2/23/2024 - JCaress wrote:

A very unique wine that was recommended while eating a great dinner in Florence. It is technically a rosato, but not like anyone I have ever tasted. Had the color of almost a pinot noir and some similarity, but it was a rosé with a dark color and served chilled. It was exceptional with our openers including Tuscan ham. I hope we can find it in the U.S. A beautiful wine that could even get better.

2/23/2024 - JCaress wrote:

Well done Chianti Classico. There are so many when in Tuscany that are good to very good, it is hard to go wrong. Great with a Florentine steak in Florence.

2/23/2024 - JCaress Likes this wine:

The was an exceptional recommendation when we had dinner in Florence. A syrah based rosé was the description but it was far more than that and almost a pinot, but different. Incredibly drinkable and a unique, full flavor profile. We drank it chilled with our first and second plates and it was perfect. Back in the U.S. now and want to find it for the future.

12/30/2023 - JCaress wrote:

Found this in my cellar and we opened to close out the year. Quite good, fully integrated fruit. Great with food and tasty on New Years Eve as well. Appears that this is the only vintage of this wine? Whatever happened to them?

12/29/2023 - JCaress wrote:

Exemplary. Long smooth finish. Fruit at peak. Not heavy. Wish I had another case.

12/25/2023 - JCaress wrote:

Drinking wel. Dark berry, chocolate on the long finish. Perfect with Beef Wellington Christmas dinner.

12/23/2023 - JCaress Likes this wine:

Deep and dark, drank well for a wine probably past its prime. If I had more, would drink them in the next year. Great with a lasagna bolognese.

12/10/2023 - JCaress wrote:

Beyond its prime.

12/7/2023 - JCaress wrote:

Surprisingly decent. Fruit even got better on day 2.

12/1/2023 - JCaress wrote:

Good price to value. Opened up nicely and better than average fruit.

11/23/2023 - JCaress wrote:

Popped a magnum on Thanksgiving with some worry that we might have held it too long. Incorrect. It was spectacular immediately on opening, but improved with full color and fruit without need of a decant.

Cannot say enough about the quality of the pinot, one of the best we have had in years and was a perfect partner to turkey and all the fixings.

9/28/2023 - JCaress wrote:

Drinking better than I expected. Very nice fruit. Dark berry, chocolate, a long finish. Saved some for day 2, even smoother. Time to drink now or within 1 year.

7/23/2023 - JCaress wrote:

After a good decant, it drinks surprisingly well. Cork broke upon extraction, but the wine was still more than acceptable. Fruit was slightly tired but the tannins were nearly gone. In the end, glad we found it in our cellar.

7/14/2023 - JCaress wrote:

Excellent pinot is a good example of Willamette styling.

6/8/2023 - JCaress wrote:

Excellent fruit. A bit tannic, but smoothes out late. Good value.

5/30/2023 - JCaress wrote:

Tasty Pinot. Bright and lingering finish. Nice cherry tart and orange notes. Better than Meomi.

5/29/2023 - JCaress wrote:

Drinking wonderful. Surprisingly excellent with long berry notes and chocolate underneath.

1/13/2023 - JCaress wrote:

Spectacular. Drinking well, great fruit. Complete mouthfeel. As good as a California Cab as exists.

1/7/2023 - JCaress wrote:

Drinking well. Tannins gone, great mouthfeel. Deep berry flavors. Excellent with a ribeye.

12/31/2022 - JCaress wrote:

Still worth drinking. Fruit beginning to wane, but tasty. Fine finish.

12/24/2022 - JCaress wrote:

It is drinking exceptionally well. First thing you notice is how well the fruit is integrated. No tannins whatsoever. Long, long finish. Superb mouthfeel.
Even better as we proceed half way through the bottle. This is what cabernets should be judged against for quality.

12/23/2022 - JCaress wrote:

Incredibly good. Fully developed with lemon, vanilla and white melon. Surprised us with how good it is. Merry Christmas indeed.

12/17/2022 - JCaress wrote:

Still drinking well, but the fruit has flattened out a bit.

12/11/2022 - JCaress wrote:

Cork disintegrated upon opening but the wine, once filtered, was drinkable. It got better with decanting. Not as good as it once was, but reasonable.

7/16/2022 - JCaress wrote:

Excellent. A superb wine with fabulous fruit. Long finish. Great mouthfeel.

6/4/2022 - JCaress Likes this wine:

Excellent California cab. Drink now. Cellar more, it may get even better. I tannins, high fruit, not hot.

4/15/2022 - JCaress wrote:

Still good, but definitely time to drink what is left of this vintage.

4/10/2022 - JCaress wrote:

Drinking well. Getting slightly thin as it is past its prime, but still a good finish with some tasty dark fruit.

2/26/2022 - JCaress wrote:

Drinking well, but do not hold further. Brown color starting to engage, but fruit still vibrant.

1/15/2022 - JCaress wrote:

Solid. Good fruit as I would expect. Not exceptional.

12/30/2021 - JCaress wrote:

Cork failed, but the wine was superb. Smooth and silky, dark plum and pomegranate. Fully integrated. Glad I had one last bottle.

12/25/2021 - JCaress wrote:

Drinking well. Good PPV.

12/25/2021 - JCaress wrote:

Silky smooth after a 1.5 hour decant. Cork splintered. Decanted through a coffee filter. Exceptional mouthfeel and superb dark fruit. Drink now.

12/11/2021 - JCaress wrote:

Green. Not yet mature. Fruit was good, but not up to expectations of Keenan.

12/2/2021 - JCaress wrote:

Nearly impossible to go wrong with Pine Ridge NV. It is a fair price for a very high quality cabernet. The fruit is superb and it has just enough tannins to add to the mouthfeel.

11/29/2021 - JCaress wrote:

Drinks surprisingly well with good fruit and mouthfeel Too hot with alcohol for my preference.

11/29/2021 - JCaress wrote:

Flawed bottle

7/21/2021 - JCaress wrote:

Nice, moderately dry. Good mouthfeel and fruit. Easy drinking.

7/16/2021 - JCaress Likes this wine:

Excellent wine. Nice mouthfeel and thankfully not sweet. Great value

5/22/2021 - JCaress wrote:

Drinking well. Dense fruit but not heavy. Chocolate and black cherry. Got even better through the evening. Saved a splash for day 2.

5/15/2021 - JCaress wrote:

Past its prime, but still tasty. Saving a bit for sampling today.

12/27/2020 - JCaress Likes this wine:

The best Merlot I have had in 2020. Fruit was well integrated and drinking flawlessly. Only got better throughout the evening. One more bottle left of this excellent vintage.

11/3/2020 - JCaress wrote:

Drinking very well. Well integrated fruit, dark berry but smooth and silky--not a bomb. Election night. May need additional.

6/1/2020 - JCaress wrote:

The cork was a mess and fell apart, but remarkably the wine was unaffected. Once it was open for about 20 minutes, it was quite tasty. Chocolate, dark berry and an excellent finish. Not heavy and went well with our steak dinner. Drink it now if you have some.

5/22/2020 - JCaress wrote:

Superb. The way a California Cabernet should taste. Not too big. Dark, small tannins that give it just enough to wake up your mouth. Wish I had a cellar full.

4/6/2020 - JCaress wrote:

Drinking well. Soft tannins, full mouthfeel. Very good CA cab.

3/30/2020 - JCaress wrote:

Nice QPR

1/9/2020 - JCaress wrote:

Pop and pour. Great cab, about the right price (perhaps a bargain) and great with a ribeye.

12/31/2019 - JCaress Likes this wine:

Still good, but time to drink it.

12/26/2019 - JCaress Likes this wine:

Still drinking well. A good, not great, cab for the money.