| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
|---|---|---|
| Red |
2004 Grgich Hills Cabernet SauvignonNapa Valley more |
1/15/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 93 pointsThis was our third Cabernet of the night, coming on the heels of a Calistoga and Groth. The Grgich was easily the wine of the night. The Groth seemed to take forever to open up, whereas this one was right there from the first sip, and just continued to get better. A wonderful bouquet, very fruit forward on taste, but not over the top; just exquisite balance, smoothness and finish -- to me a benchmark California Cabernet. This is the second 2004 I've had and they've both been fantastic. I don't get the reviews in the 80's. This is just a very classy wonderful straight Cabernet, and I am fortunate to have a few left. |
| Red |
2004 Benziger Family Winery TributeSonoma Mountain Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/12/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 92 pointsDark burgundy color with brick hues at the rim. Red fruit, oak, earth at the nose. Tastes of cherry, vanilla, dark chocolate, tobacco and spice. Excellent complexity and balance, with velvety tannins holding into the long finnish. This Bordeaux blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 4% Cab Franc, and 1% Merlot nails it for me and is drinking wonderfully right now. |
| Red |
2005 Hartwell Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Misté HillStags Leap District more |
12/31/2010 - ghoztly Likes this wine: 92 pointsA semi-translucent plum color. An enticing nose of fruit and oakey vanilla. Fortunately the wonderful aroma is carried forward in the flavor. A beautifully structured and balanced fruit-forward California Cabernet, finishes with velvety tannic goodness. As others have indicated, a bit of decanting really will allow this wine to open up. |
| Red |
2006 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead ArmMcLaren Vale more |
2/5/2011 - ghoztly Likes this wine: 92 pointsA fruit-forward (but not over the top) very well balanced Aussie Shiraz. Nice acidity, long finish, outstanding wine. It lived up to the hype, and represents a benchmark Shiraz for me. |
| Red |
2002 Betz Family Clos de BetzColumbia Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
3/4/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 91 pointsSemi-translucent burgundy color transitioning to burgundy/brick at the rim. Nose is of vegetables, tobacco, spice, muted fruits. The taste -- wow -- you get cherry, raspberry up front, with spice and tobacco mid palate, finishing long with some licorice and black pepper. Medium body, semi-dry, great complexity and structure, velvety tannins, just a great wine. This is drinking beautifully right now. Outstanding QPR, compares favorably to $40-50 wines imho. |
| Red |
2003 Bodegas Poesia PoesiaLujan de Cuyo Red Bordeaux Blend more |
12/2/2010 - ghoztly wrote: 91 pointsA dark, almost opaque burgundy color. Nose exhibits musty dark fruits, with a tinge of black pepper. Mild fruits come forward, with very slight tobacco and anise, just the right amount -- not overpowering as I've had in some Malbec's. Nice structure and complexity, smooth tannins, and a long finish. Acidity is just right. I really like this blend, and damn it, I wish I had some more. I got right back on-line after my first bottle, and the 2003's were all gone. =( |
| Red |
2008 St. Francis Merlot Behler VineyardSonoma Valley more |
11/17/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 91 pointsA wonderful Merlot. Smooth, nice fruit balanced with velvety tannins, smoke, earth and chocolate on long finish. Nicely crafted and a great example of what Merlot can be. Take that Miles! |
| Red |
2005 Groth Cabernet SauvignonOakville more |
11/23/2010 - ghoztly wrote: 91 pointsA nose of dark berries blended with delicate floral scents, oak and vanilla. The flavor is bold and fruit filled balanced nicely with mild tannins and vanilla again coming through on the tongue. The wine is not overly layered, but what is there, I like. Although the alcohol comes through at the end it's not overpowering. I like this wine and would buy again. |
| Red |
2006 Col SolareColumbia Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
12/5/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 91 pointsA very nice Bordeaux blend featuring smooth, well integrated tannins, cherries, chocolate and that touch of dusty earth that I love. |
| Red |
2001 DeLille Cellars Chaleur EstateRed Mountain Red Bordeaux Blend more |
2/25/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 90 pointsDecanted for about one hour. The color is of deep violet with brick hues. A wonderful aroma of musty earth, ripe berries, sweet vanilla and oak. Still a little closed even after the decanting. Taste is of muted slightly underripe dark fruits, some spice and peppercorn, supported by an ample tannic backbone. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, shows nice complexity and a long finish. Although this is a 2001, it still seems surprisingly young, with more potential growth from cellaring. To me the nose exceeds the taste, but overall a nice effort. |
| Red |
2013 Michael-David Vineyards Zinfandel EarthquakeLodi more |
11/5/2015 - ghoztly Likes this wine: 90 pointsAlmost opaque inky violet color. Nice nose, fruity and floral. Fairly bold zinfandel, fruit forward but not over the top. Slightly astringent in the finish. Mild tannins. Simple wine start to finish, not a lot of depth. Decent everyday wine, but not mind blowing. Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Red |
2005 Star Lane Vineyard Cabernet SauvignonSanta Ynez Valley more |
6/6/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 90 pointsBetter than I remembered last tasting. Full and complex, drinking beautifully right now. Bumping it up two points. |
| Red |
2006 Bennett Lane MaximusNapa Valley Red Blend more |
10/21/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 90 pointsVery smooth, cherry, raspberry, chocolate, some spice. Somewhat subdued tannins, nice acidity, a good wine on it's own, a great wine with food. We drank a bottle at the Rutherford Grill in Napa and enjoyed it even more that tasting it at the winery. |
| Red |
2007 Provenance Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherfordmore |
4/12/2011 - ghoztly Likes this wine: 90 pointsViolet color. Red fruit, vanilla, oak and alcohol on nose. Cherries and vanilla immediately come forward folowed by minor spice and smooth tannins. This is not overly complex due to the single varietal, but it's very nice and a good representative of a Napa Cab. Drink it now, but it could store for a couple more years. |
| Red |
2005 Oddero Barolo VilleroNebbiolo more |
1/12/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 90 pointsSemi-translucent burgundy color. Muted red berries on the nose, with a wonderful old world aroma of earth and forest moss. A very dry wine tasting of tart cherries, rasberries, slight spices, and some alcohol. This juice is still quite young, with massive tannins that could benefit nicely from several more years of aging. Nice balance, substantive backbone, and moderate weight. A bit tart to go solo; but paired with food would be awesome. |
| Red |
2008 Altocedro Malbec ReservaValle de Uco more |
1/19/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 89 pointsOpaque violet, with slight brick hues. Muted nose of dark fruit olio, tobacco, with hint of oak. Very nice combination of fruits and tobacco, finishing with some licorice and peppercorn. Ample tannins providing good backbone and room to age further. Nicely balanced Malbec and a good QPR for a sub $20 quaff. Drinking nicely now, but tannins will become more velvety if held for 2-4 years. |
| Red |
1995 Charles Cimicky Shiraz SignatureBarossa Valley more |
2/1/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 89 pointsVery dark purplish-brown in color. Muted fruit scents with tobacco and licorice. Plums and dark fruits initially, with mid-palate bringing forth abundant spices, tobacco, peppercorn and licorice. Medium/full bodied with nicely integrated yet firm tannins on this 16 year old Shiraz. Drinking quite nicely now, but still has room for additional cellaring. This wine really opened up over a couple hours after the initial pour and taste. This wine was a steal for the sub-$20 I paid for it on auction. |
| Red |
2002 Freemark Abbey Cabernet SauvignonNapa Valley more |
12/31/2010 - ghoztly wrote: 89 pointsA deep burgundy color. Very pleasant aroma of fruit, vanilla, and oak -- no vegetable matter or pepper in the nose. Not quite as sweet as what you would expect from its scent; tastes of slightly unripe berries, with some green vegetables, transitioning to a finish with nice tannin, black pepper and a hint of tobacco. For me this would work better with food, than on its own as an aperitif. A nice wine, but I've had better at this price point. |
| Red |
2008 Valle las Nencias (Durigutti) Malbec ReservaMendoza more |
11/28/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 89 pointsA very nice QPR Malbec. Good dark fruits with earth, licorice and tobacco, ample tannic backbone, good acidity, and long finish. My only knock would be it comes off a tad thin and lacking some complexity. |
| Red |
2009 Turnbull Old Bull RedOakville Red Bordeaux Blend more |
10/25/2011 - ghoztly Likes this wine: 89 pointsA big, full bodied Bordeaux blend that was very enjoyable. Would definitely buy again. |
| Red |
2009 Owen Roe Syrah Ex UmbrisColumbia Valley more |
12/14/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 89 pointsA very jammy fruit forward Syrah -- blueberry, black cherry, peppercorn, nice must, good acidity, moderate tannins, licorice included in the long finish. A bit on the sweet side for my tastes approaching Aussie Shiraz. |
| Red |
2008 David Bruce Petite Sirah Central Coastmore |
11/9/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 89 pointsVery nice Petite Syrah. Full of fruit, but not to the point of being a fruit bomb, nice spice and some tobacco. Good tannins. Would buy again, but would like to find it around the $15-17 mark, rather than the $20 I paid first go round. |
| Red |
2006 Noble del Sur Malbec ReserveMendoza more |
12/1/2010 - ghoztly wrote: 89 pointsOpaque, deep purple color. Very subtle nose of black fruits, bell pepper and minor tobacco. Tastes of black cherry, plum, and blueberry accompanied by shades of tobacco and black pepper. Sweet tannins although a bit flabby in the finish. Overall a nice Malbec, that I would buy again if I could find it under $20. Too high at $25. |
| Red |
2006 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon Yountvillemore |
10/26/2010 - ghoztly Likes this wine: 89 pointsDark plum color with slow legs. Complex flavor showing oak, cherry, plum and a hint of coffee. Great depth with a nice finish, mildly tannic. I think holding this wine a bit longer will add smoothness, as it still seems a bit immature. |
| Red |
2008 Craggy Range Te Kahu Gimblett Gravels VineyardRed Blend more |
2/22/2011 - ghoztly wrote: 89 pointsDeep violet color with a nose of sweet dark fruit, oak, and a hint of vanilla. This New Zealand bordeaux style blend consists of Merlot 64%, Cabernet Franc 15%, Cab Sauv 14% and Malbec 7%. Initial taste is of red and dark fruits, although less sweet than you would expect from the nose, backed by substantial velvety tannins. This is medium bodied, somewhat dry, well balanced, with a moderately long finish. This would be delightful coupled with a nice cut of beef. For the price this wine competes nicely with its more expensive French counterparts. |
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- Tasting notes: 91 notes on 87 wines
