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Wine Type
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Vintage
Name
Variety
Locale
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Date
Posted
Score
Helpful
Comments
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Red
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2019 Famille Dutraive Chiroubles
Gamay more
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Pale ruby color
Medium plus aromas of crunchy red fruit/rock candy with fresh herbs and green stem notes - pretty classic Beaujolais
Light bodied with palate of beautiful red fruit with touch of bitter stemmy notes - slight touch of Brett on after palate
Medium plus acidity with medium tannins and medium plus alcohol
Really nice, classic though ripe Beaujolais - touch high on ETOH
Nice finish led by ripe fruit and alcohol
Brett notes picked up notably after opening and next day were a little overwhelming so drink on opening
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Red
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2009 Château Saint-Saturnin
Médoc
Red Bordeaux Blend more
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Double blind tasting
Light/ medium garnet color - extensive bricking
Medium aromas of dried cherry but really dominated by secondary/tertiary notes of dried florals/ leather/ dried herbs and green peppercorn - no new oak notes
Medium bodied with palate of fresh/ dried cherry with dried herbs and green notes
Medium plus tannins and medium plus acidity with medium alcohol
Medium plus length led by fruit - palate really had way more freshness than aromas suggested
I went with southern Rhone and Bordeaux wasn't even in my differential due to the lack of oak and light color- really interesting to try this
Drink now prior to this fruit fading
This isn't just a curiosity - its very well made
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White
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2015 Domaine Macle Côtes du Jura Tradition
Chardonnay Blend, Chardonnay more
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Double blind tasting
Dark gold color
Medium plus aromas - moderate beautiful oxidative aromas nuts/honey with bruised apple and pear
Medium plus bodied with palate of fresh/ bruised tree fruit and nuts with slight bitterness at the back of the palate
Medium plus/ high acidity and medium alcohol with mild phenolic bitterness
Medium finish
I went with old Savennieres here due to the rather linear palate and acidity
This really drank more like a Savagnin then a Chardonnay dominated blend
Drinking great now but will hold
Bottle said 13.5% alcohol
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Red
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2019 La Vigne des Pères (Aymeric Paillard) St. Joseph Petit Pere
Syrah more
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Dark purple almost opaque color
Medium plus aromas of ripe blue/ black fruit with slight smoked meat and pepper along with green stemmy notes - no noted oak influence
Medium bodied with palate of sweet ripe blueberry and plum - hint of Brett at end of palate but never really noted on the nose
Medium plus tannins on tongue, typical of Syrah - medium plus alcohol and medium plus acidity
Medium length led by fruit and tannins
I initially really liked this wine when poured for a blind tasting - small bit of Brett on the palate but not too much
When I poured more with dinner that evening the Brett was much more noticeable on the nose and the next day this wine was simply undrinkable - wine is amazing like that, Ive never witnessed the Brett blossom before
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White
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2020 Tyler Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard
Sta. Rita Hills
more
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Pale gold color with silver reflections
Medium plus aromas of beautiful ripe golden apple with hints of pineapple and flint with mild/moderate new oak influence
Medium bodied with palate of ripe apples and saline notes with oak spices - rather linear mouthfeel for a Chardonnay and rather lean
Medium acidity and medium alcohol with mild phenolic bitterness
Medium length led by ripe fruit
Drinking OK presently but hopefully there are better things to come in 3-5 yrs - not one of my favorite Tyler offerings
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Red
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2021 Arnot-Roberts Zinfandel Kirschenmann
Lodi
more
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Light/ medium purple color - unfiltered
Medium plus aromas of fresh crunchy cherry/ blueberry balanced with green stemmy notes
Medium bodied with palate of ripe but not overripe black cherry and boysenberry with herbal green notes
Medium acidity with medium tannins and medium alcohol
Medium finish led by fresh fruit notes
Really nice old school style Zin
Such beautiful fruit - completely refreshing
Drink now or next 1-2 yrs
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Red
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2020 Star Lane Vineyard Nebbiolo
Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara
more
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Light translucent ruby color
Medium plus aromas of cranberry/ orange peel and dark florals with cinnamon notes
Medium bodied with palate of red/ black cherry and fresh herbs
Medium fine tannins with medium alcohol and medium acidity
Drinking well now but can age 3-5 yrs
Not much resemblance to a Piemonte Nebbiolo other than color and fine tannins - if one can forget the comparison though, this is a really tasty and well made wine
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Rosé
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2020 Patrice Colin Coteaux du Vendômois Gris Bodin
Pineau d'Aunis more
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Dark salmon/ orange color
Medium aromas of strawberry /watermelon rind and white pepper notes
Medium bodied with slightly oily mouthfeel - strawberry and pepper
Medium plus acidity with medium alcohol and mild tannins
Moderate finish led by fruit and acid
Well structured rose - could probably age 2-3 yrs but drinking very well now
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Red
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2006 San Fereolo Langhe Barbera Austri
Langhe DOC
more
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Dark ruby/ purple with moderate bricking noted - unfiltered
Medium plus aromas of red and black cherry with beautiful dark florals/lilac with tar and leather /balsamic and dry earth/ old oak - amazingly complex and could meditate on this for hours
Medium plus body with palate of ripe and quite sour cherry with tar and dark florals - mimics the aromas with the exception that the sour cherry aspect was a bit unexpected
High acidity which may the only thing giving the variety away at this age - Medium plus medium grained tannins which are very well integrated at this point with medium plus alcohol, again not notable given the balance with acid/ tannin here
I found this wine to be drinking extremely well and I wish I had purchased more
Along with Massa's wines, this is really a great example of the aging capability of Barbara when made well and with that goal in mind
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White
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2018 Tessari Soave Classico Grisela
Garganega more
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Pale gold color
Medium plus aromas - primarily almond blossom with pear and honey and dry minerality
Medium bodied with palate of dried apple/ pear and yellow florals - linear palate with rounded edges suggesting extended lees contact
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with moderate phenolic bitterness
Moderate length led by acidity and phenolics
Well made and fairly typical Soave with some age - these really do perform well with 5-7 yrs of bottle age if they are well made
Drink now or 2-3 yrs
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Red
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2011 Chionetti Dogliani Briccolero
Dolcetto more
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Double blind tasting
Unfortunately this wine was completely dominated by significant VA which never blew off enough to even attempt a guess at the wine - smelled like nail polish remover
Don't see any other CT notes regarding this so hopefully this was a bottle defect
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White
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2018 Domaine de L'Idylle Roussette de Savoie Anne de Chypre
Altesse more
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Double Blind tasting
Light gold color
Medium plus aromas of pear/green apple /lemon zest with yellow floral notes and herbs/ tarragon with underlying dry minerality
Medium bodied with rather dilute palate of unripe pear and lemon with distinct dry minerality at back end
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with mild/moderate phenolic bitterness
Moderate length led by phenolics and mineral
I went with Albarino due to the terpenoid character and phenolics
I just had this from my cellar two weeks ago so obviously my memory is not great
Recommend drink now - remains a fantastic wine for this price
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Red
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2021 Melville Pinot Noir Indigène Estate
Sta. Rita Hills
more
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medium ruby color
Medium plus aromas of ripe red cherry/ cranberry with underlying mushroom/ soy aromas and dried herbs/ dried florals - fruit driven but very complex
Medium bodied with full palate of fresh red fruit and dried florals
Medium acidity and medium tannins with medium/ medium plus alcohol which is really not noticeable
Really nice wine - fruit driven but more complex than many CA Pinots Ive had
Drinking well now but will surely improve in 3-5 yrs with more secondary notes developing
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White
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2021 Tyler Chardonnay La Rinconada Vineyard
Sta. Rita Hills
more
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No notes taken but I found this to be a chiseled mineral laden Chardonnay with a perfect balance of sun kissed fruit. Great drinking now but will surely improve in 3-5 yrs
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Red
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2007 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia
Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo more
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Medium ruby with moderate rim bricking - quite beautiful
Medium plus aromas of red cherry, sweet and sour sauce, soy sauce and leather with dark florals/ anise - so complex and underlaid with wonderful coconut/ American oak notes
Medium bodied with palate of red cherry/Maraschino and smoked meat/ Asian five spice
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with medium well integrated tannins
Long length led by oak flavors and fruit
Drinking so well now but will last 10 yrs easily
This is always one of my favorite wines - I really need to compare vintages at some time
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White
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2021 Guimaro Ribeira Sacra Blanco
Godello more
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Light gold color
Medium plus aromas of ripe apple/ pear/ melon with underlying wet stone minerality - perhaps a touch of baking spice?
Medium bodied with palate of lemon creme and pear
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with mild phenolic bitterness
Medium length led by acidity
Feels a bit tight today - I think this will improve in 3-5 yrs
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White
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2019 Arnot-Roberts Chardonnay Watson Ranch
Napa Valley
more
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Similar to my last tasting note which was double blinded
Medium plus aromas of unripe/ ripe golden apple and reductive flinty/ curry leaf aromas
Medium bodied with palate of ripe apple - a little dilute IMO
Nice fruit/ acid core typical of Chardonnay
Medium finish dominated by acid
Not a huge fan due to rather dilute palate - still a great CA Chardonnay but my least favorite of the AR offerings
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Red
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2007 La Bastide Blanche Bandol
Mourvèdre Blend, Mourvèdre more
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Dark violet with slight bricking at rim
Medium plus aromas of dark plum/ black fruit with dried herbs/ garrigue and licorice on the nose
Medium plus bodied with palate of candied plums and blackberry with notes of beef jerky and soy sauce
Medium plus well integrated tannins and medium plus alcohol with medium acidity
Medium plus length led by tannins and alcohol
Remains slightly tight to my palate but not sure any more aging will help this
Drink now or hold 5-10 yrs
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Red
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2018 Bedrock Wine Co. Areio e Vento e Amor Evangelho Vineyard
Contra Costa County
Red Blend more
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Light/ Medium purple - unfiltered
Medium aromas of fresh red/ black fruit with beautiful dried herb/ garrigue background
Medium plus bodied with palate of red fruit/ boysenberry and dry earth with hints of dried meat and herbs
Medium plus finely grained tannins which are well integrated - medium plus alcohol which is not noticeable and medium/ medium plus acidity
Medium plus length led by fruit and tannins
Really nice wine now but should improve over then next 3-5 yrs
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White
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2018 Domaine de L'Idylle Roussette de Savoie Anne de Chypre
Altesse more
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Medium gold color
Medium plus aromas of beautiful pear/ peach/ apricot with white florals and fresh mountain herbs with underlying intense minerality - very complex
Medium bodied with palate of ripe peach and pear - round, fairly oily mouthfeel
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with moderate phenolic bitterness
Medium length led by acidity and bitterness
Great wine, especially at this price
The acid and phenolics here really balance the mouthfeel and keep this from being cloying in any way
Im really wavering on this wine with each bottle regarding its aging potential - today I believe it will improve but unfortunately its my last of this vintage
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Red
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2019 Newfound Wines Pinot Noir Enz Vineyard
Napa Valley
more
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Light ruby/ garnet color - unfiltered
Medium aromas of red fruit with dried herbs/ mushroom and game with turned earth notes
Medium bodied with palate of cherry and cough syrup
Medium/ medium plus fine grained tannins and medium acidity with alcohol pronounced to my palate (13% on bottle?) - palate loaded with green stemmy notes - Finish is led by cough syrup/ almost artificial notes which I don't care for
This wine may very well be in a "dumb" phase right now and may very well improve with time as it appears quite disjointed presently
Will hold on scoring
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Red
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2012 Domaine de Pallus Chinon Grand Vin de Pallus
Cabernet Franc more
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Double Blind tasting
Medium ruby with clearing at rim - appears unfiltered
Medium plus aromas of red cherry/ cranberry with underlying bell pepper, dried thyme and forest floor - appears to be aged in used barrels with no evidence of new oak
Medium bodied with palate of ripe red cherry with dried herbs and chalk - again with hints of green pepper
Medium tannins with medium alcohol and medium/ medium plus acidity
I went with California Cab Franc due what I felt to be a fruit driven palate and relatively ripe expression of CF
In any case, this was a beautiful and ripe expression of Chinon - very different impression than other CT notes here
Recommend drink soon so these fruit expressions aren't lost
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White
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2014 Viña Otano Rioja Gran Reserva Blanco
Viura, Macabeo more
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Double blind tasting
Medium gold color
Medium plus aromas of bruised apple/ pear with beautiful white/ yellow florals and distinct coconut aromas from oak use - mild and quite pleasant oxidative nutty notes
Medium plus bodied with palate ripe/dense apples/pears with mild nutty notes backed by sweet vanilla / oak notes
Medium plus acidity with medium alcohol and no noted phenolics
Great length led by fruit and acid
I went with Bordeaux Blanc with this but really should have picked up on the American oak notes here
Nonetheless, this was a fascinating and well made wine and my favorite of the tasting session
I recommend drinking now or in the next 2-3 yrs as oxidation may become more of a factor and inhibit some of these fantastic aromas
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Red
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2002 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
Pauillac
Red Bordeaux Blend more
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Opaque garnet with moderate bricking at rim
High intensity aromatics of red and black fruit/ currant - quite complex with many secondaries of graphite/ cedar/ green pepper/ soy sauce and smoke - all underlaid by perfectly integrated oak spice aromas
Medium plus body with palate of plum and black currant with tobacco and dry earth
Medium plus tannins - medium grained and very well integrated - medium plus alcohol and medium plus acidity
Beautiful length led by fruit/ oak and alcohol - again just a perfectly integrated wine at this time
Dry glass aromas are just amazing
This is drinking very well now and I believe is at its plateau, but I do enjoy some fruit in my aged wines, so some might see further benefit from aging
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White
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2016 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Vieilles Vignes Clos des Briords
Melon de Bourgogne more
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Pale lemon color
Medium intensity aromas of lemon zest/ cream with intense salinity and dry chalky minerality on the nose
Medium bodied with palate of cream and lemon again with intense dry rocks at the tail end
Medium plus acidity with medium alcohol and minimal phenolics
Moderate length led by the intense minerality
Drinking well now but will prob improve over the next 5-7 yrs
This has really developed well since I last tasted it 3-4 yrs ago
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