2/7/2015 - cestes Likes this wine:

I don't drink a lot of Chianti because I think of it as acidic or astringent. This bottle did not fit that description. Nice fruit and a good finish. I'd definitely buy again!

11/8/2014 - cestes Likes this wine:

For a $15 bottle, this was a great value!

Earthy flavors of violet, cola, tobacco, and leather were followed up by a long, gravelly finish.

I'll be looking for more of this!

11/6/2014 - cestes Likes this wine:

This was a Garagiste mystery wine. For $9.00/bottle and Jon's great description, I couldn't pass up a few bottles.

As I've said about some other Garagiste finds, this isn't a life-changing wine. However it reaffirms my faith that people are making wine such that I don't have to drop $20 or $40 or more to get a bottle of wine that I can enjoy on a weeknight (or two).

This wine had a big nose, and heavy flavors of cherry and cola. The finish was quite nice, not only for a wine of this price, but for a Merlot. I don't drink Merlot too much and most of my recollection is of a smooth, unremarkable finish. This was a pleasant surprise.

Don't expect to have your world rocked. Do expect decent value!

UPDATE - 15-Feb-2015 - Had a second bottle. What I said above still applies, but the nose was distinctly that of Robitussin or some cough syrup! Didn't stop me from drinking an abundance of it!

7/23/2014 - cestes Likes this wine:

This seems to be one of those "love it" or "hate it" wines. Lots of heat on the nose with vanilla and blackberries. Sweet finish. This wine must have spent a lot of time in the oak -- if you don't like that, you probably won't enjoy this wine. Sometimes I'm in the mood for that and this bottle didn't disappoint!

7/9/2014 - cestes Likes this wine:

Lovely! Was great out of the bottle and over the next 2 hours.

4/10/2014 - cestes wrote:

I'm doing an unusual follow-up review (and bumping up my number a bit). I had another bottle of this last night and really enjoyed it. Dark black fruits and a nice finish. I had long forgotten the price of this bottle and just seeing it now, I am again happy to find such outstanding QPR -- Good stuff for the price!

2/9/2014 - cestes Likes this wine:

I really enjoyed this... lots of dark fruits and a smokey undertone. Nice finish. My wife didn't like it and we usually agree, so that's an outlier!

11/14/2013 - cestes wrote:

I've always imagined Cab Franc as a larger, brooding wine and this was certainly no exception. Dark, dark color, with a somewhat muted nose. On the palate, cherries, berries, violets, and a hint of a musty earthiness. This all ended with a nice mineral finish. I had some right after opening and drank this over 3 hours. It benefited greatly from breathing; I'd recommend at least 45 minutes in the decanter.

This wine won't change your life, but it will reaffirm your belief that there is good wine out there at a fair price!

11/10/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

This was wonderful! Dark, dark red color. The nose wasn't particularly prominent. Lots of fruit, plums and cherries with peppers and a hint of violets and a slightly smokey undertone. Nice mineral finish. The high alcohol content doesn't detract, as I thought it might. I'll be buying more!

9/23/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

Strong earthy aromas of tobacco and leather dominated the nose. The color was dark, dark purple. Decanted for 90 minutes. The nose was softer by then. Complex fruits, violets, and a hint of cedar on the palate, but not overpowering. Very restrained. Very enjoyable bottle, but not life-changing!

7/1/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

This was a wonderful bottle. Had it in a restaurant and of course overpaid for it, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. Nice nose with a hit of menthol or maybe eucalyptus. Great red fruit and a nice finish. After 30 or 45 minutes in the decanter, it was a big improvement - it's hard to resist, but it really benefits from the wait!

If you're in Napa, make a point to visit Mr. Hendry. One of the most informative and entertaining tastings!

6/29/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

Good QPR. Light color is deceptive. Nose was overwhelmed by the high alcohol content. Oakey overtones almost a bit much (and I like that) -- bordered on overwhelming the fruit. Still, very enjoyable, especially considering the price. Another bottle for my list of everyday drinkers!

6/8/2013 - cestes wrote:

Great QPR! For the price, this is a fantastic value. Wonderful black fruit and cassis, with a great finsh. Drinks better than a lot of wines that are twice the price.

6/7/2013 - cestes wrote:

This wasn't a life-changing wine by any means, but for $10 it was an *outstanding* value. Nice nose, bright red fruits with a hint of cola, and a nice finish. A great every-day drinker.

6/5/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

Great QPR! I love it when I can find something in this price range that drinks so well. Lots of vanilla on the nose, lots of fruit, and a bright finish. Will definitely buy more.

5/12/2013 - cestes wrote:

Wonderful stuff!

5/11/2013 - cestes wrote:

Nothing wrong with this bottle... for a sub-$15 bottle of Zin, it was fine. This was not your typical Zin. The nose had some vanilla and floral notes that I absolutely love. The taste was odd, but not unpleasant... buttery notes covering red fruit. In beer, I'd call it diacetyl, but not sure. My wife didn't like it, but I though it was OK. I'll buy more for solo nights!

5/4/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

Great stuff -- especially for the price. This easily compares with bottles at twice the price. A bit of a burn on the nose, even after 2 hours in the decanter. Lots of blackberries with a hints of tar, tobacco, and maybe even eucalyptus. Medium finish. Glad I've got more of this to see how it evolves!

4/25/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

I really enjoyed this bottle. The color was quite pale and transparent. The nose was full of vanilla and dark fruit; the nose held up over an hour or so. So many wines have a great nose for the first 20 minutes, then nothing, but the Josh kept going. The pale appearance was deceiving - lots of black fruit, well balanced, and a decent finish. For a sub-$15 bottle this is good stuff; I'll certainly buy more.

4/20/2013 - cestes wrote:

Nice nose - lots of fruit. Lots of red and black fruit with a medium finish. Very nice bottle.

4/19/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

Really nice bottle. Great nose -- vanilla with hints of lavender. Lots of fruit and a medium finish. I wouldn't call it great QPR at $40/bottle, but it was very nice, nonetheless. I'm surprised to see so little of it on CT!

4/14/2013 - cestes wrote:

Good QPR overall. Not much on the nose; some herbs and even a little cocoa as it breathed. Lots of red fruit, herbs, and peppers. As it sat out, the medium finish took on undertones of tobacco and minerals. Well balanced, but a little acidic for my tastes. Definitely benefits from 30 minutes in the decanter.

3/31/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

Always consistently good. Lots of black fruit, well balanced.

3/30/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

I really enjoyed this. Beautiful nose with a hint of lavender, great red fruit. Very well balanced. Great drinking bottle for the price!

3/24/2013 - cestes wrote:

Another winner from TRB! Big nose with oak coming through as vanilla. Lots of fruit and oak. Just the right amount of spice. Good finish, but maybe not as long as other Howell Mt. years; still, no complaining!

3/22/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

The nose was grassy up front but benefited from sitting for an hour or so. Lots of red fruit up front... quick finish. Great value! Another bargain wine for everyday drinking.

3/16/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

Bought this our of curiosity, having enjoyed the Malbec. Nice nose, good fruit. Nothing special, but good QPR. Would buy again when in need of a bargain wine.

3/10/2013 - cestes wrote:

Not so good. Maybe this style appeals to some folks, but not me. It had a grassy nose. It was rather astringent with weak flavors. It improved a bit over the second night, but there was only so much to work with! I'm glad this was a door prize and didn't cost me anything!

3/9/2013 - cestes wrote:

Wow! What a wonderful bottle. Intense black fruit up front: blackberries, black cherries, and dark plum. Great nose. Perfect spice and a great finish. We had some right after opening and running through the vinturi and it was great -- only got better over the next hour or so. Great bottle! If you're in Napa and can manage a visit, Joan and Stan are great people!

2/16/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

I was pleasantly surprised! I've seen this around in almost every wine store I've ever been in and wrote it off as a pedestrian, run of the mill Zin. It was on sale last night and nothing else caught my eye. Nice nose, big red fruit up front, and surprisingly nice mineral finsh. This was a little sweeter than most Zins I'm used to; not a bad thing, just different. Excellent QPR! I'll put this into the rotation of bargain wines to have on hand for everyday drinking.

2/13/2013 - cestes wrote:

Nice nose. Great fruit up front -- blackberries, plums, and cherries. A hint of cola. Nice medium finish.

2/1/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

Great Zin! This started off with a wonderful nose. I decanted for 30 minutes and drank over a couple of hours. Lots of great fruit. It starts off as blackberries and plums and ends up with tart red cherries and raspberries. Medium finish. Wish I had more!

1/26/2013 - cestes Likes this wine:

Adding my second tasting note. About six months has passed and I've been looking for good QPR during this time. The Justin Cab fits the bill. For the price, this is a great bottle. The nose has a wonderful hint of vanilla. Good fruit and well balanced finish. I'll keep buying it!

1/18/2013 - cestes wrote:

Very nice. Hints of vanilla on the nose. Lots of red fruit and a nice finish. Good QPR. I'll definitely buy again.

1/5/2013 - cestes wrote:

Wonderful! Big nose for a zin! We let this decant for 45 minutes. Big red and black fruits with a perfect balance of peppery spice and a nice finish. I wish I had more of this. Hendry makes some great wines at fair prices. If you're in Napa, go visit; Mr. Hendry is great... you'll learn something new at his unique tasting!

12/27/2012 - cestes wrote:

Wonderful! Not much aroma, but great red fruit going in: raspberries and plums, giving way to slightly peppery and herbaceous tones (maybe a hint of eucalyptus), followed by a medium finish. Decanted for 45 minutes; there was a small amount of sediment in the bottle.

12/25/2012 - cestes Likes this wine:

Drank with Christmas dinner 2012. Decanted for 3 hours and probably could have used a bit more; it was hard to wait this long as the nose was so tempting! Big black fruits, giving way to red fruits and a perfect dusty, mineral finish. Got better over a few hours as we drank it; I'm guessing it may need some more time. Can't wait to see how it evolves.

12/22/2012 - cestes wrote:

Drank at home, based on enjoying at a restaurant a few months ago. Dark, inky color. Intense black fruit flavors, almost a little bitter. Didn't decant -- the flavor remained quite consistent over 2 hours. Enjoyable and a nice change from Cabs and Zins that we're used to.
The wine looks Inky colored.

12/2/2012 - cestes wrote:

This was OK. Many Spanish Garnacha's have a very astringent quality to me, and this was squarely in that category. The nose was promising with lots of dark fruit. The taste started off with good flavors of cherry and raspberry, but ended kind of flat. I tried some right after opening and it definitely needs time in the decanter. After 30 or 45 minutes it didn't get any better; while drinkable and enjoyable, it didn't bowl me over. It wasn't expensive, so I'm not shedding tears over the experience, but (I get tired of writing this) I've had better wine for less money!

11/22/2012 - cestes Likes this wine:

Outstanding wine! Blackberries and raspberries backed up with just the right amount of oak. Drank very well when opened; wonderful after an hour in the decanter.

10/11/2012 - cestes wrote:

This sat in the decanter for about an hour while we ran out for carryout. Not much nose to speak of. Red cherries and raspberry followed up with red plum and a little spice. A medium finish with a hint of cocoa and minerals. Always good QPR.

10/5/2012 - cestes wrote:

Wow! High marks for what may be the most complex wine I've ever had... I can't remember so many scents and flavors from a single bottle of wine. The color was inky dark. The nose had (as promised from the winemaker) gingerbread and orange peel. As it calmed down, there were hints of vanilla, cedar, lilac/lavender/violets, and wintergreen. The concentrated flavor hinted (at various times) of red cherry, blackberry, passion fruit, vanilla, cedar, cocoa, and even a hint of toasted caramel. There was so much more that was hard to put a finger on. It was very interesting to taste right after opening and over two hours in the decanter. So heavy it was almost like a port -- almost a shame to have this with food as it's such a big wine!

10/4/2012 - cestes Likes this wine:

Not much on the nose. This wine started off with bright red cherries and faded into plums with overtones of cocoa, and a medium short finish. After an hour in the decanter, it was a little better. Great QPR!

9/28/2012 - cestes wrote:

Not one of my favorites, but not bad either. The nose was faint. Initial flavors of plums with cocoa and hints of coffee and leather. Quick finish.

9/22/2012 - cestes wrote:

Had this at a restaurant and really enjoyed it. The nose was big and bold with lots of fruit and a decent finish. This is the second time I've had a Petite-Petite and I really enjoyed it; a nice change from our usual Zins and Cabs. Interesting observation: I thought this was just as good after opening as it was after sitting for over an hour. I'll definitely look for this at my local shop!

9/23/2012 - cestes wrote:

Lots of red fruit, with a well-balanced, medium finish. Very nice right when it was opened and it only got better over two hours. I wish I could get it for what everyone else is paying!

9/13/2012 - cestes wrote:

Given the price, this was good QPR. A floral nose (with a bit of alcohol burn); cassis and cherries up front, followed by a short to medium finish. It didn't bowl me over, but it wasn't offensive either. I've had worse wines for more money!

9/9/2012 - cestes wrote:

A number of people have recommended this to me. We tried a bottle last year and were not impressed. Based on continuing (and unsolicited) suggestions, I got another. This time it went thru the vinturi and sat in the decanter for a long while. A taste right a pouring reminded me about what I didn't like - it was very astringent. After sitting for an hour it was much better. By two hours it was really enjoyable. Lots of red fruit and a touch of cedar. The finish is well balanced and the flavor of black cherries is dominating and long-lived. Much better the second time around after I treated it right!

9/6/2012 - cestes wrote:

The good people at Total Wines steered me wrong! Supposedly, this is the best selling wine across the entire chain! I was underwhelmed. An initial hit of blackberries led all too quickly to an astringent, and short lived finish. Even after 2 hours in the decanter it's not doing much for me. I'm buying good Garnacha for $8.00/bottle that blows this stuff away... 1/3 the price ( https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1438796 )! Personally, I'd rate Bota Box Old Vine Zin higher than this!

8/28/2012 - cestes wrote:

Excellent QPR! Interesting, but light nose. Lots of red fruit and a nice, mineral finish. An hour in the decanter made a notable improvement. For $10 this was a great value and I'll add it to my list of everyday wines.