10/30/2023 - lebo9968@gmail.com Does not like this wine:

Very new world style. Heavy red fruit. Not what I'm looking for in a Pinot noir.

9/26/2023 - lebo9968@gmail.com Does not like this wine:

Pretty medium to dark purple color. Vibrant fresh fruit nose that jumps out of thee glass. Like a warm mixed berries tart. Brambley. Jammy. Has more of a zin profile than Pinot noir. Palate was surprisingly thin, light and short. Nose increased expectations, only to be let down by the palate. Very new world style.

9/17/2023 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote:

Not bad, but nothing great. I would not purchase volume for my cellar.

9/17/2023 - lebo9968@gmail.com Does not like this wine:

The wine we had was Monterey County not Sonoma. I could not find that wine here. Dark color but I could not get any nose or palate from it. At 14.5% alcohol and no flavor or aroma profile to speak of, just not for me at all.

3/3/2023 - lebo9968@gmail.com Does not like this wine:

No where as good as previous vintages I've liked.

2/11/2023 - lebo9968@gmail.com Does not like this wine:

Purchased based on Wine Spectator review #7 bargain wines. Really didn't do anything at all for me.

2/11/2023 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Promising old world nose. Doesn't follow through on the palate.

2/11/2023 - lebo9968@gmail.com Does not like this wine:

Not my style at all. Loved the 2011 vintage. Haven't liked any vintages as much since. Purchased based on Wine Spectator review #3 bargain wine value. This really tasted like a low quality wine to me.

2/11/2023 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Dry, crisp. Old world style. Very nice and pleasant.

12/22/2022 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Really surprised by how much I liked this wine. The description on the label is spot on. Dark fruit on the nose and palate. It certainly has a generous amount of oak and vanilla notes, but they are very well integrated and compliment each other nicely. A real steal at $8 per bottle, 2 for 1 sale at Kroger's.

12/13/2022 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Excellent sparkler. I would have thought this was a true, aged Champagne. Very nice doughy, yeasty nose and palate with great acidity and some minerality. Found in a bargain bin for $25.

11/24/2022 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Pretty brick color. Nose and palate were open upon uncork and 1st pour. Definitely new world style. Fruit forward, but still very dry, tannic and woody. The wood was nicely integrated, but there was quite a bit of it. Seems nicely aged at this point; not sure how this would continue to evolve.

11/5/2022 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote:

Had some old world characteristics upon open. Maybe a little terroir. OK structure, but didn't really do a whole lot for me.

11/5/2022 - lebo9968@gmail.com Does not like this wine:

Just not my style. Very sweet. Cloyingly sweet.

11/4/2022 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote:

I was surprised at the heavy weight. Very concentrated and dense. Showed no signs of age 1 year after harvest, which was also surprising to me.

10/30/2022 - lebo9968@gmail.com Does not like this wine:

Not as good or interesting as previous vintages. Tastes a bit like a "church" wine to me.

10/20/2022 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote:

On open, seemed very tight. Dark ruby color with a very slight brown tinge. Not much nose or pallet. A bit hot.

3/12/2022 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Huge grapefruit on nose and palate, but with enough acidity and minerality to offset it and allow it to not be cloying. Cloudy Bay at < 1/2 the price. Found on sale at Kroger for $13.50.

3/12/2022 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote:

Tasted blind against Segura Viudas. This looked, smelt and tasted older. Like an aged sparkler. The Segura Viudas was much more lively, bright and deep on nose and palate.

3/11/2022 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote:

Found another one @ discount bin price of $11. Definitely not as awesome as prior bottle. Like an aged old wold wine. Worth a shot. Would try again at that price.

2/4/2022 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Surprisingly enjoyable wine. Purchased off of a clearance bin for $11. First pour out of the bottle showed its age. Medium ruby color with moderate bricking around the edges. Nose and palate were unexpressive and nondescript. But each taste on the first serving evolved and improved. To the point that I really wanted a second serving, which was even better than the previous serving. The wine opened up over an hour or so to show lead pencil, tobacco, maybe some slight terroir, and a little chocolate. Dark fruits also emerged; blackberry and plum come to mind. Really enjoyed this. Need to let it breath and give it a chance to show its best.

12/24/2021 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote:

Immediately out of the bottle, smelled like bleu cheese, off-putting. Color was pretty light red to slight browning around the edge. Clear. Palate was just dead, tannic and hot. Seemed either corked, oxidized or just past. But the cork was close to pristine. Has been in temp controlled cellar since release / purchase. After 60 minutes and an aeration, it did open up on the palate. Actually got sweet and jammy. But maybe too much so. Aroma was still off-putting.

10/28/2021 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Big dark wine. I was unable to get the nose and flavor profile I was hoping for, even with a decant and aeration. Consistent over 3 days. I liked the 2014 much more.

10/28/2021 - lebo9968@gmail.com Does not like this wine:

Not as crisp or interesting as prior vintages.

10/28/2021 - lebo9968@gmail.com Does not like this wine:

Not as crisp as prior vintages

10/28/2021 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote:

Not as good as prior vintages.

9/19/2021 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Still like the '18 more than the '19 but definitely worth it at a <$14 price point.

6/25/2021 - lebo9968@gmail.com Does not like this wine:

Just ok. Nothing special.

5/2/2021 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote:

Much darker and fruitier than the 2018. I prefer the 2018s more old world, traditional pn profile. $14 on sale.

1/29/2021 - lebo9968@gmail.com Does not like this wine:

Super dark color. Interesting nose, but the flavor just did not fit my palate at all. Tasted over 3 days with same opinion.

1/29/2021 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote:

Deep and dark color, but just ok on the nose and palate.

12/28/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

delicious. last bottle.

12/4/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Last bottle. Still good, but fading.

12/1/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

I'd buy more for short term inventory <$15.

11/29/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

I'd buy more for short term inventory <$15.

11/6/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote:

Very light in color, nose and palate. Not much going on. Not a good value.

10/30/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Delicious. Last bottle.

9/13/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Fading.

8/15/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

White fruit. Crisp & clean. Last bottle.

2/20/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

A little better than the previous bottle.

2/21/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote:

Very hot and tannic on open. Consistent through the first glass. I would have thought this was much higher in alcohol than 13.5%. Also as dry as a young Barolo. Mouth-puckeringly dry. Aerated and decanted to try to soften this / open this up for second glass. After aeration and decant, could get more on the palate. Dark dried fruits. A decent amount of wood. I would like it more if it just wasn't so hot on my palate. 2nd day, it was much better. Was definitely not as hot, and was more open. Dried red fruit on the nose and palate. I'm upgrading this from 85 and do not like to 88 and neutral. Better, but still not in the sweet spot of my palate.

2/14/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote:

Not that great upon open or through 1/2 the bottle. Not sure if it closed down or faded substantially over the past year. Just not much going on at all on the nose or palate. Very flat, blah and one dimensional. Will see if opens up on second night.

2/13/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Not as good as prior bottles.

2/9/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Great balance between old and new world style.

2/8/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Typical. Went well with Vietnamese dinner.

2/7/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

1st night, harsher and tighter than remember from previous bottles.

1/26/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com wrote:

Big fruit forward red wine. Interesting first sips / glass, but kind of fell apart over time. Definitely not as good 2nd day. OK, but not my style.

1/24/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

I agree with La Cave D'Argent and Johnnylaw1222 reviews previously. I can't add anything more than that!

1/23/2020 - lebo9968@gmail.com Likes this wine:

Nice Champagne with some mild terroir / earthy notes on the nose. Crisp palate. A pleasant bottle, but not at that QPR for me. Gary Vee wine club January 2020.

12/21/2019 - lebo9968@gmail.com Does not like this wine:

This really didn't hit my palate at all. Over extracted. Fruit bomb with high alcohol and not enough structure to support it.