15% ABV was front and first initially but disappeared into tobacco, leather and white blueberry with about an hour of air. Silky tannins and a smooth finish. Very nice. One more bottle to try next year.
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Maybe the secret to these wines are to just kinda let 'em sit for a while. I don't remember being as enamored with this wine back when I first tasted it than I was tonight (although I did rate it an 89 back in 2013). Served PNP tonight. This one is definitely PNP ready. Has a nice bouquet of truffle and blacberry on the nose with some floral notes. Really quite a enjoyable nose. The entry of this wine is still thick and dense. Lots of blackberry and some forest, black licorice as it segwayed to a darker middle that was more truffle. Finish was actually quite lighter than the middle, but shows a bramble and some secondary notes as time passed. The entire bottle was consumed in an hour as both my wife and I loved the wine. Three hours later, the remaining 5ml in each glass showed an almost "bleu cheese" kind of note (?) -- it is a medicinal yet herbaceously funky note and somewhat sharp, but then settles to a medicinal raspberry..... Either way, this wine served its purpose, although if I had any more of this one I'd probably start drinking them,.... because this one is almost done.
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Our last bottle of what was a very memorable wine for both its QPR and the fun we had talking about the wine as "what the F?" Still drinking well, but clearly on a downhill slide. A notch down from our last tasting, but still has a nice combination of herbs, black fruits and an undercurrent of minerals. Satisfying on all levels for less than an Andrew Jackson. Will need to seek out a more current offering. (����= Worth Seeking Out)
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hot for two days straight lacks body in the nose is nearly muted palate coats a little but the alcohol just covers everything...not feeling it ive been avoiding phinney wines for this reason.. his style doesnt always work for me this wine is why I put off buying these locations blend will give the I and the E a shot next maybe the AR . Seems grenache doesnt fair well.with the wine makers style here.... gave it a chance hoping maybe it would come through but it failed miserably
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Six months since the last bottle and I think the flavors have come together more. On the nose, dark fruit with a hint of maple cured bacon. Let it breathe for just for just a bit and you'll be reward with smooth berry flavors, oak and soft tannins. This has evolved into a really nice wine and an excellent value for the price. The only negative is it's noticeable alcohol content on the nose, but that tends to be almost a Swift trademark. Very enjoyable and my favorite of the Locations wines.
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This is such an interesting wine, everytime I've tried it I get a different impression. This time, really big fruit, rich, luscious, would never guess it to be a French Rhone,-- probably a lot of Grenache. Although it is far from my favorite wine, the QPR is great.
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A very nice value French blend. Very enjoyable to drink now and likely to age nicely for a few years. I've added it to my rotation of everyday drinking wines.
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Very smooth drinking with this one, slightly spicy, not a lot of carry afterwards, light to medium finish but a pleasant experience nonetheless, decanted for about two hours, opened it up a little bit, not hot at all. Overall a nice pour at this price point
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Flavor profile like a muted GSM (probably due to little or no Mourvèdre in the blend). Fruit top notes with weighty mouthfeel that is a little too soft and safe on the finish. Not great complexity or length but nothing to offend here. Pretty safe blend. Paired well with a lamb burger.
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I let it decant for 50 mins. Remembered it being better and fuller before. Maybe its towards the end of its life. Bland finish, but good fruits and mineral on the palate. Finish just dropped off. Wine was a tad hot on the nose.
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not as impressed as I was the first time, but still a great QPR and nice smooth Bordeaux blend. Dave Phinney of Napa zin fame is the winemaker. When I open a bottle of wine for myself I usually just stick the cork back in and drink the remainder the next day. 95% of the time it is better the second day, not with this wine. It losses something and I would recommend finishing the bottle after opening. Did not need to be decanted.
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Wow, this is such an outstanding QPR that I had to go buy a case. This is a French blend without the bret, barnyard, earthy flavors that I get with so many French wines. Long, spicy , really enjoyable. Dave Finney has hit a homerun,
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Wonderful! Love all the Orin Swift wines - so far the Locations are just as exciting! Rich smooth wine - I think will only improve from a few years of cellaring. Had with steak and potatoes - and ice cream - very nice match.
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Dark color. Fruit forward nose where the Grenache character comes to forefront. Smooth, balanced, easy drinking, lacking in complexity, but good value. Had at Green Dirt Farm in Weston, MO. Paired nicely with lamb dish.
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Fruity, jammy mess, in a good way. Blackberry, plum, and dark fruit. Totally new world. Maybe needs a little time. I really like it, but not sure how to grade it.
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Loved, loved, loved this wine. Dark ruby in the glass. Nose of currant, raisin, blackberry, plum, and mushroom, and maybe just a hint of chocolate. Very well-balanced and pleasant/easy to drink with or without food. Dry with just the right amount of tannin. Would definitely buy this again, by the case!
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Very dark purple colored with a nose of violets and dark fruit. The wine has flavors of cherry, boysenberries, and ripe plums. There is also a notable peppery taste as well. This blend is fairly complex and very fruit forward. It is medium bodied, dry, and has a nice tannic ending. Well worth the $18 price and a fine every night drinker.
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Wins the QPR derby hands down. Huge hit around the table as we celebrated Father's Day Eve with H&M (and The Kens!) and W&S on the patio with some tri-tip, grilled garlic bread and green salad. All the previous notes from 6/7 hold. Hedonistic, yet not over the top in that it matches heavy foods very well. A perfect foil for grilled beef. What a find!
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David Phinney does it again -- with French grapes. An under-$20 offering that rocks it. Subdued nose that has notes of fig, cedar and balsam. It's all fruit and herbs on the palate with seasoned plums, balsamic fig, liquified blackberries, rosemary and wild sage. Very refreshing, given its weight. Unfolds in the glass to develop a bit more complexity and weight. Finish comes up a bit short, as others have noted. But it's still a great experience as we dined at Il Fornaio, Carmel, with Oscar as our waiter. Serve slightly chilled. A wine to buy by the case; in fact, we bought up the rest (5 bottles) that Nielsen's Market in Carmel (thanks, Patrick!) had in stock.
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Dark purple color. Nose of cherry, plum, and Coca Cola. Not as fruit forward as other Phinney wines, and maybe a little muddy. I agree with others that the taste of the Syrah was very prominent (at least right after decorking). There was definitely a peppery spice to it. I tasted this wine after pouring from the bottle without decanting. Probably a good value at it's price point, but it is definitely not D66.
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The wine looks Rosy colored. The legs are Fast. It smells like and Rose. It tastes like Fig, and Toast. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Satin-like texture. The wine finishes Short.
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Initially this seemed very flat and thin. As it opened up, it improved. There was some strawberry and cherry, and decent structure. However, I would not buy again.
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Day 2 is far better than day 1. The tannins really need to settle in order for the complexity of the wine to show. Good CDR dark fruit flavors. Not bad for a weekday wine.
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Medium dark garnet red. Aromas of white raisens and cola. The first impression upon tasting the wine is a flood moderately smooth tannins that disapate to reveal a short splash of dark red fruit. The finish is short. Typically, Orin Swift wines have pretty bold flavor profiles. This wine does not display that character.
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Since it is a new offering, we were first offered a taste from a bottle that had been open about 90 minutes and being used to serve orders by the glass. In this taste, the distinctive Grenache feel and spice gave the wine a soft texture, leaning more toward raspberry and cherry. Based on the initial impression, we decided to order a bottle.
In an interesting twist, the freshly opened bottle showed much more of the Syrah complexity with more current, blackberry and plum showing through. The bottle had a wonderful peppery spice with moderate tannins that didn’t overwhelm the fruit. The style agreed with diverse food choices at the table and was an incredible value given the quality.
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I had this with a cheese plate on 3/14/13. It was poured through a vinturi into a decanter and allowed to sit for 2 hours before tasting. It had a powerful, ripe bouquet of black cherry, plum, cola, tarragon, spice and balsamic aromas. The palate was rich, ripe extracted and hot with flavors of black cherry, plum, cola, herb and spice. 88+
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Very underwhelming, despite 4+ hours of air time. I was expecting big, fruit-forward and hot, and all I got was a one-dimensional wine that never quite came out of its shell. I'll chalk it up to a possible bad bottle; given Phinney's reputation, I'll probably give this or one of the other 'locations' another look in the future.
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This reminds me of a poor man's (but still delicious) D66. Ginormous fruit forward wine. Aromas of dark fruit and spice leads to flavors of blackberry and currant. This wine is a steal at this price.
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Fruit bomb. Well made but very simple. Good balance and mouthfeel with nice acidity. Some tannins here but nothing substantial. No reason to wait more than a couple years for this.
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Big fruit-forward wine; not a typical French blend but then that's why you buy a Dave Phinney wine. Big jam on first taste then softens out; think this wine needs to be decanted and probably laid down for a bit. Too young.
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Sunday Afternoon Languedoc (SF Wine Trading Company): Medium color, tawny rim. Very fruity aromatics with candied cherry. Silky if somewhat liqueur-like entry, chocolatey finish. Very ripe, a tad of brett, full sweet feel with just a hint of herbs on the finish. Leaves a simple impression, but not bad and lots of stuffing. This will be your wine if you are seeking California in the Languedoc.
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Barely translucent dark purple with no color change to the rim; nose is perfumy with violets, wild dark berries, compote, and an alcoholic cordial note; palate starts creamy then the acid bounces around (I am positive this was acidified) and the finish is disjointed and bitter.
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Needed some time to open up, but displays a nice structure. Holding this wine back is any true identifiable grape, place, etc. delicious bottle, just lacks a true sense of place. Did not get a sense of "France", let alone California, South Africa or the finger lakes. Nice structure. Tons of potential for aging...a solid anywhere wine. Contrary to the title of the bottle.
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I think I liked this wine the most from today. It definitely needed 45 minutes of air before enjoying because it was a bit bitter and acidic if approached before then. You can tell that there are grapes from Catalanes in here, but that's not the only thing in this one. Medium bodied, but headed quite quickly to full bodied. The wine had a floral yet earthy note on the nose, semi-sweet chocolate, earth. The palate was consistent with black cherry, a hint of plum, earth that started early and finished the wine (but wasn't obnoxious) and even a black licorice towards the finish that kind of spiced up the rear. Noticeable tannin with some soft oak notes were percolating in, moreso as the wine sat. I'm really not sure that this wine is ready to be consumed yet. Thankfully this was a sample from a bottle opened by a friend - mine is still in the cellar and will sit for a while. I rate it 89 now, but this has 93-94 potential. You CAN enjoy this one now, but I'd double decant and let sit for 30 minutes. I truly think this one won't be showing its true colors until 2014-2015. Done by 2017.
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Was hoping this would be more identifiable as a Rhone blend. As others have mentioned, I would not guess that this was French if served blind. Nonetheless, this wine is a crowd pleaser- medium-bodied with plum, red licorice and vanilla on the nose and palate. Lacking depth and terroir but showing good structure. Although it's not what I look for in a Grenache blend, I can't deny that it is quite delicious.
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Outstanding. I like this better than Location E but both drink so good so soon. Alot of fruit after sitting for 45 min to an hour. Loved it. Another great wine from Dave Phinney.
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EYE: Dark ruby, crystal clear when viewed though light NOSE: dark fruit - blueberry up front, ripe plum behind, with a vanilla backnote. PALATE: same dark fruits from nose carry through from nose, tannins set in pretty hard after a few seconds, indicating this could lay down for a few (3?) years more. Nice QPR at the $15-16 that we paid for this. May pick up a few more to cellar for a bit.
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Bottle I had was actually NV. Grenache/Syrah, small amounts of Cab Franc/Merlot/Petite Verdot. Big flavor profile. Sweetness of Grenache, then backed by the others. Structure is nice. This is good stuff.
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Enjoyed my first bottle yesterday. Enough fruit that my wife supported buying a case, yet balanced such that my favorite wine snob friend liked it also.
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Big and rich dark fruit with blueberry and plum and a nice noticeable hint of vanilla on the nose and the finish. Really smooth and enjoyable the more it opens up. Great QPR if you find it at the $15 range.
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Clear, dark purple wine with a thin ruby rim. On day three - after opened and recorked, the wine's nose is a tad muted but still displaying some dark purple fruits, blueberry and plum, along with a hit of licorice and brown sugar. Full bodied and fruit forward, the light tannin and acid suggests that this wine is ready to go and should be consumed in the next few years. The flavors mimic the nose, making for an easy drinking wine that is pleasant enough on the surface but doesn't invite much reflection. It almost tastes so sweet as to suggest some residual sugar. I recall it having a little more structure and interest on day one. It strikes me as a good wine, though not necessarily indicative of origin. I doubt many tasting this blind would peg it as a French wine.
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2/1/2021 - Mezz wrote: 89 Points
Fading, don’t wait any longer
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2/1/2021 - Mezz Likes this wine: 89 Points
Fading, don’t wait any longer.
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2/23/2019 - pts wrote:
Terrible, poured it out
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6/17/2017 - JuliannaDHS wrote: 88 Points
On 06/16/16 I said to try in another year and I've done so. Full and tasty but alcohol is very prominent.
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8/13/2016 - donash.com wrote: 89 Points
The label was sold by David Phinney, the wine maker.
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6/16/2016 - JuliannaDHS wrote: 89 Points
15% ABV was front and first initially but disappeared into tobacco, leather and white blueberry with about an hour of air. Silky tannins and a smooth finish. Very nice. One more bottle to try next year.
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6/7/2016 - mflesh wrote:
Maybe the secret to these wines are to just kinda let 'em sit for a while. I don't remember being as enamored with this wine back when I first tasted it than I was tonight (although I did rate it an 89 back in 2013). Served PNP tonight. This one is definitely PNP ready. Has a nice bouquet of truffle and blacberry on the nose with some floral notes. Really quite a enjoyable nose. The entry of this wine is still thick and dense. Lots of blackberry and some forest, black licorice as it segwayed to a darker middle that was more truffle. Finish was actually quite lighter than the middle, but shows a bramble and some secondary notes as time passed. The entire bottle was consumed in an hour as both my wife and I loved the wine. Three hours later, the remaining 5ml in each glass showed an almost "bleu cheese" kind of note (?) -- it is a medicinal yet herbaceously funky note and somewhat sharp, but then settles to a medicinal raspberry..... Either way, this wine served its purpose, although if I had any more of this one I'd probably start drinking them,.... because this one is almost done.
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6/2/2016 - jonahfactor Likes this wine:
Our last bottle of what was a very memorable wine for both its QPR and the fun we had talking about the wine as "what the F?" Still drinking well, but clearly on a downhill slide. A notch down from our last tasting, but still has a nice combination of herbs, black fruits and an undercurrent of minerals. Satisfying on all levels for less than an Andrew Jackson. Will need to seek out a more current offering. (����= Worth Seeking Out)
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5/22/2016 - Askriv Likes this wine: 93 Points
Surprisingly good
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3/26/2016 - sailincarib Likes this wine: 80 Points
Logged in as F 1, but actually F 3. Not bad for everyday red. Had with Beef Burgundy
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2/14/2016 - redz wrote: 89 Points
enjoyable. Mash-up of bordeaux and rhone varietals usually leaves this type of muddled taste, however
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5/17/2015 - JohnnyShiraz Likes this wine: 88 Points
15% ABV.
An everyday drinker.
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5/4/2015 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 85 Points
Good, decent value, acidic
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4/11/2015 - donash.com wrote: 90 Points
- Garnet color.
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3/16/2015 - ABOVETHEINFLUENCE Does not like this wine:
hot for two days straight lacks body in the nose is nearly muted palate coats a little but the alcohol just covers everything...not feeling it ive been avoiding phinney wines for this reason.. his style doesnt always work for me this wine is why I put off buying these locations blend will give the I and the E a shot next maybe the AR . Seems grenache doesnt fair well.with the wine makers style here.... gave it a chance hoping maybe it would come through but it failed miserably
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12/11/2014 - WineMedic Likes this wine: 86 Points
Light and vibrant drink. Good with tapas plates. Soft, chewy tannins. enjoyable
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11/22/2014 - JoeDittmar wrote: 88 Points
Another good Phinney wine.
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9/14/2014 - Exit 105 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Consumed at NY Giants tailgate. The wine was better than the game unfortunately.
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9/7/2014 - Carvaholic wrote: 70 Points
It was just Ok. I like bayonet better.
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8/25/2014 - familydoc wrote:
Nose/taste: pepper, cherry, graphite
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8/25/2014 - Dan & Krista Stockman Likes this wine: 90 Points
Powerful wine. Big and fruity.
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7/12/2014 - manny651 Likes this wine: 87 Points
good grenache blend.
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7/6/2014 - Mtpisgah Does not like this wine:
Raisins and big red fruit. Big red fruit and raisins. Meh.
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6/11/2014 - Ceo wrote: 89 Points
Very good with flatbread pizza. Good everyday drinker
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5/14/2014 - StageOneRacing Likes this wine: 88 Points
Six months since the last bottle and I think the flavors have come together more. On the nose, dark fruit with a hint of maple cured bacon. Let it breathe for just for just a bit and you'll be reward with smooth berry flavors, oak and soft tannins. This has evolved into a really nice wine and an excellent value for the price. The only negative is it's noticeable alcohol content on the nose, but that tends to be almost a Swift trademark. Very enjoyable and my favorite of the Locations wines.
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5/8/2014 - Troon wrote: 89 Points
Approachable wine with minimal decant. A nice QPR. This is a nice wine with a meal.
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5/2/2014 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is such an interesting wine, everytime I've tried it I get a different impression. This time, really big fruit, rich, luscious, would never guess it to be a French Rhone,-- probably a lot of Grenache. Although it is far from my favorite wine, the QPR is great.
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4/20/2014 - denisontb Likes this wine: 87 Points
Nice Rhone blend. Would definitely buy again.
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4/8/2014 - Tarokun Likes this wine: 88 Points
nice QPR - good fruit with a sweet bright finish.... would buy more
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4/2/2014 - Robert Walters Likes this wine: 89 Points
Ate at byob with sushi and ramen. Went really well with the Ramen. Not much aroma but terrible glass to drink it in.
Cherries and some vanilla seemed like a lot of oak. tannin light yet decent lasting finish
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3/15/2014 - wineguy1968 Likes this wine: 89 Points
A very nice value French blend. Very enjoyable to drink now and likely to age nicely for a few years. I've added it to my rotation of everyday drinking wines.
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3/9/2014 - Pharrison76 wrote:
A bit thin, but good taste.
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2/25/2014 - Pharrison76 wrote:
Smooth cherry with good depth
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1/26/2014 - BaylinBoy wrote: 90 Points
ruby, red fruit , very smooth round with warm spice finish, enjoyed it after 1 hour decant. looking forward to more
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11/23/2013 - quaffnov Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very smooth drinking with this one, slightly spicy, not a lot of carry afterwards, light to medium finish but a pleasant experience nonetheless, decanted for about two hours, opened it up a little bit, not hot at all. Overall a nice pour at this price point
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11/22/2013 - BarryPaulPrice wrote: 90 Points
Flavor profile like a muted GSM (probably due to little or no Mourvèdre in the blend). Fruit top notes with weighty mouthfeel that is a little too soft and safe on the finish. Not great complexity or length but nothing to offend here. Pretty safe blend. Paired well with a lamb burger.
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11/18/2013 - alohaboys wrote: 88 Points
Midweek sipper.
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11/17/2013 - Whooah wrote: 90 Points
great qpr. 90+
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10/14/2013 - Ceo wrote: 90 Points
Not bad pop and pour
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10/8/2013 - BSZach1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark, oaky fruit. Well balanced though. Very enjoyable.
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10/7/2013 - ZachF88 wrote: 87 Points
I let it decant for 50 mins. Remembered it being better and fuller before. Maybe its towards the end of its life. Bland finish, but good fruits and mineral on the palate. Finish just dropped off. Wine was a tad hot on the nose.
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10/4/2013 - lbin2008 wrote: flawed
A great QPR.
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9/27/2013 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 89 Points
not as impressed as I was the first time, but still a great QPR and nice smooth Bordeaux blend. Dave Phinney of Napa zin fame is the winemaker.
When I open a bottle of wine for myself I usually just stick the cork back in and drink the remainder the next day. 95% of the time it is better the second day, not with this wine. It losses something and I would recommend finishing the bottle after opening. Did not need to be decanted.
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9/13/2013 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow, this is such an outstanding QPR that I had to go buy a case. This is a French blend without the bret, barnyard, earthy flavors that I get with so many French wines. Long, spicy , really enjoyable. Dave Finney has hit a homerun,
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8/13/2013 - jpstough Likes this wine: 90 Points
alcohol forward with a warm finish. Lots of oak, subtle hints of dark fruit, vanilla and pepper. Excellent Orin Swift "daily drinker."
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6/30/2013 - thecure Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wonderful! Love all the Orin Swift wines - so far the Locations are just as exciting! Rich smooth wine - I think will only improve from a few years of cellaring. Had with steak and potatoes - and ice cream - very nice match.
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6/29/2013 - KSWinegeek wrote: 89 Points
Dark color. Fruit forward nose where the Grenache character comes to forefront. Smooth, balanced, easy drinking, lacking in complexity, but good value. Had at Green Dirt Farm in Weston, MO. Paired nicely with lamb dish.
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6/29/2013 - Jobu wrote:
Fruity, jammy mess, in a good way. Blackberry, plum, and dark fruit. Totally new world. Maybe needs a little time. I really like it, but not sure how to grade it.
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6/28/2013 - Arkiefoodie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Loved, loved, loved this wine. Dark ruby in the glass. Nose of currant, raisin, blackberry, plum, and mushroom, and maybe just a hint of chocolate. Very well-balanced and pleasant/easy to drink with or without food. Dry with just the right amount of tannin. Would definitely buy this again, by the case!
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6/24/2013 - WineSnob7 wrote: 91 Points
F is definitely my favorite of the Dave Phinney Location wines. Just smoother than the others.
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6/16/2013 - Endodr wrote: 87 Points
Very dark purple colored with a nose of violets and dark fruit. The wine has flavors of cherry, boysenberries, and ripe plums. There is also a notable peppery taste as well. This blend is fairly complex and very fruit forward. It is medium bodied, dry, and has a nice tannic ending. Well worth the $18 price and a fine every night drinker.
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6/15/2013 - jonahfactor Likes this wine: 91 Points
Wins the QPR derby hands down. Huge hit around the table as we celebrated Father's Day Eve with H&M (and The Kens!) and W&S on the patio with some tri-tip, grilled garlic bread and green salad. All the previous notes from 6/7 hold. Hedonistic, yet not over the top in that it matches heavy foods very well. A perfect foil for grilled beef. What a find!
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6/7/2013 - jonahfactor Likes this wine: 91 Points
David Phinney does it again -- with French grapes. An under-$20 offering that rocks it. Subdued nose that has notes of fig, cedar and balsam. It's all fruit and herbs on the palate with seasoned plums, balsamic fig, liquified blackberries, rosemary and wild sage. Very refreshing, given its weight. Unfolds in the glass to develop a bit more complexity and weight. Finish comes up a bit short, as others have noted. But it's still a great experience as we dined at Il Fornaio, Carmel, with Oscar as our waiter. Serve slightly chilled. A wine to buy by the case; in fact, we bought up the rest (5 bottles) that Nielsen's Market in Carmel (thanks, Patrick!) had in stock.
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5/27/2013 - WineSnob7 wrote: 91 Points
Anything with Dave Phinneys stamp is a great wine.
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5/18/2013 - Burgessdpilot wrote: 85 Points
Bitter after taste.
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5/9/2013 - yasha Likes this wine: 88 Points
I like this wine , open a hour before dinner. for the money very good .
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5/7/2013 - Endodr wrote: 87 Points
Dark purple color. Nose of cherry, plum, and Coca Cola. Not as fruit forward as other Phinney wines, and maybe a little muddy. I agree with others that the taste of the Syrah was very prominent (at least right after decorking). There was definitely a peppery spice to it. I tasted this wine after pouring from the bottle without decanting. Probably a good value at it's price point, but it is definitely not D66.
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5/5/2013 - donash.com wrote: 90 Points
What a great blend. Had it in a Maryland Resturant but can't find it in Delaware. Really a nice wine.
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5/3/2013 - WineSnob7 wrote: 91 Points
Best wine ever for the money
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4/28/2013 - Girth Likes this wine: 88 Points
The wine looks Rosy colored. The legs are Fast. It smells like and Rose. It tastes like Fig, and Toast. The body is Medium/Full. The wine has Satin-like texture. The wine finishes Short.
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4/28/2013 - Coleman wrote: 86 Points
Initially this seemed very flat and thin. As it opened up, it improved. There was some strawberry and cherry, and decent structure. However, I would not buy again.
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4/17/2013 - Mootsie Likes this wine: 87 Points
Day 2 is far better than day 1. The tannins really need to settle in order for the complexity of the wine to show. Good CDR dark fruit flavors. Not bad for a weekday wine.
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4/14/2013 - Lee Fining wrote: 86 Points
Medium dark garnet red. Aromas of white raisens and cola. The first impression upon tasting the wine is a flood moderately smooth tannins that disapate to reveal a short splash of dark red fruit. The finish is short. Typically, Orin Swift wines have pretty bold flavor profiles. This wine does not display that character.
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3/31/2013 - erikjwithak Likes this wine: 89 Points
Since it is a new offering, we were first offered a taste from a bottle that had been open about 90 minutes and being used to serve orders by the glass. In this taste, the distinctive Grenache feel and spice gave the wine a soft texture, leaning more toward raspberry and cherry. Based on the initial impression, we decided to order a bottle.
In an interesting twist, the freshly opened bottle showed much more of the Syrah complexity with more current, blackberry and plum showing through. The bottle had a wonderful peppery spice with moderate tannins that didn’t overwhelm the fruit. The style agreed with diverse food choices at the table and was an incredible value given the quality.
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3/30/2013 - jarydj wrote: 88 Points
Deep ruby red, a bit acidic, mellow tannins. Oaky flavor came thru with dark fruits. Good nightly drink wine.
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3/19/2013 - TPB wrote: 88 Points
Nice value. A little high in alcohol for my tastes (15%) but was not "hot" in drinking.
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3/16/2013 - km5 wrote:
Dry but heavy flavored granache. Would definitely get more if I can find it.
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3/16/2013 - Petek26 wrote: 91 Points
Very Good blend, dry but not overly, tastes earthy
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3/14/2013 - garambler wrote: 89 Points
I had this with a cheese plate on 3/14/13. It was poured through a vinturi into a decanter and allowed to sit for 2 hours before tasting. It had a powerful, ripe bouquet of black cherry, plum, cola, tarragon, spice and balsamic aromas. The palate was rich, ripe extracted and hot with flavors of black cherry, plum, cola, herb and spice. 88+
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3/10/2013 - Monaco wrote: 84 Points
Very underwhelming, despite 4+ hours of air time. I was expecting big, fruit-forward and hot, and all I got was a one-dimensional wine that never quite came out of its shell. I'll chalk it up to a possible bad bottle; given Phinney's reputation, I'll probably give this or one of the other 'locations' another look in the future.
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3/8/2013 - jeward wrote: 89 Points
This reminds me of a poor man's (but still delicious) D66. Ginormous fruit forward wine. Aromas of dark fruit and spice leads to flavors of blackberry and currant. This wine is a steal at this price.
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2/24/2013 - matthewjhale Likes this wine: 87 Points
Fruit bomb. Well made but very simple. Good balance and mouthfeel with nice acidity. Some tannins here but nothing substantial. No reason to wait more than a couple years for this.
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2/19/2013 - top_chef wrote: 80 Points
Big fruit-forward wine; not a typical French blend but then that's why you buy a Dave Phinney wine. Big jam on first taste then softens out; think this wine needs to be decanted and probably laid down for a bit. Too young.
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2/17/2013 - drwine2001 wrote:
Sunday Afternoon Languedoc (SF Wine Trading Company): Medium color, tawny rim. Very fruity aromatics with candied cherry. Silky if somewhat liqueur-like entry, chocolatey finish. Very ripe, a tad of brett, full sweet feel with just a hint of herbs on the finish. Leaves a simple impression, but not bad and lots of stuffing. This will be your wine if you are seeking California in the Languedoc.
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2/16/2013 - Tarokun wrote: 88 Points
Really jammy and big - definitely a drink now dealing- good with a sweet pizza sauce
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2/2/2013 - Rezy13 wrote: 83 Points
Barely translucent dark purple with no color change to the rim; nose is perfumy with violets, wild dark berries, compote, and an alcoholic cordial note; palate starts creamy then the acid bounces around (I am positive this was acidified) and the finish is disjointed and bitter.
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2/2/2013 - redz Likes this wine: 89 Points
enjoyable from the start, bought a case afterwards. will see how it ages
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1/13/2013 - Basicallyjones wrote: 89 Points
Needed some time to open up, but displays a nice structure. Holding this wine back is any true identifiable grape, place, etc. delicious bottle, just lacks a true sense of place. Did not get a sense of "France", let alone California, South Africa or the finger lakes. Nice structure. Tons of potential for aging...a solid anywhere wine. Contrary to the title of the bottle.
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1/1/2013 - mflesh wrote: 89 Points
I think I liked this wine the most from today. It definitely needed 45 minutes of air before enjoying because it was a bit bitter and acidic if approached before then. You can tell that there are grapes from Catalanes in here, but that's not the only thing in this one. Medium bodied, but headed quite quickly to full bodied. The wine had a floral yet earthy note on the nose, semi-sweet chocolate, earth. The palate was consistent with black cherry, a hint of plum, earth that started early and finished the wine (but wasn't obnoxious) and even a black licorice towards the finish that kind of spiced up the rear. Noticeable tannin with some soft oak notes were percolating in, moreso as the wine sat. I'm really not sure that this wine is ready to be consumed yet. Thankfully this was a sample from a bottle opened by a friend - mine is still in the cellar and will sit for a while. I rate it 89 now, but this has 93-94 potential. You CAN enjoy this one now, but I'd double decant and let sit for 30 minutes. I truly think this one won't be showing its true colors until 2014-2015. Done by 2017.
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12/31/2012 - ZackR wrote: 80 Points
Very Fruit forward with dark fruits of plum and blueberry. Almost would describe as a fruit bomb. No balance.
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12/30/2012 - Willie Wild wrote: 89 Points
Drank at Tanduri Indian.
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12/29/2012 - StageOneRacing Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very good right after opening, but got better after about 30 mins. Great wine for the money.
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12/28/2012 - special juice wrote: 88 Points
Was hoping this would be more identifiable as a Rhone blend. As others have mentioned, I would not guess that this was French if served blind. Nonetheless, this wine is a crowd pleaser- medium-bodied with plum, red licorice and vanilla on the nose and palate. Lacking depth and terroir but showing good structure. Although it's not what I look for in a Grenache blend, I can't deny that it is quite delicious.
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12/24/2012 - mcole23 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Outstanding. I like this better than Location E but both drink so good so soon. Alot of fruit after sitting for 45 min to an hour. Loved it. Another great wine from Dave Phinney.
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12/24/2012 - Raderred wrote: 90 Points
Big flavor, smooth, mild tannins. Very good wine.
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12/22/2012 - BLSausTX wrote: 89 Points
EYE: Dark ruby, crystal clear when viewed though light NOSE: dark fruit - blueberry up front, ripe plum behind, with a vanilla backnote. PALATE: same dark fruits from nose carry through from nose, tannins set in pretty hard after a few seconds, indicating this could lay down for a few (3?) years more. Nice QPR at the $15-16 that we paid for this. May pick up a few more to cellar for a bit.
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12/20/2012 - GTFreek wrote:
Bottle I had was actually NV. Grenache/Syrah, small amounts of Cab Franc/Merlot/Petite Verdot. Big flavor profile. Sweetness of Grenache, then backed by the others. Structure is nice. This is good stuff.
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12/19/2012 - bigskymind wrote: 90 Points
Characteristic plush, fairly ripe, vanilla'd style that Dave Phinney is known for...decidedly new world but not over the top...
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12/19/2012 - jrsto83 wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyed my first bottle yesterday. Enough fruit that my wife supported buying a case, yet balanced such that my favorite wine snob friend liked it also.
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12/17/2012 - wmazanec wrote: 88 Points
Soft and not bone dry. Everyone enjoyed it.
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12/16/2012 - brooklynian Likes this wine: 89 Points
Big and rich dark fruit with blueberry and plum and a nice noticeable hint of vanilla on the nose and the finish. Really smooth and enjoyable the more it opens up. Great QPR if you find it at the $15 range.
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12/8/2012 - 1H2oMan Likes this wine: 90 Points
First bottle of this wine "F". i like it better then the "E" great wine
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12/2/2012 - PDX-S wrote:
Clear, dark purple wine with a thin ruby rim. On day three - after opened and recorked, the wine's nose is a tad muted but still displaying some dark purple fruits, blueberry and plum, along with a hit of licorice and brown sugar. Full bodied and fruit forward, the light tannin and acid suggests that this wine is ready to go and should be consumed in the next few years. The flavors mimic the nose, making for an easy drinking wine that is pleasant enough on the surface but doesn't invite much reflection. It almost tastes so sweet as to suggest some residual sugar. I recall it having a little more structure and interest on day one.
It strikes me as a good wine, though not necessarily indicative of origin. I doubt many tasting this blind would peg it as a French wine.
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