11/28/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Drinking really well right now (in my opinion). Rich dark fruit, cassis, spice, anise. Overall smooth. The wine got better the longer it sat in the glass.

7/13/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

This Burgundy is drinking really nicely now. We popped and poured. Great nose of red and black fruit, spice and barnyard. Smooth palate. Once it sat in the glass an hour or so, the spice and barnyard disappeared and the red fruit really stood out. It felt like it was on its way out....I would recommend drinking soon.

6/20/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

I opened this bottle too soon, but it was worth checking out. Different than any other tempranillo Ive had to date. Red fruit, currants and some meatiness on the nose. Spice (black pepper) and fruit on the palate, but the finish is cut short due to the youth of the wine. I would highly recommend holding this wine several more years. It is going to be amazing!

6/28/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Maybe it was the company of friends, maybe it was the memories associated with this winery, maybe it was the filet mignon. Whatever the case, this wine was my WOTN (and we had some amazing wine). Opened just an hour before pouring. Very balanced. Delightful dark fruit on the nose and palate. Not too big....just right. I highly recommend drinking now.

6/28/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Opened 3 hours before drinking. We didnt decant....I kind of wish we did based on how much the wine changed in our glasses. This is a beautiful wine. The tannins smoothed out significantly in the glass allowing cassis, some leather and dark fruit to mesh together nicely. This went perfectly with my filet mignon. Yum!!

6/28/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Popped and poured at a wonderful steak house in Atlanta. Based on our taste preferences, this is in a perfect drinking place. Smooth, balanced, lingering finish. Loved it!!!

6/11/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Decanted 9 hours....glad I did. The tannins softened allowing us to enjoy lovely red fruit, tobacco and earth on the nose and palate. Lingering finish of red fruit that still gripped a little. This wine has years of holding potential. I opened too soon (I'm notoriously impatient).

5/24/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. The wine is in a really nice place. Nose of dark fruits, licorice and earth. Tannins were nicely balanced. Lingering finish of fruit and vanilla. We loved it.

5/30/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

I opened too soon, but I couldn't help it. It was a hot day and I had a plateful of sushi in front of me. The first sip was a bit tight....lots of acidity and a note of petrol (I agree with the other tasting note). But it came alive over the next two hours. The acidity balanced with notes of lemon and minerality. I saved half the bottle for the next night. Even better. Great balance. I'd recommend holding.

5/25/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

I tasted immediately after opening and it seemed ready to go, but I figured a little decant can't hurt.....I didn't hurt it at all....the wine opened up even more. Smooth and balanced! Gorgeous nose of cassis, dark fruit, earth and sweet tobacco. Smooth tannins allowed each sip to be wonderful and the finish long. Love, love, love.

5/9/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Yes, this wine is confirmation that I LOVE Burgundy. Dangerous, very dangerous for the bank account. Unfortunately, I have a very young Burgundy collection, but I gambled and opened this 2006 hoping it would be in a nice drinking window. Wow!!! When I poured some for my friend, I could smell the beautiful red fruit from a couple feet away. Red fruit, currants, spice all mixed together in a smooth, wonderful nose and palate. It just kept getting better the longer it sat in the glass. Perfection.....

5/7/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Wow! This bottle was pulled out of the cellar later in the evening (yes, silly me), but our taste buds weren't numb yet. What a beautiful Cab from California!! Sure, we probably could have decanted, but we weren't patient. Elegant red fruits on the nose along with some earth and sweet tobacco. Despite popping and pouring, the tannins seemed to be nicely integrated. I had another glass on the second night. Another wow! Even better....bigger fruit with a smooth palate. Unfortunately, I could only afford one bottle.

4/23/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

What a beautiful Oregon wine! I should probably have waited at least one more year before opening, but I couldn't resist. Nose full of cherries, spices, black pepper and earth (or cow pastures, as my husband describes it). Delicate palate of red fruit and spice. The acidity is nicely balanced with the fruit despite the warmer than normal year in Oregon.

5/5/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. It is such a treat to open a bottle of wine when it's in its sweet spot!! Great balance. Beautiful nose of dark fruits, pepper and earth. The tannins seem to be nicely integrated allowing for a long finish. My husband and I are sad it's our last bottle of this vintage.

4/19/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

This is drinking beautifully right now. We popped and poured. I wish I'd paid more attention to details, but we were busy hosting and socializing. The palate was smooth....great finish. Sadly, this is our last bottle. What a treat!

4/6/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

I have a feeling I would have given this a higher rating if I'd been in a situation where I could decant. It was very tight when I first poured a glass. Over the course of the next hour, it gradually opened up and changed. Beautiful, delicate red fruit on the nose. Light fruit and stone (minerality) on the palate. More earth developed near the end of the night. The finish was short....not ready to show it's stuff. My mistake for opening too soon.

3/31/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

The tannins were gripping when I first opened the bottle so I went ahead and decanted for several hours. Wow! Wow! The tannins softened and allowed for a beautifully balanced wine. Gorgeous nose of blackberry, blueberry, sweet tobacco and earth. We loved every last drop....sad it is my last bottle of the '08.

3/10/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Best Malbec I've ever had! It seemed more Old World than New World. The alcohol was lower than most Malbecs. The nose had dark fruits balanced nicely with earth and licorice. Smooth palate. The tannins give a solid backbone without being harsh. Nice finish. WOTN!

2/25/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Wow, this has improved from the last time I opened a bottle two years ago. I decanted for 2 hours. Beautiful balance. Dark fruits, cassis, earth, sweet tobacco....so many wonderful smells happening here. Long, lingering finish. Enjoyed over 2 hours with good friends.

1/24/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

AMAZING. I opened the bottle hours before dinner and let breath. I didn't decant because it already had a smooth palate. Tannins were not biting, but I was hoping more aromas would emerge. Sure enough, they did. Beautiful nose deep dark fruits (specifically cassis), sweet tobacco, some pepper, earth. Balance palate of dark fruits. Lingering finish. Perfect with our beef tenderloins. The wine is in a really good place. Obviously, it can age for years as well depending on personal preferences.

1/24/2014 - Mel-o-Vino wrote:

I am really disappointed with this bottle. Maybe my expectations were too high. The last bottle I had a few years ago was phenomenal...best Oregon Pinot Noir I've ever had. Either this bottle is shut down or it's past its peak. The palate is a bit watery. The finish is none existent. The nose has some pretty red fruit notes, earth and spice, but it doesn't show on the palate. Acidity is lacking. Bummer.

1/24/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

My bad for opening way too early. I am an impatient girl. We started decanting in the morning. Beautiful delicate nose.....roses, red fruit, tar. I took a sip and the tannins are gripping but not brutal. Strangely, about 5 hours in, the nose disappeared. Eeeks. Fortunately, after another few hours, the nose came out again but muted. The wine is beautiful, but is not ready. Give this another 10 years before even considering drinking.

2/2/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

The wine is young, but it is drinking really good. Nose of lemons and stone. Balanced, crisp palate. The minerality comes shining through on the palate....it's as though I'm tasting the limestone. Wonderful citrus on the palate. The wine surprisingly paired really nicely with a spicy shrimp boil.

1/3/2014 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

This was the WOTN. It wowed everyone. Opened and decanted for 3 hours before dinner with friends. Nose of blackberries, blackcurrants and some sweet herbs. Smooth palate. Long beautiful finish.....it just kept going (fruit, mocha). It seems to be in a really good place right now.

1/3/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

This wine has held up nicely. Opened a couple hours before dinner with friends. Nose of dark fruits, sweet tobacco and some savoury notes. Silky tannins. Beautiful finish with fruit and slight vanilla. The wine was in beautiful balance.

12/5/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Excellent! This is not a typical fruit bomb Napa cab. We noticed a lot of savoury notes. The black fruit took the back burner to olives, sweet tobacco, leather, savoury herbs. The tannins are silky allowing a nice finish. No astringency at all. We popped and poured. There was no need to decant. Wine of the night!

11/8/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

I agree with an earlier note that the wine is ready to drink at pour. Red cherries, spice and earth on the nose. Smooth palate with spice (allspice) and cherries. It actually worked nicely with grilled vegetables over fresh pasta (with some shredded parm over the top).

11/1/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

I decided to pop open one of my bottles since the drink window said 2010 to 2013. Well, the window is not correct. I'd say 2015 to 2021. The nose is beautiful (red fruits....raspberry, cherry). The palate was a little thin....good acidity. Over time, the palate smoothed out a little. I plugged up the remaining half of bottle and held for two nights. Opened and poured and wow!!! Beautiful dark cherries and earth. Lush and velvety palate. Lingering finish of red cherries. Wow, wow, wow. I am holding my other bottle for at least 3 years. I changed the drinking window....

10/23/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Yes, I know I opened this too soon, but I just couldn't help it. We carefully poured into a decanter. The aroma was amazing!!! Red fruits (raspberry), barnyard and plum. After an hour, we tried it out. OMG. I am a newbie in the Burgundy world, but not to pinot noir.....this is the prettiest pinot noir I've had to date. Lovely balance of fruit, spice and minerality. I didn't want my glass to end. *sigh* I will hold my other bottle for a few more years. I have a feeling I may become a bit obsessed with Burgundy.

10/23/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

I waited a year to open my second bottle of Herb Lamb and am glad I was patient. This seems to be in a very nice place right now. The tannins were slightly gripping at first, but smoothed out within an hour in the glass. Nose of dark currants, dark blackberry and young leather. Over time, eucalyptus and barnyard notes came out. Balanced palate of dark fruits. Once the tannins calmed down, the finish lingered for close to a minute. Beautiful wine.

9/29/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Beautiful. This wine seems to be in a really nice place. Lovely balance of red fruit with spice and earth (forest floor). Smooth palate. It is definitely more Burgundian in style than Botanica, which seems to be much bigger in style. I may hold my other bottle a few months, but this really is drinking fantastic right now.

9/14/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

I allowed to decant for 2+ hours after trying a little sip (some gripping tannins on the finish). It smoothed out a bit, but I'd still recommend waiting at least a year or two before opening. Dark brooding fruit and some barnyard on the nose (the longer in the glass, more earthy notes came out). The palate was full of dark fruit, but the finish was cut a little short due to opening too soon. I'll hold my other bottle for a good while.

9/8/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Another beautiful showing of this wine. I should have decanted, but we were rushing out the door to get to the restaurant. Big lush dark fruit nose with notes of sweet tobacco. I noticed the alcohol a bit on the finish, but it did soften by the time I finished up my glass (slowly sipped over an hour and a half). Great balance. I'm bummed that was my last bottle.

8/31/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Lovely, lovely domestic sparkling wine! We were surprised at how fresh it was (considering it was 12 years old). Lots of tart, citrus notes when first tasted. After some time, cream, caramel and an underlying nuttiness came through. It continued to evolve in the glass. It is drinking great now, but I think it will continue to improve over the next couple of years.

8/25/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Opened and allowed to sit for a couple hours before pouring. A very nice nose of dark fruit and earth (slight fresh herb notes as well). The tannins continued to ease the longer the wine was in my glass giving way to a smooth palate. Enjoyable!

8/10/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

This is the best new world viognier I've had to date. We tasted it side by side with a beautiful Chateau Grillet. While I preferred the Chateau Grillet, I have to say, DuMol did a lovely job with this wine. There was honey, white flowers and a nice minerality. I noticed some tropical fruit/citrus (?) on the DuMol which hints at New World. Overall, I was very impressed. It is ready to pop and pour now.

7/30/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

I was a little overwhelmed with the fruit on my first couple sips. Once the wine sat in the glass for an hour or so, it came together nicely (which saved the score). I realize this was a warm year, so possibly that is the reason for the overwhelming sense of big fruit at first. Once the fruit softened, more spice and some earth came through. It felt much more balanced. It went great with the grilled chicken and veggies we had for dinner.

7/20/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. Drinking good now. Nose of blackberries, plum, cassis, eucalyptus. I agree with the previous tasting note that the wine is clean (I noticed slightly heightened acidity, but it works well with this style). Everyone really enjoyed the wine. I'll hold my remaining bottle for a good while....I'm curious to see how it evolves.

7/20/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Decanted for 5 hours (tried a sip when first opened....surprisingly smooth, but did notice a slight bite on the finish). All of us agreed, there is lots happening on the nose; dark fruits (blackberry, cassis), slight kirsch, graphite, sweet tobacco. The palate is smooth with a balanced texture (this is a big wine, but not overwhelming). The oak is subtle (this wine is cement fermented and oak aged). Beautiful wine. I will hold my remaining bottles for several more years. This wine is only going to get better.

7/7/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

I didn't take formal notes, but the main thing I remembered was the balance. Acidity and roundness....lemon, slight slight butter and the minerality.

7/21/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Opened a couple hours in bottle. Poured into glasses and allowed to sit an hour. The tannins are singing on this one. Initially on the nose, tart red fruit (cranberries), spice and some sweet herbs. Over an hour, the nose changed to ripe red Cherries, spice and then some fennel. The palate is spicy and filled with red fruit. Then tannins are still just a bit grippy, but is softened when paired with food. This is a really nice wine. I should have waited a while longer before opening, but it was fun to follow the wine's evolution in the glass.

7/15/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. I'd recommend at least an hour decant. The longer in the glass, the silkier the wine became. Lots of great things happening in this wine....nose of dark fruits, currants, sweet tobacco, cedar. Tannins were noticeable at first, but settled in nicely after about an hour. Red fruits on the finish. Earthier notes came out over time. A fun wine! Enjoyed with my hubby and a perfectly grilled beef tenderloin.

6/26/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. Lots of fun things going on in the nose....currants, eucalyptus, mocha, earth. Smooth palate. The alcohol is high, but it wasn't noticeable. I finished up the wine 2 days after opening and it was even better. More dark fruit and earth/leather on the nose. Smooth palate. Long finish of red fruit...lingers on the palate. I'd recommend a good decant based on how wonderful the wine was two days later.

4/8/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Lovely, lovely pinot noir. Dark cherries, spice and some barnyard notes throughout. The balanced acidity gives the pinot nice structure. This was a wine we didn't want to end. We're sad it's our last bottle from 2008.

4/28/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Big powerful Merlot! I agree with a previous tasting note that it is hard to distinguish this from a big cabernet. Nose and palate of rich dark fruits along with some hints of sweet tobacco. I definitely noticed a sweetness on the palate and finish from the oak. I'm personally not a fan of too much oak, but I did appreciate the balance. Enjoyed by all of our friends at dinner.

4/27/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Decanted for 3 hours, which was just enough time to smooth out the slight bite on the finish. Big and lush cabernet. What I appreciate is the balance. It has a high alcohol content at 15%, but I didn't notice. Beautiful nose of cassis, dark rich berries, cedar, sweet tobacco. Smooth palate full of dark fruits. Some cocoa/mocha on the finish along with more red fruit. Shared with folks at a cook out....was loved by everyone.

4/2/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Beautiful wine! I wish I had taken notes. I drank over the course of 3 hours. What stood out the most to me was the evolution of the wine. It had some bite at first, but this softened and lovely fruit, earth, spice came through. It was my WOTN in a line up against 6 other Sangioveses.

3/29/2013 - Mel-o-Vino wrote:

This was enjoyable, but a little "soft". It was a little weak on the palate and finish. There wasn't anything offensive about the wine. Light fruit and a little spice. I will hold my other bottle for at least a year to see if it improves.

3/26/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

I definitely recommend decanting. The more time exposed to air, the more the wine opened up. Lovely dark fruit and minerals on the nose, but not overwhelming. The finish came through....noticed some red fruit and a little chocolate. The alcohol was integrated nicely. Overall, we enjoyed!

3/3/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine:

Beautiful. Confirmed again.....Brunello di Montalcino proving to be my favorite wine. I gave this bottle a long decant. After about 6 hours, it still was biting on the finish, so I aerated back in the bottle and then aerated back into the decanter. It came alive. Beautiful nose of rich dark fruits, earth, plums, touch of leather. Smooth luscious palate. Lingering finish of dark fruits. I loved every sip of this wine.