4/25/2024 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

In a perfect place for me as I like my Burgs slightly younger. Still has decent acidity with fruit on the palate that has not been taken over by tertiary flavors from the aging process. Still red in the glass with only slight browning along the edges. Sounds as if this bottle has beaten the odds as compared to earlier notes.

4/23/2024 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

A little heavier and more acid giving the wine a great mouth feel and weight. Great "dinner" wine right now. Think lamb or pork osso bucco.

3/30/2024 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Big black fruit on the palate and baking spice with a little vanilla on the nose makes this wine really intriguing. Still great acidity, allowing this wine to outlast a ton of other 2010's that turned flabby after their 10th birthday. Last of my original purchase from the winery upon release.

3/27/2024 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

From a 1.5L purchased at retail upon release. Last note from a 750, but the flavor profile still consistent. It just keeps smoothing out with time. PnP to drink or hold with confidence.

3/27/2024 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

From a 1.5 purchased from retailer. This wine is just indestructible! Two years on from my last time and the notes are consistent. This wine is still a stunning example of aged Priorat.

3/27/2024 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

From a 1.5L, purchased directly from the winery. My first impression was "surprisingly good" as I've moved away from this producer because flavor profile created by the use of American Oak.

Some acidity left, not flabby and tannins are fading fast. American oak influence has faded significantly, making this much more enjoyable than when it was younger leaving less of a dried cocoa powder on the finish. Still some black and red fruit up front making this enjoyable without food. At almost 16 years old, it's starting to fade into it's twilight years. Drink now

3/24/2024 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Good wine in an off vintage. No real power but soft and ready to drink now. Color and weight are typical. Decent acidity that will not last as long as in better vintages.

3/19/2024 - DavilaDC wrote:

Very simple and primary. No mid palate to speak of. Low tannins and medium acidity. Bright mountain fruit but little if any extraction. Last bottle and it never really evolved over time.

2/17/2024 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

HOLD!

You'd think at 15 years old, it would be ready. While this does have some bricking and a wee bit of port on the palate, there is still an amount of tannin and spiciness that still needs time to calm.

Considering the wines from Sordo are all done in neutral oak, the longevity is a testament to the winemaker and the Nebbiolo grape!

2/17/2024 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Brilliant specimen that was still intact and probably what the wine maker had in mind when it was bottled in 2000. Slight bricking color with earthy under tones. No real reduced "port" like flavors, but still cherry and fig on the palate. Tannins have slipped into the background and almost no sediment. Opened 2 hours before serving with no splash decant.

11/19/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Opened at Charleston CT Offline Burgundy Thursday

Cork was soaked but the wine was still spectacular. Given another hour plus of air and it was better than I thought it would be. Still great acid and fruit up front with some herbs on the back end of the palate. One of the best wines of the night!

11/19/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Cloudy and a ton of sediment. Could've used cheese cloth in addition to the metal strainer.

Still alive and got better with 2 hours of air. I'm sure it was better years ago, but still a really cool experience.

10/14/2023 - DavilaDC wrote:

Extremely clean and bright cherry fruit that does add a layer of earthiness as it's exposed to air after about 30 minutes.

This is good stuff at this point in time. If you can hold out, it is only going to get better.

10/14/2023 - DavilaDC wrote:

Fruit faded. Worked well when used for cooking some tomato sauce.

Maybe bottle variation?

8/17/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Just got these and now with some age, they are amazing. Perfect as an apertivo or with pan con tomate and jamón or with grilled shellfish slathered in olive oil. While some Albarinos can mimic the grassiness of savignon blanc, this is more in the stone fruit and green apple range. Drink or hold. The acidity will hold this wine together for a long time.

8/8/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

What a great pizza wine! Darker and fuller than most every other wine from the region, it really stands up well to spicy food as well. From a 3.0L, it is ready to drink now. Crowd pleaser of a bottle!

7/18/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Almost one year later and this wine is really starting to flesh out and build some real depth of flavors. It's now showing a little less herbaceousness and more black cherry. I like where this is going.

7/15/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Cesari has really tamed the Corvina in this vintage. So elegant, you almost forget it's an Amarone. Subtle chocolate and vanilla, yet just a hint of raisin to remind you of where it comes from. Liquid velvet at this point, lifted with a perfect amount of acidity. Drink or hold.

7/15/2023 - DavilaDC wrote:

Absolute rock star wine! Everything Cabernet and Merlot should be plus the dusty characteristic of Carménere. PnP with a big nose of dark fruit and spice with fine tannins. At 22 years old this still has the acidity to go on another 5-10 years, easy. Wish I had more.

7/15/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Purchased directly from the winery upon release. Extremely young, bright light yellow in the glass. Starts out with mineral and peach pit on the nose but with 30 minutes of air it really opens up to include white flowers. Beautiful weight and velvety mouth feel. Needs more time to get the full effect of what this could potentially become, yet still delicious now.

7/1/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Just amazing from the jump. While the fruit slightly fades into the menthol over the course of an hour, there's no mistaking the blueberry nose from opening to final sip. The tannins are well integrated now giving it a silky smooth mouth feel with decent acidity providing lift. The palate gives you big blue fruit, black pepper spice and a hint of milk chocolate. The weight of the wine is perfect leaving you with a long finish.

Nothing green or rustic here. This is heady stuff!

At seven years old it has hit a perfect drinking window and is open for business!

6/20/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

No score... Not yet.

Don't touch it! Not ready. Way to primary.

5/15/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Here we are seven years later and this wine continues to improve. A little more fruit and less savory notes than a 2005 Oreno that was opened next to this Bottle. The sweeter fruit and bigger nose made this bottle a lot more enjoyable. 15 minutes of air and the black fruit will come right out. With the tannins fading and integrating, the wine is silky.

Stunning wine!

5/15/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Beautiful black cherry fruit and great acidity. 20 minutes of air allows the nose to open and bring in some Italian dirt. After 40-45 minutes the mid-palate starts to really show through and extend the length of the finish.

5/4/2023 - DavilaDC wrote:

All six bottles were returned to the vendor due to the wine having a metallic "zing" on the palate. It was almost as if it had gone through a second fermentation and created a slight effervescence.

4/25/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

If all Bordeaux was like this, I'd drink more of it. No "brett" here. Savory fruit and a beautiful silky mouth feel. Need more!

4/9/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

If only all merlot based wines were this interesting. It's showing unbelievably and in a perfect place right now.

Merlot, cab and sangiovese blend gives this a richness and nose of black fruit up front. But due to bottle age it's now a little reduced and giving off more herbs mixed with a slight hint of Port. Not flabby because of decent amount of remaining acidity.

45 minutes of air is all it needs. Make sure you filter as it throws a ton of sediment.

Lovely with the easygoing beefiness of prime rib as dry aged beef would overpower it.

4/8/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Slightly oxidized but not flabby. Great acidity with a mix of bee's wax and honeycomb gives the wine a plush mouth feel around bright and soft fruit. Let it warm up a bit and give it 30 minutes of air to let the oxidation blossom. Your patience will really give this amber colored liquid gold extra life.

No need to open for the next 5 years minimum.

4/1/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Thirty minutes of air and it was showing well, but after an hour it was even better. The way it evolved over the night proved it certainly has the stuffing to last another 10-15 years.

Initially it was fruit forward but the mid-palate started to really flesh out with a hint of menthol over time.

My issue is that it tries to straddle the line between Bdx and Napa stylistically while not really being one or the other. This indecision really holds the wine back from being great and confirms my decision to not invest in the following vintages.

In the end it's a well made wine that is certainly enjoyable and has a decent QPR IF you got it at under retail.

3/26/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Cabernet essence with Italian heritage is the main thing going through my mind as I taste this bottle.

The initial palate has black licorice and feels familiar as this is 100% Cabernet, meanwhile the nose is full of leather and truffle. This bottle drinks as so Italian I would bet there was sangiovese blended in.

In a perfect place right now and drinking beautifully.

3/24/2023 - DavilaDC wrote:

I'm not scoring this wine yet as I don't understand it at all. Of the case we purchased, I've opened three bottles and have been totally underwhelmed every time. I'm going to give it more time as I did with my bottles of Unico after going through same exact process with that wine a few years ago. The Unicos just weren't ready.

Last night... PnP. Nice cherry nose but not a bright fruit profile on the palate. When compared to other top end Riojas, it's just not as expressive right now. Didn't really change all that much with time and oxygen.

I'm going to bet these aren't ready yet either.

3/14/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

PnP, sit back and enjoy.

Big Napa black fruit and a menthol finish.

Still getting better.

3/13/2023 - DavilaDC wrote:

Best Napa cab I've had in a long time. Ready right out of the gate and an absolute special event! Beautiful nose leads to an initial dark fruit hit on the palate. But the difference here is the mid-palate that had a second gear. That is what separates this wine from other pretenders. While expensive, the QPR is phenomenal!

2/1/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

I usually don't add second scores to notes for wines I've tried a second time because there rarely is that much change taking place.

This time I have to say this wine is REALLY improved! REALLY!!!

The oakiness has faded and the tannins are MUCH softer. There is a ton of sweet red and purple fruit with a hint of vanilla. The mouthfeel is much fuller and smoother than before. Beautiful dark purple/black in the glass.

I am so excited to see this bottle really evolve into a top level Napa Cab.

2/1/2023 - DavilaDC wrote:

This wine is really beginning to flesh out. The heavy menthol that was present earlier has now evolved to take a back seat to some really interesting savory herbal notes. The wine isn't green, it's savory over the top of the fruit. Excellent with steak! Happy to see it this wine change with time.

1/31/2023 - DavilaDC wrote:

Just not something that interests me. Almost astringent. Way to focused on dry wet stone to the point food didn't even help. Way too much for caviar. Even too much for fried chicken.

1/6/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Fruit forward and no yeast on the nose. Really enjoyable as an aperitif or with light and simple seafood. Really changed my mind about BdN, in a good way.

1/3/2023 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Wow, what a deep and dark syrah. Almost black in the glass and full of meaty and tannins yet extremely smooth. Loved it!

11/25/2022 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

This wine proves why it's the only Oregon Pinot we religiously purchase year after year. The perfect food wine to match with grilled lamb. Slightly sweet nose, soft tannins and brilliant acidity lift the Bing Cherry fruit. While it is still in a primary phase, the herbal qualities are there and wating to push through to take center stage. PnP with no real need to give it lots of air before serving or let it sit for another 4-5 years to see how it changes.

This bottle is the perfect example of Oregon Pinot being positioned between Sonoma (too big and extracted) and Burgundy (less fruit forward).

10/19/2022 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Still evolving and getting better. Acidity with silky tannins and still presenting a meaningful amount of fruit at 22 years of age. My last bottle.

10/19/2022 - DavilaDC wrote:

Tired and faded. Fruit about gone. Drink yesterday.

9/29/2022 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

In my mind this is a combination of Burgundy and a rustic Rioja. Bright acidity, light mouth feel, crisp cherry on the palate and a nose of herbs and minerality makes it so different from most other wines.

If you're not having this with a hearty tomato sauce slathered over pasta, you're going to miss the point of this wine.

9/26/2022 - DavilaDC wrote:

Can this wine get better? It's so good now!

Great green apple without the green grass essence of sauvignon blanc. From a magnum.

9/27/2022 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Not as rich on the palate as the CVNE Imperial Reserva or LRA 904. It's style is more thin and rustic like the LDH Tondonia, but the fruit is better from the Martelo. I love the "burnt tire" and herbal nose giving it a sense of place. Acidity is high enough to give it some aging potential. Let's see where this goes over the next 3-4 years.

9/21/2022 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

At 12 years old, this wine is in a perfect place. Will it or can it improve over time, certainly. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it now. PnP with pizza and you'll get great mix of cherry and black fruit with lifting acidity and silky tannins.

9/21/2022 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

No score as this wine isn't ready. While you can see the upside and why it got magazine scores in the high 90's, it isn't just there yet. Even a few hours of air don't really help that much.

9/21/2022 - DavilaDC wrote:

You need more time before opening this one. It was too big, too fruity, too sweet, and too cloying. The acid was fine as the wine wasn't flabby, but something just wasn't right.

9/15/2022 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Imagine sour cherries filled with dark chocolate and espresso ganache and you'll get the initial hit of this bottle. The tannins are velvety and the body is lifted with bright acidity. What an awesome blend of Cab, Merlot and Cab Franc with a touch of Italian dirt.

Ready to go after 10-15 minutes of air.

8/18/2022 - DavilaDC Likes this wine:

Young it can have a bacon fat hint on the nose. At 20 years plus, it can become herbal with black fruit. But in its middle years this 2013 has evolved to drop some upfront fruitiness. While you still have a lingering blueberry, there's great acidity and a pronounced smokiness. What a pleasure it is to have these wines! They set such a high bar for California Syrah.

8/4/2022 - DavilaDC wrote:

Sometimes "more of everything" is too much and this is one of those times. The nose is too big. The palate is too thick. The fruit is way too dark. While drinkable, it was so much of everything and just wasn't enjoyable to me.