11/9/2014 - philhh wrote:

Thin and earthy. Clearly past its prime sadly!

11/9/2014 - philhh Likes this wine:

Still took a while to open up and I was surprised by how much was still there. Stone fruits and cola came out strong. But this one is past its peak and time to drink up.

12/24/2010 - philhh wrote:

Don't know if this wasn't cellared well originally, but this was a disappointment. Lacking the typical Beaucastel nose and flavors, this was a thin sewery bottle.

7/7/2009 - philhh wrote:

Still lush and delicious!

6/21/2009 - philhh wrote:

Floral and strawberry notes. Nice mouthfeel. Soft and very drinkable.Outstanding!

5/1/2009 - philhh wrote:

Very ripe with notes of leather, currents, and some kirsch. Still holding up surprisingly well for such an inexpensive wine!

12/10/2008 - philhh wrote:

Lush, smooth, and rich with tons of black cherry, red fruit and vanilla. Absolutely delicious, and considering the cost, a stunning bottle.

11/21/2008 - philhh wrote:

Delicate, fragrant, and smooth as silk. Still some berry fruit on the nose with earth and spice notes. Absolutely delicious.

10/19/2008 - philhh wrote:

Straightforward cab with very little fruit left. Definitely time to drink up.

6/26/2008 - philhh wrote:

Some strawberry and cherry flavors, though the alcohol is more prevalent than when it was younger. Overall a good Rosé.

6/26/2008 - philhh wrote:

Fruit waning a bit, though still some cherry and raspberry. A little peppery, and as someone else mentioned a slight bitter taste on the finish. Not bad.

5/26/2008 - philhh wrote:

Some red fruit, although very restrained and a lot less than I had hoped. Lots of earth and a bit of oak. Tannins are soft and it's definitely time to drink up.

5/24/2008 - philhh wrote:

Smooth, balanced, and much better than I remembered. It has settled down and not as over the top as it was on release. Beautiful lush red fruits of Cherry, a hint of strawberry, framboise, kirsch with some earth and forest aromas. The tannins have mellowed, the acidity is in check and balanced to go great with food. Fantastic!

5/20/2008 - philhh wrote:

Cherry, strawberry, mushroom, and earth notes. Tannins quite soft at this point, a tad more acidity and heat than I would have suspected, but quite enjoyable with food.

5/12/2008 - philhh wrote:

Was first impressed by a huge nose of Kirsch and fresh cherries, which then was overwhelmed with pinot funk and mushrooms. This eventually blew off but unfortunately so did most of the fruit. What was left was earth, moss, just a hint of smokiness, and a vague trace of fruit. Very light-bodied and a bit thin tasting with too much tart acidity. This bottle was a good reminder to me of why I don't buy cheap Burgundy anymore. One can do much better for the price.

5/6/2008 - philhh wrote:

Earthy, mushroomy, a little barnyardy funk, with coffee and spice. Not a whole lot of fruit. A little heat.

4/29/2008 - philhh wrote:

Blackberry and cassis, chocolate, a little vanilla/creme brulée, and oak. Not too complex, but not bad for a $12 California Cab. I would buy it again or enjoy it at a restaurnat.

4/23/2008 - philhh wrote:

A simple Pinot with Black Cherry, Blackberry, leather, tobacco, and a hint of earth and black pepper. Pleasant but not memorable. I probably wouldn't purchase it again, but wouldn't hesitate to order it by the glass.

4/9/2008 - philhh wrote:

Lots of red fruit with some acidity. A light, bright Pinot with a very smooth mouthfeel and extremely enjoyable. I wish I had bought more than one bottle...for the price it would be a great "house" Pinot.

3/25/2008 - philhh wrote:

Absolutely delicious mix of cherry, earth, a little mushroom, and some interesting minerality and wood. Very well balanced with lots of good fruit, but not as fruit forward as California Pinots. Complex and enjoyable. A little thinner than I would have expected, but this is my first German Pinot so I have no real idea. I've had equivalent/slightly better Pinots for slightly less money, but for $29 I wouldn't hesitate to buy again.

3/13/2008 - philhh wrote:

A delicious subtle Chianti. Cherries, a little earth, leather, & coffee. Finishes just a touch hot. Good acidity for food.

3/8/2008 - philhh wrote:

More Cherry and strawberry flavors this time, with less earth and forest floor. An OK Beauj. but expensive for what it gives up.

3/8/2008 - philhh wrote:

Lean and tart with some cherry flavors and aromas. Not much to write home about for me. Ended up cooking with it, though it had one of the most purple colors I've ever seen. Didn't look like Pinot Noir at all. A strange bottle.

2/18/2008 - philhh wrote:

A light but flavorful pinot with a beautiful ruby color and soft flavors of cherry and berry fruit. The slightest hint of pepperiness remains. Not complex, but rather an enjoyable easy-drinking bottle.

2/18/2008 - philhh wrote:

A delicious, layered and intense Shiraz with a hint of heat. Lots of forward dark fruit with a hint of peppery spice. Delicious!

1/7/2008 - philhh wrote:

A bit hot, but drinkable. Definite anise-licorice and plum flavors. Not bad, but I'd probably not buy again.

1/7/2008 - philhh wrote:

Nice cherry & berry fruit, modest acidity. Overall left with the impression it is a nice bottle, but rather simple. I've found equivalent for a bit less money, but Cambria is very consistent.

12/21/2007 - philhh wrote:

A fruit bomb of a bit on the sweet tasting side due to so much fruit. Almost viscous in texture

11/24/2007 - philhh wrote:

Light in color with lots of cherry, a hint of raspberry-blackberry, and a little spice. There was a slightly acidic and sour flavor at first which went away in the first five minutes. Absolutely delicious.

11/24/2007 - philhh wrote:

Surprisingly good, especially for $10! Some classic Pinot flavors and a little complexity of fruits, anise, and a hint of vanilla.

11/14/2007 - philhh wrote:

A good weekday wine. Nice nose of currants and cherries with strong cedar and earthiness. A little thin tasting for me, but very classically Bordeaux.

11/3/2007 - philhh wrote:

Sweet cherry fruit, a very small amount of earth and wood, but little else. Very short on the nose and the finish. A simple wine, and in my mind not worth the price.

10/27/2007 - philhh wrote:

Decent Rhone blend, but nothing special. Not giving much on the nose, just a hint of leather and spice. Flavor is one-dimensional, and both taste and finish are extremely short. Should have cooked with this one.

10/11/2007 - philhh wrote:

Cherry and sour cherry flavors with a similar nose that includes a little bit of earth and compost. Fairly thin. Wine started breaking down pretty quickly in the glass. Past its prime.

10/9/2007 - philhh wrote:

Pop and pour. Started out pretty tight but developed into a nice glass with oak, coffee, some herbs, a hint of chocolate, and cherry. Fruit was pretty restrained. Decent cab at $20, but not a good value at $50+

9/24/2007 - philhh wrote:

A decent enough wine if a bit on the thin side and still quite tannic. Not a whole lot of fruit.. a little currant and cherry but mostly notes of cedar and a little tobacco. Very short finish.

9/19/2007 - philhh wrote:

Beautifully smooth flavors of cherry, strawberry, a hint of kirsh. Slightly spicy nose and a medium finish. Not very complex but immensely drinkable.

9/16/2007 - philhh wrote:

Once again proving that Burgundy is a minefield, the '99 Domaine Leroy Bourgogne was a $26 disappointment to me. Funky and harsh upon opening, the wine develops into a thin, insipid beverage after about 1/2 an hour. The nose, as someone else mentioned, is indistinct, followed by very thin flavors of earth, forest floor, and the slightest hint of fruit. The finish is longer than one would expect, but who really wants this bottle to linger? Tasted twice.

8/30/2007 - philhh wrote:

Very strong tobacco and coffee aromas with a hint of chocolate, spice, and smoky fruit. Tannic and alcoholic. Doesn't seem very well balanced at the moment, even after an hour+ decanting.

8/26/2007 - philhh wrote:

Smelled and tasted like a high-quality cherry and liquor filled dark chocolate. Noticeable tannis but the wine was tasting tired after a couple of hours in the glass. Very highly enjoyable now however.

8/21/2007 - philhh wrote:

Soft notes of cedar, a hint of dark cherry and plum, some earth and minerals. Not much weight to it, with very little nose, but enjoyable nonetheless

8/14/2007 - philhh wrote:

Rich, luscious fruit, some good crisp acidity. Beautiful nose. Nice wine even paired with fruit. A new favorite of mine!

8/10/2007 - philhh wrote:

Very young. Still quite tannic and oaky...I think it needs a little time to resolve and achieve better balance with the thick raspberry fruit and pepper. Nonetheless quite nice now especially after a little time to open up.

8/8/2007 - philhh wrote:

Showing much more earth and forest floor notes. Huge pinot funk on the nose which blows off to reveal a bit of cherry and kirsch, but less than the previous bottle. Nice flavors of a mature pinot...again mostly forest floor and a bit of fruit. A little bricking on the edges and flavors indicate that this particular bottle was definitely on the decline.

8/7/2007 - philhh wrote:

Simple, one-dimensional. Originally had a funky nose w/ a bit of cardboard which blew off. Not bad, but there's much better out there for around the same price.

7/25/2007 - philhh wrote:

Notes from Aidan C. "Deep, solid yellow-gold in the glass, the colour of Teutonic happiness . Redolent with honey (clover?), and sweetened Golden Delicious apples, but with a slightly smoky, musky edge, almost like a particularly clean bee pollen. On the palate, the play between smoky and sweet continued, with a medium degree of honeyed sweetness matching well against a medium-high acid and the same waxy, sinuous character as on the nose, leading to a medium finish."

7/25/2007 - philhh wrote:

A slightly racy nose of lime skin and green apples, with a hint of petrol and cool white flowers, taut enough to be almost Alsacian if not for the florality. The palate, however, is slightly honeyed, with generous apricot, white peach and stone flavours and a crisp, cutting acidity and no alcoholic elements to speak of, just a teensy bit off dry from the sweetness of fruit. More fruit warmth than I'd expected, but still in touch with its mineral side.

8/3/2007 - philhh wrote:

Better balanced than I thought it would be based on other TNs. Blackberry, pepper, coffee. Very little nose and even less finish. Uninteresting.

7/29/2007 - philhh wrote:

Notes of blackberry, dusty earth, and a very strong grape flavor and aroma. Acidic, but as someone else said acidic in a good way. Good, not spectacular.

7/27/2007 - philhh wrote:

Not showing much fruit on the nose...mostly earth and a combination of shoe leather and feet...not my favorite! Had earth and forest floor flavors with a hint of cherry and strawberry...but again not much fruit on the palate either. Rather on the acidic side.