3/2/2021 - joncohen wrote:

semi opaque garnet color, no discernible bricking, medium viscosity in the glass; on the nose there's cranberry, plum, but fruit doesn't hit you over the head, leather, a little oxidation but not terrible; on the palate black cherry, blueberry, with leather, smoke, tobacco elements emerging. great acid keeps things lively, fine tannins, medium/medium plus mouthfeel. prob a bit post-peak at this point, but less than I feared. still fresh. but I wouldn't let it go any longer.

2/9/2021 - joncohen wrote:

pale yellow, light medium viscosity; all grapefruit pith and granite on the nose; flavors of grapefruit, lime-aid, honeydew melon, lovely acid; nice fleshy mouthfeel w good minerality, slightly reductive. versatile food wine

12/25/2020 - joncohen wrote:

decanted for an hour before tasting. opaque blue purple color, medium plus viscosity, nose of dark fruit, cedar, lead pencil. on the palate: black cherry/blackberry fruit, black licorice, oak tar, leather. good acid, fine tannins have really come together. in a good place right now.

9/1/2020 - joncohen wrote:

opaque purple color, medium minus viscosity; nose of rose petals, thyme, meat, tar; on the palate cranberry/plum, forest floor, mint/eucalyptus note, smoke, tar. nicely resolved tannins, medium weight, great acid. perfect typicity. drinking beautifully right now, but wouldn't wait much longer.

6/2/2020 - joncohen wrote:

opaque red purple, medium plus weight; nose of forest floor, wet rock, plum, black cherry; on the palate nice black cherry fruit, well balanced by acid and minerality, leather, a little tannin, medium mouthfeel. drinks young for its chronological age, I imagine it will last a while, no rush to drink up the rest of the stash.

5/25/2020 - joncohen wrote:

opaque blue purple, medium weight in the glass; nose of raspberry, candied plum; on the palate starts out pretty sweet, vanilla; then blueberries, ripe plum fruit, finally more muted brambly elements. medium minus viscosity. would benefit from more acid to balance out the initial sweetness, less overt sweet fruit. not badly made, but quite new world for me.

4/28/2020 - joncohen wrote:

opaque red purple, medium plus weight in the glass; nose of barnyard, meat, olive, garrigue, red plum; palate of black cherry, black pepper, leather; fine tannins surprisingly prominent at this stage, good acidity, chewy mouthfeel. rustic, delicious. screaming out to be consumed at table.

4/22/2020 - joncohen wrote:

medium light weight in the glass, blue purple color; nose of blackberry, intense red fuit, floral notes, wet concrete, menthol; on the palate medium weight, fresh cranberry, classic Cab Franc green pepper present but doesn't hit you over the head, red fruit; big acid hit on the mid-palate, minerality for days, quite grippy; earth and pencil lead in the finish. great typicity, freshness, intensity; beautifully integrated, a wine of place.

3/18/2020 - joncohen wrote:

pale straw yellow, low viscosity; one the nose, pretty floral, pear, green apple notes, maybe a little lemon curd; no oak at all. on the palate: crisp pear, ginger, melon; nice acid, minerality, slight fleshiness in mouthfeel. great typicity, friendly for a wide range of foods. outta the park qpr.

7/31/2018 - joncohen wrote:

opaque purple color, medium plus viscosity; nose of red fruit and earth; initial flavors of blackberry, plum, with secondary notes of meat, garrigue, black olive. texture is plush, but good acid and minerality keeps things in balance. sappy, linear, focussed. good varietal typicity, great food wine. drinking really nicely right now.

7/1/2018 - joncohen wrote:

Amber yellow color, medium viscosity; aromas of beeswax, apple juice, quite oxidative; on the palate leads with honey and beeswax before acid emerges, almond, melon, sherry; more plush in the mouth than expected from visual appearance, but with enough acid to keep things lively and good minerality. Rich chenin style, oxidative character somehow works with the rest of the package.

4/14/2018 - joncohen wrote:

pale greenish gold color, medium minus viscosity; saline and lemon-zest on the nose; initial saline and lemon curd flavors, cut with bright granny smith apple acidity; lovely minerality; plusher mouth feel than expected. screaming out for food, nice low alcohol, linear, direct. delicious, out of the park qpr.

4/8/2018 - joncohen wrote:

as others have observed, my bottle exhibited distinct signs of secondary fermentation; thin, high acid, fizz, no structure to speak of. huge disappointment.

2/26/2018 - joncohen wrote:

opaque blue purple color, medium viscosity; initial barnyard funk, with blackberry/plum red fruit aromas, cedar, forest floor. big plum and blackberry flavors, with good acid, modest tannins, nice minerality. not fancy, but well balanced; focussed and linear. great monday night quaffer

12/18/2017 - joncohen wrote:

lovely garnet color, blue highlights, medium viscosity; aromas of blueberry, forest floor, menthol; nice plum, dark cherry fruit up front, good acid and v slight tannin, great minerality, well integrated, well balanced, medium minus weight in the mouth. sappy, linear, nice low alcohol, good typicity. solid Tuesday night pizza wine.

12/7/2017 - joncohen wrote:

inky, opaque purple blue, medium plus viscosity. initial aromas of blackberry, blueberry fruit, some alcohol heat, cedar and a subtle lilac note emerging; on the palate, hits you over the head with v ripe blackberry, kirsch, plum; there's fine tannin and acid, doing their best, but here overwhelmed by the sweet fruit and alcohol. I know some people go for this sort of thing, and to be fair it is a well made exemplar of its kind, but I find it out of balance, bombastic. not my thing.

8/13/2017 - joncohen wrote:

transparent, ruby red fading to brick at the edge; light viscosity in the glass; aromas of red and black cherry, cherry pits, almond, forest floor; on the palate opens with cranberry and dark cherry fruit, big bold acid, white pepper, leather, slightly bitterness emerging on the finish; fine but grippy tannins, good minerality. relatively light in the mouth. acid keeps things quite fresh and linear. unusual, a wine with a sense of place.

8/1/2017 - joncohen wrote:

opaque inky purple, medium plus viscosity in the glass; hits the nose with dusty red cherry, classic Cab Franc bell pepper notes; on the palate there's black cherry, earth, bell pepper, white pepper. fine tannins pretty well integrated by now, decent acid, surprisingly plush texture; perhaps slightly on the oxidized side (so drink up), but acid keeps it fresh and lively and well balanced. as others note, screaming out for food accompaniment. a wine of place.

6/27/2017 - joncohen wrote:

pale straw appearance, aromas of honeysuckle, green apple, v slight petrol; flavors of pear, limeade. a little minerality, but not quite enough acid to balance the sweetness, hence a bit on the flabby side. enjoyable on a warm summer evening, but not more than that. sweetness would be a good match for spicy food.

6/20/2017 - joncohen wrote:

Cork broke on extraction (over-eager application of a rabbit-style opener), but seemed mostly intact. Beautiful nose of violets and dark cherries, cedar; palate leads with dark cherry, vanilla, and leather. Acid is still there, tannins have softened nicely, nice silky texture. Don't think I've ever had a chianti this old, and this one definitely has some age on it, slightly oxidized, perhaps a little post-peak (so drink up remaining bottles), but still delicious.

6/16/2017 - joncohen wrote:

medium purple to pink color; medium plus viscosity; nose of blueberry, raspberry, leather; on the palate there's black raspberry, black olives, white pepper; surprisingly plush mouthfeel; well balanced acid. drinking beautifully right now, probably best to drink up now.

5/7/2017 - joncohen wrote:

nearly opaque red purple, medium viscosity; on the nose there's an initially off-putting barnyard funk (which thankfully began to blow off with time), dark cherry, plum, forest; on the palate leads with dark cherry fruit, balanced by good acid, minerality makes it seem more fresh and lithe in the mouth than expected. pure and linear, esp as the barnyard element starts to blow off. begging for food accompaniment. neither opulent nor life-changing, and certainly not an international-style-anywhere-nowhere wine, but a pure and honest vin de table with a strong sense of place.

2/20/2017 - joncohen wrote:

medium purple, slight pink bricking, medium viscosity; aromas of plum, leather, slight oxidative notes; plum/blueberry/black cherry fruit, cedar, cocoa, nice acid; initially plush mouthfeel becomes a bit more grippy as it fades to reveal modest tannins; nice long finish, wearing its 14% alcohol well, and holding together pretty well for its age. enjoyable even if somewhat post-peak, drink now.

11/27/2016 - joncohen wrote:

Dense blue-purple color, medium plus viscosity; blueberry, black currant, oak on the nose. On the palate, blueberry/blackberry fruit, black cherries, graphite, some oak; good acid and minerality, tannins still a little firm. Decent if not outstanding weeknight cab.

11/18/2016 - joncohen wrote:

over the hill, oxidized, bricking, down the drain.

11/12/2016 - joncohen wrote:

semi-transparent ruby red/purple, medium weight in the glass; aromas of plum, blueberry, wet clay, slight black licorice/herbal note; on the palate leads with plum and tart cherry fruit, set nicely against beautiful acid and mineral frame; nice low 13% alcohol. pure and sappy, alive, pulls you in for more. excellent typicity -- a real wine of place. meant to be consumed young, and with food.

11/5/2016 - joncohen wrote:

Pink purple color, medium viscosity; aromas of strawberry/raspberry, sandalwood; blue/red fruit, raspberry, good acid, nicely integrated, with no sharp edges anywhere; was looking for but failed to find the white pepper I remembered from tasting at the winery. Solid performer, would work well with a wide range of foods. Not more, not less.

8/26/2016 - joncohen wrote:

Nearly opaque ruby red, medium viscosity. Aromas of red/blue fruit, classic syrah blood/meat, a little clove and a high menthol note. Flavors echo the nose pretty closely: blueberry/plum fruit, followed by blood/meat, then leather and earth. Nice acid, well integrated and quite primary, not mussed up with wood or similar nonsense. Solid, honest stuff, nice low alcohol, crying out to be served with food.

7/26/2016 - joncohen wrote:

straw color with green-gold highlights, medium minus viscosity; nose of lemon curd, ginger, stone; little to no petrol. palate leads with lime, ginger, big slab of minerally granite that goes on and on. there's some sweetness, but balanced by searingly dry acid. bone dry, taut, linear, and straight up delicious. would be a phenomenal match for hard to match flavors (eg Szechuan spicy dishes), or for that matter a pretty wide range of food. but also drinks great on its own. the perfect answer to anyone who thinks CA Rieslings are too sweet.

7/14/2016 - joncohen wrote:

Dense purple w ruby red highlights, medium viscosity. Nose: red plum, blueberry, forest floor, leather, eucalyptus notes (is this last what other commentators took for anise? I don't get that). Palate: plum, dark cherry, balanced by a bold hit of acid, smokiness emerging over the long finish; fine tannins. Young, juicy, and informal though not simple or one-dimensional; perfect for a cool summer night.

6/16/2016 - joncohen wrote:

classic Napa cab. opaque purple-blue, medium plus viscosity. aromas of dark fruit, wet leaves, tobacco, oak; on the palate: red/blue fruit, cassis, black tea; tannins are fine and well-integrated, with a silky mouthfeel; fruit may be a little over the hill, but it's still drinking beautifully -- texture has really come together in a way you don't get from younger juice. it's good to be reminded why we lay bottles down.
that said, this isn't going to improve any more, and fruit is probably already post-apex; drink now.

6/10/2016 - joncohen wrote:

ruby red going to pink, quite translucent, medium minus viscosity in the glass; nose of strawberry, wet earth, leather; on the palate, blueberry, forest floor, big acid. mouthfeel a little more generous than expected, but still pretty light. interesting old world style from the new world, wears its alcohol well (I would have guessed lower than its 14.5%). drink now.

3/4/2016 - joncohen wrote:

Medium currant color, modest bricking; medium viscosity. Nose of dark cherry, leather, tobacco, and a surprising eucalyptus high note. Palate: dark cherry fruit, slightly oxidative; good acid and firm but not overwhelming tannins. Lovely place right now, still alive and bright, with acid and fruit in a good balance; but I wouldn't let it go much longer -- drink up.

2/13/2016 - joncohen wrote:

Pale straw color, light viscosity; aromas of lime, peach, jasmine; slate minerality with flavors of lime-aid, lemon curd, green apple, with honey sweetness/richness emerging in the finish. not getting the petrol others found despite a few years in the bottle; that notwithstanding, it's a beautifully balanced example of the knife-edge sweet/acid equipoise I love in Mosel Riesling. Linear, pure, and straight up delicious.

2/8/2016 - joncohen wrote:

Garnet going to pink, semi-transparent, medium viscosity. Nose of red fruit, clove. Palate: plum, dark cherry, with leather and forest floor. Good acid and minerality, medium tannins; pure, fresh, sappy, and quite primary -- the acid helps keep it fresh. Uncomplicated and enjoyable, great food wine.

1/5/2016 - joncohen wrote:

opaque black purple color, medium plus viscosity (or more); aromas of blueberry, brambly blackberry, cedar, subtle crushed green herbal note; on the palate it leads with dense black cherry/blackberry fruit, baking spices emerging, leather; surprisingly prominent tannin at this late date -- esp initially, but less so as it got some air. CdP-esque, but without syrah meaty elements. interesting and unusual rustic presentation, certainly keeps me coming back over a cold Tuesday night.

12/12/2015 - joncohen wrote:

Near opaque purple ruby, medium plus viscosity; aromas of blueberry and forest floor, a little vanilla; palate opens with plum, blueberry, blackberry fruit, balanced out by a darker tar/leather side that persists on and on. good acid and and well-integrated tannins; silky texture; without the tar/leather components the fruit would have been overbearing and flabby, but this strikes an interesting balance.

11/21/2015 - joncohen wrote:

Inky blue purple, medium plus viscosity; aromas of red fruit and blueberries, modest oak. Opens on the palate with blueberry and plum, a bit of brambly blackberry. Chewy tannins, decent acidity, and enough wood to balance out the package without hitting you over the head with it. Falls apart a bit on the finish, and there's nothing complex or profound here. Still, an inexpensive and varietally correct (if relatively simple) offering that will work well with a variety of foods so long as they're sufficiently assertive.

11/14/2015 - joncohen wrote:

Starbright medium ruby color, nearly opaque at the center all the way to colorless at the edge; medium viscosity. Nose of plummy red fruit, muted cranberry tones, forest floor, cigar box/cedar, and a high menthol note. On the palate there's plum, black cherries, and earth, with decently-integrated medium tannins, well-balanced acid; plush in texture. Perhaps not especially distinctive or complex, but a solid and pleasurable bottle with a sense of place, excellent typicity, and will work well with a range of food (and not costing an arm and a leg). A nice example of what's great about everyday Bordeaux.

11/4/2015 - joncohen wrote:

Opaque purple/maroon, medium plus viscosity, slight oil separation on the surface suggests it's unfiltered; aromas of rose petal, almond, stemmy (/whole cluster) elements, red fruit, baking spices; on the palate there's plum and black cherry (but not hitting you over the head with the fruit), the woody/stemmy flavor detected on the nose, and that characteristic Chianti leather flavor; slightly reductive, with good acid; medium tannins; quite rustic in texture. Old world and rustic presentation, enjoyable if not complex or refined.

10/28/2015 - joncohen wrote:

Opaque purple going to cranberry at the rim, medium viscosity. Initial floral aromas quickly give way to blackberry, slight menthol. On the palate leads with blueberry/blackberry, then earth and mocha emerge with a nice acidity in mid-palate, and ending with cigar box/tar flavors. Surprisingly rustic, with grippy tannins and maybe a hint oxidative, but nicely balancing the fruit against the acid. I'd say the tannins might soften over time, but given the oxidative quality probably better to drink now than hold. Rustic and masculine presentation calling out for grilled meat.

10/6/2015 - joncohen wrote:

corked.

10/1/2015 - joncohen wrote:

Pale golden color, medium minus viscosity. Initial aroma of pineapple, lemonade, followed by slightly reductive yeastiness, slate. On the palate there's tropical pineapple/guava, green apple, and slight salinity, with a big hit of acid and superb minerality. Light on its feet, linear, elegant, with just the right sweet/acid balance, low alcohol (12%). Lovely example of dry Loire Chenin, excellent typicity. The acid here would work well with a wide range of foods, though it's also nice alone as an aperitif.

9/16/2015 - joncohen wrote:

Opaque purple going to ruby pink at the edge, medium viscosity. Aromas of cranberry and black cherry, with plenty of loam and leather. Leads with plum and black cherry, with loads of acid, typical cab franc green pepper elements, and surprisingly grippy tannins at this late date. Sappy, primary, and bright. Improving as it breathes a bit, softening the acids and tannins. Despite the last remark, there's not enough fruit to make me think it will improve a lot from here; drink now.

9/13/2015 - joncohen wrote:

pale straw color, low viscosity. nose of petrol, clove, green apple. on the palate opens with honeysuckle and stone fruit; good minerality, but at this level of sugar needs more acid. ideally should walk the sweet/acid knife edge; this is far over that edge toward the sweet side, which makes it disappointingly flabby.

8/15/2015 - joncohen wrote:

Opaque purple color going to ruby at the rim, medium viscosity; aromas of red fruit, kirsch, modest oak; on the palate it leads with plummy red fruit, black pepper, vanilla; good minerality, though it would benefit from a bit more acidity. Tannins still a bit rough, would benefit from more time/air.

7/22/2015 - joncohen wrote:

Barely transparent starbright cranberry red, going to pink at the edge; medium viscosity. On the nose: dark cherries, cranberry, cola, pencil shavings. On the palate it leads with red fruit: plum, raspberry, blueberry pie filling, with a bit of forest floor. Good acid and v fine tannins, minerality; mouthfeel surprisingly plush for the varietal. Linear and pure, without the overwhelming strawberry and cola flavors I disfavor in many SB Pinots (particularly at modest price points). Great food wine -- bang on with the olive pizza I made, but it could work with a wide range of flavors. One of my favorite Pinots from the area, and drinking nicely right now.

6/9/2015 - joncohen wrote:

Pale straw color, medium minus viscosity in the glass. Aromas of honeysuckle, ginger, and apple. On the palate there's lemongrass, apricot, green apple, and a nice racy acidity; great mineral texture with more weight in the mouth than expected. Acidity makes this a versatile food wine, but also makes for a perfect summer sipper on a humid evening. Outstanding typicity and qpr.

6/2/2015 - joncohen wrote:

Garnet purple color, medium minus viscosity in the glass. On the nose: right up front there's blueberry, raspberry, with some forest floor/cedar elements. On the palate: leads with cranberry, blackberry, raspberry fruit, a little white pepper, with modest tannins but nice acid streak; light in the mouth. Surprisingly new world/fruit-driven style. Not complex or evolving, but enjoyable for its directness and simplicity -- perhaps one dimensional, but it's not a bad dimension for a Tuesday night.

5/6/2015 - joncohen wrote:

Deep maroon purple, pink at the edge, light viscosity in the glass. Unusually floral nose: crushed violet and lilac, and dark cherry/kirsch; with air olive and leathery elements emerge. On the palate it is less perfumed and more rustic: plum fruit, with some classic Rhone/syrah meat and olive flavors (but in smaller amounts than a CdR), and a good dose of tannin. Nice acid makes it a good (and flexible) partner for food. Refreshingly different, informal, and site-specific. Will keep in in mind for summer nights in the backyard.