3/10/2021 - Orlandus wrote:

Intense, powerful nose on opening. A full-bodied Shiraz/Cinsault/Grenache with considerable character if a bit wild. Could well improve with age to soften some of its rougher edges.

3/8/2021 - Orlandus wrote:

Rather full bodied Riesling with a dry, sturdy character. I would prefer more fruit, but this is not a bad wine for heartier foods.

2/27/2021 - Orlandus wrote:

I have been drinking Franconian Sylvaners for decades when I can find them. This is the first "trocken" (dry) labeled one I have tried, and I'm disappointed. On opening this was so ragged and austerely dry that it was barely drinkable and I came close to pouring it down the drain. However, I kept it in the fridge and a lot of the harshness burned off after a while so it became an austere, but not undrinkable or even totally lacking in a kind of appeal drink. I maintain, however, that NOT trying to make a trocken out of a grape not suitable for it would have made this a far more appealing wine.

2/26/2021 - Orlandus wrote:

Nicely made Margaux, medium bodied, very easy to drink, not deep or complex but quite satisfactory for the modest price. Might improve in complexity with age, but hard to be sure. Worth watching.

2/12/2021 - Orlandus wrote:

Satisfactory light, fruity, flavorful BN. What one would expect.

2/10/2021 - Orlandus wrote:

Rather full bodied SB, dry but rounded on the palate with a balance of crispness and complexity. Citrus overtones lower than many to its advantage.

1/18/2021 - Orlandus wrote:

Very well balanced blend, on the full side, rounded flavors. Recommended.

1/10/2021 - Orlandus wrote:

Rather full bodied, luscious Chianti with character and modest complexity. Worth getting again.

12/29/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Classic, very traditional Mosel with luscious, sweet Riesling fruit and gorgeous, mouth-filling richness. A real buy at this price. Nice now but will probably be good a long time as well.

12/27/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Rather good, full-bodied California PN with good fruit and some spicy notes. Improved with breathing, but not dramatically. Not for those who prefer subtle and complex PN's, but not bad overall.

12/25/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Nice, dry, rather full-bodied white Rhône with character. Worth getting again.

12/22/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Very satisfactory Gavi: mouth filling, dry, rounded, with a certain piquancy. A sturdy wine to complement hearty pork or chicken dishes.

12/14/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

This strikes me as what one would get by mixing 50/50 a bottle of middle of the road CS with a middle of the road PN. Fails to do much justice to either grape, which probably explains why no one seems to be trying this unorthodox mix (never saw before). Anyway, the wine is OK, but not particularly interesting and pleasant enough to drink.

12/6/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

A rather atypical BN but in a good way: medium bodied, well-rounded with compact gamay flavors, a certain depth not usually found in BNs. Not light, fresh, bright fruity but more like a villages Beaujolais with a few years in bottle. Improved with air. Worth getting again, and will probably still be interesting for at least a year.

11/27/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Very nice unoaked chardonnay with classic varietal nose and flavors. Well balanced and more than acceptable. Worth getting again.

11/25/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Acceptable but not distinguished BN with passable fruit and a bit of slight fizz.

11/25/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

A nicely made, somewhat full bodied tempranillo that compares very favorably to Spanish and Argentinian versions. Rounded fruit on a good tannin structure. Improved in complexity with some breathing.

11/15/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Rich and smooth with well rounded fruit and subtle spiciness. Improved after a few days in the wine cellar-- more complex. A great buy for a wine that's hard not to like.

11/15/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Very round and smooth, somewhat shy nose, only mildly sweet, very drinkable. Not a lot of depth, but more than pleasant. Probably this is what a Victorian drinker would expect from his "hock."

11/3/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Dry, well balanced, a sturdy wine for more flavorful dishes. A nice alternative to more familiar white wine grapes.

11/1/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Good but not outstanding, medium to full body, rich nose, well-balanced but somewhat muted flavors. Showing a bit of age which made it more interesting, but probably won't improve with more age.

10/25/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Very nice SB, dry with somewhat spicy flavors, white peach notes. Only a touch of grapefruit. Overall well balanced. easy to drink and refreshing.

10/22/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

A pleasant, well-made medium bodied Bordeaux, smooth and balanced. Nothing special, but decent.

10/15/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

German red wines have always been kind of orphans. Some very worthy ones exist but are not likely to be seen in the U.S. This PN does not modify this judgment. It's a rather bland, unexciting version of the grape with nothing particularly distinctive about it. It's no worse than hundreds of other PN's in the same price range, but no better either.

10/12/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Very attractive, easy to drink, brisk and dry but with well-rounded fruit. A nice alternative made with the garnacha blanca grape to more popular white wine grapes.

9/29/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Medium to full body, fruity, well-rounded, very easy to drink. Went well with spaghetti and marinara sauce. Recommended.

9/27/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Somewhat richer with two more years of aging from my last tasting: rounder, dry but with distinctive fruit.

9/19/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

A very attractive, well balanced red with supple fruit flavors. Very easy to drink. Easily matches or exceeds its Italian counterparts.

9/9/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

A satisfactory Chablis for the money but I expected more complexity and character from a Premier Cru than this delivered. It's more like a good generic rather than a premium Chablis. The price is reasonable, but don't expect more than a good generic Chablis. The nose is probably its best feature, deep, almost buttery and more interesting than drinking delivers.

8/30/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Still very satisfactory. Mellow, subtly complex, very drinkable. Cabernet franc elements dominate but blend well with the other grapes.

8/28/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Unfortunately this bottle was very oxidized, something that must have happened to it before I bought it. It had the characteristic amber color and unmistakable oxidized flavors, completely masking whatever there was originally. It was actually still drinkable with BBQ pork ribs, but certainly in no way resembled a Chablis or even a normal unoxidized white wine. I have the 2018 and am hoping it will not have the same problem.

8/23/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Big, rich, full fruit cabernet. For hearty foods and cheeses. Not subtle, but not rough either. By and large quite decent.

8/16/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Luscious, traditionally sweet, beautifully flavored. What one expects from this producer. Recommended.

8/12/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Nice, medium bodied Fleurie, on the mellow side, showing its age with somewhat muted fruit. Still quite decent but probably past its prime.

7/31/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

The furmint grape is used to make Hungary's famous sweet Tokay wines, which I much enjoy, so it was curious to see what would happen if it were used to make a dry wine. Unfortunately, it seems that God did not intend furmint to be made into dry wine, if this is an example. It is very austerely dry and while not thin in body there is rather little flavor, certainly nothing to remind one of Tokay. A curiosity at best unless another try is more successful.

7/29/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Very well made Chianti with nice balance of fruit and tannins, subtly complex, very drinkable. Definitely above average for the price.

7/24/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Pleasant, very drinkable, rather light in body, some minerality and a lemony edge. A non-oak chardonnay.

7/19/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Nicely structured, medium body, well balanced fruit and tannins. Some complexity, but not a subtle wine. Perhaps a bit pricey for what it delivers, but more than satisfactory as a more modest Pauillac.

7/8/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Classic, traditional Rheingau. Sweet, mildly spritzig. No great complexity but wwhat one expects for this entry level Schloss Vollrads.

7/3/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Rather comparable to a good regional Burgundy. Good PN bouquet and flavor. On the lighter side. Nothing particularly great but a nice alternative to clunkier California PNs.

6/29/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

A very nice 100% Sauvignon Blanc, very dry, bracing, medium body. Better than many Graves SB's with nice structure, and, most attractively NO element of grapefruit or citrus, which seems to have overtaken New Zealand and even some French wines in recent years. I don't necessarily object to grapefruit, but it's nice to have an old fashioned SB without it now and then. This is well worth drinking again.

6/25/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Nicely made merlot, medium bodied, well balanced, good structure to stand up to heartier dishes. Not much complexity, but no flaws either.

6/10/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

A very satisfactory Premier Cru Chablis that touches all the bases: steely dry, flinty base, racy structure, and very satisfying mouthfeel and finish. Very worth getting again.

6/3/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Big bodied pinot noir with not much varietal character. "Leaden" came to mind. Perhaps this is to some people's taste for a PN, but not mine. If you're looking for a subtle, elegant PN look elsewhere.

5/20/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Very well made Spätlese with full riesling fruit and the expected traditional sweetness. Now seven years old it is holding up very well without any trace of oxidation, rather, it has taken on a mellow character that could well improve with further age. Highly recommended.

5/19/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Well rounded, rather full bodied, intense fruit. Seemed better when first opened with attractive flavor highlights that were muted after some time in the wine cooler. An outstanding buy for a wine of character.

5/8/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Still very nice.

5/3/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Very nice syrah/grenache blend, medium to full body, deep fruit, subtle complexity, very easy to drink. A real steal for the price but a nice wine at twice the price.

4/24/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Full, rich chardonnay with a touch of oxidation. Pleasing character and suitable for hearty dishes.

4/21/2020 - Orlandus wrote:

Rather full bodied cabernet with rich fruit and a touch of sweetness. Not all that great to my taste, but decent.