4/10/2021 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

This is what I drink wine for. Still needed a little air time, but structured with dark fruits, very long finish. A pleasure to sip. Held this for more than 10 years and it was so worth it.

10/22/2016 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

Unbelievable for the price. After all this time, much of my original note seems so wrong. Nice, peppery nose, floral, red berries. Medium body, but lots of dark flavors on the palate. Dry on the back end, medium finish. Really tasty, great QPR.

9/21/2015 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

Color is ruby red, no bricking, still some youth left in it. It still needs at least an hour in the glass (or a decant) before you'll notice lots of fruit to offset the initial jarring acidity & tannins. Pretty well balanced after it comes together. Medium-length finish, good with food.

6/2/2014 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

3 weeks later, still like this. Pretty good expression of this varietal. A little disjointed, perhaps. Oak seemed a bit separate, not integrated as well as it could be. More time in the cellar may help this to be the 90+ that Parker gave it. Really outstanding for the money, though.

5/29/2014 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

On the nose, lots of fruit, cherries mostly. Color a bit light for a big cab, which this turned out to be. A little sharp initially on the palate, but the sharpness backed off within an hour or so of opening. Then, just a very nice, fruit-forward Napa cab, quite enjoyable on its own. Not extraordinarily complex, but interesting combination of flavors, maybe just a little nerdy. Great pairing with dark chocolate. Medium to long finish. This probably has lots more years left. Wish I had another.

5/15/2014 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

Great floral nose, not overly oaked. Good, firm tannins that smoothed out over time in the glass. Color relatively light, but the flavor is not. Very approachable. Could have used a bit more acidity. Certainly not the best Rioja I've ever had, but probably the best Crianza. All this with a price that rivals Yellow Tail.

4/23/2014 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

Good, balanced, elegant Chablis. A little buttery, good acidity, medium finish. Needs a little more bottle time. Good QPR.

3/23/2014 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

I think this is as ready to drink as it will get. Lots of rich fruit, maybe a little flabby, but overall the structure was OK. Could've used a bit more acidity to balance this for food. Drinks very nicely on its own, quite hedonistic, actually. New-world style for certain, not your Dad's St Emilion.

2/20/2014 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

This one tasted a bit "stewed". Maybe some poor handling along the way. Not a problem with my first bottle.

2/22/2014 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

With crab/avocado tower and a salad. Nice. Crisp, clean. This one was better initially than the previous bottle, gave it some air before drinking. Excellent.

2/16/2014 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

Solidly dry, very nice, but not pop & pour. Was considerably better the next day. Good body, golden color, great with food. Bracing. I like this.

2/16/2014 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

Pleasant drinking wine, dark flavors, not a lot of tannin to structure it, but enjoyable. Surprised that this came from Virginia. Lots of dark fruit, not very complex. Finish was short to medium. Nose was fruity and indicative of flavors on the palate.

8/22/2013 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

Oak has smoothed out beautifully since last tasting in '12. Good fruit on the palate, rich nose. Creamy and lush. Decadent.

5/22/2013 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

One-note sangiovese. Good every day drinker.

4/21/2013 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

As before, but this time no bitterness at all. Drinking very well and excellent QPR at $20, I might add. Very nice with food or by itself.

4/13/2013 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

Very nice wine, chewy texture, bold flavors, expressive nose. Not very complex, but satisfying, even on its own. Good expression of the varietal. Nice everyday drinker. Excellent QPR.

1/29/2013 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

No written notes. Wonderful with food, went great with medium rare pork chop with Tempranillo sauce. Floral and spicy - excellent wine with lots more time in it.

1/27/2013 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

P & P. Very dark raspberry color. Nose of pencil shavings and cherry pie. Some cream on the nose, too. Juicy cherries on the palate, and lots of them. Slight bitterness, good firm tannins which transition to a long, drying finish.

2/4/2013 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

No notes, but excellent QPR at $12 or so. Cab Sauv and Merlot - classic flavors and some interesting, distinctive flavors with a medium finish. Needs a little more time to integrate.

2/1/2013 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

No notes, memory only. Nice, lemony nose. Viscous mouthfeel and racy acidity. Didn't expect this to still be hanging on, but overall, very enjoyable & much better than my earlier tastings. Good with food.

1/13/2013 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

P&P: Color is rich, dark purple. Nose a bit reticent, dark berries, no alcohol to speak of. Dry on the palate, lots of tannins and fruit - blueberries, blackberries. A touch of bitterness that carries through the very long finish.

12/31/2012 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

Ruby red & translucent. Heady aroma of copious fruit berries and vanilla - very creamy. A little alcohol. Very soft on the palate. Extremely fruity before the tannins kick in on the mid-palate. Transitions to dryness with lots of fruit staying with the medium to long finish. Outstanding! Good drinking now with lots of staying power still to come, I think.

12/31/2012 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

Dark purple in the glass. Spicy on the nose. Not shy. Heavy on the palate, bitterness, fruity and a slight bit raisin-y. All dark fruits. Decent tannins, but not firm enough for real structure. Decent acidity. Long finish that carries the mid-palate bitterness with it. Interesting wine, much more so than others at this price. Very Spanish.

12/14/2012 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

Liked this very much. Great example of the style, surprisingly balanced and elegant.

12/1/2012 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

Color of black raspberries. Red berries on the nose. Creamy. Lush and jammy. On the palate, raspberries and lingonberries - somewhat tart and creamy. Tannins, but restrained and balanced. Medium to long, dry finish. Not overdone in any way. Very nice.

8/10/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Fruity, acid, nose is a bit disjointed, very sharp. Nice with food, interesting. A bit nerdy. Not quite satisfying on any count. Probably just not my taste. Seemed interesting enough, some depth. Maybe it needs more cellaring. Almost no staining on the cork - very odd. But ... interesting. No score.

11/15/2012 - MuseMaven Likes this wine:

Color is medium, translucent, violet to purple. Nose is floral, rose petals, a little creamy. Very soft on the palate, medium body. Vanilla and raspberries. Not much in the way of tannins left. Acidity still good, offsets fruit nicely. This is in a really good place now. Very little drying tannins left on the finish, but enough to structure the meaty, long finish. Well-balanced, ready for food. Very nice.

7/27/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Excellent, as before.

7/24/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Light, golden color. Citrusy on the nose, a little rubber tire, some creamy sweetness. Soft on the palate. Viscous, lemony, nice acidity. Medium to long finish. Much different than last year. Very smooth, flavors are more integrated, not popping out, but complementing each other. More cohesive and fruitier. Very elegant.

7/19/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Ruby in the glass, light-ish. Nice nose, CDP certainly. No spice, light red fruits, strawberries. Herbal notes - thyme and rosemary. Some menthol. On the palate, sharpness with fruit. Not very much on the tannins, although enough to structure the fruit. Acidity is smooth -will be wonderful with rich food. Very nice. Medium finish.

9/21/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

This is a wonderful wine, nice to drink. A little too smokey and this unbalances it a bit. Spicy. Nose is of a house on fire. Spicy on the palate, high alcohol - probably needs more time in the bottle to soften. Tannins are not overbearing. Finish is medium. Good drinker, maybe not such a good QPR. Shows priomise - would love to cellar a few of these to see if they soften and balance out.

9/28/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

No notes, so no score. Very light in color, but long on flavor, smoke and fruit. Nice bottle for the money. Good with food.

9/30/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

It's been aging nicely. As before, very nice wine, if a little pricey.

9/26/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

No specific notes. Very strong nose of licorice and mint. Strong flavors, good finish. Enjoyable on its own, but really excellent with gorgonzola. Would be especially nice with an Italian meal/tomato sauce/pizza. Overall, the 2010 was a more characteristic Malbec, but I enjoyed this wine. Good QPR.

9/24/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

No need to spout about it - great mid-weeker, terrific QPR.

9/15/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

No notes. Like a chunk of wood in my mouth. I like oak, but this is over the top. We'll see if it works itself out over time. Nice fruit and acidity, went well with grilled meats and such. Withholding score until say, 2014?

9/8/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

This is fleshing out nicely in the bottle. Still a little sharpness, this can last much longer in the cellar. Drinking very nicely with a little air, but will wait another year or so on the last bottle. Went really well with rib steaks, roasted sweet potatoes and fresh tomato salad with bitter greens.

6/22/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Nice burgundy color, translucent.Cab nose. Vanilla, dark fruit, black raspberries, a little alcohol sharpness. Lots of fruit on the palate. Plums, cherries, raspberries. Tannins in check. Worth the wait. Medium finish. Excellent mouthful. Drinking well now. Probably can sit awhile longer as well.

6/5/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Very nice. Rich flavor, good tannins, great nose. Lots of fruit, bracing acidity. Wonderful QPR. Drying and astringent finish, begs for food.

5/18/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Color is ruby with a bit of brick. Nose poopy & vegetal. Very little fruit. On the palate, smooth. Good fruit, very nice acidity. Will be great with food. Beautifully rich. Old-world style. Very long finish.

5/2/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Color is light ruby, merlot-style see-through. P & P first. Good, strong nose. A little French funk, some benzine/petrol, sharp fruitiness, not sweet. Sharp attack on the palate, too. Tannins are a bit biting, fruit's a little in the background, but there. Strawberries, cranberries, chocolate (very light), some bitterness throughout. Not so dry on the finish, which is long. After a very short time sitting, smooths out considerably. Very nice fruit on the finish (still very long). After some time in the glass, petrol & benzine (both interesting complexities) blowing off a bit, fruit is taking a leading role, tannins not so sharp and flattening a bit - looking very good for the money (I paid $16).

2 days later, nose still good & strong. Very smooth on the palate, no funk left, only fruit. Smooth and soft merlot. Tannins & a little bitterness toward the back end. Finish is long, but a little flatter. Good fruit, nice complexity, especially at this price point. Stays with you.

6/7/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Ruby-colored, translucent, but dark-centered. Brambly berries on the nose, red fruit, vanilla and cream/caramel. Soft on the palate. Same flavors as nose, nice offsetting acidity and sharp past the mid-palate. Tannins are firm. Finish is medium to long with oaky carry-over. Nice mouthful.

5/24/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

My First Crozes-Hermitage. Nice fruity nose. Vegetal on the palate. Poopiest nose & palate of any wine I've tasted in a long time. This is a nerdy wine, for sure. Interesting, lots of flavors, long finish. Light and acidic, loves food. Definitely worth the $$ for the experience. We'll see how these progress as they sit in the bottle awhile. No score.

4/28/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Ruby red color. A little poop on the nose. Raspberries, spicy. On the palate, tons of fruit. Light mouth feel. Cherries & raspberries. Medium length finish. Not a lot of acidity or tannins. Very easy drinking and pleasant. Not very complex or deep, but very enjoyable.

4/27/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Very nice Brunello, Cherries. A bit light, but excellent food wine. Good on its own as well.

4/25/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

No notes, only memory. Nice nose. Some sharpness. Good, fruity on the palate. Medium finish, some floral notes. Liked this a lot. Can definitely benefit from more bottle time, I think. Wait at least a few months to open another, probably another 6 months to a year, though. No score.

4/20/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Ruby red in the glass. Nose of cherries, camphor, mint, some alcohol showing. Good, fruity on the palate, more cherries. Sharp, late acidity, soft tannins. Very ready to drink. Sweet and long finish. Some alcohol lingering on the finish. Opened up nicely. Good for the money, not a super QPR.

4/8/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Easter. Very nice, went well with lamb. Fruity, no age showing.

4/8/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Easter. Excellent, tasted with 2005 as vertical. This was fruity and good. A bit of tannins left. Very, very nice. Still a couple of years left in this.

4/7/2012 - MuseMaven wrote:

Opened to compare with 2000 in vertical - this still needs more time - very tannic, but lots of fruit. Even on the 2nd day, killer tannins. 2 more years, maybe more.