10/15/2017 - pipetree Likes this wine:

1995, Casanova di Neri, Cerretalto, Brunello di Montalcino: medium+ tawny with sediment. pronounced balsamic and mushroom and juniper with a subtle hint of dried fruit, prune like maybe, on the nose. Fully developed. Pronounced plum and balsamic on the palate. Dry, High acidity, full body, medium+ fine grain tannin, medium+ alcohol. Tea in the m+ finish. Somehow oxidized but still vibrant and powerful. Good balance, especially surprisingly vibrant acidity and tannin after two decades, good length, good, solid even amazing intensity, almost good complexity. Very good wine. Maybe too old, but I'd like to rate it as drink now, not suitable for aging or further aging. A old wine with a strong backbone and youthful passion to explore its full potential. What a old wine with a passionate heart, which shows the ambitious and bravery of the wine makers 20 years ago. Not perfect, not old school very much, but worth the respect of the drinkers. May be rated as 88-89, but actually I think it is not a perfect bottle to rate but to experience. On the second day, the balsamic nose got weaker, replaced by very intense the stewed smoked plum and salty plum. Very impressive. But a little hard to believe it is a Brunello by flavor profile.

4/8/2017 - pipetree wrote:

2012 Cornas: semi-lucent ruby with a medium smooth transition and a pinky rim and a garnet tint. Pungent woodiness with medium stewed strawberry jam and a hint of juniper, eucalyptus and dust and lesser caramel, juniper and dried boxwood with dried wood and latte on the palate and eucalyptus and cheese with a hint of vanilla in m+ length the heated leafy finish. Medium+ acidity, medium+ alcohol(13.5) dry, m- fine-grain ripe tannin, medium body. A hint of Mulberry on the nose at higher temperature. Good balance, good length, good intensity, good complexity, outstanding. A very slight hint of violet at 22 degree plus. 88, very well made but tired. Medium body, thus maybe a shorter fermentation using trained yeast.

11/9/2013 - NROSS Likes this wine:

I love this wine. My plan has been to work my way through a case over about 2 years. It's a been a crowd pleaser in the past. An awesome every day wine. I felt the tannins could use a little softening 18 mos ago when I bought it. They still provide good back bone. I really love the soft toasty taste that comes through after a couple of hours. Honestly I wish I bought three cases. A great value wine.

1/12/2017 - pipetree Likes this wine:

2013 Vina Ochagavia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gran Reserva, Maipo Valley: clear semi-opaque garnet with a narrow vague orange rim and ruby core. Medium green pepper and white pepper with lesser jammy fruit, black current and wood. On the palate, M- round Jammy fruit, boxwood leaves, wood with lesser wet leaves. Medium acidity, dry(a hint of sweetness), medium- ripe tannin, medium+ well integrate warming alcohol, medium body. Medium-, A hint of caramel, vanilla, toffee and lesser bay leaves in the medium+ finish. Good balance between the structure factors, especially for the alcohol, good pleasant oaky length(maybe American oak?), okay intensity, good complexity. A very good table wine. Well controlled alcohol, well developed and complex flavor profile, but weaker concentration, thus 87-88. Well developed for the vague orange edge, developed flavor profile, such as jammy, caramel, bayleaves and the ripe tannin. Can be enjoyed now or within 1-2 years. A good table wine and value for money.

1/2/2017 - pipetree wrote:

1998 Chateau de Beaucastel, Chateauneuf-du-Pape: semi-lucent garnet with a bright ruby core and orange rim. Medium orange peel lease and dried apricot with dried pine needles smell on the nose. Off dry, Medium+ acidity, m+ warming alcohol, medium+ body, medium fine grained tannin. Soy, woody and dark chocolate in the finish. Yeasty on the palate and in the medium-long but delicate finish with lesser vanilla and orange peel with a hint of strawberry from Grenache. Orange peel flavor balanced by vibrant acidity, good length but weaker finish, good intensity, good complexity. Very good wine, but a little tired for the soy smell, softer tannin, weaker intensity and less concentrated aftertaste. Enjoy now. Cinsaut as the orange peel, Grenache as the strawberry. 88 for the balanced structure but a little tired, past its peak.

6/22/2016 - pipetree wrote:

Less integrated alcohol.

12/24/2016 - pipetree wrote:

2014 Cave Berthaudin, Le Cret Barrique, Gevene: Semi lucent Ruby with a vague pinky rim. Medium- Stewed cherry and strawberry with lesser cranberry, pine, sawdust, grain alcohol and cheesy nose at higher temperature on the nose. medium+ acidity, firm medium tannin, medium+ body, medium+ warming alcohol, dry. green leaves, vanilla on palate with a hint of grape seed, a bitter long herbaceous finish with a hint of leather. A little off-balance, for the overwhelming acidity and observable alcohol, oaky finish, okay intensity, good complexity. Acceptable.

12/4/2016 - pipetree Likes this wine:

2014 Angelina Grenache, Clare Valley: bright medium lucent/transparent ruby. Medium petrol-like, caramel, cherry and strawberry on the nose. Medium round body, medium acidity, medium+ alcohol, low sandy tannin, dry. Medium leafy finish(wet leaves) with a hint of wood and vanilla. Good balance, good length, good intensity, okay complexity. A very good wine. 88 for the Pure strawberry, elegant petrol, round body.

11/2/2016 - pipetree Likes this wine:

Cumaro: clear deep purple with a brownish tint and m- vague rim. Clean on the nose: a little close, red cherry, jammy berries(strawberry), spices(chilly pepper) and lesser woody(vanilla). Heavy high tannin(like Serralunga D'Alba), high alcohol(14), medium acidity, dry, m+ body. Leafy, tobacco, and caramel, with a long leavy finish with a hint of vanilla. Serving at very low temperature, 10 degrees. It may need 5-10 years to soften the powerful tannin. Recorked. Will try it in the following weak. Interesting.

10/12/2016 - pipetree wrote:

2015 Hewitson, Lulu, Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide hills: watery light greenish yellow. Pungent m+ bell pepper on the nose, with a hint of candied pineapple. Mellow attack, m+ round body, almost dry, medium alcohol and medium+ acidity showed in the m- yeasty and savory finish with a slight hint of passion fruit in the long finish, while leaving a heated touch in the throat. Okay balance, very good length, good intensity, and good complexity, an outstanding wine. This wine is a special version of Sauvignon Blanc, relatively full bodied and dominated by bell pepper smell. Very likely earlier harvest and malolactic transform and some sur lie. 85, great length while young, but less balanced for the heated touch, and the contrast between the profound smell and hollow mid palate. Well made, but not that attractive, personally.

8/26/2016 - pipetree Likes this wine:

Bright watery light tawny with a beautiful ruby core and a wide orange rim. Medium open gamy nose with lesser red berries and some savoriness. Stewed overripe strawberry with savory leaves and a hint of vanilla and a hint of toasted Woodiness. giving a hint of sweetness. Medium but very firm tannin, Medium acidity, dry, Medium+ alcohol, Medium aftertaste with delightful strawberries and savory. Okay balance, good length, good concentration, okay complexity. A very good wine. Performs better in a vintage Bordeaux glass than the Pinot glass. At its peak, drink now. Very light bright ruby color and firm tannin, links to Pinot or Nebbiolo. For the gaminess, savory and red berry flavor profile. It is a Pinot. No overripe candied flavor, thus a region remote from equator and not New Zealand. From a sunny but cooler harvest for the contrast between the savory and the alcohol. The hint of the sugar is not observable, so the average temperature is still low. Very old world for the delicate use of old oak. A old wine for the stewed fruit flavor generated when aging in bottle and the color and rim gives off the age. Geographically, It can be Chile, South Africa or most possible France. If France, it is Bourgogne, if Bourgogne, it is the southern part, Cote de Beaune. For the lack of message from the soil, it may be not a premier Cru nor grand Cru. 88 for sure, a typical Pinot from a good harvest, better in a vintage Bordeaux glass. Don't keep it too long, before the alcohol overwhelm the moderate acidity.

8/13/2016 - pipetree Likes this wine:

Semi opaque garnet with a bright Ruby cores and vague wide rim. Medium + meaty, Asian spices. Fresh red fruit(hawthron), violet and woody nose with a lesser baked, slight h2s. Medium + acidity, dry, m- firm and furry tannin, medium+ alcohol, delicate chocolate on the palate and some vanilla when the temperature gets higher. medium savory(fresh eucalyptus)finish with a lingering heat on the palate. A weaker Petrol like nose as well. Old French oak barrel, heavily but shortly baked. Good balance holding the alcohol, good length but a little over-woody, okay intensity for the weaker mid palate, good and multi-dimensional complexity. 87-88, for the outstanding complexity. Old world style, medium tannin variety, 30-40, for the meaty, Rioja or cote du Rhone. For the hawthorn flavor, not like berry flavors from syrah. Thus Rioja, maybe blend of Grenache and Tempranillo from some hillside parcel. Heavy maceration for the opaque look, a mature wine but still very vibrant. Clearly not crianza, but hard to tell whether a Reserva and Gran Reserva. For the complex and parallel presence of the fresh fruit and meatiness, maybe Gran Reserva. Hard to believe it is a 2007 vintage for the vibrancy.

5/2/2016 - pipetree Likes this wine:

Lucent ruby. Medium delicate raspberry on the nose. Medium acidity, off dry, medium- unripe tannin, medium body.raspberry and eucalyptus and bitter black tea on the palate and medium finish. Good balance(fresh, clean and delicate), good length, good intensity(consistent), simple complexity. Fresh, Elegant and typical young Syrah blend. Outstanding wine. Very impressive for the price and region.