3/15/2015 - VinoLife wrote:

Thoroughly enjoyed at the tasting room in 2012. Opened in 2015 to find plenty of tannin but very little primary fruit and a boat-load of alcohol. Was stored in a temp controlled fridge. Although tasting a single bottle typically doesn't offer a conclusive look into a particular wines' longevity I would recommend enjoying these early on.

3/13/2014 - VinoLife Likes this wine:

On the nose this wine possesses youthful, medium intensity aromas of cassis, black plum and raspberry with soft earthy notes and a faint suggestion of mint.

The palate possesses lively acidity and soft, smooth tannins. Flavours mirror the nose closely with cassis and other middleweight dark fruits coming through in relative abundance. Medium weight and well balanced alcohol lead into a finish that is somewhat abrupt.

Plenty of freshness remains here as this wine continues to age gracefully. Not a powerful wine by any stretch but extremely smooth and quaffable.

3/6/2014 - VinoLife Likes this wine:

Good aromatic intensity here. Clean aromas of honeysuckle, lemon, candied peach and beeswax come to mind with a slight earthiness that lurks in the background.

Bright acidity and flavours of gala apple, lemon, quince and coriander pervade the senses initially leading into gentle nutty/salty tones that culminate with a mineral laden finish. Round in the mouth with medium weight, perceptible but not overbearing alcohol and a pleasantly long finish (20-25 sec).

Maturity is just beginning to set in here as the fruit is just beginning to lose its fresh edge and gentle oxidative notes begin to emerge. This is delicious and interesting right now. I feel like this has not reached the limits of its maturity but I would be drinking it over the next 1-2 years to ensure maximum enjoyment.

1/23/2014 - VinoLife wrote:

Great aromatic intensity here. The nose presents heady aromas of raspberry, rhubarb, blackberry, sour cherry, sous bois and a healthy dose of Gevrey-style earth.

On the palate this displays plenty of vibrant, youthful fruit and wonderful zesty acidity. Sour red fruits, blackberry, mint and firm tannins give way to a somewhat earthy finish that lingers for about 30-40 seconds.

The balance is here and while I feel this is a bit young and not wildly complex at this point I think a few additional years in the cellar will transform this into something truly wonderful. That said, it is still highly enjoyable in its current state.

8/18/2013 - VinoLife wrote:

Kicks off with high toned aromas of dark cherries and plum. On the palate a dense core of figs and blackberry with intermittent clove accents. I would hesitate to call this refined as it is a little on the alcoholic side of Pinot but this offers up plenty of delicious ripe fruit for those looking for early drinking pleasure.

8/18/2013 - VinoLife wrote:

Bright aromas of strawberry and cherries are mirrored on the palate. Good weight and nicely balanced acidity make this a brilliant summer quaffer!

7/6/2013 - VinoLife Likes this wine:

Nose: Intensely aromatic right from the get-go. Bold aromas of cassis, licorice, blackberry and lavender are accented by notes of baked pumpkin seeds, toasty oak, vanillin and bell pepper.

Palate: Huge intensity of flavor here. Forward notes of Cassis, Plum, Pepper, Anise, Oak Toast and Coco. The acidity was a little dull and the alcohol was prominent but not excessive. Ripe, smooth tannins segue into a lengthy, enveloping finish.

Comments: There is good balance here. This wine was surprisingly graceful for such a seemingly muscular wine. Will likely benefit from short term aging.

3/27/2013 - VinoLife Likes this wine:

A: Clear, medium intensity of colour, ruby at its core with a mild fade to a light red rim.

N: Healthy, medium intensity youthful aromas of raspberry, plum and faint notes of green pepper.

P: Dry, medium acidity, medium- slightly prickly tannins, medium+ alcohol, medium- body, medium length with decent persistence of fruit on the palate, cool fresh red fruit notes of strawberry and cranberry are underlined by a gentle vegetative note and a touch of black pepper.

Drink in the short term, nice tasty quaffer!

2/22/2013 - VinoLife Likes this wine:

Clear, medium intensity garnet, watery at rim. Healthy, Medium intensity developing aromas of baked cherry, mint, and underbrush. Lively acidity and soft, fine grained tannins frame flavours of rhubarb, raspberry, cranberry, and mint. Very enjoyable, drink in the short term.

10/2/2012 - VinoLife Likes this wine:

Bright, lively aromas of rhubarb and cherry greet the nose upon first inspection. The palate is comprised of a melange of red fruit character. Soft, dry, and easy drinking with medium acidity. While you wont find much complexity, there is certainly good value to be had in this refreshing little patio wine.

9/30/2012 - VinoLife Likes this wine:

Unctuous aromas of plums and blackberries framed by a gentle smokiness. More plum and blueberry on the palate with fairly prominent vanilla and oak tones showing through. Decent acidity and quite a bit of muscle for a Tempranillo but still very lush and smooth in the mouth. Was slightly worried about vintage conditions upon selecting this. However it would appear Vega Sicilia's reputation is well earned.

9/30/2012 - VinoLife Likes this wine:

Decided to take a chance on a '71 we spied on a prolific wine list in lake louise. Plenty of life left in this wine. It was sporting a boisterous bouquet of saddle-leather, earth (potato skin?), dried plum and souis boi. The palate was suprisingly fresh laden with bits of strawberry, rhubarb and raspberry coulis. Hard to believe that there would be this much acidity left in this somewhat ancient wine, but sure enough it was very much present and in no danger of being flabby. Smooth as ever with a persistant, lingering finish this wine was extremely enjoyable albiet considerably older than I typically perfer my pinots. Those looking for QPR should probably look elsewhere.

6/8/2012 - VinoLife wrote:

Lush aromas of ripe plums, black cherries and currants are framed by delicious vanilla and toast notes. This lush black fruit is slowly beginning to take on somewhat of a baked fruit character which is underlined by coco and vanilla. These tannins are incredibly round and there is length here uncharacteristic of a $30 merlot.

Great bottle of vino!

4/29/2012 - VinoLife wrote:

The nose is a mélange of briar patch fruit, several berry based aromas laden with bits of aniseed and vanilla. The palate is a plethora of unctuous black and blue fruits. This wine has good balance for a such a jammy shiraz. This has intense length and staying power but the alcohol is kept at bay by the sheer amount of fruit. This is an incredibly pleasurable experience and well priced at $60.

4/23/2012 - VinoLife wrote:

Black currants, blueberry and soft vanilla notes. More currants, aniseed, and cedar on the palate. These intense robust tannins are still slightly hard edged and could use a little more time IMHO. Plenty of unctuous black fruit and complexity waiting to emerge from underneath all this structure. Reasonably enjoyable now but I would definitely wait for this to resolve a bit.

4/22/2012 - VinoLife wrote:

Blackberry, blueberry, fruitcake and aniseed on the nose. Huge jammy tones of blueberry and black currants are supported by subtle notes of spice cake and pepper lace this full flavored Shiraz.

4/22/2012 - VinoLife wrote:

Aromas of black and blue berries, black plumb, coco and violets on the nose. Blackberries, cloves, earth and potpourri on the palate. Very understated yet elegant!

4/22/2012 - VinoLife wrote:

Gentle vanilla and melon notes on the nose. Vanilla, lemon and orange rind on the palate. Good acidity and reasonable length. Very quaffable.

3/4/2012 - VinoLife wrote:

Somewhat faint aromas of dried cherries and violets on the nose. Tastes like dried raspberry with some still fresh red fruit and a slight earthy undertone. Still has driving acidity and a pleasant amount of alcohol. Superfine tannins are soft and lush making this wine go down smooth!

2/27/2012 - VinoLife wrote:

Lush raspberry and red berry aromas with some soft mint and mineral undertones. Silky smooth on the palate with juicy raspberry and cherry tones with subtle vanilla notes. Soft silky tannins and very modest alcohol accompanied by some decent but perhaps waining acidity. This wine was deceptively elegant and very easy drinking.

2/23/2012 - VinoLife wrote:

A restrained nose of black fruit and a gentle smoky quality. A mélange of black fruit, cloves and coco on the palate. This wine is promising but still quite rough around the edges. Could definitely benefit from some additional time in bottle.

12/11/2011 - VinoLife Likes this wine:

Pleasant initial aromas of dark stewed fruits and chocolate. More chocolate with cherry and blackberry on the palate. The alcohol here is fairly intense and takes a bit too much focus off the fruit. Good acidity but not the kind of length I would expect given the alcohol.

Drinking decently especially for those who enjoy the vigor of a youthful port but I think it could perhaps use a bit more time to soften up.

12/3/2011 - VinoLife Likes this wine:

This wine is rife with delicious, almost overwhelming smells of ripe blueberry, plums and a soft floral nuance that co-mingle with lush aromas of vanilla and whipped cream. The palate tells a different story, one of black currants, raspberry, mocha, cloves and vanilla extract. The alcohol is certainly noticeable but easily forgotten in lieu of its dense flavours and pleasing depth. The tannins are still firm and grippy, acidity is present and vibrant and the lovely enveloping finish coats the palate and continues for what seems like forever.

At the price of $40 this is a brilliant value justifying its moniker, "the chosen one".

12/2/2011 - VinoLife Likes this wine:

Pale-straw in colour. Faint aromas of apples and honeydew lead into vibrant acidity, orange peel, quince and vanilla. Medium bodied with reasonable length and a mid-length finish. Very pleasant!

11/19/2011 - VinoLife Likes this wine:

This wine possesses a slightly faded blood red core with a bricky hue around the rim. On the nose initial tones of leather and burnt earth make way for robust plumb and baked cherry type aromas underpinned by a hint of something mint-esque. On the palate coffee and mocha, are met by blackberry jam and pepper. Acids are still lively and the alcohol is noticeable but perhaps overshadowed by sheer flavour. Soft slightly grainy tannins play along the gums as the experience concludes with a wonderful enveloping finish that slowly moves across the palate and continues to delight for 20-30 seconds after the fact.

Great wine. It makes it all the more unfortunate to see Cosentino Winery no longer in operation. In addition to this Zinfandel Mitch is responsible for some exceptional Merlot that is definitely worth trying if you ever encounter it.

Kudos to Mitch for this great effort.

11/3/2011 - VinoLife Likes this wine:

Light ruby in colour. Lots of red fruit character on the nose: strawberries, raspberry, mint and soft underbrush notes frame this bubbly youthful Chenas. Soft and lush on the palate with an elegant mid-weight mouthfeel and decent acidity. Tastes of cherries and strawberries are followed by soft tannins which lead into a surprisingly long finish.

Very pleasant!