4/11/2024 - Atwellian wrote:

Notes from day 2. Deep, semi-opaque crimson. Full nose, blackberry and cassis. Raspberry and bitter edge, complex mid-palate. Nice fruit, good balance, good finish. Really pleasant.

4/1/2024 - Atwellian wrote:

Deep blackish crimson. Intense nose of dry cherries, blackberries. Quite dry, tannic, rustic. Interesting but one-dimensional and a bit harsh.

3/25/2024 - Atwellian wrote:

Deep gold. Noticeably oxidative nose - sherry and lemon. Smooth, complex, grapefruit, vanilla, and sherry, in a really nice window. I would wonder if any more age and you'd lose this to oxidation. Drink now. Ei liked.

3/4/2024 - Atwellian wrote:

Loved this at the winery in 2021. Very pale gold. Hints of oxidation on nose, also lemon, grapefruit. On opening, Ei initial reaction "bitter". Mine - tight, grapefruit, oak, needs time. Thirty minutes in, fruit coming forward. Citrus, no oxidative notes, green apple. Youthful and straightforward. Nice medium finish, mid palate a bit lacking. Smooth mouthfeel. Never really developed any secondary complexity. Ei never liked. Good, but not great. Youthful enough to consider more time.

2/15/2024 - Atwellian wrote:

Deep opaque purple-crimson. Very prominent nose with Barnyard and raspberry. Nice fruit, acerbic dryness, cassis, strong red fruits. Somewhat lacking in mid palate. As it opens get a slightly metallic aftertaste.

2/7/2024 - Atwellian wrote:

Light brassy gold. Mild lemon and lime nose. Soft, smooth. Citrus - grapefruit, lemon, hint of roughness. Medium finish. Round and soft for the Appellation.

2/4/2024 - Atwellian wrote:

Very pale gold. Lemon and grapefruit nose. Citrus, touch of sweetness, balanced acidity, very fresh and tasty. Nice mouthfeel and medium long finish. Crazy good QPR at under $10 from Costco.

1/31/2024 - Atwellian wrote:

Bright crimson red. Strawberry nose. Clean, fresh red fruits. A bit of furry mouthfeel. Pleasant and nice balance of sweet fruit with mild tannins. Quite good.

1/17/2024 - Atwellian wrote:

Clear garnet. Very aromatic. Black fruit, turpentine, currant. Flavorful and full bodied. Blackberry and sweet cherry. Much richer and fruitier than a typical Oregon pinot. Pleasant, will be interesting to see what some age will bring.

1/1/2024 - Atwellian wrote:

Medium gold. Oak, peach, lime nose. Very subtle, elegant, and smooth. Very nice and balanced flavor profile with some slate mixed with citrus and stone fruits. Slightly lacking in mid palate. Nice finish.

12/28/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Decanted for 2 hours. Not much sediment. Good cork. Terrible label quality, wrinkled and unattractive. Was a gift, marked as a Costco purchase. Stored in wine cave for +/- 16 years. Deep blackish purple with brown rim. Nose plum, tobacco. Complex, layered, dark fruits and strong savory elements on opening. Promising. Two hours in - tannic, simple, very savory forward. Not particularly deep or interesting. Day 2 - Hot, leather and plum. My impression was of a wine that really was discombobulated. Never really sang and flavors, while interesting, never added up or integrated into a truly memorable wine. A note on my particular opinion of QPR - Coincidently, saw the 2020 vintage of this wine at Costco today on sale for $639.99. For me, the QPR on this wine is almost ridiculously bad, not because the wine was awful, it wasn't. The price is so high compared to so many other wines one could choose for this amount of money or much, much less, that it will definitely never be a repeat performance for me, and it makes me focus on my own foibles of seeking and wanting "the best". Now I'll go and pursue some values in Grand Cru Burgundy :) :) :)

12/28/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Rich luminous gold. Peach and pineapple nose. Tropical fruit, hint of bitter edge, pineapple, mango, touch of grapefruit. Smooth, oily mouthfeel. Only flaw, a slightly weak finish. Delicious!

12/22/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Rich gold. Prominent oxidation on nose. Some nice complexity here, savory touch, grapefruit, lime, sherry. Nice mid palate. Smooth, almost oily mouthfeel. Very good. Searching for a flaw - Finish a bit short.

12/17/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Deep blackish crimson with a touch of brown. Nose leather, plum, cherry. Decanted. Initial taste on opening; strong tannins, cherry and raspberry. After an hour[ Smooth, bitter cherry, tannins have mellowed, savory elements more predominate, very tasty. Ei "too tannic, tastes like raisins". Final notes at dinner 3 hours later. Complex, well-balanced, cherry, chocolate, crowd pleaser, excellent with food - pasta and caeser salad. In a great drinking window right now.

12/10/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Medium pale gold. Tropical fruit pineapple nose. Initially thin, decent bitter edge, lacking fruit. Needs air and some time. Opens up after an hour or so. Mango, pineapple, grapefruit, nice finish with bitter lemon predominate. Thin mouthfeel and front end persists. Ei "delicious"

12/6/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Pale crimson. Nose of blackberry and cherry. Raspberry, blackberry, slightly lacking in mid palate but very enjoyable flavor profile with some bitter edge. Very good but slightly thin,

12/6/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Rich deep gold. Touch of sherry on nose. Full, subtle oxidative note. Lime, pear, oak. Very well balanced. Nice finish. Ei "delicious". Drinking extremely well right now.

11/28/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Bright, deep, crimson red. Nose of raspberry and tart cherry. First taste is very Gamay like. Brambly, tart, but a bit thin. Pleasant initial attack with cherry and blackberry profile, short finish

11/26/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Clear medium crimson with a brownish edge. Badly broken cork. Notes after decant and an hour of air. Plummy nose, with some tar and obvious maturity. Initially tannic, blackberry and a bit of cherry. Little complexity at first. Starting to open up after another half hour, one hour in still tannic, bitter edge, black cherry. Not terribly impressive, with little development other than the tarry notes in the last 10 years.

11/26/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Medium gold. Notes after one hour opened. Oxidative nose, stone fruit. Full, complex and rich. Tropical fruits - pineapple, mango, hint of lime. Subtle oak. Nice backbone and delicious finish. Really good!

11/25/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Pale gold. Nose dusty grapefruit. Initially quite citric - lemon, a touch sour. Grapefruit back end. After a half hour or so starting to mellow out. Grapefruit, vanilla, touch of oak. Eileen "love it". To me it is slightly one-dimensional, deserving of some more aging.

11/22/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Light clear brass. Oak and lemon nose. Smooth, grapefruit and lemon, nice hint of oak. For Ei's 70th birthday in Kailua-Kona. Very nice!

11/8/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Tasted at Forest City SD. John Clendenen had grown some of the grapes and was hunting with us. Deep purple. Nice mouthfeel, rich and flavorful. Enjoyed this

10/26/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Pale yellow brass. Nose is grapefruit with a hint of oak. Lovely initial impression, balanced, lemon and lime, grapefruit mid palate. Smooth, not too tart. Nice finish. Really tasty!

10/23/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Rich gold. Mild sherry and oak nose. Tasted at the winery. Really sang compared to the 2015 and 2022 that were also offered. Complexity, mild and integrated oak with a hint of oxidation. Perfect drinking window now. Unfortunately, sold out!

9/7/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Pale gold. Dusty grapefruit nose. Smooth, dry, subtle. Citrus, primarily lime and grapefruit. Very well balanced. Delicious!

8/29/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Deep blackish purple. Rich, fruity nose of cherry and plum. Fruity, some bitter edge, a little tannic and lacking balance and sweetness but quite pleasant. Medium long finish.

8/28/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Clear dark blackish crimson. Mild blackberry nose. Quite robust, dark fruit, strong savory elements, black cherry, chocolate, black raspberry, quite a different profile than Famille Perrin Reserve CduR, which is a go to around here. Very pleasant and a steal at $6.99 at Costco.

8/9/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Cherry red with a touch of brown. Cherry liquor and blackberry nose. Lively, good fruit, vibrant and sings a bit. Initially fairly simple, blackberry, cherry, raspberry. After a half hour some savory elements deepen the flavor profile. Good mid palate, moderate finish. Ei: "yum". In a prime drinking window.

7/31/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

First notes after 20 minute decant; Clear deep garnet-crimson. Nose is strawberry, liquor, pencil box. Somewhat astringent mouthfeel. Nice integrated flavors of black cherry, blackberry, little secondary complexity. Strong finish. Good not great at this point. One and a half hours in, with meal of steak, roasted vegetables. Nice food wine, strong tannins go well with food. Tastes have flattened out instead of opened up. Bitter cherry. Still simple, long finish. Not a real crowd pleaser.

7/30/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Light garnet red. Cola and strawberry nose. Slightly fruity, a little sweet, with a touch too much bitterness on the finish, but has the typical characteristics of pinot noir. For $6.99 at Costco, excellent QPR. A fine daily drinker for us normal folks.

6/23/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Pale gold. Hint of oak and lemon nose. Upon opening mild, lacking fruit, slight bitter lemon edge, lack of finish. After a half hour, opening, fuller, slightly lacking in fruit. Finish medium. Ei liked "got some oak on it, lot going on. Lemon, grapefruit, a little bitterness." Nice complexity and a good match with food, in our case creamy garlic chicken.

5/24/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Bright reddish purple. Modest nose with cherry and dust. Nice mouthfeel, dry, balanced, cranberry and cherry. Very pleasant and a nice step up from Coye du Rhone.

5/21/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Opaque purple - black. Very aromatic pencil box, tobacco, cherry, plum, alcohol. Concentrated fruit (Ei "raisins, turpentine, prune"). Dry and well balanced. Not particularly complex. Don't think there is more development coming here, but it is quite good and a nice complement for a grilled tenderloin.

5/19/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Gold. Smooth, stones, grapefruit, lacks fruit and a hint one dimensional. Slightly too high on the bitter scale, especially on the finish, but still pleasant.

5/13/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Medium dark reddish purple. Aromatic, Plum, spices, hint of chocolate. Initially brambles, red fruit, some bitter edge. Nice flavor profile with some complexity. bitterness may be a tad much.

5/10/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Deep purple red. Strong Blackberry cherry nose. Slightly rough, red fruits, then sweet cherry. Very nice in the mid palate. Full and pleasant. Moderate finish. Great value and really tasty.

5/9/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Bright brass. Hint of slate on the nose. Slightly lacking in mid palate. Bitter lemon, mild tropical fruits. Good wine to introduce someone to white Rhone blends. Pleasant and good QPR at under $20 from Kermit Lynch.

4/27/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Last of 6 bottles. Deep semi-opaque purple-black with a touch of brown. Notes after 1/2 hour. Leather, pencil box, plum, blackberry. Strong up-front tannins, mellow mid palate, nice finish. Has not developed a lot of tertiary complexity, but is nicely balanced and smooth. My opinion this was over-oaked and the fruit is a bit overwhelmed, Ei really liked. I would say this is probably in it's drinking window - but????

4/26/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Pale tarnished gold. Dust and apple nose. Smooth, mild, bitter edge, stone fruit, hint of lime and pineapple. Nice mid palate depth and medium finish. Very pleasant and good value. Ei liked

4/23/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Color clearing showing maturity with brownish crimson tint. Lively, peppery nose. A vital, lovely wine. Cola, black cherry, blackberry. Extremely well balanced. Drinking perfectly. R- "This is the best pinot I've had in years".

4/12/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Medium gold. Lemon, lime, oak nose. Mild citrus, primarily lime and grapefruit. Very smooth and pleasant mouthfeel. Lime and long finish at the end. Very good - Ei liked.

4/12/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Pale brass. Peach and apple nose. Tropical fruits, little none of the citrus elements common in many whites. Somewhat soft, pleasant mid-palate. Somewhat lacking in finish.

4/5/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Deep garnet. A hint of barnyard on the nose. Dusty, red fruit. Pleasantly bright and fresh. Cherry and raspberry. Medium finish.

3/30/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Light gold. Full nose, stone fruit, citrus. Full mouthfeel, nicely complex and interesting for Bourgogne Blanc. Lime, peach, bitter edge. Ei "yummy". Good backbone and nice strong finish too. Excellent value and

3/26/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Rich deep gold, a bit of fizz. Petrol. wax, lime nose. Initial softness, grapefruit, lemon, good acidity. A bit lacking in the mid-palate. Nice finish. Not particularly complex, drinking well right now.

3/10/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Merriman’s Kapalua. Decent expensive wine list value - wine was delicious with a great meal. Ei liked.

3/4/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Clear brass. Oxidative nose with grapefruit and lemon. Very pleasant, strongly influenced by the 30% Savignan. "Sharp" - Ei, but I liked the complexity, nutty sherry notes, and Jura personality. Great bargain at less than $17 from Costco.

2/1/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Very pale brass. Apple and grapefruit nose. Lively, bit of grapefruit tang. Predominately apple with a hint of bitter lemon. Medium finish. Drinking very well, quite pleasant.

1/23/2023 - Atwellian wrote:

Clear gold. Lime, wet stone, hint of oxidation on the nose. Apple, pear, grapefruit. Initially very mild acidity. Finish starts to improve with a bit of air. Complexity is very interesting. Eileen "Umm, that's good". Paired with first Dungeness of the season. Delicious