1/10/2014 - VintageSully wrote:

At a scant $11/bottle, this Petite Sirah is a really nice QPR.

Softer than a typical PS, but very fruit-forward with gobs of cherry jam and blueberry, accented by black pepper, jerky and wood. The tannins are firm but fairly balanced and the finish is fairly long.

A nice food wine that works quite well as a compliment to gamey or spicy meats.

3/2/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

A solid, if uninspired, effort.

Garnet/Ruby in color with aromas of strawberry, raisin and cassis. Medium-bodied and fruit forward, showing flavors of red and blue fruit with that typical raisiny Paso Robles accent and a touch of vanilla. There was also an earthy (almost dirty) component that kept popping up to say hello that I found to be a little out of place. The finish was somewhat short and a touch hot.

I am usually a fan of Justin Cab and find it to be a solid QPR, but this, in my opinion, was not the vineyard's best expression.

1/5/2014 - VintageSully Likes this wine:

A terrific, elegant Chablis.

Pale golden in color, with a nose of honey, lemon zest and sea stone. Light-to-medium-bodied, with flavors of grapefruit, lemon and strong minerality with a touch of butterscotch and pear. The acidity level is high driving into a dust dry finish that is quite long. This is crisp, clean and very well made.

3/1/2013 - VintageSully Likes this wine:

Deep garnet in color and a terrific nose of smokey olives and black cherries. On the palate, this is medium bodied with flavors of cranberry, raspberry tart, crushed rock and spice. The tannins are grippy and somewhat astringent that will need some time to smooth out and the finish is nice and long. A very nice Rioja and a superb QPR at under $20/bottle.

1/5/2014 - VintageSully wrote:

On its own, this is simplistic, run-of-the-mill, and not something I would choose when looking for a good everyday sparkler. However, I did find this worked surprisingly well in Mimosas, where the crisp effervescence and dryness were a nice compliment to the sweetness of orange and peach juice.

1/4/2014 - VintageSully wrote:

Drinking very well right now. Rich and rather savory for a Merlot, this has a pleasing palate of smokey molasses, black cherry and vanilla oak. Noticeable bricking on this 10 year-old Merlot, but the tannins are still firm and the finish is surprisingly long. This still has some good life left.

3/26/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Not nearly as good as the 2008.

This had some nice dark fruit and a long earthy finish, but it was overpowered by the alcohol which put off a lot of heat. In addition, there was a musty spice component surrounding the oak that was a little jarring. Firm tannins will likely hold this together while it develops which could help work out the kinks, but for now this one was a disappointment after the terrific 08.

1/3/2014 - VintageSully wrote:

Elegant, velvety and a bit thin, with flavors of wood smoke, earthy fruit, coffee and a touch of jerky. Medium-bodied, the weight was very much like a burgundy without the spice component and the finish was fairly long. Fully mature, the wine had noticeable bricking around the edges. No need to let this get any older so drink up.

1/3/2014 - VintageSully wrote:

Not sure if the wine is just going through a "dumb" phase (or just a bad bottle) but this was surprisingly backward and astringent compared to the previous bottles of this I have had. Nose was musty and smelled of damp earth and the fruit was almost completely overpowered by the tannins and heat. I am a big fan of Beringer KV and it is one of my "go to" everyday Cabs (as my previous notes on this wine should indicate), but I was seriously disappointed in this bottle. Hopefully, this is just a phase. Fingers crossed.

1/1/2014 - VintageSully Likes this wine:

Crisp, light and dry, with flavors of pear, lemon drop and grapefruit. Wonderful acidity, great effervescence and a long finish. This is a newborn and will need a few years to develop some of the tasty secondary characteristics the more mature Schramsberg blanc de blancs usually show (e.g., toasted bread and honey) but this is still a terrific sparking wine. Plus, at $35/bottle, I am not sure there is a better value at 2x the price.

1/1/2014 - VintageSully wrote:

Upon opening, the nose is musty with notes of damp wood and soil. On the palate, the typical, fruit- forward Grenache profile exposes itself in flavors of cranberry, sour strawberry and ground pepper, along with an atypical (for me) note of bitter vegetable and grass peeking out from the background. The tannins are soft, while the acidity is high and the short finish is a bit hot and a little jarring. Overall, this is not bad and it may improve given some time to soften the edges and come together. At the moment I just found it a little disjointed and unfinished.

12/31/2013 - VintageSully Likes this wine:

This Pinot-based sparkling wine has a nice golden color and a light floral and citrus nose. On the palate, the Pinot grape expresses itself with notes of raspberry and light spice, balanced alongside subtle flavors of citrus, cream soda and warm bread. The acidity comes through at the end and the finish is fairly long. At $32/bottle, this is an outstanding QPR and Schramsberg is quickly becoming a go to sparkling wine for me.

4/7/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

A decent/nice/okay/fine/drinkable/solid/pretty good/fairly enjoyable pinot...but nothing memorable, unique or game-changing.

Medium bodied with forward fruit expressing flavors of raspberry, cranberry and sour cherry, along with some oak and a slight earthy quality. Soft tannins, bright acidity and some spice lead into the medium finish. Overall, I enjoyed it but was still left slightly disappointed and wondering when I am going to come across that life-changing + affordable example of the pinot noir grape.

10/25/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Tasted at winery. Full-bodied, with plum, prune and stewed cherry flavors, along with hints of wood smoke, dried herbs and flowers. Young and tannic with a touch of heat on the finish. A nice Napa cab, but there are much better examples at this price point and below.

12/30/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

A very approachable Italian Cannonau. Ruby red, with strawberries and sour cherries dominating the flavor, accented by hints of rose petals and less spice than you typically find in Grenache. The lack of pepper and the soft tannins add a kind of sweetness to the wine. This finish os short and there is not a whole lot of complexity. Still, this is drinking well now and is a nice QPR.

3/10/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Dark cherry, anise, and beef jerky with some earthy notes on the mid-palate. Medium-bodied and rather tannic which overpowers the fruit flavors somewhat. The finish is a touch hot and a bit astringent. Not bad, but not the QPR gem I was hoping it would be.

3/15/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

A decent, but unremarkable Oregon Pinot. Blackberry and bramble coated in pepper, minerals and soil component. Tannins are mild and the finish is somewhat muted. Nothing wrong with this Pinot, just nothing that makes this stand out from the crowd.

10/25/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Tasted at winery. Lemon zest and orange blossom, with hints of pear, wet stone and oak. Fairly crisp with high acidity leading to a medium finish that has just a touch of heat. Far Niente's chardonnay's are built for aging so this will likely improve with time in the cellar. Still, a solid chardonnay for those that do not like their chards creamy from malolactic fermentation.

12/29/2013 - VintageSully Likes this wine:

The nose is floral and tropical with aromas of mango, papaya and pineapple. On the palate, this is both crisp and slightly creamy, with flavors of apple, pear and citrus coated with honey and vanilla bean. The finish is acidic and and fairly long. At under $15/bottle, this is a superb value.

12/28/2013 - VintageSully Likes this wine:

A terrific and tasty Rhone-style blend by Tablas Creek. Made up of 45% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, 21% Syrah, 4% Counoise, this baby oozes big fruit flavors of strawberry and sour cherry, coated in anise and pepper and garnished with hints of wood, fig and earth. Light weight but with a big mouthfeel and nicely balanced acidity leading into a long finish. 91 is probably a bit conservative and I may have to revise my rating upward in the future. This should continue to improve for years to come.

12/27/2013 - VintageSully Likes this wine:

My first experience with this unusual grape and I must say I enjoyed my encounter. Medium-bodied and very fruit forward, with raspberry and cranberries and just a hint of toast. This wine is a highly acidic, almost like a rhone, and there are almost no tannins to speak of. Not sure how well this will age, but it is certainly drinking very well right now and has been a crowd pleaser among our friends. At $35/bottle, this is certainly worth a try if you are looking to try something new.

12/27/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Medium-bodied, silky and well integrated. Nose is earthy with hints of raspberry jam. After some time in the glass this opens into expressions of cherry and blackcurrant, accented by tobacco, licorice and a touch of herbs. Tannins are firm but in balance, and the finish is medium to medium long.

12/26/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Citrus, pear and crushed flowers on the nose. Honey, lemon drop and hints of apricot and butter on the palate. The finish is salty, acidic and medium-long. Fairly big mouthfeel while maintaining a light weight, the creamy and crisp balance nicely. Overall, I really enjoyed the various components, but somehow the sum of the parts left me liking, but not loving it.

12/24/2013 - VintageSully Likes this wine:

Absolutely delicious...flavors of baked apple, fresh bread, and pears dipped in vanilla. The creamy sweetness is balanced nicely with some crisp acidity and notes of lemon on the finish. The mouthfeel rich, yet somehow also felt light due to the bubbles. Cremant's are not to everyone's taste, but I thought it was a wonderful change of pace to the brut champagne/sparkling wine we normally drink. Enjoyed it so much, I ordered another case for the cellar as soon as we finished this.

12/23/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Raspberry jam and smoke-infused pepper with soft tannins and a decent finish. A good, servicable pinot, but not expressing any nuances or secondary characteristics that would lead me to call this memorable. I found it similar to Bells Glos Meiomi (though at about 2x the price). Still looking for that Pinot Noir that will knock me off my feet.

12/22/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Nice old school chardonnay expressing notes of peach, pear and lemon meringue. Light oak adds a touch of honey creaminess to the mouthfeel that is balanced well by the mineral-driven acidity on the long finish. This got better and more complex as it sat in the glass and should be terrific with some additional time to come together.

12/20/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Upon opening, the nose displayed musty earth, wet stone and mocha. After a 45 minute decant (not long enough), the wine was bursting with dark fruit, chocolate and coffee with notes of star anise and bacon. Full-bodied and rich, with tannins that are firm but in check and a medium-long finish. This is still an infant and should integrate over the next few years and drink well for a decade or more. One of the best QPR in its group.

12/19/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

This Bordeaux-style blend from Washington is mostly Merlot and Cab Franc with some Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec to round out the offering. A nice balance of red and black fruit dusted with smokey chocolate and a bit of spice. The tannins are subtle and there is a bit of astringency on the finish (presumably from the Cab Franc). This should improve with a few years in the cellar.

12/18/2013 - VintageSully Likes this wine:

94 is probably a bit low for this sublime, unique wine. Even at this early age, the number and variety of flavors present is impressive. Plum, olive, licorice, artichoke, prune, brown sugar, espresso and pepper. Tannins are firm yet balanced and this baby will age effortlessly for many years. Made from 80% Aglianico and 20% Piedirosso, this Italian blend screams harmony, balance and uniqueness from the opening nose to the long, lingering finish.
It will severely test my willpower to avoid opening another bottle for a while.

12/18/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Upon opening the nose was musty, funky and very unappealing...given 60 minutes in the decanter this gave way to modest fruit, crushed rocks and sage...overall, drinkable but not something I would buy again. I have found that decent, drinkable pinots are not uncommon, However, truly superb, memorable ones are like four-leaf clovers...magic and rare. This was not one of the latter.

12/16/2013 - VintageSully Likes this wine:

Similar notes to previous bottle...Blue and blackberries, complimented with licorice, tea and tobacco, all wrapped up in a silky, smooth and mouth-filling body. This is still a youngster so the tannins are firm and there is a touch of heat on the finish, but this is still drinking well now and should only get better in 3-5 years.

12/17/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

This sauvignon blanc-based blend (70% SB, 20% Semillon, 7% Gewurztraminer, 3% Viognier) is crisp, with flavors of lemon peel, melon and orange blossum on the mid-palate. This finish is acidic and even a touch spicy, which is unsual for a white in my experience. This is certainly a nice change of pace from typical sauvignon blanc, and at $20/bottle is certainly worth trying for its relative uniqueness. That said, it wasn't something I loved or would likely buy again.

12/14/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Nowhere near as good as the last bottle. Highly tannic with strong alcohol that dries the mouth and overpowers the light fruit on the palate. Medium-bodied with hints of must and earthiness. Not happy with this one.

Follow up...let this sit in the cellar overnight and it did little to improve my earlier impression. Thin, tannic and disappointing.

12/14/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

The nose is pear, honey and touches of green apple. Similar flavors on the palate with a stronger percentage of apple and honey, along with hints of pear, peach and lemon. Comes across as a hybrid of thin dessert wine and a weak chardonnay. Little to no acid on the finish, but just enough to make the otherwise creamy mouthfeel seem disjointed. Overall, this was drinkable but a disappointment.

12/13/2013 - VintageSully Likes this wine:

Delicious Cab-Syrah blend. Medium to full-bodied, with dark, smokey fruit surrounded by mocha, vanilla and coffee bean. Tannins are firm but balanced and the finish is nice. Still a toddler and needs a good 60-90 minutes air to open, but the patience is well rewarded. At under $40/bottle, this is a superb QPR and presents better than many bottles at twice this price.

12/11/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Blah, ho-hum and *yawn* boring...nothing exciting or even remotely interesting here. Weak fruit, single flavor profile and typical pinot spice. Not a bad bottle of wine, but certainly nothing that warrants consideration given the amount of quality competing pinots out there at this price point.

12/11/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

A nice Beaujolais made from 100% Gamay. Light, acidic with nice fruit and spice that is typical of the varietal. Tannins are virtually non-existent and it drinks easily. At under $16/bottle, it's a decent QPR, but it doesn't set itself apart from the competition. Best served slightly more chilled than your typical red.

12/7/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Decanted for 2 hrs before serving. Dark purple with a good nose of black and red fruit along with toasty oak. On the palate the fruit dominates with flavors of cherry, blackberry and pomegranate that only reluctantly give some stage time to hints or vanilla, fudge, and burnt toast. Medium to full-bodied with balanced tannins, this is a baby that needs a few more years in the cellar to come together. Not worth the $150 price tag, but still a really good bottle of juice.

12/5/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

I first had this at a Schramsberg tasting in Napa back in October and remember finding it OK, but very forgettable. Not so this time around. After a 60 minute decant, this was silky, smooth and harmonious, with notes of cherry, strawberry preserves, vanilla and cocoa. Medium-bodied, with tannins in check and a pleasant finish. Drinking very well right now.

12/4/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

A core of red and black fruits with accents of wood, soot and charred oak. Still young and the tannins are firm and need some additional cellar time to soften, but this is bursting with flavor. Finish has a touch of heat that I would like to see time cure. An outstanding wine that is going to be singing in about 5 years.

12/3/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Bold, concentrated flavors of black and blue fruit, tobacco leaf and vanilla, this is a luscious, full-bodied cab that is still very much in its infancy. Tannins are firm and the finish is long and a tad astringent, but time should soften this considerably. A fabulous expression of Howell Mountain wine.

12/3/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

A very nice Rhone blend that needs a long decant to show its true colors as the initial heat took some time to evaporate. Once this had a chance to breathe for a good 90 minutes, the wine exhibited big flavors of cranberries, pomegranate and raisin, alongside pepper, smoke and herbs. Medium-bodied (though definitely on the big side for a Rhone) with firm tannins and a long finish. I can see my rating improving significantly on the next bottle as I will give it a long decant before trying.

12/1/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Medium-bodied and quite tannic, this barolo expresses flavors of cranberries, strawberries, licorice and tobacco. Finish is tannic and there is a bit of heat. Definitely thinner than your fruit-forward Napa cabs, but there is a elegance to the wine that is appealing. It will be interesting to see if the fruit pushes through more as the tannins soften, but this is drnking just fine right now and went well with filet mignon.

11/30/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

One of the better sub $40 Napa cabs. Medium-bodied, with cherry, blackberry, pencil shavings and burnt toast. Firm tannins and some heat on the finish that will hopefully recede into the background over the next few years. A good everyday wine that has more character than many in this range.

11/30/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Terrific late harvest gewürztraminer. Thick, amber-colored and gushing rich flavors of apricot, pumpkin spice, honey and pear. I love sauternes, but this darker, slightly more spicy dessert wine is a nice change of pace. Plus, at under $25/bottle, this is an absolute steal for the money. Goes beautifully with pumpkin pie.

11/28/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Robust and full of flavor, this very young Napa cab has a lot going for it. Loads of black and red fruit, accented by smoky caramel and chocolate oak. Firm tannins are evident, but in balance given the depth of the flavors and there is a nice earthiness on the finish that hints at the complexity this should develop over time.

11/28/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Crisp, tart apples, lemon and tangerine, balanced nicely with some honey notes and a touch of toffee. A terrific sec vouvray that seemed more like a demi-sec given its sweetness level. I can't wait to see how this develops over the next few years.

11/27/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Rich and meaty, this exhibited huge notes of espresso, mocha and boysenberry alongside firm tannins that indicate this infant still has some time to go before maturity. This is a big wine that was still opening up 90 minutes after decanting so don't be in a rush to pop the cork on this one. An excellent Napa cab.

11/27/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

A solid effort and a decent QPR from Napa's favorite (and only) castle. Medium bodied, with good, upfront fruit, light oak and soft tannins, this is an easy drinker that should generally please the crowd but won't turn many heads in the process.

11/26/2013 - VintageSully wrote:

Pleasant balance between new world and old world Chardonnay. Layers of peach, honey and apricot with edges of oak and acidity that all co-exist nicely. Medium-bodied with firm structure that should allow this to evolve for the next 3 to 5 years.