4/22/2024 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Intensely dark with a little bricking at the edges. Muted nose that was mainly forest floor and tar. Dry, but with bracing acidity. Early on, the acidity and menthol were the main impressions, but over the next two hours, the dark fruits opened up and the wine came into a much better balance. Wonderfully complex with a very long finish. It was a more traditional style than I was expecting from a Super Tuscan, but once I got past that, it was an excellent wine.

4/15/2024 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Nice, but a bit rough. There are better red blends at this price.

4/15/2024 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Excellent Malbec. Rich, full, and smooth. A great value.

3/24/2024 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

served this evening with leg of lamb. This wine is always a crowd pleaser, without being over the top in any dimension.

1/26/2024 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

nice Cali Cab, but a little more fruit forward than I prefer. I'll also note that the glass bottle is one of the heaviest in my cellar (purchased online, so no way to judge weight), which is certainly a waste of packaging and shipping costs.

1/25/2024 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Golden with a fine mousse and yeasty toast, pears and apples on the palate. Great QPR!

1/21/2024 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

perfectly fine weeknight Syrah. Nothing to write home about, but also nothing to complain about.

1/14/2024 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Lovely NV champagne for the price.

1/8/2024 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Certainly good, but fairly one-dimensional for a Cali Cab at this price point.

1/7/2024 - SSGibson wrote:

WOTN at a dinner with friends. Big, complex and satisfying Malbec & Cab Franc blend. So glad I stocked up, especially at the $40 I paid -- which is a steal for this wine! It is drinking great after just a little air and should age for several more years.

12/27/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

clearly on the downhill slide now. Glad this was my last bottle.

12/22/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

WOTN at the holiday happy hour. In a fabulous drinking window. Full, smooth, complex, and a great pepper kick on the end.

12/19/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Solid and satisfying NV Blanc de Noirs, particularly at this price point.

12/16/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

perfectly acceptable Beaujolais. Well balanced, nothing off-putting, simple.

12/10/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Dark and dense red. Aromatic, with a well-blended nose of mild tobacco, forest floor, dark fruit and a touch of smoke. Wonderfully round tannins balanced by smooth acidity and tasting much like it smelled, with the addition of a hint of menthol and a perfect Cab Franc spice ending. Really enjoyable. 68% Merlot, 24% Cab Franc, remainder Cab. We tasted this to assess taking it to a New Year's dinner party - have a feeling this will be the WOTN. Drinking very well now after a reasonable spell to breathe, but should improve for several more years.

12/9/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Now I know that the prior bottle was indeed corked. This one, my last, was wonderful.

12/7/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

so sad that this is my last bottle; really nice Shiraz that pairs perfectly with lamb.

12/6/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

More garnet than ruby now from age. Forest floor and a touch of strawberry on the nose, which was somewhat muted. Tastes of cola, black cherry and red meat. Tannins are soft, but maybe too much so. Near the end -- better drink up my remaining bottle.

11/30/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

ok, but I wouldn't seek it out again.

11/27/2023 - SSGibson wrote:

disappointing - past its prime (partially corked?) and overly acidic.

11/23/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Lovely "weeknight" PN - a great value for the ~$20 price.

10/8/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Full, round, and well balanced CndP with raspberry, spice and a touch of olive brine, and a nice, long finish. The 15% ABV continues to be felt, but the wine is in a lovely drinking window now.

8/30/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Mild cigar box and menthol on the nose; clear, pale garnet in the glass. This grape variety was new to me (a blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio) and we both enjoyed it greatly. Dry with a medium body and nicely rounded tannins. Cola, black cherry, slight licorice and muted fruit. It is a well integrated wine with considerable finesse. It pairs like a Rhone blend.

8/20/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

tasting notes much as last time -- very enjoyable, smooth and complex, with a satisfyingly long finish. However, the bottle is so incredibly heavy that I will not purchase again.

8/18/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Very enjoyable red blend; the 75% Cab Franc really shines through!

8/6/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

rich, complex, and wonderful

8/4/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

agree with others -- should have bought a case

8/2/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Lovely S African Chenin Blanc for the price. I'll search out more!

7/29/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Nice weeknight Super Tuscan. After a little time to open up, it was lovely with a tomato, sausage and rotini pasta.

6/23/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Simple but enjoyable for a weeknight wine.

6/21/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Deep ruby and not showing its age on the edges. The nose is a bit muted, but on the palate it shows classic CndP characteristics, leaning a bit more savory (olive brine notes). Full and relatively smooth, but the 15% ABV is evident and giving it a bit of a "hot" mouth feel.

6/19/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Great complexity for a single varietal. Smooth, well integrated, and drinking great right now.

6/17/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

lovely addition to our pasta dinner. Smooth, complex, and enjoyable.

6/15/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Perfectly balanced with a fine bead and a long finish. Such a joy to drink and in a great window now!

4/18/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Excellent QPR for an CndP. I'll definitely buy more if I can find it.

4/13/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Classic Cali Cab that is in a perfect drinking window. Glad I have 2 more!

4/9/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

lush and still drinking well. My last bottle, but if I had more I wouldn't be worried about a little more age.

3/17/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

lovely - like a lighter version of tawny port.

3/12/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

solid weeknight red blend. Enjoyable, but not terribly complex.

2/5/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Walla Walla Valley Bordeaux blend led by 59% Merlot and 39% Cab Franc. The wine leans more traditional than New World. Muted nose and fairly restrained palate on opening. With a little time to open up, the palate shows bright strawberry and plum with a hint of menthol and a touch of white pepper on the end (undoubtedly from the 39% Cab Franc). Well-balanced with a longish finish, the wine smoothed out over the course of the first hour. I'll give my remaining bottles a little more time in the cellar.

2/3/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

good weeknight wine

1/31/2023 - SSGibson wrote:

Everyday Sancerre. Has more of the Sancerre "green grass" taste than I prefer.

1/29/2023 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Still drinking well, but glad this was my last bottle. Shows the depth and smoothness of 40 years of age.

12/31/2022 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Glad this is my last bottle of the 2013. It appears to be on the downward slope. They were lovely while they lasted.

12/29/2022 - SSGibson wrote:

My last bottle, which was unfortunately past its prime. We only drank half and then went to the cellar for something to compare to be sure.

12/12/2022 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

complex and smooth with a nice savory touch

9/4/2022 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

nice summer rose; crisp with fresh strawberry and good acidity

6/20/2022 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Deep purple and barely showing its age. This cab-malbec blend was full-bodied, well-balanced, and still had a few rough edges on the tannins that smoothed out over the course of several hours, and some crisp acidity, which leads me to believe that it has several good years ahead of it (too bad it was my last bottle). The finish just goes on and on. Very enjoyable.

6/18/2022 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

notes same as last, and the second day it was still going strong! Lovely.

5/27/2022 - SSGibson Likes this wine:

Dry Riesling that is clean and crisp. Good QPR.