4/24/2017 - hellowine Likes this wine:

I opened it about 15-20 minutes before dinner. It should have been opened an hour ahead of time. (My bad not paying attn to the clock) Served with simple duck leg confit, potatoes fried in duck fat, simple steamed veggies and a salad with vinaigrette. Nice pairing. The wine itself had typical CdP funk on it, but less manure barnyard smells than mushroom and wet earth. The more unpleasant smells blew off over time leaving the delicious mushroomy notes. Good fruit, blackberries more than cherries. Deep color, 14.5% ABV. Balanced, softer tannins but nicely rounded. Not sharp and puckery. Definitely in its drinking window. It could easily go another 5 years.

8/17/2014 - hellowine Likes this wine:

I could drink this as my daily summer white. Serve ice cold. It's beautiful with a touch of residual sugar. I get a lot of sweet honeyed apples on the nose that carries through. Deep, flavorful. It paired surprisingly well with Epoisse and Beemster Gouda (not the XO). We had it open for 2 hours before we drank it. Let this one breathe. It will be amazing.

8/16/2014 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Great fruit nose, tasted great at the beginning after about 45 minutes of breathing (no decant, just a tiny pour to check it). After about an hour and a half, it fell off. This particular bottle was wonderfully fruity and a classic Bordeaux style with 7 years of age without the long cellaring of a traditional Bordeaux. It's a great value however, it should be drunk quickly if you have it as the 2007 we had probably would not have lasted another 3 years. Primarily floral and red fruit on the nose with cedar and a good amount of earth, a little residual sweetness without a lot of tannins, not bricked. At the initial sip, a 94 point wine. I couldn't get enough. Surprising amount of sediment at the end, be sure to pour that last glass through a strainer. Otherwise very good with barbecued sauced grilled chicken, baked beans and grilled green beans. After the fall off, it faded a lot so be sure to split this amongst 4+ diners and get it gone quickly. No second lingering glass for anyone.

5/31/2014 - hellowine Likes this wine:

I hate being the first rater. This wine was very pleasant. We had it with a cheese plate: Comte, Cheddar, random salumi, Marcona almonds and spicy olives in brine. I found it lightly fruity. Mostly stoney and not very acidic. It's best served quite cold. We had it out of the cellar lightly chilled and it was ok, not great. It improved a lot after we had it opened and sitting in an ice bucket for a while. The cold amplified the good and lessened the bad for this wine.

5/31/2014 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Bought this after drinking it at Le Pichet in Seattle. We bought it locally in DC and it's still wonderfully fresh, green apple nose, light straw color. Not too heavy in bubbles after opening (more like frizzante vs spumante). Tart and acidic, but a nice quaffer. Not a heavy wine but pleasant to sip without food. Had it at Le Pichet with cheese and charcuterie course with rustic pate de campagne and kukulu cheese.

5/29/2014 - hellowine Likes this wine:

A little bitter on the nose upfront, very fruity more like pears and apples, tropical fruits, less so on the peachy or citrus flavors. Though the back label had it as off-dry, I could taste a residual sweetness that was nicely balanced with the acid level. It was served well chilled and best at a chill temperature. (I was outdoors in Florida when I had this. When it got warm it was less pleasant.) Good summer quaffer. Price at at restaurant was $35/btl. Low alcohol at around 13.5% ABV (from the label), no burning heat. Beautiful golden color, label on 2011 vintage is white not yellow. Screwcap

5/17/2014 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Very nice white. Deep, golden color. Lots of rich flavors and weighty. There was a tarry rubber note on the nose that did not blow off, but highly recommend decanting for at least an hour in advance. It's wonderful once it opens up and the tar smell blows off. After that, it's like a very dry cider with a sweet apple flavor but without any sugar.

Best with food. Ate it with a grilled chicken breast in a spicy orange sauce. (Think OJ, Sriracha, herbs and salt) Sides were buttery sweet potato and grilled zucchini. Wasn't the best match with the spicy heat, but was held up.

4/22/2014 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Cheap and cheerful. Lots of grapefruit on the nose. Dry but not bone dry. good grassy component with a wee harsh bitter bite on the finish. Not terrible to me, but I had it served bracingly cold with complementary food.

3/7/2014 - hellowine wrote:

I liked it slightly less than the '06. I had it served to me by the glass at a restaurant so it was cold and I suspect that it had been opened for at least a day. Upon warming up it had more fruit taste but kind of fell apart and all you're left with is tannic tartness. Deep dark ruby color. Not much nose because it was served too cold. (I had two glassed delivered at the table at once and the 2nd glass was better than the first once it was warmer.)

3/7/2014 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Yeast and vanilla on the nose, custard note, tart citrus notes, passion fruit, nice finish. great with chicken.

11/25/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Weighty, bit of hay and lots of grass on the nose. Breathe through any sulfur notes. When it's warmer, lots of apple. Citrus on the palate, tart but not a bracing acidity. Creamy cheese (St. Andre) brings out some vanilla and cream notes. Goes ok with green olives and nuttier cheese too.

8/1/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Briney, saline with a little fruit and very nice. Really rich mouth feel because of it. Balanced acid with a fragrant red berry rose attar nose. Saved half for tomorrow so we'll see if it lasts a day.

Good with cheese and surprisingly with balsamic vinegar doused tomatoes. It's nice. Holds up against zesty. Better colder than warmer.

7/21/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Pop n' pour, good fruitiness on the nose when you open, but it changes over time. It goes from bright fruit to a darker earthier fruit. Smells like honeyed prunes with chocolatey, earthy espresso deep flavors. Not super complex but stripped down and delicious. Slightly bricked, no sediment, a little tartaric acid crystal in the bottle.

7/3/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Yeasty citrusy nose. Lemony more than grapefruit. Dry, fresh, balanced acidity. Typical yeastier, heavier French style. Near floral quality with nice depth.

Dines well with Claire de Fines oysters and sea trout with hollandaise sauce. (At Le Cafe Anglais in London. Fab QPR. 50 pounds a bottle on list.)

7/2/2013 - hellowine Does not like this wine:

I really wanted to like this. It had a nicely strawberry nose and fruit, but it was acidic. Very acidic. So sourly acidic that I brushed me teeth after and could not get the sourness out of my mouth. It's not a bad wine, but I was so off put by the finish. If you aren't effected by the sourness, I am sure this will be fine for you in the 85-87 range. I would drink this with food (which we were) or use it a a really nicely pink base for a kir royale. Price was very nice, but I have better $15 sparklers from Loire Valley.

7/2/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

I very much liked this. Nicely balanced acidity, citrus and apple fruits, bit of rubber and gasoline on the nose but very light and not distracting for me. First tasted this at the winery in Oct 2012 side by side with the blanc de blancs where you could really taste the heavier yeast. I found myself enjoying it much more now with food as they suggest. It's weightier, but certainly drinkable on its own. Not too heavy and may grow bigger with some more age.

Really good QPR. Got it at Total Wine in DC for $24 with 10% case discount. Definitely a good buy with lots of enjoyment.

3/31/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Lovely, lush. Salmon color, fragrant nose redolent of apples and sweetness. Off dry on the palate with a really lush mouthfeel. Yeasty fermentation gives it a great creaminess. Short finish but still great. It's got a good acidity, but not harsh. Great with bolder food and a very pleasant sipper. (I ate a calzone with zesty sauce and finished a glass after the food.)

3/29/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Lovely as a pop and pour. There was some good fruit on the nose. Redolent of dark fruits, plummy, rich. The fruit blows off after the first hour and you're left with a very nice resiny nose with some cedar notes when you drink it. Full with a nice finish with some mocha umami flavors. Big, could wait 5 more years. Great dark purple color.

2/17/2013 - hellowine wrote:

Lemony, almost a tart apple nose. Crisp with a light bitter edge to give it depth. Reminiscent of Asian pears. Drank it alone. Not viscous. When overchilled, it has a little minerality and a some salinity. Would pair very well with a lightly sauced white fish, oysters. Holds up over 2-3 hours.

2/8/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

I am a tough grader. I would rate this a 94, but ericindc said, "Is it emotionally thrilling? If so, you need to rate it at least a 96." True dat. I popped and poured it and it was very promising. There have been few wines I have poured early and said "This will be amazing in an hour." This held up to its promise. Emotionally thrilling, elegant and weighty. Delicious after at 45-60 mins of decanting. Disgusting amount of sediment, nothing a little fine sieving won't cure. Savory and herbal, fennel, oregano, not sweet. Very little tannin, deep dark color. (Think Homer's Odyssey and the 'wine dark sea'.) Deliciously fruity but complex with earthiness and flavor. Very nice tasty finish. Thank god we have 5 more to enjoy. Best wine in a very long time.

1/27/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Tasted at NoVA offline last night. Heavy cedar nose. Licorice.

1/27/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Tasted at NoVA offline last night. Spicy & delicious.

1/27/2013 - hellowine wrote:

Tasted at NoVA offline last night courtesy of CDStrombom. Creamy, thinner than I'd like. But good.

1/27/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Menthol on the nose, earthy and rich.

1/27/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Needs 2-3 hours decanting. Decanted at 5:30 for a 6:30 tasting, but it was really awful after only 30-40 minutes. After 2-3 hours, it was very nice.

1/27/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Tasted at NoVA offline last night courtesy of WineBerg I liked the Booker before it better, but this was really nice too. No other notes. Good stuff. Popped at 7am for a 6:30pm tasting. I drank it at 9:30pm.

1/27/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Tasted at NoVA offline last night courtesy of WineBerg. I was told he popped it at 7am to bring to a 6:30pm tasting I personally took my sip at 9:30 after having about 18 wines. This was by far my favorite of the night. Soft tannins, delicious.

1/27/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Tasted at NoVA offline last night. Very pleasant & elegant. Would write more, but we had drunk quite a bit by this point.

1/27/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Tasted at NoVA offline last night courtesy of AngryPrez. Dark chocolate, fruity, long finish almost metallic. Reminded me of an anchovy or mackerel skin. Which probably sounds terrible, but it's really a good thing.

1/27/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Tasted at NoVA offline last night courtesy of Grayfont. Great salinity, black fruits, meatiness. Delicious.

1/27/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Tasted at NoVA offline last night. Stock up on this. Really nice. Spicy notes, a little pepper bite, some licorice. This was very popular with the tasters.

1/27/2013 - hellowine wrote:

Tasted at NoVA offline last night. Earthy, chocolatey, currants.

1/27/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Had it at the NoVA offline last night. Very nice wine. Typical California Cab, lots of dark chocolatey and dirt notes.

1/27/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

This is one of the first Ridge wines I can remember having and it lives up to the hype of being a Ridge wine.

Cedar nose, decently fruity, vegetal. Had it at the CT NoVA offline and it was preceded by an '82 Bordeaux that was past prime. This was a sharp contrast because it was the same flavor profile, but much more fruit being so much younger. Very pleasurable drinking.

1/27/2013 - hellowine wrote:

Past peak. Bricked color, super funky barnyard nose. Very earthy. Black olive skin overtones. Classic Bordeaux flavor profile.

1/27/2013 - hellowine wrote:

This was actually the 2nd time I had this wine, but I was at a tasting event so it seemed like a good time to score it and make notes.

The color is an amazing ruby red grapefruit juice color. It's almost fuchsia. It's a really strange wine. It's very grapefruit with some bitter notes. There is some cloudiness in the bottom of the bottle that settles down if you put it upright for a bit before your pour. It can be kind of chunky, but harmless.

There's a light effervescence on it. I kind like it but it reminds me of a grapefruit soda and I wish there had been a little residual sugar on it to make it a little more palatable.

1/27/2013 - hellowine wrote:

Light, oaky, not great on mouthfeel, not too buttery, has some tarry overtones to it. Beautiful gold color.

1/27/2013 - hellowine wrote:

Tart, acidic, citrus with some creaminess.

1/27/2013 - hellowine wrote:

Crisp, lemony, needed more acid

1/19/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Tasted at the importer. Nice acidity that cuts through. Really good tart apple nose and flavor.

1/19/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Lovely. Honey, citrus zest tartness and acidity. Not syrupy or cloying at all. Fantastic with baked apple crisp dessert that was heavy on vanilla and cinnamon. There's a little spiciness to it that went well with the cinnamon and creaminess in the dessert. Not so great with chocolate cream pie but still enjoyable. Definitely better with apples.

1/19/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Green apple, honeysuckle nose with hay notes. I don't get straw like other people, more like a fresh hay bale. Great QPR. Don't serve it too cold. Unlike other whites doesn't have that latex/tar finish. A little creeps in when it's warmer but not overwhelmingly so. Lively and acidic. Served with meatballs in a Marsala sauce but also cut through a heavy polenta.

1/7/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Very nice smooth wine.

1/7/2013 - hellowine Likes this wine:

Did not love it at the $27 btl price, but was quite pleasant. Nicely fruity. Breakdown on grapes: 46/41/12/1 Petit Sirah, Syrah, Zin, Petit Verdot

1/7/2013 - hellowine wrote:

Dry and astringent, tannic. It will mellow out. Fruity with w/a little dirt and spice.

1/7/2013 - hellowine wrote:

Lighter red, needs 3+ years of age but still drinkable now. Nice tannic structure but less fruit. I'd be worried there's not enough fruit to age too long.

1/7/2013 - hellowine wrote:

Nice tannic structure, spicy. Forgot to score this one.

1/7/2013 - hellowine wrote:

Off-dry, floral cedary nose. Creamy vanilla flavor with good mouthfeel.

1/7/2013 - hellowine wrote:

Bright ruby color, smokey spicy style. Dry without a lot of fruit, nice and earthy mouth.

1/7/2013 - hellowine wrote:

Spicy, not great