Search Results - Save This Search

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

2017 Domaine d'Aupilhac Le Carignan

Vin de France more

4/1/2024 - kevin h wrote: 92 points

Not changed much in 2 years, softened a little. Still quite a purple wine, masses of cassis on the nose, tannic still but not aggressive now. Vibrant blackcurrant wine. This will improve. Lovely wine.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    4/1/2024 2:44:00 PM - I only have a couple of bottles of this and have been following your notes on it for a couple of years. For my tastes it sounds like I should hold this until at least 2027, but it sounds like the wine will go a lot longer than that. Thanks for the repeated notes on this. It's greatly appreciated.

Red

2019 Vincent Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge

more

3/29/2024 - wlsch Likes this wine: 91 points

PnP. Dark berry, dark cherry, spice, earth. The nose is terrific. The palate seems a bit tight right now and a little tarter than I remember, but there's some lovely cranberry and pomegranate in the finish. Perhaps not as open as the last time I tasted it in June 2022, but it's still a really solid wine. Might be best to hold for a few more years since it seems a it closed now It will easily go through 2029, so no rush on the remaining bottles.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    3/30/2024 8:33:00 AM - I tend to agree on the single vineyards. The AVA wines (Ribbon Ridge and Eola-Amity) are great values, drink well on release, and normally can last 8-10 years from the vintage. I drank a fair amount of this on release, but this is the first bottle I've had that seems a bit shut down, but it's also been a couple of years since I had one. It still was really good, but it did seem tight on the palate (the nose didn't seem as tight). But Ribbon Ridge wines tend to need more time and I think this is in a slightly muted phase. I had a 2019 Eola-Amity in Oct 2023 that was much more open, so for the next 1-2 years maybe I drink the Eola-Amity and let the Ribbon Ridge sit. Thanks for the comment!

Red

2021 Thomas Pinot Noir Dundee Hills

more

3/29/2024 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine: 95 points

This has been open for like 2-3 hours. JFC this is intense*. Pomegranate oil, strawberry compote and blood orange on the nose. Cherry flesh and pits. There is a stemmy/brambly note after the fruit. So perfumed and potent but with great verve as well. Very very young and primary. Maybe some Sous Bois? Palate shows wild strawberry and forest floor notes. Cherry. Gutty. Lots of flavor with some hints of sweet oak. Very light on its feet and precise. Finish shows tart red fruits, some menthol and some creamy oak. A really nice texture and depth to the finish. My first Thomas and I believe the hype. Nose - 5-5.5+/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5+/6, Finish - 1.5/2 = 17-17.5+/20 (with 17.5-18/20 potential.)



* https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/19c3d4fe-cb45-44b5-977b-8ae4e1d2fa39

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    3/29/2024 7:04:00 AM - Great note. Bonus points for the Repo Man reference. Thanks.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    3/29/2024 10:25:00 AM - Done. Cheers

Red

2018 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvée

Eola - Amity Hills more

2/13/2024 - berkeleywinedog Does not like this wine: 80 points

We have now tried 4 bottles over 4 years and our perception has not changed. There is something off about this bottling. The bottle yesterday and the one in December 2023 were both showing little more than a mouth full of tannin. The fruit is seriously thin and what little there is seems both bitter and sour. Our notes are consistent. Did we just get a bad batch? I feel like we are not drinking the same wine as others who have reviewed this wine positively. Cristom is one of our favorite pinot producers, so this bottling is a puzzle to us.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    2/13/2024 4:16:00 PM - Thanks for your note. I still have a bottle of this but haven't tasted it since release (and I have no notes on it here), but I think there are a lot of 2018 Oregon Pinots that are really tannic and backward right now. Even though this is Cristom's entry level Pinot, it really does seem like this wine needs more time than other vintages. I still think most of the 2018 OPN's will come around eventually, but I think a lot of them do have really brawny tannins and will need a lot of time. My fear is that the tannins might outlive the fruit in some of them. I'm holding most of my 2018's (including this) until 2026 or later. Mine might be an unpopular opinion, but 2018 across the board seems like a bigger, more backward vintage and a lot of the wines have been disappointing to me in their youth (I've called a lot of them charmless when tasted on release). But I do think they'll mostly come around.

Red

2015 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

more

2/2/2024 - wlsch Likes this wine: 92 points

PnP. Still a youthful ruby color. It's a little tight on pouring, but much more open than when I last tasted this in March 2021. There's cherry, raspberry, and strawberry, other red fruit, pie spice, slight forest floor, some minerals in the finish. Medium body, good acidity, integrated but noticeable tannins. It does seem to be slightly riper than the "typical" Eyrie style, but this still maintains the elegance I normally get from this producer. It seems like this is really just starting to open up. I have one more bottle left, and based on where this is now, I think it'd be wise to wait 3-5 years before opening the last one. There's no rush to drink this up. There are lots of new, excellent producers of OPN (whose wines I buy and love), but this is a good reminder that the folks who forged the trail are still making excellent wines.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    2/8/2024 2:27:00 PM - Even with the ripeness, it's still a really impressive, but I agree that hotter, fleshier vintages don't work as well Eyrie's style. I will remember that about the Daphne in warmer years. Thanks for the tip.

Red

2018 Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard

Dundee Hills more

12/15/2023 - wlsch Likes this wine: 94 points

PnP. Red fruit, cherries, some red raspberry and strawberry, spice, some loam underneath supporting the fruit, nice mineral notes. At five years old, this is just getting started. Medium body, medium acidity, well integrated tannins. There's a little bit of tannic hardness in the finish, but I think that will soften with age. This is realty beautiful and lacks the brawn I see in a lot of Oregon 2018 pinots. This is the first bottle of four that I've opened, and I'm glad I waited. If you have multiples, it's worth trying now, but my guess is that this won't really show all of itself until 2028 or later. Classic Dundee Hills. You can't ask for much more, but I can see this going up a point or two as it ages and develops. This will go at least 15 and maybe 20 years from the vintage.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    12/15/2023 8:23:00 PM - Thanks Sared. I know you’re a big fan of this as well. Cheers

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    12/30/2023 11:22:00 AM - Thanks Gr8vino. If you've got the willpower to let them sit, I think you'll be well rewarded. While it's approachable now, it will certainly be better in 5-8 years and should hold for 15-20 years from the vintage.

Red

2021 Crowley Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

more

12/29/2023 - Dbzzz wrote: flawed

Overrun with Brett. Really sad. Bought in CT. Tasted like bandaids. Couldnt even taste or smell the wine behind the brett. Surprised anyone would rate this what they have unless somehow only some of the bottlings were affected.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    12/29/2023 11:46:00 AM - I haven't tasted it in a year, but there was no sign of brett in the two bottles I took notes on. I've never gotten brett in any of the Crowley wines at all, so my guess is this is an isolated incident. Sorry you had an off bottle.

Red

2018 Domaine Diochon Moulin-à-Vent Vieilles Vignes

Gamay more

12/17/2023 - RPHC Likes this wine: 90 points

Complex nose of dark cherries and black fruit meshed with waves of damp, mossy earth. Scents of non-specific herbs and hints of violets make their appearance. Surprisingly fruit forward on initial taste with fresh cherries, overripe cherries, and plums. The slightly subdued palate was not nearly as interesting or compelling as the nose. Mild to medium finish that trails with overripe fruit. Powdery tannins, medium acidity.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    12/17/2023 6:22:00 PM - Thanks for checking in on it and posting a note. Last time I tasted it I thought it would need at least 7-8 years from the vintage for the tannins to come into balance. From your note it sounds like it's starting to come into its own but that it still needs some time. I'm going to hang onto my last three bottles for a few years more. I appreciate the note.

Red

2018 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvée

Eola - Amity Hills more

9/3/2023 - oropeza wrote: NR

As before; really doesn't seem to have changed too much in three years. Good balance of fruit, spice/pepper on the core and tannin + acidity on the finish.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    9/5/2023 12:43:00 PM - Thanks for the note. I think a lot of 2018's are like this. They seem pretty backward, tight, and unyielding. I think most of them (including this one) will come around, but I think a lot of them will need a long time to do that.

Red

2019 Trader Joe's Diamond Reserve Pauillac

Red Bordeaux Blend more

5/27/2023 - oropeza Likes this wine: NR

Black fruit, dense and dark core with earth, potting soil and other bass notes. Plenty of structure, chew and a good amount of acidity on the finish. Drank next to a similarly priced, similarly young CA Cabernet really showed off how deep, dense and closed off this wine is. Reading other reviews, I suspect there are some flawed bottles out there. Bought 4 and may get some more, will be really fun to see what this does in 5-10 years.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    5/27/2023 6:26:00 PM - I'm glad to get the opinion of someone whose notes normally align with mine. I thought this was good and had some potential, but I drink so little cab and Bordeaux that I'm happy to hear what other think.

Red

2018 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvée

Eola - Amity Hills more

4/9/2023 - awilko wrote: 88 points

Bigger and more substantial than a typical Pinot

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    4/10/2023 4:17:00 PM - I agree with Awilko. It has those bigger, brasher 2018 tannins and body.

Red

2020 Domaine Guion Bourgueil Candide

Cabernet Franc more

3/26/2023 - wlsch Likes this wine: 90 points

PnP. Dark color, nose is blackberry, dark plum, cassis, earth, and herbs. A really elegant style where the fruit is very fresh, but it doesn't come across as overripe. Medium body, medium acid, firm tannins in the finish. Seems to have good structure to age. Like David Paris said in his note, I'm not a big fan of the synthetic cork since I'm not sure how this could affect the aging and longevity of the wine. This is my first experience with this producer and I love the elegance and freshness of the style of this cuvee, but have no idea if this is typical. At $22 retail in a grocery store, it's likely worth buying another couple to see how they age. Again it seems to have the structure to age, but I'm not sure how well synthetic closures last over time. Not sure this is a 20 year wine, but I'll defer to others who know the producer better than I do. But based on the wine in the glass, I could see this developing for at least 10+ years from the vintage since it seems to have everything it needs.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    3/27/2023 10:58:00 AM - Thanks Fingers. I normally do trust my instincts, but I also try to defer to folks who know certain areas or producers better than I do since it's hard to generalize accurately about a producer based on a single sample. But based on this, I'll be trying more Guion.

Red

2019 Timothy Malone Wines Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

more

2/11/2023 - wlsch Likes this wine: 90 points

It's super confusing that Tim Malone makes two different Willamette Valley pinots. This one, with the reddish brown label retails for around $25, while the other with a white label retails for about $18. They have different ABV's, different UPC codes - they're two different wines but it seems they get entered in here as the same wine (which isn't surprising since they're both labeled as Willamette Valley). I created a different wine here in CellarTracker for the white label cuvee. This review is the for the reddish brown label cuvee.

PnP. Cherry, red berry, earth, and a bit of mushroom funk underneath. Medium body, medium acid, soft tannins in the finish. Has a lot of character and depth for an entry level wine. Drinks well now, but it should drink well for 5-8 years from the vintage. Good value.

Edited to add: Day 2 it's pulled into slight;y better balance. The cherry has receded a bit and there's some nice cranberry and blood orange mixed in. The mushroom funk also seems less obtrusive and better integrated. Still great value for Oregon Pinot Noir.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    2/12/2023 8:26:00 AM - Thanks RPHC. Closing in on having more tasting notes than bottles.

Red

2018 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvée

Eola - Amity Hills more

12/9/2022 - valecnik wrote: NR

This has either shut down or my perception of what's ready to drink is much different than others. Feels quite closed, with reticent fruit and a very taut, tense structure. Sharp,
astringent tannins. The high-toned acidity alone suggests this has plenty of life ahead. There are some juicy dark red and blue berry notes hiding in there, but I think time is needed for them to emerge and harmonize with the earth and spice. Withholding score.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    12/9/2022 6:35:00 PM - I agree with you. I drink a lot of Oregon Pinot Noir, and while I think the 2018 vintage produced very good wines, I think a lot of them are still backward and have harder and more pronounced tannins that are masking the fruit. (A lot of them seemed hard and kind of charmless on release.) Some of them are starting to come around but I think most of the "serious" wines from 2018 need a fair amount of time. Be patient - I'm convinced they'll be good wines, but I think this is a vintage to hold for the longer term. But I'm just one person with an opinion - so take my comments with a grain of salt. Cheers.

Red

2018 Jean-Michel Dupré Morgon Vieilles Vignes de 1935

Gamay more

9/1/2021 - wlsch Likes this wine: 90 points

Consistent with previous notes. It's in a really nice place now. Tons of berry fruit (as per previous notes), but with underlying mineral, a touch of earthy funk, and bright acidity. Fresh and juicy, but with depth and lovely earthy character supporting the fruit. Bumping the score from 89 to 90 this time since it seems to have evolved from my previous notes. Bought a few more recently, and likely should buy a few more on top of that. I think it should drink well for a several more years.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    11/25/2022 4:53:00 PM - Thanks. I have two more tucked away but I'm hoping I can find some more recent vintages as well. I paid more like $18 instead of $14 but it's still a great value even at $18. I'm glad you enjoyed it. It would be great with Thanksgiving. Cheers

White

2019 Cameron Chardonnay Dundee Hills

more

10/8/2022 - oropeza Likes this wine: NR

As before, maybe integrated a bit better... this is probably my favorite vintage.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    10/8/2022 5:20:00 PM - Thanks for the note. I love this wine as well and I'm trying to hold off on the last three bottles I have.

Red

2020 Château Thivin Côte de Brouilly

Gamay more

5/5/2022 - wlsch Likes this wine: 92 points

PnP. My first Thivin in many, many years, but as good, or perhaps better than I remember. Bright, juicy fruit (raspberries and red fruit), medium+ acid, medium, but well integrated, tannins. Beautiful now but with a bright future. It's tightly wound with lots of tension, but has beautiful fruit and bright acidity and a real elegance despite the tension. You'd be hard pressed to find a better expression of CdB. This wine has those intangible things that make a wine memorable and wonderful. If you never got the allure of cru Beaujolais, this is a wine that will make you understand what the rest of us are chasing.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    8/19/2022 2:28:00 PM - Thanks for the kind words. I really felt like I had this bottle at the right time where everything really came together. Sure it's young, but it's incredibly fresh and precise. It's been several months since I had it, but every time I open a cru Beaujolais, I'm hoping it's as good as that bottle. It's a really compelling wine.

Red

2019 Vincent Pinot Noir Eola - Amity Hills

more

7/21/2022 - wlsch Likes this wine: 91 points

PnP. Surprised to see it's been a year since I last tasted this. Consistent with my note from 7/2021. Nose is cherry and berries, florals, spice, and earth. There's still a slight smoky aromatic as well (not smoke damage, just a smoky phenol which adds some complexity). Medium body, medium+ acidity, well integrated fine grained tannins. Bright, fresh, juicy. This is really gorgeous right now but will hold for 5-7 years, maybe more. Stellar wine for the price ($25 at a local super market). Glad I have more stashed.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    7/22/2022 11:35:00 AM - It's a local upscale chain (kind of a local version of Whole Foods), so their wine selection is definitely above typical supermarkets, but, yeah, I'm lucky to be in Portland where it's fairly easy to find local wines like this.

White

2020 Cameron Chardonnay Dundee Hills

more

3/1/2022 - wlsch Likes this wine: 92 points

Notes from second day, but was equally as good on day 1. Nose is pear, apple, some toasty oak which lends some vanilla and some spice. The oak notes give it a baked apple note. Palate is similar, but there's some nice lemon/lime citrus in the finish and crisp acidity (medium+ acid). Really well integrated already (and sometimes these aren't in their youth). Alcohol is 12.5% (according to the label) and it has great structure to age. This is a real gem from a mixed vintage (because of the smoke from fires). My guess is this has the acid backbone and structure to age for 10 years from the vintage. Pretty stellar for full retail price of $24.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    3/1/2022 8:33:00 PM - Yeah I need to buy a few more while they’re still around.

Red

2018 Domaine Diochon Moulin-à-Vent Vieilles Vignes

Gamay more

2/17/2022 - wlsch Likes this wine: 92 points

What a difference a year makes. This is still a youngster, but it's much more accessible than the first two times I tried it. Similar flavors and aromas: berry, dark cherry, earth, mineral, and a little gamey. Tannins are still pretty assertive, but much better integrated overall. Still takes a lot of time and air to really open, but this is really showing much better than it was on release. This is my third out of six and I don't regret opening this now since it's a really good showing and isn't as closed an unyielding as the first two bottles. For my palate, it'd best to hold these longer, as it can easily go 10+ years from the vintage. Good value for an age worthy wine. This has a very promising future.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    2/19/2022 9:10:00 PM - Thanks Ohne_Musik. It is coming along, but even though it's more accessible, I still think holding a few more years will be wisest. The first one I opened was really backward. I opened a second one about two months later and it was still unyielding. It's starting to come around but best to give this one time and forget about it for now.

Red

2017 Belle Pente Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton

more

2/2/2022 - Jack Cranley Likes this wine: 91 points

I was really quite pleased with this wine! It's priced as an entry-level wine, but I tasted it stacked up against several other Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs in the same price range, and this one really blew away the competition.

In fact, I felt like this wine came across as being on the same level as the $50 single Vineyard offerings from several of the other labels that I was tasting today.

Beautiful rich aromas with fresh picked raspberry, sun-warmed blackberry, a little bit of vanilla and violets, and even a little sweet pound cake note that I was really appreciating.

As the wine opened up in the glass, a lovely subtle chalky earth undertone started to emerge. This is exactly what made me think wow, this is much more like a single Vineyard wine experience.

Approaching five years old, this wine is exactly where it needs to be right now. The aromas are developed, everything is really integrated and relaxed, the fine grained tannins are supple. Highly recommended!

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    2/2/2022 5:35:00 PM - Great note and I completely agree. It's the one of the most consistent values in the Belle Pente pinot line up. I read that it's all estate fruit but from earlier picks. And this cuvee can go 8+ years from the vintage. The 2015 is drinking beautifully right now. Great wine for the money.

Red

2019 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso

Etna DOC Nerello Blend, Nerello Mascalese more

1/19/2022 - wlsch Likes this wine: 90 points

Bright red fruit, sour cherry, pomegranate, strawberry, mineral and earthy notes. Pretty tight on opening. Medium body, medium+ acid, and prominent tannins. Some other notes say this isn't as good as previous vintages, but this is my first experience with this wine. To me, it's seems very good, but seems like it needs some time to integrate. I have more and will hold off for at least 2-3 years.

Edited to add on Day 2:
As predicted by others, it’s rounder and more harmonious, and the tannins have softened a bit. Definitely better balance overall on day 2. Still think a few years of age will help. I could see the score going up.

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    1/20/2022 8:55:00 AM - I agree that's it's a great QPR. It definitely gets better with air, but I still think several more years of bottle age will really pay off (assuming I can keep form drinking them sooner).

  • Comment posted by wlsch:

    1/20/2022 2:01:00 PM - Thanks as always for the info, SRH

Loading wine details...
loading

×
×