8/16/2015 - sdatl Likes this wine:

"Bordeaux" blend from Provence, which may explain the interesting and enjoyable mix of currant, plum, sweet tobacco, red fruit, and herb/rosemary flavors in this full-bodied wine with very smooth and soft tannins. Imagine Claret meets Gigondas. Excellent value at ~$14.

7/26/2015 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Needs a bit of air after opening, but as it unfolds, the wine has rich fruit, slick tannins, and the classic combination of cherry, tar, and a hint of leather that I expect from tempranillo. Not as full-bodied as some and with the restraint and acidity of a food wine, but once it opens up, it's a very enjoyable drink.

6/27/2015 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Classic style with cherry and tar notes and a medium body. Great QPR!

9/7/2014 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Just the hint of aging setting in, but elegant, still full of fruit, and very aromatic. It all just comes together. I'd drink now or soon.

5/17/2014 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Big, dark, brooding, and very young. The tannins need time to soften to allow the rich berries to come through. I'd wait a year and try it again. It has a lot potential, but needs to calm down. This is a good wine and is one of my go-to's when I want big flavor.

5/17/2014 - sdatl Likes this wine:

A darker, richer style than many DCV Zins, but complex in its full-bodied structure. I probably drank this too young, so I can imagine it smoothing out being even better with some age or decanting. A very good wine now, though.

5/17/2014 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Pale gold green and light bodied. Very dry, minerally, and full of stone fruit flavors. Great with shellfish or well-aged sheeps milk cheeses.

5/17/2014 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Definitely a rich style, and with grapes like old vine Zin and Petite Sirah, this is not a wine for the meek. Enjoy with rich, rustic food and let it have some air for the flavors to integrate. A great wine with a classically American flavor. A bit of history in a bottle.

12/8/2013 - sdatl Likes this wine:

My first taste of the much-praised 2012 California Pinots. The wine is richer and fuller-bodied than the 2011 (which I enjoyed as well for its crisp red fruit), but it retains that fresh, red fruit taste that makes it so attractive with food. The hints of oak could still integrate a bit more and in 6 months or so this could be even better. An excellent QPR and a surprisingly ageable Pinot for Peay's second label.

12/8/2013 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Rich, yet light on its feet and crisp. Pale straw color with just a hint of gold beginning to emerge, soft floral nose, and a medium body. Complex and mellowed flavors of apple, peach, honey, and baking spice all commingled beautifully. Ready now, but for those of you who like more mature flavors, it has plenty of time left.

11/16/2013 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Always a reliably refined, elegant, and structured Zin with bright and dark berry flavors that blend well with the touch of oak and tannin. Delicious.

10/5/2013 - sdatl Likes this wine:

A clean yet moderately complex CdRV with a nice raspberry-cherry base, a hint of rosemary, and a silky texture. Delicious with a casual meal.

3/31/2013 - sdatl Does not like this wine:

Tastes like olives, tomato juice, and bacon... completely fallen apart.

9/30/2012 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Very elegant and subtle with a light mouthfeel and still-youthful tannins. Enjoyable after 30 minutes open with a delicate chicken dish.

6/24/2012 - sdatl wrote:

Elegant, dry, yet full of Zin berries and pepper. A real treat! Ready now.

11/29/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Better than I expected. Fruit forward, but with clean dark fruit flavors, enough structure to keep it clean an interesting, and some nice bitter subnotes. Good value.

11/28/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Light, but dark colored and flavored. Dark fruit with a slight bitter edge, but a very refreshing lighter take on red wine. Drink now.

10/30/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Yes, it's young, but if you are a fan of the fruit and the bite of young, but smooth tannins, open now and enjoy the rich fruit, bacon, olive, and herbal notes. mmmm.

10/30/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Well-made, classicly styled Alexander Valley in with a nice bitter edge at the finish.

10/30/2011 - sdatl wrote:

Great wine, but I let it age too long... drink up now, folks, this one is fading.

10/16/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Drinking really well right now, with an impressive balance of earthy, forest flavors and bright red fruit, all seamlessly connected by silky tannins. Wonderful!

9/9/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Opened on a bit of an impulse and filtered through a tea strainer (not glamorous, but it worked) an enjoyed with friends on a cool summer evening. Crisp with sweet fig and pecan flavors and a rich undercurrent of dark fruit. Rich, decadent, yet all in balance.

8/28/2011 - sdatl wrote:

Classic cdr with red fruit and earth. Perfect with comfort food.

8/13/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Really coming into its own, yet still young and tight upon opening; rich fruit and dark earth flavors with the spiciness from the whole clusters combined with a long finish and a savory edge, make this a classic Alesia. Ready now, but give it 30 min in the decanter or in the glass to really open up.

8/9/2011 - sdatl wrote:

Amazing blend of rich fruit and tons of baking spice. One of the best I've tasted this year.

8/7/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Classic CdR funky nose, silky texture, and juicy fruit with a backbone of herbs and earth. Chill it a bit and be transported to a French bistro. Ready to drink now.

6/27/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Bright somewhat translucent garnet color; earthy and floral nose with hints of red berries; a wonderfully light, but complex and aromatic wine that has structure and funkiness from the Nero d'Avola and wonderful aromas and crispness from the Frappato. Nice acidity makes it a great summer red, but this is no lightweight quaffer... well worth the search to find.

5/22/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Dark garnet color, medium body, aromas of ripe black fruit and berries with a hint of vanilla; classic Unti Zin -- restrained and structured (as far as Zins go) with sark berry fruit, crackling pepper, and a slight bitterness on the finish. Delicious with food.

4/23/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Ripe, but juicy and full of round acidity; powerful notes of grilled pineapple and a hint of coconut, all wrapped in a full bodied, yet crisp package. Distinctive and delicious!

3/20/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Rich, dark fruit, firm, but not overpowering tannins; unmistakably Spanish and surprising complex and interesting given its story. Ready now.

3/18/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Beautifully youthful now, with a big nose of cherry, earth, and spice; fuller-bodied mouthfeel; rich red cherry, spice, and sweet earth flavors all in a very elegant balance... great as a standalone wine on the deck during a warm spring Atlanta evening.

3/16/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Bright golden yellow color, medium body, incredible aromatics of lemon, vanilla, and a hint of baked apple. Rich mouthfeel, but balanced by fresh acidity and just enough oak-driven vanilla to soften the lemon flavor and create a wonderful lemon curd. This wine nailed it.

3/16/2011 - sdatl Does not like this wine:

Two words: OAK BOMB. The oak overwhelmed the fruit to the point where it had a bitter aftertaste. Perhaps this needed time to better integrate, but I guess I expect a 2007 to be enjoyable, if not at peak.

3/16/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Light green-gold color, chalky and citrusy aromas; with a bit of age, the semillon is more apparent, with wax bean tastes and texture combining with the acidity and herbal flavors from the sauvignon blanc. Well-balanced and drinkable now and may have another year or so before teh crispness begins to fade.

3/9/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Nice dark Pinot profile, with a medium body, a spice backdrop, and a clean finish. Good balance of fruit, earth, spice, and tannins. Great QPR!

3/6/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

This is undoubtedly a will-made wine, but it is a LOUD wine... everything is at full-volume, and while it maintains a balance, it can be a lot to take. I would suggest this as an after dinner drinker as opposed to a food wine; Still young and requires some air to coax out the fruit from behind the tannin

3/6/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

A nice balance of the firm, savory Cab Franc flavors with the unmistakable fruitcake of Merlot. Very good wine, but perhaps lacking a "sizzle" that makes it outstanding. Ready now.

2/16/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Had to try one, so we popped and poured. Dusty, cigar-like aromas, medium body; very old-school style with firm and dusty tannins, bright redcurrant flavors, and a tobacco-tinged finish; definitely can rest for a while to calm down and open up, but would be fine with food now.

2/13/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

This wine is like a Liszt symphony on full-volume -- loud, bold, flashy, yet beautifully crafted in is bombast. Inky violet color with a full, almost thick body, rich dar fruit aromas, and a powerful berry and bacon taste with enough acidity and tannin to keep it from becoming syrupy. Ready now and seems pretty fully "relaxed." Probably best as a standalone wine as opposed to a food wine, but since we had it after dinner in the cool air, it fit beautifully.

2/13/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Dark ruby and violet colors, medium body in the glass; clean currant and cedar aromas; incredible balance of fruit, herbs, a touch of oak, and a pleasant tannic bite that keeps a structure in place. Delicious! Ready now, but can also wait for a few years or use a decant if you prefer a softer "attack."

2/6/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

A medium-bodied, crisp, but full-flavored wine that matches Pinot-like cherry, with an acidic and earthy structure that balances perfectly. What a find!

2/6/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Big, ripe, luxurious, enjoyable, but not the incredible balancing act of some other Pinots; Very well-made, with complex dark fruit and rich, almost molasses overtones; Ready now, drink and feel all fat and happy...

2/6/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Opened 30 min before drinking. Translucent, yet slightly haze brilliant garnet with a wonderful aroma of cherry, spice, and sassafrass; this wine is mindblowingly-good, clean, and complex... everyone at the table commented along the lines of "there's a lot going on here!" At the same time, the finish was clean and crisp and it balanced the food instead of overwhelming it. WOTN. Ready now for we young wine lovers but I am sure there is more time to go.

2/6/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

This wine is drinking very well now, with only a few swirls in the glass needed to open up its cherry, baking spice, and earthy flavors and incredible floral aromas. Not the ripest style and most likely not a good call for the dark-fruit and cola lovers, but an excellent balancing act.

2/6/2011 - sdatl wrote:

Double decanted an left open for about 90 min before drinking; beautiful crystalline ruby color, very little nose beyond some dustiness; a very earthy, light, and almost-fruitless wine. The acidity was very bright and the forest floor flavors were appealing, but call me one of those heathens who likes a bit of cherry and spice in a Pinot.

1/31/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

A restrained style of Grenache that balances bright raspberry and herbs with an earthy backbone that keeps it clean and dry

1/31/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

A medium bodied, fragrant and earthy wine that shouts "Old School Italian" and goes very well with a wide range of food. After about an hour, the fruitiness opens up a bit and the earthy backbone is balanced by sweet cherry fruit and sweet herbs and a very clean finish. Excellent with Italian food and a nice change of pace

1/29/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Probably my favorite Turley; rich, dark purple color, with a rich texture, aromas of blackberries, pepper, and a hint of vanilla; rich, spicy, comforting, and very easy to drink... a lot going on, but such a pleasure as well

1/26/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

A fairly basic "port" with berries, this has classic sweet Zinfandel dark berries, but with that alcoholic "punch" that is distinctive to fortified port-style wines. Not bad for a twist on a classic.

1/26/2011 - sdatl Likes this wine:

Still young and rather "tough," with firm (for a Pinot) tannins and not a lot of fruit; wonderful aromas and an excellent match with food; drink this now with a meal or possibly wait to see if it softens, but there is a risk that this will fade more than "open up"