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

2005 Concha y Toro Carménère Terrunyo Peumo Vineyard Block 27

 Cachapoal Valley more
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4/8/2010 - roodawg wrote: 93 points

On pop and pour started off a bit closed on the nose and with a slightly bitter finish. After about 1 hour in the glass, it really came alive. Pretty fruit with a gorgeousl earthy overlay. Reminded me of a N. Rhone for some reason. Dryer than I expected, yet everyone really enjoyed it. This probably has a couple of years left in it to improve and will probably last another 5 after that. What a pleasant surprise! Went great with a rich NY steak.

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Red

2004 The Seventy Five Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon Amber Knolls Vineyard

 Red Hills Lake County more
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3/14/2010 - roodawg wrote: 89 points

The wine had a bit of heat at pop and pour, but with 2 hours of decant, more fruit showed up to the party. Still a little alcoholic, but tasty in a VERY new world way. You have to be in the mood for this, as the fruit bombiness may overwhelm those looking for more restraint or balance. The tannins are silky and fine grained with just a couple hours of decant, but the heat still comes through. I should have cooled it a bit in the fridge.
All said, not a bad wine for under $20, but should mainly appeal to those who are looking for Aussie style wines. It does have more complexity than I would have expected for the price.

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White

2004 Sbragia Family Chardonnay Gamble Ranch

 Napa Valley more
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1/10/2010 - roodawg wrote: 93 points

Way better than expected...even those who don't normally care for Chard enjoyed it. Had with pasta with lobster-saffron sauce. Tropical fruit with citrus, mainly lime, flavors. The best part of the wine is how well balanced it is. Enough weight and acidity and to have with a variety of rich white foods, yet not over the top fruit or oak. Still fresh and vibrant. Really well done and the age seems to have benefited it. Not cheap, but at around $30-40, a good QPR for a Chard. Delicious!

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White

2005 Viña Nora Albariño Rías Baixas Nora Da Neve

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1/6/2010 - roodawg wrote: 88 points

Drank w/ DF to start dinner. A different style of Albarino and you can definitely tell there was some oak there, even though it is by no means overpowering. Pleasant, if simple, wine, with a nice round mouthfeel (probably due to the oak). All in all, a decent value, especially if you're looking for a bit more body than a Sauv Blanc, but lighter than a Chard. I would pair this as I would a new world Viogner, but this has better acidity.

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Red

2004 Walter Hansel Winery Pinot Noir The North Slope Vineyard

 Russian River Valley more
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2/20/2007 - roodawg wrote: 94 points

Had with Danny...similar notes to before. Still mind-blowing, but not for everyone. Almost makes you think Walter may have cheated and added some syrah, but who cares, this is awesome. I could see how people with an old world palate for PN would be annoyed or at least, unimpressed by this. I, however, will drink this with a smile even at my own funeral.

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Red

2003 Niepoort Douro Vertente

 Red Blend more
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12/4/2009 - roodawg wrote: 90 points

Drank after a cornucopia of disparate wines at D's house (started with Siduri Pinot, moved on to Rochambo Syrah, then to dessert and a Sauternes, and then back to this as SW was really ramping up the evening). Clearly not an ideal tasting environment, but a good flashback to younger and sillier days.
Similar notes to the bottle consumed a month earlier...still complex and a very slight hint of age and oxidation, which is fine with me. Still reminded me of an aged Barolo or probably Barbaresco. Still a lot of fruit and good acidity, but a little subdued (which I like sometimes) compared to new world wines. I really liked it, but think the wine got lost by that time in the evening...like a pretty girl with a good witt that arrives to the party by the time you are already making out with the chubby girl. Would have gotten a lot more deserved attention had she shown up earlier, but by the time she arrived, the drinking games had already taken their toll...

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Red

2003 Niepoort Douro Vertente

 Red Blend more
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11/1/2009 - roodawg wrote: 90 points

Drank with pesto pasta with chicken at Paul's house.
Cork was slightly moldy at top but in good shape throughout. At first, wine seemed to show a little sign of age and oxidation, but after 30 minutes in decanter, the fruit really came out. Velvety and unlike other varietal specific new world wines. Medium body, with great structure and very fine and velvety tannins. Color was somewhat like a barolo--very slightl hints of brown but with beautiful translucence. A contemplative and complex wine for sure and still a great bargain.

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Red

2005 Mollydooker Shiraz Carnival of Love

 McLaren Vale more
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12/6/2009 - roodawg wrote: 95 points

Tasting note written on memory 2 years after tasting.
Popped and poured at Nick & Stef's Steakhouse w/ Sparky and Dan and was already feeling no pain by the time we got to this. It was really good, but it didn't blow my mind like the 05 Enchanted Path, which IMHO has one of the most unique and explosive noses on any wine I have ever had. It reminded me of a Boxer +2 or 3 pts, because of more of everything (more viscous, bigger nose, a bit more acidity and more defined but still incredibly velvety tannins). Still have a few bottles in the cellar and am very curious to see how they evolve. Will definitely take better notes on next tasting. Undoubtedly an incredible wine for those who love big Aussie fruit bombs...let's see if my palate still sings with this style in the next tasting.

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Red

2004 Walter Hansel Winery Pinot Noir The North Slope Vineyard

 Russian River Valley more
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1/24/2007 - roodawg wrote: 95 points

Not for those looking for more vegetal and and subtle pinots. This IS a pinot, but in a category by itself. This wine is like a beautiful woman with a strong personality, rather than a beautiful woman who is insecure and submissive, which many other new world pinots tend to be. As different people have distinctive tastes for different women, and one is not necessarily "better" than the other, this pinot is not for everyone. It is, in the true sense of the description, a Parker Pinot--big, bold, boozy. But it is so, with incredible finesse. A fruit bomb, undoubtedly, but it's also a silk bomb, and a gentle bomb. It has a unique intensity and minerality to it, something which often lacks in new world pinots, especially at this price range. Lots of fruit, and somewhat jammy, but not overwhelmingly so. I am curious to see how this develops with 2-3 years of cellar aging. This pinot can stand up to any quadruped, although it would be a shame to not let its personality match up against the more gamy and richer of the category. If you do want to go to heaven though, pair with with duck breast, medium rare with crispy skin, and pureed celery root with enough butter and cream to shave a few weeks off your life span. It will be worth it!

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  • Tasting notes: 9 notes on 7 wines

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