12/16/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Still my favorite Syrah

8/15/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: Blackberry, blueberry, cinnamon, saddle leather
Palate: Blackberry, coffee, baking spices, leather, dark earth.

8/3/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Blackberry, black cherry, baking spices, dry sweet tobacco, dry dark soil, tea, chocolate
Palate:
Raspberry, tea, cranberry, saddle leather, chocolate
This is still my favorite Cab block from Ladera.

5/5/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Cassis, deep blackberry, cloves, dried herbs, wet earth.
Palate:
Brambleberry, blackberry, raspberry, sage, mint

6/11/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Blackberry, sweet cigar box, Napa dust, cloves,l and baking spices
Palate:
Blackberry, cassis, milk chocolate, dried herbs, cinnamon.

4/14/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Raspberry, coffee, milk chocolate, dried herbs, baking spices. Very muted nose in comparison to the palate
Palate:
Bramble raspberry, milk chocolate, spearmint, cassis, dried leather, cola.

5/20/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Pineapple, Meyer lemon, kiwi, honeydew, Golden Delicious apples, honeysuckle, apricots
Palate:
Pear, lemon, pineapple, melon rind, white pepper, fruit cocktail juice
Far. Niente still makes my favorite Chard anywhere. So many layer, so balanced, and great length on the finish.

4/26/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Blueberry, blackberry, sweet cocoa powder, sweet tobacco, cloves, nutmeg
Palate:
Dry cigar box, dried herbs, blackberry, milk chocolate, mint

5/18/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Cherry, coffee, chocolate, leather, cedar
Palate:
Milk chocolate, cherry, dried soil, spearmint

4/28/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Dry tobacco, roasted meats, chocolate, coffee, kernel aromas, cola, mint.
Palate:
Loads of smoked meats, coffee grounds, black licorice, and dark chocolate.
I decanted this the first day and left it in the bottle for two more days, so this is a day 3 review. It need d a lot of time to open up. This would be the perfect barbecue wine. It's all savory and very little fruit. But it has to be decanted. It's almost undrinkable on opening.

5/20/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Cranberry, dried cherries, blackberry, coffee, sweet cigar box, eucalyptus
Palate:
Cranberry, chocolate, brandied cherries, cedar, cured meats
Awesome Syrah

7/4/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Let it decant for 2 hours before lunch
Nose: dry nose, but a surprising amount of fruit. Blackberries, cassis, bramble raspberries. Fried, sweet tobacco, very muted spearmint, maybe a little sage.
Palate: Rich blackberry, cassis, bramble berry, dried herbs.
Excellent cab, but somewhat overpriced. It was a club shipment so I didn't get to choose. I'd say it's a solid $80 Cab.

7/26/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

This was an interesting Pinot. It had the boldness that I've come to love from RRV Pinots while still providing rich layers of aromas and flavors. The odd thing is that, as I was writing out what I was getting out of the glass, I realized the individual notes it was hitting started sounding more like a Cab than a Pinot, though it it didn't actually stray into overly extracted territory or anything like that.

Nose:
Brandied cherries, red currants, strawberries and balsamic, sweet tobacco, rich/dark/moist earth, boysenberries, mint.

Palate: Strawberries and balsamic, mint, sweet cherries. A little more brooding on the palate than the nose.

5/14/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Creamy blackberry, baked cherry pie, milk chocolate, sweet leather, violets

Palate:
Brandies cherries, dried sage, mint, dried leather (in contrast to the nose), tea, white pepper, and coffee grounds.
This is a good wine and I give it a 91 but I wouldn't hold onto it much longer.

4/29/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Juicy yellow Apple, melon rind, pineapple and tropical melon

Palate:
Golden delicious apple, lush melon skin, Meyer lemon, butter.

A bold, tropical Chardonnay.

4/22/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

A beautiful straw gold.

Nose:
Rich stone fruit, lemon, clear signs of MLF, lemon/lime soda, oak.

Palate:
Buttered popcorn, tangerine, sweet lemon, lime zest, pear, and a hint of oak.

I dare say this competes with Far Niente's flagship Chardonnay and it's well worth the price.

4/29/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Blue fruit, blackberry, cassis, sweet tobacco, cedar

Palate:
Blackberries and cream, dried herbs, tobacco, and chocolate

Had to decant it overnight for it to open

4/28/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Dry tobacco, roasted meats, chocolate, coffee, kernel aromas, cola, mint.

Palate:
Loads of smoked meats, coffee grounds, and dark chocolate.

I decanted this the first day and left it in the bottle for two more days, so this is a day 3 review. It need d a lot of time to open up. This would be the perfect barbecue wine. It's all savory and very little fruit. But it has to be decanted. It's almost undrinkable on opening.

4/6/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Loads of melon rind and yellow apple

Palate:
Melon, yellow apple, lemon curd, lime zest

There's nothing wrong but it's not memorable. Got it as part of a club shipment. Might buy it at $25 but probably not.

4/18/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

I will say this was infanticide. I have a few other bottles and will let them sit at least a few more years.

Nose:
Raspberry, smoked meats, dried herbs

Palate:
Smoked meats, grilled meats, wild raspberries, sweet tobacco, dried herbs

4/16/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

I think 92-93 is a proper rating for this wine. I prefer the 2009, but this is close behind.

Nose: Rich blackberries and cream, light mint, sweet leather, baked cherries, baking spices, chocolate, smoked meats

Palate:
Blackberries, raspberries, cedar, dried herbs, vanilla, chocolate, wet/dark earth.

Decanted for several hours, then put it back in the bottle until the next day. It needed that time to open up properly. Was not goo on pop and pour at all but was excellent the next day.

4/5/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: rich raspberries, brandied cherries, mulling spices, milk chocolate, and smoked meats.

Palate: silly smooth texture, unbelievably layered and integrated, blackberry, black cherry, cedar, tea, cola.

This is what wine should taste like. If I wanted to convince someone who didn't like wine that they were wrong, this is the bottle I would open.

One VERY important note. I double decanted this overnight. Tasted on opening it and it was hot and a bit pungent. After decanting then rebottling and waiting 24 hours this is a completely different wine.

3/31/2017 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Milk chocolate, rich blackberries, black cherries, cassis, dry leather, and cured meats

Palate:
Coffee, cigar box, spearmint, tea leaves
Awesome Cab. Reminded me why I love Darms Lane so much. Classic, bold Napa Cab.

11/21/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: sweet lemon juice, wet limestone, a little lyche, underripe pear, and pineapple

Palate: candied lemon peel, lime zest, melon, vanilla, mild toast, a tiny hint of orange zest, pineapple, and a beautiful minerality.

12/1/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose:
Cigar box, brambly blackberries, cedar, black currant, dark chocolate

Palate:
Blackberry, raspberry, soft leather, sweet tobacco, cedar, vanilla

12/24/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: When first opened, this exhibited an light, almost French funk that mostly blew off after an hour or so. Cranberry, strawberry, and maybe a little blueberry. Sweet cedar, tea, and clove.

Palate: if I could only use one word for this PN it would be "creamy". The texture is beautiful. Cranberry, strawberry, and tangy raspberry with a bit of cigar box.

12/24/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: Black currant, tons of eucalyptus, leather

Palate: Black currant, blackberry, tobacco, old leather

12/24/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: Black currant, tons of eucalyptus, leather

Palate: Black currant, blackberry, tobacco, old leather

1/11/2016 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: Black currant, coffee, chocolate covered blueberries

Palate: black currant, moist soil, rich milk chocolate, cedar, light mint

5/13/2016 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: Smoky raspberry, dried tobacco, dried leaves

Palate: A bit of French funk, raspberries, cigar box

3/3/2016 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: deep raspberry, bramble berry, and a mild, sweet cigar box

Palate: Black raspberry, wet leather, dried herb, wet earth.

3/4/2016 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: Stay with me here but my first thought was "chocolate covered marshmallow". Also, blackberry, raspberry, dark/dry earth,

Palate: Wild blackberry, black raspberry, leather, cream.

3/5/2016 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: underripe strawberries, very light vegetal, pine needles, and canned cherry pie filling.

Palate: tart cherries, blueberries, tea

A very enjoyable Pinot, though I enjoyed it much more a year and a half ago when I bought it. I'd say it drinks like a $45-50 Pinot.

3/13/2016 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: black currant, milk chocolate, blackberries, sweet leather.

Palate: black currant, blackberries, light spearmint, leather

Honestly this is one of the best cabs I've had in a very long time. $85 is a steep price but I'd pay it again in a heartbeat. Big, bold, and beautiful.

3/24/2016 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: brambly raspberry, old leather (think 100 year old study with leather chairs), and a funk that I actually enjoy.

Palate: dry cigar, wild blackberry, just a hint of spearmint, old leather.

Reminded me why I love Bell wines, and why their Syrah is my favorite.

4/1/2016 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: Black berries and cream, milk chocolate, raspberries. Very fruity on the nose with little in the way of earthy or leathery tones.

Palate: Blackberries, Brambleberries, wet leather, and a beautiful creaminess.

4/3/2016 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: Rich Bing cherries, milk chocolate, sweet mint, sweet leather, smoked meats,

Palate: Bing cherries, black cherries, moist cigar box

Notes:
Once again proving why this is not only one of my favorite Pinots, but one of my favorite wines.

4/7/2016 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: pineapple, banana, lemon peel, vanilla
Palate: pineapple, banana, lemon curd

4/23/2016 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: creamy blackberries, strawberries and balsamic, cigar box

Palate: spicy blackberries, dried herbs, spearmint, cedar, fresh vanilla

11/7/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

Incredibly body, concentration, and complexity. Layer upon layer of honeyed apricots, peaches, and pears.

10/10/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

Appearance: Deep golden color, but I think less from age and more from RS.

Nose: Significant honey and apricots, pear, apple cider, candied pineapple

Palate: Honey, caramelized Banana (not on the nose but prominent on the palate), pineapple, rich apricots.

Heavy body, deliciously smooth and creamy.

8/5/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: Lemon, flint, limestone, tons of stone fruit

Palate: Flinty lemon, limestone

Excellent expression of a Chablis

7/27/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

2011 Silverado Fantasia
$47 from the winery
60% Sangiovese / 40% Cab Sauv

Nose:
Sage, Truffle, dark chocolate, blueberries, tobacco (neither sweet not dried but somewhere in between), chocolate-covered cherries

Palate:
A tiny bit of eucalyptus peeking through from the Cab, black tea, sage, cherries.

The fruit doesn't show as strongly on the palate as it does on the nose. The palate is more on the tea/herb side.

7/28/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

2011 Foxen
7200 Pajarito
53% Merlot / 47% Petite Verdot
$42 from the winery

Nose: Violets (PV), mint, leather, cedar, blueberry, mocha (as in a mocha latte), chocolate covered strawberry (any guesses on where this would come from?)

Palate: Mint, violets, blackberry, dried herbs

I liked this far better tonight than I did when I bought it at the winery. This was an incredibly aromatic wine - I assume due to the heavy use of Petite Verdot. Also, I enjoyed it better at room temperature than cellar temp. Usually as a wine warms down it tends to bring out astringencies. With this wine it seemed to bring out complexities.

8/2/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

2014 L'Aventure Rosé
$30 from the winery

37% Syrah
30% Mourvedre
19% Grenache
14% Petite Verdot

Nose: cranberries, watermelon, honeydew, pineapple, strong notes of limestone.

Palate: cranberries, strawberries, melon rind, peaches, tropical fruits

Still tied with Lamborn for my favorite Rosé and (I make this statement for John) a steal at $30. This is what rosés should aspire to be.

8/4/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: milk chocolate covered blueberries, eucalyptus, sweet tobacco, light roast coffee, and dark sweet cherries

Palate: coffee, rich cherries, cigar box, lots of eucalyptus.

Got some for $20 on WTSO and I have to say it was a complete steal at that price. Even at $35 it's well worth it.

7/19/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: Light petrol, lemon curd, lime zest
Palate: Lemon, apricot, pear, melon rind

7/19/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: black pepper, deep/rich smoky blackberry, dark chocolate

Palate: Brambly blackberries, dark chocolate, espresso, black pepper, leather.

7/19/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: Blackberries and cream, cola, and black pepper.

Palate: Tart blackberries, spicy raspberries, and a long finish.

7/19/2015 - kylerogers wrote:

Nose: cassis, dried herbs (couldn't pin one down), a little red licorice, slight mint, baking spices, baguette crust.

Palate: cassis, fennel, cinnamon, black licorice.

Grilled a dry-aged ribeye with this.