3/10/2024 - Buckwheet wrote:

First time to try this wine. Viongier and Rousanne blend. Lovely citrus and floral undertones as one would expect but there is roundness to the finish that gives this wine more depth and weight than a typical Viongier. A beautifully balanced and thoroughly enjoyable bottle of wine that is drinking well now. Wish I had bought a case.

3/10/2024 - Buckwheet wrote:

Spectacular wine! In a perfect spot right now. This is what great Chardonnay is supposed to taste like. Wow!

6/2/2023 - Buckwheet wrote:

Paired beautifully with beef tenderloin au poivre. In a perfect place now.

3/18/2023 - Buckwheet wrote:

Excellent wine that paired beautifully with the spicy Thai dishes of fish, chicken and shrimp we had for dinner tonight. Nice complexity but sweeter than I anticipated. Still have four more bottles so will be interested to see how they evolve. But delicious right now.

3/13/2023 - Buckwheet wrote:

Purchased at Nicholas in Paris for 33 euros which is considerably less than in the USA. This is always a great rose. This particular bottle had much higher acidity than the 2021 we drank last night. This has a bit of a bite on the finish. Probably better with food,

9/25/2022 - Buckwheet wrote:

Very Russian River in style. High acid and tart cherry. Enjoyable but not nearly as lush as most single vineyard Pinots from Rochioli.

7/23/2022 - Buckwheet wrote:

Outstanding California SB! Definitely one of the best I have had. I think it is still young and wish I had cellared another couple years. I think it has another 5-6 years minimum left. Juicy and delicious with great acidity.

7/7/2022 - Buckwheet wrote:

Produced by winemaker Adam Lee (Siduri, Novy, Clarice) and vineyard owner John Wagner, this quaffable and delicious Pinot noir has become my favorite weeknight wine. Reasonably priced ($16-26/btl retail) and much better than most other Pinot noir. Love this wine!

6/14/2022 - Buckwheet wrote:

Very nice Pinot Noir. Lighter in style than many Martinelli single vineyard Pinots. Fruit forward but with enough acidity to pair well with a variety of foods. Enjoyed with fried quail tenders and pork Milanese.

4/25/2022 - Buckwheet wrote:

Totally oxidized and undrinkable. Very disappointing for such a well-respected winery. The bottle had been stored perfectly in a temperature controlled cellar.

4/1/2022 - Buckwheet wrote:

In a perfect place now. Good fruit from start to finish, but enough acidity to hold up against rich meals.

7/5/2021 - Buckwheet wrote:

Agree with others that it is past its prime drinking window. Enjoyable but nothing special. Because the acidity is virtually gone, I would recommend as a drinking wine vs. pairing with food. Drink up!

6/22/2021 - Buckwheet wrote:

Enjoyed at Texas Republic Tavern in Dallas on two occasions. Consistent notes. Solid, enjoyable but not terribly complex wine. Fruit forward, round mid palate with long soft mouthfeel finish. Very nice wine and QPR for Cali Pinot.

2/20/2021 - Buckwheet wrote:

Found this bottle on a restaurant menu for $70 so we could not resist. It did not disappoint. Very solid Cabernet! What really surprised me was how beautifully it drank immediately after opening. Silky mouthfeel and elegant with enough power to hold up to hearty dishes. Great bottle of wine to be enjoyed now or over the next 10 years.

11/26/2020 - Buckwheet wrote:

Outstabotyle of Chardonnay

4/19/2020 - Buckwheet wrote:

Drinking great right now. Held up well over three days, too. Impressive length.

11/11/2018 - Buckwheet wrote:

Very nice Pinot! Voluptuous nose and lush mouthfeel but finishes a bit acidic. Needs another couple of years to reach potential.

9/9/2018 - Buckwheet wrote:

My how this wine has declined in quality since being sold. This used to be our house Pinot but I think that is about to change. This vintage has an odd chemical nose that smells nothing like a Pinot. The palate is flat and watery, just nothing there. Seriously, this is not a good bottle of wine much less Pinot Noir. Guess that is what happens when you boost production to 1MM+ cases and reduce your price. Sadly, it is the definition of plonk now.

7/17/2018 - Buckwheet wrote:

Have enjoyed two bottles on separate occasions and came to the same conclusion both times... this is a spectacular bottle of white wine! Although I am not a big Chenin Blanc fan, this one has depth, complexity and amazing fruit! I get a Montrachet like nose whenever I get ready to take a sip. I will be interested to see how it ages. Great right now.

5/26/2018 - Buckwheet wrote:

Needs a few hours to really show its stuff. Will definitely improve with more cellar time. However, it is already a big, juicy wine that will not disappoint those who like big California reds. Paired perfectly with TX BBQ ribs and sausage.

12/25/2017 - Buckwheet wrote:

Still a little young. Really came into a good spot an hour or two after opening. Believe it will be even better in another year or two. Still a lovely bottle of wine.

10/2/2017 - Buckwheet wrote:

Not sure what to make of this wine. This is the second bottle of the 2009 that I have tried and both times the wine has been extremely muted on the nose and the palate. It is smooth but the fruit just never comes forward. Drank it with seven other wines and everyone agreed this was in a dumb stage. I will wait another year or two before opening another. Disappointing so far.

9/9/2017 - Buckwheet wrote:

Absolutely beautiful nose. Enjoyed with grilled lamb cops; it was a lovely pairing. Recommend decanting for 1-2 hours if you want to experience the full expression of the bright fruit and moderate tannins that softened as the evening wore on. A truly beautiful and complex Bordeaux, especially for the price. And, it is drinking great right now. Added two points for exceptional value.

9/3/2017 - Buckwheet wrote:

Big, rich, buttery California chardonnay. Yes, it is oaky but the fruit is so lush and honey-like that my wife and I loved this bottle. In a great place now so while it could last another year or two in the cellar, I think it is drinking at its peak right now.

5/29/2017 - Buckwheet wrote:

Drinking beautifully right now. Not PnP but darn close. Nice complexity and delicious fruit. Tannins still present but silky. WOTN among 10 other bottles.

5/16/2017 - Buckwheet wrote:

Wow! This is drinking beautifully right now. PnP! Served at family dinner with grilled tuna and pesto sauce. Made for a lovely pairing! Wine has lots of fruit but extremely well-balanced. Cherry and cola flavors definitely present. Truly a gorgeous Sonoma Pinot that shows how well W-S wines age. This one should drink well for another year or two, maybe longer. But it is so lovely now, why wait?

4/4/2017 - Buckwheet wrote:

Fantastic bottle of Shiraz! Balanced, smooth and velvety. Good structure that allowed the wine to pair well with seared foie gras as well as heavily spiced beef tenderloin. Drinking very well now. Only reason for not giving 95+ score was the high amount of sediment present. Wine is only 7 years old but the amount of sediment was more like a 25+ year old Bordeaux.

2/26/2017 - Buckwheet wrote:

I have had multiple bottles of this wine over the past couple of weeks. I appreciate the fact that this wine made a couple of Top 100 lists or I might not have discovered it. It is a great bottle of wine, especially for the price. I have served it to many guests and they always want to know where I got it. It is a real crowd-pleaser. I agree that it is like Columbia Crest and 14 Hands but I feel it has more tannin and more complexity. At $25/btl, it is a great buy!

2/6/2017 - Buckwheet wrote:

Fabulous bottle of wine! Smooth and fruit forward but with enough acidity and complexity to make it interesting. I liked it so much that I contacted the winery to order more. Alas, they were sold out of the 2014 vintage so I ordered more from the 2015 vintage. Hoping it will be great, too.

2/6/2017 - Buckwheet wrote:

Had high hopes for this baby but alas it was not close to being ready for consumption. Needs a couple of years more or a good triple decant followed by 3+ hours to really show its stuff. Quite frankly, I am sorry I opened this now. I love Carlisle's wines so I know there is something special in every bottle. But I opened this one WAY too early.

1/28/2017 - Buckwheet wrote:

Paired with Tex-Mex (beef fajitas, brisket tacos, etc.) and it was quite good. Nose has a brown sugar/maple syrup quality. Sweet fruit dominates. Not terribly complex but it works well with hot spicy food. Texas wines tend to be overly fruit forward and this wine fit the profile. That said, as a food wine (especially with BBQ or Tex-Mex), it pairs well. 14.3% alcohol but not hot just sweet.

1/28/2017 - Buckwheet wrote:

Enjoyed with BBQ chicken, green beans and curried cauliflower and it was a delightful. Nice fruit, fully mature and expressive Cotes du Rhone. Probably at or slightly past peak so drink up. Great value!

1/4/2017 - Buckwheet wrote:

Interesting bottle of wine. Oxidation may have impacted this particular bottle of wine as it lacks the crisp acidity and tart flavors I associate with a Sauvignon Blanc. Tastes more like a semillon. Nose is a combination of lemon, muscat, hazelnut and buttered toast. Smooth all the way through but finish is a bit short. Either this bottle was a bit off or it is past its prime. Enjoyable but nothing remarkable. Have one more bottle left. Hoping it will be better given the previous rave reviews.

9/13/2016 - Buckwheet wrote:

An interesting bottle of wine. Definitely should have drank in 2014 or earlier but it is what it is. Currently, the wine has a nice nose but the alcohol is clearly evident. Flavors of raisins and prunes but not unpleasant. Just not as lush as I expected. Also, not nearly as much pepper as I expected. I still have a couple bottles so I will put them on my "drink immediately" list. As earlier reviewer stated, just because you can age Turley zins doesn't mean you should. Lesson learned...

8/19/2016 - Buckwheet wrote:

This tasted more like a SLH Pinot. Lots of lush dark berry fruit that turns a bit hot on the finish. Fans of bigger, more fruit forward pinots will enjoy this. We enjoyed it but were not blown away.

5/31/2016 - Buckwheet wrote:

Paired with salmon and pasta Alfredo. Excellent example of a well-aged RRV Chardonnay. Balanced with good acidity and round, lush tropical fruits. A little oaky upon opening but faded as the fruit blossomed in the hour ahead. Lacks the power of the best Rochioli SVD chards but still a great bottle of wine. I do think this may be on the decline, though, so I recommend drinking sooner vs. later.

4/22/2016 - Buckwheet wrote:

I am conflicted about how to review this wine. On the one hand, I find it to be a lush, jammy and highly quaffable wine. Paired with TX BBQ pork and beef ribs; it was great! It stood up just fine to the big smoky ribs AND BBQ sauce! I enjoyed this wine a lot! But therein lies my challenge. Question: How many Pinots could stand up to TX BBQ? Answer: Almost none that are true to the varietal. I could never pair a Côtes de Nuit with BBQ ribs. So I agree with other reviewers from prior vintages, this wine tastes more like a Caymus Cab or Central Coast Syrah than a Pinot. At 14.7% ABV, it is a beast! It has lot of vanilla and dark fruit and almost no tannin, acidity or subtlety. Just full throttle fruit. So, if you are a fan of pinots that Decanter magazine loves, you will probably hate this wine! But if you love the wines that Robert Parker loves (e.g. Turley, Martinelli, Caymus, etc.), I recommend trying a bottle. FYI, there is not much difference between this wine and their entry-level Meiomi. So for the money, I would just buy Meiomi and save $25-30/btl.

3/25/2016 - Buckwheet wrote:

Enjoyed with orange beef dish from local Chinese restaurant. Stood up to sweetness and spiciness of the dish. Better with food right now than by itself. Great fruit and peppery richness. Believe this bottle needs at least two more years and then could be stellar. The structure and fruit are there, just need to give time for tannins to smooth out.

3/25/2016 - Buckwheet wrote:

Fantastic nose and wonderful initial mouthfeel. Medium bodied with lots of mature fruit and soft tannins. But it disappeared quickly and turned a bit tart on finish. Had higher expectations but still a very good bottle of wine. At release price, this was worthwhile. But there are better bottles available at $50+.

11/24/2015 - Buckwheet wrote:

Was expecting this to be over the hill but it turned out to be outstanding! What a nice surprise! Rich and jammy as a great aged zin should be be. Yes, the alcohol is high, but after an hour, the heat had faded and it was balanced and smooth. Paired beautifully and seamlessly with a grass-fed ribeye and some Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam cheese. Honestly, this was a wonderful surprise and an excellent California Zinfandel.

10/26/2015 - Buckwheet wrote:

Bought at Santa Fe wine shop on recommendation of manager. Had high expectations but was badly disappointed. Fruit was present on first taste but faded immediately. Acidic and somewhat flavorless on mid-palate and finish. Wasn't corked just terribly mediocre. Hopefully, this was a "bad" bottle. Otherwise, I cannot figure out how others rated this wine so high. My wife and I could not get past first glass. Tried the next day without noticeable improvement so I poured it out. Total waste of $35.

10/26/2015 - Buckwheet wrote:

Very nice bottle of pinot. Opened up nicely over course of the evening. Probably has another couple years left but why wait?

8/6/2015 - Buckwheet wrote:

Very nice pinot! Drinking beautifully now. Not terribly complex but very smooth. Paired well with grilled Coho salmon.

8/3/2015 - Buckwheet wrote:

Typical Rombauer Chardonnay. Big and buttery but not over-oaked. Great fruit. We loved it but we love big, bold and lush chards like Pahlmeyer, Kongsgaard and Montrachet. Subtle this is not.

7/21/2015 - Buckwheet wrote:

Very good bottle of wine. Would wait until 2017 or later to open because I believe this wine will improve with more bottle time.

7/21/2015 - Buckwheet wrote:

Very nice, but not spectacular, bottle of wine that still has years ahead of it. Will probably wait until 2016 or later before opening another one. Balanced with good structure. Opened very dry with slight bitterness but responded well to two hours in decanter. Never became the deep, rich and luscious wine I was hoping to enjoy but still quite solid. Paired well with filet and assorted cheeses. It is a well made Napa Cabernet. The fruit is too restrained at this point, however, for me to award a higher score. I'm hoping a bit more bottle age will do the trick.

4/18/2015 - Buckwheet wrote:

Very good wine but fading. Agree that it needs an hour in decanter to blossom. Would drink now vs. later.

2/8/2015 - Buckwheet wrote:

Decanted for an hour but really started singing after two hours. Yes, you can pop and pour but you will be thrilled with the results if you give it a couple hours to fully open. Classic Napa cab. Big bright fruit with great structure and fine tannins. Had with lamb chops and Cowgirl Creamery's Mt. Tam cheese and it paired perfectly. Glad I have a few more bottles. Honig cabs and sauvignon blancs are truly among the best values around!

1/17/2015 - Buckwheet wrote:

Nice bottle of Washington cabernet. Nothing particularly remarkable or noteworthy but still quite solid. A bit on the lighter side yet still full-bodied with plenty of ripe red fruit. Like many cabs from this region, there is some pepper and spice. Overall an enjoyable bottle of wine. However, at $45-50/btl., I am not sure I would seek it out again.

1/17/2015 - Buckwheet wrote:

Nice Cab-Syrah blend. Drinking well right now. Give 30 mins or so to breathe as it will improve. Received as a gift so cannot give a QPR but we drank this after a 2008 Abeja cab and thought this was slightly better.