2/9/2015 - jamon7 wrote:

All you can expect from a decently priced Cotes du Rhone! Just as the bottled was opened, great floral aromas emerged. At the nose it gave blackberries, and notes of chocolate.
Flavors were all arround this complex, rich, acid wine. Slight notes of violet, vanilla emerge, but hard to taste specific flavors.
It paired perfectly with manicotti filled with spicy italian saussage, ricotta, parmiggiano and provolone cheeses.

1/17/2015 - jamon7 Likes this wine:

What a wonderful wine! Opened three hours before New Year's Eve dinner. It opened great to discrete floral aromas, red fruit. Bright scarlett red, great body. It's acidity emerges as a primer, mixed with cherries, and a prolonged finish. Subtle flavor that became a great pairing for a Cantina style dinner: calf brains, tongue, manchego cheese grated schnitzel, Chamorro (pork shank).

5/4/2014 - jamon7 wrote:

Great bright ruby colored wine that opened with raspberry notes. It has a fresh start, with balanced flavours, courant and ripe berries. The alcohol is where it should be, tannins low and hints of salty notes characteristic of Baja wine emerge towards the end. Great companion for grilled spicy octopus and slow roasted pork.

4/16/2014 - jamon7 Likes this wine:

My favourite from Ribera del Duero. Bright chinchilla red colour, floral aromas. Then it evolves to prunes and cherries. Some nice rainy day aromas as well. It has marvelous balance, complex flavors that emerge immediately. Tanins and alcohol are masterly blended, and it ends in a prolongued after tasting. It is ready to drink, too bad it was the last one from a box I bought some years ago!!!

11/3/2013 - jamon7 Likes this wine:

Bright and dark coloured. Subtle floral aromas emerge, with hints of raspberry.
Time has done its job and rewarded on flavour. Alcohol, tanins, acidity are round and soft. A fresh wine, but with some power that emerges in the mouth, with a long finish. A clasic top notch Rioja, that paired wonderfull with a prime rib roast.

9/7/2013 - jamon7 wrote:

This is what I call a well crafted French wine! Tradition from the Rothschild state emerges since the bottle is open. Fresh herbs, country, hey come to the nose. The right amount of tannins give strength to a crisp wine, and come to a wonderful balance with its acidity and alcohol level. Complex flavours and a silky texture make this wine enjoyable through the cold summer afternoon in Mexico City.

6/25/2013 - jamon7 wrote:

For being an affordable sparkling, it developed fantastically. Flowers and honey to the nose. Persistent bubbles, good size. Acidity at a good level. Golden pale color, with a slight touch of butter and honey. Liked it so much, we had to pour three buttles!

6/16/2013 - jamon7 wrote:

Quality from Tenuta San Guido was evident since the cork was removed. Great floral aromas emerged, lightly fruity, a promising tasting!
It happened to be have a balance I have not experienced in a long time, with the exact level of acidity and tanins. Dark, fresh fruit emerged, long finish. The texture was soft, and the alcohol just was there to improve it through out the night.

5/11/2013 - jamon7 Likes this wine:

All you can expect from a high quality Chianti. Great flowery aromas develop since it is open. Ripe berries emerge quite immediately. With this wine I was able to please my palate with a wine that provides by-the-book roundness, alcohol and acidity balance, and a silky feeling. Loved this wine. Paired great with rib eye and maryland crab cakes.

5/3/2013 - jamon7 wrote:

An average Rioja. Too much acidity for my personal taste. However, it is a well structured wine, and with some patience it can evolve throughout the hours, and acidity softens.

4/12/2013 - jamon7 wrote:

What a great surprise for a wine from Morocco!! Since the bottle was opened it greeted us with a wonderful floral aroma, that became then notes of red fruits. At tasting it was balanced, not much acidity present, and a hint of pepper and ginger.

3/24/2013 - jamon7 wrote:

Fortunately was given as a gift, as it is a wine I would not buy. Light bodied, too much acidity, not balanced at all.

3/24/2013 - jamon7 Likes this wine:

Since the cork is removed, wonderful aromas emerge. Forrest, red berries. Acidity is an indicative of the wine, lovely cherries, and some earthiness emerged. Long ending, and flavors turn round after a while. Great for wild boar, and torta del casar cheese.

3/14/2013 - jamon7 Likes this wine:

Quite an interesting wine! Complex aromas emerged, cherries, earthy, even some leather, but very nice! The first taste that opened was lightly acetic, but not unpleaseant, which was a good surprise. Immediately, dark, ripe cherries emerged to taste round and silky. Really enjoyed it with organic chicken breast with Salsa Verde, baked atrichoke shavingsand potato pure, thus it paired wonderfull.

2/12/2013 - jamon7 Likes this wine:

Opens with a wonderful aroma of prunes. At first it tastes spicy, but then prunes follow, and finish with ripe cherries. Good, balanced, potent wine. The first night was paired with Torta del Casar and Fuet, and the second night with enchiladas with habanero peper sauce. It paired wonderful and proved to handle strong flavors

2/12/2013 - jamon7 Likes this wine:

It starts to open with a wonderful prune aroma. First taste is spicy, with a little effect on the tongue, prunes, and follows with ripe cherries. Medium finish, with a great balance. Wonderful wine

1/1/2013 - jamon7 Likes this wine:

Although '99 harvest was a tough one for Rioja, the good ones that came out are worth it! Close to past peak! Great red fruit aromas. Balanced wine, tannins still strong, mild spice flavors emerged, long finish.

12/15/2012 - jamon7 Likes this wine:

It was perfect timing for this wine, both bottles. At peak, and I think they should be drinked now. It took like an hour to open up and start developing those woody, floral aromas in full. Fresh, the exact balance between wood and wild berries. The level of acidity was perfect, and was a great companion for a very long dinner with very good friends.

12/11/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

Not the type of wine I am used to from Private Bin by Villa Maria. Ended un drinking it as mulled wine, which by the way, was very good.

12/12/2012 - jamon7 Likes this wine:

Just reaching peak! Great Rioja-by-the-book. Fresh, powerfull, subtle, peppery notes. Drank it during two nights and it just kept improving. First night, with boquerones al ajillo, second night fusilli on a very light cabrales sauce. Great pairings.

11/10/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

At first nose, dark cherries. Silky texture, what a great balance for this wine. Subtle wood, pepper, cherry & dark chocolate. Loved this wine. First time I taste a wine from Paul Hobbs, and it was clear to me why it is said that he produces great wines on the Russian River Valley. It is worth every penny spent on the wine. Is a great value.

10/10/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

Everything you expect from a Rioja Reserva: at first nose wood, spicy with freshly ground pepper, hints of leather. Flavours emerge from a balanced wine, acidity and alcohol, dark ripe berries, very long finish. And the best of all... a best value, great quality, low price...
Pairing with herbed italian ham with a delicious melted Tilamook Chedar

8/19/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

It opened strongly with cherries. Well balanced, round, silky, easy on tanins, kind of sweetnes on the long aftertaste. Great Malbec with a great performance, reminiscent of the Ensenada terroir. Great wine done in Mexico

8/4/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

Matarromera is one of my favourite wines. Peppery, spicy aromas. Well balanced, round, still pepper and lots of wood. Bright, dark red colored, silky, ready to be drinked all the way down!!!

8/4/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

Intense flavours, great alcohol level, nutty, but a hint of flowers!!!

7/28/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

Very good wine. It maintains the strong character of spanish wines, but only light traces of wood, and instead, fresh herbs, red fruits. Well balanced tanins. It was at its peak! Suggest to drink now.

7/28/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

Dark, shining red colored, fully alive! Fruity and earthy aromas. Lots of dark cherry, plum, silky textured. Very well balanced, with a long finish. Just love Barolos

6/1/2012 - jamon7 Likes this wine:

Intense, bright ruby colored. Raspberries aromas, opened great. Spicy flavors, peppery, light notes of ginger. Long finish with ripe plumes flavors. Silky, round, with great balance. Becomes one of my favourites.

5/16/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

Amazing ruby color, bright, shining! When you view it on the glass you just admire its color!!! Fruity aromas, crisp, balanced. I love this wine. Great with brick oven pizza made at home. Both italian sausage, onion pizza and the best with pear & gorgonzola pizza, just drizzled with spanish extra virgin olive oil

5/6/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

Fresh, fruity at the first nose! Small, persistent bubbles. Great acidity level, great with King Crab

5/1/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

At first nose, flowers, ripe fruit. High acidity well balanced with tanins, red fruits, wood, looong finish. Also, sutile, elegant. So much Rioja in it. This guys at Marques de Caceres made a wonderful wine in a 2000 harvest that gave average wines.

5/1/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

High in alcohol but great aromas to red ripe fruits. It evolved through the night and became a well balanced, round, silky wine. Great wines from Baron Balche

4/22/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

And the bottles continue to evolve wonderful!!! Floral notes to the nose. Buttery, some tropical fruit, banana notes. It is great how its acidity works out on your palate, balancing the wood and rounding the wine.

4/19/2012 - jamon7 Likes this wine:

Great aromas at first nose. Flowers and then some sort of fruits like mango. Dark berries, well balanced and smooth in flavour. Great pairing for Mexican food

4/14/2012 - jamon7 Likes this wine:

What a great wine. Since it is opened it starts spreading it fruit in the air. Nice acidity, well balanced by oak and tanins. Dark cherries and wood on the palate

4/12/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

Aromas like berries, low acidity and tanins. It would be good for a hot summer day maybe. Had it with roast beef and aged chedar sandwiches.

4/10/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

Great aroma! Dark cherries, well balanced, refreshing. Perfect for a stormy easter week afternoon! At its peak

3/31/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

Great acidity, balanced tanins. Reached its peak. And loved the wood!!! Great for spicy food!

3/21/2012 - jamon7 wrote:

All those 18 months in Roble through its Crianza process, so much Rioja but white!!! Buttery, floral but high in wood. Long finish, and a great balanced acidity. Simply delicious!! A white that deserves to be red

11/8/2008 - jamon7 wrote:

Nothing Spectacular

9/4/2008 - jamon7 wrote:

Worth its Silver Medal in Paris. A complex wine, well structured.

6/8/2008 - jamon7 wrote:

A premium argentinean wine! Floral aromas start to emerge as soon as the bottle is open, and at first nose it has light tones of dry berries. At tasting, you can savour balanced tanins, ripped cherries. It has a prolonged finish, with more than 15 secs in the palate. Although the wine was excelent, it will be far better in at least 10 or 12 years.

5/30/2008 - jamon7 wrote:

Excelent dessert wine. Equilibrated, sweet but with nice acidity that balances the flavor, and makes you wish for more. Beautiful and shiny gold color. Honey, summer fields and light tones of nuts are present in this wine at taste. We tried it with chocolate and berries, and also nuttela and banana thin crust pizzas, and it was a great pairing.

4/29/2008 - jamon7 wrote:

The wine was very close to be past peak, but still good. At nose very fresh, fruity wine, with tones of rippen cherries. The taste had the familiar mineral flavor of beaujolais, and notes of red fruits and some fresh herbs, like oregano and bay leave. Good wine just to sip in rainy spring days.

4/13/2008 - jamon7 wrote:

Color of the wine was spectacular gold, very lively. However, at the first nose it was highly alcoholic so no additional aromas could be perceive, and we had to let it rest for an hour. The wine evolved, lost most of the alcohol and aromas to nuts started to emerge. Good resemblence to spanish sherry. At taste, walnut dominated at all times, and the wine had a short finale. I expected more of this wine. It was like having an average sherry, nothing spectacular.

3/21/2008 - jamon7 wrote:

The wine was at its peak, with a great golden color. The aroma of the wine was a mix between wood and citrics, specialy on the nose. Taste was a surprise, as at the first tasting the wood tones exploded and dominated the taste, with slight tones of citrics. Airing the wine resulted in a very good evolution of taste towards fresh fruits, and a final of vanilla and cedar.