7/12/2014 - Mike Ritner wrote:

Strange, but this stuff was both interesting and uninteresting at the same time. I never had an Occitan Cabernet Sauvignon before, so it was interesting in an instructive way. The wine was a different creature than what is found on the Left Bank or Napa and tasting it helped me understand better how the grape is related to others such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
Medium-bodied and bursting with soft fruit, simple and juicy, it was an agreeable drink, but maybe it was too much like Merlot for my taste, a grape I typically find agreeable but forgettable: uninteresting. Which is what this was, and I would be reluctant to get it again when so many competing bottles are out there.

7/11/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Upon opening the bottle, the nose was a little odd and perfumed, but the tasting was delicious and removed any doubt. The bright, crunchy red fruit was complimented by a lovely mix of flavors: cloves, black pepper, and gravel. This ruby-colored, light-bodied wine really hit the spot on a warm day. Thirty minute decant recommended.

7/9/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

This is a pretty little find, mysteriously inexpensive, with dense cranberry and plum fruit, earthy spice, and a brisk acidity. Dark and medium-bodied, the wine takes a while to open up, 60-90 minutes, but then becomes a food-friendly delight. It is difficult to find a better QPR producer in Piedmont than Franco Serra. Drink now through the end of the decade.

7/6/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Surprisingly complex, this is a dark, full-bodied wine with notes of blueberries and blackberries, dry earth, black pepper, and Mediterranean herbs. This really appealed to me, especially after a one hour decant. I seem to always enjoy this guy's wines.

7/5/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

This was a nice find. Light-bodied, it features bright cherry and plum fruit with some saline earth and the trademark bell pepper. It is soft and fleshy but with a good backbone; a nice balance of acids and tannins. Quite enjoyable with little to no decant needed.

7/4/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

This is a tasty, hearty wine, solid and simple, with red fruits and some grassy notes. This is ideal for having with a burger or pizza while watching a baseball game on TV: nothing to think about, and it tastes nice. A fair deal if you can get it for $10. I don't think it will improve in the cellar, but it should last for a while.

6/30/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Medium ruby color. Light body. Red cherry fruit with vanilla oak at first, but the oak recedes and integrates after an hour and a nice meaty, savory flavor emerges to play off the fruit. Good, solid generic Bourgogne.

6/28/2014 - Mike Ritner wrote:

Medium ruby color. Rather light-bodied for 13% abv. The wine is marked by soft red fruit and too much baking spice. Perhaps a touch of Brett? An average wine; it is smooth and drinkable but not much more.

6/27/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Deep maroon color. Medium body. One hour decant. It features plenty of plums and other darker fruit, as well as some dusty earth. Smooth and mild; stately, deep, and balanced; this is a very nice wine.

6/26/2014 - Mike Ritner Does not like this wine:

Deep beet color. Medium body. The wine starts off as muted and inexpressive, but flavors of red fruit and graphite emerge after a two hour decant. Unfortunately, it is also thin and bitter, with a rather coarse texture and noticeable heat on the finish. An unexciting and disappointing wine; not much point in bothering with this stuff.

6/24/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Dark maroon color. Full body. This is a pretty, vibrant wine with loads of lush juicy fruit: blueberries at first, then blackberries, red cherries, raspberries. Very refreshing, with a nice crisp acidity. No decant is needed, but an hour does bring out a greater range of flavors.

6/21/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Garnet color. Medium body. Black cherry and black raspberry fruits, with licorice and herbs. Smooth and dense, almost thick, but cut through with a sharp balancing acidity. Different; a blend of southern French and Tuscan grape varieties, but the wine seems more Italian than French. Nice value, would definitely buy again. No decant was needed.

6/20/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Deep ruby color. Medium body. This wine is marked by lush red and black berry fruit with a nice dose of chalky minerality. Plenty of depth and intensity. It is drinking nicely now. with one caveat: the wine was austere and closed upon opening and needed two full hours of air to open up fully.

6/16/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Ruby color. Medium body. Good quality regional Bourgogne. Lots of red fruit: cherries, raspberries, and strawberries, with a touch of cedar thrown in. Drinks well from the start, but an hour of air lends some depth and fullness. Ready to go; no point leaving it in the cellar.

6/15/2014 - Mike Ritner Does not like this wine:

Very pale yellow. Light body. At first, it had a robust attack featuring a disjointed and unusual flavor combination: lime, peaches, pears, earth, and wood (not oak). This was followed by a hollow mid-palate and a watery finish. The mid-palate and finish fleshed out a little with air, but only to reveal tastes that were both bitter and seltzer-like. In short, it lacked balance, harmony, and enjoyability. Disappointing.

6/14/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Quick informal note from an Italian restaurant. Light, crisp, and elegant, this wine is a great companion for a range of Italian dishes. Excellent example of an affordable Chianti Classico. Recommended; I think the CT community has underrated this one.

6/12/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Garnet color. Light-medium body. Full of red cherry and strawberry fruit with a dash of minerals and oak. It is both light and full-flavored at the same time. Nothing profound, but the wine is a good quality, inexpensive Bourgogne. As for cellaring, I would not bother, but an hour or two of air will certainly help.

6/7/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Golden color. Medium body. A medley of varied but harmonious notes here: pears, cream, papaya, citrus, all rolled together to produce a juicy, refreshing drink. Excellent for a June evening, or really anytime.

6/6/2014 - Mike Ritner wrote:

Deep garnet color. Full body. Very fleshy and rustic, with red berry fruit and a good amount of herbal and bell pepper notes. Overall, an average, simple wine that would pair well enough with simple food. Drink young.

5/31/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Extremely pale yellow color. Light body. Very crisp and very dry, with notes of lemon, apple, and chalk. After a half hour it opens up and becomes fuller and rounder. This is an excellent, refreshing, delightful wine.

4/14/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Dark purple-red color. Medium body. The wine has a spicy nose and a complex palate of red and black fruit with wet earth and a touch of licorice and bell pepper. Young, raw, and tannic, it could definitely use a year or two in the cellar, but right now an hour or two of air really helps, allowing it to soften and unfold. Good quality, good price.

4/12/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Garnet color. Medium body (the abv is 12%). Thirty minutes of air. Dense, earthy red fruit with a mellow spiciness. It is simple and straightforward, but also very smooth and balanced. Delightful mealtime wine.

4/12/2014 - Mike Ritner wrote:

Dark purple color. Full body. Plenty of juicy black cherry and blackberry fruit, but with coarse tannins and an earthy taste of ash and metal on the mid-palate that was not entirely agreeable. Overall a decent enough wine; but I did not find it nearly as enticing as some, even after two hours of air.

4/9/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Garnet color. Medium body. Plenty of tart red fruit: cherries, strawberries, raspberries, as well as notes of mint and eucalyptus. These last two make the wine's bold flavors somewhat unique. It is a matter of taste, but I found it a bright, pleasant wine especially for the price. Likely better young (through 2016).

4/7/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Deep maroon color. Medium body. Plenty of ripe, juicy plum and blueberry fruit, as well as some black pepper and dusty earth. Tasty right from the bottle, though a little dense and chunky; but after ninety minutes of air it becomes very supple, even elegant. Overall, a very good quality wine, with a firm structure and a refreshing acidity. It should keep, perhaps even improve, for years.

3/26/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Dark red color. Medium body. One hour decant. The wine is marked by plenty of ripe, juicy black cherry and blackberry fruit, as well as black pepper and dust. Good structure, brisk acidity and firm tannins. It is drinking quite well now but it should last for a while. No hurry.

3/22/2014 - Mike Ritner wrote:

Deep red with a little bricking at the edge. Full body. Very heady nose; black fruit, tobacco, and licorice with some medicinal notes, though this latter blew off with time. On the palate, lots of dense, very ripe blueberry and blackberry fruit. Overpowering at first, it needed 60-90 minutes to mellow. Tasty enough, but the wine was marred by being sorely lacking in acidity.

3/22/2014 - Mike Ritner wrote:

Straw color. Light body. Soft, gentle citrus fruit and some grassy notes. Pleasant wine with a mild acidity. It went well with Manchego cheese.

3/20/2014 - Mike Ritner Does not like this wine:

Just another over-oaked, over-extracted monster. Nasty.

3/15/2014 - Mike Ritner wrote:

Deep maroon color. Medium body with a smooth, creamy texture. Simple blueberry fruit with a hint of spice. This bottle did not seem over-ripe or over-tannic. An hour of air helped. Decent wine, but not memorable.

3/1/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Deep purple-red color. Medium body. Lush, silky, and delicious from the get-go. Notes of black cherry, plum, anise, and black pepper. Overall well-made, with nice structure and depth. Another excellent value for the price.

2/28/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Deep maroon color. Medium body. On the palate, cranberries, cherries, and bell pepper. A smooth and elegant wine, well-balanced, a pleasure to drink. No decant needed. All around an excellent wine, especially for the price.

2/28/2014 - Mike Ritner wrote:

Purple-red color. Medium body. Plenty of plums as well as green notes (rhubarb and herbs) on the palate. It also had an off-putting spiciness; perhaps a little heavy-handed on the oak? An average wine, certainly not my favorite style.

2/16/2014 - Mike Ritner Does not like this wine:

Medium garnet color. Medium body. Ninety minute decant. An interesting, even delightful nose; complex with notes of dark fruit as well as vanilla, sassafras, and anise. It is on the palate that this wine strikes a sour note. Though it is easy to drink, being soft, smooth, and creamy, it also has an odd spiciness which overpowers the dark fruit. The palate just does not measure up to the nose. Not my cup of tea, though others liked it just fine.

2/1/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

This wine is a steal for what I paid for it ($8). Reasonably complex, with dusty, meaty, and spicy notes amidst both red and black fruit. Smooth, easy to drink, just a fun wine, and great with food, in this case spaghetti.

2/1/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Dark garnet color. Medium body. Very reserved in flavor, but nonetheless both complex and quite tasty on the palate, with licorice, black fruit, and forest floor. This is a well-balanced, classic, almost old-fashioned wine; mild, smooth, easily drinkable. Rather unexpected in a "supertuscan blend."

1/31/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Full body. Dark purple color. This is a young and vigorous wine with muscular tannins and a strong acidic backbone. The palate is characterized by powerful layers of blackberry and blueberry with some underlying spice and vanilla. It really benefits from 60-90 minutes of air. Excellent value.

1/30/2014 - Mike Ritner wrote:

Light body. Light ruby color. With just thirty minutes of air it opened up nicely, displaying a soft, creamy texture and a palate marked by crisp, red fruit with some wet earth and forest floor. Overall a nice bottle, though it was marred by a touch of brett.

1/17/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Clear garnet color. Light body. Very bright and crisp with red cherry and raspberry fruit and a saline stoniness. It fills out some with an hour of air. Very consistent with the '09 I tasted last year. Again, not much point in cellaring.

1/16/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Purple core with red at the edges. Full body. The wine is marked by dense black fruit; firm, slightly coarse tannins; and a decent acidic bite. There is some creaminess, with mineral and clove notes in the background. Overall a nice wine, especially with an hour of air. Another good Portuguese value; likely at its best now.

1/13/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

This has really improved in the 2+ years since my other tasting. It has grown deeper and more intense. Nice bottle. Ready to drink now.

1/11/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Medium purple color. Medium body. Straightforward and simple, starting with bright red fruit, raspberry and cherry. After 30-45 minutes of air, darker fruit notes like plums and black cherry emerge. This is a nice, inexpensive, food-friendly wine.

1/11/2014 - Mike Ritner wrote:

Medium red color trending toward orange. Medium body. Some red fruit, though diminished by time, as well as earth and spice notes. Gentle with age. Nice wine but drink soon.

1/9/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Dark red color. Medium body. The nose is very open and forthright with fragrant blackberry and wet earth notes. On the palate, more blackberries, as well as cloves and pepper; however it is also very austere and dry. This wine should be decanted for two or three hours and paired with some nice Italian food like lasagna or spaghetti. Overall a very good wine, but the fruit seems to be fading faster than the tannins so drink up.

1/8/2014 - Mike Ritner Likes this wine:

Dark ruby color. Medium body. Pop 'n pour. Plenty of fresh, playful raspberry and blueberry fruit with a dash of pepper and dust. Crisp acidity and mild tannins combine in a refreshing, food-friendly wine. Great value.

1/5/2014 - Mike Ritner Does not like this wine:

Maroon color. Medium body. First the good: there is plenty going on; blackberries, blueberries, pepper, and chocolate make for a complex wine. Now the bad: there is too much clumsy oak; an unpleasant, almost metallic, lack of freshness; and overall a thin astringent nature. Granted, two hours decanting works to alleviate some of these flaws, but it never really becomes enjoyable.

1/4/2014 - Mike Ritner wrote:

Medium garnet color. Light-medium body. The palate is marked by tart red fruit with touches of creamy oak in the background. This is an austere and thin wine; two hours of air help to soften and fill it out some, but not entirely. It always remains simple and rustic. This practically demands food to accompany it. (We had spaghetti.) Not a spectacular wine, but it has character.

1/3/2014 - Mike Ritner wrote:

Deep garnet color. Medium body. The palate features dense plum fruit, herbaceous notes, and rather marked tannins. Too bitter and weedy for my taste, but you get what you pay for. It does work oddly well with salty food.

12/27/2013 - Mike Ritner wrote:

Deep purple color. Medium-full body. Notes of tar, blackberry, and blueberry on both nose and palate. Even after a couple hours decant, this wine is marked by some coarse tannins, though these are not over-powering and the wine is helped by a moderate acidity. This is a solid, rustic wine; it is nothing special or great, but it is hearty and works with simple, basic food.

12/23/2013 - Mike Ritner Does not like this wine:

It is difficult to describe this wine, but hollow, shrill, and sour come to mind. I kept sipping, trying to find some charm underneath the cherry soda veneer, but even after two hours of air it was ghastly.