3/19/2019 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Took an hour to open up. Then lots of black and red fruit and so, so smooth. Holding up great.

8/7/2018 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

From a 750. Tannins are completely resolved and there is very little sense of alcohol. No sign of age though, no bricking and the wonderful aromas of black and red fruit lasted all evening. More like a great Burgundy, with character and depth, then a Southern Rhone. Very impressed!

11/24/2017 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Wow. Amber in color with relatively muted aromas of white fruit and flowers. And then throw some rocks in the blender, add golden delicious and overlay it with an acid structure that keeps the wine alive and keeps insisting you take another sip. This is the most mature Riesling I've had and I'm very impressed.

10/27/2017 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Smooth and elegant with raspberry and cherry aromas mixed with spice, herbs and plenty of rocks. No tannins, however the acidity keeps everything in balance. The alcohol is there, but you cant taste it. What a wonderful wine this has become.

8/23/2017 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Really good and drinking well. Tons of black and red fruit balanced by plenty of earth and spice. Alcohol there but nicely integrated. Not a fruit bomb, a delicious and powerful wine. A superb warm summer CDP. The acidity kicks in and extends the finish.

5/6/2017 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Awesome fruit. Beautiful CDP. Drinking great.

3/16/2016 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Opened and poured. A bit orange around the edges, it was very light to begin with. But an hour into the bottle, it tightened up and the tannins along with black and red fruit came out to play. Awesome minerality, this wine is liquid rocks. Needs lots of air.

2/28/2016 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Very savory, with red fruit in the background. Raspberries and cherry pit are in the background. Lavender, brush, sage and mint own this place. Drink or hold, it feels like it has a lot of life left.

12/25/2015 - RhoneG wrote:

Orange color, darker then other '05s I have. Aired for about 30 minutes. Not bad, but lacking acidity. Comes across as somewhat cloying. Lots of orange and tangerine flavor with a marmalade feel in the mouth. Like candy. Not much complexity and a bit disappointing.

12/24/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Decanted for three hours. Still young. Noticeable tannins which smooth out with time in the glass, lots of minerality, dust and CDP garrigue. Raspberries, blackberries, plum and licorice, but not overpowering. The alcohol is there in balance. Very good bottle of wine.

11/27/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Continues to shine.

11/7/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

What a great buy. This wine continues to evolve for the better. The heat is gone, the fruit is still there along with herbs, brush, road dust, hot stones and sun.

11/21/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

A lot of fruit. Typical NZ SB flavors and aromas. This wine has some density and can probably age.

11/7/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Bone dry with white fruit, grapefruit, good acidity and medium body

11/7/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Right in line with its terroir and a good wine for the vintage. Lots of red fruit and herbs. You can taste the hot weather.

11/7/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Ripe strawberries and raspberries, bone dry, great body and spine, best rose I've had in a while

11/7/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Dark, very earthy, quiet black fruit, a lot of tobacco and minerals.

9/18/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Dark fruit, very earthy. A bit orange at the rim with forest floor, mushrooms, leather.

9/25/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Excellent. Cherry and cherry pit, nice backbone, earthy, good acidity.

7/3/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Familiar and yet different. Started very fresh, fruity and refreshing and over time gathered body and fullness. Pretty impressive.

6/12/2015 - RhoneG wrote:

Steely and tight.

5/2/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Liquid rocks. Beautiful syrah. Young and still tight, but ready to drink.

4/24/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

More austere and reserved then my last bottle with some black fruit and cherry-pit bitterness on the finish. Started to come around the following day with more fruit aromas and more fruit on the palate.

3/27/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

The wine is really settling into its own. Very smooth tannins, good acidity still there, the fruit is no longer overwhelming. Really nice. Have a a bunch of 07 CDPs, hopefully a sign of things to come.

4/10/2015 - RhoneG wrote:

Typical NZ SB, offset by a poor match in food. The wine was too fruity and light for fried chicken with mac and cheese.

3/4/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Delicious cherry and cherry pit that are complemented by very smooth tannins and acidity.

2/7/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Pretty amazing, especially for the price. Nice cherry, plum and cola flavors wash over the palate backed by tannins and great acidity.

3/7/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Ethereal, with petrol, flowers, and white fruit aromas playing off each other. Sweet, but never cloying, apple, pear, peach, lemon with good acidity driving the finish and keeping the flavors alive for a long while.

3/1/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Rich, smooth, holding up well. Blueberry, chocolate, plum, blackberry, thick and almost sweet. Not for everyone, but great in its own style.

2/20/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. Very aromatic initially with strong, but not overpowering red fruit and smooth tannins. Raspberry, spice, some garage, red currants. After about 30 minutes, the wine started to shut down. Could be a sleepy phase.

Four days later - this wine is just super young. It settled into a very Burgundian profile with dark fruit, nicely offset by stones, moderate, but present tannins and good acidity. This should cruise for the next ten years.

2/15/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Takes a while to open up, it was better on the second day then the first. Red and black fruit mixed with notes of olives, herbs and minerals.

1/16/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Drinking this feels like sitting by the sea, inhaling the salty air while sipping the wine. Its getting better with age.

1/9/2015 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Somewhat reserved with red and blue fruit, and good acidity. I expected a fruit bomb zin, but this is more like a like a cool weather wine. Unexpected, but good.

9/27/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Very smooth and creamy, walnuts, burnt honey, molasses, caramel.

12/31/2013 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

New Year's 2013. Very earthy, muted fruit, mushrooms, forest floor and truffles on the nose.

12/27/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Young, with lots of structure and spine backing up pure flavors of fruit. Lots of spice, this benefits from substantial air.

12/21/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Beautiful nose with flowers, cherries and red fruit. The tannins are resolving, this is so smooth and balanced.

12/12/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Pretty raspberry and licorice with good acidity to back it up. Coming along nicely.

11/22/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

The tannins are resolved, the fruit is front and center with good acidity. Wish I had more.

11/21/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Nice, consistent with previous bottle, holding up great.

11/18/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

This bottle was more on the austere side with a lot of minerals and cherry pit. The tannins are resolving so its in a good spot.

11/10/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Very reserved and somewhat austere with noticeable tannins. But the stuff is in there. Dark with black fruit, tobacco, leather, some plum, maybe dark chocolate. Needs time and air.

11/10/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

A combination of power and elegance. A sea of red raspberries, nicely set of by good acidity and minerality. Very much in balance with, I think, a long life ahead.

10/25/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Ruby with a bit of orange at the rim. Opening the bottle is like walking into a flower shop. Slow , long legs. After an hour, its pretty high in alcohol with cherry and cherry pit, earth, pine forest, blackberries?, orange peel, flowers all having a party in your mouth. Its really good now, but if the alcohol can resolve a bit more, this will be a killer wine.

10/12/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Developing beautifully, killer nose full of flowers. Lots of raspberries and earth with smooth tannins. Tastes like more.

10/3/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Very fruity, a bit alcoholic, tannins come out with some air. Good food wine.

9/26/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Need air. Starts out a bit bland, but in the glass develops some body with a pleasant saline/grapefruit finish.

9/12/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Holding up well. Still very fruity and consistent with previous notes, the wine comes around with air, losing some fruit and gaining balance, structure and complexity.

8/26/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

A nice mix of elegance and power, it starts gently with cherries and earth. On the mid-palate, the cherry pit, spices and tannins kick in. The finish is moderate to long. The wine is good now, but seems to have plenty of life.

7/30/2014 - RhoneG Likes this wine:

Good, but not outstanding. Black and red fruit, high alcohol, soft tannins, lacks balance somewhat.