4/2/2024 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

Second bottle from case. Now this has a stemmy bitterness that is quite off-putting.

3/22/2024 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

Two hour decant. Full-bodied but surprisingly smooth and quite approachable. The palate is a complex of dark fruits and mixed herbs. Elegant and round.
Adding to its taste profile, this wine's long, satisfying finish had me smiling, for it suddenly reminded me of that Patti LaBelle song, “Lady Marmalade”, when she sang that great line, "Mocca chocolata ya-ya"...(!)

3/20/2024 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

Yes, an enticing nose at first, but it dissipates quickly. I find the palate a bit odd; complex, yes, but not that appealing. I am reminded of preserved lemons, seashells and toast. Rather viscous and resinous. A food wine rather than a sipper, for sure. Having been opened and on our dinner table for almost two hours now, the finish is noticeably shorter than an hour ago. If you have these, drink up soon, I say.

3/12/2024 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

First bottle from case. I agree that this wine is quite aromatic, beautifully rich and silky, and full of classic dark fruit flavours. I hesitate, however, to call it elegant,. Nonetheless, this is a fine, predominantly Merlot, Left Bank Bordeaux, and fair value for what it is.

3/9/2024 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

Now very much on point. Cool summer sunshine in a glass. Relatively light, with cranberries and raspberries on both nose and palate, and a gentle but brightly tannic finish. An excellent, easy going food wine.

3/2/2024 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

A welcoming nose of ripe stone fruits. Fresh on the palate, but with exotic fruit flavours too. A bit pithy, however. An oaky background is noted too. Good acidity and minerality. A long finish. All in all, not a bad wine for this vintage, village or maker.

2/24/2024 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

I have had this wine in previous vintages. This, the first of 2 from 2011, disappoints. No decant. Whether at first or an hour later, this does not present anything special, beyond the obvious Rioja traits. A bit of balsamic on the palate intrudes rather than compliments.

2/17/2024 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

No, I cannot agree that this wine is 'impressive' or 'delicious'. It is a fairly straight ahead Right Bank, 2nd tier Merlot, marketed as a wanna-be St Emilion Grand Cru.
I purchased a case of these some time ago. 3 down, 3 to go.

2/5/2024 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

A welcoming nose. A puckering palate. Sour cherries, raspberries and tomato leaf. Nice.

1/27/2024 - Stoic Warrior Does not like this wine:

Corr. Sharp, bitter, and no pinot character at all. Second and last bottle. Good riddance.

1/16/2024 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

Tasted at Salentein's rather impressive but seriously over the top facility, Tunuyan, Mendoza. Juicy on the nose and in the mouth. Red fruits. Fine tannins. Rather elegant but fairly light compared to other Malbecs this week.

1/17/2024 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

Tasted at the At Catena Zapata facility, Mendoza. Their top of the line wine, and it is impressive. It put the other wines in this tasting to shame (Nicasia, D.V., and Angelica). It is an odd blend of older Malbec and new, which works. Fresh and fruity but full. Round and concentrated but clean. Decent length. Pricey though.

1/18/2024 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

At La Barra Parilla, Mendoza (with Carlos). Fresh on the nose but round, ripe and concentrated on the palate. Black cherries, plums and chocolate. Quite luscious on its own, but with enough tannin and acidity to showcase a proper steak. This wine is an excellent representative of classic Mendoza Malbec, and it delivers quality well above its price point.

12/8/2023 - Stoic Warrior Does not like this wine:

While I concur with the Wine Enthusiast's review noting blackberry, mace and ginger on the nose, I find the palate here to be muddy, generic and fairly non-descript. Drinkable but nothing special.

12/5/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

As Mattshank noted, there is a touch of cinamon on the nose and a bit of leathery dust on the palate, with rather soft and subtle dried fruits. Acidity not as high as expected. A bit shallow in the middle. Medium finish. A mid rank, basic Chianti, albeit designated classico.

12/4/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

BYOB to the Jacques Pepin restaurant aboard Oceania Marina. Gave this an hour's air but a few years in cellar would have been preferable. Still, it was fresh, floral, and powerful. Ripe apples, and toasty oak, but also a bit yeasty. Good acidity and minerality. A long, elegant and impressive finish. But alas, too young, too young.

11/29/2023 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

Exotic aromas on the nose, toasty oak dominates the palate. There are stone fruit flavours and a decent bit of minerality. However, despite this vineyard's pedigree and a good, coolish vintage, this wine lacks verve or any notable 'wow' factor. Poor QPR.

Sadly, 24 hours later fruit has faded away. Even acidity seems low. And now the finish is flat and puzzling, which the wife likened to some vin en vrac stored too long in plastic.

11/25/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

Surprisingly ready to drink upon opening. Fruit forward, ripe, and round, with soft tannins and low acidity. A bit of pepper and chocolate in the background but not overly complex. The finish is decent but dominated by a sense of hot, lingering alcohol. This is a well made wine, but not a keeper. And, while guidance from a good sommelier or knowledgeable retail clerk has value, I now find that, in this instance, at $53 from Tony's Off 3rd here in Naples, Florida, I overpaid.

11/20/2023 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

Ripe fruit flavours. Full bodied. Gentle acidity. Fresh tannins. Some peppery spice in the background. But a sense of hot alcohol lingers, even after two hours. Basically, this is a prototypical mid-market New World Argentine Cab Franc. It is not, however, a top flight Cepillo or Gualtallary stunner, nor is it an Old World doyen, like a star Saumur Champigny, whose somewhat greener and brighter style I actually prefer. Or used to, anyway. Still, this old vine charmer goes down well. I am visiting Agentina in January. Maybe these South American parvenus will win me over.

11/17/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

A very pleasant, easy drinking Malbec / Bonarda / Petit Verdot blend. Lush, round and full bodied, without being heavy. Soft, almost velvety, with a fine melange of black fruits and gentle spice. No hard ages. Not a cerebral wine, but quite enjoyable without being a prima donna. I gave this two hour's air but it is essentially a pop & pour wine. Good value.

11/12/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

A welcoming aroma of red fruits and wild flowers. Plums, strawberries and chocolate. Elegant yet complex. A nice blend. Moreish. Well liked.

11/10/2023 - Stoic Warrior Does not like this wine:

Oh dear. I poured out a glass of this upon opening as a benchmark, but even after an hour's decant, this wine strikes me only as a muddy Napa cherry cola. To be fair, there is a wee bit of chocolate and spice in the background (way back!) but this wine, sold to me by the manager at Naples Total Wines as something special and at a supposedly great QPR, left me significantly underwhelmed. Ok: mea culpa. But caveat emptor.

48 hrs later: The image of muddy cherry cola has receded a bit, and some sense of classic cab character is now to the fore, but still, this lags well behind expectations.

11/8/2023 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

The upfront appeal of tropical fruits, creamy oak, acidity and minerality soon give way to a flabby center and a short finish. This is no Boillot or Bonneveaux. Not a bad wine, merely adequate.

10/29/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

First bottle from case. What a wine. So complex. Elegant yet powerful. Sweet and savoury. Fresh yet ripe. So many sensations of different fruits, spices and terroir. Typical Riojan oak profile, yes, but roasted coconut and creamy vanilla to the fore. Tannins and acidity in perfect balance. I gave this a 3 hour decant before dinner but I happily enjoyed a good glass of it on its own while waiting. The finish is clean, long, lingering and graceful.

Next day: still had a glass left for Sunday lunch and it was still vibrant and lovely. I have been a fan of La Rioja Alta wines for decades. This 2010 Gran Reserva 904 has to be one of their best I have ever had. What a wine.

10/25/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

Even better than last bottle. Juicy. Savory. Round. Robust. Thoroughly enjoyable.

10/11/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

Tasted at the Domaine's chai in Saumur. Sweet red peppers and raspberries on the nose. More red and black fruits on the palate (hints of crème de mûre). Subtly powerful and dense with fine tannins. Bright cab franc and not overly ripe. Will keep nicely. Bought a case.

10/13/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

This wine delivers a complex of baked apples, exotic fruits and citrus zest. Sweetness and acidity are in harmony. This is a wonderfully expressive and well-balanced wine with a long, satisfying finish.

10/17/2023 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

Upon opening, some bricking noted. Decanted this one hour, but that wasn't really necessary. Nose initially roasted fruits, roses, liquorice and leather. Palate dry and sharp, initially well balanced between acidity, tannins and fruit but over the dinner hour the acidity won out.

This strikes me as a modernised Barolo, a bit lighter, less tannic and more fruit forward than in the past. Sorry, but I prefer traditional Barolo wine making.

10/11/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

Tasted at the Chateau. Preferred wine of all their cuvees tasted. Cooked apples and toasted almonds on the nose. Nutty and round on the palate with a slight sense of oxidation and bitterness, which actually adds to its appeal as a very food friendly Chenin. Bought a case.

9/29/2023 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

More focused than the 2012 I opened last week and similar to my note about this 2015 vintage back on 10 March '22. While I am generally more of a Right Bank guy when it comes to Bordeaux, I am pleased with my decision a few years ago when I chose this producer as my mid-priced, mid-market, 'go to' Left Bank tipple.

9/26/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

Aromatic. Rose petals and cherries. Fully bodied but light on the palate. Medium + acidity, but not as high as one would expect. For the price, this is an elegant wine which is easy to recommend.

9/23/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

Great nose of berries and spice. Decanted 1 hour. Palate more red berries, cherries and spice. A hint of smoke. Soft and integrated, but not particularly well focused. Nonetheless, a pleasant left bank tipple.

9/21/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

First bottle from those bought on visit, 2021. Ripe and oily citrus on the nose, which follows through on the palate. Finely etched flavours here with gravel, gooseberries, hints of cashew nuts and brioche. Saline and smoke in back. Round and refined.

9/9/2023 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

I gave this an hour's air first. It presents an agreeable nose but then hits you with a quite sour cherry palate. I agree with much of M&E's previous note, but I will add that the wife detected a hint of bitter chocolate here too. So, unless you are going to hold this for 5+ years, IMO, treat this like a Beaujolais and serve it a bit cool.

9/5/2023 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

Of the previous recent notes, my opinion aligns most closely with Profbyron's. I will add that in the aftertaste I detect a bitterness that is off-putting.

8/20/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

Better than last year. Yes, a good 45 minutes are needed to blow off the pungent alcoholic fumes on the nostrils (VA?). The palate presents ripe cherries, with a hint of dates, chocolate and spice. The cab franc contributes a bit of pepper, plum and strawberry jam. Quite nice for the price. I say finish the case by 2028.

8/13/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

On a whim, I picked up one of these the other day at Lidl, as the wife decided to make a choucroute during this cool, wet summer we are having here in England. I did not expect much from this wine, but I was very pleasantly surprised. This may lack the depth of aromas or breath of fruit profiles boasted about in far more expensive Gewurz from top vintners, but I wholeheartedly recommend this particular offering. I shall not be bashful to be seen in Lidl buying this again soon.

8/11/2023 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

Initially, a sense of unripe fruit. Nose is misleading; more tropical fruits than what the palate presents. Bitter citrus on the aftertaste. Short finish.

8/6/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

A rose-coloured gold. Aromatic; a nose of peach, pear, tangerine and a touch of butterscotch. It is a dry style, full-bodied, with medium acidity, exotic spice and a pleasant, oily, mouth coating roundness. Quite identifiably Alsatian. This is a serious Pinot Gris.
Opened up quite nicely on its 2nd day.

8/3/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

A bit of plum but more black cherry and bitter chocolate. Some green herbs in back. A somewhat hot finish. An acceptable mid rank Bdx, ready now.

7/28/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

How often have you been thrilled with a wine on holiday or in the maker's cellar, only to find that, once back home, it is merely okay? Now, there is nothing wrong with this wine. Indeed, it is quite nice, but I simply do not find it to be the stellar product I remember when I bought it at Le Domaine de la Taille aux Loups in Montlouis two years ago. Yes, it has fine structure, classic cab franc nose and palate, and appropriate acidity but it just lacks that 'wow' factor I remember.

7/23/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

In my opinion, not passed its peak at all. Lively, lovely, blackberry to the fore; on point now.

7/21/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

Inviting nose. Red and black fruits. Some roasted flavours, smoke and spice. Still good acidity. Really nice.
NB: I just read an interesting descriptor of this elsewhere: "a declassified Brunello". I agree.

7/20/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

The nose here gives away very little; a wee sense of tropical fruits and that's all. The palate, now mature, delivers an abundance of stone fruits, exotic fruits, honeysuckle and lime zest. Oak is barely discernible. There remains enough acidity to carry this through for a long, satisfying finish. This wine has been a pleasure to accompany our brill meunière

Edit: 24 hrs later - the nose here has improved hugely; honey and spice. However, the plate has degenerated. Harmony has broken down.
This now tastes over the hill/

7/19/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

Mud and mint on the nose. Ripe black fruits on the palate, but subdued. A bit of sage and cedar. Medium acidity. The mouthfeel is fulsome, albeit a bit vegetal. However, two hours in and drying tannins still linger. Nonetheless, this wine is good value for money.

48 hours later: this has held up very well. More forward but also rounder.

7/16/2023 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

Decanted for 3 hours. Aromatic, but my first concern was that the colour indicated maturity - a rather tawny red tinged with a rusty orange hue. The palate was conflicted; on the surface there was dusty leather and ripe, bitter cherries, but the high tannins and acidity totally dominated what fruit there was. However, I could sense quality and complexity deep behind these tannins, hinting at dried fruits, smoke and clay, but they would come to the fore only if the tannins and acidity smoothed out and let them through.

2nd day, smoother, but not enough. Frankly, I don't believe there is sufficient fruit to outlast the tannins and acidity over time. BTW, while this was an adequate food wine (braised short ribs), this was no apperitif sipper; the high tannins and dusty bitterness over the subsumed fruit got in the way of any solitary pleasure here.

7/9/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

Aromatic and dry, but with a wonderful floral roundness that differentiates this from bog-standard dry whites. Delicious. Surely one of TWS's best current offerings. And for less than a tenner!

7/6/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

First bottle from case. 2 hour decant (not enough). Violets on the nose, hot garrigue on the palate. Next bottle 2026.

6/24/2023 - Stoic Warrior wrote:

3rd bottle from case. Frankly, disappointing. After decanting for a time it shows fairly well but degrades quickly. Despite assumed QPR, mediocre at best.

6/18/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:

A one-off bottle, but I have held this until properly mature. Lovely colour; warm and welcoming nose; a palate of immediate sweet rather than tart cranberries, with truffles, leather and prunes in the background. While certainly not as ethereal as some of the great Burgundies, this shows very well.