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Wine Type Vintage Name Variety Locale Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More...
Red

2015 Acumen Mountainside Reserve

 Napa Valley Red Blend more
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11/26/2020 - Illaheman Likes this wine: 90 points

I picked it up at $25. In my view it’s young and needs some extra time resting. Fruit forward, all black fruit up front. Subdued aromatics. It needed airtime to get things opened up. I’ve tried the 2015 Cab as well. They were so similar I could not tell any real difference after a half hour in the glass.
This is still showing a a lot of oak for my tastes. I’m not sure I’ll buy more.
Is it worth $25? Yes, but there are a ton of competitors at that price point. Post COVID it would be interesting to put it into a tasting of $20-$30 cabs and see how it competed. I’d bet middle of the pack with it’s already 5 years in the bottle.

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White

2010 Ceretto Langhe Arneis Blangé

 Langhe DOC more
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4/13/2014 - Illaheman Likes this wine: 90 points

I really like this wine. It reminds me of a combination of Vino Verde and Sancerre. It offered much more complexity than a typical Sauvignon Blanc from the United States, or New Zealand.

Why am I hot for this wine? I think its because this wine is not typical. First, the wine gives off a little bit of effervescence. It is noted by the winemaker that this wine has low acidity, I didn’t experience this. It does have some acidity, and some noticeable minerality. These characteristics give it backbone against many foods. It is loaded with complexity. There is complexity in the aromas. There is complexity in the flavors, that are tropical, and then a moment later, the wine throws some stone fruits at you. It is pretty in the glass, offering you a golden straw color.

I like how many ways the uniqueness shows through in the glass, and on the palate. When I look at this wine for a price-point, I believe it offers an enjoyable flavor profile, and an enjoyable drinking experience. It is not perfect, however, it is a great buy when compared to the many one-dimensional, ubiquitous, Sauvignon Blancs and Chardonnays in this price-point.

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Red

2006 Hares Shiraz

 Barossa more
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4/13/2014 - Illaheman Likes this wine: 90 points

I really enjoyed this wine. Deals come and go, but the rule I suggest we follow is buy big when a stunning value proposition presents itself. I highly recommend that you catch this wine. It is a complete wine, a very tasty wine, a great Shiraz, and worth the price.

Beautiful deep purple color. The aromas off the glass were superb, if not intoxicating. Deep, rich, concentrated flavors jump from the glass. On the palate if offered some semi sweet chocolate, licorice, a hint of cinnamon spice, and loads of ripe blackberry fruit. There are tannins, and a hint of acidity, but I find these provide it some structure and balance.

What makes this Barossa Valley beauty shine is its depth of flavors. A sip immediately travels across your pallet pushing flavor and textural satisfaction along the way. This wine tastes great, and that should be testimony enough of why you should give it a try.

However, I found myself also enjoying the complexity of this wine. Any sip ends with a luxuriously long finish. I believe it is in its prime drinking and enjoying window!

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Red

2010 Brophy Clark Pinot Noir Lindsay's Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills

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4/29/2013 - Illaheman Likes this wine: 90 points

Still a pretty young wine, absolutely drinkable but I think some time to settle will be rewarded. I'm laying this down for a couple of years. Delicious, rich, bing cherry fruit.

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Red

2006 Norman Vineyards Zinfandel Buzzard Tree

 Paso Robles more
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3/30/2013 - Illaheman Likes this wine: 83 points

Buzzard Tree is an easy drinker. For this reason, I give it a nod of approval as a ready to drink and enjoy, red wine. It is extracted, sweetly tasty, reasonably priced, possesses low impact from wood, and has no harsh edges. It doesn't present reasons to find offense, even at 14.5% alcohol.

We all hear those great wine stories from folks who have spent time in France and Spain. These are the stories where friends wax whimsical, with longing and affection, for the cheap "house wine" they purchased at the corner Bistro for just a few euros. This wine write-up includes today an easy tip for how you can save yourself about $3K on a trip to euroland, while building your own fond memories to share at parties in the future.

Here is what you do.... the next time you are in a store, grab a bottle of this for $5.99. When you get home, pour the Buzzard Tree in a cheap glass carafe, grab some crusty bread and a good aromatic cheese, put French Bistro music to play on your Ipod, close your eyes, taste, sip, taste again, open your eyes! Viola! You just saved yourself $3K.

This isn't a wine I am recommending to lay back for aging, because of its complexity, or because its destined for fame at the next ZAP competition. I'm recommending this because, for the price its an easy drinker, a ubiquitous red and its ready as a party wine, or for an inexpensive second bottle for any occasion.

The Buzzard opens up with dark fruit aromas, reminiscent of what you experience from jam cooking on the stove. I like its dark, cooked fruit flavors of blackberry, black raspberries, and plum. It is not so deep in dark fruit flavor that it loses its opportunity to let the flavors show nuance. It offers little imposition from oak, which is a plus. It wasn't flabby, but it was low acid, I would disagree on this point when comparing my experience to the winery description. Don't expect complex.

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Red

2000 Producteurs Plaimont Madiran Château Viella Village

 Tannat more
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3/2/2013 - Illaheman Likes this wine: 89 points

This wine from Chateau Viella is a blend of 80% Tannat and 20% Cabernet. This is a negotiant/cooperative wine from Saint Mont. This 2000 vintage wine, (a big ripe vintage in France), has some very noticeable tannins that are starting to integrate. This is a full-bodied wine, and you notice immediately that the winemaker made a choice to use a lot of oak. The oak presence is surprising to me, given the years in the bottle, however, the more I learn, the more I understand that these wines sit in the barrel longer to help out with the tannins. To me, the wine shows too much influence from new oak. At first, I was taken aback by the oak. However, over a few days, I really was won over by this wine, even with the oak.

This wine is layered, rich, and offers you a great deal of character. Like so many good french wines, this wines attributes and subtlety unfold slowly. Its quality is parsed out during its time in the glass, and one waits patiently for it to grudgingly yield each step and depth of concentration. I found myself wanting "just a bit more" of this wine each evening. It is very flavorful and the fruit is forward. You notice easily the attributes of terrior showing in its earthy finish.

If you like the slightly austere attributes and old school styled French Bordeaux, I suggest you give this a try. You will need to overlook the incredible amount of oak, but its worth a look. Its food friendly, and it's already aged out a bit, given it's a 2000. Buy one, try it, and see if you want more. This wine has got a lot of life ahead in it. I believe it will continue to get better with some more time in the bottle. I enjoyed it over three nights enough to buy more, and to recommend it.

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Red

2007 Manzanita Creek Zinfandel Old Vines Alfonso

 Russian River Valley more
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2/12/2013 - Illaheman Likes this wine: 90 points

Bright fruit flavors of red raspberry and black raspberry. This is mostly sweet dark fruit, offering something akin to chocolate sweet. It offers an acidic brightness that keeps the wine from being flabby, and it makes me think the wine might benefit from a few more years of sleeping. There is less alcohol flavor kick than you’d expect for a 15.6% Alcohol wine. On day two, this wine delivered more currant and jam (cooked fruit) flavor. This is a good example of what the luscious and fully ripened fruit of the 2007 vintage in California can do for a wine.

Attributes of good wine making show through with subdued but present oak, soft tannins, aging in the barrel for 26 months. Much more about this wine to explore, and I expect it to reveal more in day two. This is really good Zinfandel and doesn’t taste or smell like so many mass production Zinfandel wines.

The winery advertises a “reserve” and ”regular” of the same vineyard/vintage wine. Interesting no-cork plastic stopper is standard for the regular. Interesting that the winery reports and labels the regular wine at 15.5% alcohol, and the Reserve wine at 15.6%. This appears to be the only label difference. The bottles I purchased were 15.6%, which has me wondering which this is, the regular or the reserve?

Regardless, it is a good example of California Zin, ready to drink, or lay to rest for a few more years. 86 points Wine Spectator.

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Red

2001 Silverado Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

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11/25/2012 - Illaheman Likes this wine: 90 points

Deep garnet color. There is some bottle sediment. Dark red fruit aromas filled the space when opened. The mouthfeel is smooth, round, and I still noticed the subdued tannins.

Lots of complexity and some enjoyably rich flavors. It’s a flavor-rama of black cherry, currants, caramel, and espresso.

This wine doesn’t have any more secrets to reveal, every thing this wine is going to be is delivered in the glass. I appreciated that on its last lap of the race, this wine still delivers.

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Red

2001 Neal Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

 Napa Valley more
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12/25/2011 - Illaheman Likes this wine: 92 points

Had this with grilled lamb with greek side dishes for Christmas dinner. I bought a case of this on release, and have been consuming one each Christmas for the last three years. Nine to go, and I think this wine will make it.
This wine opened up nicely and it is just soaring. My experience is this is just now ready to drink and enjoy without a great deal of decanting and waiting. Dark, rich, currant, black fruit, long finish. Perfect Cabernet!

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White - Sparkling

NV Le Bercau Blanquette de Limoux Brut

 Mauzac Blend, Mauzac more
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1/21/2012 - Illaheman wrote: 89 points

I really am enjoying exploring these Blanquette de Limoux wines. This wine is tight and crisp, clearly delivering green apple flavors and nice tight bubbles. Light, crisp, a nice starter to any gathering. What a deal!

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Red

2009 Sterling Vineyards Pinot Noir Cellar Club Oak Knoll District

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2/26/2011 - Illaheman wrote: NR

OK…this is a what wine geeks call a quaffer. This is a wine value that merits consideration for a case buy. This Sterling Pinot gives you a brand that will probably impress those who might care, and, a price that makes easy the decision to hold some in inventory. This is a cellar club selection, allegedly retailing for about $32.

A case of this provides a very respectable cache of universally acceptable, inexpensive, food friendly wine. Something just right for most any crowd. ..

So.. don’t buy this if you are choosing representatives for a knock down comparison of all Oregon, or all California….it just isn’t that complicated a wine. Think of this as a guilt free reason to crack open a second bottle for the night, or to drop a bottle off with a friend.

This is a value competitor. Think about trying this for $5.99 and give it a comparison to region value leaders, 2009 OReilly’s Pinot Noir, or maybe even a stalwart like the 2009 St. Innocent Village Cuvee. You’ll find little reason to spend at least three times the fare for an entry-level Oregon. You don’t get barnyard nose, forest floor or any of the usual adjectives for Oregon Pinots…but for the money…quit worrying.

A whopping 14.6% alcohol. So I opened it expecting BIG! Instead, it offers great fruit forward flavors, some thoughtful complexity, a little vanilla from a very light oak treatment…balanced across the palate and no harsh edges..pretty tasty. If it was Oregon, I would have guessed Dijon clone, Eola Amity fruit.

Most importantly, this doesn’t give you that very strange soda pop flavor that leaves you wanting for a complete wine. Competitors like Yellowtail and others that play in this price point need not come to the table, there are VERY few Pinots in this price-point and none I have tried who compare to this QPR!.

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Red

2006 Westerly Vineyards Syrah

 Santa Ynez Valley more
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9/4/2010 - Illaheman wrote: NR

When you open the Westerly Syrah and put it in a glass or decanter, it displays a wonderful, deep purple luminescence. You just want to shine a light through it and enjoy its depth of color. Put your nose into the glass and it reveals aroma of cooked blackberry jam. This wine is made from very ripe fruit and comes in at 14.5% alcohol. I wouldn’t call it flabby like many an Aussie shiraz, but it isn’t begging for long haul aging like a syrah heavy Chateauneuf du Pape. This wine comes with some mild tannins, but it’s pleasant as a big, rich, everyday drinker worth all of it's price tag. A sip delivers ripe berries, ripe plum, and appeals from the top, to the bottom of the bottle.

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Red

2002 McKinlay Pinot Noir Ladd Hill

 Willamette Valley more
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2/4/2010 - Illaheman wrote: NR

Had this at a lovely evening of 2002 pinot tastings. This wine is still showing young. It offered some complexity and its basic roots of red fruit and balanced acidity showed well against some dark fruit competition. This has at least 5 good years ahead.

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White

2004 Grans-Fassian Riesling Struktur Kabinett

 Mosel Saar Ruwer more
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10/10/2009 - Illaheman wrote: 88 points

This wine will not please those who are looking for the nose or delicate flavor of a Mosel Kabinett. It is kind of an "in your face" style. However, I found the minerality present, with a clearly delineated wet stone profile, and I was pleased by the green apple and pear flavors. Not for everyone, but a pleasant wine for starters.

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Red

1989 Monticello Vineyards (Corley Family) Cabernet Sauvignon Corley Reserve

 Napa Valley more
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2/10/2008 - Illaheman wrote: 88 points

This wine still had a life left in it. A bit of bricking on theedges, but it was an enjoyable wine. Its not over the hill, but it doesn't have anything much left in it but down hill. Everything is integrated and smoothed out.

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  • Tasting notes: 15 notes on 15 wines

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