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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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White - Off-dry
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2020 Nova Cadamatre Riesling Snowshell Vineyards
Seneca Lake
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Nova FL Riesling ’20 5Y FAV
August 2021
YUM.
Opened last night...will review in a couple days
OK - getting around to reviewing - in mid-September.
First eveninig, paired with: caprese drizzled with Key Lime balsamic - smooth, off-dry, moderately tart :-) ; crab cake (a bit spicy) - slightly sweet over the spicy-heat; corn on the cob - soft, smooth, lightly dry with sweetness seeping through.
Second evening: alone and cold - grapefruit tartness; with caprese drizzled with fig balsamic - a little more off-dry than previously with key lime balsamic; grilled salmon - softer, no tartness; TJ's multigrain sourdough - grapefruit tart sweetness (like a pink grapefruit???)
Third night: Doing a side-by-side with the Reserve: Alone, cold - off-dry, lemony;
with the Kale-Squash soup - softer, faint lemon
Finished off bottle with a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie - DELICIOUS!!!!
Thank you, Nova! <3
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White
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2020 Nova Cadamatre Riesling "R" Reserve
Finger Lakes
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Nova Cadamatre FL Reserve 2020 4 Y
September 2021
One of our brand new winemakers creating our FIRST!!!! NEW YORK STATE FINGER LAKES wines! So glad NW & Nova introduced themselves - we've been waiting a long time for the left coast to recognize that the right coast has excellent AVAs, too!
Nova's Reserve Riesling is significantly drier than her un-Reserve.
I seem to have made very scant notes on pairings. The first evening, I only noted that alone - and COLD - it was definitely a dry Riesling. The next evening, I managed to sip, eat and take notes. Again, COLD: dry, grapefruity. As it became less cold, it remained quite tart. I paired it with a hearty "stewp" (officially 'soup' but mine are always very thick) of kale, butternut squash, tomatoes, farro, and chicken broth. (on a subsequent evening, I added some cider to liquify it a bit - DELICIOUS!!!) With this soup, the wine was less tart and softer. Very tasty pairing.
I ordered the "pre-order" case of three each of Nova's two Finger Lakes Rieslings, so I will try to make notes with further pairings and share in an update.
Thank you, Nova, for creating two wonderful examples of NYS Rieslings! I must admit I'm looking forward to your 2022 addition of a sweeter one, but these two will surely be a very popular introduction.
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White
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2020 Alexandra Farber Riesling Miriam
California
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Miriam California Riesling 2020 4-Y
August 2021
As the description says, this is not a sweet Riesling. And many of you know I do like swee! Well - I DO like Alex's dry Riesling!
Straight out of the fridge, lemony, soft, dry.
A short while later, paired with: salmon patty - dry; zucchini - lemony-tart; broccoli - softer, less tart, off-dry; brown rice - drier, but less tart, consistent lemon. Tasty pairings.
Second pairing: avocado toast with TJ's Chile-Lime seasoning - slightly lemony-tart; "loaded" omelet - again, slight lemon tartness. Very tasty with both!
Third time: salad (Romaine, dark cherries, feta, tomato, raw peas) dressed with key lime balsamic - citrusy-dry, very tasty. Dessert was a pecan bar - not at all tasty! I generally assume that a drier wine will not pair well with a sweet dessert, but I keep trying - so I can advise others! And because...maybe one will?
Thank you, Alex, for creating a tasty dry (maybe off-dry?) Riesling for us!
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White
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2020 Franc Dusak Viognier
Moon Mountain District
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FD Moon Mountain Viognier 2020 4.5 Y
August 2021
Shared this with a friend the first evening, first with dinner, then during James Strater's Wine Tasting 101 featuring Viognier - a varietal that several were not familiar with!
With dinner: seared scallops and zoodles (thank you, Carol Palkki-Sarna) - VERY tasty pairing! Lightly dry, slight fruity acidity. Enel (friend) had never heard of Viognier - she enjoyed it.
During the wine tasting, we sipped it alone at first - dry, slightly metallic. Then with a cheese (we used TJ's White Stilton with Mango & Ginger) - soft, more fruit - YUMMM. Then with chocolate - very tart. Lastly, with dark cherries - softer and fruitier
Yup - we finished off the bottle. Again, Franc, I thoroughly enjoy your Viognier. I'm so glad you're one of "my" winemakers so I had to try it all those years ago! Can you believe I've been pestering you for seven years now?
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Red
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2018 Adam Barton Shiraz Rabbit and Spaghetti Barossa Valley
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Rabbit & Spagh Shiraz ’18 3.5 Y
August 2021
I live in a senior community in which I have ten (or more - I chose the minimum because I like to cook) dinners a month. About a year ago, I fell in love with a NW Syrah, so I've been ordering the house Shiraz (no Syrah) frequently. That led me to include this bottle with a recent order.
As I usually do, I opened this bottle and allowed it to breathe for about an hour. The first evening, I paired it with: a salad dressed with honey-ginger balsamic - very tart and dry; hmm, that must have been a big salad - no notes for anything else. About two hours later, I sipped another glass and found dark fruit, alcohol heat (nice!) - then I made the mistake of nibbling a piece of fudge with it. This wine does NOT have a sweet-tooth!
Second evening, paired with: summer squash - dark fruit and alcohol heat; rice pilaf - more heat, less fruit; lamb - metallic, more heat than fruit. Later, alone - still some heat, but much more pleasant than with my pairings so far.
Third evening: chicken parmigiana - dry, soft, dark fruit - nice!!; broccoli - sharp, slightly metallic. OK - so it likes Italian - I'll remember that next time!
Thank you for creating this Shiraz for us!
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Red - Fortified
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2018 Ana Diogo-Draper Doce & Forte
Amador County
Port Blend more
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Ana Diogo-Draper D+F 18 Y 4.5
August 2021
This bottle has been open for several months and sipped sparingly with no noticeable negative results. Kept in shipping box, as cool as possible.
My only notes seem to be from early May (bottle was open at that time), when I enjoyed a glass with a lemon bar. This combo created a smooth, dark fruit heat.
In early July, I read Oscar's post about his port and strawberry slushy and used the remainder of the bottle for that most tasty-sounding concoction. I accompanied my first glass of that with a snickerdoodle - yummmm
Thank you, Ana, for creating your Doce+Forte port-style for us!
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White
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2018 F. Stephen Millier Cinnamon Grove
Lodi
White Blend more
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May 2021
First sip (COLD) - bitey - but minutes later, not at all - smooth, crisp, dry
With chicken caprese - pleasant, crisp, dry; fiddleheads - a little bite; wild rice - slightly sweet.
Next evening: COLD/alone - dry, metallic; perhaps 15 minutes later, with lightly spiced crab cake - some heat; asparagus - dry, tart; garlic toast - fruit with light heat on top
We can always depend on Stephen to create a variety of tasty wines for us! Thank you, Stephen!
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Red
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2019 Meaghan Hodge and F. Stephen Millier Syrah Esmeralda Vineyard
Calaveras County
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May 2021
As usual with reds, I allowed Meghan & Stephen's Syrah about an hour of air prior to sipping. Alone, before dinner, I found it to by moderately dry, no tannins, sour cherry, a little alcohol heat, smooth..
Dinner: chicken thigh - a little heat, smooth; roast cauliflower - no heat, smooth, dark fruit but not as sour as alone; Spanish rice - very tart, dry, light acidity
Second dinner about three days later: alone before dinner - dry, tart with slosh, less dry without slosh; beef - dry, dark fruit, pleasant; rice - a bit sharper; asparagus & fiddleheads - less sharp than with rice.
Syrah (and its sister, Shiraz) has become my favorite red varietal. Thank you, Meghan & Stephen, for creating this tasty wine for us!
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White
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2020 Franc Dusak Riesling Gould Family Vineyard
Mendocino
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June 2021
I'd 'buy again' pretty much anything Franc creates!
This dry Riesling paired tastily with homemade pasta and meatballs. (no - I did not make the pasta) Came across more demi-sec than it was when I sipped it alone. With accompanying grilled asparagus, it was lightly dry and citrusy.
Alone this first evening, as it warmed the lightly acidic citrus held - very pleasant.
Second evening, with salad (grilled chicken, pineapple, feta, pecans, tomato, dressed with a splash of Greek olive oil and drizzled with Sicilian Lemon balsamic) - delicious. The salad seemed to pull some sweetness from the wine.
Thank you, Franc, for creating your crisp, citrusy Riesling for us.
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White
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2019 F. Stephen Millier Angels Reserve White Blend
Lodi
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June 2021 - see previous tasting note
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White
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2019 Dave Harvey Gewürztraminer Sweetish Fish Columbia Valley
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DISCLAIMER: My rating is mine alone - reflecting how much I like this wine. It has no relationship to RP or any other wine connoisseur's scale.
You BET I'd buy it again - too bad there so many others got to it first!
My first pairing: homemade Irish soda bread (the dense, dark kind) topped with mayo & avocado, sprinkled with TJ's Chile Lime seasoning - wine was moderately sweet with a light tartness; slightly spicy lump crab cake - spice enhanced by the wine's sweetness; grilled carrots - wine was soft, sweet, no tartness.
Second pairing was with chicken & dumplings - delicious! :-)
For the sweet wine lover, Dave's Gewurtztraminer may not send off rockets, but it is a lovely fairly sweet wine.
Please, sir, I'd like some more?????
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White
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2019 Patrice Grasset Chenin Blanc
Loire Valley
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March 2021
This is the first of Patrice's wines I've had. I first sipped it alone, cold - and found it dry, crisp, acidic.
I then sipped it with dinner: chicken thigh with my favorite Pineapple/Coconut/Mango/Tequila sauce, broccoli and brown rice - lightly acidic, crisp :-)
The second evening, it paired with seared scallops and zoodles - very chilled at first - crisp, tart/lemon; softer and slightly sweeter (lemonade?) as the wine warmed.
Thank you, Patrice, for creating this tasty Chenin Blanc for us!
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Red
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2019 Sharon Weeks Pinot Noir Cattoo Central Coast
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February 2021 - a bit late in reviewing (May)
I opened and served this to a friend who enjoyed it. No notes on whether we paired it with anything...probably.
A few days later, I paired it with dinner: an egg roll - an odd combo, slightly sweet with moderate alcohol heat; with steak and wild rice - dark fruit, considerable heat.
My '3' rating is based on Pinot Noir in general being a varietal I'm not fond of. It does not reflect the quality of Sharon's wine. As I said, a friend enjoyed it (and she has received her first case of NW!!! - but hasn't decided to become an Angel/investor yet).
Thank you, Sharon, for creating such a variety of wines for us! And for sharing so much information with us.
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Red
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2017 Luis Vieira Montaria Reserva Capital
Portugal
Red Blend more
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As usual with reds, I gave this blend some air (about 2 hours) prior to serving.
Paired with salad, dressed with Fig Balsamic - ash, wood, dry; with grilled tuna - less sharp, some fruit under the prevalent woody flavor; with potato pancake - smoother, but with some alcohol heat. I sipped a bit more about 2 hours later - very dry, light heat
A couple days later, after another hour+ air: with steak - very dry, fruit, smooth; green beans - softer. Later - tannins and alcohol heat.
So - obviously, I enjoyed it more with a meal than alone, which doesn't surprise me, since I'm not a fan of drier wines.
Thank you, Luis, for creating several wines for us - I appreciate your craft!
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Red
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2016 The Cellar Cru American Red Wine
Red Blend more
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January 2021 UPGRADED from 3.5 to 4 hearts
This is at least the third bottle that I have consumed - I've given two to friends. Thank goodness I have one more of this wonderful wine that helped to provide assistance to victims of the dreadful fire in 2017.
First couple sips, alone at room temp: dry, low tannins
First pairing: black beans & rice with sausage - soft, some fruit - very tasty pairing!
A couple evenings later with leftovers of above - light to medium tannins, some alcohol heat (how strange that I didn't taste these the first evening), dark fruit, smooth
Third evening leftovers from New Year's dinner: prime rib - light alcohol heat, dark fruits; brussel sprouts - silky smooth with some heat, fruit; twice-baked potato - dry, tart-sour (not unpleasant, not citrus-y)
Still thank our genius crew for 'selling' the idea of creating this Cru to help our (NW) neighbors in their time of great need!
Review of previous bottle (perhaps in 2018)
SO ANNOYED - had just about completed review - bounced out - 'Do you want to finish?' - I clicked FINISH - and it went back to the wines page. NOT to my unfinished review.
Two evenings, I paired with Thai Goong Pad Pak - mild shrimp and veggies. Didn't get much air the first evening and wine was a bit sharp. Second night, a bit softer. Still - so young. Tonight, paired with salmon, broccoli and baked potato - softer and smoother. It liked the broccoli and salmon better than the potato (and better than the lemon cupcake for dessert).
Aroma: a little spice, a little plum, a little woodsy
Taste: all of the above - smoother and softer each evening.
I will update - review, and (I'm guessing) hearts - in a few months, when I open the next bottle.
Thank you, Cellar Cru, for creating this lovely wine for such an amazing cause!
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White - Sweet/Dessert
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2019 David Akiyoshi Sugar Cube Blanc
California
White Blend more
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March 2021
Many of you are well aware that I lean toward sweeter wines. Over the 7 (SEVEN????) years I've been an Angel/investor in NW, my sweet-meter and palate have become more tolerant of the semi-sweet and off-dry wines that are more readily available here. Some folks who are far more cultured than I seem to group sweet wines with dessert wines (late-harvest or ice-wines - even ports or sherries). To me, they are very different - you don't drink 5-6-8-+ ounces of dessert wines if you wish to stay upright.
All that said...David's Sugar Cube Blanc is a tasty, semi-sweet white. (I'd describe his Sugar Cube Rouge as off-dry)
I sipped a little before dinner - quite chilled from refrigerator - and found it very tasty.
I seem to have only made comments about one pairing: lump crab cake and tortilla chips with homemade guacamole - VERY tasty, but inching toward off-dry with these foods.
I have more in my basket, and am hoping that "out of stock" means just that and it will be back IN stock when I have sufficient room for another 6-pack. I really need to consume more of my stash - I was spoiled in my house with a spare fridge and a good 'storage' cellar. I refuse to decorate my one-bedroom apartment in cardboard box, even though our winged boxes are ever-so-attractive!
Thank you, David, for creating a couple of sweeter wines for those of us who yearn for them!
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White
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2020 Kruger Family Wines Chardonnay Coastal Region
more
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March 2021
The first evening, I did a side-by-side tasting with Kruger Family's Unoaked Chardonnay, which I'd opened a couple days before.
Pairing was: chicken thigh with Robert Rothschild's Pineapple, Coconut, Mango & Tequila sauce - slight heat and some sweetness with the chicken; greenie beanies and mozzarella sticks - no heat, very slight buttery feel, delicious.
Several evenings later, I paired with leftovers: lobster tail - oaky, soft; grilled asparagus - a slight 'bite'; freshly baked Irish soda bread (the real, farm style - dark and dense) - slight heat, oak.
I enjoyed both versions of the Krugers' Chardonnay - and had fun doing the side-by-side tasting. Thank you for creating both for us - and releasing together!
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White
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2020 Kruger Family Wines Unoaked Chardonnay
Coastal Region
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Disclaimer: My rating has absolutely no relation to RP or any other oenologist/sommelier's scale - it is a reflection of how much I liked the wine, loosely based on the above rating scale 'help'.
March 2021
I sipped this Unoaked Chardonnay over three evenings.
First pairing: leftovers of pork tenderloin with broccoli and wild rice - very pleasant, smooth, soft
Two evenings later: chicken thigh with Robert Rothschild's Pineapple, Coconut, Mango & Tequila sauce - crisp, tasty, a little alcohol heat; green beans and mozzarella sticks - no heat, crisp, delicious. This evening, I opened Kruger Family's Oaked Chardonnay 2020 to do a side-by-side tasting. Found slight heat and some sweetness with the chicken and very little difference with beans and mozz sticks.
Back to Unoaked - sipped alone, before dinner, quite chilled - slight heat; after dinner (cool) - a little dry, pleasant
Thank you, Krugers, for creating two versions of your Chardonnay for us - I enjoy comparing.
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White
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2019 Dominic Hentall Terra Bianca Puglia IGT
White Blend more
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December 2020
First pairing: seared scallops and zoodles (Carol Sarna - I'm addicted to this!!!) - soft, dry, fruity - very tasty!
Second evening: COLD before dinner - metallic, dry, acidic. With rainbow trout and roast cauliflower (wine a bit less chilled) - soft, fruity, smooth.
Third evening: alone, quite chilled - slightly sour, but not unpleasant; with lump crab cake and grilled asparagus - less tart.
Dominic's Terra Bianca is definitely a drier wine than I prefer, but I found it quite tasty. Thank you, Dominic, for creating it for us!
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White - Sparkling
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NV W. Donaldson Eponina Lush Demi-sec
California
Champagne Blend more
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November 25. 2020
Celebrating house closing - $$$ deposited in my account :-)
I only commented on this one meal, but I can't get enough of Wayne's sublime Eponina Lush!
Paired with salad (dark chocolate balsamic), rainbow trout with Cabela's Salmon/Trout seasoning, and sourdough toast - exactly as the name implies - this bubbly is slightly dry.
And simply delicious! Slightly drier with pecan pie.
Wayne's Eponina Lush consistently gets my "just gimme a straw" rating, although I would suggest NOT sipping it through a straw ;-)
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Rosé - Sparkling
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NV Breathless by Penelope Sparkling Rosé
California
Rosé Blend more
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November 7, 2020
Celebrating that buyer of my house received her mortgage confirmation!
Paired with wild mushroom ravioli and sweet sausage: crisp, tangy, dry (yeah - no surprise there)
Three nights later, with fish, purple potato chips topped with avocado and corn salsa - again, delicious crisp, tangy. And still bubbly! (love my champagne cork! - I've had bubblies last for up to a week)
Thank you, Penelope, for creating this breathlessly tasty bubbly Rose for us!
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Red
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2019 Karen Birmingham Malbec
Lodi
more
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November 2020
As is my usual practice, I gave this young red about two hours air.
Sipping alone before dinner, I found it dry, moderate tannins, ash-y.
First evening, paired with pizza (my go-to is pepperoni, sausage, shrooms, xtra cheese, spinach (or broccoli) ) - moderate alcohol heat, dark fruit underneath.
Guest waited to sip until after dinner - soft, no bite, bouquet of flowers, fruity "incredible!"
Second evening - with steak, I only noted 'softer, fruity'
Thank you, Karen, for creating this tasty Malbec for us!
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Rosé
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2019 The Cellar Cru Pinot Noir Rosé
Sonoma Valley
more
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November 2020
Out of fridge cold - dry, crisp, tart fruit, tangy - nice!
First pairing: (still chilled, but less COLD) seared tuna - softer, fruity; grilled carrots - quite tart (grilling seems to bring out the sweetness in carrots); purple potato slices with garlic sea salt - slightly sweet. A tasty contrast-y pairing.
Second & third evenings: pizza - soft, fruity but on the dry side, rhubarb-tart.
For those who newer to wines who think of 'Rose' as sweet, this will broaden your horizons but be sure your mouth is prepared for "not really sweet". :-)
Thank you, Cru crew, for creating yet another taste-treat for us!
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White
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2019 Meaghan Hodge and F. Stephen Millier Esmeralda Vineyard
Calaveras County
Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend more
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January 2021
Alone, cool/room temp - dry, fruit, tangy
Back-to-back nights, same pairing: Crab cake - very tasty, a bit 'hot' reflecting the Old Bay crab seasoning; broccoli cheddar fritter - softer. The second night, I again sipped before dinner. The wine was cold and seemed quite dry and very citrusy-tart.
Third evening, with salmon - softer, light citrus; broccoli fritter - touch of sweetness.
A lovely crisp white, Meaghan and Stephen! When will we see more of your collaborations?
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Red
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2016 David Akiyoshi Cabernet Sauvignon Birthday Bottle Reserve Miller Vineyard
Clarksburg
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October 2020 - second bottle
Gave it 3 hours air.
First pairing: Figured a "Birthday" wine should be a good one to choose for my birthday :-) steak and cauliflower pancakes - EXCELLENT! dark fruit, oak, slightly tannins
Second pairing: rolled steak (spinach and Swiss cheese) - very nice, smooth, dark fruit; cauliflower pancakes again - a bit metallic under the tongue, dark fruit, a little heat on top of tongue.
Alone, after dinner, first sips - some tannins, drier, a bit of pucker-power; later sips - less tannin, no sharpness
Third pairing: more steak - a little tannin but soft, smooth, fruity; spinach - less tannin; mozzarella sticks - a bit sharp.
I have one more bottle!
FIRST BOTTLE
February 2019
Unexpected guest - likes full-bodied reds. David says "open and enjoy". So I did - giving it a bit of air by playing dump-dump five or six times.
Aroma - sweet dark fruit - YUMMMMM
First sip out of bottle - hmmmmm :-) :-)
Served with venison stew. Guest sipped - face lit up - "Oh MY - this is excellent!" Tasted pine - said he's never had that happen before. I tasted - "WOW!!!!" I just tasted 'delicious' - dark fruits, definitely, some sweet baking spice - overall, had a sense of sweetness. Absolutely NO tannin, no 'heat'. It was tempting to just keep sipping until it was all gone, but settled for just one glass each. (guest had to drive home)
I was so overwhelmed I forgot to put the cork back in, so bottle sat open all night. Don't know if that affected my next impressions.
Second (next) evening - first sip alone - some tannins, a bit of 'heat'.
Paired with leek/shroom/sweet sausage soup and sourdough bread. Interestingly, smoother with sourdough than with the soup. No tannins, but lacked the sweetness of the first evening.
So glad there's more - going to give a couple bottles a few months+, then try again.
Thank you, David, for creating this stunning Cab birthday gift - yummm!
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