2/2/2024 - David B wrote:

I've been eyeing this for the past year. Finally took the plunge. Hard to describe, deep plum/blue bright fruit on the palate, slight oak but silky. A little one dimensional but enjoyable. Bottom line, different from anything I've had in awhile. Would be interesting to try in a few years because the fruit is still very young, tasted more like it was 2 years old.

1/13/2024 - David B wrote:

When I opened I was excited, nice sweet bordeaux blend nose. 2 hours later the palate was weak. Don't get me wrong, it was decent. The merlot/cab franc is nice but.. thin. In this price range you expect more. It may be my palate, but give me a Nickel & Nickel state ranch cab for $20.00 less, or a high end Andrew Will blend, and you get way more bang for your money, richness, depth and better quality. I'm done experimenting with bordeaux at a $100.00 + a pop.

1/11/2024 - David B wrote:

Fantastic. I almost gave up on it. 1st night, too tight. 2nd night beautiful Zin fruit, velvety but vibrant fruit long on palate. As I get older my palate seems to like these young vibrant Zinfandel wines. Had it with a breaded plump chicken cutlet and cheese ravioli with my home made tomato sauce from 2023 tomatoes. Both the chicken breast and raviolis' from the famous De Pasquale's Market in Newton MA. Their sausage is the best but their chicken breast are also 2nd no one else.

12/31/2023 - David B wrote:

UPDATE: My original review was unfair. Day 2 was a different wine, much heavier/thicker on the nose like a thick fog of sweet dark fruit preserves infused with oak I could smell all day. The palate was also a thick coating of nicely aged oak/sweetness of dark berry preserves, just beautiful. Many, many layers that lasted 30 seconds on the palate. The price point high but I will buy more and give it 24 hour decant.

12/30/2023 - David B wrote:

I mentioned to a friend recently I was giving up on white wines because they just don't have the wow factor. I figured this one would be another famous person using their name to sell wine. Man was I was wrong. Has a serious wow factor. Popped and poured at 55 degrees from cellar. Rich, creamy chardonnay nose. On palate creamy, flinty, buttery, smokey, chardonnay fruit with a slight amount of oak perfectly blended in. Hard to find that slight smokiness I get on this. Went on and on, not showing it's age at all. Forget what i paid but I think in $50-60.00 range which is a value in these inflationary times.

11/24/2023 - David B wrote:

Very disappointing. Opened at 10:00 am started drinking at 6pm. One dimensional, tar. Did not have the traditional Heitz flavors such as cedar. This is first bottle for this decade, been drinking 2010 and older. Wondering if they changed wine making process.

10/7/2023 - David B wrote:

Opened a 2000 bordeaux that was tired and saw this on my "try" shelf. Glad I did. Had it with Sauteed boneless chicken medallions with cheese/jalapeño sausage, peas, herbed San Marzano tomatoes over polenta.
A happy crowd. This wine was a pop and pour. Rich, dark berry fruit on the nose. Same thing on the palate but with some faint smoke and remarkably fresh dark fruits, silky for such a young wine. The fruits were like a dark berry menthol that stayed with you in a good way. I learned tonight that I need to drink more Grenache and at a younger age.

9/23/2023 - David B Likes this wine:

How can you not respect a vintner who says on the label "Sorry, we don't follow the market, we make wines we like. They are what are what they are and not what you want them to be."

I'm going with a high score for two reasons, number one is that it is so unique, and number two it is a fantastic wine. This is 3rd bottle from 3 different years. As usual, it takes forever to open up. I opened at 10:00am and by 8:pm it was ready. The nose at 1st smells oxidized, a swirl in the glass and you get young dried flowers of various berries, just beautiful. The palate is dried sweet strawberries, more red fruits, velvety texture, none of the heaviness of oak barreling, just pure fruit from the grapes essence, and like another said sweet herbs.

9/15/2023 - David B wrote:

Opened and tasted at 53 degrees. Green apple on the nose. The palate was tart green apple, period. After an hour slight stone fruit but tart green apple overwhelmed. Unimpressive, especial for this price range US$35-40. I'm going to age a few bottles to see what happens. 1st thought is too many italian whites made with native grapes like a Buonsenso in the $20.00 range that are more adventurous and will please the guests.

8/19/2023 - David B wrote:

With 34 years of drinking ridge, it may be the best, so much depth, just on and on. The 1st night was tight but the 2nd night, I'm going to plagiarize because they described best except the thickness on 2021 Ridge Geyserville : TOMLEE WROTE:95 Points
Big and bold with tremendous concentration and structure. Black cherry, plums, chocolate and pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Approachable now but the best is yet to come. This will age well. Best over the next decade or so." Another bottle on 1 /19/24. With Rotisserie chicken. 5 hour decant. A crowd pleaser. Dark zin fruits, apricot, my palate not sophiscated to describe all, silky smooth, long on the palate. I just do not see it improving with age.

7/29/2023 - David B Likes this wine:

My 5th half bottle. I always pour into decanter for 4-5 hours. It's young so the fruit/ earth is like an extract. The fruit is a deep blueberry/ blackberry extract. Silky smooth. Just a young star. And 10 years from now, will be something completely different but also a star. In this price range not a close competitor, been drinking their special select and regular cabernet for 30 years, never a disappointment.

7/18/2023 - David B Likes this wine:

The nose and palate I got really beautiful smooth creamy Minerality (stony, earthy.) Maybe slightly grassy. Opened a few hours before and took it out of refrigerator 45 minutes before drinking. Wish there were wines likes this. I'm going to try this with a slightly melted brie cheese with almonds, I think this wine would hit it out of the park. One more note after another bottle 8/19/23. We found drinking at just below room temperature brings out the strong mineral/stone palate and adds heaviness, 50 or 53 fahrenheit (12 celsius).

5/12/2023 - David B wrote:

Do this wine a favor, lay it down for 5-15 years. Great concentration and balance. But even after three days the nose is beautiful but the palate is closed down, silky smooth but closed down. My 30 years of drinking Selyem wines tells me to give it time and you will be rewarded. I've had Coastland after 20 years that blew me away, of course being stored correctly is important.

4/30/2022 - David B wrote:

Last bottle from release. As previously noted, stored at 53-55 degrees. Again outstanding. Amazing how the fruit has stood the test of time. On palette, mature fruit, fermented blueberries/blue fruits. Chewy, earthy. What I mean by chewy is that it is thick, like fine sediment on every sip. Had it with a prime rib eye on the grill. Wish I had bought more of this than other more expensive Cabs and Bordeaux's. Not a chance there is a better cab or a bordeaux, which this tastes more like, at this price range.

2/4/2022 - David B wrote:

I'm surprised at all the high scores. Decanted for 8 hours and it was still tight, tight, tight. Eventually at the end of the night the tannins smoothed out. But nothing else, no fruit, earth or other characteristics I've tasted from aged Gruaud Larose in the past, especially bottles from the 80's, 82 being the best. This is the youngest Gruaud Larose I've drank and will wait another 10 years before I try a 2000 again.

10/30/2021 - David B Likes this wine:

Like others I get the cider nose and palate, until I had it with food. Paired with crab cakes and a slightly spicy roasted red pepper/cream sauce with a touch of smoked paprika. Completely changed the profile. Much cleaner, almost sauvignon blanc but with more depth. Peach on the mid palate, steely, thick. Will definitely have this again, maybe with a seafood dish that has a little spice. No doubt a food wine.

11/14/2020 - David B wrote:

On the nose I got the very slightest amount of funk, almost the soil the grape was grown in, with tart fruit. On the palate mild tart strawberry and light to medium bodied but incredibly smooth, the minerality at the end is fantastic and shows up after the bottle has been open an hour. Perfect wine to open a dinner party with drinking on its own. A glass does not last long. I will make sure I am not without this. My new favorite white/rose.

10/6/2020 - David B wrote:

Unfortunately it was literally vinegar. I was a little surprised for a four year old. I bought it 2 years ago in Waltham MA and stored at 55 degrees.

6/27/2020 - David B Likes this wine:

I discovered this wine because Owen Roe was sourcing some grapes from them about 15 years ago. Researched it and found they made their own wine and the love affair started. Had the 2014 with grilled spatchcock chicken and wild mushroom risotto. Perfect match because this is a lighter style but by no means light in flavor. Nice depth of cola and darker fruits on the palate. Made me realize some pinot's are becoming too big for chicken dishes. This nailed it it, a real treat, especially with 6 years of age. This can go a few more years no problem with proper aging.

6/6/2020 - David B Likes this wine:

Similar to the 2017. However, darker in color which shows on the palate. On the palate silky smooth just enough sweetness, but by no means heavy or syrupy. But it does have more weight than last year, Still has the flowery honey with Meyer lemon infused juice. On the finish I find myself trying to extract as much of the lemony/honey/flower off of my tongue but there is a slight amount of tartness. Another winner.

5/29/2020 - David B wrote:

3rd night on this bottle, finally opened up. I went back to my wine notes from 20 years ago and Selyem Central and Sonoma coast are always the best, especially in this price range. I've had them at 20 years old and they sing. Once this one opened the perfume of cherry and strawberry follows thru to palate. Had it with grilled spatchcock chicken and mushroom risotto. A perfect match. This wine needs 10 years of proper aging or 24-36 hours of air at this age. I love it when the meal is over and you just nose the wine as much as you drink it, this is one of those wines. Just so pretty.

4/8/2020 - David B wrote:

With the unexpected break from work and my gym workouts because of the COVID-19 virus spreading around the globe, I've taken the opportunity to tap into wines I normally do not. I hope this finds all the wine drinkers healthy and safe.

Not surprisingly because it is from WS, a real treat. I've had it as an after dinner drink the past two nights. On the palate silky smooth, just enough sweetness, but by no means heavy or syrupy. A light flowery honey with Meyer lemon infused juice. On the finish I find myself trying to extract as much of the lemony/honey/flower off of my tongue. I had this after a salmon dish tonight from a temporarily closed restaurant in Boston. I may have to try it with the dish next time when I am able to have friends over. For the weekend chef's, here is a link to the recipe: https://www.boston.com/food/restaurants/2020/04/04/recipe-chef-jeremy-sewalls-roasted-salmon-with-spicy-cucumbers . The cucumber salad is heavenly. Be well everyone.

1/25/2020 - David B wrote:

Popped and poured which I rarely do, but glad I did. Had with chicken tenders, head on U10 grilled shrimp in a pasta with pink sauce dish: Sticking with the palate: Smoked cherries, marinated cherries as it breathed. I use menthol a lot when describing their wines because of the waxy coating on my palate from their wines of strawberry and dark fruits. And man do I get it here. This is why I have about 3 cases of their wine, dating back to 2002, waiting for me to drink.

8/31/2019 - David B wrote:

95 is a big score I know, and if this was 1st growth Bordeaux I would have to knock it down a little, but only a little. I've been a huge fan of Owen Rowe since a bartender at Mistral in Boston suggested one of Owen Rowe's Zinfandel back in 2003. I popped and poured because I had just grilled a steak on my new Weber hooked up to my gas line in the house and needed a good glass of red. Stored at 55 degrees since release, this was magnificent, on the nose and palate, dark but bright fruit delivered in a silky fashion. A surprise that it needed no breathing. Great depth, each sip lasted 20 seconds. I need to stop drinking so much scotch and go back to some of my stored wines.

6/13/2019 - David B Likes this wine:

Had this stored at 55 degrees since purchase so it was in fantastic shape. For this price range i don't think you'll do much better. Had it with an everything pizza and it held up quite well. I enjoy a good simple but earthy Italian wine like this. Very smooth but had nice fruit/earth combo. Wish I had more with this kind of age on it.

12/22/2018 - David B wrote:

No formal notes but everyone loved it including me. pretty heavy, syrupy but beautiful silky fruit. Took about 1/2 hour to open up. Dangerously gulpable. I will buy more when Selyem sends me my yearly release. Had it with butternut squash risotto with a dollop of mascarpone, happy campers all around.

12/22/2018 - David B wrote:

I know, 97 points for a 14 year chardonnay. But it's the truth. Opened on whim cleaning out the cellar after a move. This bottle got lost in the shuffle over the years. I bought it on release because I always loved the wines Ed made at another winery in the 90's. Stored at between 53 and 55 degrees, mostly at 53. Very deep golden yellow color, nose was a heavy vanilla, ripe peach/green apple, oakey goodness all infused. palate was similar to nose, syrupy in a good way with the vanilla sweet oak, ripe tangy peach that went on and on, lasted 20 seconds. Blew everyone away. Had it with a roasted tomato, thyme and buffalo mozz appetizer. Since everyone loved it, we drank with a second course, Lobster Louie salad recipe from wine spectator, perfect. Damn I wish I had more. I think I will experiment with more aged chardonnay's like this.

11/11/2018 - David B wrote:

Stored at 53 degrees since release. Opened an hour before eating a grilled steak. As soon as I opened it the nose was beautiful, cab franc fruit was really showing thru in a smokey fragrant dark fruit way. The palate did no disappoint. Again some smoke with nice earthy dark fruits. Incredibly smooth but still had some weight to it. I really enjoy these blends. I forget what I paid but I think these are about $35.00 which is is an excellent value. I'm finding keeping these wines stored at 53 degrees is really keeping them youthful. Update: James laube in Wine Spectator talked about freezing wines. I froze this bottle for a month. Thawed and it was just as good as when I opened!

3/24/2018 - David B wrote:

I can't believe I'm giving a Selyem West Side road a 95 but it is deserving.
A last minute decision to have a bottle so we popped and poured. Right out of the bottle beautiful rich lush perfume of strawberry/cherry fruit. This was as good as some of the Allen vineyards I've had over the years. The nose was gorgeous, I could not stop smelling it. My reason for surprise is that I have not been happy with any of the WSNR from Selyem. This is the 5th different year I've opened and a pleasant surprise.

1/3/2018 - David B Likes this wine:

Pulled from wine cabinet at 55 degrees and chilled just slightly. I was surprised by the color, like an over oaked California chardonnay. On the palate: Creamy,some flint, lemon zest. Really coats the tongue in a good way. Wow, really love this wine. Very unique. Held up to veal medallions with prosciutto mushrooms in a white wine sauce over pasta. Always loved the Emido reds now I'll be on the lookout for more of these whites.

11/18/2017 - David B Likes this wine:

I'm surprised on the reviews comparing this to a Pinot. Myself (and 3 others) found this this to be right in line with other wines by Christophe Baron. Bottom line, spectacular. Opened at 12 noon started drinking at 8pm. Concentrated smokey dark cherry fruits, funky, developing into silky, smoked meat. Long, I mean long, long. Did I mention long finish? The nose, just intoxicating and not in the alcohol sense, this wine just blew me away. Best wine I've had in a couple years.

4/16/2017 - David B wrote:

Stored at 53 degrees since release. No formal notes from last night. Outstanding Selyem. Nose of bright fruit that translated to the palate. Silky smooth with beautiful fruit/spice. We 1st half of bottle with no food and it sang. Like another taster noted it tightened up bit, some tartness, after a couple of hours.

4/16/2017 - David B wrote:

Bottle stored at 53 degrees from purchase date directly from Owen roe. A high rating because not only an outstanding wine but also because for $24.00 you do not get better quality, incredible value. Dense dark fruits with an underlying earthiness. Drinking perfect, soft tannin's but not over the hill. Another solid effort from Owen Roe. Wish I had a case.

4/1/2017 - David B Likes this wine:

My experience seems to be different from others. I am biased of course, big fan of Selyem. A little high on the rating for a $70.00 bottle of wine. However, this is just a gorgeous pinot. Drank from a sommelier burgundy glass. It has been stored at 53 degrees since I bought direct. Opened 4 hours before drinking, had with roasted hen with wild mushroom gravy. Raspberry jam on the nose, could smell all night. On the palate Dark fruits, fresh raspberry jam, slight cola. it was so elegant with just the right amount of tannin. This is why I love Selyem. Could go another decade. I have had these at 15 years stored correctly and they are still beautiful.

11/24/2016 - David B wrote:

This was the most unusual Selyem I've had over the 25 years I've been drinking them. Opened at 12 noon, very tight nose, tart fruit on palate. Not the usual selyem perfume. At 7pm finally started to smooth out and the tartness was gone. Nice selyem perfume of strawberry cola started coming thru. Still very young. I keep these at 53 degrees, I think I'll wait another 10 on others from this vineyard. I have had 20 year old Selyem's that have blown me away. The westside style may need time. I will also skip buying westside, different style than I expect for from Selyem.

7/11/2016 - David B Likes this wine:

Like Loren I think this is like a Bordeaux now or even a California Cab. The nose is very similar to a 97 Caymus special select I had recently. Thick and chewy with fruit infused with earth. Smooth as silk. After 20 minutes more zin fruit. The color was still a deep cloudy maroon. I could quaff this bottle no problem but it is only Monday night. Stored at 53 degrees since release. Another solid effort by Ridge, these guys pump out great juice consistently.

5/14/2016 - David B Likes this wine:

Stored at 53 degrees since purchased. Opened and poured immediately. Not a mistake. At first fresh tart cherry with a supporting cast of smoother darker fruits. 20 minutes later had with roasted Cornish hens, porcini and morel mushrooms. Perfect match. Great depth here with perfumed dark fruits on nose and palate, kept a slight tartness but it blended in beautifully. Another excellent effort by WS.

4/18/2016 - David B wrote:

1st Cayuse I've had this old. I opened at 12 noon and started drinking about 7 pm. Tannin's completely resolved. Had the typical Cayuse funk on the nose but very subdued when drinking, silky, but did not have the depth flavors I've found in recent vintages. I think I'll keep his wines in a 6-8 year max drinking window.

1/1/2016 - David B Likes this wine:

Shame on me. I had a bottle last year and thought this vintage was on its last legs. I was quite wrong. Pulled another one I have to drink tonight. Obviously The one last year was a bad bottle, or not stored well, rare for Heitz. Tonight's bottle had excellent tannin's, in fact we all agreed it should have been opened earlier than 2 hours before drinking. We let it sit and went back to it after 4 hours. Color had no sign of its age, still dark cherry in color, beautiful nose, could not stop smelling the earth and Cab fruit. On the palate earthy, almost a slight sweetness on back end with ever so slight mint that you get in Martha's vineyard. Wish I had more.

11/26/2015 - David B Likes this wine:

Stored at 53 degrees since purchased. Could be the best Selyem I've had in 20 years of being on their list. Opened at 11:00 am and started drinking at 4 pm. Nose was gorgeous, menthol strawberry fruit. Palate was thick velvety cola/cherry/raspberry/strawberry all infused. Looked unfiltered because of slight sediment. Stayed on the palate for 20 seconds after sipping.

2/28/2015 - David B Likes this wine:

Opened at 9 AM and for 5 hours it smelled like spoiled cooked meat, it really put me off. By 6 pm the nose had a smoky sweetness. On the palate layers of silky, smoky dark fruit, tobacco all infused with I can only describe as a sweet or syrupy undertone, in a good way. I cannot imagine what one his his higher end ones are like because this just blew me away because of the layers.

12/25/2014 - David B Does not like this wine:

My last of several. Unfortunately this once beautiful wine is over the hill. A sad day. The 97's were gorgeous. The nose was still there but it tasted like sour cherries. I let it breath for 2 hours and wonder if maybe it oxidized. Sometimes older wines have a short window one you open them.

3/30/2014 - David B wrote:

Opened at 11:30 am to drink at 7 pm. Smelled briny, like an over the hill Burgundy. Looked like red swamp water.

At 7pm beautiful wine. Clean rustic fruit. When I say clean, there was nothing inhibiting the fruit, such as oak. The fermenting process in cement makes this different from any wine I've ever tasted. The nose and taste I can only compare to an aged Burgundy but with a hard to explain cleaner and purer fruit. Others thought the nose was like an Amarone. By far the WOTN. My next action is to buy more!

10/2/2013 - David B wrote:

Opened at 10 in the morning for 1st course at 6pm. I agree with other tasting notes here, rich tropical and floral fruit, nice depth. Stayed on the palate for 10-15 seconds. Had it with a pasta dish that had prosciutto, went beautifully, really held up well. Different than any white I've ever had. To me a steal at the $12-$18 range. I will buy more.

9/4/2013 - David B wrote:

Opened at 1pm. Kept checking nose all afternoon without tasting. What a transformation. From simple fruit/earthy nose to somebody pull me away. At 7pm guests arrived and we tasted with 2000 Tignanello, which at first seemed unfair. By 9pm we were all fighting for the last glass of d'abruzzo. Had the same depth and layers of the Tignanello. I have one more bottle, think I'll give it 5 years, if I can hold out. Did have the barnyard nose and taste like I've read about, but it was non existent as the night went on. A real gem.

9/4/2013 - David B Likes this wine:

Popped and poured, tight fruit, not much going on so I decanted. One hour later with rack of lamb coated with garlic and rosemary. It really smoothed out, tannins almost non existent. Nice Cab fruit, Not a lot going on like other Owen Roe wines I've had. I think this is 100% cabernet. For the money an excellent bottle of wine.

5/22/2012 - David B wrote:

Just a beautiful whisky. Has almost a reddish cast when you look at a full bottle. On the palate the rich creamy, vanilla and spice just go on and on for about 30 seconds. The alcohol is so well integrated, it just warms up the spice on the finish. I think it is the richness, not to be confused with syrupy by any means, that puts it into another league.