7/6/2022 - Winedog1 Likes this wine:

Imbibed at Il Palagio at Four Seasons Hotel Firenze. Special wine. Perfect match for the tasting menu.

5/20/2022 - BoulderWine Likes this wine:

Uncorked at 10am, poured into decanter at 6pm, sat for dinner at 8pm. Pretty cherry fruit, smooth, more on the elegant side. Has definitely improved with time. Alas, my final bottle . . .

9/4/2021 - BoulderWine Likes this wine:

Smooth and fully resolved in my opinion. Purchased upon release when the pricing was more reasonable compared to today. Enjoyed with grilled steak.

3/12/2021 - Jeff U Likes this wine:

Very good delicious wine

I’m not big on my ability to give an appropriate score or number but I can say about this wine - I wish this wasn’t my last bottle. Local wine shop is all out of stock

Terrific wine

2/7/2021 - BoulderWine wrote:

Another off-flavored bottle. I decided to do some research and came across mention of a possible Brettanomyces ("Brett") issue at Rafanelli from around this time, which I do now recall having read about. If true, this could explain the problems that I've had with several bottles of the Zin from this vintage (2009). It seems to have become more pronounced over time.

10/15/2020 - Montesquieu Likes this wine:

This is my single favorite wine in the world for under $60. I buy by the case, vintage after vintage. Its exotic apricot and orange peel flavor profile presents a complexity and exoticness that nothing compares to. If asked to recommend something special to a wine fanatic looking for the unexpected, this is my go-to. (Followed by another dessert wine, the Jorge Ordonez Victoria #2.) Tonight, we enjoyed this after a 1991 Ridge Monte Bello. Ridge is my favorite American red, and 1991 is fully mature. Yet I rate the Ben Rye even higher. Maybe my idiosyncratic tastes overrate this relative to the general wine drinking population. So be it. I think this is bottled magic. BTW, I'm now finishing cases of 2010 and 2014 Ben Rye, alongside this 2017. IMO, this wine drinks better younger than older. It's so complex upon release. Age detracts rather than adds, in my experience.

12/18/2020 - talbot61 Likes this wine:

When first opened, fiercely tannic and wincingly acidic. Not much sediment. Consistent, translucent blood color. Medium to light body. The acidity mellowed with two hours in a decanter, but while the tannins softened a bit, they were present all the way to the end. Strong flavors of leather and tar, and the last glass smelled distinctly and appetizingly of plum pudding.

We bought this for less than $30, maybe 5 years ago, and for the price it offers a lot of complexity and intrigue. That said, it is somewhat rustic and limited next to cru Barbarescos, though those will cost at least $20 more. Also, I would expect this to continue to improve, possibly for another 5-10 years.

11/6/2020 - jeanclaude wrote:

Bought on wtso 4 bottles wish I had bought more. Punching way above price point. Deep and rich pinot without over extraction, if you see this wine buy it.

7/31/2020 - csimm wrote:

Predictable California Chardonnay flavors of lemon curd and vanilla. Not a bad execution of flavor necessarily in that it doesn't come across overly gummy or nauseatingly cloying, but it really offers little nuance or complexity overall (at least at this stage). Not much in the verve or intensity department either. It’s fine and all, and for those who are comfortable walking into any food joint and casually telling the server, “I’ll just have a glass of your Chardonnay,” then this wine will deliver as expected.

For me personally, it’s flavorful the way an IHOP pancake short-stack with lots of syrup is flavorful, but afterwards you kinda feel like you wish you’d chosen actual food with actual ingredients you can pronounce without sounding like a Tourette chemist.

Essentially this is a party boat summer pounder best paired with a two pound sack of Fritos and a mustard-slathered corn dog. Perhaps a little time might shed this wine of some of its confection detractors, but it also lacks speed and acid for any real longevity, so I wouldn’t get too comfortable with these sleeping long in the cellar. Drink now and over the next couple of years.

2/14/2019 - BoulderWine wrote:

Corked. Bummer.

5/11/2017 - galewskj wrote:

Happy Birthday Kevin! (Kevin and Vicki's House): I think slow O for 7 hours and 5 hours decant? Well, that wasn't enough. Dark fruit. Not heavy. Lots of spice. Still quite tannic. This was not very enjoyable today, although you can sense the quality here. I personally think this was kind of a waste to open at this age.