1/6/2019 - Greginnd Does not like this wine:

Burnt rubber for days.

1/5/2019 - Greginnd wrote:

I love this inexpensive rose. Delightful fruit and a little savory quality makes this very interesting on the palate.

12/29/2018 - Greginnd wrote:

Cherry red fruit with a nice acidity. Good with food. Nothing too complicated in this one.

11/25/2018 - Greginnd wrote:

Blackberry jam without the sugar. Delicious.

11/25/2018 - Greginnd wrote:

Tobacco and dark red fruits. Delicious. Solid tannins. I should have kept this for a few more years.

4/7/2015 - Greginnd Likes this wine:

This wine has aged beautifully in my cellar. It has a deep red color without discernible browning. Aromas of dark fruits, damp forest floor mingling with a hint of coconut and other complexities I can't really identify. When I tasted it in 2008 it was a bit out of balance and the tannins were gripping. It still maintains a solid tannin structure but they have softened considerably. I can taste the dark blackberries and solid fruit but also the earthiness comes through on the palate. It is coming into its own. I wasn't sure back in 2008 if it would age this nicely, but I suspected it would. My rating has increased from 90 in 2008 to a solid 92 today. I have one bottle left but I think I'll let it sit another 10 years.

4/9/2014 - Greginnd Likes this wine:

I almost rated this wine as flawed because the foil was stuck to the bottle and the cork had obviously seeped. But, the cork was still soft and pliable and there were no off aromas on the cork. The bottle was decanted off the sediments and tasted immediately. The color did not show its age and was a very clear garnet color with no browning on the edges. Complex aromas of spice and cherries mingling with a slight mossy earthiness met the nose. There was an ever so slight hint of volatile acidity in the nose. The palate has definitely changed over the years. There are virtually no tannins left and the intensity of the fruit has diminished leaving a slightly acidic delicate flavor profile behind. A bit of peat and wood hits the tongue on the mid palate which may be a slight out of balance flaw. But there was just enough cherry left to tickle the sides of my tongue.

4/4/2014 - Greginnd wrote:

Opens up nicely.

4/4/2014 - Greginnd wrote:

Pop and pour. Nothing special. A little cherry comes through.

3/31/2014 - Greginnd wrote:

Typical NZ sauv blanc. A bit one dimensional but ok.

3/28/2014 - Greginnd wrote:

Ted fruits with blackberry and tobacco. Almost as good as the 2005 but not quite.

3/28/2014 - Greginnd wrote:

Good for the price. Not very complex.

3/25/2014 - Greginnd wrote:

Ok zin.

3/23/2014 - Greginnd wrote:

Relatively nondescript. Very light.

3/23/2014 - Greginnd wrote:

Excellent fruit and balance. Satiny mouth feel with great acidity and perfect amount if oak structure.

3/20/2014 - Greginnd wrote:

Not bad for $8. Meaty and drinkable.

3/10/2014 - Greginnd wrote:

Seems to be losing its fruit. Nice back end flavored but mid and end palate are lacking. Hopefully it's just this bottle.

3/6/2014 - Greginnd wrote:

Not a heavy wine but it opens up nicely with balanced fruit. It went great with a poached salmon and asparagus risotto.

3/5/2014 - Greginnd wrote:

Just ok for a grand cru.

2/6/2014 - Greginnd Likes this wine:

This has been in my cellar for more than half its life. The wine is clear, decanted off just a little bit of sediments in the bottle. Color is still vibrant red with no discernible browning. A decidedly old world nose is presented when sniffed. Aromas of earth and slight mushroom mixes with more pronounced bright red fruits of cherry and raspberry delight the olfactory senses. This is met with some vanilla and a trace of eucalyptus. On the palate the red cherry dominates blended with subtle leather and spice. Acids are well balanced and tannins are soft. The fruit lingers and dances in the back of my throat diminishing ever so slowly. This is delightful! I tasted it with a bit of German chocolate cake. WOW! How very interesting. The delicate structure is laid bare and the pairing is excellent.

7/2/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Deep red color. Nose is full of earth and bright red fruits. I love the tart red raspberry that the aromas incite. On the palate it is acidic and tannic with earthy red fruits just like the nose. There are very subtle hints of licorice and plums.

7/1/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Rombauer used to make awesome zins in the early 90's. Now they re over ripe and over extracted. The once present black pepper is no where to be found. It is a fruit bomb verging on a dessert wine. Some love this newer style zin. Not me. I pine for the glory days when they were spicy, not too fruity and complex as hell. Bring back my favorite grape. It's not expressed in this bottle.

6/23/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

This wine is dark dark dark. Inky dark red color. The nose is peaty with dark red fruits. The palate is earthy with dark plums, dark cherries, blackberries and hints of tobacco and leather. Just opened this bottle. The alcohol is a little disjointed but that should integrate with an hour or two of air.

6/23/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Inky dark red color. Nose of peat and dark fruits. Earthy on the palate with dark red plums, cherries and blackberries. Just opened. The disjointed alcohol should resolve after an hour or two of air.

6/19/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Awesome fruit on this wine. Bright cherries and red raspberries. This bottle is slightly off (corked) so I did not rate it.

6/12/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Carried this one back from Alsace last October. Deep red color. Earthy nose. Complex fruit, minerals and a hint of barnyard.

6/10/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Needs to open up. Beautiful balance after decanting a couple hours.

5/28/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Love the earthy barnyard on this one.

5/24/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Ok

5/27/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Awesome fruit and great balance

5/22/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

As Pinot noir goes thus I'd like a cherry strawberry fresh fruit explosion. Much mire fruit than I expected.

5/1/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Awesome QPR

5/6/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Takes some time to open up but after an hour or two of air it blossoms.

4/15/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Golden yellow. Pear and hints of honey.

4/10/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Pepper and more pepper

4/10/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Just as awesome as I remember.

4/10/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Past its prime.

3/15/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

very smooth on the tannins

2/18/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Getting better. Full of peppery spice.

2/3/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Some bitter notes

1/23/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

This wine has improved in the cellar. It is ready for drinking and won't last much longer. The red fruits still dominate with undertones of tobacco.

1/15/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Has aged beautifully

1/8/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

A little too acidic.

1/7/2011 - Greginnd wrote:

Awesome wine. Robust full flavor and very well balanced. It has a bit of that earthy barnyard that I love.

12/26/2010 - Greginnd wrote:

Average drinkable rhone.

12/26/2010 - Greginnd wrote:

Good balanced not over the top fruit

12/26/2010 - Greginnd wrote:

Solid food friendly sb

12/26/2010 - Greginnd wrote:

Not as good as previous vintages

12/25/2010 - Greginnd wrote:

Popped and poured a taste. Refined structure and complex fruit. Has strong tannins. Lay down for a few years. This bottle will be decanter for at least three hours before we enjoy it.

12/23/2010 - Greginnd wrote:

Well balanced with soft silky fruit and terrific black pepper