2/12/2022 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Celebrating 2022 Super Bowl eve by opening this bottle that I bought 10 years ago in Westport, Connecticut. Lovely nose. No disappointment whatsoever. Pairing with bison and wagyu meatloaf. Yum! Go Rams!

5/30/2021 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Paired well with BBQ ribs and cornbread. Slowly making our way out of COVID-19 pandemic and enjoying good wine and company. Beautiful bottle has held up well.

5/22/2021 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Happy Birthday, Falla!

4/1/2021 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Wife is now fully vaccinated. Occasion worthy of bottle. Beautiful as ever, both wine and wife.

10/21/2020 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Rays 6, Dodgers 4. Game 2 of 2020 World Series. Former Durham Bull Blake Snell was gutsy in his 4.2-inning start. Dodgers seem generally susceptible to quality LHP. The Syrah held up adequately to homemade beef stew. Paired better with the Campo de Montalban cheese course. Regardless, we always enjoy a Villa Creek wine though this wasn’t our favorite.

10/15/2020 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Braves 10, Dodgers 2. Game 4 of NLCS. I really like beating Kershaw. The wine wasn’t as good as the occasion, but it held up well to the Mexican dinner.

10/12/2020 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Braves 5, Dodgers 1. NLCS, Game 1. A wine worthy of the celebration.

7/25/2018 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Lovely. Wife is in New Zealand. And this is the bottle I open? In trouble now.

6/19/2017 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Birthday bottle. Wife loved it too. And Braves beat Giants 9-0. Who could ask for more? Great night!

3/10/2017 - dsapp wrote:

Paired nicely with beautiful SoCal sunset. So happy to have three bottles left. See you next year, my friend!

12/24/2016 - dsapp Likes this wine:

3 1/2 years since we opened a bottle of the '10 Ten. Oh, why did we wait so long? Gorgeous nose. Silky mouthfeel with long, long finish. Paired with grilled honey-lacquered quail, saffron rice, and grilled parsnips. It takes the bite out of Rams' last-minute 21-22 loss to the 49ers. The Rams really stink; the '10 Ten totally rocks.

9/27/2016 - dsapp wrote:

Our selected wine to drink while watching the first Clinton-Trump debate. Very enjoyable (the wine, not the debate) and I'm glad I have two more bottles. Not so glad that there will be two more debates.

12/30/2015 - dsapp Likes this wine:

RIP Gisela and Jose. Dear friends who passed today. This bottle, you would have loved, and we open it in your honor.

12/18/2015 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Opening Night for Star Wars 7. Color: bright, clear claret with orange rim. Pretty. Nose: subtle white pepper. Taste: plum, a little earth, pleasant mellow. Nice finish. Very happy. Yum.

9/5/2015 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Nose: menthol and smoky meats. Taste: licorice. European style Grenache. Color: cranberry, orange side, with light rim, watery. Good juice.

8/24/2015 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Watermelon and strawberry. Oh my. You can taste the seeds after three hours. Really good.

8/24/2015 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Barnyard on a hot, hot summer day. Citrus. Long finish. Consistent, no matter how long it's opened. A little oak. Nice key lime and clementine. Sugar. Fascinating. Expressive.

6/24/2015 - dsapp Likes this wine:

WOTN: Is it a summer syrah or a winter rosé? Served at 52 degrees with no decant. Exotic body, fine balance, structure, texture, and very pretty roses on the nose. Dinner party declared it "a trailblazer American wine." Total production was about 50 cases, if I remember correctly: aged 16 months. At $75, others may hesitate at the QPR, especially for a rosé, but I'm very happy to have four bottles left. An age-worthy American rosé. Really, quite something to experience. Recommend.

6/24/2015 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Decanted 8 hours. Shined with time/air, especially after fifth hour. Nice nose: Roasted cherries, maybe jubilee, with rubber bands and the chalky powder from bubble gum. Evolved into olive oil and pesto, and meaty nuts, like chestnuts perhaps. Worth the QPR. Paired well with grilled chicken, sweet potato, and green beans.

6/24/2015 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Nice GSM rosé (50%M, 40%G, 10%S) to begin the summer evening. Very pretty salmon color. Dusty nectarine nose. A bit of wax on the mid-palate. Extraordinary balance. No concerns with QPR.

1/17/2015 - dsapp Likes this wine:

WOTN over solid field: Decanted for three hours, drank over next three. Paired with wife's baked rigatoni with sweet sausage. Everyone raved.

4/17/2014 - dsapp Does not like this wine:

Corked

4/11/2014 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Worth the 4-year wait. Oh, Paso!

4/2/2014 - dsapp Likes this wine:

I know it's Wednesday, but this is a weekend bottle. Just lovely.

2/28/2014 - dsapp Does not like this wine:

Corked. Second bottle in a row. I wish I didn't have four more bottles of this. What a waste!

2/20/2014 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Special occasion: decanted one hour, beautiful nose with bacon, black berries, dusty leather, and a little dirt. No complaints here.

9/10/2013 - dsapp wrote:

What a joyous celebration: drinking The Ripper on a Tuesday night.

6/12/2013 - dsapp wrote:

Oh, nostalgia. Beautiful nose that screams "Paso Robles." Memories of sitting in a barn and drinking wine straight out of the barrel. Paired perfectly with a basque cheese with a grilled hamburger chaser (with a mild green poblano chile). Oh my. Not a disappointment in sight, other than the Braves losing to the Padres earlier today.

6/2/2013 - dsapp wrote:

Decanted for about two hours. Strong showing with naked baby lamb chops, zucchini, and grilled haloumi. Beautiful nose and fond memories of visiting the winery three summers ago. Fantastic "home" dining experience. And, on top of that, the Braves beat the Nationals. Could we ask for more?

5/27/2013 - dsapp wrote:

Nice floral expression of honeysuckle, plus white peach and apricot on the nose. True pleasure paired with butternut squash soup with Gorgonzola. Beautiful experience other than the Mets beating the Braves in late innings. The Braves need bullpen help.

4/20/2013 - dsapp Likes this wine:

Wife just returned from Rome where she sent me pictures of gelato, gnocchi, and Sangiovese. It was important to remind her of how much we enjoy juice from Paso Robles. Nose: tar and fresh barnyard dew. Evolved in glass over 20 minutes to spring herbs. Soft mouthfeel. Nostalgic: pleasant memories of our visit to L'Aventure years ago.

4/6/2013 - dsapp wrote:

Ten evolved over two hours. Subtle pinot at first with nose of herb and soil. Beautiful silky mouthfeel. Later blackberry and blueberry. Juice almost had syrah jammy qualities in the last glass, only in the last glass. Wife said it seemed to get darker in color too over time. Very nice special occasion wine. In this case, celebrating the Upton brothers' HRs against the Cubbies. Always looking for a reason to open a bottle of Sea Smoke.

1/3/2013 - dsapp wrote:

Oh my!

11/16/2012 - dsapp wrote:

nose: mushroom tart, nuts, and brie rind. Very nice.

11/7/2012 - dsapp wrote:

Just RC and me on Election Night 2012. Perfect for the special occasion. Agree with previous notes, especially bread dough and apples and fresh hay on the nose. Very satisfying. I wish I had another bottle to save for 2016.

11/6/2011 - dsapp wrote:

Cedar and mint blew off. After two hours of decant, sweet tannins sang. Very pleasant.

10/31/2011 - dsapp wrote:

Solid offering at this price point. Toasted marshmallows, pleasant dust, etc. Very nice. No serious flaws. Will buy again.

10/22/2011 - dsapp wrote:

Pleasant wine with spicy Indian or Thai food.

10/17/2011 - dsapp wrote:

Muted. Perhaps in "dumb phase." No significant flaws, but not very complex either. May need more time in cellar, but I am not entirely convinced that the payoff will be there.

10/12/2011 - dsapp wrote:

Smoked meats, licorice, coffee, chocolate-covered black cherry, like rolling around in damp soil under a bush in the best sense. This is a good thing at this price point.

9/7/2011 - dsapp wrote:

Typical VC nose, solid mouthfeel, and expected enjoyable experience. Decanted three hours. Tannins are still a little rough around the edges. But I am happy, as usual, with this showing.

6/28/2011 - dsapp wrote:

RC loved it. One of the best of the year. Beautiful nose. So glad we have two more bottles. Perfect for the summer.

1/27/2011 - dsapp wrote:

nose: heavy cigarette smoke. Not pleasant.

12/21/2010 - dsapp wrote:

Pop and pour. Nose: strong Brie rind (nice!), Apricot, and a little apple cider. Taste: golden raisins and apricot. Good balance of acidity and sweetness. Beautiful golden color. Only two bottles left. Wish I had more. 90-plus

5/3/2010 - dsapp wrote:

Pleasant summer daily drinker. Fresh strawberries and melon. Very nice.

2/28/2010 - dsapp wrote:

Enjoyed by all at a tasting. Nicely paired with Julia Child's stuff chicken. I can't believe I agreed to share my last bottle with ten other people. Served it a little cold, but it made a wonderful impression. Honeysuckle, grass, and a little orange peel on the nose. Clean and crisp without much oak. A crowd pleaser. The 500ml bottle garnered interest, but with the wine's popularity, I could have used a magnum of this delightful Roussanne.

2/28/2010 - dsapp wrote:

Brought to a tasting. Decanted for three hours. Nose was still fairly closed but tasted blueberry, huckleberry, and black currant. The other bottle will sit in the cellar for a couple years, at least.

12/12/2009 - dsapp wrote:

beautiful color, served slightly chilled, nose: prune & walnuts. taste: prune & canned peach.

10/27/2009 - dsapp wrote:

Disappointed at first pour with slight sewage smell. After one hour, bitter sourness mellowed a lot. Added wild mushroom & black truffle flatbread and pairing worked very well. It was the perfect pairing. This wine needs food.

10/23/2009 - dsapp wrote:

A bit thin and lacking complexity. I love Corison wines, but this wasn't my favorite.