5/1/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Confusingly; this tasted more like old-vine Zinfandel. The winemaking style is very old-world; it's from 100% Grenache (100 year old vines) and it has plenty of spice and burnt shrubbery, but it only expresses it's sweet fruit and unique old-vine Grenache distinction immediately upon opening. Decanted for 3 hours and within an hour, it converts into the old-vine Zinfandel; somewhat sappy, heavy bramble and pepper spice.

5/1/2024 - Sanlucar wrote:

Once upon a time, this was a very nice wine with lots of fruit & earthiness. But now, it's like an old worn-out shoe, and there's nothing but dried leather and funk.

4/29/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Great mountain fruit (perfectly sweet & ripe) in this old style Napa Cab. Solid cork and minimal sediment; soft yet firm tannin on the mild and dusty finnish; cassis berries, minerals, well-aged tobacco and cedar. It's beginning to lighten and is now showing its age; I'd drink it sooner rather than later, unless in large format.

4/26/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

A very quirky wine that can stand up to anything. But upon opening, it smelled strange and we were concerned about cork taint or some other contaminant, but the odd nose quickly blew away and we were left with a deeply delicious, perfectly balanced and incredible rosé. Comparisons were made to Domaine Tempier and other Bandol producers but this is in a category of its own. Very fruity. Herbal tea notes with cinnamon, cardamom and allspice. Fun to drink something so quirky.

4/25/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Very good and hearty, but this old-world Bordeaux is missing much of the mid-palate and lacking some finesse. Black olives, burnt coffee, rosemarrie, charred oak and strawberry compote. Needs a full day of decanting, or consume a small amount and drink the remainder over the next several days. Probably at peak maturity right now; all should be consumed within the next 3 - 5 years.

4/23/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

According to the producers "the average vine age is between 120 to 140 years, with many pre-phylloxera & own-rooted vineyard sites". It has very fine grained tannin and it's a bit chalky, but overall hearty and abundantly pleasant. Baked plums, black and red berries with leather and spices. Needs a few hours of decanting, and the best food pairing is duck confit. Rustic and a very old-world style which I really enjoy. This wine will probably last another 5 - 6 years if stored properly.

4/20/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Massive fruit bomb, very jammy, with rugged tannin and high alcohol (15.7%). It's just been released; time will soften and round out the sharp edges. Difficult to consume on day 1, so I drank most of it on day 2 (very wise move). Rated 92 points because of the super intense flavors of Mourvedre (40%) (wild herbs, violets, sage, lavender and roasted thyme) and the balance of Syrah (31%) and Grenache (29%). Oak & smoke are evident but under control and not excessive; solid wine.

4/20/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Big red blend of mostly Tempranillo; with Cab Sauv, Syrah and a touch of Merlot. At 11 years old it's at the end of its life. Rustic but slightly acidic. Mostly leather and tobacco with minor fruit in the background.

4/16/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Impressive structure with minor sediment, it's made in an unfiltered / classic style, but the alcohol (15% +) is racing past the fruit and it will probably overwhelm the whole show in a few years; although there is still enough dark spices, black pepper, saddle leather, tannin & oak to override the problem. It benefits from a short decant (2-3 hours). It's a very enjoyable and exuberant CdP and well worth the cost.

4/14/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Extravagant bouquet of bread yeasts, lemon blossoms and perfectly ripe Chardonnay grapes. Delicious flavors of crusty sourdough with a very lengthy aftertaste of ocean water / salinity. Thick mousse with moderately persistent bubbles and a surprisingly long tannic grip. A fantastic bargain; I must buy this again! It's honestly one of the best Champagnes I've ever had.

4/4/2024 - Sanlucar wrote:

Well balanced with minor components of spices & herbs and with good fruit flavors; and the 15% abv is well concealed. This is a non-vintage blend of 3 vintages; and it can be considered a success regarding the art of blending but it's much thinner than we expected and rather light for a serious CdP. Once again, highly over-rated by the established "wine critics".

4/3/2024 - Sanlucar wrote:

Acids are high but so is the dark herbal quality; which makes this moderately enjoyable for the dedicated Cab Franc lover but austere for the average wine drinker. Needs wild game, charred rib-eye steak, duck confit, or other high fat protein. At this price, it's a good value.

4/2/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Beguiling. This classic old Pomerol is fully developed and quickly fading away. It's currently loaded with secondary aromas of resinous cedar and slightly spicy character. It's heavy with Merlot flavors of ripe plums & black figs, muddy terroir, cherry blossom, and forceful sandalwood, cloves and some essential oil compounds similar to frankincense. There is no time left in this wine; uncork all bottles soonest and drink within 3 hours; it does not last long after opening.

4/1/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Made from Macabeo (Viura) grapes; which is one of the grapes used to make Cava. It's nutty, slightly honeyed, very dry, and tastes more like an old Fino Sherry. Slightly acidic with a bite of alcohol. Color is golden straw hay. At 7 years old, this white wine is a few years past prime and should probably be avoided, but I'd buy it in a more youthful version.

3/30/2024 - Sanlucar wrote:

Cherry juice, dark-roasted black coffee, cedar, spices, and oak. Acid seems a bit high; not as good as I had hoped. If you have this wine, drink it now.

3/30/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Not as good as other vintages, this is muddy with slightly high acid levels and mostly Merlot flavors.

3/28/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Tastes of earth, loads of cherries, and spices aged in some well-worn leather saddle bags. Very classic, authentic, and well done Sangiovese; this may last another 4 - 5 years. Excellent value.

3/25/2024 - Sanlucar wrote:

Flavors are austere; minor hints of citrus and flowers but mostly innocuous, bland and very dry. Initially expressed a juicy personality but quickly faded into nothingness which worsened on the second day. Stainless steel finish.

3/24/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Blood orange rind, strawberries and cranberries. Very juicy and delicious.

3/23/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Dense, concentrated, deep and dark. It's profile is more Bordeaux-style rather than the typical Napa Cab. A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and the rest Malbec and Petit Verdot; it's dominated by Cabernet Franc flavors of herbaceous tobacco with blackberry and black currant. Still a huge wine but the tannins remain under control. Tremendous finish (30 - 45 sec), this is a 30-year wine. It's in a great place right now but will last for several more years.

3/21/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

From several bottles of 375 ml, and they all had a very slight cork taint which never fully resolved but was not so strong as to ruin the experience. Earthiness was in abundance along with bunches of fully mature tobacco leafs and aged cedar. Being a cigar smoker, I enjoyed that flavor profile, but others didn't care for the heavy tertiary flavors. Perhaps this wine is better in a larger format, but if you have the 375s, drink up now.

3/17/2024 - Sanlucar wrote:

Lacking ripeness and a bit acidic; flavors of red raspberries and American oak. Difficult to pair with any foods; tannin was a little aggressive. Average but under performing in general.

3/16/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Massive fruit bomb, which was exactly as expected, but it didn't hold up very well on the next day. Completely lost its punch as well as its large flavor profile, and the concentration turned flabby and almost sweet.

3/15/2024 - Sanlucar wrote:

The 88 point score is nowhere near the expectation I had for this wine and its very sad to write about. I let the wine open for hours and it made no difference at all. Very dark and fruity but not much else; just dense and mediocre with flavors of old smokey barrels, and the 94 point score from Robert Parker is absolute BULL$$&@#!!!

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

Woefully inadequate; especially given the region and the vintage. At best, this could be described as ordinary with traditional / modest flavors of the region. It's dark but tastes a little green with a short finish and it does not improve at all with several hours of air. Big waste of time & money.

3/13/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Possessing much less complexity than their lower level bottles; the 2007 Cuvee de mon Aieul is very fruity, one dimensional, and wildly overpriced. Very dark and reduced; it's a bit smokey with a lightly spiced finished. Alcoholic mid-palate (15%) quickly dries out and leaves a heavy note of oak and somewhat green tobacco. This seems to be a case of over-manipulation and heavy-handed winemaking; if they would have done less, it might have ended with a better result.

3/12/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Fading fast so I suggest drinking asap. Fruit is reducing down to syrup but it retains some of its Paso Robles charms like black pepper and red licorice.

3/10/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

This is a bit past prime but still a positive experience; especially if you like raspberry & blueberry reduction with smokey nuances. Ripe black fruits, violets, blackening spices and very concentrated. Paired very well with lamb & Gorgonzola meatballs, peach & sage chutney over pumpernickel toast. I drank the rest with a Nicaraguan cigar.

3/9/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Sadly, not as glorious as I expected but still a very nice tasting experience for a classic old BDX with a dark red, bloody color and flavors of graphite pencils, young cassis berries, black cherry and wet cedar. I guessed that my bottle wasn't going to benefit from a long decant, so consumed over a span of 4 hours. Very little aromatics which improved slightly over the evening. The finish was 20 - 30 seconds and mildly tannic. I suggest you drink it now.

3/4/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Decent quality and value for a mass-market Champagne ($30). Slightly tart with somewhat under-ripe strawberries and fresh cut grass.

3/3/2024 - Sanlucar wrote:

Color of red roses and MacIntosh apples. It was much thinner / lighter than anticipated yet also tannic on the finish. Fruit was as expected with strawberries and cranberries, plus leather and spice (from the middle to the back end). Alcohol was moderately aggressive on the nose and palate. It's from 5 different vineyards but it was lacking any sense of terroir, and it's from a great vintage (2019) but it probably has very little staying power; drink now or within 5 years.

2/27/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Tons of Oak followed by vanilla, cedar, and leather. On the finish there is cherry, tobacco leaf and black tea. It's good but a bit thin; it's a light weight body with medium tannin. This seemed like a feminine version of what Vina Ardanza Reserva used to be (in the 1990's).

2/26/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Tastes of fig & prune balsamic with cherry liqueur, dried strawberries, toasted walnuts, pine nuts, and dark roasted Italian coffee beans. Very nice herbs & spices of thyme, rosemary, black pepper and an assortment of others. It is bone-dry and the alcohol is highly evident.
Over rated by the so-called "wine critics" and definitely not worth the current market valuations of $250 per bottle; however, this is a very well made and hearty CdP.
Food pairing: Garlic and blood-rare beef are the saving graces for this wine, along with strong / balanced flavors like Saint Agur Blue Cheese with candied apricots & strawberry preserves are of substantial benefit.

2/25/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

The word "Potpourri" would best describe this wine. It's a bit fruity and heavy on violets with a background of wild herbs, dried flowers, spices, cranberries and orange peels. A good winter wine; it shows mild oak, cocoa powder, dusty tannin, and a very dry finish. Would probably be an excellent match with stewed rabbit, plus baked apples with cinnamon and coriander. This wine has mass-market appeal.

2/24/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Yellow apples, pineapples, a bit creamy, and slightly oaky. Color of golden raisins with a slight green tint, and 14% abv. I struggle to appreciate this wine because its so illusive. There's a nice sense of terroir (dusty, limestone chalkiness) but it's always a little under ripe with notes of orange rind and slightly green stems.

2/24/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Delicious and bursting with old-vine intensity; black licorice, roasted herbs & spices, and plenty of earthiness. Consumed over many hours and it never slowed down. I'm guessing it has considerably more time for enjoyment; perhaps 5 more years.

2/21/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Initially very fruit-forward and a bit sweet; then the wine became graceful & powerful. Loads of black fruit and crushed blueberries with cloves and cinnamon. Deep black cherry color with smokey notes of burnt wildflowers and garigue. Long finish of warm dark chocolate mixed with mild spices.

2/20/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

On the light side of fruit but has a solid core of Chardonnay and well balanced acidity. The label reads "fût de chêne" which means Oak Barrel but there is only the mildest perception of oak. Excellent pairing to oysters, fresh tuna, feta cheese, and anything with a garlic / white sauce. Elegant and refined; this old-vine white Burgundy is a fantastic value at $28. Drink now and within the next 3 years.

2/19/2024 - Sanlucar wrote:

Subtle... very, very subtle. It seemed weak on the nose and bland on the palate (moderately lemony) but the finish held a nice balance of acidity and a light mineral note. I wouldn't pair this with any dish of significant flavors because it would easily overpower this delicate white wine. Dover sole & cream sauce is probably preferred.

2/19/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Very rich and somewhat complex port with dark fruits and spices, but surprised that it started to fade significantly after 2 days open.

2/16/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

A classic Chateau Monbousquet; 60% Merlot, 30% Cab Franc and 10% Cab Sauv. Perfect ripeness of fruit; very juicy and balanced from start to finish, and the Cab Franc is really dominant. Cherries, black raspberries, wild flowers with layers of herbs and spices. Minty and smokey, but very subtle. Fourteen years old but it has many years of life left in the bottle. Such a great wine!

2/13/2024 - Sanlucar wrote:

Unfortunately my bottle had a mild cork taint problem and I hoped it could resolve itself with a few hours of decanting but that proved futile. Still, the undercurrents were strong and deep; persistent leather, cedar and licorice but the fruit was mostly gone. Past prime with heavy tertiary flavors.

2/12/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Bloody, rare beef and plenty of iron and minerals; along with cranberries, leather and mild Mediterranean spices. Tasted over 2 days; it's a great "old-world-style" Sangiovese and an excellent value.

2/4/2024 - Sanlucar Does not like this wine:

Lacking bouquet, flavor, and depth. Tastes like bulk wine.

2/3/2024 - Sanlucar wrote:

Huge fruit bomb and noticeably sweet. Flavors of pineapple, lemon cake and grapefruit but almost no minerality. Flowery scents are very strong with a mild vanilla background. I get the feeling this could have been something great, but someone chose to make a fruit bomb instead. Not terrible, just not my style of wine.

2/2/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Made of deep, dark, teeth-staining stuff. Limited bouquet but saturated palate and very herbaceous. Predominantly Merlot (85%) but the Cabernet Franc (15%) really takes center stage and dominates the entire profile from beginning to end. Cassis, blackcurrants, red & black berries, mild oak, garigue and firm tannins. This wine will live for another 10 - 15 years if properly stored. Excellent value!

1/30/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Excellent Napa Cabernet FRANC with big fruit, Mediterranean herbs & spices with a lot of tar in the background. Black pepper and mild tannin on the lengthy finish. Great value for around $75.

1/30/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Beautiful red & black fruit mingling with leather and spicy oak. Perfectly aged and such a well integrated wine; fruit, oak, acid, alcohol; all in perfect balance. This wine is completely new to me and it has made a tremendous first impression.

1/28/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Very bold with herbal aromas and spicy flavors like black pepper with a tangy blood orange or balsamic reduction. Molasses, coffee and raw cocoa are also present. Finish is long and has excellent tannic grip. Tight upon opening; needs at least 2 - 3 hours of decanting. Non-filtered... Yay!

1/28/2024 - Sanlucar Likes this wine:

Just a touch of sweetness and somewhat rich style but overall well balanced. Flavors of pears, white peach and very mild oak.