2/5/2023 - brianschool Likes this wine:

Upon open, a nice aroma of black currant (cassis), raisin and dust. On the palate dark berries, butterscotch, chocolate, almond, toast, pine and vanilla.

This is a quality wine, but one that is made more in the Caymus style than the Bordeaux style. The wine drinks like a cocktail, does not improve with food, and can sometimes have a sappy sweetness that overpowers. Likely some light residual sugar here. It's a shame as the fruit is clearly quality fruit, but the sweetness and oak can dominate. I didn't see much improvement on day 2 other than the tannins did soften a bit and a tinge more acidity seemed to appear. However, this is a wine that is drinking young now and should improve.

8/21/2023 - Chris Davies Likes this wine:

Impressive intensity and length. Very rich and lux feeling. Touch of bitterness on the finish which although isn’t great for now bodes we’ll for the future. Try again in a couple of years. 4

8/13/2023 - CMN wrote:

Have not had a Joseph Swan wine in ages. 12.7%abv, though drinks a bit bigger than the abv suggests. Definitely has a Burgundian sensibility, but with new world fruit. Quite good. I’m having a “why don’t I drink more of this” moment.

10/5/2005 - Mlermontov wrote:

A night of wines that DONT SUCK :) (Inside): to me - this was closed. i will report on this tonight since dave was so kind as to let me take half a bottle of this home. It was nice but not where it should be at all.
will edint this TN later after i retaste it

6/3/2022 - CMN wrote:

Nose of berries and vanilla. On the palate, purple berries, vanilla, and faint green herbal notes. The finish is most vanilla. Medium+ bodied; the acidity and tannins are barely perceptible. A bit soft and more vanilla than I’d like. It’s not bad for an industrial wine, but there are plenty of $20 wines I’d rather drink.

5/11/2022 - z_willus_d wrote:

More on the mature side of the Briceland Pinot I've sampled, this also seemed to show more oak than others. I note a caramelization quality in the bouquet whereas the palate has darker Pinot fruit that is still reasonably fresh with an earthy, herbal quality. More complex than the younger offerings, but this is also less bright and zippy. I think it made a nice counterpoint to the usual Briceland PN experience. There's plenty of time left to enjoy these, as they are well made and balanced.

4/3/2022 - z_willus_d wrote:

This turned out to be perhaps the most impressive of the Briceland Pinot wines I've tasted over the past 4-5 years. Perhaps the vintage and time was just so for producing a wine of this magnitude. This pinot really bloomed over the span of a couple days open. Initially, it was showing good acids, some crunchy cranberry, tangy raspberry, and great freshness. The complexity of this wine took off on the 2nd night open where it added more spice, a smother mouthfeel, and great floral flourishes to the aforementioned berry fruit. A standout pinot in a standout vintage for the winery. I hope I can seek out more of this wine.

6/6/2021 - jonboy74 wrote:

Bottle must have been flawed. Started out nice on the attack but there was some green astringent taste at the back end that was not pleasant at all. Let it sit for 24 hrs to see if it improved, and it only got worse. Unfortunately had to dump it. Pity.

11/5/2020 - CMN wrote:

Ripe purple fruits (boysenberry, cassis) with a healthy seasoning of vanilla extract and some green herbal notes. The palate is big/heavy, with tannins surprisingly approachable. Finish is short+ and, unfortunately, highlights the vanilla extract note. To its credit, the wine hides its 15.1%abv fairly well.

De Negoce is the brainchild of Cameron Hughes, who reportedly lost his eponymous wine label in bankruptcy. I drank through several cases of Cameron Hughes wines and ultimately found them to be, on average, big and uninteresting. The offer for this wine started “I think this may be my favorite Cabernet release to date (certainly top 3).” Marketing drivel? Maybe. But if this wine is representative of Cameron’s preferences it should serve as a warning to everyone who is purchasing De Negoce wines blind and in case quantities. The N.42 is priced like a supermarket wine and tastes like it too.

If the vanilla integrates it might become a more interesting wine. Hold or give away as gifts.

Decanted 2+ hours and followed over an additional 4+ hours. 1/2 bottle reserved for tomorrow. Day one score, 75ish points. Day two and the vanilla is somewhat more integrated, but the wine remains wholly uninteresting. Add a couple points if you like to score.

3/5/2021 - CMN wrote:

Purple fruited some harsh wood notes and a lot of vanilla. The vanilla recedes substantially with air, but it’s still far too prominent on the palate. Rounded mouthfeel, low tannins and adequate acidity. 15%abv, but the alcohol is well-hidden.

There are rumors that this wine was made my Morgan Twain Peterson, which attracted me. Nonetheless, this is fairly anonymous with far too much vanilla and this would not be a re-buy for me, even at the Costco price of $9.99/bottle. Disappointing.

12/15/2020 - Maphill01 Likes this wine:

PNP, started thin, but opened up after an hour in the glass. Classic old world Pinot profile. The pale magenta color belies the ripe, but focused fruit, along with some earthy soil. Cranberry, orange peel, strawberry. Nicely balanced with clean tannins and fresh acidic lift. Only 12.9% ABV. This was fun and interesting to drink, at a great price.

12/11/2020 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:

PnP consumed over two nights, with the second night just slightly better. Lovely medium garnet color, bright and clear. The initial aromas of soil/place that I loved so much upon first opening, never really left the wine, which I found both proper and endearing. With the first taste, I'm reminded why I no longer buy wines from CA - they're too sun-kissed for my tastes. In the instant case, this was manifested through a sappy sweet middle palate. And while most would/will love this, I was turned off even if the final was not cloying. However with just another 20 minutes in the glass, that sweetness seemed to check itself, which is another way of say that the acids perked up just enough to make this both balanced, and and enjoyable food wine. While many may be tempted to drink this on its own, I found it to be a solid companion to food. I think this is a thoughtful, transparent wine that's got a few tricks up its sleeves yet; glad to have two more that I'll drink before 2026. Wax cap, natural cork, 13,6% abv. Easily recommended, and a great, fun value under $30.

http://www.italianwine.blog

11/6/2020 - MrOctoberfest wrote:

Perhaps too early to judge, but so far this tastes like really sweet and oaky grocery store wine. If I’d paid the alleged retail price for this I’d be really angry, but I’d never pay $140 for Screagle, Bond or anything else from Cali either, so this is probably priced fairly at $18.

10/7/2020 - CMN wrote:

Second go-round with the wine and 9 months later, this is still fairly primary, with mostly red and a touch of purple fruited flavors. The tannins are still a bit youthful. On day two, the tannins were significantly more intergrated. There's good material and a lot of promise. Recommend extended aeration if drinking today and, ideally, a 1-2 year hold.

5/31/2020 - CMN wrote:

Blackberry, black cherry and herbs on the palate. Nice complexity for its age, but there is potential for much more. Structure suggests that this can and will age for many years. While drinking well now, best to start drinking 10 years from vintage and should easily last another decade thereafter.

7/15/2020 - CMN wrote:

Off-dry with lime and peach flavors and a nice acidic spine. Only lightly sweet, this outperforms it's price point. Comparable to Dr. L Riesling.

6/27/2020 - JOEABR wrote:

Can only echo notes of others recent notes. Purchased from Flikinger in 2016. Haven’t had a Musar in 15+ years but I won’t wait that long again. This was masterful, exotic, elegant, refined, easy to drink. Went great with takeout from Zahav (Philadelphia) due to Covid. 94

3/26/2020 - CMN wrote:

Blood colored and very pale -- looks like a much older wine. On the palate...feh. Faint cranberries and poopy diapers. This tastes like a chemistry experiment gone bad. Open in the glass for 5 hours -- it never improved. I like Tissot wines, but when you don't add SO2, bad things can happen and bad things happened. Provenance is perfect, so I can only fault the winemaker.

A note about the score: this wine is flawed, but it seems to be flawed because of the decision not to add sulfur. Since this was a conscious choice of the winemaker, I believe it's fair to score what is in the bottle, as that was always a possible outcome of natural winemaking. If anything, I worry that I scored the wine too highly.

3/6/2020 - CMN wrote:

I opened another bottle of this wine for the sake of science, having ADORED this wine a few years from vintage. At middle age, the wine has grown darker and more complex. I think it's a testament to this vineyard's abiity to age. However, I prefer the precociousness of this wine at an earlier stage in its evolution. It's not better, so much as it is a matter of taste. Still quite enjoyable and my favorite vineyard for Briceland wines.

1/20/2020 - CMN wrote:

Quite an elegant wine, with medium body and and med+ acidity. The flavors are lemon/citrus, but with a rounded feel and lacking tartness or harsh edges. With air, some minerality and faint oxidative notes emerge. Lacks a small bit of concentration, but that's a quibble, it's an utterly delicious drink.

9/5/2019 - CMN wrote:

The back of the can mentions chocolate and while I didn’t detect any, I should have known that was a bad sign. Red fruits and what I assume is cheap oak chips. Thin and uninteresting. Not good.

8/25/2019 - CMN wrote:

Cranberry flavored with good acidity and a silky texture. Reminded me of an Anderson Valley PN without the herbal notes. Drinking very well now, really lovely.

7/19/2019 - CMN wrote:

Stylistically reminds me of a mini-Krug with broad, expansive flavors of citrus and brioche. Plenty of acidity and a medium finish. The bead felt just a bit tired. Unlike Krug, not very concentrated nor quite as harmonious. I’d drink this sooner rather than later.

7/21/2019 - CMN wrote:

Vibrant dark red color. Nose of red/orange fruit, spice and a subtle herbal (stems) note.

The palate is significantly darker than the nose: black cherry, boysenberry, and plum plus the signature TRB orange rind (albeit subtle). The acidity balances the wine and the 14.1% abv is never noticeable. However, as the wine warms fruit becomes bitter, particularly on the finish.

5/18/2019 - CMN wrote:

This was an unusual vintage of Ronda’s which, coincidentally, is my favorite Briceland SVD. I got dark red fruits but it was a bit tight. The wine is a bit backward now and in need of time to unfurl. My hunch is 18 months of rest will do it some good, but it’s mostly a hunch as most Ronda’s are giving more pleasure at this stage. Still, I get the sense that this is going to be a very special wine when it finally come around.

3/17/2016 - CMN wrote:

Color was a medium amber and looked young for its age. Flavors of orange rind, apricot and honey with a small amount of botrytis. Medium bodied and very smooth. No rush to drink a well stored bottle, but I don't see much upside in holding. This came from a 375ml bottle and it was plenty lively.

My wine mentor, Thomas the Wizard, gave it a 96, though I think he was being a bit generous. Charlie liked it too, but I wouldn't put much stock in what he thinks because he's just a Baggage Elf.

5/14/2018 - acyso wrote:

Chenin at Table, Donkey and Stick (Chicago, IL): Undrinkable swill. The nose smells like slightly soured tofu. Zero discernible acidity. Sits on your palate with a pile of alcohol and organic solvent/floor cleaner. Disgusting.

3/25/2018 - acyso wrote:

Cassoulet at Bill's (Wilmette, IL): This is better than most Rhone whites, but that's as useful a statement as saying that every bounded set has a supremum. Aromas of almonds; high-toned and aldehydic. Sweet on the palate, with a bitter finish. There's a touch of minerality here, with some sweet golden apples.

1/4/2017 - grafstrb wrote:

-- decanted 30 minutes before initial taste –
-- tasted non-blind over 2 hours --

NOSE: dark berries; light to medium-light oak; cran-cherry; funky garrigue; moderately expressive.

BODY: lots of fine particulate matter; black-mahogany color of medium-deep depth, with slight bricking at edges; medium bodied.

TASTE: high acidity; purple-fruited; a bit earthy; hints of leather (brett?) and ballpoint ink; tannins are pretty much gone; alc. (14.1%) is barely noticeable; still young, but seemingly starting to relax; will probably go another 5 – 10 years in the cellar, with a bit more upside yet. Drink or Hold. Ashley gave a gut impression score of 91, my viewpoint is a bit more favorable than that.

50, 5, 12, 17, 9 = 93

1/23/2018 - CMN wrote:

Quite pale. Nose of red fruit, white pepper, crushed rocks and tar.

The palate is lithe and light+ bodied. The raspberry fruit takes a back seat to the other elements in the wine -- black tea, white pepper, earth and some stemmy notes. Strongly leans AFWE, those looking for flavor bombs need not apply.

1/7/2018 - Ccuff Likes this wine:

Our special wine- for our wedding.

1/6/2018 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:

Spectacular. Having had five of these since it was released, I thought I knew this wine. I didn't. As good as it's been for me already, tonight's expression was timeless beauty. The color doesn't appear to have aged at all since release. The nose on the other hand, has developed more fully, more expressively. Still, upon opening, the wine was relaxed - it revealed its charms slowly, purposefully. At first, ginger, citrus, a note of mango, some minerals and seashells. The next glass, with added air in the bottle, had changed yet again like a theater performer doing a complete costume change - this time, kumquat, stones, a whiff of butterscotch, ripe melon, and on, and on. This continued to evolve, all of it quite positively, for the two hours it was open. Several of us were looking online - to find some more - at the start of our second pour. Remarkable, ageless, and just stunning. In looking back at my previous notes, going back to 2013, each time I've had this I push the drink date out further and further; based on tonight's showing, it would seem to have another 5-7 very good years ahead of it. Absolutely lovely, and an incredible value. 12,5% abv. highly recommended+

https://italianwine.blog/2018/01/08/beautiful-sophistication-2011-giuseppe-quintarelli-secco-ca-del-merlo-veneto-igt/

11/23/2017 - WMWG wrote:

Intense nose of dense dark red fruit that is concentrated on the palate, if not a touch confected. Distinct campfire / burned log note on the nose that fades into a citrusy topnote. Shows a bit of wood and some dill notes early on. Palate shows singed peat moss and campfire with subtle herbal and dark fruit elements. Palate is a bit up and down - the different flavors and structural elements surge and fall back at different times. Some medicinal notes with a touch of sassafras or cola, but that's very sneaky and enters at the tail end. Fuller bodied. Long finish that lingers.

11/25/2017 - MikeATL Likes this wine:

A brooding, or maybe just contemplative wine, with pretty pine bough aromas and a meaty savoriness joining plummy, dark cherry fruit with a fair bit of fine tannin and acid supporting the fruit.

10/11/2017 - CMN wrote:

Consistent notes with previous bottle. Somehow I didn't realize that I had consumed a bottle of this wine just 3 weeks prior...oops. Still, very good now and should improve.

8/14/2017 - CMN wrote:

Purple colored with a scents of purple fruits and some medicinal notes. The palate is more complex than the nose suggests, with flavors of plum, iodine, green herbs, coffee and a bit of tar. A bit thin with slightly coarse and drying tannins.

Not a showstopper by any means, and certainly not worth the "94 Parker Points" that the label exclaims. A fine wine for a Monday and a good QPR at around $7/bottle, so long as you give a healthy decant.

11/21/2008 - Keith Levenberg wrote:

The Claret Prestige is aptly named, not just because it's (sort of) a Bordeaux blend, but because its aesthetic resembles that dying breed of claret, classically understood - the type of wine that values restraint over obvious ripeness and which British aristocrats would guzzle over lunch. But its quaffability doesn't compromise its fundamental intrigue, as it has the prominent iron minerality that's a hallmark of the Renaissance vineyard. And this is one of those sneaky wines where I didn't even realize how compelling I found it until I found myself spelunking through the dregs of the sediment for one last sip like a desperate smoker mining the ashtray for butts.

8/7/2017 - CMN wrote:

Very consistent with my earlier note; raspberry flavors dominate the palate with some cherry and sous bois. Not incredibly complex for an 18yo wine, but fun to drink and still in good shape. This wine will not improve; would recommend near-term consumption.

6/20/2017 - wineshlub wrote:

Opened one hour in advance. Rich berry aroma with floral notes. Dark red fruit flavors up front, rich cranberry notes in the finish. Bright primary flavors, good backbone, some complexity. Exceptional value.

As with most wines from Briceland, a unique expression of variety and place. Delicious now, but I think the future is even better.

6/11/2017 - alanr wrote:

I tend to find Voge a bit on the modern, riper side, but this "off" vintage is really a great fit for the producer. There is plenty of fairly rich, dark red fruit, in the boysenberry and dark raspberry spectrum, bit of meat and smoke, hints of iron and iodine, mouthwatering acidity, and just enough fine structure to balance it all. Really nice at this youthful stage, and should be a nice ager for a decade or two.

6/7/2011 - salil wrote:

Lightly corked. There's still a trace of some developed creaminess and mature fruit underneath, but the Portuguese menace kills the fun here. Damnit.

2/7/2017 - CMN Likes this wine:

Pours a deep red, with aromas of red fruits and spice.

Dark red fruits on the palate, with a bit of spice and a stemmy note. Nicely balanced with somewhat light body, medium concentration and enough acidity to stand up to lighter fare. This wine has improved since my first go round with this wine and is in a nice drinking window. It should continue to drink well through 2021.
12.9% abv.

2/3/2017 - Tim Heaton wrote:

A lot of helpful notes already. Yes, I am in agreement with the majority, this is superb. But this wine, today, is all about its potential going forward. It is nice enough now, but the mind focuses more on the future than the present. Mine does, anyway. There is greatness here. highly recommended

Aerated in wide bottom decanter for 3,5 hrs, served non-blind

1/27/2017 - CMN wrote:

Floral, stemmy spice and red-fruits on the nose. The palate shows dark red fruits and lots of spice from the notable stem inclusion. There's very good acidity and freshness here. The wine is concentrated and complex with good tension, yet its also easy drinking with refined tannins and clocks in at only 11.5% abv. Gulpable and refreshing, this is a wonderful entry level wine that is built for near term consumption.

1/7/2017 - CMN wrote:

On pop and pour the nose is very funky and barnyardy, but with an hour+ in the glass, it morphs into much more pleasant aromas of violets and red/purple fruits with just a bit of funk.

The palate is red fruited -- raspberry/cherry/strawberry -- with flavors of white pepper, violets, leather, earth, green herbs and funk. There's a nice mineral quality that comes to the fore on the finish. The fruit is ripe (but not overripe), with plenty of acids and gentle tannins. Shows a great sense of place and easy drinking at 12% abv. Nice QPR. Will improve with time sideways but very drinkable at this young age.

11/16/2016 - Nanda wrote:

A very, very good Syrah with traditional structure -- full bodied with restrained fruit, crunch acidity and grainy tannin -- though decidedly smooth and clean for Cornas. I really enjoyed what was in the glass -- good concentration and lift across the palate. Precise flavors of black fruit, olive, game and cracked pepper. Well made syrah.

8/22/2016 - CMN wrote:

Pours a light, cloudy cherry red tinged with rust. Nose of wild strawberries and white pepper with faint hints of chalk and red apple skin.

Ready on pop and pour, the immediate impression is a similarity to an aged red Burgundy, but with a brighter acidity. The palate generally follows the nose, with wild strawberry, white pepper, red apple skin, minerals and sour cherry. The acidity comes off very bright, like fresh squeezed lemon juice, but without the lemon flavor. Light+ bodied with barely perceptible tannins.

There's a lot going on here; you'd be hard-pressed to find more complexity in this price range. Great QPR. 11.5%abv.

8/2/2016 - CMN wrote:

Plum and dark cherry fruit, iodine with an ample dose of cracked black pepper; the fruit turns to boysenberry on the finish. The fruit is new world, but it's still restrained and there's enough acidity to keep things balanced. Ripe tannins are noticeable but unobtrusive; there's a lot to like with this wine and available at a bargain price making it a QPR champ. Another great wine from Humboldt County.

6/22/2016 - CMN wrote:

I don't understand what I tasted. A bit of background is in order...

I ordered a few bottles of the 2008 because I've enjoyed other Clark Smith wines in the past. Opened one and while I didn't write a note, I remember it tasted of black fruits, with moderate complexity. Unbeknownst to me, I received a 2007 in my order (instead of a 2008) and it was a wildly different wine. So much so that I thought there might be a flaw. It wasn't vintage variation either, it was like night and day. The 2007 tasted like bottled suntan oil -- loads of coconut and vanilla notes with some red fruit lurking in the background. Seems like an oak problem, EXCEPT that the wine apparently saw no new oak and was aged 60 months in neutral French oak. Not sure how Cab Franc + neutral oak = coconut milkshake...possible off bottle? Very weird.

Not sure if this is actually flawed, but I will not rate.

4/4/2014 - fitzi wrote:

Vivid red, lean and somewhat sere out of the bottle, with muted aromatics. Medium to medium-light feel, though recorded at 13% abv. Flavors towards bright end of the red spectrum - strawberries, raspberries. Rather scrubby texture, with very fine-grained tannins moving over the palate. Gains in substance with air time; the sense of lightness without giving up red-wine pith and character is a good achievement. You could drink a bottle of this easily without really realizing it. Very good, but definitely in the geek aisle: genuine and interesting without flattery or pander.