1/24/2024 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Really nice and tasty. Medium-full bodied, with notes of pear, pineapple, and apple on the nose and palate. Good value wine.

11/26/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Smooth and open on the palate. Medium/full-bodied with dark red and blue fruits and a long finish.

11/19/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Huge wine. Did not offer much on the nose or palate upon opening, and was somewhat one dimensional. Dark fruits all the way. However, on Night 2 the wine was quite balanced and impressive. Wine is young with many years to go. I prefer Reva, but that is personal preference (along with the much better price point).

11/2/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Solid wine and drinking very well right now. Medium bodied with dark red raspberry fruit notes on the nose and palate.

10/9/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Bright red cherry notes on nose; medium bodied and noticeably tart on the palate, also with red cherry notes. Tartness smooths out with time in the glass.

9/17/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Very dark ruby color. Kirsch and dark fruit notes on the nose and palate. Full-bodied with long finish. In a very nice drinking zone now, and I suspect that it will drink well for several more years.

9/16/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

The wine is drinking perfectly now. Dark ruby color, dark fruits notes, kirsch, smoke, and menthol on the nose and palate. Full-bodied and balanced.

7/29/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Medium-bodied with fresh acidity. Honeysuckle and yellow fruits (mostly pineapple and grapefruit) on the nose and palate. Paired well with blue cheese and apple prior to dinner.

7/4/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Night 1: Somewhat flat upon opening, but offered some nice fruit and spice notes on nose and palate. Night 2: More solid now, as I'd expect from a Carlisle wine. 91-92

4/14/2023 - jmcnewjersey wrote:

This bottle was slightly off, with a noticeable tartness on the palate. Very unusual for a Carlisle wine, which are consistently excellent in my experience. The wine tasted similar on Night 2.

4/9/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Less balanced and impressive as a bottle of the 2015 JBV that I had last month, but still a nice wine. Heavy cassis notes on nose and palate.

3/19/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

My last bottle of the vintage. Bacon and bright red berry notes on the nose and palate. The fruit may be ever so fading, but still a really nice wine, and with probably a few more years in the drinking window. I would not wait too long, however.

3/18/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Fantastic bottle, showing nice black and blue fruits, spice, and liqueur on the nose and palate. A full-bodied yet very balanced wine. I suspect that the wine will offer many more years of excellent drinking. 96-97

3/9/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Excellent bottle. Medium-bodied. Offered notes of bacon, earth, herbs, and bright red fruit on nose and palate. Drinking very well now and likely many more years to go.

2/11/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

This was 92+ upon opening and on night one, with fresh dark fruit notes and a long finish. Less impressive on second night, when the wine seemed somewhat muted and closed. My score is based upon night one showing.

1/7/2023 - jmcnewjersey Does not like this wine:

Disappointing, overly-ripe and Port like, not at all like the flagship cab, and not worth the price.

1/3/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

A delicious Grenache Noir and a real value wine in the mid teens. Fresh and fruity but with respectable structure too.

1/1/2023 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

This was a pretty solid bottle. Quite enjoyable. Kirsch, plum, and soy sauce notes on the nose and palate. Silky smooth texture, if maybe just a tad washed out on the finish. Wine is drinking nicely now, and I see no need to age further, except perhaps in the name of science - - or if you have several remaining bottles (I don't).

12/28/2022 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Wine needed time to open up; around and hour or so. Started as totally gloppy port-style. With air transformed a little bit, into a full-bodied wine with cassis and kirsch on the nose and palate - - in the end, a nice wine, but retained too much port aspect for me to rate any higher.

12/27/2022 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Wine has aged nicely and still has plenty of fruit. Slight herbaceous notes along with red berries. Very silky on the palate. Would drink within next 2-3 years.

11/2/2022 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

One of the best Cline Zins that I have had to date. Nice dark fruit and spice; medium/full-bodied; ripe fruit but does not come off as pruney. Excellent value.

1/30/2022 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Very nice. Not quite at the level of most neighboring Vouvray, but a lovely Chenin Blanc nonetheless. Very good value.

1/2/2022 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Smoke, kirsch, and sweet plummy fruit notes on nose and palate. Full-bodied with a long finish. Drinking very well now, with many more years to go.

12/7/2021 - jmcnewjersey wrote:

I have had two bottles of the 2020, and do no like it nearly as much as the 2019. However, in all fairness, the wine is still very young and may improve with some age. This bottle was much better on Night 2, after some time with air.

11/17/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

This wine was totally shut down on Night 1, but developed into a real beauty the following night. Red cherry notes on the nose and palate. Would recommend further aging, or a long decant.

10/30/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

This bottle was drinking perfectly - - an excellent BS vintage. Smoke, kirsch liquor, black cherry, and slight vegetal/herbal notes on the nose and palate. Full-bodied (as always) but with balance, and a long finish. A young wine with many more years to go.

10/28/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Wine was a bit tight upon opening, but on the second night was open and awesome. Dark red fruit notes on nose and palate. Medium-full bodied with long finish. One of the best Bedrock Syrahs that I have tasted. 93+

10/23/2021 - jmcnewjersey wrote:

Very tight and closed on night 1, although dark iron notes on the palate were evident. The wine opened up a bit more on night 2.

10/4/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Solid red blend and a nice value at $16 - - Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, & Cabernet Franc. Very fruit-forward and smooth, with notes of dark blackberries and chocolate on the nose and palate.

10/3/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

This bottle was super tight on Night 1, not offering much on either the nose or palate. However, on Night 2, the wine opened up nicely, with lavender and blackberry notes and more viscosity on the palate. Recommend cellaring a bit more, or a lengthy decant. 92+

9/26/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Another solid bottle. Took around 30 minutes to open up, and when did, offered funky aromatics on nose and tar, coffee, and dark raspberry on the palate. Well-balanced with long finish.

9/13/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

This bottle was much more impressive than prior bottle I opened. Massive black and blue fruits on the nose and palate. Full-bodied with a long finish.

9/7/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

50% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 15% Carignan. Consistently excellent and a very good value. Dark ruby color. Mix of black & red fruits on nose and palate. Screw cap.

9/3/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Very nice Zin, offering white pepper and red raspberry fruit notes on the nose and palate. Young wine with long life ahead.

8/29/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

This is drinking nicely now and offers good QPR, if you like a classic Bordeaux profile. If you prefer fruit-bombs, choose something else. Earth, tobacco, and red fruit on nose and palate. Medium-bodied. Should drink well for 2-4 more years.

8/26/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

This wine got better and better with time in the glass, and after an hour was just lovely - - suggesting a short decant may be in order if opened anytime soon. 93+ points. Drank alongside an '03 Las Cases and '04 Palmer. [EB NY on Aug. 23]

8/26/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Bought a 6-pack on futures in mid-2000s, and of 3 bottles opened thus far, this performed the best. Excellent nose and nice fruit - - drank neck & neck with a 2003 Las Cases. [EB NY on Aug. 23]

8/26/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Wine was impressive upon first pour. Still young with many years to go. Offered dark red fruit notes on nose and palate, with a long finish. (EB NY on Aug. 23)

8/21/2021 - jmcnewjersey Does not like this wine:

The wine does not resemble Pinot Noir, on either the nose or palate. Jammy and overly sweet. I have had past vintages that were quite nice, but this bottle clearly missed the mark, and certainly was not worth the price.

8/21/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

This wine really opened up after an hour. Bright red berry notes (mostly raspberry) on nose and palate. Very well done.

8/17/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

A solid CdR, dark ruby in color and with red berry notes on nose and palate.

8/5/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Wine was tight upon opening, but after an hour drank beautifully, with bright red fruit notes on palate. On Night 2 the wine became more acidic, and a bit less enjoyable to me.

8/4/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Drank nicely from the start and by Night 2 was fully open with dark black/blue fruit notes on nose and palate. Not so sure this wine needs to be held until 2024, and I certainly would not hesitate to pop open another bottle at this stage.

8/4/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Feared this wine might be way too young but it actually drank very well, and really opened up after an hour. Awesome fruit and quite balanced. Can surely age for 1-2 decades, but based on this bottle, I would not hesitate to drink on the younger side. Believe it or not, the wine paired well with grilled swordfish. (T. Meade lunch)

8/1/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Smoke and spice on nose and sweet red fruit on palate. As with prior bottle, wine opened up after about an hour. Therefore, recommend holding a bit more or giving a short decant.

7/10/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

At $10, this wine offers great QPR - - my favorite everyday drinking Cali Chardonnay currently. Pineapple and lemon notes on the nose and palate. Nicely balanced with no cheap oaky vanilla notes. 13.5% alc. "Vinted and bottled by Great Domains & Estates. Parlier, CA."

7/7/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Nearly a decade old, but should still go strong for many more years. Savory thyme and kirsch notes on nose and palate, with excellent fruit. Full-bodied but very well balanced. Awesome wine!

5/7/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

This bottle did not show the initial green vegetal notes as in previous bottle. Very well-balanced, medium-dark ruby color, dark red berry notes on the nose and palate, medium-bodied, with a nice finish. Got even better with time. (92-93)

3/17/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Saint Patty's Day. This wine opened up nicely over the course of an hour. Full-bodied with a long finish. Dark black/blue fruit notes on nose and palate, with prominent black tea and kirsch. Paid $20 more for the Howell Mountain Cab (Gary's curbside pick up botched this) but got the Napa bottling instead - - notwithstanding the economic clip, this is a very impressive wine.

2/28/2021 - jmcnewjersey Likes this wine:

Awesome Martinelli Pinot, as expected - - bright ruby color with prominent red berry notes on nose and palate. Drinking well now with many more years to go.