11/11/2018 - FransS wrote:

A bit edgy, classic, not completely balanced; give it another year.

12/19/2016 - Ombibulous wrote:

Looking forward to drinking this. Is non-dosé the same thing as zero dosage, meaning no sugar added? If that's it, how does the yeast metabolize to produce the alcohol (what Kurt Vonnegut used to call "yeast shit")?

12/19/2016 - acyso wrote:

From half-liter. Maybe I just don't get this wine. This is the second time I've opened a bottle in as many years, and it just doesn't show well. Sure, it's got what you expect -- monumental botrytis and sugar, and all the attendant peripheral flavours, but it just never comes together. Heaps of acid and some bitter almond. This doesn't taste heat-damaged, corked, or otherwise flawed either, and the cork was in great shape. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

5/30/2016 - VictorA Likes this wine:

Still quite tannic, will sustain some time in bottle.

1/23/2016 - Neecies Likes this wine:

Sad day--my last bottle, and it's not easy to replace vintage Madeira at this price. Perfectly aged and excellent now: dark chocolate covered orange rinds, English toffee, coffee and dried apricots.

11/28/2016 - no oak Likes this wine:

Popped and poured from a 375 ml bottle. I don't have much experience with Graham's port at such a young age, but the wine comes across as a fruit bomb made in a somewhat modern style. Not a lot of complexity yet. The finish is dominated by raspberries and is the most obvious component in the glass. Paired well with blueberry and cranberry galettes.

11/14/2015 - Ombibulous wrote:

What might be the drinking window for this wine? I've never had a bottle of wine made from Fumin grapes before. Want to tag it with a drinking window before I put it in my bodega. Only one other vintage of this wine has a drinking window, ant it puts it at four years. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks, and cheers!

12/2/2016 - Ombibulous wrote:

The drinking window, averaged from 42 users, currently states 2014 to 2030. What would you say is the peak year, after which there is a plateau? Please comment if you have an opinion or any thoughts at all. Thanks, and cheers!

8/24/2015 - JohanPe wrote:

Consistently good during four weeks. Almonds, walnuts, milk chocolate, dried apricots, vanilla, orange peel and a hint of ox. Creamy mouthfeel, soft acidity gives beautiful balance. Medium long aftertaste. The last glass was probably the best, great qpr.

11/21/2016 - Ombibulous Does not like this wine:

I like fortified white wine but I didn't care for this. Will not buy again, as it's expensive. I paid $24 for a half bottle.

2/22/2016 - rocknroller wrote:

Light gold color. Drank 1 glass from 375ml at a restaurant. My experience was a little different than others it would seem. This was citrus on the nose with some mineral. The palate was lemon with some grapefruit, some minerality, lighter medium body and rather lean with little discernable oak. Didnt get the impression this saw much malo either. Nice with our fish.

4/1/2008 - Lukeout wrote:

A little hot for my taste, and a bit thin. Liked the 5 yr. Old Blandy's much better.

4/16/2016 - Achromat Likes this wine:

Slightly oily, aromatic, Jasmine, Gardenia, grapefruit, glycerin legs. Slightly low in acid but close to perfect. Nice roundness that I was not expecting. 89-90 points. A good value at $8.

11/29/2015 - Andrew67 Likes this wine:

Okay I admit it - I drank this far too young. It is very closed and unapproachable, but the structure is there for a great port eventually. I don't really know what I am doing with vintage port, but i thought this had great potential. I will keep the other bottle i have for another decade.

3/31/2016 - wdlohr wrote:

honey gold in color and aroma, taste is very sweet without much texture outside of mild crispness

12/25/2015 - cglex Does not like this wine:

Dull slug of a wine. Enough character to tell it is French chardonnay, but that is it.

2/13/2016 - mdefreitas wrote:

Decent enough wine, but lacking the energy I would expect from the vintage. The oak and roundness from the barrel treatment is not overdone, but heavy enough to dull the wine, as the underlying material here does not seem able to support it. Not flabby, just lacking brightness and minerality.

4/8/2016 - Ombibulous Likes this wine:

Absolutely delicious. Outstanding. Bready, yeasty, lemony. Probably the best champagne I've ever had. We drank it the week of our wedding, last week. $70 for the half bottle. It had been kept at proper temperature before and after purchase. Quite a treat!

9/22/2015 - Christine Havens Likes this wine:

Zind-Humbrecht has been producing wine since the 15th century, no surprise, they've perfected the art of coaxing the best out of Alsatian Riesling. Pale straw and limpid, with delicate notes of pink grapefruit, white flowers and wet gravel and a faint, ascending note of kerosene. It's medium-bodied and rounder than one might expect, nevertheless, the impression is one of dryness (despite 5g/l residual sugar) and pithy tartness, orange rind and shale. 12.5% ABV Sample

2/28/2016 - Jazzy4josephine wrote:

When I see sweet on the bottle, I expect to have a sweet taste, but this was not sweet at all. It was good, well okay. This is a very good brand, never fails with their wines until now because I expected sweet, but got bland. A regular Riesling would've been sweeter than this

9/5/2015 - Brendel wrote:

Very disappointing after liking the premier cru Rully from this maker. This wine was very funky upon opening, with a strong green vegetal note, and settled down a bit over time, but never really became tasty. Low-medium acidity like the premier cru version but without any of the interest, finesse, balance or bouquet. Would not repeat. Grade: D.

2/8/2016 - cjsadler wrote:

Found this to be an ok GSM, but without much character. Didn't improve after being open a couple of hours. More time?

11/17/2015 - Ombibulous Likes this wine:

From the printout for this wine: Bouquet of hazelnut and toasted pastry. 75% Cab, 7% Petite Sirah, 7% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Syrah, 1% Cab Franc, and 3% other varietals. This is San Luis Obispo county. Peak harvest October 1st to 20th, 2013. Fermented in stainless steel tanks with peak temperatures reaching 92 degrees F. Malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks and oak barrels, using Viniflora Oenos. Maturation for 12 months in 60 gallon oak barrels. Barrel type primarily Missouri and Minnesota American oak with toasted heads. Total acid 6g/100ml; pH 3.73. 13.9% alcohol. Residual sugar 0.2g/100ml. Adequate structure to age for five years.

3/25/2015 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:

Drank @ Aldo Somm wine bar paired with tuna crostini. The saltiness of the fish really brought out the RS of the wine which was easy and light on its feet and with a nice balancing acidity. Very enjoyable.

9/8/2015 - swapdoc Does not like this wine:

Relatively dry riesling, with good refreshing acidity. Juicy, but ultimately simple -- missing the complexity and excitement. Also, tasting echoes of a somewhat oxidized bland white grapes in the finish, taking this unremarkable experience a notch lower still.

7/10/2015 - ChinaBounder Likes this wine:

A bit bland at first, agreeable but unspecific. However, a day later much improved. Damson and pepper and maybe sloe. Nice.

5/18/2015 - Ombibulous wrote:

Request for thoughts or opinions. Bottle says drink now to 2022. I didn't know Lemberger/Blaufränkish from Michigan (and from the Lake Michigan Shore AVA) could be that tannic. Anyone have thoughts on the drinking window? I want to label the bottle accurately now for future reference at a glance when looking at my wines and choosing what to drink first. Please comment. Thanks!

12/17/2014 - Ombibulous Likes this wine:

Decanted and drunk over the course of an evening. Allow this wine to breathe at least for an hour after decanting. I was pleasantly surprised. A great food wine. I was drinking this while in the very long process of preparing my famous (but top secret) Mulligan Stew, which takes many hours. This wine was a pleasant accompaniment to that process. Nice and dry. I don't recall trying this appellation more than once or twice before. A pleasant experience. Not too heavy; goes down easily. Paired well with meat especially beef and lamb, and with the delicious broth I developed. $15. I may buy this wine again for an everyday drinking wine. Overall value: 4.5 stars of 5. Overall impression: 87.5.

10/29/2013 - Motz wrote:

A nice wine. Nose of construction site, minerality, and dark tart berries. Decent balance (higher acid than tannins, a little strange for Tannat), interesting taste profile. The concentration could be better, the finish longer. Very good. 88-89.

11/19/2015 - Wineteacher wrote:

Golden but not brown for being 19 years old. No sign of oxidation in the taste but quite full and barely a hint of nuttiness. Amazing that it is drinkable. More than drinkable with a touch of funk.

11/1/2015 - Omnyzm Likes this wine:

Good value. A little smokey but not complex. EP rating of 91 too high but nice wine with hearty food or meat.

1/31/2015 - Matteo1 Does not like this wine:

Some flowers and red fruit on the nose upon opening with a very sweet taste. But the sweetness is too much and candied flavors overpower everything very quickly. Despite the sugar the mid palate is hollow and the finish is short. Very below average quality for the price. In the bottom 5 of the worst undamaged wines I have had. Cool label though.

10/19/2015 - daydrinker wrote:

The first of the three bottles in the Bordeaux gift set that didn't warrant being dumped down the drain.

10/18/2015 - mseeber Likes this wine:

A Cabernet Franc to pair with French lentil and garlic sausage soup. Medium to medium-light body, tannins are noticeable but disappear with hearty food. Would be a great wine for roast turkey or pork roast.

12/12/2014 - Yiannis wrote:

Medium ruby-garnet. Vegetal nose with greenness alongside strawberry, red berry and spice. Medium-bodied, soft, balanced, medium concentration and length.

3/10/2013 - wind5001 wrote:

Lighter brick red, nose very floral with cherry jam aroma. Very intense flavors, a hint of sweetness, with some bitter in the finish.

5/13/2013 - Onthelees wrote:

Ruche requires the right mood. Per my wife's superior olfactory sensors, the nose offers French raspberry hard candies in the tin and a hint of cloves. The palate flows quickly through red fruit with clove and other spices followed very quickly by tongue tingling spicy tannins which endure longer than expected. Not quite right alone but still trying to find the right culinary match. Pretty good

8/2/2015 - khmark7 wrote:

Reminding me of a solid southern France, or Portuguese red. Acidity a little soft but a very pleasant red and easy to drink.

11/1/2015 - Niccolo Donzella wrote:

Tart cherries with a smooth finish, it needs time out of the bottle and food. At $12, a good weeknight choice.

7/10/2015 - Peppppy Likes this wine:

Nicely balanced and very drinkable with a smooth lasting finish.

11/7/2015 - RussK wrote:

Russk. Don't drink too cold, like right out of the fridge. At that stage it shows more bitter grapefruit and alcohol. Later at room temperature, I see more barnyard and cut.

12/28/2011 - dbotset wrote:

Bold with big berry notes. Not a typical french wine because it lacks the soil notes if a typical Cotes. More like a typical Spanish which we loved.

11/5/2015 - Zweder wrote:

Monthly tasting club LTC 2015-07; A mixed set of white and red wines. (@ MM): In the bouquet mainly cherries. On the palate a sweet start with red berries and cherries. A bit lactic with fresh acidity and slightly sticky tannin.

5/8/2015 - Motz wrote:

Pleasant wine, reminiscent of many Portuguese blends. Great acid, inky, and fresh. Very nice finish.

10/30/2015 - AndrewSGHall wrote:

Three bottles over a month with consistency : Starts off strong on the xino and takes about an hour to express lovely dark fruits inside that frame. A bit of tar and funk with a fougere beat. A really deep and satisfying expresson of Xinomavro.

8/11/2015 - Al Doughty wrote:

Fascinating earthy nose of cassis and black fruit that begins with a whiff of petrol. The palate is dark and brooding, yet with some lift. Flavors of tobacco, blackcurrant and tar meld with dusty gravel and hints of bitter chocolate. the mineral characteristics carry through the finish with some slightly nutty notes.

10/11/2015 - Richard123 Likes this wine:

Nice enough; a bit thin and almost manufactured cherry flavor -- a bit like a boiled candy. Better with food. I think there is better out there for the price, however.

8/5/2015 - camben Likes this wine:

tasted like proper pauillac from a great year. good value at 20 bucks. currant spice and oak

1/5/2015 - Rich289 wrote:

Still very young, but I'm not sure age will overcome the lack of structure. Wine is tight with a short, almost bitter finish. Once again, you get what you pay for.

8/2/2015 - Jobu wrote:

Great balance of plum fruit, licorice, toasty oak, acidity, and tannins. Great QPR for the $18-20 range. It doesn't need any aging, but will last a while on the shelf.