11/19/2020 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are slow. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, red currant, prune, cherry and forest floor. It tastes like blackberry and cherry. The body is medium/full. The wine has round texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.

8/6/2020 - SteelerWineGuy Likes this wine:

Better the longer it was open. Definite Bordeaux-esque style. Earthy with tobacco notes. Tannins were present. This wine could definitely use a couple of years.

12/29/2018 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Delicious. Jammy and fruity. Almost grapey if that was a term. The nose was reminiscent of Koolaid. Menthol rounded out with cherries. Lush and smooth mouthfeel. Spicy and tannic. I wouldn’t wait too much longer to drink this bottle. Decanted 2 hours and it got better and opened up after time.

3/18/2018 - SteelerWineGuy Likes this wine:

Tannic. Good structure start to finish. Fruit, berries and menthol on the nose. Long finish. I would try this again in 2 years.

7/4/2016 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Very smooth. Tannins present, but not over the top. Cherries and berries on the nose. Anise, fruit flavor dominated by cherries. A touch hollow in the mid palate but a long finish. Nice wine.

8/9/2014 - SteelerWineGuy Likes this wine:

Classic Icewine nose. Sweet, slight nose of cardboard. Very slight bubbles, just enough to tickle the tongue if you're really looking for it. honey colored with some serious legs. Honeydew flavors.

1/18/2012 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Fantastic. Golden in color. aromas of pear and peaches. This wine was a huge surprise. Prominent notes of honeyed apple with a crisp long finish. A really pleasant surprise!

10/2/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

This was plump and juicy. Very full mouth feel. Not a lot of notes, but wish I had purchased a few more bottles.

9/29/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

- Yellow gold color.

9/21/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Decanted for 2+ hours. Big, bulbous and juicy. This wine was a pleasure to drink and reminds me of the difference between a good wine and a fantastic wine. The nose was fruity. While there was still some alcohol present, the black berries and black raspberries notes dominated. The nose was rounded out by cedar and gentle oak. Very well rounded. As soon as the wine hits the tongue, the fullness and complexity is evident. Berries and a hint of asparagus. While this is a dry wine, the tannins were well integrated and not as "in your face" as some younger wines. The finish is medium length. My cellar runs a little warm so this may have aged a little faster. Definitely worth a try now!

9/18/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Review for 375 ml split. Deep violet color. A dense wine with lots of slow forming legs, this wine still needs some time to mellow. Lots of alcohol on the nose still present after decanting for 2 hours. There was an unmistakeable presence of dark fruits, cherries and blackberrys. However, those notes were trounced by the raisiny, figgy dried fruit like sweet aromas on this wine. Each sip was like liquid gold. Well rounded, I expect really great things from this wine 10-15 years from now as it still packs quite a punch. There were definite notes of prunes and also some faint dried apricot on the finish. The tannins were present, but not overpowering. Great long finish. This wine is like a champion Labrador. Wild, crazy and out of control while young, but somehow you can tell that it is going to be a blue ribbon winner once it is a little older, more refined, mellow and mature. I expect that my rating will increase over the years.

9/17/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Wow. The Volnay has a bright, but light color. It is starting to take on a a deeper maroon hue. The nose isn't shy. Reminiscent of chocolate covered cherries. Red, ripe berries rounded out the nose. Some alcohol was still present after 2 hours of decanting. Light to medium bodied, this wine had a full feeling on the palate. Gentle tannins were present as the flavors rolled on the palate. A long, sweet finish capped off this wine. Well rounded with good acid. This paired with greek inspired pasta topped with grilled chicken breasts marinated in lemon and oregano with tomatoes and feta. The combination paired quite well. This is one of my favorite burgundies and I look forward to the next bottle.

9/15/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Vibrant gold color. Medium legs and body. Aromas of green apple and creme brûlée. The alcohol seems to have burned off after a couple of hours. Honey and citrus flavors dominate the palate. The initial attack is absent, but the flavors in the palate are bright and tart. The finish is short with flavors of petrol. This is a good bottle of wine to cook with and a decent bottle to drink.

9/12/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

I was glad to see that this bottle was not dead. Aromatic upon opening, it continued to evolve. A bit musty, the nose opened to a sweet cranberry essence. The wine was gentle on the palate and not very tannic. Round flavors of slightly soured cherries and raspberries. There was a medium length finish that was pleasant. I'm glad I gave this one another chance. This bottle drank very nicely. I wouldn't wait if you have some of this in your cellar.

9/8/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

I can't give an accurate description, but it was what my wife wanted after our son was born. We had this with friends in her hospital room after his birth. Fantastic!

9/6/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Fantastic bottle of wine! It definitely needs to be decanted. The wine has plenty of time left in the bottle, at least another year. It took about 5 hours for the alcohol to blow off the nose. There is a very bordeaux-esque like quality about this wine. Hints of cherry fill out the bouquet. Classic bordeaux style taste. Still very bold and dry. Tannic, but not bitter. We paired this wine with braised veal osso bucco and it was able to cut through the rich meal. It even stood up to a decadent dark chocolate dessert. Excellent wine with a firm mouthfeel and long finish.

9/5/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

This wine was a pleasant surprise. Warm and supple. Cantaloupe and honeydew on the nose. After being open for 3+ hours, alcohol is still present. Prominent notes of honey and apple. The initial attack is reminiscent of a thin ice wine. There is a medium length finish that has a bit of tartness.

8/4/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

- Yellow gold color with medium forming legs and aromas of rubbery and has flavours of cedar, lemon and peach.

7/31/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

This took quite some time to open up. Citrus flavors with a medium finish. Was actually better the second day.

7/22/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

No notes, but I would definitely buy this again

7/10/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Had this wine with leftovers of wild boar braised in a tomato sauce with lima beans. This wine was quite a surprise. This wine was dominated by dark fruits and cherries. I've heard others use it to describe wine, but for the first time in my tasting "career" I got undertones of bacon. This was a good wine and a steal for the price.

7/12/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Enjoyed this wine along with grilled turkey breast and grilled bok choy. I chilled the wine and served at about 55 degrees. It was fantastic. Smooth and crisp. Apples and ranier cherries on the nose. Strawberry sneaks in underneath a blanket of tea leaves. after being open for 2+ hours it was warm and bright on the palate. Citrus and bright berries explode on the back end while a touch of bitterness is present on the initial attack. A nice finish tops this off.

6/30/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

- Light gold color with fast forming legs and aromas of kerosene, bell pepper, lemon and licorice anise. It's balanced and has flavours of apple and tea with a medium body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - What a pleasant surprise this wine turned out to be. apples are dominant and there was a dry medium length finish. I don't remember how much I paid for this wine, but I know that it tastes like something that costs a lot more. I already placed an order for a few more bottles.

6/25/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Not a bad wine. This definitely has the old world feel. Very little fruit on the nose. It is more like perfumed wet leaves. Medium bodied. The initial attack is soft and slowly peaks. Vegetal flavors, green pepper and herbs. Little fruit present on the palate. Medium tannins that were understated. The finish was longer when the wine hadn't been opened as long. Did not decant but sat open for 2 hours. More fruit was present earlier. Also, this wine tended to break down in the glass after 15-20 minutes. I had this wine with chicken parmesan and it paired well. Not bad for the price point.

6/1/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Decent wine. Pale yellow color, still a touch green. The nose is reminiscent of the candy necklaces from when I was growing up. Pear was most dominant in the nose. Also notes of creme brulee and melon. The alcohol was present for the first hour after opening. Medium body in the glass. This wine had a creamy texture that was present during the first 1.5 hours then felt more acidic. Light to moderate oak. The oak is balanced with some of the other flavors. This wine lacks in the mid-palate and the finish is short. Don't run out to buy, but don't be afraid to give it a shot if you are tired of the over-oaked California chards.

6/1/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

This bottle was dead. It was flat and tasted old. I have 2 bottles left and hope I didn't miss the boat. While I was drinking a glass of this wine, a neighbor stopped over. I opened another bottle of wine because I refused to give anyone else something that tasted like this.

6/1/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Very nice, full of berries and red fruits. Dry, but tannins were understated. Long finish.

5/15/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

See my previous description. It was not a flawed bottle, that note was accurate with an 85 score.

5/15/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

- Salmon color with fast forming legs and aromas of strawberry, melon and raspberry. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of peach, strawberry and tea with a light/medium body. Smooth texture - First time trying a rose. Plenty of fruit present on the bouquet. This needed some time to open up and let the alcohol dissipate. Not a whole bunch of body in this wine, but that's ok. Peaches are the dominant flavor. Did I mention the peaches? The finish is reminiscent of Lipton's peach tea. Medium, tart finish. Not a home run, but I can definitely picture this being served on my deck this summer during cookouts.

5/9/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Deep, dark purple color. Decent legs. Not much on the nose at first, but this wine really opened up after 5 hrs. Lots of fruit and dark berries. There is still some alcohol present, but it doesn't overpower the smell of the berries. This wine smells like chocolate covered cherries. At first, I picked up little from the flavor profile and was disappointed. It was very tight. After hours, the flavors have come out. Oaky with a burnt wood flavor. Plums and berries round out the taste. This is a tannic wine. Not overly so, but you can't miss them. There is a dry, medium length finish. I had this wine with a charcoal grilled Delmonico and the wine couldn't hold up. Perhaps it needed more time as it seems to be a more weighty and hefty wine after hours of being open. Will definitely decant or open far in advance next time. Great buy for the price (around $12).

5/7/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

- Crimsom color with medium forming legs and aromas of eucalyptus, raspberry, strawberry, cherry and alcohol. It's lacking fruit and has flavours of cherry, tea and oak with a medium/full body. Narrow texture - This wine was initially very tight, but opened up after about an hour. Plenty of tannins, but not overpowering. Lots of berries after about 2.5 hours. Unfortunately this wine broke down after 3.5 hrs and seemed to lose it's structure. Vegetal finish. Not bad, there was just a window in which this wine was much better.

4/27/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Not fantastic, but drinkable. Lots of citrus and tropical fruit. Mango is dominant in the bouquet. Medium body and still quite green. Very fruity and lemon zest notes on the palate. Medium finish that has some bitterness.

4/26/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

- Yellow gold color with medium forming legs and aromas of kerosene, pineapple, oak, alcohol and peach. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of lemon, oak and almond with a medium body. Bright texture with a medium finish - Lots of pineapple when I popped the cork but it dissipated somewhat after about an hour and aromas of peaches and stone fruit came out. Having a golden color, this wine looked clean and crisp. Attractive and inviting bouquet. The initial attack was slight, but this wine warms on the mid-palate. Smooth and warm, it develops a more buttery texture and nutty taste as it opens up. This is definitely a mature wine and it's age shows. I will definitely drink my stock in the next couple of months. enjoyable for a Monday night.

4/24/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

This bottle was tasty and paired with spiral ham. Zesty and spicy aromas. Subtle cinnamon and clove flavors. Full body with a warm, silky viscosity. A very good wine.

4/5/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

This was not a good wine. Flimsy, flabby, hollow. Challenged aromatically. Very little nose except immediately after coming out of the bottle. Very dry with some notes of apple on the back end. This wine was bitter in the mid-palate and all around poorly made. I would not recommend this wine.

4/4/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

I can't give an accurate review as this was our 3rd bottle of the evening. What I will say is I opened this to go with braised beef short ribs. The pairing was excellent! Everyone really enjoyed this wine.

4/1/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

- Crimsom color with medium forming legs and aromas of cherry, rose and alcohol. It's balanced and has flavours of cherry and black pepper with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - This wine is certainly not shy when it comes to the fruit. It is dripping with cherries on the nose and the palate. Very fragrant with a subtle rubber aroma. Tons of fruit. Still a little alcohol present in the nose 2 hours after opening. Starting to get a little brown around the edge, but still rather purple. Perhaps like a ruby. Straight forward fruit on the palate. Cherry dominates this wine. Well developed through the mid-palate. Lots of spicy/peppery notes on the finish early, but that seems to have gone away after opening up for a couple of hours. I prefer the pepper. Far more pepper than the. Average syrah. Truly enjoyable.

3/29/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Peach, lemon and honeydew on the nose. I also picked up a hint of vanilla and apple. The wine appeared to have a slightly green tint, otherwise golden. Crisp and refreshing. Lemony with an interestingly warm, mouth watering finish. This wine has some surprising body and I wanted to chew it. Plenty of structure in the mid-palate and all in all a wine well put together. This wine also has a spiciness that is appealing. I picked up a bottle just to try something different. For $15, this wine was a steal!

3/23/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Aromatic. Big bold flavors. Dark fruit. Black cherries. Also undertones of raisin. Dense, full bodied wine. Great legs. Dark, but intense purple color. Dense, silky mouth feel. This wine has a viscosity that is pleasing. Very lush. Dry with some tannins, but not overly tannic. Good mid-palate texture and flavors. Dry, medium length finish. This wine is not for the faint of heart. Bold intense flavors, but lacking the peppery quality that I expect from a Shiraz. Not a disappointment, though. I think this wine could use another 2 years to mellow a bit. Good wine, FANTASTIC price for the quality ($10).

3/18/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Very pleasing bouquet. Raspberries were the dominant note. Soft, smooth. Long finish with mild tannins. We had this wine with grilled salmon, grilled asparagus and red quinoa. It went very well with the meal.

3/14/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Not bad. Definitely needed to breathe. Opened up after about 2 hours. Clean taste. Tones of apples and pears with a hint lemon on the nose. Flint and petrol round out the bouquet. Crisp flavors. Challenged on the initial attack, but rounds out in the mid palate and ending in a slightly bitter finish.
I used this wine while cooking chicken fra diavolo. It was not a great choice for cooking as it left the sauce a bit on the sweet side. It did, however, pair quite nicely and did a good job of cutting the spicy flavors of the food. There is enough acidity to stand up to the pepper flakes and also cut through the sharpness of the parmesan cheese.
Not fantastic alone, but definitely a good choice to have with a spicy dinner. 88-89 with food.

3/11/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Good wine. Hints of pear and pineapple on the nose. Also lots of oak. Good, balanced wine. Oak comes on a little strong throughout the experience. The alcohol can be very present, but was diminished after the bottle was open for 3+ hours. Apples and pear dominate the fruit flavors. Also a touch of creme brulee. Long finish and the alcohol dissipates after about 10 seconds. I think this wine would benefit from another 2-3 years of laying down.

3/10/2011 - SteelerWineGuy wrote:

Distinct Bordeaux smell. Dark fruit aromas. Very muted flavors. Warm, but lacking in flavor or the initial attack. The mid-palate is non-existent. The tannins are definitely up front and there is a serious pucker factor. One word... tannins! dry medicine like flavor on the finish. The best part of this wine occurs about 10 seconds later when some of the fruit and earthy flavors come through. Disappointing. Started with a nose that had potential and ended with a wine that lacked character.