12/27/2010 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Pretty much an identical experience and review as Tooch's on 9/11/2010.
Did work very nicely with the rack of lamb as expected.

11/17/2010 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Slight brett on the nose along with a touch of a maderized cherry with some tar and tobacco leaf. The mid-palate of this wine is completely lacking mainly showcasing high acid and a little heat from the alcohol. Very surprised by the reviews here and on WS. I don't sense this ever showing fruit as the wine is very light now and should be showing defined fruit. Not recommended.

8/15/2010 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Rich and decadent with nicely age softened tannins. The 2002's from Napa are all drinking wonderfully now and this is no exception. Blackberries with mocha and black licorice and now showing hints of the loamy, earthy Howell Mountain terroir, with a long and complex finish. Plenty of stuffing to hold several years longer but it's dynamite now.

3/20/2010 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Decanted for a half hour and finished over an hour.
Definitely a bit simpler, thinner and under-ripe than I would have expected from other bottles from Torii Mor. Showed a bit more rusticity and almost Burgundy dirtiness that I don't think was necessarily a positive. Very one dimensional with cherry and that loamy earthiness. I would expect better from both the producer and appellation. Not recommended.

2/16/2010 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Paired pefectly with a Lamb Ragu on Papardelle. Absolutely delicious together.

2/19/2010 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Pretty much past it's time unfortunately. Thinly one dimensional, and a bit dried up.

1/12/2010 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

The Cabernet Franc seems to have pulled back a bit both on the nose and palate since the last time I tasted it back in October of 2009. There is a little more blackberry and plum notes but it still leans heavily into nicotine and damp earth tones. Deeply colored and balanced tannins. Another couple of years should be optimum. Definitely splits the difference between the new world style (Napa cab) and Bordeaux.

10/28/2009 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

A touch of TCA taint didn't mar the enjoyment of this wine.
The Phillies owning the Yankess in Game One of the World Series probably added to the enjoyment!

9/22/2009 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Left bank Bordeaux drinking optimumly now.

9/30/2009 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Deep and dark mineral, tobacco and licorice frame some beautiful boysenberry and plum fruits. A nice dose of oak never impedes on the fruit and earth. Nice spiciness which is pretty typical for Monastrell. Very typical Jumilla style at a nice price. Nice packaging too never hurts. Should age nicely short-term as it opened up wonderfully the next day after being pumped.

Recommended.

9/25/2009 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Stinky and one dimensional beyond the stink.

Typical French Grenache with some spiciness and bright red fruits. A bit coarse and reduced as well.

8/11/2009 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Serious juice here.
Big, bold and concentrated.
Viscous texure but has great cut with marked acidity framing the apricot and honey notes.
Should age for decades. Will be looking for more of this.

8/11/2009 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Disappointing. Slightly effervescent and sweet without much acid backing.
Seemed very simple.

9/8/2009 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Drinkable but a bit harsh with little complexity.
I thought it may have been corked but didn;t show more TCA after being open for a day or two.

8/7/2009 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

A bit tart and dried out. Not much depth but certainly drinkable. Better with food but after pumping half the bottle for the next day, it was gone.

7/29/2009 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Exceptionally smooth and balanced especially after drinking the next day.
Much better than expected as a secondary blend of the Signature bottling.
Shows the ripeness and richness of the 2004 Napa vintage.

7/29/2009 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Rich and polished with less pepper than many comparable Syrah/Shiraz. Dark chocolate mixed with cherry licorice and scorched earth. Finished with a touch of Chipotle/Jalapeno. A few more years should be dynamite.

7/28/2009 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Definitely on the down slope.
Still shows a little black cherry but the tobacco and leather is taking over.
A bit light and lost from the acid and tannins disappearing.

Better with food and better after being open for several hours.

5/27/2009 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Definitely too young. The hot 2003 vintage gives a solid alcohol heat presence along with some coarse tannins. There are some floral and berry aromatics but the palate is very closed now. Even two days being opened didn't allow much depth to reveal. Medium bodied. Will wait another few years on the next bottles.

3/28/2009 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

I didn't enjoy this as much as I did last time. The oak was feeling a bit too forward and made the wine a bit disjointed. All the elements are there but it seems the oak took over right now.

3/27/2009 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Dark and brooding color but the nose shows richness of fig, meat and blueberry with a bit of pronounced toasted oak. the palate is front loaded with raspberries, espresso and ripe fig with a much less oak influence than the nose suggested. Medium tannins that are very fine so it drinks nicely now but will probably develop with a few more years in bottle. Hard not to drink up now.

12/30/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Right in the groove with supple tannins excellent balance and pure fruit and earth notes.

12/25/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Started out a it closed but opened beautifully to reveal chocolate, tobacco and plum. Nice dark tones and little brightness even though it is so young and the vintage usually pushes more red fruits. Well made. Should go well for 10 years.

12/25/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

too young, so it showing some sulfur notes.
Not as fleshy or opulent as previous vintages.
Needs time.

12/18/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Very closed on the nose with hints of mint and herbs (maybe a touch stemmy),
Palate shows a bit more with black licorice and currants.
I would imagine it will open up with several more years but the vineyard influence expected of Bordeaux is lacking.
Seems very one dimensional and could be from anywhere.
Much better '05's out there.

10/18/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Typical Rosenblum extraction with black ink color, some nail polish and intense bourbon aromas and elevated alcohol but being a petite sirah it all somehow worked in a sort of balance. I don't know if it settled down since last tried or if the hard ciders and barbecue ribs I had affected my palate in turn making it feel more balanced.

10/22/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Typical Chianti tart cherry with some earthy mustiness underneath. Tannins are a bit coarse though not too oppressive since the oak influence is very light if any. Definitely a wine to enjoy with tomato based sauces to lessen the acidity.

10/13/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Very young and needs some time to shed the tannin structure and allow the earth and plum aromatics to evolve.
Opened a bit after an hour but I bet it will be much more showy with a year or two and much more complex after that.

10/1/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Big, huge, jammy extracted style similar to venge's Scout's Honor. A bit rustic and super high in alcohohl but somehow holds everything together in a pseudo balance.

8/9/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Way too heavy handed on the oak and alcohol.
Very disappointing for this producer and vintage.

8/2/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Gorgeous balance of bright fruits, new oak and acidity. Excellent example of the Anderson Valley's ability to produce intense yet elegant Pinot Noir. I wish I had another bottle or two to wait a few years on.

8/3/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

A bit heavy on the charred oak but has excellent balance underneath of cherry, and dark fruits along with sharp acidity and fine yet firm tannins.

7/26/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

A little bit over the top and becomes a bit one dimensional. Big cooked and dried fruits with a touch of chocolate. A little heavy handed with oak and definitely profiles as a dry port. Might come around more with long term bottle age but I don't think there is enough intrigue underneath to reward. Tough call.

7/3/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

NOt as forward on the oak and alcohol as I remembered from earlier bottles. Still a bit hot but nice jammy fruits and a bit of spice underneath. Almost shows some zinfandel characteristics.

6/28/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Typical 2004 Napa Cab. Forward oak on the nose and a bit of heat as well.
On the palate it leans towards cedar and dark blackberries and plums. Tannins are ample but not too aggressive.
Opens nicely after an hour or so but i agree it would benefit from a few more years in bottle. Nothing extraordinary but a solid Napa cab for the price.

6/13/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Agreed completely with previous review. Nice bright black cherry fruits and some dusty earth and dried spices. Defintely a bit tannic right now along with a nice bit of acidity keeping it fresh but sets up well with heavier Italian dishes. Dark and deep but still balanced so additional bottle time will set it up well in 5-10 years. Recommended.

6/3/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Nice mid to full bodied RdD. A bit closed on the nose initially not showing much earth or spice beyond the simple blackberry. Palate showed more development and opened nicely after an hour or so. Vacuum pumped overnight showed even more complexity and softer tannins the following day. Definitely a good buy. Recommended.

6/3/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Initial VA aromas that lean towards balsamic vinegar. More fruit on the palate but very light bodied and simple with similar vinegar notes. Was better with pasta and tomato sauce but not recommended.

5/16/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Pretty straight forward Napa cab. Not great but not bad. Somewhat unremarkable. There is better out there for the price.

5/22/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

A solid easy to quaff rose. A nice bit of strawberry and a little tart acid on the finish keep it from cloying. Nice to enjoy in the summer with shellfish or even barbecued pork. Serve well chilled.

5/3/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Pretty nice for a Pinot Grigio which I am usually not a fan of. Solid fruit core with a nice bracing acidity and minimal oak. Refreshing and easy to like.

5/21/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

A typical jammy high oak, high extract Rosenblum Zin. A little more balanced than I ould imagine but still leans a bit into nail polish on the nose and dry cedary oak on the palate with sweet boysenberry jam. A little more finesse would have me score it higher but many will like this style.

5/14/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Perfectly matured and developed with soft tannins, pretty cherry and plum followed by nice notes of leather and tobacco. May hold a few more years but hitting it's peak now.

4/22/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Nice fig and boysenberry fruits along with a little sweet spice. Integrated tannins and a bit of acidity give the wine enough structure to setup nicely over a few years. Even better the next day after vacuum pumped.

3/9/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Pretty straightforward mass produced malbec.
No faults but not that interesting.
Serviceable for the price.

3/7/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Very enjoyable and not too heavy handed with oak or alcohol. Does exhibit a bit of band-aid, medicine cabinet on the nose when first opened. Screw cap Shiraz always seems to accentuate this bouquet at first but after a day of aeration it was beautiful leaning towards wild blueberries and dry chocolate and licorice. Medium bodied with a nice long and complex finish.

3/1/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Slightly one dimensional bouquet of cherries and tobacco. Deep color and nice extraction. ON the palate there is good depth with the simialr nose characteristics showing through, some cherry and cassis notes but really driven by a sweet tobacco element along with a touch of dry cocoa. The finish is medium long with a slight floral and tart acidity beam. Tannins are integrated and not coarse. Minimal oak hints of slight vanilla. Nicely done and I feel that for the money tucking away several bottles will be rewarding.

3/1/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Solid and firm but showing nice dark fruit and slight mineral tones. A bit one dimensional but very good considering the price. Might actually gain a little bit of dimension and nuance with a few more years in bottle.

2/22/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Typical Rosenblum offering of major extraction. Color is spot on with deep inky blackness that shows the varietal of Petite Sirah correctly. ON the nose however it shows the disjointed effects of many Rosenblum bottlings. Very hot from the alcohol and leaned into that mean nail polish note. Fruit is definitely there but at this point the alcohol and oak completely obscure it. Not sure how this will ever come around. Dissapointing as to how heavy handed the wine making is becoming.

2/22/2008 - Gotwine1969 wrote:

Kicked up the rating a notch from last tasting. Nice balance of earth and dark fruits. I still wouldn't want to age this much longer. I don't worry about it drying out but I think it is peaking now.