3/22/2024 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Smooth, slightly spicy flavor and the 15% abv is well cloaked (and can creep up on ya!). This reminded me yet again how good Zinfandel can be, and this was money well spent. Would recommend and definitely get again.

1/12/2024 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Medium-dark ruby color. Youthful, fruit-forward aroma. Short finish...but naturally improved with some glass time. A nice change of pace, and something different from the multitude of Pinot Grigios coming out of the same region.

1/14/2024 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Gruet never disappoints. Affordable, tasty bubbles that are readily available. This worked very well with fish and chips – yes, you read that right!

3/27/2024 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Bonny Doon's Vin Gris de Cigare is always a reliable and tasty quaff with a bargain price tag. Definitely leans towards a Provençal style of rosé, which is right up my alley. It's just a nice bottle for when you don't really want to think too deeply, but rather just want to enjoy a tasty glass or two.

1/5/2024 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Enjoyed this, though didn't have quite the same unusual flavor that caught my attention when I first tasted it. Still, a readily available and affordable bottle that's worth a repeat.

1/2/2024 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Baby powder at first with hints of elderflower aroma. Light gold color. Semi-sweet, nectar-y flavor and finish. Superb and well worth the investment.

12/20/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Light gold color and a very rich flavor. A nice match for some lobster mac & cheese.

12/17/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Bright gold color and just flat out delicious! If this shows up again on Last Bottle or Last Bubbles, definitely well worth the modest price. Spain once again shows it's a bargain-hunter's dream for wine!

12/16/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Pale orange color, baby powder nose, and a fruity flavor out of the gate. It tasted round, rich, sweet and delicious. Paired well with some ginger scallion cod from Wegman's, and superbly well with chicken marsala.

12/10/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Dark ruby with a noticeable spicy note on the nose. A bit front palate on the first sip, but settled nicely into its groove. Worked great with a barbecue chicken flatbread...and on its own. A delicious bargain bottle definitely worth getting again.

12/1/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Very light yellow color, fresh aroma and slight sweetness to the taste. I'm in!

11/25/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Ooh...LOVE this one's aroma! And flavor! It's soft, supple, and very easy drinking. So much so that the bottle will not last long. Went quite well with some turkey leftovers after Thanksgiving, spot on indeed.

11/10/2023 - erikdahlin wrote:

Light/thin ruby color, a somewhat spicy and peppery nose, but tasted a bit one-dimensional. Not bad, just nothing particularly memorable.

11/3/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Thin ruby color -- looked somehow almost watered-down. Pleasant nose on first swirl, and a mellow, medium-body favor that went great with some Friday night pizza.

10/17/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Dark ruby color, dark cherry aroma, slightly tight to start but that didn't last. A very tasty weeknight red that's worth a repeat.

10/14/2023 - erikdahlin wrote:

Quite bright gold, restrained and vague nose, and an almost sour taste on first sip. Unfortunately that sourness seemed to linger more than I'd hoped, and was just kind of meh about this in the end.

9/30/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Personal notes:
Somewhat thin medium ruby color, faint aroma and flavor of raspberry on first sip. This took a little while to open up and get going. Slight/light tannins and a hint of Cherry Coke aroma (not in a bad way).

9/19/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Personal notes:
Jammy red raspberry aroma, medium ruby color, long legs and gone very quickly! A yummy weeknight sipper.

9/13/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Personal notes:
That familiar GMV Sauvignon Blanc aroma, but taken to a different flavor level with the addition of the Petit Manseng. This went flawlessly with a jumbo lump crab cake sandwich and a tomato corn salad. Yum!

8/25/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Personal notes:
Bright, fruity aroma, and after a bit of initial tightness, opened up quickly and paired nicely with some rotisserie chicken.

8/14/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Personal notes:
I've had this before and needed to check my old notes, but somehow recall being a bit underwhelmed the first time. But found this quite enjoyable the second go around. The higher Consult make-up gives it a different flavor profile than most Provençal rosés, richer and fuller. Went well with some Trader Joe's Cod Provençal.

8/11/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Personal notes:
Medium ruby color with a bright aroma of spice and raspberry. Very tasty indeed. Bedrock know their Zin.

8/7/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Personal notes:
This had an odd sour note on the first sniff, and a bit of flatness on first taste. It took a bit longer than expected to settle into a groove -- a very mineral-centric one. Good, but not the best I've had from Sancerre (as I'm more of a Silex fan).

7/24/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Very pale, thin ruby color. Pleasant aroma of black raspberry. Flavor also began on the thin side, but settles into a nice, easy drinking Pinot. Not overly complex or going to give Oregon or Bourgogne a run for their money, but certainly a respectable weeknight sipper that won't break the bank.

7/16/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Pale pink with very light aroma and flavor to start, but settles into a nice Provençal sipper. No big surprises, but a pleasant summer quaff.

7/1/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Invisibly pale, with a tart aroma that initially reminded me of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Strong silex flinty notes on the first sip. This one has minerality in spades, tamed by some aeration courtesy of the Vinturi and some glass time. Pairing was right on the mark with some shrimp cocktail and also an heirloom tomato tartlet. This reminded me of why I favored the silex varieties of Sauvignon Blanc when visiting Sancerre several years back. And super affordable, putting this high on the list for restocking.

6/24/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Light to the point of imperceptible aroma on first pour, and the flavor was also a bit hidden at first (perhaps too cool?). But after some glass time, this opened up and paired nicely with some cooked shrimp. Need to get again along with some oysters next time!

6/20/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Exactly what everyone loves about Provençal rosé. Crisp. Light. A perfect match for some fish and ratatouille. Yes, please!

7/3/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Enjoyed this one immensely, despite initially being a bit worried that I might be opening it too soon (as Wine Spectator still listed it as "hold"). Fortunately I followed the winery's guidance to let it cellar mature for 5-10 years, because it was exquisite. Very subtle and nuanced, unlike other Syrah's that I've had that tend to be very spice-forward. This one had clearly mellowed into a delicate, wonderfully drinkable treat. Complimented some grilled steak and sausages quite well, and only wish I had another bottle of this on reserve.

4/19/2023 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Solid ruby color with a slightly powder-y scent straight out of the...Vinturi. First taste was expectedly tight and somewhat non-descript, but just in a few minutes, it opened up into a beautiful, satisfying and soft Grenache. Paired very nicely with some aged Comté.

12/18/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Medium ruby color. Dark, stone fruit aroma and a bit jammy. Slightly odd chemical taste, that only lasted one sip. Opened this to pair with some Valdeon blue cheese, with which it worked quite nicely. Tasted better the second night.

12/18/2022 - erikdahlin wrote:

Slightly chalky aroma, and a mostly innocuous flavor. Wonder if I held this too long, not that Muscadet is really an age-worthy varietal. Just seemed sort of nondescript and forgettable.

11/18/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Very bright gold and very fragrant on first swirl in the glass. Rich flavor of apple, not cidre-crisp but more like a Calvados with an almost syrup-y quality. YES!!! This was superb and was hitting well over its price point!

11/11/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Pear and green apple aroma with a light gold color. This was a rich wine, really delightful and paired well with chicken tikka masala, as well as with a seared pork chop.

11/7/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Medium ruby, dark cherry aroma and flavor. This is always a safe bet when it comes to garnacha, and solid, reasonably-priced bottle and good weeknight wine.

10/23/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Medium ruby with very fresh, bright berry aromas. Light flavor and a hint of sweet, but a good first impression and pleasant drinking experience. Would definitely get this one again.

10/14/2022 - erikdahlin wrote:

Nicely spicy aroma on first swirl, though sadly the flavor seems to have faded. I know GMV's Vin Rouge is not really one to be cellared, or at least should not expect any dramatic changes or age-improvements. But regardless, probably should have drunk this one a bit sooner.

10/8/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Light straw color. Definite citrus notes on the nose right from the start. Flavors were not very prominent at first, and there was a bit of sourness. As always, that first taste was not indicative of what followed, which was a very enjoyable Albariño. No big surprises, just a solid Spanish sipper.

10/2/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Light gold color with an intense blast of citrus aroma on the first swirl. A bit of a sour note on first taste, but seemed to burn off with some air. Paired quite nicely with some chicken tikka masala.

9/21/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Pale salmon, lightly floral, and although mass-produced and ubiquitous, it was pleasantly drinkable. A fine Provence rosé when you don't want to think too hard about it.

9/19/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Bright gold color. Was too cold when I opened, but still quite fruity and sweet. Definitely a fruit-forward Albariño, but worked understandably well with some seafood paella.

8/23/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Quite yellow, and with a strong aroma of...rubber?! Faint green apple flavor notes, but actually somewhat flat on first sip. Patience paid off, though, and while the flavor was still somewhat restrained, almost shy, I was getting light citrus, pear and maybe even a touch of almond. This was a nice compliment to chicken cordon bleu.

8/21/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Medium ruby color. Nice initial aroma after pouring through a Vinturi aerator, though it was still quite tannic on the first sip. Still was right on the mark pairing with some eggplant parmesan, and would get again.

8/5/2022 - erikdahlin wrote:

Kind of thin ruby color. Earthy aroma. Disappointingly dull on first sip, though some glass time helped. While it started out very meh, it turned out to be respectably pleasant, and the age likely helped. Not sure, though, if I'd seek this out again.

9/16/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Solid, deep ruby color. Strong red fruit aroma. A nice initial tingle of spice. This is a known commodity, as I've had other vintages of this and always been pleased. A great weeknight red that is very affordable, and worth grabbing if you see it.

8/30/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Straw gold with a tight fruit aroma (likely opened too cold), and a bit flabby on first sip. But once it opened up, it mellowed out and complimented some salmon with orzo quite nicely. Overall have enjoyed the Coriolis wines that I've had thus far, and this keeps up the trend.

8/27/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Gold color, fruity nose and paired quite well with salmon and asparagus.

10/1/2022 - erikdahlin wrote:

I was a bit worried by the fact that the cork was like what's in some craft beers, and could be pulled out by hand. The color was a solid ruby. Hints of clove and spice on the nose. Taste was very front palate on the first sips, and it was hard to get a true read on it as it seemed to be gone too quickly. Improved somewhat with air, but remained mostly front palate and kind of forgettable.

5/13/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Fairly translucent ruby color. Assertive nose with spicy, peppery notes. Needs decanting, which I failed to do upon initial opening, settling instead for pouring through a Vinturi aerator, which helped somewhat. Was much more approachable the second night, after VacuVin-ing the bottle and again pouring through the Vinturi. Naturally a nice match to meat lasagna and certainly a bargain bottle overall.

3/26/2022 - erikdahlin Likes this wine:

Popped this as a birthday treat for myself, and although initially worried that it might have been past peak, the first sip most definitely proved otherwise. Although I didn't take tasting notes on this, I recall it being just velvety deliciousness that once again proved what I already know -- Jeff White is the standard-bearer of northern Virginia wine. Just another one hit way out of the park, and eagerly anticipating the other younger Hodder Hills that I've got in the cellar.