11/3/2015 - Heyward Likes this wine:

Wonderful Willamette Valley sparkler, released this year after aging 10 years at the vineyard. Great body, fruit and finish. Nicely balanced 65% pinot noir, 35% chardonnay blend. My wife and I drank a bottle before dinner last evening on our 25th wedding anniversary. Delightful!

10/24/2015 - Heyward Likes this wine:

Decanted this bottle from our cellar last night to accompany a nice char-grilled New York strip steak, roasted round potatoes and asparagus. Very nice bouquet of understated fruit and earth, and a refined, balanced taste... very much in the Bordeaux style. I found the wine dry but quite smooth with nice mouthfeel and aftertaste. Plum/cherry notes with structured tannins and minerality. All in all, one of the nicer wines my wife and I have had in quite awhile.

8/15/2013 - Heyward Does not like this wine:

Extremely disappointing. My wife and I opened this just to drink on a Thursday night after work at 5 p.m. Dark-garnet color looked great in the glass, but immediately sensed there was no nose. Very alcohol forward (but astringency quickly dissipated). I have a feeling this is well beyond its prime. Thin, no structure, no fruit, no anything. Certainly not up to the vineyard's past merlots, some of which were really extraordinary.

Expected more from a $25-$30 range bottle.

8/15/2013 - Heyward Likes this wine:

After drinking two bottles (one alone, the other on a separate night with fruit and cheese), I ordered a half case and am sorry to say that I'm now completely out of this very pleasant, smooth and fruity French table wine. This is made from old-vine Grenache grapes with a nose of ripe plums and cherries, a balanced and smooth texture, nice mouth feel with tastes of black fruit, spice and a hint of chocolate. Pleasing finish.

I kept this wine to open with guests (mainly just drinking it in the afternoon without food) and I would always get a compliment from my friends as to how good it was. I could see this going very well with fruit and cheese plates, burgers, pizza or soups. Great value for the $$$. Drink now.

8/15/2013 - Heyward wrote:

I have to admit that I don't have a great deal of experience with red Cotes du Rhone, which is probably why I made the mistake of serving the first of two bottles with charcoal-grilled steaks and vegetables. It simply didn't hold up to the hearty beef. The wine itself was good, but it was kind of like serving a medium-bodied pinot with a too-heavy meal. Not a great combination. I was surprised, however, because I would have thought the blend (which contains 50% Grenache and 17% Syrah along with Carignan, Mourvedre and Cinsault) would have held up, but it didn't.

I had much better luck with the second bottle (paired with pan-sauteed chicken breasts with a chopped green-onion cream and butter sauce). Here, the fruitiness of the grapes and hints of spicy/herbal notes complemented the meal perfectly. I'd say this is a well-crafted, somewhat delicate wine, that's okay to drink young and should definitely be paired with light appetizers, white meats, soups, cheeses, fruits, etc.

7/31/2013 - Heyward Likes this wine:

I would rate the reserve noticeably richer in flavor than previous non-reserve vintages, maybe due to its 12 months of barrel aging and the quality of the 2010 cabernet/merlot grapes. My wife and I drank this bottle on its own with no accompanying food, and overall it was delicious. Color in the glass is a very deep reddish/purple with a moderate nose and a silky black currant, plum and smoke taste with a nice finish.

You can serve this wine with confidence to guests or give away as a gift at a get together, as I did at a 4th of July party. Would pair wonderfully with steaks, chops and hearty pastas and cheese.

7/31/2013 - Heyward Likes this wine:

I agree that this vintage could lay down for at least a couple more years. But this is a refined, nicely structured cabernet/merlot blend (75%-25%) with nice undertones of current, blackberries, plum and cherries with structured acidity and pleasantly oaked. Decanted for an hour and served with charcoal-grilled rib eye steaks. Very nice wine that will only get better in your cellar.

12/30/2011 - Heyward wrote:

I have always enjoyed the GSM (grenache, syrah, mourverdre) blends and this one didn't disappoint. We had a bottle in the kitchen while making bread and a rich beef stew, and it was great to sip on and make last for an hour or two while we prepared dinner. (Had a River Rock Syrah with the meal, both of which were delicious). I was impressed with the smoothness and fruit in this Cotes du Rhone -- and the relative richness, especially for a young wine. Overall, very good and will pair nicely with cheeses and fruit as well as lighter meats like roasted pork or a good baked ham. Certainly drinkable now, but will be even better with 2-3 years of cellaring.

12/30/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Had this bottle with a hearty beef stew and it paired exceptionally well. Nice nose, with a rich, cherry fruit-forward taste and very nice mouthfeel. Oaked to perfection, with lingering notes of peppery blackberries on the finish. Recommend as a not-too-expensive addition with meats and spicy soups and casseroles.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Please see my notes from 2/7/11.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

A bit disappointing for the money with not much complexity and finish. Some fruit and oak, but not memorable. Have had much better Aussie Cabs.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Had with light meat, cheese and olive/bread appetizers. Not great but decent with acid/alcohol forward taste, light structure, nominal spice, pepper and fruit. OK buy for the $$$.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Very nice chardonnay for the $$. Medium body and acidity, lightly oaked with pear, lemon finish. Drink now.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

See my notes from 2/7/11.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Please see my notes from 2/7/11.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

While young, I would rate this a fabulous Sauternes for the money. Everything you would want, tropical fruit, honey, creme brulee taste with a delicious mouthfeel indicative of much older Sauternes. Could lay down for years and it would only continue to get better. I think you can't go wrong with this producer, although the wine can be a bit hard to find... at least where I live in the Houston/Galveston area.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

I believe I spent about $100 on this wine in 2000, and it did not disappoint. My wife and I had it with a steak dinner after decanting for about one hour. Fine nose, smooth structure with intense ruby red colors, jammy plum and chocolate cherries on the palette. Absolutely delicious.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

OK Merlot... nothing to write home about. Medium structure, some fruit, but nothing that jumps out at you or lingers on the finish. Alcohol forward.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Super rich and fruity with deep ruby garnet color, balanced complexity and wonderful mouthfeel. Had with Steak Diane and it paired wonderfully. Excellent nose and finish. A very nice special occasion wine that will be enjoyed with every sip.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Always good for the $$$. Nice drinking wine even for an inexpensive evening with guests or a budget dinner. I have never been disappointed with this wine, and always keep 3-4 bottles in my cellar for personal drinking or drop in visitors.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Medium-bodied Rioja with decent balance, tannins and finish. No dissapointments for the $$$. Nice wine with olives and Italian appetizers or tapas.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Nothing special, but I'd rate OK for the $$$. Good quaffer for non-special occassions.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

I have always said that this wine is a great value for the $$$... especially for everyday drinking. Pairs well with appetizers, pasta up to the heavier meats. Good balance and fruit, medium finish, no acidity or heavy alcohol taste up front. You can't go wrong with any vintage of this $6-$7 bottle. Enjoy!

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Overall, very good. Black and red cherries, plum with a touch of oak. Old vines add to the depth and compexity. I forget what I paid, but I don't think it was much. Recommend.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Nice sipping wine on a hot summer day at the beach or poolside. Can't beat the price. Not much richness... crisp, actually for a California chard.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Incredibly consistent and rich for the $$$. Fruit and balance and will hold up well to any hearty food. Recommended for an everyday drinking wine.

6/4/2011 - Heyward wrote:

A bit young when we drank this by itself with no food or snacks, but good compexity with fruit forward and smooth finish, which improved as we drank it. Oaked with vanilla and licorice undertones. Very nice, but probably should have let it age in my cellar a few more years.

2/7/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Good concentration and intensity of fruit in an excellent vintage. Is very young and could stand to be cellared for a few years to smooth out the tannins and acidity. However, this wine packs a punch and will hold up very well to any hearty meals of steak, beef stew or any meat with a powerful sauce. Can only get better with age, and I have a feeling that you can lay this bottle down and forget about it for 3-5 years and be pleasantly surprised when you bring it out and uncork it. Should not disappoint!

2/7/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Good malbec for the money. Fruity with a structure, oak undertones and finish that surprises. Will hold up to grilled meats and heavy pastas. Definitely worth a try.

2/7/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Nice sparkling wine from France with hints of straw and a toasty finish. Crisp and refreshing. Decent QPR and overall a pleasant bubbly. Had outside by the pool on a sunny day. Very nice.

2/7/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Delivered as part of Zagat wine club package. Had with a steak and I think this wine could stand at least 5-7 years in the cellar. It's like many decent bordeaux's I've bought and drank way too young... there's potential and an underlying complexity in the glass, but the tannins and acidity haven't come anywhere close to maturing and smoothing out. I hear the 2009 and 2010 vintages throughout the entire region are supposed to be outstanding.

2/7/2011 - Heyward wrote:

I think this is one of the best and most consistent Italian reds in the $20 range. Nice combination of raisin, plum and cocoa with a rich mouthfeel and nice finish. We had a couple of bottles with homemade margerita pizza (cooked on an outside gas grill) and the earthly flavors of the pizza paired nicely with the complexity of the fruit and balanced acidity of this bottle. Highly recommended for casual drinking.

2/7/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Very light and thin, with only a hint of the freshness, strawberry and violet taste of a better pinot noir. Decent balance with a short finish... but, again, leaving an impression of lightness and dilution on the pallette. I expected more, particularly from an Oregon producer from Williamette Valley, but maybe the '07 Benton-Lane isn't indicative of the vineyard. Don't know that I'd purchase a pinot from this grower again, however. Had the bottle with a baked chicken breast stuffed with ham and cheese with pancetta-sauted brussel sprouts. A delicious meal, but an under-refined, somewhat simple wine to go with it.

2/7/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Delicious wine with bold fruit and tannins, nice mouthfeel and nose. Drank it with a charcoal-grilled New York strip, potato and veggies, and it paired wonderfully with the meat, holding up nicely throughout the entire meal.

I probably drank this bottle a little late, however, and therefore missed it's optimal drinking window. Don't get me wrong, this was a very good wine, but I got the feeling that it would have been even better a few years earlier. If you have a bottle, I'd recommend drinking it now, as there's no reason to wait.

2/7/2011 - Heyward wrote:

We drank this bottle this past weekend with a meal of steak diane that we made in our kitchen (excellent and relatively easy dish to make by the way). I'd obviously held the wine too long since it was way past its prime. Color was a very rich ruby red in the decanter and it exhibited a decent, although underwhelming nose with some fruit, so we were hopeful that we were in store for a nice experience.

Unfortunately, the wine had thinned out and lost much of its texture and flavor, and had even started to show a vinegary undertone... so it wasn't far from turning bad completely. It was drinkable, but overall insipid. If you have a bottle of this vintage, drink it now, or you'll end up pouring it down the drain. Kind of a shame because I thought the 1996 would hold up better.

1/7/2011 - Heyward wrote:

Very pleasant. Rich purple color, nominal nose but the wine itself had a nice mouthfeel with licorice and subdued fruit on the finish. Not heavily oaked, not much complexity, but overall a nicely crafted wine.

We drank it on its own, with no complementary fruit, cheese or other food, but I'd think this would pair nicely with a grilled pork loin or spring lamb. All in all, not bad.

12/27/2010 - Heyward wrote:

A dusty blandness on the nose and palette, with no structure or tannic complexity. Very thin with a funky, disappointing taste and finish. Mediocre from the start. All in all, a forgettable wine, which we had by itself in front of the fire on the Monday after Christmas. Don't think food would complement this vino in the least Not recommended.

12/25/2010 - Heyward wrote:

A Zagat wine club bottle that we opened Christmas night after our family had Champagne while opening gifts. I'd rate this as a good Pinot Grigio, crisp, refreshing with minerality, and like most PGs would have paired very nicely with fish or oysters, but it held up nicely just on its own. All in all, a decent and straight-ahead wine.

12/25/2010 - Heyward wrote:

See previous comments.

12/24/2010 - Heyward wrote:

We always have several bottles of Concannon Petite Sirah with our traditional Christmas Eve dinner of a standing rib roast with potatoes supreme and vegetables. As expected, this wine was big enough to complement that dinner beautifully.

Color is a deep dark purple in the glass, with decent cherry undertones and a pleasant mouthfeel. This is not a nuanced wine, but always good and flavorful. We thought the 2007 was better than some of the previous vintages that we've had. Can't go wrong with this one, especially if you're looking for a relatively inexpensive but predictively good wine to serve to your family or guests.

12/22/2010 - Heyward wrote:

Had this wine with a bowl of spicy pasta and Italian sausage. A good Puglia, typical of the region, dark color, light fruit, some tannins and structure. Would do well to cellar this vintage for a couple of years to bring out its underlying complexity. All in all, a good wine with potential.

12/22/2010 - Heyward wrote:

Disappointing. Very thin, alcoholic, no tannins or structure. Had to search for fruit. Did not have it with any food, which might have helped it a bit. Have had much better wines, even at a couple of dollars less than the $10 we paid for this one.

12/21/2010 - Heyward wrote:

In all fairness, I have not tried other vintages of this cuvee and I did not pair it with food (I think the flavors might be enhanced with a pork or spiced chicken dish). But there really wasn't much going on here. Nose non-existent, minimal nuances of oak or fruit, with an occasional hint of spice attributable to the Shiraz blend. Remained rather closed throughout the tasting.