11/25/2020 - gph wrote:

Tart cherry, spicy note, good structure. Still doing well.

3/24/2017 - gph wrote:

On opening, earthy, slightly sour red fruit. Acidic with light to moderate tannins. An hour later, the fruit comes forward with a bit more balance and structure. Shows some promise for a moderate wine.

11/18/2015 - gph wrote:

This is the last of a case and tastes revitalized in comparison to the last few which were thin and lacked fruit. This has good dark fruit flavor, mature tannins, and acid. Not sure if this is bottle variation or it went through a dumb period.

9/17/2015 - gph Likes this wine:

Not the best pinot noir but it is the best Michigan red wine that I've had. I'll be proud to share this with my friends from the west coast.

6/17/2015 - gph Likes this wine:

Light color belies the big rose flavor. Good acid and texture.

6/19/2015 - gph Likes this wine:

An aromatic, acidic wine with a nice mouth feel and a long finish.

1/24/2015 - gph Likes this wine:

Earthy, muted cherry nose on opening. Strong graphite and muted cherry on palate. Opens over the next two hours to have good length and healthy dark fruit flavors.

12/15/2014 - gph Likes this wine:

wine is starting to show some age. Still well balanced but not going to get better.

10/19/2014 - gph wrote:

Good length, typical southern france flavors, and less than $12. This continues to be a go to wine for me.

10/15/2014 - gph Likes this wine:

Dark fruite, healthy tannin and acid. Good food wine.

10/14/2014 - gph wrote:

Apple and pear notes.

10/14/2014 - gph wrote:

Apple and pear notes with a sharp after taste. Good alone but very good with food.

5/23/2014 - gph Likes this wine:

Cherry, tabacco, and mushroom. Earthy early on but as it opened up it took on more of a candied flavor that made me think I should have waited a few more years.

4/29/2014 - gph Likes this wine:

Medium yellow in color. Floral and apple nose. Same on the palate with some honeyed sweetness and glycerol mouth feel. I prefer a little more acid but this is much better than my last bottle six months ago that seemed short and flat by comparison.

4/25/2014 - gph Likes this wine:

Pale peach color. Wonderful balance of sweetness and acid, rich and yet light. Reminds of when I fell in love with rosé on my first trip to Provence.

8/18/2013 - gph Likes this wine:

A real surprise for me. A Michigan Pinot Blanc with good stone fruit, some acid, and good mouth feel. Something I'll happily serve to my critical friends.

8/10/2013 - gph Likes this wine:

Halfway through the case this wine is coming into its stride. The fruit in you face has come into balance. Good tannins, a little cocoa and earth. It tastes older than it is which is to my liking.

7/29/2013 - gph Likes this wine:

Very pale yellow color. Sweet, subtle nose of citrus and pear? This is probably what many call lychee but its not something I'm familiar with. Palate is dry with some citrus, but not the strong citrus you get with most sauvignon blancs, and other fruits possibly pear and apple. This is a very delightful wine at a very good price point.

7/3/2013 - gph Likes this wine:

Very promising but much too young.

6/15/2013 - gph Likes this wine:

Out of a 375 it's not quite in balance. Very acidic with lurking dark fruit and a touch of tannins. Drinkable now but I expect it to come together in the next year and be much better.

6/5/2013 - gph Likes this wine:

Deep yellow a little oaky on the nose. Oak on the palate but good acid and fruit. It all comes together with food. Very nice wine.

5/24/2013 - gph Likes this wine:

Dark fruit, some tobacco, and a hint of spice. Good length

3/24/2013 - gph Likes this wine:

Dark cherry and chocolate; well balanced. Holding well.

3/24/2013 - gph Likes this wine:

This really sang tonight. Good dark fruit, smoky meat, chewy tannings. The best bottle of this I've had. Maybe it was me.

3/13/2013 - gph Likes this wine:

Dark fruit and full, soft tannins. Not a great wine but very reasonable for less than $10. Held up well over two nights with grilled steaks and braised lamb shanks.

3/7/2013 - gph Likes this wine:

Sweet dark red fruit, firm tannins and a touch of spice.

2/9/2013 - gph Likes this wine:

This is a food wine. Good citrus with acidity. A match for our dinner of grilled mahi mahi with mango salsa.

1/6/2013 - gph Likes this wine:

Earthy, dark fruit nose. Dark cherry, tannic, and acidic. This wine has gone from good to very good since I bought the case on release. I wish I had more than one bottle left.

1/3/2013 - gph wrote:

Popped and poured. Very musty nose; possibly corked? Dark cherry buried in earth. Slightly sweet. Graciano is not a grape I've tasted before. It's supposed to age well so my other two bottles will wait a while.

12/17/2012 - gph Likes this wine:

Floral nose. Spice and meat notes on palate.

11/29/2012 - gph Likes this wine:

Citrus with a nutty aroma. Crisp wine with full, almost glycerol mouth feel. Very nice $10 wine.

11/28/2012 - gph Likes this wine:

Dark fruit and spice on the nose and again on the palette. Nice grippy tannins. Lasting finish make for a great deal at the price.

10/16/2012 - gph wrote:

I found this much more acceptable than most posters. Certainly a simple wine but soft tannins, dark fruit, and good acid made it a great buy for the price and good with food. It was much better on the third night than the first.

10/10/2012 - gph wrote:

Not fruit forward, but still strong dark fruit before it opened up. Savory and a bit tannic. Give it a few years. Still very enjoyable.

10/8/2012 - gph wrote:

This is great. Crisp and bright with the semillon enriching the sauvignon blanc.

8/19/2012 - gph wrote:

Dark color. A hint of smoke and spice on the nose. Chalky tannins and heat overwhelm the fruit. It seems to have all the pieces but needs more time for my tastes.

Two days later from a "Vacu Vinned" bottle, the heat has subsided, still with prevalent with strong tannins but the dark fruit flavors are very tasty. Blind I would have guessed Zinfandel or Petite Sirah. The rest will sit for a year or more.

8/19/2012 - gph wrote:

- Yellow color with medium forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of hazelnut and apricot with a medium body with a medium finish.

8/16/2012 - gph wrote:

Delightful with stone fruit and and touch of grapefruit. Good acid backbone. Great with food or sipping.

8/15/2012 - gph wrote:

Prevalent acid, heavy but not obtrusive tannin,s and good dark fruit. Good with the prime rib-eye steak but will be better with more age.

8/3/2012 - gph wrote:

Slight brickish color at rim, bouquet is understated fruit and cedar. On the palate tannins are chalky, with good acidity. A mature Bordeaux. Not likely to get better but not in danger either.

7/25/2012 - gph wrote:

Dark fruit and prevalent chalky tannins. Should be better with more age but not a bad match for the grilled rib steak.

7/1/2012 - gph wrote:

Today this wine and I are a good match. Garrigue, dark fruit, a little meat, a great CdR with a long finish. It aspires beyond its CdR designation.

6/29/2012 - gph wrote:

Citrusy and brisk with good acidity and length. Another very nice Albariño. I didn't buy enough.

6/26/2012 - gph wrote:

With a leg of lamb. Nose of a cabernet. Dark fruit and spice on the palate. Tastes very young and might be better in another 5 years.

6/15/2012 - gph wrote:

I'm nothing if not inconsistent. This second bottle seems a little deeper and little longer. Still not a great Rioja but not priced like one either. I'll buy again.

6/13/2012 - gph wrote:

Not bad at the price point. Good rioja flavor with dark fruit and a little oak but a short finish.

6/11/2012 - gph wrote:

Served with grilled lamb chops and pearl couscous with garlic and peas. Popped and poured. Best showing yet. Improving with age and opened up through the meal so there's more to come. Soft tannins, good dark fruit, very faint cedar. A great buy but only one bottle left out of the case.

5/30/2012 - gph wrote:

Tastes like young fruit with good acidity. I would have guessed that it had granacha in it but lists as tempranillo. Can't complain at the price but certainly doesn't bring Rioja tempranillo to mind.

5/29/2012 - gph wrote:

Day two, second half of bottle is much better. Less acidic, more fruit, still a relatively short finish but no regrets about the age.

5/28/2012 - gph wrote:

Very acidic very little fruit and short finish. I remember this being better but have no notes. This is the last bottle.