2/18/2024 - tautlinehitch wrote:

Drunk several days ago, no detailed notes. Expected color and varietal nose and mouthfeel, no flaws, some nice fruit forwardness even at five years, but lacks complexity. Probably best drunk younger than we did.

1/27/2024 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Confirming my review back in 2022 - this is great fun, lively, worth seeking out.

11/26/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Opened last night, did not take detailed notes, but thought of it as the complete CdR package - fairly tannic on opening, the expected grenache cherry / raspberry, a bit smoky (which may fade after a bit of air), herbal and spice notes which I should have written down. Complexity sets it apart from more run-of-the-mill GSMs. Will see what it's like tonight.

11/12/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Good picnic wine, but kind of a mess - Pinot Noir drowned out by the big meaty grapes it's blended with. If you approach it as a cheerful field blend, it's fun, but Lula can do much better with these grapes.

10/15/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

30 min decant, drunk with a paella Valenciana. Mild nose of stone fruit and dried herbs. Palate follows, beautiful balance of fruit, tannin, acid; nothing stands out, nothing out of place, but no wow factor. Will see what 24 hours breathing time does for it.

10/15/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Drunk several days ago, no notes, but this was superb, very distinctive fruit, some dried oregano, nicely tart, youthful but not too tight. A few hours decant would probably serve it well, a few years wouldn't hurt either, but this is delightful now.

10/14/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Drunk some time ago, no detailed notes. Very pale in the glass, floral nose, mouthwatering but not what you'd call tart, pleasant and very different. Nice that there is Nebbiolo being grown in California now.

10/14/2023 - tautlinehitch Does not like this wine:

from memory, frankly weird - nice berry nose, palate a mix of berries and grapefruit, a bit opaque in the glass and (metaphorically) on the palate. A GSM blend should not taste like this, no matter where it grows. Possibly flawed? But I don't trust these industrial-scale grape buyers like Les Halos de Jupiter.

8/30/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

PnP with beef kabobs. Initially, nose of blackberry, cassis, something vaguely herbal? Maybe sage or thyme. Palate follows, cassis dominating, prominent scratchy tannins, low acidity makes it feel a little sweet. After 24 hours, tannins considerably softer, which helps in appreciating the quality of the fruit - really very fine. Otherwise no big change. Very nice, certainly a few hour's decant would have served it better.

8/26/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

This Rose stands out in a crowded field. Full flavored, tart, lively, just a lot of "there" there. Drunk a week ago and I can't give detailed flavor descriptors, but it's a charmer. You can tell it's Pinot Noir, but it doesn't hit you over the head with it. One of the best Rose's we've had in California.

7/30/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Several days ago and I don't have notes, but this was full-bodied, intense, mineral as well as floral/fruit notes, a delight. This review is really a note to self, find more...

7/27/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

An unfamiliar grape for us, but we found the wine exciting and different. PnP, nose of slightly cooked strawberry and cherry. Palate follows, explosive medium tannins and quite a lot of acidity - this wine cries out to be drunk with strongly flavored food. Definitely rustic, think pasta e fagioli rather than steak Fiorentina, but delightful.

7/9/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Drunk last night with dinner, notes from memory. Very dark for a merlot. Intense nose of black cherry, plum, something herbal (oregano?). Palate follows, perhaps over the top intense without quite being sweet; fairly rough tannins on the back end. A sort of cola note, the tannins, and the general intensity make me wonder if there is Petit Verdot or something in the blend. Bottle doesn't say. This is a merlot hater's / cab lover's merlot, no softness, swinging for the fences. Not sure what an expert or purist would think, but it's terrific fun to drink.

6/3/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Drunk more than a week ago, but from memory, clean, grassy, floral, balanced - interesting and a cut above. Has character.

5/16/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

PnP on a weeknight, a guilty pleasure. Very dark purple (label says 50% syrah, 30% Tempranillo, 20% Merlot). Fruit subdued on the nose, dark plum and blueberry, with some bright note (unripe plum?) on top. Palate hits you first with bright acid and aggressive tannins, and then rich, mature fruit flavors from the syrah and tempranillo. A strange combination, with some of the qualities of a fairly old wine and some youthful abandon. This is fun now, hoping it will settle down and become more integrated overnight (or over a few years in the bottle)

4/22/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

PnP several nights ago so no detailed notes, but I remember terrific Syrah character - GSM with an especially lively, vibrant and tannic Syrah standing in for the Mourvedre. A star.

2/28/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Drunk too long ago to give this a rating or even much of a description, but we really enjoyed this. Tart berry fruit, notably bracing acid, juicy fruit, medium fine tannins from the Mourvedre and Tempranillo. Overall balanced and wonderful dinner wine. I assume most of what I'm tasting here is the Graciano (85%) - very impressive. Graciano is said to age well - I need to buy some more...

2/15/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

PnP, drunk over two nights. Lovely soft nose of raspberry, plum, oak. Palate follows, supple and elegant, very fine tannins coming forward. This wine is definitely mature and the fruit is fading, but exposing some interesting structure - I'm puzzled as to whether it's falling apart and I should drink up, or just moving to a new, more complex phase of its life? My instinct is to say drink up. I have three and will probably drink one a year, just to see what happens.

1/13/2023 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Nose of raisins, figs, candied fruit - yeah, fruitcake. Which I like, but a big change from 2-3 years ago, when there was more freshness. Palate adds some fresh blackberry and tart stone fruit, big gravelly tannins. Mouth-watering acid comes in with the mid-palate. Cries out for some rich food, cassoulet, sausage, duck. It's great fun, not sure where it will go from here - it's only eight years old, but can there be any upside further down the road? I have one more and will wait another year or two to drink it, but I'm inclined to say drink up.

11/25/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Drunk several days ago, no detailed notes, but this was pretty impressive. A big wine, lots of fruit but well disciplined, not at all a 'fruit bomb'. The fruit is complex, does not have the strong strawberry note often found in Zins made further west (Sonoma / Dry Creek Valley). I think I remember plum, blackberry, a *little* strawberry, maybe even blueberry. Very full bodied, but with bracing acid and lots of relatively coarse tannins to balance things out. More time in the bottle and a longer decant would probably have been a good idea - overall impression is youthful and a bit uncoordinated. Would love to taste again in 2024 or so.

11/8/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

11/6/2022 Popped / poured and left to sit in the glass for half an hour before dinner. Dark, brooding Cali cab; lots of cassis, plum, blackberry on the nose. On the palate, lighter red fruit, seems rather tongue-tied, opaque, monstrously tannic, primarily fine-grained teabag tannins with some more gravelly stuff behind. I have one bottle left, think I will leave it in cellar until 2025-2027, hoping the tannins mellow before the fruit runs out. Update: Tannins definitely mellower after a day. Moral of the story, decant this one a few hours ahead of need!

11/5/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Rough notes from the tasting room: Unusual grape, beautiful deep dark red color. More vanilla on the nose than I really wanted, but OK. Big and fruity, medium tannins, mixed berry pie on the mid-palate. Very drinkable even now at one year, probably better in a year or three. All of the Wolff reds we tasted seem vinified for early drinking, big and fruity, better for a party than for dinner.

10/30/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Rough notes from the tasting room: inky black, nose has some garrigue, ripe fig, ripe plum. Palate adds (no really) some mutsu apple, big gravelly tannins on the finish. All of the Wolff reds we tasted seem vinified for early drinking, big and fruity, better suited at this point to a party than to dinner. This one should age reasonably well too, but I only bought one so I'm unlikely to find out...

10/3/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

PnP with grilled flank steak and roasted vegetables. Very dark in the glass. Nose initially muted, opened up over an hour or so - raspberry and strawberry, faint peppery note like paprika or pimento, maybe a whisper of cocoa powder. Palate is dry and tart with fine velvety tannins, has the same fruit and pepper as the nose, but the overall impression is very dry. Also very smooth and refined - I kind of missed the rough earthiness you get in some cab francs, but this is very good. It's back in the cellar now, will see what it is like tomorrow.

8/27/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Apricot and nectarine dominates the nose, maybe some almond. Palate follows, adds some cream. Thick and full on the palate, serious alcohol heat (15%!), some vanilla in the background. Quite sweet (but I've let it warm up quite a bit in the glass), acid just barely balancing. I have to give this a solid score - it is impeccably made from obviously very good grapes - but I'm disappointed. I have had very little Condrieu (it's mostly out of my price range), but the others were much more striking, with powerful anis and herbal notes taking the fruit in a new direction. This one, I'd have pegged for a good California Viognier - all stone fruit, on the edge of too fruity and alcoholic. It's good wine, but it wasn't what I was hoping for.

8/16/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

PnP with dinner on a blazing hot day, probably did not do it justice. Plum and berry jam on the nose, palate sharp with bright acid and aggressive gravelly tannins, hiding the fruit a bit. Mellowed as it sat in the grass, developing some interesting notes - I want to say 'eucalyptus', but milder - and the tannins faded to a comfortable level. Fruit definitely a bit cooked, surprising given that this is pretty young and has been stored pretty well. We drank less than half and then put it back in the cellar - will see how it is doing tomorrow. Right now I'd say, pretty nice stuff, give it an hour's decant and drink up - it will not be better in a year.

8/13/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Drunk last weekend, don't have notes, but in memory: Very dark for a merlot, with a spectacular nose of mixed berries, strong blueberry note in the mix, a little cherry, maybe some nutmeg and clove (I'm getting distracted by thoughts of pie here). Palate rich and smooth, tannins ultra-fine but present enough to balance. Overall impression of tremendous polish and finesse. We did not decant, just poured a glass and let it sit for half an hour, and that was plenty - PnP would not be a crime. Suspect this is at peak, would drink it now if only I had any left...

8/13/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Unfortunately I've lost the notes I took while we were tasting this, but we really liked it. (The 92 score is a guess of course.) Quite unusual in style, none of your butter and cream, enters with an intriguing herbal flavor that reminds me of a Condrieu, then continuing with a clean modern Chardonnay mid-palate. Excellent sipper, also a good fancy-dinner wine.

8/13/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Drunk with dinner a week ago and I didn't take notes, but this was spectacular, textbook Dry Creek / Alexander Valley Zin. Great fruit / tannin / acid balance, fruit subtle and complex - no strawberry bombs here, I remember cherry, young plum, blueberry? I bought this at a charity auction, in a package put up by a collector, would not know where to buy more - but wow did I get a deal!

7/17/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Drunk a couple of days ago, so no detailed notes, but we liked this a lot. Clearly going for a Bordeaux style, and doing a better job at it than most new world winemakers. Because of that, it'll be on the dry side for those who prefer California cabs, but it's still bigger and a bit more fruit driven than the sort of Bordeaux I can afford to drink. I bought one of these on suspicion at Costco, will definitely buy more if they still have them.

7/5/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Pale brick red, fresh nose of cherry and apple, palate adds some pie spice, candied apple, very tart and crisp, no tannin to speak of. Lively and fresh especially considering that it's six years old, but the screw cap no doubt helps. Utterly delightful, wish I had a case.

7/2/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Drunk last night with a seafood paella, notes from memory. Inky purple, almost black - hmm Carignane, Cab Sauv, Syrah, no surprise there, Fruit forward nose, cooked blackberry, cranberry, fig? plum?, maybe some dry spice (or maybe that was the pimenton in the paella!) On the palate, fruit just barely balancing the bold tannins and bright acidity. Seems like a bigger wine than the few Spanish Priorats I've tasted, or maybe I just haven't tasted the good ones? In any case this is delightful.

6/12/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Drunk more than a week ago so I have no detailed notes, but this was really interesting - my wife said "tastes like Viognier" and did not like it, but it reminded me very much of Condrieu, with anise and flowers, and a creamy texture. I would drink Condrieu all the time if I could afford it, so for me this was delightful.

5/28/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Bought at a charity auction, drunk a week later. I got a good deal! Nose of bitter chocolate, mint, strawberry, blackberry, cherry. Palate follows but leans toward the strawberry, definitely fruit forward, with bright acidity and lots of rough gravelly tannin. Fades toward cooked fruit in a fairly long finish. This wine is nine years old but only just slowing down - surely was an OTT fruit and tannin bomb 3-4 years ago. Eager now to visit this winery and see what else they do. Impressive.

5/7/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

PnP with smoked chicken. Smoky, leathery nose on opening, stone and berry fruit coming forward later. Palate has typical black cherry, plum, nice mouth-watering acid, maybe some French Dip-style au jus. Tannins notably absent - very smooth, almost creamy. Long finish for a malbec, delightful!
Edit: After 24 hours, nose is more open, leaning more on blackberry now, some interesting spice notes. If anything a little more tannin than I noted yesterday - which makes no sense, maybe I was hallucinating. Definitely benefited from 24 hours open - even at 11 years, decanting is almost always a good idea.

5/6/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Decanted for an hour, poured with a pan seared NY strip. Shy nose of cocoa, tobacco, blackberries. Palate follows, sweet berry fruit coming forward. Mild fine-grained tannins, not a lot of acid. Very pleasant but IMO less interesting than it was when younger - herbal notes gone. Enjoy it, but drink up.

4/19/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

PnP 20 minutes before drinking. Fruit driven nose and palate, cherry and strawberry, a hint of earthiness. Still seems atypical for a zin, tannins mild, fairly acid, lovely fresh fruit. A year of age has done this wine a world of good!

3/9/2022 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

PnP, decanting would have been wise. Nose is muted (but it is allergy season!) blackberry and pear, maybe sweet fennel? On the palate, unexpectedly heavy mouthfeel, lots of jammy fruit, with plenty of gravelly tannins and moderate acid to balance. Hard to put a name to the fruit - not berry, maybe ripe black plum, maybe some apple and bosc pear. Really nice, a little heavier than the Jumillas I remember, maybe not true to style but in a really interesting dialogue with it.

12/31/2021 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

PnP on New Years Eve. Dark ruby in the glass. Threw a heavy sediment in the first glass, evidently I disturbed the bottle? But it sank to the bottom and wasn't annoying. Berry and plum nose, the berries smell and taste just slightly cooked, but fresh and lively nonetheless. The tannins are pretty faded, very smooth, with good acidity keeping things interesting. This wine is in a great place now, very approachable, very interesting. I don't think it's likely to get a lot better, so if I had one bottle I'd drink it soon. I've got four, and look forward to following it for a few more years.

12/26/2021 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Decanted for an hour and poured with Christmas dinner, too busy cooking to take notes. A very big wine made for early drinking - perfectly drinkable now, but may have some upside potential over the next five years. Nose and palate are shockingly intense and concentrated. Cassis and plum dominate with berry fruit in the background, maybe some violet? Long, lean finish again mostly fruit driven, with ultrafine tannins just barely there. I could fault it for lacking subtlety or transparency, but wow is it fun to drink. We managed not to finish it, will see how it is on the second night.

12/19/2021 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Drunk last week, didn't take notes then, but I think this is too young at this point - pleasant enough but very tight, aroma and flavor muted. If you drink it soon, give it a good long decant.

12/19/2021 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Drunk several days ago so no sensory details. A Cabernet/Syrah blend, definitely sick and wrong by French standards, but it's a big beautiful wine and lots of fun to drink. An hour's decant wouldn't hurt, but it's pretty mature and approachable now. I so want to drink it outdoors with a grilled tri-tip roast, if only it were a little warmer.

12/19/2021 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Drunk several days ago, no detailed notes, but this was lively, with tart fresh fruit over the expected gravelly tannins, mouthwatering, great dinner companion. Will try to be a bit more analytic next time...

12/5/2021 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Decanted three hours before dinner. A few more would not have hurt, but not desperately needed. Light ruby in the glass. Intense, perfumed nose from the moment I pulled the cork, violets and young plum, maybe a little grilled meat? (But SO is pan-frying a steak in the kitchen, so who knows.) Velvety palate, fruit intense, plenty of tannin but it's very very fine. After 24 hours in decanter, still a powerhouse but now tasting a bit rustic, fruit a little more cooked and less elegant. This was an amazing experience, one of the best wines I've ever tasted

11/14/2021 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

Second bottle very consistent with the first. Fresh plum, licorice, maybe cinnamon? Deep, rich, intense flavors on the palate, maybe some added notes of fennel (but hey, we're drinking it with braised fennel and Italian sausage), even cassis. Terrific stuff. Dolcetto is not supposed to age well - this is spectacular now, I'm mildly curious about its future but certainly no need to wait.

11/7/2021 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

PnP via Vinturi several nights ago, so no detailed notes, but this is spectacular and drinking very well. Compared to the bottle I drank in 2020 (and did take notes on), this one was similar but more mature. No initial funkiness, superb from the first sip. Garnacha fruit (70%) leads the parade, and the 15% each Carignane and Tempranillo add earth and weight, saving it from being too fruit driven. This is one of the best Paso wines I can remember.

11/6/2021 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

One hour decant. The tightness I noticed in previous bottles is gone - now seems more fruit forward, blackberry, blueberry, cassis, maybe a little stone fruit? Tannins noticeably fading. Also not getting any herbal notes this time, which is kind of disappointing - overall tasting very good, more approachable, but simpler than when it was younger. There's enough in the decanter for another glass tomorrow, will see how it strikes us then.

10/2/2021 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

PnP with spaghetti bolognese. Very dark in the glass. Nose is earthy, garrigue-y, some strawberry and plum, but fruit is secondary - this wine is not getting by on youthful, fruity charm. Palate follows, adds spicy, peppery notes, and peppery tannin. You could hallucinate some syrah in this wine, it's that dark and serious. Does not have the complexity of Amphora's single vineyard Zins, but it's still pretty awesome. Will save my remaining bottle to have with lamb chops.

8/28/2021 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

PnP. Inky purple in the glass, nose of ripe plum and cocoa. Palate adds blueberry, mouthwatering acid and medium peppery tannins, cocoa sneaking in again on the long finish. I'm not usually a fan of the grape, prefer something more savory, but this is lovely.

8/22/2021 - tautlinehitch Likes this wine:

PnP last night, notes from memory. Nose has some licorice and bright fruit (cherry?) with dark tempranillo earthiness underneath. Palate similarly interesting, tempranillo bringing the tannin while dolcetto adds acid juiciness. This blend is a winner, I hope we'll see it again!