1/20/2018 - Snookboy wrote:

Finally decided to drink it. Beat CQ pay by 20% in 2017.

12/6/2013 - Snookboy wrote:

Nice nose of cherries and strawberries. A bit thin and tart with medium high acidity. Overall quite enjoyable at the price.

4/22/2012 - Snookboy wrote:

I'm with Keith on this. On decanting, the wine is very tight and just not showing much. After about 6 hours, it opens up considerably with great minerality, subdued red fruit and nice smooth tannins. First impression is that there is simply nothing wrong about the wine, but nothing to really wow you either. With each sip you begin to enjoy it more and more. A real understated elegance that is very classic and very enjoyable.

3/25/2012 - Snookboy Likes this wine:

My first experience with this wine, but I think it's hitting it's stride right now. Did need 3 hours to open up, but then it's very classice cabernet, with dark fruit, menthol, cassis with some vanilla. Long finish. Very clean. A really nice wine.

3/24/2012 - Snookboy wrote:

Much better bottle than the first. Expressive nose of crushed rocks, black and red fruit a bit of vanilla and mocha. Lively finish with a slight tannic edge.

Nicely done.

1/1/2012 - Snookboy wrote:

First one of his wines I would buy again. Tart acidic with orange peel and peaches. Quite pleasurable actually. 89

1/1/2012 - Snookboy wrote:

Tart and sour as so many of his wines are. 86

12/25/2011 - Snookboy wrote:

Decented about 3 1/2 hours. On initial pour, very closed and tight. Atfer 3 1/2 hours opened up considerably with a nose of leather, cassis, and blackberry. Still a tannic wine but fairly well integrated with a palate of dark fruit and spice with lots of minerality. Rather short finish.

12/15/2011 - Snookboy wrote:

Very modern/Cali in style with a prominent fruit driven profile with a good bit of extraction. Well done and balanced if a bit tannic.

12/11/2011 - Snookboy wrote:

Hot tannic and disjointed. I doubt time will help. Really just an ok cdr.

12/8/2011 - Snookboy wrote:

As others and the bottle mentions there is a definite cherry aroma and on the palate. Fairly light bodied with significant tannins considering the wines body. Yes her own label is much more defined focused and rewarding but at twice the tariff. This is a very satisfying wine

12/3/2011 - Snookboy wrote:

Notes from previous evening. Only decanted about 3 hours. On inital pour, nose very muted and closed. Tight on the palate with pretty strong tannic finish. After three hours it opened up considerably, with an earthy dark fruit nose and a balanced palate of fruit and spice. Not an explosive fruity wine by any means, as expected. But I found it a bit thin and underwhelming. Very nicely done and enjoyable, but was expecting a bit more. Anxious to try some of the other Renaissance wines I have to see how they compare.

12/4/2011 - Snookboy wrote:

As with previous taster, I'm hoping this is an off bottle. It seems a bit over the hill with stewed tomatoes and sour notes. I'll reserve judgement for the next bottle.

6/12/2011 - Snookboy wrote:

High shoulder fill. Cork moist and moldy. Came out easily with an ah-so. Very light brick/orange in color. Nose of port and hickory. Very little fruit left at this point. A bit of cherry and rose; more earth, mushrooms, hickory salt, tar and leather.

This is fading but was still quite enjoyable. Celebrating the wife's 21st anniversary of her 29th birthday.

6/12/2011 - Snookboy Likes this wine:

Quite dark in color, almost tarnished copper. Sweet rich liquer on the nose. Palate of apricot, peach, caramel an burnt sugar. Cream brulee. Not as sweet as a rich sauturnes, but balanced and still going strong. About an hour of air really opened it up.

3/25/2011 - Snookboy wrote:

From last night: fruit driven, new world in style. Tannins light and smooth. Doesn't seem like the structure required for extensive aging, but the pros say otherwise, so I'll let the other two sit a few years and see what happens. It all seems quite smooth at this point. Very nice if not overly complex.

3/20/2011 - Snookboy wrote:

Notes from last night. This was surprisingly good. Nose of berries and earth. Palate tight, clean, with red fruit and mushrooms. Tannins a bit astringent and youthful. This will probably smooth out some and improve with a little bit of time.

2/9/2011 - Snookboy wrote:

Clean and bright. Pure fruit with what is there. But thin and unimpressive. Nothing wrong, but nothing exciting.

2/3/2011 - Snookboy wrote:

Menthol, black pepper, and dark berries. Pretty well integrated at this point. Nice and thick thru the middle and finishes clean with a medium length. Nicely done.

2/2/2011 - Snookboy wrote:

Dark fruit with mint and eucalyptus and spice. Smooth sweet on the palate with a somewhat harsh rustic finish. Some air smooths out the rough edges, a bit more time in the cellar would probably help. Enjoyable if a bit angular.

2/1/2011 - Snookboy wrote:

Blackberry, licorice, and graphite. Sweet and smooth. Medium finish just a bit hot. Tannins could use a few more years of rest. A pretty wine that should improve with a bit more time.

12/14/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Rich nose of blueberry, cassis, and dark brooding fruit. Palate is rich, creamy and full with dark fruit, tobacco and some integrated oak. Finish is a bit short and hot reflecting the almost 15% alcohol.

A very enjoyable wine, but doubt it will improve with time as the fruit fades and the alcohol doesn't. A nice enjoyable wine.

11/20/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

No disappointment here. Rarely do I find a pinot in this price range that I find enjoyable. Trusting Jon's recommendation, I bit on the "mystery wine". There is nothing astounding about this pinot, but it is very clean, subtle fruit, and decent finish. Nothing complex about it, but what it does it does well. Very enjoyable pinot at $16.

11/20/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Strong lemon lime nose and palate. Bracing acidity. Clean short finish. Acidity almost too much but still comes across very nicely. Wish I had a few more. Nice wine.

11/20/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Grapefruit and lemon with medium acidity and short length. Very pleasant and enjoyable.

11/20/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Subtle fruit of cherries, very acidic/tart. Thin and a bit phenolic. A bit out of wack with the high acidity and thin palate.

7/30/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Decanted two hours. Notes from the following morning. Dark ruby in color with blueberry, cassis, and vanilla on the nose. Fruit forward palate with a rather short finish. Tannins are surprisingly sweet at this point but finish a bit drying. I find it a bit too extracted and fruit forward, but may settle with some time.

6/14/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Really opened up with some time revealing a spicy mix of brooding fruits and earthiness. Strong finish with gripping tannins. A wonderful wine drinking very well right now.

6/13/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Popped and poured. I didn't discern any obvious smoke taint. This was really a lovely wine. Bright red fruits, nice gripping acidity with a clean finish. Not over ripe with a medium alcohol content, it was very enjoyable.

5/22/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

No regrets at $11.11 delivered but not an impressive Riesling. Just off dry at 12% alcohol, typical slate and lime Riesling palate but a bit thin and one dimensional. Summer afternoon aperitif, don't waste it on a nice dinner.

5/21/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

biscuits and yeast with a slightly off dry finish. Pleasant.

5/21/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Writing these notes the morning after. Enjoyed this wine very much with some roasted chicken. Very gewurz like but subdued. Nothing over the top and I found it to be very well integrated. Spicy and floral with the requisite lychee nose and palate with a substantial acidic backbone. We found it very pleasant.

3/24/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

After a one hour decant, still quite closed and tight. Aromas of leather, mushrooms and sour cherries. Bright fore palate with a short clean finish.

3/19/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Very Napa cab nose of blackberry and tobacco and wood. Still fresh fruit on the palate with licorice and dark fruit. Tannins still quite strong on the finish. A nice aged Cali cab.

3/13/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Nose of plastic berries and roses. Cherries and rasberries with a medium finish with some backbone. Decent effort and certainly worth the price of admission.

3/11/2010 - Snookboy Likes this wine:

Notes from the evening before. Light and lean. Subtle nose of cherries and mushrooms. Balanced palate with surprisingly somewhat aggressive tannins. Overall a very pleasant subdued, subtle wine.

3/9/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Nice nose of cassis and dark fruit. Very smooth, clean and polished. A bit thin, and certainly not overly complex, but very nice and enjoyable. It appeals to my palate by not being overly fruity/extracted. For 16 bucks, a great cab.

3/8/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Peach and lemon nose. Pears and stones with bright acidity clean short finish. Nice effort, very pleasant.

3/5/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Perfume, lilac, tar and roses. Pretty typical nose. Palate surprisingly thin with a short finish. Tannins well integrated and smooth at this point. Does everything well, but nothing great. I don' think there is any point in holding any longer.

2/28/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Dominating pepper/spice nose and palate. Well done, but not up my alley.

2/26/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Herbal, vegetable, and raiseny. Well balanced and very drinkable, but certainly not on the fruity side of the pendulum.

2/26/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Not much Semillon here, but not bad for a tenner. Pineapple, lemon and wet stone with a rather short finish. Decent balance.

2/25/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Yellow green in color. Lime, mineral nose. Big grapefruit palate that leads into rock, wet stone with a rather short finish that could use a bit more acidity. Nice/pleasant.

2/10/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Just slightly musty with earthy mushrooms on the nose with some dark red/black fruit. Palate more dominately earthy and less fruity but not overly so. Nice balance, good integrated tannic finish. Well made wine. Enjoyable.

2/10/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

A very nice red burg at a reasonable price. Pale ruby in color, sweet aromas of cherry and licorice. Labeled at 13.5%, it does not seem it. Clean, smooth tannins and finish. Not overly extracted at all. Not extremely complex, but rewarding all the same.

2/7/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Very sharp, tart, and minerally. High acidity without quite matching fruit.

2/6/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Golden in color, expressive nose of perfume, lilac and citrus. Some initial sweetness on the front palate, a bit thin in the middle with a short finish with adaquate acidty. Floral and nice but a bit simple.

2/6/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Typical nebbiolo nose of perfume, roses, and tar with some mushroom earthiness. Tannins are surprisingly still quite strong on the finish but really a nice wine at this point. Not over the hill by any means, but I don't think it's going to get much better with anymore time.

1/17/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Very nice. Bright nose of cherries. Clean palate of fresh red berries, clean finish with some tannic backbone but subtle. Driinking very well. Nicely done.

1/15/2010 - Snookboy wrote:

Cherry, brambles, and dark black fruit with considerable backbone. Clean finish. Nicely done.