Important Update From the Founder

Tasting Notes for smokeandmirrors

(92 notes on 87 wines)

1 - 50 of 92 Sort order

Red

2015 Venge Vineyards Merlot Oakville Estate Vineyard (view label images)

6/15/2020 - smokeandmirrors Likes this wine:

95 points

Dynamite!!

Comment

Red

1998 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast (view label images)

4/16/2020 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

92 points

still had plenty of life!

Comment

Red

2012 Newton Merlot Unfiltered Napa Valley (view label images)

4/16/2020 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

88 points

Drink the other two this year.

Comment

Red

2011 Carlisle Syrah Papa's Block Russian River Valley (view label images)

4/5/2020 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

90 points

paired with lamb shanks

Comment

Red

2011 Robert Biale Zinfandel Old Kraft Vineyard St. Helena (view label images)

5/23/2018 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

92 points

Drink

Red

2007 Robert Young Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Scion Alexander Valley (view label images)

1/6/2018 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

92 points

Decanted 2 hours, drank over 2 hours, paired with short ribs. Still has plenty of life, tannins still there, but still smooth. What I expect from RY Scion

Red

2006 Robert Young Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Scion Alexander Valley (view label images)

8/27/2016 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

82 points

Either shut down or slightly corked, expected more

Comment

Red

2011 Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard Calistoga (view label images)

2/21/2016 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

90 points

Decanted 6 hrs, opened up as the meal went on. Paired with svikova recipe from the fall newsletter, both winners

Comment

White

2010 Robert Young Estate Winery Chardonnay Alexander Valley (view label images)

1/26/2016 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

90 points

Still drinking nice, more restrained on the nose but butterscotch Carmel tones on the palette

Comment

Red

2009 Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Jack's Masterpiece Napa Valley (view label images)

1/26/2016 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

88 points

Needs more time IMO.

Comment

White

2013 Carlisle The Derivative White Sonoma County White Blend (view label images)

1/26/2016 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

89 points

Great on its own and with seafood

Comment

Red

2011 Iron Horse Vineyards Pinot Noir Deer Gate Green Valley of Russian River Valley (view label images)

1/9/2016 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

83 points

Not much on the nose, didn't wow me at all

Comment

Red

2004 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard Sonoma Coast (view label images)

11/13/2015 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

89 points

Still going strong, after 2 days it had plenty of fruit left.

Comment

Red

2009 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Sonoma County (view label images)

2/14/2015 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

90 points

Velvety mouth feel, wish I had more

Comment

White

2011 Robert Young Estate Winery Chardonnay Barrel Select Alexander Valley (view label images)

1/13/2015 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

91 points

Great pairing with halibut, butterscotch notes, classic RY chard

Comment

White

2002 Williams Selyem Chardonnay Heintz Vineyard Russian River Valley (view label images)

1/12/2015 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

92 points

Still drinking nicely, all gone for now

Comment

Red

2010 Seghesio Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley (view label images)

1/12/2015 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

87 points

What I expected, nothing special but above average

Comment

Red

2006 Robert Young Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Scion Alexander Valley (view label images)

1/12/2015 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

89 points

Bottle was on the verge of corked, but held up through the night. Going to try another bottle sooner than later to see if it's holding up or on the decline

Comment

White - Sparkling

2009 Iron Horse Vineyards Russian Cuvée Green Valley of Russian River Valley Champagne Blend (view label images)

11/23/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

93 points

One of my favorites from iron horse

Comment

Red

2007 Robert Young Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Big Rock Block Alexander Valley (view label images)

11/2/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

84 points

Ok, nothing special

Comment

Red

2008 Robert Young Estate Winery Merlot Alexander Valley (view label images)

10/25/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

84 points

Agree with others, not a memorable Merlot from R.Y. 07 and 06 were much better

Comment

White - Sparkling

2001 Robert Hunter Brut de Noir Sonoma Valley Champagne Blend (view label images)

10/25/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

93 points

Still one of my favorites

Comment

Red

2008 Failla Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Sonoma Coast (view label images)

10/25/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

94 points

Long mouthfeel, was hard to not open this one for a few years

Comment

Red

2011 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Home Ranch Alexander Valley (view label images)

10/18/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

96 points

The best Seghesio has to offer

Comment

White - Sparkling

2009 Iron Horse Vineyards Brut X Green Valley of Russian River Valley Champagne Blend (view label images)

10/10/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

91 points

Dry, crisp and damn good!

Comment

Red

2011 Newton Merlot Unfiltered Napa Valley (view label images)

10/5/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

85 points

Expected more

Comment

Red

2009 Robert Hunter Pinot Noir Sonoma Valley (view label images)

10/2/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

83 points

This bottle was missing everything. Maybe precursor to being corked?

Comment

Red

2010 Williams Selyem Zinfandel Bacigalupi Vineyard Russian River Valley (view label images)

9/26/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

90 points

Berries and spice oh so nice

Comment

Red

2012 Chasseur Pinot Noir Vrai Cote Sonoma Coast (view label images)

9/23/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

91 points

Classic RRV flavor

Comments (1)

Rosé

2013 Barnett Vineyards Rosé of Pinot Noir Russian River Valley (view label images)

9/23/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

92 points

Never disappoints

Comment

White

2012 Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley (view label images)

9/20/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

95 points

Name me another Sauv Blanc that has the complexity like this.....Exactly.

1 person found this helpful Comment

Red

2009 Robert Biale Basic Black North Coast Red Blend (view label images)

8/4/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

92 points

Great wine with filet

Comment

Red

2010 Woodenhead Zinfandel Leras Ranches Bertoli Russian River Valley (view label images)

7/23/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

90 points

Drinking nicely right now, 15.2 abv. No burn like some other WH zins

Comment

Red

2006 Seghesio Family Vineyards Aglianico Alexander Valley (view label images)

6/17/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

93 points

Drinking nicely right now, wish I had more

Comment

Red

2010 Robert Biale Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard Sonoma Valley (view label images)

6/10/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

89 points

Drinking good, not hot, not much on the nose, easy drinking

Comment

Red

2009 Shafer Merlot Napa Valley (view label images)

5/31/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

100 points

Perfection, end of story

1 person found this helpful Comment

White

2008 Robert Young Estate Winery Chardonnay Alexander Valley (view label images)

5/21/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

91 points

Tasted blind with the 2012 that just arrived, we like this vintage better at this point, and was my favorite of the past 5 years

Comment

Red

2012 Venge Vineyards Scout's Honor Napa Valley Zinfandel Blend, Zinfandel (view label images)

5/18/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

92 points

I thought it was drinking nicely after breathing a bit, paired with pizza. Next day was just as good.

Comment

Rosé - Sparkling

2007 Iron Horse Vineyards Brut Rosé Green Valley of Russian River Valley Champagne Blend (view label images)

3/31/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

good shit

Comment

Red

2008 Seghesio Family Vineyards Defiant Alexander Valley Red Blend (view label images)

3/31/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

92 points

still going strong, keep forgetting to save this for another year

Comment

Red

2010 Robert Biale Zinfandel Party Line Napa Valley (view label images)

3/31/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

was ok, little hot

Comment

Red

2010 Gary Farrell Syrah Ramal Vineyard Carneros (view label images)

2/28/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

93 points

wow, best G.F. Syrah to date, drinking nicely right now

Comment

Red

2009 Woodenhead Pinot Noir Wiley Vineyard Anderson Valley (view label images)

2/28/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

flawed

corked!

Comment

Red

2010 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Cortina Dry Creek Valley (view label images)

2/28/2014 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

95 points

drinking very nicely

Comment

Red

2009 A. Rafanelli Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley (view label images)

12/16/2013 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

Muted, tasted best on day 3

Comment

Red

2009 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Maria Valley (view label images)

12/14/2013 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

90 points

Classic GF

Comment

Red

2009 Hall Cabernet Franc Napa Valley (view label images)

12/12/2013 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

Not my favorite

Comment

Red - Fortified

2006 Shafer Firebreak Dessert Wine Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon (view label images)

12/2/2013 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

99 points

the best Jerry, the best

Comment

White - Sparkling

2004 Iron Horse Vineyards Brut LD Green Valley of Russian River Valley Champagne Blend (view label images)

12/2/2013 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

93 points

Great pre-turkey beverage, would buy again

Comment

Red

2010 Hall Merlot Napa Valley (view label images)

12/2/2013 - smokeandmirrors wrote:

93 points

Damn this is drinking nice right now, and I'm not just saying that!

Comment

1 - 50 of 92

Tasting Notes: 92 notes on 87 wines

Search

© 2003-24 CellarTracker! LLC.

Search

Report a Problem

Close