I'm really digging the flinty gun oil notes upon PNP. Caldera with some age and really be a beautiful wine. Not the heights of 2010 but not far behind.
Drink or hold
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69% Mourvèdre/27% Grenach/4% Counoise. This had solid acid and strong tannins still, so I think it would have been better with age (though everything was well-balanced). Nevertheless, it was drinking well after about 2 hours of air. This tastes like Mouvedre, with leather, olives, smoke, tobacco, roasted meat, iron, and provencal herbs. Faint hints of raspberry and blackberry in the background, but the fruit takes a back seat here. I don’t think that it has the flash of some of the more notable regions from California, but it was clearly a good wine and a welcome old-world style. If this is what Sierrea Foothills can do, then I’m impressed. It really grew on me and, in the end, I wish I had some more bottles to experiment with (especially extended ageing). Excellent match with roasted duck with olives from my Provencal cookbook. The olives and the duck were just right with the savory characters of the wine.
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Good but not great, full body, decent tannin that disapated as we drank, did not finish last sip and did not want more at the end of the bottle, drank with magret of duck with duck confit, basmati rice, lots of fruit, not sure it will improve from here, my only bottle.
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Very enjoyable. It still has some tanins left, but it holds the fruit and complements the wine. It was a PnP with an hour slow decant and we enjoyed it with a grilled rib eye. Thanks to DJ for his long, fulfilled promise.
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Very inviting GSM blend. Hints of medium fruits with mild tannins that have relaxed. Very enjoyable and easy drinking, but may have another year of cellar time before drinking again.
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Nose is subdued blue and red fruit. Good mouth feel. Red and blue fruit dominate but orange emerges on the back end. Far more complex than most Mouvedre in my experience. Pretty impressive.
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Some floral notes on the nose. Palate of red and blue fruits with some herbal and iron notes. Medium acidity and tannins. Excellent match with rib roast.
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I really enjoy this wine. There is an elegence to the wine probably due to the mourvedre grape. Balanced with sweet blueberry and rasberry fruit. Round and soft finish. I noticed some spice after a few hours in the glass and just enough to keep you wanting more. I would expect 5 more years of enjoyment.
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Keplinger Wines Hospice du Rhône Tasting (Blackberry Farm): vineyard at 2900' in El Dorado County on Aiken series volcanic soils, planted 1998 and dry farmed, slight northern slope, 69% Mourvèdre/27% Grenach/4% Counties, soft red fruit, iron, savory notes
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Meaty, gamey mourvedre (in a good way), roses?, blackberry, roasted meat, iron/earth. Rhone funk, almost reminds me of Cayuse to be honest. So different than most Cali Rhone, and even the other wines being poured tonight.
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4/14/2024 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 93 Points
I'm really digging the flinty gun oil notes upon PNP. Caldera with some age and really be a beautiful wine. Not the heights of 2010 but not far behind.
Drink or hold
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3/17/2024 - jkscully Likes this wine:
69% Mourvèdre/27% Grenach/4% Counoise. This had solid acid and strong tannins still, so I think it would have been better with age (though everything was well-balanced). Nevertheless, it was drinking well after about 2 hours of air. This tastes like Mouvedre, with leather, olives, smoke, tobacco, roasted meat, iron, and provencal herbs. Faint hints of raspberry and blackberry in the background, but the fruit takes a back seat here. I don’t think that it has the flash of some of the more notable regions from California, but it was clearly a good wine and a welcome old-world style. If this is what Sierrea Foothills can do, then I’m impressed. It really grew on me and, in the end, I wish I had some more bottles to experiment with (especially extended ageing). Excellent match with roasted duck with olives from my Provencal cookbook. The olives and the duck were just right with the savory characters of the wine.
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2/3/2023 - mwneil Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good but not great, full body, decent tannin that disapated as we drank, did not finish last sip and did not want more at the end of the bottle, drank with magret of duck with duck confit, basmati rice, lots of fruit, not sure it will improve from here, my only bottle.
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8/24/2022 - BerkeleyBoy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very enjoyable. It still has some tanins left, but it holds the fruit and complements the wine. It was a PnP with an hour slow decant and we enjoyed it with a grilled rib eye. Thanks to DJ for his long, fulfilled promise.
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2/26/2022 - BerkeleyBoy wrote: flawed
This has been in my cellar for 5 years and it was corked.
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6/10/2020 - Tonythefish Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very inviting GSM blend. Hints of medium fruits with mild tannins that have relaxed. Very enjoyable and easy drinking, but may have another year of cellar time before drinking again.
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3/17/2020 - Sourdough Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose is subdued blue and red fruit. Good mouth feel. Red and blue fruit dominate but orange emerges on the back end. Far more complex than most Mouvedre in my experience. Pretty impressive.
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12/25/2019 - ralaspech wrote: 91 Points
Some floral notes on the nose. Palate of red and blue fruits with some herbal and iron notes. Medium acidity and tannins. Excellent match with rib roast.
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11/4/2018 - Tonythefish wrote: 92 Points
Blend lends itself to expressive blueberry, raspberry and light spice. Balanced and drinking beautifully
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8/30/2018 - Jimaronson Likes this wine: 93 Points
I really enjoy this wine. There is an elegence to the wine probably due to the mourvedre grape. Balanced with sweet blueberry and rasberry fruit. Round and soft finish. I noticed some spice after a few hours in the glass and just enough to keep you wanting more. I would expect 5 more years of enjoyment.
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5/6/2017 - ashikoh wrote:
Keplinger Wines Hospice du Rhône Tasting (Blackberry Farm): vineyard at 2900' in El Dorado County on Aiken series volcanic soils, planted 1998 and dry farmed, slight northern slope, 69% Mourvèdre/27% Grenach/4% Counties, soft red fruit, iron, savory notes
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2/1/2017 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Meaty, gamey mourvedre (in a good way), roses?, blackberry, roasted meat, iron/earth. Rhone funk, almost reminds me of Cayuse to be honest. So different than most Cali Rhone, and even the other wines being poured tonight.
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