanted before bringing over to a cribbage game. Pours a medium garnet-inflected ruby with slight bricking edges. Very gracious nose with sandalwood, incense, red and black currant, plum, and oak spices. Much more complex, interesting, and enjoyable than the 2011 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Montebello Vineyard poured alongside. Very good intensity and concentration. After about 45 minutes became a touch simpler but was still very tasty. Proverbial last bottle. Nothing to gain by further aging these.

1/9/2023 - wicozani wrote:

Opened an hour before pairing with seared and oven-finished extra thick bone-in pork chops simply seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper. A dark purple in the glass without bricking. Cassis, black cherry, dark plum, underbrush and oak spices on the nose. Surprisingly medium-bodied on the palate. Indeed, this did not stand up to the lightly seasoned pork chops. Perhaps should have been decanted but there were not noticeable tannins. Will pick a Bernard Magrez red next time with this dish.

1/7/2023 - wicozani wrote:

Last of a half case. Cork in good condition. Medium ruby in the glass with no bricking. Ballpoint ink, pencil lead, oak and a tiny sliver of black currant on the nose. Very fruit poor on the palate with just a tiny beam of black currant showing. Very dry. Some tannins remain. These ought to be consumed very soon.

1/1/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Quickly double decanted for sediment. A near opaque in the glass, the nose features ripe plum, cassis, tar, and leather. This is certainly still alive. Hints of dried fruits on the palate, including raisin and prune, with iron, citrus, and a suggestion of tomato leaf. Certainly past peak with tertiary notes, but this was certainly drinkable and paired with the slow-cooked rib roast quite well.

1/1/2023 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Acquired straight from the winery in 2009. Decanted five hours before pairing with slow-cooked New Year's Day bone-in rib roast. A near opaque garnet in the Riedel Vinum cabernet glass with very slight bricking at the edges. Boatoads of cassis on the nose, along with black currant/mulberry liqueur, toasty oak, vanilla and baking spices. Only modest supporting acidity initially. However, as dinner proceeded out to the hour mark more red fruits stepped forward and a noticeable streak of acidity emerged. Last glass was the best, so perhaps even more to come. Our only bottle.

12/13/2022 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Pours a dark ruby with clear edges but no bricking yet. Huge initial cedar nose along with candied cherry, raspberry, violet, tobacco, oak spices, and a touch of asparagus. With time the cedar receded. Tannins resolved with slate joining the party with good acidity. This has lasted for some time at this level, but would prioritize getting these consumed soon as it is becoming relatively fruit-poor. This lost out recently in both aromatics and fruit to a bottle of 2004 Château Prieuré-Lichine.

12/8/2022 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Lot 10.155. Pours a medium ruby with an orange-tinted meniscus. The nose features red and blue fruit, herbs, slate, and orange rind. Sneaky dry tannins to start, so was decanted about 90 minutes before pairing with pasta with a spicy meat sauce. Truth told, I expected this to be darn near magical, and it wasn't. Was outclassed by a Barolo the first time we had this. Is this still too young and relatively closed? Have newer single vineyard Cru bottles and not inclined to dip into them yet.

11/20/2022 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Pours a medium golden yellow in the glass. The nose flashed petrol, slate, and both green grape and melon on the nose. Ripe green grapes on the palate, along with lemon/mango sherbert, bouyed by minerality that offsets the sweetness. 8.5% abv. Our first and seems to be fully evolved.

10/13/2022 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Opened without decanting to pair with braised buffalo tri-tip roast with red wine sauce. An opaque purplish ruby in the glass, first Cinq Cepages we've had to be so dark as to be opaque. Tightly coiled on the nose. Definitely can appreciate the 10% Cabernet Franc, which supplies both herbal and spicy characteristics. The Merlot and Cabernet Sauvingon are struggling for supremacy. Very structured, a bit lean, this stikes us as still too young (or a long decant next time). Lots of potential we think.

10/12/2022 - wicozani Likes this wine:

Wow! A mediium golden yellow in the glass without bricking. The nose features candied lemon, touch of biscuit, and white flowers. Bright candied lemon on the palate, slate, medium body, with still good acidity. This was an excellent pairing for pecan-crusted baked flounder fillets.