4/5/2024 - Sourdough wrote:

Bought a glass at a motel. Rather generic. Modest nose. Somewhat fruity palate. Short finish. Pleasant. But nothing special though I can see some palates finding it significantly more interesting and higher rated.

4/2/2024 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Decent and okay for the price. Relatively monolithic and short on nuance. But pleasant and a decent mixer. Lack complexity and character.

3/30/2024 - Sourdough wrote:

Decent QPR but directionally an awkward, gangly wine that has some elbows and knees creating dissonance. Clean color. Nice nose. About tart, but grassiness and cat pee are subdued. Better on warm side than cold. Decent, long finish. Six months to a year may make this much better once the acidity mellows a bit.

3/23/2024 - Sourdough wrote:

Seriously grassy, industrial profile. Worked better with food than by itself.

3/17/2024 - Sourdough wrote:

Pretty nose. Delightfully old world. Still quite young. Oak is still pretty prominent. First bottle of a case. Open next bottle in 4 or 5 years.

3/12/2024 - Sourdough wrote:

Clean straw color. Decent but nondescript nose. Very neutral on the tongue and missing acidity. Short finish. Okay but inferior to some similarly priced bottles.

3/12/2024 - Sourdough wrote:

Very dark - almost black. Nose is reasonable but lacking personality. Inthe mouth Ifind it very generic and arguably short of acidity. Short finish. Very one dimensional an plain with no significant flaws.

3/1/2024 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Very interesting white that deserves a much bigger fan base. Very good it’s shrimp.

2/24/2024 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Brought to a Burgundy dinner by a guest who bought it at the winery last week in Beajolais. A big surprise. Very good, slightly soft sparkler with a definite Blanc de Noir profile reminiscent of better Burgundian BdN Cremants. Somewhat simple in profile but a touch of rustic character gave it interest. A real treat to have a sparkling Gamay/Beaujolais. A lifer.

2/1/2024 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Had at a fishing lodge. Good general purpose red. Great QPR.

1/29/2024 - Sourdough wrote:

Had at a fishing lodge. Did not expect much and this exceeded that expectation. Nothing special in any way but pleasant.

1/21/2024 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Very shut down at this point. Nice, but hard to evaluate.

1/19/2024 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

From memory. A very interesting and heavy rose. One winemaker I know defines rose wines as lacking structural tannins. By that definition I would say this is (barely) a red instead of a rose. But that makes it very versatile. Had it with pasta with chicken, Italian sausage, and peppers. Pretty good QPR at retail prices

1/14/2024 - Sourdough wrote:

A very interesting white made from Sangiovese. Similar in some respects to Pinot Blanc but more rustic. Very interesting!

1/13/2024 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Nice Albario. Heavier than most I have had. Interestingleach/tropical fruit profile. Good acidity. Has a bitter streak. May benefit from some bottle time to meld more.

1/12/2024 - Sourdough wrote:

Dark yellow. Relatively full bodied, rich but totally dry Riesling.

1/11/2024 - Sourdough wrote:

Ordered at a restaurant. Decent SB. Not special but not disappointing either. None of the edginess of SB that shows up in NZ. Pretty much down the middle of expectations. Pretty mellow.

1/7/2024 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Very pale. Gorgeous nose. Pure Kelley! Feminine, nuanced, complex. A lovely light to medium light PN. Near perfect!

1/6/2024 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Gave a 3 hr slow ox. Initially nice nose but a bit tight and a touch bitter at 2 hours. At 5i it had opened and softened somewhat. Very dark, deep garnet color. Lovely nose. Rather young but drinking nicely. Very appealing.

1/4/2024 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

In a really lovely place. Everything is perfectly integrated. Rich, big flavor profile built around blue fruit with a touch of saddle leather. Only a hint of rocks remain. Has gentle but important acidity. Long, smooth, and slowly evolving fish. Very good.

12/15/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Damn near perfect. Lovely nose. Beautifully integrated. Rocky personna though subdued somewhat. Blood, meat, slight bitterness. Good finish. Wish I had more!

12/9/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Clear, medium straw color. Peachy, apricot, honey nose. Similar flavors. This is IMO really good. This really pushes my buttons. I could rate it higher. Nice finish.

12/2/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Two hour slow ox. Very dark purple with a very narrow rim. Long legs. Lovely nose dominated by black fruit over oak. In the mouth it is very dry and slightly astringent. Dark fruit dominates on the front end and on the finish with unresolved oak inthe middle. Long finish. Impressive and appealing but very young and to my palate overextracted and lacking subtlety. However, it is a very well made wine which will no doubt improve. I would hold.

11/21/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

First bottle of 9! 2 hour slow ox. Relatively pale. Earthy nose. At 2 hours somewhat subdued. At 4 1/2 hours, in lovely form. A somewhat schizofrenic, contradictory wine. Pale,yet full bodied. Deep and earthy,yet elegant. Young and vibrant, yet mostly integrated. Lomg finish. Drinking nicely but will get better I think.

11/19/2023 - Sourdough wrote:

Drinkable and reasonably pleasant. Not as indusrial as some.

11/18/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Slow ox for 3 hours which seems about right. Moderate color. Lovely earthy Sangiovese nose. Some cherry but earthy, darker flavors dominate. Big. Structured. Long finish. Young. Will get better but very pleasant now.

11/11/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Very pale. Appealing slightly reductive nose. Two years since my last bottle has eased this into a more mature and integrated phase. Drinking very nicely. Subdued red fruit profile dominated by cherry and raspberry. Relatively old world profile. Smooth! Long.finish.

10/31/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Rather dark color. Moderate effervescence. Nice yeasty nose. Relatively full bodied. Very pleasant.

10/24/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Medium straw color. Nose of flowers. Melon, and nuts. Big but somewhat neutral melon dominated in the mouth. Fair acidity. Decent daily drinker

10/28/2023 - Sourdough wrote:

Slight funk on opening. Nice, clear, straw color. Melon dominates both nose and mouth. Strikes me as somewhat flabby. Disappointing for Elk Cove.

10/22/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

This is one of the most interesting reds and challenges to rate thatI have experienced in some time. The wine is often described as a blend of Bordeaux varietals - implying a Bordeaux blend of some kind. And this vintage does have Cab Sauvignon and Merlot - but only at 56% and 11% respectively. The remainder is Zinfandel (19%) and Pinot Gris (14%). The overall effect is delicious but hardly Bordeaux-like. Abbreviated maceration, nonstandard grapes, and low alcohol (12.5%) give this a light, fresh profile that is quite different - and more Pinot-like than Bordeaux IMO. Color is pale purple with a moderately wide, claret rim. Nose is a touch schitzoid between heavier cab undertones and the light freshness and nose of Pinot Gris. In the mouth the schizoid polarized flavors continue and combine with good acidity to almost dance in the mouth. It is fruity but not at all jammy. It is lively, refreshing, and versatile. No doubt some will find this polarizing and respond negatively. But I really enjoyed it and consider its good value.

10/19/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Slow ox for two hours. Deep, dark ruby with a narrow pale rim. Big, lovely nose of red fruit and cherry with a touch of horse sweat, blood, guts, and black pepper. Huge, rich mouth feel. Long but relatively unvarying finish. Drinking brilliantly but I expect it to improve for 2 to 4 years.

10/14/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Very interesting. Deep, dark opaque color. Intriguing fruity nose. Huge mouth presence. Yet not very fruity in the mouth. Very interesting!

10/14/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Tasted at a private dinner. Not traditional Riesling but appealing and food friendly. Fuller bodied than traditional Riesling and a touch softer but nicely balanced acidity vs sugar. God with food.

10/9/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Seriously lovely. Kelley’s Freedom Hill PB is lovely but this is more floral and delicate, yet grounded on a richer, more seductive and nuanced base. Seriously good PB.

9/16/2023 - Sourdough wrote:

Bought as cooking wine. A good example of industrial winemaking. Sweetish. I am guessing 1.2 % or so residual sugar. Big fruity nose. Acidity is great for Koolaid but short for the sugar IMO. Directionally simple and lacking complexity. Short finish other than sweetness. Maybe the RS is higher than I think. Would make good mulled wine.

9/8/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

I don’t consider this particularly thin or dilute but this is definitely a “different” rose. Minimal fruitiness and very dry. Versatile with food. Appealing in a somewhat odd way. Not bad, but different

8/15/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Still drinking well IMO. Nice nose. Surprisingly dark garnet color. But cool year flavor profile combies with light extraction to yield a very nuanced wine. I found no bitterness in the finish. I think this will drink well for years.

8/14/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

I find this to be distinctly cool weather PN. Appealing, deep nose. Relatively dark color and deep flavors suggest extended extraction. As described elsewhere, intense plum dominates. It seems to be having a hard time coming together - a bit disjoint. Moderately long, tart finish.

8/6/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Good, solid, appealing Italian white. Medium to to full bodied with a subtle complexity and sophistication. Very food friendly and versatile like most Italian white wines

8/5/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

A Cremant de Bourgogne with a lot of personality. Bottle pressure is well below Champagne and this bottle was I think lower than most CdBs I have had. But once in the glass the nose is lovely with good yeast ones and green apple. In the mouth both continue along with a nice palate cleansing acidity. I consider this as good as any CdB I have had.

7/29/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Dark red/purple but with some transparency. Deep, dark nose. Rather interestingly, the cork shows almost no color. Very smooth in the mouth. Has the typical schizoid light/heavy split personality of Ripasso. Tasty!

7/27/2023 - Sourdough wrote:

Overall pleasant but nothing special. Slightly subdued, fruity nose. Smooth, somewhat but not overly fruity over a rather neutral base in the mouth. Most notable characteristic is probably its lack of personality. But nonetheless less pleasant..

7/22/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Solid Temp that compares well to most any. Big, slightly fruity. Modest oak. Very food friendly

7/15/2023 - Sourdough wrote:

ATA restaurant. Fit the food fairly well. Decent and pleasant but nothing special a verysimple Greco.

7/14/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Pretty lovely. Great hot westher white. Will be great with tapas.

7/4/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

Opened with a big, complex aroma with some funk and complexity. After a 2 hour slow ox it had settled down somewhat. By 4 hours it was declining so I suspect it was peaking or near a short term peak. I can see how some tasters would struggle with this wine and it’s reduced ripeness, lower intervention character but for me that allows its complexity to shine. And for it to have both old and new world character.

7/2/2023 - Sourdough Does not like this wine:

First bottle of two bought as an exploratory purchase. This bottle was almost flat suggesting a bad cork/bottle. Flavors were a bit odd but no distinctly flawed flavors were present. But the balance was totally disjoint and unappealing. I will revisit this review when I open the second bottle. A nice dose of Cassis made it tolerable.

6/27/2023 - Sourdough wrote:

While Ido not generally consider Donnachiara’s Fiano to be as interesting and sophisticated as their Greco di Tufos, this is a very nice wine thatI find as appealing. Given the lower price I give it a higher QPR. Nice acidity. Good generic white wine persona. Honeysuckle. Nice!

6/25/2023 - Sourdough Likes this wine:

As I understand it this is a single vineyard Greco di Tufo with a year on the lees. While this seems more complex and somewhat”bigger” than the standard Donnachiara GdT I personally find it hard to suggest it is significantly better. Different more than better. Creamier,yeastier, and more sophisticated for sure but again not necessarily better. As a bad analogy, imagine a lovely, charming country girl dressed for a formal in a gown with her hair up.