2/26/2024 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Really good over several nights. No detailed notes

12/25/2023 - tigerpaw75 wrote:

Solid QPR - believe I bought on WTSO about 10 years ago. Good structure. Fruit is good but not great. Smooth, ready to drink. Will last a few more years, but the fruit won’t get any better.

12/12/2023 - tigerpaw75 wrote:

This wine was a really nice blend of Sangiovese, Syrah, and Merlot. Has some typical acidity and structure from the Sangiovese but is rounder and more fruit forward than a typical Chianti 90% Sangiovese. Drank over 3 days and held together well.

11/23/2023 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

I only got a small glass (was drinking another wine), but enjoyed it. Decanted 45 minutes, enjoyed with grilled filets and Fleming’s style mac and cheese Lots of Oak that was a bit too much in front for me. Paid $38, not a bad price but won’t rush out to buy more.

11/23/2023 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Solid Left Bank Value Bordeaux I had been hanging on to for a decade. The structure was all there and it went well with our steak dinner, but the fruit is beginning to fade. Decanted 45 minutes before drinking. Drink up if you have some left.

11/24/2023 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Good solid quality CCR. Drank with homemade lasagna. More fruit than many CCRs but still had strong backbone of tannins and acidity. Still several years of life ahead for this.

11/22/2023 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

It was good, everyone liked it, but it was not the most memorable. Decanted ~45 minutes before drinking. Tannins were well integrated. I doubt it will develop further so drink up.

3/21/2023 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Really good - can echo the other comments. Really nice apple and pear notes, well balanced. Doesn’t have the vegetal notes you can get with NZ SB. Definitely a rebuy.

2/19/2023 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Solid 90-91 - decant helped on this one.

Natural cork, no penetration into the cork.

First taste out of the bottle was a little thin and harsh. After 20-30 min in the glass and the balance of the bottle in the decanter it settled into a smooth combination of dark fruit with plenty of vanilla and and cedar notes, with enough acid and tannin to hold it together. Had with grilled skirt steak and cauliflower risotto.

This was better than the last bottle I had a couple years ago. Still got a few years of life - no signs of age.

12/25/2022 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Just excellent from start to finish. Super smooth, plenty of dark blue fruits with rich but well integrated vanilla/oak/mocha tones. Enough tannic structure to support the fruit but wouldn’t want this to recede much more. First sip out of bottle was great, decanted part of the bottle but not really necessary. Could have been a pop and pour - opened up fine I bathe glass and didn’t change a lot over 2+ hours. Bought for $125 in 2009-2010 - was worth the wait. Recommend drinking within the next 2-3 years - can’t see it evolving much more.

11/24/2022 - tigerpaw75 wrote:

Unfortunately I think we waited too late and n this one. Tasted a bit port like and oxidized. Lost a lot of fruit character and what was left wasn’t that present. Drink up, maybe yours isn’t as far gone as mine!

11/24/2022 - tigerpaw75 wrote:

Had higher hopes but this one was a too angular, overly tart , and overly oaked. Maybe some time will help but not one I’ll go back to soon.

9/21/2022 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Decent on initial opening, a little thin but drinkable. With more air, the dark fruit and light vanilla oak come through. I’d by again.

9/17/2022 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Bought a bottle at Costco to see if we had some good QPR here - survey says….no. Way too oaky, acidic, and a little bitter. Gave it air and didn’t improve. Put some argon on it and corked it for a couple days to see if it might soften up, but just oxidized. Down the drain.

2/14/2022 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Trying to work through the last of these, know it does not have long left. Right out of the bottle showed some nice dark cherry and plum, with some oak. Definitely some vegetal/green cab flavors as well - made me think of V8 Mixed with fruit juice. Some tannin but as expected very smooth. Slow decanted and tasted every 10 minutes or so. Peaked at about the 90 minute mark before some acidity and a little bitterness began to come to the front, although it was still interesting.

9/6/2021 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Good bottle- decent tannins right after opening but smoothed out in the glass without decanting. Nice beam of currant and dark cherries. In good balance except for a little too much oak. Very good pairing with grilled NY strip.

1/22/2021 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Old world styled. Medium weight. Good structure. Upon opening LOTS of oak upon first opening. Good acidity. Drank over 3 nights. Best on night 3 as the oak seemed to dissipate and let the fruit through. Better with food.

1/16/2021 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Just opened - some pruny notes on the nose. Oak is not overpowering. Decanting now. Significant but smooth tannins. Seems to have enough fruit left. We’ll see where this goes.

1/3/2021 - tigerpaw75 wrote:

Day 1 - 85 - Ok, red more than blue/black fruit. Acid pretty high. Light to medium weight. Heavy oak treatment was off putting. On Day 2, bumpin got up to 87 as some of the oak blew off and it was more enjoyable. Decent for the price but probably wouldn’t buy again.

12/24/2020 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

For $15 from WTSO years ago I didn’t expect a lot. I held on to one of the 4 bottles to see how it would age. While not great, it drank very well with grilled lambs chops on Christmas Eve. The wine had always had a bit too much oak and a bit too much acid, but both have mellowed and since my last bottle. Medium weight, with cranberry and currant dominating. Tannins are smooth and well integrated, but still providing a good backbone. If it had just a bit more blue/black fruit and richness it would get to 90. Wine held together over 2 nights with no sign of oxidation.

10/11/2020 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Really good - outstanding QPR. The fruit is dialed back a bit from the 2015 that hit the WS top 100 list, and that’s a good thing. Easy pop and pour that won’t disappoint on a weeknight with burgers.

8/15/2020 - tigerpaw75 wrote:

Ok, it was a $9 Shiraz that the FIL forgot about 16-17 years ago and gave to me when he was cleaning out his cellar. Expectations were not high. Cork was intact, no TCA. First sips I got some faint nose of dark fruit with nice blackberry jam, a little tannin (not much)...and a little acidity. Medium body. After about 5 minutes in the glass all structure evaporated and it is like sipping alcoholic Welch’s.

Fun to see what a cheap wine tasted like 18-19 years after bottling.

5/14/2020 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Rush of dark black fruit with hints of vanilla. Full bodied. Big alcohol, but it hid it well. Smooth finish

6/6/2020 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Very good. Gift from FIL who was cleaning out his cellar. Cedar/cigar box on the nose with some faint dark fruit. Medium to full bodied. Tannins fully integrated...they are there but very smooth. Blackberry jam with black peppery notes. Perfect steak wine...which is what I had with it! Well stored bottled have a few years of life left. Hard to believe this one is almost 20 years old. I bought a lot of Mondavi Napa cab in the 1999-2003 period and this vintage was the best to me.

5/24/2020 - tigerpaw75 wrote:

FIL gave this to me after he was cleaning out his wine cellar. Figured let’s see what a 21 year old Pinot tastes like. Cork was only soaked about 1/3 of the length. Fill level appeared good.

As expected, very soft - all tannins gone. Nose pretty muted. Still some substantial fruit left - cherry cough drops with some pleasant woody/leather notes. After more time in the glass, started getting some more Pinot forest floor and mushroom.

Not going to rate it as it was well past it prime but was enjoyable and interesting to taste the wine over a few hours.

5/17/2020 - tigerpaw75 wrote:

I’ve bought 4 bottles and 2 of them have been corked. The two that were not corked were really good...Costco accepted the returns so no loss.

Bad bottle serial#136794
Good bottle serial# 144122

4/10/2020 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Drank over two nights. It was good both nights but smoothed out more on night 2 after it got more air. Black cherry, firm but smooth tannins, and medium body. Went great with sausage and peppers on night one and tomato meat sauce on night two. Good QPR for about $15.

3/1/2020 - tigerpaw75 wrote:

Over the hill unfortunately - tasted oxidized and overly sweet. All structure is gone. Waited too long to drink the last one...lesson for me!

1/26/2020 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Very good Italian blend for the money. Fruit forward without being overdone - you can still tell it’s Italian.

Darker fruit profile than Chianti. Nicely balanced and smooth tannins. Would buy more but sold out at Costco.

12/8/2019 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

I’ve bought a case of this as Costco for $7 a bottle - strong QPR. Give it air - it’s a little disjointed out of the bottle but an hour in the glass or decanter will do wonders. Acidity, dark fruit, medium weight, and enough tannin to keep it interesting. It will smooth out even more on Day 2.

7/8/2018 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Great southern Rhône value. Nose of dark fruit with some tar and funk. Medium to full bodied. The plenty of blue and black fruit shining through, balanced with good acidity and round tannins are n the finish. Wish I had some more.

7/21/2017 - tigerpaw75 Does not like this wine:

Sweet and cloying, flabby, grape juice. Has a Welch's character. Not my style.

4/30/2017 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Nose - Some vanilla oak and cedar, menthol,
Palate - medium bodied, good acidity, tart cherry fruit with some of the vanilla and a medicinal note, a tinge of strange bitterness.
Finish - 15-29 sec, blends the nose and the palate, with a little heat.

Overall good and interesting, but not my go to varietal...not one to serve to a crowd of casual wine drinkers.

4/12/2017 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

This is drinking very well. Smooth dark fruit, medium to full bodied, balanced with decent acidity. Some vanilla on the nose and palate but not overoaked. Drank over 2 days, rating is for night 1. Faded some on night 2 but still very good. Sorry it is my last bottle.

2/18/2017 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Opened this on Valentine's Day, but only had a glass. Revisiting 4 days later. Dark fruit. Lively acidity, well integrated tennis. 20-25 second finish. Some menthol, vanilla, very smooth. Solid value. Ready to drink.

2/9/2017 - tigerpaw75 Does not like this wine:

Weird bitter herbaceousness on the nose and on the pallet. Like a really bad cherry flavored cough syrup. I had 6 of these and there was a lot of bottle variation - some were OK to good and others went down the sink. Glad to be done with this one.

2/4/2017 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Good QPR for $15 at Costco. Very smooth. Lots of oak but it is well integrated and doesn't get into oak monster territory. Round tannins give some decent structure and balance to the dark cherry fruit. 80% Merlot. Went well with grilled NY Strip.

12/7/2016 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

I liked it. Clean nose of citrus and pear. More fruit and less grassy/vegetal than a New Zealand Sauv Blanc. Went well with food

11/9/2016 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Good and simple weeknight bottle. Surprisingly light mouthfeel despite 15% alcohol on the label.

Some smoke and earth on the nose. Black cherry and plum flavors balanced with medium/smooth tannins. Easy to drink.

10/15/2016 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Solid $20-22 Cab that drinks above its pay grade. Rich dark fruit with vanilla oak notes. Drinking well now but has 5-10 more years with good storage.

9/6/2016 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

On the lighter side, but enjoyable with grilled salmon. Good fruit balanced with typical Pinot earthy notes.

8/27/2016 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Solid Albariño. Easy to drink summer white. 12.5% alcohol. Fresh aromas of tart lemon, melon, and flowers with a touch of salinity. This is a good choice but my favorite is La Cana and for value the Burgans brand is great at $11.49 at Costco. Great alternative to Pinot Grigio.

8/15/2016 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Drank over 3 days, only the initially robust acidity faded at the end of the bottle. Ruby red, translucent. Medium bodied. Flowers, cherries, some tobacco/earth, well integrated oak.

Elegant tannins and a 20-25 second finish.

Great pairing for Northern or Southern Italian dishes.

7/10/2016 - tigerpaw75 wrote:

Just ok. Lots of smoke, earth, and funkiness after opening, but never came into balance. A bit hot. Corked and refrigerated for a few days then revisited. Not much left except heat and acidity.

6/30/2016 - tigerpaw75 Does not like this wine:

Completely dominated by the oak monster. Not enough fruit, tannin, or other characteristics to keep it interesting or frankly drinkable. Half the bottle went down the drain.

6/2/2016 - tigerpaw75 Does not like this wine:

Oak bomb. Mouthful of somewhat bitter oak combined with some decent fruit, but the oak ruins the balance. Medium bodied and somewhat acidic.

4/15/2016 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Drank at a party, didn't pay much attention to it but everyone enjoyed it.

3/16/2016 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

Drank over 3 days. Best on night 2 after some air. Significant funk, tar, and burnt rubber. Dark cherry cough drops. Medium to full bodied. Smooth tannins. Overall interesting wine but the wife didn't like the funkiness.

2/27/2016 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

PNP - A bit thin. Well made but the source fruit must have been less than ideal concentration. Faint nose of plum and a little vanilla. A little hollow on the mid palate and a relatively short finish. Smooth tannins. What is there is good you just want more.

For a couple years (2007 for sure) Anderson's used Napa fruit and this 2nd wine was a taste of real Napa can without the big price tag. Using the central coast fruit definitely made this a lesser wine.

All that said a decent weeknight quaffer you could serve to a crowd with confidence.

12/23/2015 - tigerpaw75 Likes this wine:

This was drinking well at Christmas 2015. I wouldn't expect it to improve but probably has a few years of window remaining. It was rich and smooth despite the high abv if 16%.