3/19/2022 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Had with Osso bucco and ragu, pickled mustard seed, and creamy polenta. Decanted for 2 hours. For 15.8%, this wine was super balanced and drinking well. Cedar, leather, stewed red fruit.

12/10/2021 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Bottle was a gift from a friend who came to stay with us just before the lockdown early 2020. Never heard of the Chateau, but reading about Troplong Mondot, a very interesting and rich history dating back to 1745. St. Emilion locale, on the Right Bank. Deep purple, inky coloring, solid all the way to a minimal meniscus. Mouthfeel has the tell-tale characteristics of Merlot - a velvety, voluptuous body. For a 2012, tannins are well-integrated, at least to my somewhat amateur palate, so perhaps medium tannins. Medium to high acidity, and while I initially had this wine with a beef stew, the acid isn’t too high to negate sipping this on its own - which I’m doing now. I first opened this 5 days ago, and it’s since been sitting at room temp under vacuum. Do I need to stay it’s a dry wine? Flavors are more black than red fruit to me, which surprises me given this being a BDX. I haven’t looked up the 2012 stats, but could have been a warmer than normal vintage? I get some olive on the aroma, which I am guessing is the cab franc component. The non-fruit flavors I fall short on, something I need to practice more with. Not as much leather/mineral as I expected. All in all a very approachable wine, easy to drink, which is surprising to my nouveau-bordeaux experience.

6/6/2021 - wpattison Likes this wine:

I kept this bottle around for fun. On a whim, I decided to pull it out tonight and try it. For a $7 bottle, it's surprisingly good. Did I expect great things? Not really. But given the context, this is a very approachable wine. Easy to drink all by itself.

5/14/2021 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Classic Rutherford Bench dustiness. A perfect "snapshot" of what this estate produces. Better QPR than the 1886, and IMO the more successful younger brother. Though the Merlot component (31%) isn't as much as the Cab Sauv (59%), definite notes of the olive are forefront. Great example of a new-world BDX.

3/21/2021 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Perfect with pizza napolitana.

8/29/2020 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Paired with homemade lasagna.

Brick/deep red color. Spicy notes on the bouquet, slight heat. Medium tannin/acidity, aged very well. Medium to slightly light body. All the hallmarks of a Montalcino on the palate.

Perfect with the meal.

5/25/2020 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Interesting blend. Had it with pasta, great pairing.

11/13/2018 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Light and fruity, yet can hold its own against a rich saucey protein. Distinctive HM nose, evoking the many fond memories of the winery and events. Another killer pinot from an awesome producer.

9/19/2018 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Paired with spicy sausage and orzo. Just a well-knitted, voluptuous wine.

7/17/2018 - wpattison Likes this wine:

An outstanding summer wine.

6/15/2018 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Zesty, slowly effervescing. Notes of lime and citrus peel, bracing acidity and a salty, mineral-edged finish. A delicious crisp, white, wine. Perfect for summer.

6/12/2018 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Nose was clean, floral, fruity, inviting. Color was bright, faint straw. The taste was heavy on the mid-to-back palette; tangy, fruity, pear/apple, and faint honeysuckle. Overall - this was stellar.

Paired with honey-siracha chicken thighs.

4/22/2018 - wpattison Likes this wine:

One of the go-to wines for me when I like to taste the terroir: redwoods, mountain fog, a winery nestled in the crook of Spring Mountain.

3/29/2018 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Warm spring evening, homemade Teriyaki chicken, sauteed spinach, Leon Redbone on the stereo... and this merlot. Perfection.

3/13/2018 - wpattison Likes this wine:

An excellent sauv blanc - but not for the price.

10/15/2017 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Feels like this vintage is on the thinner side for body, which could be due to the conditions at harvest for 2011. Still, very much a relative of 1886. Classic Ehler's DNA.

8/4/2017 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Better than most Sonoma cabs.

6/22/2017 - wpattison wrote:

Flawed. Bottle was way over carbonated.

3/19/2017 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Still vibrant and young.

7/27/2016 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Balanced, dry, toasty, with green apple. Solid wine.

5/7/2016 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Paired with raw oysters, and crab pasta. Perfect.

5/4/2016 - wpattison Likes this wine:

I seek out cab franc's and was interested in trying Detert's offering, given it's location in Napa. While delicious, I can't justify getting any more at this price point. But then again, I'm starting to feel that about most of Napa's price points...

4/27/2016 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Paired it with mediterranean lemon chicken and couscous, was a really nice wine for a weeknight dinner. 11.5% abv, balanced. Dry. Floral.

4/21/2016 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Light and refreshing. Great low-cost summer white.

4/7/2016 - wpattison Likes this wine:

I'm racking my brain trying to remember where I came across this - as per the vintner it is by allocation only. Perhaps Artisan Wine Depot?

Color is deep ruby red, with a solid concentration. Very little change at the rim... even 6 years out. Heavy extraction. High viscosity, no gas or sediment. Clean nose. Intense dark red and black ripe fruit, but still youthful.

Jammy on the nose, but has a nice tart note (again the youthfulness). Hint of mineral, perhaps pencil lead. Very slight. Definate wood notes going on. New French.

Dry, medium tannin, medium acid, medium plus alcohol. Somewhat angular body - light front palate, medium plus mid and back palate. Medium long finish. Still has the red/black fruit - ripe but not overly so. Medium complexity.

Typical Napa-style BDX blend - but great quality for the price point. Can run with Dominus' and Pahlmeyer's but not kill your wallet. This is one I'll mentally keep in the forefront for when I see a bottle here and there.

3/22/2016 - wpattison Likes this wine:

My favorite rose - and the hue is magnificent.

3/11/2016 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Took it along to the House of Prime Rib - and it was outstanding.

3/22/2016 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Paired with gourmet flatbread and pepperoni pizza... and this wine was wonderful.

3/22/2016 - wpattison Likes this wine:

This Viognier is one of the most floral and expressive Viognier's I've had. It also has a nice acidity structure to it, which lends itself to a more crisp stature - bucking that Viognier "flabby" trend.

Super tasty on it's own, or with Thai/Indian curries. Also paired this with some Stilton and honey - which made all parts of the whole sing.

1/22/2016 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Opened and consumed over three days, stored under vacuum. Still a solid BDX blend from a wonderful producer. Largely consumed by itself, but would be wonderful with a steak frites or coq au vin.

1/22/2016 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Opened on a whim to share with others, wasn't expecting much. Still bright and lively - not any hint of being on the down-slope. Quite surprising.

8/8/2015 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Brought this along to the House of Prime Rib, which accompanied the dinner perfectly.

7/29/2015 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Clear, slightly effervescent, yellow-green hue. Low viscosity. On the nose, fresh, clean, and vibrant citrus - really gets the juices flowing. On the palate it has high acid, dry but with a fruity character to lend a subtle sweetness. Again, more citrus - in the vein of lemon/lime. Fresh. The slight spritz is noticeable, but not near the levels of soda.

Enjoyed this wine with spicy orange chicken asian-inspired dish. Would also work very well with a salad. A great summer wine. Clocks in at only 9%.

Another Trader Joe's hit.

5/30/2015 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Great floral nose and easy to drink. Light and fruity. Whopping 14.1%, surprisingly.

2/6/2015 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Fruity, dry, good acid. Damn good champagne.

11/12/2014 - wpattison wrote:

High acid. Paired with a dinner of rich rotisserie chicken and squab, and it went well. But the acidity on this wine demands food. Very angular. Lots there on the side palette and some on the front, finishes quickly.

10/19/2014 - wpattison wrote:

Consumed as part of my 40th birthday. See Raypedia's comments on tasting, I agree. Definitely past its prime, but a fun chance to see how a wine has aged. Looking forward to trying out the second bottle with the Coravin.

10/11/2014 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Birthday wine. Celebrated my 40th with this, and I was very happy with it. Very little color fade around the edge. Aroma was a bit earth, but still had some black fruit to it and some tobacco, as well. Nothing denoting raisin or oxidation. The body still showed well, velvety and palette-coating. Still showing some grippy tannins, which was surprising to me. A nice acid backnote, but not overbearing. Balanced. Finish was slightly bright. Even though the Drink Window on here says 2011 on the outside, I still felt this bottle could still hold up to a few more years. Overall, I was quite happy with it, and it made a milestone birthday very special.

10/13/2014 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Again, not your typical merlot. Pride's merlot is more akin to cabernet sauvignon. Smooth, velvety, luscious. Completely covers the palette. Nice black fruit, drying while still a touch sweet. Smooth with a medium-long finish. Paired this with a fennel sausage and mushroom risotto. Drinking very well now, but still has some time on it. Shared with 4 others, all thought it was delicious. Great wine from a great winery.

9/28/2014 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Probably my favorite sauv blanc. Tart, fruity, crisp.

9/11/2014 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Upon first taste, I immediately thought "Caymus". I'm not sure where the fruit was sourced - as it's a generic Napa Valley designation - but there's a eucalyptus note very similar to Caymus. Great mouthfeel. The roundness from the front to the back palate shows this wine to be well-rounded. This is a nice, big Napa red, though I fear the community's proclivity to mid to high-90 ratings may be a bit too ambitious. 92 at best, as of Sept '14.

(Edit: CT's sidebar of 'Popular wines like this' shows it to be similar to Caymus. Guess I know what I'm tasting, after all.)

8/13/2014 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Another outstanding offering from CH for great QPR. As Cam said in his video on this wine: luscious, ripe, juicy, red fruit, pomegranate, strawberry. No over-extraction or over-cooked flavors on this Pinot, as happens often with pinot's from central coast appellations. The rumor that this is Bien Nacido fruit rings true upon tasting. Super glad I picked a case up, may have to grab some more.

Great acidity lends this wine to be paired with food, but isn't too overpowering to have on it's own. Easy drinker, even though it clocks in at 14.5%.

6/11/2014 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Steep alc %. Great nose. Slightly flabby on the palette.

5/4/2014 - wpattison Likes this wine:

This is showing very well, currently. Fruity, with a back structure for balance. Great QPR.

3/17/2014 - wpattison Likes this wine:

This rose of Cabernet Franc is outstanding. I learned last year to buy as much as I can, as it sells out quickly. A great fruity nose, fruity palette, and tart finish. Great with spicy foods, or just chilled on a sunny day.

2/28/2014 - wpattison wrote:

Perhaps it is past its prime... very meh on this. In fact, I think I'm going to hold off getting Burrell School for a long while. They need alot of work.

2/26/2014 - wpattison Likes this wine:

CH continues to knock it out of the park with his X00-series Lots. This 300 was amazing, and wrapping up the last bottle tonight, I can tell it can still lay down for a while.

Color is deep garnet ruby, very little give to the edge - justifying my impression that this has more time on it. HUGE nose on this, red fruit - ripe and luscious. Some cedar. The mouth is voluptuous, rivaling $100+ bottles. I seriously question my sanity for buying anything in that price-range with CH making wines such as this. Front-mid-back palette is full-on. Finish lasts foreverrrrrrr.... Fruit, acid, smooth. All knitted well. Body is velvet.

WTF, Cameron? Now you're making me wonder about your private label shit. Dammit, I can't afford this hobby.

As a rule - I say buy a case MINIMUM of the Lot X00 stuff. This shit freaking kills. 'Nuff said.

2/19/2014 - wpattison Does not like this wine:

Bouquet was nice, but heavy mineral on the palette. The finish also left me with an off-putting note. Will have to try other AV's from DB to compare.

2/9/2014 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Stellar CF. Juicy, fruity, big tannins. I wanted more once the bottle finished. There's a reason Pride sells out of their CF...

2/5/2014 - wpattison Likes this wine:

Surprisingly nice. Perhaps the '08 Trefethen's should start being consumed.