5/3/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Medium violet
Medium plus aromas of fresh red/ blue fruit with dark florals and dried/fresh herbal notes
Medium bodied with palate of fresh/ dried red and blue fruit and hints of balsamic
Medium tannins and medium plus acidity with medium alcohol
Moderate finish led by fruit
I get a Burgundian style here, without typical notes of crunchy fruit from semicarbonic maceration
From Lantignie, currently attempting to obtain Cru status and just west of Regnie

4/26/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Double Blind tasting
Medium ruby color with mild rim clearing and mild bricking
Medium plus aromas of black cherry/ plum with rhubarb/ leather and cigarette ash - dried florals/potpourri notes appearing with time in the glass - no new oak notes
Medium plus bodied with palate of red/ black cherry with syrup notes and again ash notes
Medium plus medium grained tannins and medium plus alcohol with medium plus acidity
I initially was thinking volcanic origin due these ashy notes but this really didn't match the other findings
I called this Aglianico but really didn't feel the color was right
Floral/ potpourri notes didn't really become evident until opened for a while
I really enjoy this wine and see better things to come - would hold 5-7 yrs or now with a healthy decant

4/26/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Double Blind tasting
Pale gold color
Medium aromas of candied lemon and yellow florals with mild noted of grass and green herbs with dry rock minerality
Medium bodied with palate of fresh lemon/ orange and apple with distinct minerality at back of palate
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with mild to moderate phenolic bitterness
Medium length led by acidity and bitter notes
I went with Albarino here due to my perhaps overcalled phenolics - didn't really pick up the pyrazines until after the reveal
In any case I really liked this SB - very different from both Loire and NZ
My first encounter with this wine and quite impressed
Drink now or hold 3-5 yrs

4/26/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Medium ruby color with mild clearing at rim and mild bricking
Medium plus aromas of black cherry/ dark plum with notes of cedar/ graphite/ leather and hints of pepper - really no notable new oak on the nose
Medium bodied with palate of red cherry/ bell pepper and dry earthy notes - some green stem notes to finish
Medium plus well integrated tannins and medium alcohol with medium plus acidity
Great finish led by fruit and tannins
Drinking well now but can hold for another 3-7 yrs if desired
Great higher elevation heritage vineyard Ca Cabernet - this really reminds me of an old school Cabernet - old Togni perhaps?
Highly recommended

4/26/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Pale lemon color
Medium plus aromas of fresh and bruised stone fruit, later opening up with honey, lanolin and yellow florals with some time in the glass - really nice flint/ dry stone minerality
Medium bodied with palate of fresh lemon/ apple and beautiful back palate of drying minerality
Medium plus/ high acidity and medium alcohol
Medium plus length led by the acidity and minerality
Drink now with a short decant or hold 3-5 yrs
Very precise and chiseled profile - I really like this

4/24/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Pale ruby color
Medium plus aromas of crunchy red fruit/rock candy with fresh herbs and green stem notes - pretty classic Beaujolais
Light bodied with palate of beautiful red fruit with touch of bitter stemmy notes - slight touch of Brett on after palate
Medium plus acidity with medium tannins and medium plus alcohol
Really nice, classic though ripe Beaujolais - touch high on ETOH
Nice finish led by ripe fruit and alcohol
Brett notes picked up notably after opening and next day were a little overwhelming so drink on opening

4/17/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Double blind tasting
Light/ medium garnet color - extensive bricking
Medium aromas of dried cherry but really dominated by secondary/tertiary notes of dried florals/ leather/ dried herbs and green peppercorn - no new oak notes
Medium bodied with palate of fresh/ dried cherry with dried herbs and green notes
Medium plus tannins and medium plus acidity with medium alcohol
Medium plus length led by fruit - palate really had way more freshness than aromas suggested
I went with southern Rhone and Bordeaux wasn't even in my differential due to the lack of oak and light color- really interesting to try this
Drink now prior to this fruit fading
This isn't just a curiosity - its very well made

4/17/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Double blind tasting
Dark gold color
Medium plus aromas - moderate beautiful oxidative aromas nuts/honey with bruised apple and pear
Medium plus bodied with palate of fresh/ bruised tree fruit and nuts with slight bitterness at the back of the palate
Medium plus/ high acidity and medium alcohol with mild phenolic bitterness
Medium finish
I went with old Savennieres here due to the rather linear palate and acidity
This really drank more like a Savagnin then a Chardonnay dominated blend
Drinking great now but will hold
Bottle said 13.5% alcohol

4/17/2024 - dsamuel wrote:

Dark purple almost opaque color
Medium plus aromas of ripe blue/ black fruit with slight smoked meat and pepper along with green stemmy notes - no noted oak influence
Medium bodied with palate of sweet ripe blueberry and plum - hint of Brett at end of palate but never really noted on the nose
Medium plus tannins on tongue, typical of Syrah - medium plus alcohol and medium plus acidity
Medium length led by fruit and tannins
I initially really liked this wine when poured for a blind tasting - small bit of Brett on the palate but not too much
When I poured more with dinner that evening the Brett was much more noticeable on the nose and the next day this wine was simply undrinkable - wine is amazing like that, Ive never witnessed the Brett blossom before

4/17/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Pale gold color with silver reflections
Medium plus aromas of beautiful ripe golden apple with hints of pineapple and flint with mild/moderate new oak influence
Medium bodied with palate of ripe apples and saline notes with oak spices - rather linear mouthfeel for a Chardonnay and rather lean
Medium acidity and medium alcohol with mild phenolic bitterness
Medium length led by ripe fruit
Drinking OK presently but hopefully there are better things to come in 3-5 yrs - not one of my favorite Tyler offerings

4/13/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Light/ medium purple color - unfiltered
Medium plus aromas of fresh crunchy cherry/ blueberry balanced with green stemmy notes
Medium bodied with palate of ripe but not overripe black cherry and boysenberry with herbal green notes
Medium acidity with medium tannins and medium alcohol
Medium finish led by fresh fruit notes
Really nice old school style Zin
Such beautiful fruit - completely refreshing
Drink now or next 1-2 yrs

4/12/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Light translucent ruby color
Medium plus aromas of cranberry/ orange peel and dark florals with cinnamon notes
Medium bodied with palate of red/ black cherry and fresh herbs
Medium fine tannins with medium alcohol and medium acidity
Drinking well now but can age 3-5 yrs
Not much resemblance to a Piemonte Nebbiolo other than color and fine tannins - if one can forget the comparison though, this is a really tasty and well made wine

4/12/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Dark salmon/ orange color
Medium aromas of strawberry /watermelon rind and white pepper notes
Medium bodied with slightly oily mouthfeel - strawberry and pepper
Medium plus acidity with medium alcohol and mild tannins
Moderate finish led by fruit and acid
Well structured rose - could probably age 2-3 yrs but drinking very well now

4/7/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Dark ruby/ purple with moderate bricking noted - unfiltered
Medium plus aromas of red and black cherry with beautiful dark florals/lilac with tar and leather /balsamic and dry earth/ old oak - amazingly complex and could meditate on this for hours
Medium plus body with palate of ripe and quite sour cherry with tar and dark florals - mimics the aromas with the exception that the sour cherry aspect was a bit unexpected
High acidity which may the only thing giving the variety away at this age - Medium plus medium grained tannins which are very well integrated at this point with medium plus alcohol, again not notable given the balance with acid/ tannin here
I found this wine to be drinking extremely well and I wish I had purchased more
Along with Massa's wines, this is really a great example of the aging capability of Barbara when made well and with that goal in mind

4/7/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Pale gold color
Medium plus aromas - primarily almond blossom with pear and honey and dry minerality
Medium bodied with palate of dried apple/ pear and yellow florals - linear palate with rounded edges suggesting extended lees contact
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with moderate phenolic bitterness
Moderate length led by acidity and phenolics
Well made and fairly typical Soave with some age - these really do perform well with 5-7 yrs of bottle age if they are well made
Drink now or 2-3 yrs

4/7/2024 - dsamuel wrote:

Double blind tasting
Unfortunately this wine was completely dominated by significant VA which never blew off enough to even attempt a guess at the wine - smelled like nail polish remover
Don't see any other CT notes regarding this so hopefully this was a bottle defect

4/7/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Double Blind tasting
Light gold color
Medium plus aromas of pear/green apple /lemon zest with yellow floral notes and herbs/ tarragon with underlying dry minerality
Medium bodied with rather dilute palate of unripe pear and lemon with distinct dry minerality at back end
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with mild/moderate phenolic bitterness
Moderate length led by phenolics and mineral
I went with Albarino due to the terpenoid character and phenolics
I just had this from my cellar two weeks ago so obviously my memory is not great
Recommend drink now - remains a fantastic wine for this price

4/1/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

medium ruby color
Medium plus aromas of ripe red cherry/ cranberry with underlying mushroom/ soy aromas and dried herbs/ dried florals - fruit driven but very complex
Medium bodied with full palate of fresh red fruit and dried florals
Medium acidity and medium tannins with medium/ medium plus alcohol which is really not noticeable
Really nice wine - fruit driven but more complex than many CA Pinots Ive had
Drinking well now but will surely improve in 3-5 yrs with more secondary notes developing

3/31/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

No notes taken but I found this to be a chiseled mineral laden Chardonnay with a perfect balance of sun kissed fruit. Great drinking now but will surely improve in 3-5 yrs

3/29/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Medium ruby with moderate rim bricking - quite beautiful
Medium plus aromas of red cherry, sweet and sour sauce, soy sauce and leather with dark florals/ anise - so complex and underlaid with wonderful coconut/ American oak notes
Medium bodied with palate of red cherry/Maraschino and smoked meat/ Asian five spice
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with medium well integrated tannins
Long length led by oak flavors and fruit
Drinking so well now but will last 10 yrs easily
This is always one of my favorite wines - I really need to compare vintages at some time

3/29/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Light gold color
Medium plus aromas of ripe apple/ pear/ melon with underlying wet stone minerality - perhaps a touch of baking spice?
Medium bodied with palate of lemon creme and pear
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with mild phenolic bitterness
Medium length led by acidity
Feels a bit tight today - I think this will improve in 3-5 yrs

3/26/2024 - dsamuel wrote:

Similar to my last tasting note which was double blinded
Medium plus aromas of unripe/ ripe golden apple and reductive flinty/ curry leaf aromas
Medium bodied with palate of ripe apple - a little dilute IMO
Nice fruit/ acid core typical of Chardonnay
Medium finish dominated by acid
Not a huge fan due to rather dilute palate - still a great CA Chardonnay but my least favorite of the AR offerings

3/26/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Dark violet with slight bricking at rim
Medium plus aromas of dark plum/ black fruit with dried herbs/ garrigue and licorice on the nose
Medium plus bodied with palate of candied plums and blackberry with notes of beef jerky and soy sauce
Medium plus well integrated tannins and medium plus alcohol with medium acidity
Medium plus length led by tannins and alcohol
Remains slightly tight to my palate but not sure any more aging will help this
Drink now or hold 5-10 yrs

3/22/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Light/ Medium purple - unfiltered
Medium aromas of fresh red/ black fruit with beautiful dried herb/ garrigue background
Medium plus bodied with palate of red fruit/ boysenberry and dry earth with hints of dried meat and herbs
Medium plus finely grained tannins which are well integrated - medium plus alcohol which is not noticeable and medium/ medium plus acidity
Medium plus length led by fruit and tannins
Really nice wine now but should improve over then next 3-5 yrs

3/20/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Medium gold color
Medium plus aromas of beautiful pear/ peach/ apricot with white florals and fresh mountain herbs with underlying intense minerality - very complex
Medium bodied with palate of ripe peach and pear - round, fairly oily mouthfeel
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with moderate phenolic bitterness
Medium length led by acidity and bitterness
Great wine, especially at this price
The acid and phenolics here really balance the mouthfeel and keep this from being cloying in any way
Im really wavering on this wine with each bottle regarding its aging potential - today I believe it will improve but unfortunately its my last of this vintage

3/9/2024 - dsamuel wrote:

Light ruby/ garnet color - unfiltered
Medium aromas of red fruit with dried herbs/ mushroom and game with turned earth notes
Medium bodied with palate of cherry and cough syrup
Medium/ medium plus fine grained tannins and medium acidity with alcohol pronounced to my palate (13% on bottle?) - palate loaded with green stemmy notes - Finish is led by cough syrup/ almost artificial notes which I don't care for
This wine may very well be in a "dumb" phase right now and may very well improve with time as it appears quite disjointed presently
Will hold on scoring

3/4/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Double Blind tasting
Medium ruby with clearing at rim - appears unfiltered
Medium plus aromas of red cherry/ cranberry with underlying bell pepper, dried thyme and forest floor - appears to be aged in used barrels with no evidence of new oak
Medium bodied with palate of ripe red cherry with dried herbs and chalk - again with hints of green pepper
Medium tannins with medium alcohol and medium/ medium plus acidity
I went with California Cab Franc due what I felt to be a fruit driven palate and relatively ripe expression of CF
In any case, this was a beautiful and ripe expression of Chinon - very different impression than other CT notes here
Recommend drink soon so these fruit expressions aren't lost

3/4/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Double blind tasting
Medium gold color
Medium plus aromas of bruised apple/ pear with beautiful white/ yellow florals and distinct coconut aromas from oak use - mild and quite pleasant oxidative nutty notes
Medium plus bodied with palate ripe/dense apples/pears with mild nutty notes backed by sweet vanilla / oak notes
Medium plus acidity with medium alcohol and no noted phenolics
Great length led by fruit and acid
I went with Bordeaux Blanc with this but really should have picked up on the American oak notes here
Nonetheless, this was a fascinating and well made wine and my favorite of the tasting session
I recommend drinking now or in the next 2-3 yrs as oxidation may become more of a factor and inhibit some of these fantastic aromas

3/4/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Opaque garnet with moderate bricking at rim
High intensity aromatics of red and black fruit/ currant - quite complex with many secondaries of graphite/ cedar/ green pepper/ soy sauce and smoke - all underlaid by perfectly integrated oak spice aromas
Medium plus body with palate of plum and black currant with tobacco and dry earth
Medium plus tannins - medium grained and very well integrated - medium plus alcohol and medium plus acidity
Beautiful length led by fruit/ oak and alcohol - again just a perfectly integrated wine at this time
Dry glass aromas are just amazing
This is drinking very well now and I believe is at its plateau, but I do enjoy some fruit in my aged wines, so some might see further benefit from aging

3/4/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Pale lemon color
Medium intensity aromas of lemon zest/ cream with intense salinity and dry chalky minerality on the nose
Medium bodied with palate of cream and lemon again with intense dry rocks at the tail end
Medium plus acidity with medium alcohol and minimal phenolics
Moderate length led by the intense minerality
Drinking well now but will prob improve over the next 5-7 yrs
This has really developed well since I last tasted it 3-4 yrs ago

2/28/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Deep ruby with minimal rim clearing
Medium plus aromas of red/ black cherry with hints of smoked meat and green notes/ fresh herbs
Medium bodied with full palate of black cherry and blue/black fruit with slight chalky minerality to finish
Medium/ medium plus fine grained tannins and medium acidity with medium plus alcohol
Nice length led by dense/ plush fruit
Well made but perhaps a little too fruit forward for my liking
Drink now or hold 2-3 yrs

2/21/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Medium garnet with minimal bricking noted
Medium plus aromas of red/black cherry with hard candy/ dark florals and dried meat/jerky - I didn't pick up any oak elements
Medium bodied with palate of candied red/blue fruit with dried herbs and bloody/ iron notes
Medium tannins and medium plus acidity and medium alcohol
Average length led by fruit and tannin
Really a complex Beaujolais and quite structured - really a testament to the longevity of well made Beaujolais
Drinking well now

2/21/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Pale lemon color
Medium plus aromas of apple/ cream and Meyer lemon - overlaid by intense chalky minerality - touch of new oak spice
Medium bodied with palate of ripe golden apple and yellow florals again underlaid by dry rocks minerality - palate is quite broad c/w limestone
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with no notable phenolics
Nice length led by acid/ minerality
Really well made and classic Chablis IMO
Drink now or hold 5-10 years

2/21/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Double Blind tasting
Light ruby color with moderate bricking - appears unfiltered
Medium plus aromas of red fruit/ dark florals and dried herbs with tar and leather - fairly high toned/ ethereal aromas
Medium bodied with palate of red cherry/ cola and florals
Medium plus/high tannins with medium plus acidity and medium plus alcohol - tannins winning the battle for structure here
Really nice length
I went with 2012 Barolo here - really not good/ experienced enough to start trying to call communes/vineyards yet
Drinking really well now but will hold/ improve for another 10-15 yrs

2/21/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Double Blind tasting
Medium gold color
Medium aromas of honey with candied pineapple and nut blossom with minimal oxidative notes - obvious candied ginger/ botrytis notes
Medium plus bodied with notable RS - mild to moderate
Palate of honey and candied orange peel
Medium acidity with medium plus alcohol and moderate phenolic bitterness and end of the palate - as acidity is a bit low for the amount of sweetness here, this bitterness really keeps this wine from being cloying
Fairly long finish
I called this Alsatian PG based on botrytis notes and relative decreased acidity and aroma as well as phenolic notes - I called 2016 and this really does have plenty life left - drink now or hold 5-10 yrs

2/15/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Medium/Dark gold color
Strong aromas of ripe/ bruised apple with pineapple/lychee and strong ginger botyritis aromas - really pleasant
Medium plus bodied with palate of ripe apple and honey - again with strong ginger/saffron - light touch of RS but barely noticeable due to acid
Medium acidity with moderate phenolic bitterness presumed from some extended skin contact - medium plus alcohol
Great finish led by fruit/ acid and botyritis kick at the tail end
Highly recommended - not your typical Macon Chardonnay by any stretch of the imagination

2/14/2024 - dsamuel wrote:

Medium lemon color - unfiltered
Medium plus aromas of bright ripe yellow apples with touch of vanilla/ oak spice
Medium plus body with palate of ripe/ bruised apple - there is a nice finish here but I found a bitter/ possibly synthetic note that I couldn't put my finger on and which I wasn't crazy about - possibly unintegrated wood tannins?
Medium acidity and medium alcohol
Really a nice wine other than that note described above
Will sit on remaining bottles for 2-5 yrs to see if this resolves

2/14/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Medium ruby color with moderate rim clearing
Medium plus aromas of ripe red/black fruit with distinct herbal/ pyrazine notes and jelly donut aromas
Medium plus bodied with palate of red/black fruit and plum - darker than the nose suggests and quite delicious
Medium plus fine grain tannins which are totally integrated - medium acidity and medium plus alcohol
Splendid nose and a great wine - better on day 2-3 which to me suggests that this wine will improve with more cellar time - hold 3-5 yrs
The structure here led me to Çali but really has only a moderate ripened nose - very delicate

2/14/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Light gold color
Medium plus aromas - waxy lemon/ apple and honey with touch of yellow florals and green herbs (tarragon) - really nice
Medium bodied with palate of sweet candied lemons and great dry mineral notes on the finish
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol
Really shining with food
Drinking great now but I bet this will improve with 2-5 yrs of cellar age
One of the better Cali Semillon Ive tasted

2/11/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Medium gold color
Medium aromas of light unripe apple/pear but dominated by mineral aspects of petrol/ dry rocks/ smoke and saline
Medium bodied with palate of ripe lemon/ unripe stone fruit with dry herbs and almost a hoppy character - loads of dry minerality on the finish
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with mild phenolics
Nice finish led by laser like minerality and acidity
Really nice wine and drinking very well now - maybe 3-5 yrs in cellar may give this wine even more character

2/8/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Medium gold color
Medium plus aromas of fresh/ bruised yellow and green apple with Meyer lemon and fresh herbs and beautiful underlying salinity
Medium bodied with full palate of bright rich ripe yellow apples and apricot
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol
Very long finish led by this beautiful fruit and acid
Rather ripe vintage for this offering - really nicely balanced but prob wouldn't be mistaken for a Chablis as Ive done on other vintages
This is possibly one of my favorite vintages here due to the elevated fruit and the beautiful balance
Drinking great now but could easily go another 3-5 yrs

2/8/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Pale ruby - unfiltered
Medium plus aromas of red cherry/ fresh herbs/ hoisin sauce with underbrush and saline notes
Medium bodied with palate of tart cherry and rhubarb with distinct salinity
Medium tannins and medium plus acidity with medium alcohol
Really an interesting and delicious Pinot - can really note the proximity to the ocean and cool climate here
Drinking great now but could hold 2-4 yrs

2/4/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

No notes taken but really drinking well. Beautiful red fruit sweet/sour and oak integration. Will go for at least 5-8 yrs at this level

2/4/2024 - dsamuel wrote:

Salmon color
Medium aromas of strawberry/ watermelon rind and fresh herbs
Medium bodied with palate of cherry and watermelon
Medium acidity and medium alcohol with average finish
Pleasant but I find this a little lacking in acidity

2/4/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Medium amber color
Medium plus aromas - walnut/ dried apricot/ golden raisin - pretty complex
Medium bodied with palate of golden raisin/ orange zest/ apricot
Medium acidity but enough to balance the sweetness here - medium alcohol
Long finish
Nice wine but pretty much indistinguishable from the many dessert wine out there IMO

2/4/2024 - dsamuel wrote:

Brown/ cola color
Medium aromas of prune/ Maraschino cherry/ cola
Medium plus bodied with palate of marinated cherry/ raisin/ cocoa and cola
Medium minus acidity and medium plus alcohol
Not enough acid to balance the sweetness here IMO
Prob a bit over the hill - drink up

2/4/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Light lemon color
Medium plus aromas of lemon/ yellow-green apple with hint of pineapple and yellow florals - no notable oak influence
Medium bodied with core of tart/ ripe yellow apple and acid
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol
Moderate finish led by fruit/ acid

1/31/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Medium gold color
Medium aromas of lemon/ citrus zest and flinty aromas
Medium bodied with rather broad palate of ripe citrus/ saline and dry minerality
Medium plus acidity and medium alcohol
Well made wine - pretty unmistakable Chablis but nothing remarkable here
Drink now or 2-3 yrs

1/28/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Medium garnet with moderate bricking/ clearing at rim
Medium plus aromas of red berry/ plum with high toned dark florals and bitter tar notes
Medium bodied with palate of bright red cherry and dried/fresh herbaceousness
Medium plus fine and well integrated tannins with medium plus acidity and medium alcohol
Medium plus length led by fruit and tannins
Drinking well now - could hold but not seeing an improvement
Easy drinking but well made Barolo - great wine for price paid $30-40

1/28/2024 - dsamuel Likes this wine:

Dark Lemon color
Medium plus aromas of lemon zest/ apple skin and intense dry minerality
Medium bodied - oily mouthfeel and palate of apple skins and orange zest - really nice
Medium plus acidity and moderate phenolic bitterness from extended skin contact vs variety? - moderate alcohol
Really delightful and drinking well now though could age for another 3-5 yrs easily
I think this is Massa's newer vines which makes this even more impressive