12/5/2018 - xyzsch wrote:

Still very tannic with cherry, leather and aroma of ripe olives. This wine did not excite me. Maybe the tannins outlasting the fruit.

3/22/2015 - xyzsch wrote:

One of best chardonnay I've had. served with Alaska halibut, fall 2014.

3/22/2015 - xyzsch Likes this wine:

Served at private tasting in Portland. very nice wine.

3/22/2015 - xyzsch Likes this wine:

Best sparkling wine from CA I have had.

3/22/2015 - xyzsch wrote:

One of the best Cabernet I have had, at any price. Elegance and complexity of a good Bordeaux. Tasted last year. I would definitely buy this again. Much better than most overpriced CA Cabernets, and only $26..

3/22/2015 - xyzsch wrote:

Drank at Wine Storage of Denver tasting two years. Simple and boring. Not in same league as 90 Calon Segur I brought. Very overpriced.

3/22/2015 - xyzsch wrote:

Tasted this at a Cabernet tasting at Wine Storage of Denver two years ago. very disappointing. Simple and boring. Very overpriced. not in the same league as the 90 Calon Segur I brought.

3/22/2015 - xyzsch Likes this wine:

I remember this wine as one of the best Cabernet I have tasted. Tasted two years ago.

2/1/2014 - xyzsch Likes this wine:

I tasted this last month. A very new world style. Big ripe fruit. Hardly recognizable as Pinot Noir. More like a Merlot. Seems to be drinking nicely now. Quite a contrast to Shea's block 23 (also 2002) tasted last night. I will drink my other bottle in the next couple years. The suggested drinking dates shown on this website seem to underestimate the keeping ability of these two wines.

2/1/2014 - xyzsch wrote:

Very nice old wine. Burgundian nose of sour cherry and mint. Maybe a little past its prime, drying out a little, but fruit still there. A very light wine in an old world character, completely different than the block 32 I tried last month (same vintage and producer). That was a big, bruising new world Pinot Noir. It is interesting how different these two wines are. These wines seem to keep longer than the general consensus found on this website.

1/26/2014 - xyzsch wrote:

Nice wine. Nose of dark chocolate and tobacco. Very smooth with good acidity, with the richness found in CA wines. Not overdone or overripe like a lot of West Coast wines. Good with Wyoming pork ribs.

10/19/2013 - xyzsch wrote:

Nose of stewed prunes, raisins. Mid-flavors have simple fruit., Finish is coarse and bitter. it is starting to soften up with a couple hours, but I do not think this has much complexity. I would expect more for the price.

1/25/2013 - xyzsch wrote:

Tasted 1/25/13 A little flat. Nise of cherry and tobacco, as in a merlot. Seems simple, lacking acid balance. Still a lot of tannin.

1/23/2013 - xyzsch Likes this wine:

Nice wine. Served with barbecued ribs, swiss chard and fries. Went with spicy flavors. Very warm, California-like but with oak and tannin well integrated into wine. Not overdone with oak or fruit, like many CA wines.

4/14/2012 - xyzsch wrote:

Typical overblown CA wine. Just a bit of Cab franc character in nose, with a little bell pepper. Fruit and tannins overwhelm everything else. I am hoping it tones down overnight. Not much varietal character or complexity tonight.

4/14/2012 - xyzsch wrote:

Drank within last year. Very good producer of wel-balnced wines that are not overoaked.

4/13/2012 - xyzsch wrote:

I just finished my last bottle of this a couple of weeks ago. Good red fruits with toasted oak and good acid balance. Thiis a lovely wine with pork roast and sausage with smoked cheese (an original conconction of my wife).Wine Spectator panned this. That's reason enough to try it, as this wine is so un-California like (and un-Laube et. al) this winery is definitely onmy hit list, if I can find another six bottles.

4/13/2012 - xyzsch wrote:

I had this a few months ago. One of the better NZ Pinot producers. Alaso have a good Pinot Noir Rose. I wish I could find some more. Bought at the winery, but don't know when I will get back to NZ.

4/13/2012 - xyzsch wrote:

A little heavy on the palate. Not one of my favorite NZ Pinots.

4/13/2012 - xyzsch wrote:

I have to second the opinions expreesed here.This is a consistently good wine, with good Gewurz spice, a little residual sugar, but not off-putting. I have tasted three times in last couple of years. Very consistent.

4/13/2012 - xyzsch wrote:

I remember drinking this afew months back. A cheap CA Pinot of no distinction. Would not buy again.Tasted better from Fleur de CA or other similar priced wines.

4/13/2012 - xyzsch wrote:

Used 4/8/12. Very nice wine. Good toasted oak and red fruits. I would buy again.

1/8/2011 - xyzsch wrote:

Nice wine. Much better than bottle we tried last year. I have noticed considerable bottle variation with Chante Alouette in the past. When you get a good bottle, as this, it is very nice. Salty nose with spice, vanilla, and fresh hay. Mineral flavor, somewaht metallic, with smooth finish. Drink up. Served with rice, spinach, feta, black beans, and creamy caesar dressing over pita. The wine really works with this dish.

1/7/2011 - xyzsch wrote:

Nice nose of smoke, leather, and bacon fat. Light tannins surround light, cherry flavors. Finishes very smooth. Wonderful example of what Finger Lakes can do with a CF-Merlot blend in a ripe year, ie. two or three times per decade. A refreshing change from the typical CA raisin bomb. A bit pricey, but in this case, I think worth it. Not for CA wine lovers, or followers of the Wine Spectator. Note that cool climate wines age quite well. This is at its peak.

10/9/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Anther overaoaked Chardonnay from CA. A creamy oak with some pleasant light toast. There is just too much of it. It seems young.,Maybe a few days in the frig, it will open up, but I doubt it. If you like in your face creamy oak monsters, this is the wine for you.

9/28/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

When first opened it was very dumb, dominated by wood and dry tannins. Noticeably improved tasting a few days later. Ripe plum flavors had revealed. Rather light and hollow middle, the weight of a pasta red, rather than a Syrah. Good with Lasagna. Hold for a couple of years or decant for several hours.

Sorry. This was the Merlot, not the Syrah, as I had previously posted. Inexpensive wine without a lot of distinctive varietal character, but a good quaffer with pasta.

9/28/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

When first opened it was very dumb, dominated by wood and dry tannins. Noticeably improved tasting a few days later. Ripe plum flavors had revealed. Rather light and hollow middle, the weight of a pasta red, rather than a Syrah. Good with Lasagna. Hold for a couple of years or decant for several hours.

9/28/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Tasted this a few weeks ago. Nice wine with complexity not usualy found in CA wines. Well balanced with lots of secondary flavors. This is worth twice what I paid for it. Bravo Randall Graham.

9/28/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Much nicer than previous bottle. Nose of fresh mint, white pepper, cloves and sour cherry. Red fruits dominated the palate with a long sour cherry finish. Drinking very nicely now.

9/9/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Cheap CA wine with raisiny, pruny nose. Plenty of fruit. Simple. Opened the Nuits St Georges Daniel Rion after this, and could see the profound difference in quality that a more upscale Pinot Noir makes. This wine is perfectly acceptable for a price, but a wine I'd tire of very quickly. Seemed to be OK as a marinade for antelope hamburger. Marinade gave the antelope meal richness, but better to use another wine for drinking.

9/9/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

This wine had an overprowering nose of vanilla and oak. Little flavor other than bitter oak. Flawed winemaking to my taste, but if you like this style, maybe you would rate it higher.

9/3/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Nose of honey and apricot,with mint and petrol in background. Definite botrytis. Served with baked pork chops with sweet ginger and mango sauce. A little sweet for meal, but not by much. Rich, oily, fatty wine which cuts through the ginger and pork. A nice mineral finish. The wine can carry through for dessert.

8/28/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

I detect a strong home perm smell her that the others did not. I must be sensitive to wht I think is mercaptans. Nose of fresh peaches and light fresh flavors. Almost soda pop, but delightful. Served with peaches and strawberries. A nice break from heavy alcohic dessert wine--- only 6% alcohol.

8/27/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Nose of violets, white pepper and fresh cream. Secondary nose of saddle leather.Smooth mid-flavors of sour cherry with a slightly bitter finish. Lovely accompaniment with elk steak and potatoes. With time, bouquet revals mint, cherry and spice. Very high acis wine that works well with food.

8/27/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

I drank three bottles of this wine this summer, and they are definitely not on thier last legs. All these wines had nice oily flavors of a mature Rhine wine. But this wine could last a few more years.

8/25/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Fruit bomb. Hot. Uninteresting. This embodies everything I dislike about CA wines. Only pleasant because it has so much ripe fruit.

8/25/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Still drinking nicely

8/25/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Nice, crisp sparkling wine.

5/12/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Sweet fruit and fresh cream on nose, ending with white pepper. Very sweet flavors with dark tannins. Good vanilla in background. A definite new world style, but one I like. Wonderful with antelope burgers on a cold, snowy day.

It's good that it's been such a cold spring that the trees are just barely leafing out, so no damage from this storm. It allows us to enjoy some morehearty reds.

Eat your heart out, poor unfortunates who live in warm climates.

5/12/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

This wine has big fruit, almost candied with lots of tannin. Dark puple color. If you like an over the top wine, this is for you. Tasted one week after opening, and hasn't changed much. Still very inky. Seems to work well with antelope burgers.

4/30/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Used spring 2010. Nice simple fortified wine in the style of Port.

4/30/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Nose of black currant, mint, oak and vanilla, and a hint of bell pepper. Light purple color. Typical cabernet flavors, with currant and red berries, but a distinct sourness comes through in the midflavors. Finishes with coarse tannins with insufficient fruits to stand up to the tannins. I do not think this will improve. Lovely components, but a little underripe. This would be a good wine for cooking, as the flavors are interesting.

4/25/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Very earthy, barnyardy nose. Rich spicy flavors with dark tannins. Nice now, but could use more time. Fatty texture in finish. Elegant. A little of an Old World character with the earthy, barnyard flavors, but the fruitiness of a New World wine.

4/25/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Deep spicy, blackberry noise with a hint of chocolate. Sweet blackberry flavors with plenty of oak and fatty texture to stand up to the fruit. This was served with Morrocan lamb, and also tried with a bit of chocolate. This is one of the few wines that I believe actually complements chocolate, but it would also be wonderful with grilled meats.

4/25/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Deep purple color. Rich, fatty texture and full-bodied with prune-like flavors. Very Californian.

4/25/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Nice wine. Sweet cherry flavors, with sweet tannins in finish. Still has some life left.

4/25/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Earthe, sweet cherry nose, with a little fresh hay. Sweet cherry flavors dominated by oak. Finishes rough and woody. Nice wine that could be a little more revealing in the fruit.

3/19/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Nose of stewed fruit, with a little bacon and leather. Sweet flavors of roasted red fruits with good acid balance. An eathy character very often lacking in OR Pinot Noir. No decanting needed for this wine.

3/13/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Nice musty, green apple nose. Flavors quite light. The antithesis of an oaky, buttery chardonnay. Worked nicely with chicken cordon bleu. I liked this, but maybe in a lighter, greener style than many would like. This is definitely drinking well now, and does not show evidence of fading. Litlle changed the second night. Maybe the year, but seems to have the body of a Riesling rather than a chardonnay.

3/13/2010 - xyzsch wrote:

Recalling from memory last week. Fairly oaky, buttery wine, with spicy flavors, that unlike many of the CA breed, really works. Sweet fruit stands up to the oak, so this is not just another typical overoaked CA chardonnay.