3/7/2024 - Number51 wrote:

Tastes like a nice ripe dark fruit basket sprinkled with pencil shavings.

3/21/2023 - Number51 wrote:

Very nice. It is no longer jammy like it was eight years ago. Very complex and well balanced.

1/26/2022 - Number51 wrote:

A killer Bordeaux blanc. Wow.
Honey, apricot, acacia flowers, and flint. Perfectly balanced.

4/5/2021 - Number51 wrote:

This white is amazing. It's bone-dry and complex. There are lovely apricot, walnut, and olive flavors. Olive flavor really stands out as the wine's oily texture gives you the sensation of drinking olive oil (in a good way!). Lighter flint on the finish adds to the complexity.

12/13/2020 - Number51 wrote:

A fairly modern in style, this CdR presents strawberry cream puff, bloody raw organ meat, and raspberry jam, and blackberries in minerally texture. It tastes like it was not fully destemmed and has been aged in French oak.

9/30/2020 - Number51 wrote:

Flavor profile here is very new world. It tastes like a inexpensive Spanish red with a ton of strawberry cream puff and skittles components.

5/13/2020 - Number51 wrote:

Wow, this is a well-polished red with a great balance and purity.
Forest floor, blackberry, sweet potato, and wintergreen notes come through.
It is a killer value.

4/3/2020 - Number51 wrote:

Very cola-centric Pinot with low acidity.
Difficult one for me to give score as i strongly dislike this style of Pinot.

2/2/2020 - Number51 wrote:

Sweet fruited with cola, herbs, and some road tar. A bit simple.

1/31/2020 - Number51 wrote:

Framed in a raisin-like sweetness, this lovely Sagrantino shows dark berries, road tar, and licorice components well melded together. It glides across the palate with massive yet refined tannins. There is something very special about these tannins; they are so round and almost elegant, yet massive as expected from Sagrantino of this region.
91+ points.

12/31/2019 - Number51 wrote:

Dark cherries, blackberries, eucalyptus, forest floor, lavender, and black pepper components are melded together in a harmonious way. It is a big tannic wine, as expected from Sagrantino based reds of this region.
I sense a touch of modern style here though. While this is a tannic beast and certainly old world, it isn’t completely rustic or bone dry. It’s got a bit of upfront style fruit that sits on top of the massive tannic structure, which allows the wine to appeal to a wider audience.

1/27/2020 - Number51 wrote:

Very good. This Barolo is bright red fruited, chalky, and floral with a hint of brown sugar in the finish.

1/18/2020 - Number51 wrote:

Wow, this wine has really come around and has matured to a killer value.
There's lots of dusty tannins on the surface, and beneath that, an amalgam of plums, tobacco, tar, licorice, and lavender shines through.
It is dry, super aromatic, and has good acidity.

10/15/2019 - Number51 wrote:

Wow, this is a dark brooding port-like red. It is rich with dark berries, asphalt, dark cocoa, and a hint of caramel. It isn’t too oaky.
I had left the bottle upright for two weeks, and now inside of the bottle is stained black, so it looks like the bottle is still full. I have never seen anything like this before.

10/8/2019 - Number51 wrote:

This is a great value wine with dark cherries, pomegranates, road tar, and balsamic vinegar flavors. It is a steal at $16.

8/1/2019 - Number51 wrote:

Deceptively medium body with its super refined tannins and low alcohol, this red is rich and packed with flavors of dark berries, dark chocolate, fresh tobacco leaves, eucalyptus, and licorice.
It is really well balanced, food friendly, and built to last. It is genuine, true to its roots, certainly not one of those international styled wines.

7/6/2019 - Number51 wrote:

This is a modern styled fruit forward Rioja that tastes like a modern styled Bordeaux (reminding me of 2015 Arbalest).

6/17/2019 - Number51 wrote:

If you can accept the style of this wine, you will see the beauty in it.

It is high-alcohol, skittles rainbow infused, bright red candied fruit garnacha with a hint of pepper.

This deserves some respect given the enormous qpr.

6/11/2019 - Number51 wrote:

Came back! Lively and structured. Quite good.

5/26/2019 - Number51 wrote:

My first bottle was over the hill (not corked) and sadly not really drinkable. This second bottle is quite tasty and a great value for $23. For this bottle, I would give 90+ points.

Plums, basement dust, tobacco leaves, and fresh mushroom flavors are well integrated and backed by a decent finish.

5/23/2019 - Number51 wrote:

This is really good for that price deal from WL.
If tasted blind, I’m not so sure if I’d have guessed Amarone. It just drinks like a good full-body, rich, old-world red. Fruit jam, pepper, tar, and fresh cigar notes are shown with a good balancing acidity.
I found this to be pretty accessible right now.

5/20/2019 - Number51 wrote:

A solid wine that shows raisins, dried plum, root vegetables, coffee, and a little rust.

5/15/2019 - Number51 wrote:

Dark, rich, super fresh, tannic. Really tasty.

4/25/2019 - Number51 wrote:

Purity is the main theme here.
Rich dark fruits with a hint of smokiness come through. Really good.

3/27/2019 - Number51 wrote:

Amazing value for its price.

3/27/2019 - Number51 wrote:

This is an easy-to-like, full-body, dark-fruited style wine.
Blackberries, tobacco leaves, tar, asphalt, licorice, and black pepper flavors come through.

6/9/2018 - Number51 wrote:

2015 Clos Alivu is a pleasing rose. Here, subtlety is the key. Light peach, nectarine, guava, and stony minerals all meld together with a hint of bittersweet blood orange in the finish.

3/7/2018 - Number51 wrote:

Really a fantastic wine for the humble price of $15. Fruity and pure, this wine burst with cherries, pomegranate, asphalt, and fragrant cigars.
It is a happy wine. 91+ points.

2/24/2018 - Number51 wrote:

On the nose, there are classic Chinon aromas - spinach, broccoli, and earth along with cane juice, which I like. However, the flavors dissipate quickly on the palate. Although I appreciate the light medium body here, I just wish the flavors would last longer.

5/25/2017 - Number51 wrote:

What a lovely minerally wine. Blueberries, blackberries, licorice, and violet notes are wrapped in sweet dusty tannins.

5/14/2017 - Number51 wrote:

2014 Domaine Des Entrefaux Crozes-Hermitage is a great wine. Bright pomegranate and dark cherry notes stand out. In the background, there are tomato skin, parsley, and fresh mozzarella cheese that add to the complexity.

5/10/2017 - Number51 wrote:

Quite enjoyable this is. Given the low amount of earthiness, it does come across as a bit New World-ish, but without any syrupiness or silly oakiness. This is pretty with cherries, sweet cranberries, sauteed paprika, and a hint of twizzler.
Given 13.5% alc, you can party like it's your birthday.

5/8/2017 - Number51 wrote:

Relatively full-body, yet Burgundian in flavor profile, this shows dark cherries, violet, lavender, rosemary, and a hint of eucalyptus, all wrapped in a sweet firm tannin structure. I agree with chcook's comment below that it comes across as Italian; it tastes a bit more like a Barolo than a Burgundy.
13% alc lets you party all night.

5/1/2017 - Number51 wrote:

This is sweet cherry fruited with some vegetal funk and earthiness.

3/2/2017 - Number51 wrote:

2009 Lavia+ is a well-structured, sweet tannined, ripe, dark, fruity wine. For the price ($11-$13), it is an incredible value.

12/10/2016 - Number51 wrote:

I love the minerals and cedar, soil, and forest sort of notes here, but it is a bit too jammy at the moment. I would suggest that you wait at least another couple of years.

11/30/2016 - Number51 wrote:

This is pretty good, but I don't see that Madeira influence here is obvious. You know how some sherried whiskies show sherriness? This isn't like that. It just tastes like a good Laphroaig.
I was more impressed by the 200th anniversary 15 year old one though.

11/21/2016 - Number51 wrote:

Knowing that this is without peat and sherry, I was expecting this to be an elegant dram. Not really. It's got a big spiciness. I guess it's from the virgin oak barrel. Wow, really spicy. I like it.

11/12/2016 - Number51 wrote:

Wow, this is really good. A fabulous acidity rounds out the nutty and savory flavors.

11/12/2016 - Number51 wrote:

I'm glad that I've become a spirit drinker over the past few years; I can withstand this 17% alcohol. It comes across more like a 15% however, which is great.
There is an obvious raisined dark fruit with good tannins. Cassis, blackberries, peppered beef jerky, and licorice notes are released with a full blast of power. Overall balance is fine with good amount of acidity against the sweetness.
Without enough experience with Amarone, I'm thinking somewhere around 90 points.

9/5/2016 - Number51 wrote:

2006 Guiraud is relatively light in body and has a searing acidity that balances out the sweetness. Lemon peel, canned peach, orange lifesaver, cigarette ash notes pop. It is a sauternes that leans more towards elegance than richness.
It appeared a bit simple at first, with aeration, little spice notes came through, upping the level of complexity.
90+ points.

7/15/2016 - Number51 wrote:

Wow, this is some serious bombastic bomb.
It is a bit Sauternes-like on the nose with sweet canned mixed fruits, then is followed by ripe Kesar mangoes, Korean pear, flint, and a huge acidity that attempts to make this virtually dry.
If I had tasted this blind, I may have mistaken it for some bombastic Vouvray or something. I wouldn't have guessed California due to the lack of oakiness and the overall feel of the body and acidity.
It is just darn delicious.

7/12/2016 - Number51 wrote:

Light orange-ish pink.
I say, terroir in da house.
you like this haiku?

7/4/2016 - Number51 wrote:

I like this wine a lot. This is the sixth bottle I've had, and I'll probably purchase more.
It has easy-to-like sufficiently ripe fruit with a pleasing amount of old-world vegetal and earthy notes. Blackberries, pepper, unlit cigar, cassis, and licorice flavors come through. Even with seemingly low acidity, the wine is fresh and well balanced.

5/27/2016 - Number51 wrote:

This is the first Scotch ever that I would describe as having a great focus. Among savory peat, dark sherry fruit, cigar, plum, and cherry skin notes, a distinct flintiness stands out.
Not necessarily a “smooth” whisky, but a complex and focused one, this is perfect for folks who like to analize what’s In the glass. It’s less suitable for a party.
So drinkable at 59.1% alc without water, it’s a showcase of how well balanced a twelve year old single malt can be.
No score yet as I just opened this bottle few hours ago.

4/12/2016 - Number51 wrote:

Floral, biscuity, and pure, this K&L selected single cask Scotch is quite good. It sure is educational to taste spirit from barley without much external influence, such as Sherry and peat.
Nose is quite pretty. Mouthfeel is oily. A complex array of stone fruits, spring flowers, and vanilla ice cream presents itself in a whopping 57% cask strength. With a splash of water, all that mellows down to an elegant spirit in its truest form.

4/3/2016 - Number51 wrote:

Wow, this is fantastic. Plums, dark berries, mild pepper, and mushroom flavors come through with dusty tannins. It is so fresh and light on its feet.

4/3/2016 - Number51 wrote:

My bottle was really poor in quality (like 84 points). It didn't taste damaged/corked though.
I hope my next bottle turns out much better.

3/27/2016 - Number51 wrote:

This is my second bottle, and it is consistent with the prior bottle.
I like this quite a bit. It is modern in style. Full bodied with sweet tannins, it is full of blackberries, lavender, acacia, licorice, and cane juice.

3/17/2016 - Number51 wrote:

With cola-centric flavor profile, 2010 Migration pinot is assertively Californian. Sweet ripe dark cherries, pepsi, burnt sugar, and bee pollen notes come through with a decent finish.
Objectively, this is a fine pinot, but I'm just not a fan of the cola flavor of ripe pinot. It doesn't have any of that offensive strawberry cream puff new oak.