10/11/2015 - careyd Likes this wine:

This wine has been sleeping in cellar (60F) for 8 years. Pulled it out on a lark last night, fearing it might be past it's prime. It wasn't, it was lovely!. Color: med burgundy, very slightest of bricking at edge. Did not decant, or even give much air time. Wasn't necessary. Nose: Strawberry and cherry, slightly muted. Some floral overtones. On th epalate. Highly integrated fruit, still quite nice acidity and tartness back of the palate. Finish: Quite long, clean and dry. Some residual berry and earthiness. Quite impressed. Saved half the bottle with vacu-vin for 2nd night observation.

6/12/2012 - careyd wrote:

Color: Deep ruby-red. Nose: Black raspberry, spice, bacon fat and pepper, hint of white flowers. On the palate: Silky, supple, plush fruit. Dark cherry and raspberry. Muted spice in the mid palate, and bitter dark cocoa powder. The finish is very very smooth with this much bottle age on it, and wrapped in all that fruit is a little spice throughout. This wine exudes power that is in complete control and constrained. The essence of power in a refined, lovely package. Really lovely wine!

3/29/2012 - careyd Likes this wine:

What a difference another year of cellaring makes! This wine is showing much better than my last bottle, which was still pretty good.

Color: medium ruby, clear. Nose: Eucalyptus, oregano, bell pepper...vegetal with red fruit (now more fruit) . along with a little earth. On the palate: Light, almost refreshing, with mild acidity and muted red fruit. The midpalate has a slight earthiness and tobacco and black pepper but all very delicate. The palate doesn't feature as much in the way of green/vegetal notes as the nose would indicate. The midpalate-to-finish transition has a little acid boost (now smoother), almost citrusy, and on into a clean finish that is short to medium on fruit, a little longer on tartness, with very mild tannins.

This Chinon paired very well with tonight's lightly-salt-and-peppered grilled ribeye steak, grilled onions and parmesan greens salad.

The wine is pretty good, not a life-changer, but certainly nowhere deserving of the low scores some have given it. I wish I had more reds like this that deliver a really intriguing palate, easily "paired" with a variety of home fare, and aren't just so big and monstrous. This wine enhances food.

2/3/2012 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Rich golden yellow. Very slight haze. Nose: Lemon and lime citrus, some apple and a hint of herbs. On the palate: Full bodied, lemon lime and grapefruit meet moderate "plushness" with bright acidity that plays nicely with this viscous wine. The mid palate has a twinge of minerality which I like. The finish is clean, crisp and not perceptibly hot despite the 14.2 alcohol. Good wine with dinner at home. Simple, but not boring. Good Russian River source.

1/18/2012 - careyd wrote:

Color: Deep garnet. Hazy. Nose: When first opened, strong basement funk (in a good way). That blew off after awhile, but still a nice earthy, forest floor kind of thing mixed with some olive and black cherry. On the palate: A strong, acidic impression of muted black and dark red fruits. Plum and cherry mostly, but sort of nondescript brooding fruit. The mid palate has some nice mild spice, black pepper, leather, very integrated, hard to pick out individual components (in a good way). The finish has dusty tannins with moderate grip. Some latent asian spice. This wine has been sleeping in my electric cellar a long time and I finally tried it. Feels nicely aged and integrated. I am very impressed. Good stuff, wish I had bought more.

11/2/2011 - careyd Likes this wine:

(tasting note from a day later-sorry it's sparse on detail.) Color: Ruby Nose: Some florals. Strawberry. Not a very strong nose. On the palate: A lighter style, with minimal spice. It is pleasing and varietally correct. A simple and lighter expression of Pinot. Minimal soft tannins. A great weeknight quaff.

9/6/2011 - careyd wrote:

Color: Dark ruby. Nose: Big nose! Florals meet expressive dark fruits followed by some must and dust. On the palate: Dark black cherry fruit with medium body. Smooth in texture but balancing acidity leads into the midpalate which is still fruit dominated but accented by some pepper, licorice, tar and some plummy notes. The finish is brightly acidic with a return to fruit with a low amount of soft tannins. This wine has a simple aim, has purity of fruit and high delicious factor. A great value.

8/20/2011 - careyd wrote:

Color: Pale yellow, clear. Nose: Lemon, Citrus and Honey. On the palate: Creamy (more so this vintage than others), lemony citrus, green apple, harmonious acidity, fruit and minerality. The finish is off-dry, long and lovely. This is the best vintage of this wine since 2005, and perhaps even exceeds it. There is a richness and depth to this vintage that causes it to stand apart from other years (also good). This wine is showing very well. Still hanging strong a year after my last bottle. Stupid good when you consider it was $15 or less.

8/4/2011 - careyd wrote:

Color: Light 'Golden' hue. Also slight frizzante even with the age on it. Nose: Lemon zest and honey! Some burnt rubber (slight). On the palate: Bracing acidity in a lush, thick, mouth-filling wine. Heavy creamy texture that is quite remarkable. The impression of sweetness without actually being sweet, if you will. There are flavors of melon, honey, and a tiny bit of heat on the finish (the heat blew off in 30 min or less). Used a cup of it in tonight's chicken-rosemary-rice dish.
The finish is amazing between lingering lushness and the great acidity. This wine is still rocking, five years after harvest and it isn't fading whatsoever. Too bad it is my last bottle.

7/28/2011 - careyd wrote:

Color: Dark purple-ruby. Nose: Funky, earthy, dirty, not obvious fruit but perhaps some dusty black fruit on the down-low. On the palate: Lovely! Dusty dark fruits (cherries, plums) with dark/powdery chocolate notes meet a full-bodied, luscious, silky liqueur-like midpalate, right before you get a hint of some exotic spices and a little coffee. Acidity is moderate.The finish is very long and complete. There is a dryness, but the age on this wine has mellowed the plentiful tannins which combine with the fruit for a lush, ever-so-slightly grippy finish. Just the right amount of "rustic"

OMG this is really good stuff. No aspect of this wine really sticks it's head up screaming for attention. Just a beautiful, balanced, blend. Paired with a grilled ribeye, which was surprisingly good. This 7-year-old wine has structure and balance, and will hold together another 10 years or more. Very high "delicious factor"!

5/31/2011 - careyd wrote:

(in-glass decant 1hr) Color: medium ruby, clear. Nose: Eucalyptus, oregano, bell pepper...vegetal with minimal red fruit underneath. along with a little earth. On the palate: Light, almost refreshing, with mild acidity and muted red fruit. The midpalate has a slight earthiness and tobacco and black pepper but all very delicate. The palate doesn't feature as much in the way of green/vegetal notes as the nose would indicate. The midpalate-to-finish transition has a little acid boost, almost citrusy, and on into a clean finish that is short to medium on fruit, a little longer on tartness, with very mild tannins.

I'm glad I popped this and snuck a taste before preparing NY strip steak on the grill tonight...because if I were expecting a "big" wine I would have been disappointed. Accordingly, I delicately seasoned the steaks, cooked them a little more rare, and roasted up some lightly marinated kebabs of yellow zucchini and red onion. As such, the pairing went very well with this light Chinon. Where others might come into this with certain expectations and be disappointed, I've chosen to take the wine "as is" and pair things around it. Much better recipe for happiness that way! The wine is pretty good, not a life-changer, but certainly nowhere deserving of the low scores some have given it. In this case that tells me more about the preconceived notions of the author than the wine itself.

5/3/2011 - careyd wrote:

Color: Dark ruby. Nose: Dark red and black cherries, earth and a leafy green aroma on the tail end. On the palate: Smooth, red fruit, black cherries, moderate to low acidity. The midpalate has some black pepper and some light tar. The finish has soft tannins, a little "grip", and a few plums. Overall, nice simple quaffer. Exactly what I was looking for this Tuesday evening. There is literally nothing offensive about this wine. It hits all the marks, doesn't taste too manufactured, but doesn't really excite either.

4/28/2011 - careyd wrote:

Color: Very dark purple-ruby. Nose: Somewhat tight nose, mostly floral notes, not a lot of cherry, etc which one might expect. There is a hint of red fruit and also of some scorched earth. On the palate: Smooth, plush, voluptuous, complemented by balanced acidity. The high Petit Verdot component is really adding viscosity and silk to this wine. The wine presents dark fruit: blackberries, black cherries, currant, cassis and some twangy-ness brought in by the acidity that almost gives you a slight orange peel component down low in the mix. The midpalate is spicy with black pepper, some fresh-tanned leather and more of that citrusy-orange peel thing combined with some eucalyptus and bell pepper vegetal notes. The finish is grippy with firm tannins and the acidity that is present throughout. This is a very nice, intriguing wine. Neither "yummy/delicious factor" nor austere, it hits a point in between. Convincingly "real", it doesn't immediately conjure up "California", and to me that's a good thing. The tail end of the finish is kind of dusty and yet tart. Nice wine. Recommend, especially for the wine nerds who can appreciate something a little different.

4/20/2011 - careyd wrote:

Color: dark red, slight garnet. Nose: black cherry.eucalyptus, oregano and pencil. On the palate: bright acidity and muted fruit. Mid palate has pepper, leaves and tobacco. The Finish remains somewhat astringent but I think it just needs air.. The tannins are firm but not pronounced. I can tell this is a good effort. Surprisingly so given the price point. Real wine IS possible at low price points. This annihilates so many "manufactured" wines in the price bracket.

3/25/2011 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Garnet, clear with a tiny bit of haze. Some bricking at the edge. Nose:Licorice, forest floor funk, and some febreze. On the palate: A bite of acidity up front, then restrained, mature, aged fruit brings into balance. Medium bodied, the midpalate brings some citrusy notes to some mild spice and dirt. The finish transition is pretty seamless, and overall the tannins are soft and mellow, but I'm getting significantly more acid on this bottle. Kind of refreshing though. Paired with a from-scratch homemade pizza.

2/20/2011 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Deep purple ruby. Nose: Really nice, mellow cherry & black fruit. Hint of vanilla and a teeny tiny whiff of tar. Not candy at all. Real wine. On the palate: Medium to full bodied, plush, smooth and mouthfilling. Lovely red and black fruit. The midpalate is black pepper, bitter chocolate and tobacco. The finish has mild soft tannins, balancing acidity and rich complexity. Latent plumss and licorice. Really well made wine. Easily worth $35 a bottle, a bargain at the $15-20 price some can find.

1/10/2011 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Purple-ruby, dark but pretty clear. Nose: Sour cherries, leather, tobacco, oregano?, and some earth. On the palate: A smidge hot right out of the bottle, that lessened with air. Smooth and medium bodied, the initial attack is muted fruit. Blackberries and loads of sour cherries. The midpalate brings mild acidity and some pepper and leather. Fairly complex layering there. Kind of brooding. Impressive for the price! The finish has grippy drying tannins, but remains pretty tart fruit-wise, emphasis on the dark plummy tones. Splashed a cup of this into tonight's home-spun 'Burgundy Chicken' dish. Only it's a Montepulciano and a twist towards the onion-garlicy side. Can't wait to finish cooking and have with dinner!

1/5/2011 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Very pale watery yellow. Nose: Citrus/lemon/grapefruit/mineral and spring flowers. On the palate: Crisp and intense, medium to light bodied but packs an intense citrus and mineral component. I find the minerality mosel-esque which is the first US Riesling I've ever had that did that. There is some RS but also a good amount of alc for a Riesling at 12.5 ABV. Not hot, but it's there. Nice tart midpalate and clean finish. Recommend.

12/31/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Pale yellow: Nose: biscuits and honey, faint. On the palate: Crisp and lemony, bubbles fairly muted. Tart/slightly sour. Clean finish. Nice. Had on new year's eve at home.

12/7/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Garnet, clear with a tiny bit of haze. Looks aged a bit. Nose:Berries, pepper and licorice. On the palate: A restrained and balanced effort with mature red and black fruit and balanced acidity. Medium bodied, the midpalate brings some citrusy notes to some mild spice and dirt. The finish transition is pretty seamless, and overall the tannins are soft and mellow. This whole wine is just "mellow"...which sometimes, is exactly what you're looking for.

12/3/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Day 2 tasting notes. The wine is young and needed to mellow. Color: Dark, hazy ruby/purple. Nose: Florals and fruit! The flowers are white and roses, and a little weedy. The fruit: cherries, blackberries, and some black licorice. A little funky soil too. On the palate: Mouthfilling and round, it bursts forth with black cherries, pepper, licorice, kirsch, and some bitter chocolate. There is also a gamey and bacon fat component I'm picking up in the middle. Acidity is good, but spikes briefly in the midpalate-to-finish transition, but I think that will mellow with age. The finish brings fresh grippy tannins, a little heat, and a lot of plums. Outstanding wine that will only benefit from a little more time in the bottle.

11/26/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Deep ruby Nose: Lovely red fruit and vanilla. On the palate: Red meets black fruit. Medium to full bodied but not over the top like so many Cali Zins. The midpalate brings leather, graphite, black pepper and tobacco, the finish is simple and fruity with moderate soft tannins and latent plums. Very nice with Thanksgiving leftovers.

11/19/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Medium Ruby. Clear. Nose: Lovely floral nose, then blueberries and sour cherries. Some scorched funky earth that tended to fade into the background after 30 minutes in the glass. On the palate: Smooth and moderate red fruit on the initial attack, fresh yet soft acidity in the midpalate with some nice tobacco and leather over a little pepper. The finish is simple and smooth with some acidity, very soft tannins, and some latent spice and black fruit. Overall a nice, food-friendly mild wine. Solid.

11/14/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Poured into glass and gave 45 min air. I thought this would be an interesting comparison to the just-as-big but much more expensive Turkey Flat Shiraz I had the other night. Both 2005, both South Australia, both over-the-top fruit bomb style shiraz.

Color: Inky and dark, but more garnet than the expected purple. Slight bricking toward the edge. Nose: Scorched earth, black cherries, black fruit. Some vanilla. Some poop on the down-low. On the palate: The initial attack is silky and soft (on texture) and rather plush. Lots of dark fruit, probably a slightly higher impression of sweetness than the Turkey Flat. Blueberry, black cherry and cassis reduction. Super extracted. The midpalate brings black pepper, tobacco and a chocolatey tone. The spice overrides all but is not as spicy as the Turkey flat. The oak influence shows itself pretty obviously at the midpalate to finish transition, along with some vanilla from the oak. The finish also packs some liqueur-like heat along with a lot of fruit (15.9% ABV-Big Boy!), but actually is less offensively-hot than the Turkey flat was. The tannins are there providing structure but are pretty integrated at this point. I think there must still be some residual sugar (hard to believe with 15.9 alc) smoothing out some rough edges in the finish. The finish, by the way, is fruity, smooth sweet tannins, moderate length, with latent plums.

Overall, as this style goes (not my main thing), I think this is just as good if not better than the five-times-more-expensive Turkey Flat from the other night. I think when you make wines this extracted, this huge, this NON-subtle, you can't really appreciate some of the higher qualities of the fruit and winemaking because they tend to get lost in all that BAM! hitting your palate. The takeaway: If this style of wine is what you're going for, don't spend 50 bucks or more to get it when this wine will do for you just fine.

11/10/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Five hours decanting! Color: Glass and teeth-staining inky purple. Nose: Black cherry, blueberry, pepper and oak. On the palate: Big and bombastic, this is a fruit bomb lover's fruit bomb. Way over the top for my palate but I can extend my range a bit once in awhile. Plush and mouthfilling on the initial attack, with black cherries, blueberries, cassis and loads of black pepper, it quickly transitions to a midpalate of more pepper and a sort of minty undertone. A hefty amount of acidity braces this bomb as it transitions to the the hot finish, where medium dusty-dry tannins present, along with a substantial oak influence. Cherry liqueur, more pepper and spice. Overall, I can see this wine has some quality fruit and winemaking behind it, but I can't even get close to the 95 points RP gave it. It's just way too hot and over the top for that. So, it's a 90 for me. Do not pair with food beyond cheese. It's too big and would overpower most any meal. Happy Birthday to me.

10/30/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Ruby, clear Nose: sour cherries and rose petals. On the palate: Initial fruit attack is smooth, medium bodied, sour cherries and strawberries. The midpalate kicks with lively acidity and lots of pepper. The finish has a bit of heat which nicks the score a point or two but also has some nice grippy tannins while the fruit continues. When first popped the cork, it was a tad sour/astringent, but in an hour was very nice. Overall a nice wine with no obvious flaws, it's just obviously made from 'affordable' cotes du rhone fruit which shows the depth of quality in the stellar 2007 vintage. I agree with WS on this one--86 points.

10/23/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Dark purple 1 click towards ruby. Nose: Dominated by a minty/eucalyptus component 30 min after opening, with sour cherries under that. Seems to be evolving with air time. On the palate: Fairly light for a Monastrell. Call it medium bodied. Sour cherry and bright acidity greet your palate, but initially quite a smooth texture. The midpalate has a sour component continuing with a burst of pepper. Underneath that are some earthy tones with a hint of minerality. The transition to the finish is quite rapid with a moderate amount of medium-fine tannins. I'm getting a little back-end heat but I suspect it may blow off. The finish itself is short but nice. Some latent sour plums (if you can imagine such a thing).

9/27/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Ruby purple, clear. Nose: Cherries, rose petals and a little poop on the forest floor. On the palate: medium bodied, the fruit is wonderfully ripe yet not over-extracted. Not candy at all. The midpalate is nice, with various black pepper, oregano, coffee and some chocolate raspberry notes. Nice bright acidity in balance. The finish is long with part grippy and part round firm tannins. The oak treatment is noticeable but (to me) not objectionable or heavy. The black pepper lingers along with some muted black raspberry fruit. Overall this wine is quite nicely balanced with a slight 'lean' towards tart/acidic which makes it very food friendly. Pairing with a nice Dubliner cheese. 2 more of these in the cellar. Recommend.

9/25/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Garnet. Clear. Nose: Even after over an hour the nose is tight. Some rose petals and that's about it. On the palate: Light and smooth, medium acidity. The fruit is gone. Muted strawberries, mostly just some pepper in the midpalate, and a little leather/tannery towards the finish. Moderate fine tannins are still making a slight impression. So sad. This wine was absolutely lovely in the past, but I've gone and held off on this last bottle too long. Despite cellaring it at 57F and absolutely no light. It's time came, and went. It's not undrinkable, but the thrill is gone. We'll finish it with some nice cheese. No reason to let it go to waste, I wouldn't call it flawed, just way past it's prime. Reference my past notes/scores for it's former greatness.

9/24/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Pale yellow, clear, slight frizzante. Nose: Loads of lemon and citrus, with some honeysuckle. Also a hint of stone. On the palate: Smooth textured, tart lemon, hint of peach (from the weight) and some nice stony minerality. the finish is a tad sour but still quite good and crisp. The wine is actually fairly dry at 11.7 ABV but gives the impression of sweetness with the fruit and texture. Still, there's some residual sugar there...just not a lot. I came to this wine with very low expectations, thinking it was headed for 78-81 point territory, so the 86 I'm scoring it is really a reflection of how it turned my head. My palate still prefers off-dry German rieslings from the Mosel and Rheingau, but this is still quite good for the price.

9/22/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Ruby Nose: Not a huge nose, but strawberry and cranberry. On the palate: Nice, smooth, pretty decent expression of the varietal considering the price point and that it's Pinot. Midpalate is some pepper, almost no noticeable oak treatment, and really just muted fruit. Simplistic. The finish is very soft minimal tannins and red fruit. Not outstanding, but doesn't offend either. Not a great QPR but about what one could expect for the price.

9/18/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

My last bottle of this. This was a cheap 'drink now' wine from the stellar 2005 vintage, and is past it's prime, but still drinkable. It's taking on a sour, more astringent character. Having said that, my earlier tasting notes still pretty much apply.

Color: Dark purple-ruby. Nose: Sour cherries and eucalyptus. Underneath that are some florals that are becoming more like a cleaning product....and of all things...oregano. On the palate: Smooth and round, the fruit is a tad more muted and integral but that's a good thing. It sings with sour cherries, black currant, and transitions into a midpalate of balancing acidity, and a lot of earthiness for a simpler cru bourgeois. Soil, funk, pepper, and dirty tobacco are all in the midpalate. The midpalate to finish transition brings some weedy green characteristics and eucalyptus. Pretty herbaceous as it moves into the finish where you notice some grippy tannins for the first time. As it has aged, the finish has become more astringent. Last taste of this wine was June 2010. This wine was probably peak in summer of 2009, bIt was fading in June, and now starting to jump the shark. Drink up people.

8/28/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Ruby, more in the direction of garnet. Slight haze, but can see my fingers through the bottom of the glass. Nose: Fresh strawberries, cranberries overlaid with a white flower component. There's a green note in there as well, more like a eucalyptus thing. On the palate: Full bodied, smooth, but not heavy. Lovely cherry/strawberry/raspberry up front. Then a surge of acidity as you enter a midpalate that is slightly gamey but more leather and some black pepper. The midpalate to finish transition is a little hampered by some heat (14.7 alc), but despite that moves into a nice long finish that has some more fruit and freshness to it's acidity (some may find it astringent but I don't). The tannins are really minimal and what are there are fairly soft. This wine is ready right now. In fact, it may have been better a year ago...hard to know as this is the first of my two bottles. Still, an excellent, refined wine that has nothing of the heavy oak and super extraction of so many new world pinots. I'm going to try pairing this with mildly seasoned med. rare filet mignon at home tonight.

8/20/2010 - careyd wrote:

Color: Medium to slightly golden yellow. Nose: some floral, some citrus. On the palate: smooth, creamier mouthfeel. Lemon, citrus notes, moderate acidity, some sour notes. The finish is simple and short. Personal opinion: This wine is decently made for mass-market cheapo stuff but it is far from being my favorite expression of Riesling. I definitely prefer the lighter German Rieslings for their ripping acidity, crispness and wonderful minerality. By comparison, this is the Cali Chardonnay of rieslings...as are many of the (better) Australian Rieslings. Some of the Tasmanian ones achieve a better expression of this cool-loving varietal but this ain't that.

7/31/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Pale yellow, clear. Nose: Lemon, Citrus and Honey. On the palate: Creamy (more so this vintage than others), lemony citrus, green apple, harmonious acidity, fruit and minerality. The finish is off-dry, long and lovely. This is the best vintage of this wine since 2005, and perhaps even exceeds it. There is a richness and depth to this vintage that causes it to stand apart from other years (also good). This wine is showing very well right now.

7/21/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Dark purple, haze. Nose: Simple bomb cherry and some vanilla. Not getting the 'greens' I was hoping for though... On the palate: Very smooth initial attack with a creamy texture, transitioning somewhat awkwardly to a midpalate that has some pepper to offer, but that's about it. The fruit continues to a soft-mild tannin appearance and then the residual sugar finish. What can you say about this wine except it is not great wine but is serviceable and very cheap and the low price overcomes many objections. However, serious wine this is not. It's the kool-aid of the wine world.

7/6/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Two hour decant. Color: Deep ruby to purple-red. Inky. Nose: Moderate aroma intensity. Green pepper and vegetal notes dominates with cherry/black fruit undertones. Secondaries of tar, smoke and dusty leather. Perhaps a hint of oak on the nose. On the palate: Dry, full bodied, with lively acidity. Medium tannins rounding nicely with the bottle age. Moderate dark fruit flavors of blackberry, cassis, black currant. The mid-palate has some nice fruit but has a fleeting moment where the acidity spikes to a sour note. Also, slightly hot initially but that tames with a air. The finish is quite long and brings a return to the fruit with a grippy finish on the tannins. Not perfect but still a lovely wine, probably showing the best it ever will right now. Paired it with awesome prime aged grilled new york strips tonight.

6/17/2010 - careyd wrote:

Color: Dark purple-ruby. Nose: Sour cherries and eucalyptus. Underneath that are some zinnia florals and of all things...oregano. On the palate: Smooth and round, the fruit is a tad more muted and integral but that's a good thing. It sings with sour cherries, black currant, and transitions into a midpalate of balancing acidity, and a lot of earthiness for a simpler cru bourgeois. Soil, funk, pepper, and dirty tobacco are all in the midpalate. The midpalate to finish transition brings some weedy green characteristics and eucalyptus. Pretty herbaceous as it moves into the finish where you notice some grippy tannins for the first time. Last taste of this wine was Aug 2009. This wine was probably peak then, but is still near peak now. Scoring it 88, one point lower. Drink up people.

6/15/2010 - careyd wrote:

Another great bottle, tasting notes as before.

6/7/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Thursday, June 18, 2009 - Tonight I'm tasting from a remaining half-bottle opened for over an hour and then vacu-vinned last night, to get a more 'open' impression of this wine.

Color: Dark purple, a little hazy (non-filtered). Nose: Really open now. roses, lots more cherries vanilla and cedarbox.. On the palate: Really nice. Smooth black cherry, blackberry, even a little blueberry., plush texture. The fruit, while abundant and fairly extracted, is not that typical bright new world in-your-face fruit, but rather has a little more of that muted old-world impression. In the midpalate I get bacon fat, gaminess, mulch, tobacco, black currant and blackberry. The finish has a little black pepper and spice and smooth round tannins. The palate is left quite dry with a little 'grip' of tannins and latent plums.

Sadly this is my last bottle of my half-case buy on this wine. Every bottle has improved over the age of this wine. I think it will continue to improve for another two or three years at it's current trajectory.

5/31/2010 - careyd wrote:

It's been almost a year and a half since I opened one of these. Color: Dark ruby. Nose: Black cherries, cassis, black raspberries, florals. The fruit is more prominent than I remember, which is interesting considering the additional bottle age. On the palate: Medium/full bodied, mouthfilling explosion of black and red fruits. Acidity spikes initially but as I recall that will mellow with air time. Right now just 15 min from opening. The midpalate is brooding and lovely with bitter dark chocolate, tobacco, leather and black pepper complementing the acidity and fruit. The finish is very long at 60+sec. The only significant change from previous taste is that the tannins have started to integrate a bit more. This wine is great now paired with red meats (burgers on the grill-Memorial Day tonight). It's firm tannins leave the palate moderately dry but fruit remains throughout. Getting a kick of pepper in the finish as well. This wine is tracking well. Have another bottle and would like to wait at least another year to see how it goes.

4/30/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

1.5 hr decant in large Bordeaux glass Color: Dark ruby, slight haze. Nose: As it warmed, it became quite expressive. Lots of dark cherry and rich earth accented by some lovely herbs. On the palate: Initial attack of fruit: There's plenty of it, and it is smooth if somewhat muted. Acidity a tad low but that is working for this particular wine and tonight's grilled marinated tri-tip steak meal at home. The midpalate is earthy and had mild black pepper spice as well as some leather, tobacco and clove. The finish is fairly tannic but the tannins have softened edges. The palate is left grippy with latent plums. Glad I sat on this bottle awhile. This is 'real wine' in an affordable daily drinker package. After a week in Vegas for a convention with fruity sugarfied 'bar wine' one of the only things at my disposal, it's nice to get back home to something affordable yet "real".

4/23/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

100% Chenin Blanc. 12% ABV. Color: Golden yellow, clear. Nose: Tight nose, but has some nice notes of minerality, rosemary and a whiff of parsley augmenting the green apple and slightly honeyed aromas. On the palate: Creamy and smooth with medium to light body, citrus/lemon with a nice crisp acidity in the midpalate (brings out the lemon and perhaps some grapefruit) and a crisp, clean, fairly classic chenin finish. Some herbaceousness to the end. Some chenin's are super-light and crisp, while this is not. This one has more weight, but hey, it's still chenin blanc, and pretty good overall wine to pair with simple marinated grilled chicken, rice and salad at home.

3/27/2010 - careyd wrote:

Color: Dark Ruby Nose: Pretty consistent with my earlier notes but perhaps earthier this time. On the palate: Consistent with previous notes. Full bodied and creamy textured, the fruit is upfront. Blackberries, blueberries and dark cherries. The midpalate brings a lovely spice and herbaceous undertone. Tobacco, mocha and black and white pepper all make their appearance, almost in turn. The acidity is fresh and balanced. The transition to the finish is elegant, where plums come to the fore. The tannins are firm but pretty fine. The finish is surprisingly long and at the tail end, I'm getting the plums and dark chocolate, but the earthiness has become more prominent than ever in previous tastings. Nice evolution on this wine in my cellar. So sad this is my last bottle.

3/23/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Dark purple-ruby, yet fairly clear. Nose: Really lovely dark cherries, blackberries, and some floral overtones. Under that there's some earthiness an I swear on first blush I got some anise. On the palate: Dark, lush and mouthfilling on the initial attack, then the acidity rushes in and in it's wake leaves a respectably complex midpalate of herbs (dried), saddle leather, dried tobacco and beef jerky. The finish transition is a little abrupt but there's some nice dry fine tannins coupled with lush ripe fruit. Good wine from the ripe and beautiful 2007 Cote du Rhone vintage. Pair with a hearty meal.

3/19/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Pop and pour. Color: Medium ruby. Clear. Nose: Initially, this nose has a minty/eucalyptus thing happening over the top of red fruit-cherry, blackberry. Underneath that, some sweaty sock and scorched earth. On the palate: Initial attack: Nice sour cherry meets vegetal notes on this medium bodied effort. Midpalate: Nice fresh acidity augments the bright fruit with over and under tones of black and white pepper, and late stage leather. Finish: The transition into the finish is very smooth with mild, fine tannins. Grippy on the palate, leaves it try with latent plums. Ready for more. This is a fairly simple wine but lovely nonetheless. Certainly a good value and would buy again.

3/13/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Pale greenish straw. Clear. Slight frizzante. Nose: Citrus! Also apricot, honeysuckle and white flowers. On the palate: Creamy, mouthfilling and surprisingly plush. This off-dry spåtlese really brings some interest. The initial attack is lemon + honey. The midpalate throws some balanced, refreshing acidity and lovely mosel slate-like minerality. The minerality really shines during the medium long finish. Lovely wine. Pairing with teriyaki chicken tonight. The RS is really working here to balance the acidity and vice-versa. BTW just 8.5 ABV.

3/2/2010 - careyd Likes this wine:

Color: Very dark ruby, hazy. Nose: Cherries, very ripe, a little vanilla and cedarbox. Pretty, but understated, pretty classic nose. On the palate: Muted fruit, fairly dark first impression. The midpalate has some complexity and herbaceousness, but a spike of acidity and a disjointed finish transition take this over to 'sour' for awhile. The finish itself returns with grippy tannins and has pretty good length. Better with food.

2/23/2010 - careyd wrote:

Poured into glass 1 hour before tasting: Color: Light ruby, clear (no frizzante here). Nose: Cranberries, rose petals, and down deep some scorched earth. On the palate: Medium bodied, the initial attack is red fruit and quickly goes black pepper. A spike of acidity (in balance) takes you to the midpalate with moderate oak influencing the white pepper, green/herbs, leather and a finish that is medium length, with moderate fine tannins and bright acidity. Pretty smooth overall. The palate is left quite dry, with latent spice and raspberry. Good wine, good value...didn't slay me, but I'm pretty impressed. Update 2nd night: half the bottle spent the night (vacu-vinned it) and tonight is drinking even better. Bumped the score 89 to 90 due to this. What's better? The fruit is more plush and the finish is smoother.

2/20/2010 - careyd wrote:

Decanted 'in glass' 1 hour prior to these notes. Color: Dark dark dark ruby. Slight haze. Nose: Lots of florals, both white flowers and rose petals. Black and blue fruit under that. On the palate: Creamy mouthfeel, full-bodied, and initial attack is muted fruit (but 'big' and lots of it). This fruit presents as dark, not bright. Dark cherries, blueberries and black currant with cassis. The midpalate brings black pepper, some leather and some sort of flinty minerality lurking low in the mix. The midpalate to finish transition brings a spike in acidity which is high but still in the realm of 'balanced. The finish has a little back-end heat but it doesn't ruin the wine, although I wish it was more contained. The tannins are plentiful, but fine-grained and round. This is a good wine, with it's interesting mix of old and new world sensibilities. The low point is the hot and slightly awkward finish, but on balance a very good wine and good QPR. I've had this in the cellar at 58F about 3 years. UPDATE: I had to come back and revise my score (downward) because the finish evolved for the worse over the next hour and got very astringent, sour and hotter. At some point I thought I was drinking Robitussin. Pairing with a firm cheese masked the issue somewhat but a wine that performs well all the way through --but then has a terrible finish, has to have it's score adjusted downward. Looking across other notes here I'm wondering if there's some bottle or lot variation causing this. The wine was certainly not 'cooked' or 'corked' or any obvious damage. It's been stored immaculately by me for 3 years, so all those factors are ok.