Nose of fresh cut lillies. Lychee nut, mushrooms and pears. Strong minerality. Layered and complex. Full bodied. The only knock on this wine would be the spritzy finish. Not a crowd pleaser for some reason. 15% alcohol.
Grapefruit, apple, lime and grass. A touch too acidic for my taste. Rich finish. A dead ringer for a Chardonnay with characteristics of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Quite interesting. Would pair well with shell fish. 14% alcohol.
Cloudy yellow in color. Pears, apples, limestone. Lots of new oak that needs some time to better integrate. Incredible complexity and depth. Pretty minerality on the rich finish. My WOTN and favorite domestic Chardonnay producer. 15.1% alcohol.
Black cherry, french oak, blueberry, blackberry, menthol and eucalyptus. Fruit forward style. Medium bodied. Well balanced with nice acidity. Nice depth and length on the finish. A crowd pleaser. 14.8% alcohol.
Blackberry, mocha, coffee, charred oak, boysenberry, blueberry, leather and pepper. Rich and concentrated. Full bodied. Long finish. Firm tannins. Young and closed. 14.5% alcohol.
Dark purple in color. Blackberry, leather, boysenberry. Firm tannins. Enormous concentration and extraction. Over the top. Rich finish with a touch of heat. 14% alcohol.
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Popped and poured. Could have benefited from hours of decanting. Midnight black in color. BBS meats, blackberry, mocha, leather and blueberry. Extracted with intense fruit. Nice acidity. Huge powerful finish. Firm, sweet tannins. A baby that needs at least 5-10 years. Huge upside potential. 14.5% alcohol.
A blend of 85% Semillon and 15% Sauvignon Blanc. Dark orange in color. Brown sugar, caramel, orange peel. Rich finish. Reminds me of a Madeira. Interesting wine. Ultra rare bottling (25 cases). There has been some controversy over bad bottles of this wine but I am happy to find this one is just fine. 13.1% alcohol.
2006 Edward Sellers Vineyards and Wines Grenache Rosé 89 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
Light pink in color. Tastes of watermelon, spice, raspberry and strawberry. Good depth. Clean and crisp finish. 14.9% alcohol.
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2005 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Herrenweg de Turckheim 90 Points
France, Alsace
Nose of fresh cut lillies. Lychee nut, mushrooms and pears. Strong minerality. Layered and complex. Full bodied. The only knock on this wine would be the spritzy finish. Not a crowd pleaser for some reason. 15% alcohol.
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2006 Bodegas Rafael Palacios Val do Bibei As Sortes 88 Points
Spain, Galicia, Val do Bibei
Grapefruit, apple, lime and grass. A touch too acidic for my taste. Rich finish. A dead ringer for a Chardonnay with characteristics of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Quite interesting. Would pair well with shell fish. 14% alcohol.
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2005 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard 95 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Cloudy yellow in color. Pears, apples, limestone. Lots of new oak that needs some time to better integrate. Incredible complexity and depth. Pretty minerality on the rich finish. My WOTN and favorite domestic Chardonnay producer. 15.1% alcohol.
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1997 Niebaum-Coppola Cabernet Franc Estate Flawed
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
Corked.
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2004 Broc Cellars Grenache Dry Stack Vineyard 92 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley
Black cherry, french oak, blueberry, blackberry, menthol and eucalyptus. Fruit forward style. Medium bodied. Well balanced with nice acidity. Nice depth and length on the finish. A crowd pleaser. 14.8% alcohol.
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1998 Tardieu-Laurent Hermitage 92 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Blackberry, black cherry, black pepper, leather and tobacco. Rich complex finish. 13% alcohol.
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1997 Château Lynch-Bages 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Blackberry, blackcurrant, green bell pepper, violet, earth and graphite. Good balance. Thin on the finish. 13% alcohol.
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2001 Schweiger Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
Blackberry, earth and leather. Full bodied. Bright acidity. Good finish. 13.9% alcohol.
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2002 Robert Keenan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Blackberry, mocha, coffee, charred oak, boysenberry, blueberry, leather and pepper. Rich and concentrated. Full bodied. Long finish. Firm tannins. Young and closed. 14.5% alcohol.
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2003 Match Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Butterdragon Hill 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena
Dark purple in color. Blackberry, leather, boysenberry. Firm tannins. Enormous concentration and extraction. Over the top. Rich finish with a touch of heat. 14% alcohol.
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2002 Ojai Syrah Thompson Vineyard 92 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Popped and poured. Could have benefited from hours of decanting. Midnight black in color. BBS meats, blackberry, mocha, leather and blueberry. Extracted with intense fruit. Nice acidity. Huge powerful finish. Firm, sweet tannins. A baby that needs at least 5-10 years. Huge upside potential. 14.5% alcohol.
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2004 Scholium Project Lydian Queen Oro Puro 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
A blend of 85% Semillon and 15% Sauvignon Blanc. Dark orange in color. Brown sugar, caramel, orange peel. Rich finish. Reminds me of a Madeira. Interesting wine. Ultra rare bottling (25 cases). There has been some controversy over bad bottles of this wine but I am happy to find this one is just fine. 13.1% alcohol.
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1996 Paloma Merlot
USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
Blackberry, earth, graphite. Flat and alcoholic on the finish. Not a fan of this winery. 13% alcohol.
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