|
Wine Type
|
Vintage
Name
Variety
Locale
|
Date
Posted
Score
Helpful
Comments
|
|
Red
|
2008 Paul Lato Pinot Noir Duende Gold Coast Vineyard
Santa Maria Valley
more
|
Lots of kirsch and cherry. Very ripe. Candied fruit. Wildly decadent and gulp-able. Disappeared much too quickly.
At first, is this Grenache? With time, settled into its Pinot lane. Exciting interpretation of the varietal, and absolutely delicious.
|
|
Red
|
2006 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard
Edna Valley
more
|
91+(++)
First revisit.
Oh my, the intensity is, well, intense. Tons of deep, dark, black fruit. Chocolate, lavendar, and mocha. Currently, no classic Alban funk which is what I crave in these wines.
Showing thick, ripe, simple and monolithic.
If prior vintages are any indication, the upside on this wine is well worth a double plus. Huge fan of Alban.
Keep enjoying that juice.
|
|
Red
|
2009 Sandler Wine Company Syrah Connell Vineyard
Bennett Valley
more
|
Finally, another chance to revisit Bennett Valley. Ran across this wine at a local wine shop and could not help myself at the tariff ($15).
Upon first sniff was worried this wine was flawed as the bouquet and palate were dominated by sour/stewed notes. Set aside.
Revisted, after 15 minutes. Wine came together nicely. Pronounced stemminess coupled with riper fruit have integrated nicely to create an interesting flavor profile that lies outside either new or old world classifications.
Wanted more minerality and depth (which is what I enjoyed from prior examples from Bennett Valley), but that might not be a fair request given the price.
Well done.
|
|
Red
|
2006 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux Vineyard
Walla Walla Valley
more
|
Possibly consumed too young.
Dominating FUNK presented by this bottle! Much like an intrusive oakiness or too much stemminess, this bottle showed a funk that was too distracting to merit a higher score. With a California palate I could be the wrong person to be rating this wine.
|
|
Red
|
1996 Alban Vineyards Syrah Lorraine
Edna Valley
more
|
Score Reserved.
Streaks on the cork, possible heat exposure. Reserving judgement for this reason.
Beautiful nose true to the Alban wines. Lots of spice and Earth with a fair amount of charred meat fat.
In the mouth, sour component that dominates and distracts. Keeps the wine from being complete. Possible heat damage. Hate to score this with potential less than optimal storage conditions. But did want to note the fact that this could be OTH.
|
|
Red
|
2008 Sine Qua Non Syrah The Duel
Central Coast
more
|
I loved the previous note, and feel a fool for writing anything after it....however, apologists have no place here.
This is a FANTASTIC wine that continues the SQN narrative. Upon putting this wine in your mouth, it is just an attack of the senses, and at this point most notably tactile. An ooze monster of the most delicate degree. Every flavor in the rainbow is here, and every feel of the spectrum as well. All you expect, all you want. This man is a master the likes of which few attain.
|
|
Red
|
2001 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois
Red Rhone Blend more
|
Oh no. No, no, no, no, no.
Fruit has faded and VA (dirty socks) has taken over the bouquet of this wine. Make no doubt about it, this wine was made from excellent fruit. However, it was vinted on the "razor's edge" of winemaking, and at this point the fruit is losing out, and it is hard to foresee it retaking the reigns.
However, I could be wrong. VA haters, beware.
|
|
Red
|
2005 Gilles Robin Crozes-Hermitage Cuvée Albéric Bouvet
Syrah more
|
Ooooooooohhhh, la la. Much more distinguished than its 'lesser' appellation denotes.
Hermitage-like in its deep extraction. Black pepper, beef blood, blackberry, blacktop, asphalt, leather, smoked rosemary. Pure terroir. This is why I love Crozes. This is SO good. Ridiculous for the price.
I'm not sure what these other reviewers were tasting. If you love Northern Rhone, this is the wine for you.
|
|
Red
|
2003 Sloan
Rutherford
Red Bordeaux Blend more
|
94++
Tasted double-blind and am astounded at the reviews being volleyed at this wine. How far have we moved from the center here? Granted I did not pay sticker, or anything at all for that matter, but this wine is not bad. Quite to the contrary.
Obviously hard and built to last, but one of the more structured and self-assured Napa Cults I have had in a long, long time. The structure will go away long before the fruit and what will be left is a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that will be hailed as one of the great examples of an age-worthy New World wine.
Yes, expensive. Yes, happy I did not pay for this wine. Yes, great. Yes, it needs time.
If this were a Bordeaux, they would be falling over themselves for it.
|
|
Red
|
2005 S.C. Pannell Syrah
Adelaide Hills
more
|
Getting close.....
Opened my second of 3 bottles last night, and found we are on the verge of something QUITE lovely. The only real question at this point is, will this wine age into the greatness it has hinted at all along?
Tell tale signs of Australian terroir with brambly, juicy, zingy black raspberry. Also some cigar leaf, plum eucalyptus and menthol. What sets this wine apart thought is its distinct coolness and restraint. Iis that minerality in there? I believe we have hints of granite, wet rock and slate as well. This wine will grow up to be crazy, crazy good. Possibly even another 3-4 points.
I'm quite excited to open my last bottle iin another 2-3 years!
|
|
Red
|
2008 Robert Keenan Winery Merlot Napa Valley
more
|
Stellar QPR. Fun merlot, as the folks on Spring Mountain tend to do. Rich, chocolatey, mocha dark fruits, round mouthfeel. Just great. A perennial all-star.
|
|
Red
|
2008 Sanguis Polly-Anne
Santa Barbara County
Grenache Blend, Grenache more
|
This wine flew too close to the sun. An attempt at greatness. A result of tragedy. A shame. Completely out of balance towards ripeness, volatility and alcohol. Generally I am a Sanguis fan. Not this time. Bummer. I do appreciate the irony of the name.
Day 3: Much of the volatility is gone, what is left is....significantly more enjoyable than day 1...though that may be damning with faint praise. Still very ripe. One of the most port-like wines I've ever come across.
|
|
Rosé
|
2011 Cep Vineyards Rosé Russian River Valley
Pinot Noir more
|
Pale salmon-flesh in color. In appearance, reminds me of a bandol. Label gives no indication of grape, but winery release notes say 100% Pinot Noir. This is not like other Pinot roses, much more akin to a rose made from Rhone varietals. Crisp, grapefruity, lemony, grapefruity, grapefruity. Would love a bit of cherry, cola, or any hint of Pinot Noir varietal correctness. Great for an afternoon sip.
|
|
Red
|
2008 Westerhold Family Vineyards Syrah Westerhold Vineyard
Bennett Valley
more
|
93+
100% Syrah. Tasted at San Diego Family Winemakers event. First time tasting at an this event and was surprised by how many 'good' wines were being poured there. Not surprised by how few 'great' wines were being poured there. This was 1 of the 2 'great' wines I tasted that day.
Seems to be some confusion within these notes. To be clear, there are 2 Westerhold Syrahs from 2008. A standard release and a reserve. This note is for the reserve which was left in barrel for 3 years!!! Poured by John Westerhold himself.
Dark purple in the glass. Thick legs after swirling showing obvious heft and concentration. You can smell this wine from almost an arm's length away. The nose if very, very lifted with notes of white flowers and freshly cracked pepper, bright and juicy raspberry and blueberry fruits along with chocolate and mocha. In the mouth the palate mimics the nose with an almost bottomless well of concentration. Great wine that still needs a bit of time to come together and figure itself out (hence the '+' in my score). John told me this was bottled just a few weeks ago so that is not surprising.
The other great wine I tasted was the 2008 Argot Syrah (also from Bennett Valley) which I preferred on this particular day. Both wines were great and there was a very obvious connection of terroir between the two. I think I might start keeping a closer eye on Bennett Valley Syrah.
|
|
Red
|
2008 Argot Syrah Opening Salvo Bennett Valley
more
|
100% Syrah. Tasted at San Diego Family Winemakers event. First time tasting at an this event and was surprised by how many 'good' wines were being poured there. Not surprised by how few 'great' wines were being poured there. This was 1 of the 2 'great' wines I tasted that day.
I sought this table out due to a bottle of their Happenstance I loved a few months ago and was not disappointed. All the wines were great (keep your eye out for their rose), but this was just unbelievable.
Makes an immediate impression with its color in the glass. A vibrant, almost electric ruby. Not purple. Completely opaque and upon swirling just creeps down the sides of the glass with its viscosity. On the nose there is an amazing concentration that is almost Hermitage-like with aromas of tar, beef blood, asphalt, worn leather and dry,black earth. With more swirling brambly, black fruit begins to show itself deep in the mix along with accents of cinnamon stick, mocha and bittersweet chocolate. Once in the mouth, the only word that came to my mind was POWER. Holy cow did they stuff everything AND the kitchen sink in this wine. Gobs of black fruits, iron and asphalt with distinct notes of lavender, eucalyptus, menthol (the last 3 apparently attributed to the terroir of the vineyard). I was told that this was raised in 100% new oak, and almost couldn't believe it.
The winemaker said this wine will show its best stuff in years to come or with plenty of aeration. The bottle I tasted was popped and poured in front of me, and was already showing incredibly well, but the tannins will probably benefit from a few years in the cellar.
The other great wine I tasted that day was the 2008 Westerhold Reserve (which I had never heard of) also from Bennett Valley that the folks from the argot table turned me on to.
I, for one, am going to be keeping my eye on this project. Bravo!
|
|
Red
|
2006 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard
Edna Valley
more
|
Had same evening as my 100-point 2004 experience. The relation between these 2 wines is obvious, however the 2006 is not nearly the wine the 04 was that night. Everything was there, just not in its right place. Disjointed, and at times a bit off. Judgement reserved for the time being. Happy to sit on my other bottles for a while.
|
|
Red
|
2004 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard
Edna Valley
more
|
My first 100 point score! Absolutely magnificent wine. Have posted a note on this before that was less than flattering. This bottle was the picture of perfection. Everything of everything was going on with this bottle. The color was huge. The nose was a huge. The flavor was huge. The mouthfeel was huge. The finish was huge. The balance was exacting. Oh lord, if only more California Syrahs could reach these heights.
Opens with black to the rim color and obvious viscosity in the glass. Nose offers tar, blackberries, leather, violets and beef blood. Deep enough to leave your noised parked over the glass for minutes on end unwilling to take a break even to taste. Once in the mouth this is a seamless experience of taste, smell and feel. The palate offers more flavors than can be identified, but they are presented as a cohesive whole, almost as if it would be pointless to try dissecting the pieces apart. The texture is mouthcoating but stands tall on the palate as opposed to wide and flat. As for the finish, sit back and go for the ride. The core of this wine continues to reveal itself long after the wine is no longer in your mouth.
It is amazing how different 2 bottles of the same wine can be over the course of a couple months.
|
|
Red
|
2001 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Red Rhone Blend more
|
Drank again, 1 year later. Consistent with previous note. Really has not moved. Probably built to go for years, but showing so good right now. Why wait.
Note: Both bottles I've had were clean and pure. Good to know when dealing with this house.
|
|
Red
|
2007 Hartford / Hartford Court Pinot Noir Jennifer's
Russian River Valley
more
|
A good wine, just not at all interesting for the price. I hate to post a sub-90 score, but I've had this wine 3 times and it is 5 years old at this point. It should be giving something more than lots of oak and generic fruit. Is this a 15 year wine? Maybe, but I paid up for this "only in the best years" cuvee and have not finished any of the 3 bottles I've opened. Again, not bad, for my palate, not worth the special designation.
|
|
White
|
2009 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes
more
|
I'm just not on board with everyone else (or Parker for that matter) on this wine. Will it be great someday, I don't know and have a hard time pretending with these VV Beaucastels. Here is where it was at the night I had it:
In the glass, this wine looked like it was going to be one wild ride. Bringing the stem up to my nose the bouquet was certainly lucious, but not flamboyant. White flowers, marshmallows, white peaches all came out after a significant amount of coaxing. Almost nothing in the tropical or citrus family.
Once in the mouth the feel screamed Roussanne, pulling cashmere blanket over my tongue and muting all other feeling inside my mouth. Again, lots of marshmallow and white flowers, nilla wafer, buttercreme and a slight fleck of lime.
My guess is that this wine will be great at SOME point in its evolution but I'm not willing to stock up and try to hit that moving target at this price.
|
|
Red
|
2005 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve
Grenache more
|
Ohhhhhhhh...this was simply a magnificent wine....MAGNIFICENT. It was hard to get over the ample levels of concentration in fruit and power, coupled with the lightness and ease of access this wine offered. I haven't had a grenache like this in a long time and the timing could not have been better. Everything about this wine screamed of purity.
Immediately fresh and bright on the nose offering brambly red fruit and cinnamon/clove spice, coupled with just the right amount of freshly broken stone to complement the fruit and give it a deeper level of freshness. In the mouth, more of the same. Trying to nail down which fruit descriptor best describes the wine is like watching Rocky try to catch Mickey's chicken. Ultimately, it does not matter though. The point is, this is Grenache. If you want to taste one of the, if not THE greatest example of what this grape can do, get in line for the 05 Rayas
|
|
Red
|
2004 Château Croix de Labrie
St. Émilion Grand Cru
Red Bordeaux Blend more
|
A wonderful. classic, classy, right-bank Bordeaux, everything I was looking for tonight. Chocolate, graphite, bright red fruit and a whiff of clove and sandalwood on the nose. I could bury my schnoz in the glass for minutes at a time. Palate offers much of the same from a flavor standpoint along with a real lightness that allows for ease of sipping. The perfect school night wine!
|
|
Red
|
2006 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Koplen Vineyard
Russian River Valley
more
|
Beguiling nose of red cherry fruits and deep, enticing, pinot spices, interlaced with wood nuance. This is an absolute rockstar nose.
In the mouth significantly less exciting. The fruit is less electric than on the nose, a bit brooding and heavy. A bit of an alcohol burn. There is definitely alot of spice and brambly fruit here, but it is overshadowed by its heavy, ploddingness, tight grip and enormity.
Not sure whether to recommend hold or drink up.
good luck
|
|
White
|
2009 Argot Happenstance Sonoma County
White Blend more
|
Holy Cow, did this wine take me by surprise! It is not often a wine is put in front of me, from a California winery I have never even heard a peep about and it stops me in my tracks. According to their website, this blend is 70/30 Roussanne/Chardonnay.
The wine leaps from the glass with a nose of honeysuckle, lime, jasmine and Bananas Foster. It was hard to pull my nose out of this glass. The first sip is an assault on the senses, viscous and rich on the palate filling the mouth with honeyed textures foiled by the perfect balance of acidity and liveliness on the tongue. Once in the mouth the most out-front flavors are a richness in orange rinds, balanced by kaffir limes. Honey, coconut and lilacs make there presence known all while the faintest echo of black licorice (!?!) echoes in the background. The finishes lingers as all the oily textures cling to the palate and allow this array of flavors to dance in the mouth.
What a thrilling wine! Can't wait to try their other stuff.
|
|
White
|
2009 Olson Ogden Marsanne Margaret's Mandate Stagecoach Vineyard
Napa Valley
more
|
Hands down the best expression of this varietal I have ever had from California. Wonderfully pure, well-made wine that expresses plenty of fruit character, substantial acid structure, and is just plain fun to drink. Very well done.
|
