11/4/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Earth, dried leaves, anise, clove, tobacco, red currant, and cherry. Medium bodied and dry. Would buy again.

9/6/2023 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Bad bottle/flawed

8/21/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Medium ruby with a concentrated core. Slight orange tinge at the rim. Aromas of cherry and forrest floor. Medium body. More cherry on the palate along with dark strawberry, dried herbs and dried leaves. Nicely balanced.
Alcohol medium, tannin medium, acid medium+

Good QPR in the $20 range.

8/10/2023 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Citrus and mineral driven with notes of lemon, lime, and tart green apple. Racy acidity keeps the mouth watering for another sip.

8/14/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Softer than most Chianti Classicos I've tasted...Beautifully balanced, dry, medium bodied and smooth..with notes of rose hip, cherry, raspberry, cranberry, tomato leaf, and a hint of minerality. A pleasure to drink.

7/27/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Pale Garnet with orange/brown hues. This color definitely shows the age of this wine.Aromas of red fruits and spice. The wine is light bodied and dry with very little tannic structure left. The palate features notes of dark cherry, dark strawberry, cranberry, herbs, spice, and oak. Balanced and still drinking well.

7/23/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Medium garnet with magenta rim. Black and red fruit aromas on the nose. The wine is dry with medum+ body. The palate shows notes of herbs de Provence, oak, raspberry, blackberry, black plum, cherry, pepper, earth, and leather.

Acid medium, alcohol high, tannins medium

7/23/2023 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Pale garnet with magenta at the rim. Aromas of red fruits and lavender. Medium bodied and dry. Red plum, raspberry, blackberry, black pepper, thyme, vanilla, and oak.
Acid medium, alcohol high, tannins medium.

7/23/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Deep purple with slight rim variation. Black pepper, earth and black fruits on the nose. The palate is dry, bold, complex, and full bodied. Flavors of black plum, black pepper, blackberry, black olive, violets, pencil shaving, and dried herbs.
Acid medium, tannins medium+ alcohol medium+

7/22/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Medium yellow, with apricot and peach on the nose. The complex palate reveals notes of peach, papaya, apricot, white pepper, fennel, ginger, and oak. Medium bodied and dry.
Acid low, alcohol med+

7/22/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Pale yellow with straw hues at the edge. Aromas of stone fruits like peach and apricot. Medium bodied and dry. Flavors confirm peach and apricot plus pear and a touch of minerality...as well as a warming note indicating medium+ to high alcohol. Long finish.

Note: alcohol reported as 13%, but I find this unlikely given the warmth of the 2020 vintage. Probably closer to 13.8-14% in my estimation.

7/16/2023 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Drinkable, but not memorable. This wine is balanced and dry, with notes of clove, black currants, black plum, tobacco, pepper, and spice.
Tannins med, acid medium, alcohol medium.

7/12/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Bone dry with notes of red fruits and herbs supported by lively acidity. Lovely rose, delicate and complex

7/11/2023 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Typical, but pleasing pinot from a dependable producer of this style. Cherry and oak, soft and balanced. Easy to drink and to pair with a wide range of foods. Good value in the sub $25 category.

7/8/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Magnum - This is the Paso version of a Napa Cab. Dark fruits and oak on the nose. The palate shows flavors of black cherry, blackberry, black plum, black currant, oak, vanilla, toast, anise, tobacco, and chocolate.

Alcohol high, acid medium, tannins medium. Very tasty.

6/22/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Medium straw color with green hues. Notes of underripe lemon, lime juice, pear, honeysuckle, and minerals. Tart and dry. Acid medium+ alcohol medium-

6/21/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

An alluring deep ruby color fades to a watery magenta at the rim. Spices dance on the nose. The wine is light-bodied, dry, and surprisingly complex. Notes of pomegranate, cherry, white pepper, leather, and spice. The savory, long finish keeps you curious, and perpetually reaching for another sip. An interesting, head turning pinot. I found this wine to be better on Day 2. Acid med+ Alcohol medium, Tannins low.

6/1/2023 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Decent Napa cab with blackberry, black plum, cassis, black cherry, vanilla, toast, earth, and oak. This wine is now 7 years old and still drinking well, but the tannins are definitely fading so do not hold for much longer. Drink 2023-2024.

6/5/2023 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Light bodied, balanced, and dry with standard red fruit notes of cherry and strawberry. Smooth and goes down easy. Solid QPR here.

5/30/2023 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Lush notes of black, blue, and boysenberry bramble fruit. Additional notes of pepper, spice, mocha, oak, vanilla, bacon fat, game, and licorice. Tannins are medium, acid medium, alcohol high.

5/29/2023 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Note: This wine drastically improved after breathing for an hour.

Notes of cherry, black plum, blackberry, tar, earth, smoke, clove, and herbs. This wine is rustic, dry and full bodied. The finish is long, with a pronounced bitter note. Paired well with sausage pizza.

Despite it all, this oddball of a wine is remarkably well-balanced.
Acid medium+ Alcohol medium+ Tannins medium+

5/11/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

A lovely Chardonnay with a judicious use of oak. Notes of pear, lemon, and apple play nicely with an endearing minerality. This is a very good bottle of wine, albeit an expensive one. Alcohol medium, acid medium+

5/22/2023 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Fresh, easy drinking, and delicious! Notes of lemon, herbs, and a touch of salinity. Great QPR here.

5/8/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Rich and round, with notes of notes of lemon, pear, papaya, and oak. Complex and confusing...but in a good way :)
Nobody would call this Sauv Blanc in a blind tasting.
Body medium+ acid medium, alcohol medium.

Do not be alarmed by the age on this one. Kathy Joseph makes Sauv Blanc unlike anyone else in the Central Coast. Highly recommended.

4/29/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Intense notes of blackberry, black cherry, and boysenberry dominate the palate, with a subtle hint of dried herbs on the finish. Drinking very well right now. Paired beautifully with a prime ribeye. Alcohol high, acid medium, tannins medium

4/27/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Blackberry, black cherry, black plum, fig, oak, vanilla, tobacco, and anise. Medium to full bodied and dry. Acid medium, alcohol high, tannins medium+

4/25/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Medium bodied and earthy, with notes of black fruits, red fruits, dried herbs, and light spices. Paired well with rosemary lamb chops. Alcohol medium+, tannins medium, acid medium+
Starting to fade so Drink ASAP

4/13/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Full bodied and fruit forward, with notes of black plum, blackberry, black cherry, oak, mocha, vanilla, and tobacco. Paired well with pizza and red meat. Acid medium, tannins medium, alcohol high.

3/20/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Nice dark fruits are offset by medium tannins and understated acidity. Drinks easily with or without food. Starting to fade, so drink ASAP.

3/21/2023 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Medium gold with green hues. The nose shows aromas of lemon and golden apples. On the palate, the textbook honey note comes out, along with saline and pear. Paired well with Thai spicy noodles.

2/28/2023 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

past prime, barely drinkable at this point.

2/14/2023 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

A very interesting grape. Dark opaque purple color. Notes of blackberry, black plum, violets, balsamic, and spice. A couple years ago this was probably a much better wine...but the tannins have faded drastically, so I think the drinking window needs to be revised.

2/13/2023 - Stephen.Somm Does not like this wine:

A massive vanilla-bomb laden with syrupy dark fruits. This is a great example of why I never trust Vivino, where this wine has a 4.2 rating (?!?) A hugely disappointing release from Owen Roe, even for an entry-level wine.

2/13/2023 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Big fruit notes on the nose and palate...including cherry, blackberry, currants, blueberry, and fig...and well as tobacco and vanilla from aging in French oak barrels. A decent weekday WA cab, but not a great one. Acid medium, tannins medium, alcohol medium+

1/29/2023 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Intense purple fading to magenta at the rim. Black pepper, cherry, raspberry, and blackberry on the nose. The wine is full bodied and dry. Additional notes of black plum, pencil shaving, black olive, and herbs. Acid medium, tannin medium, alcohol med+
Drink Now.

12/30/2022 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Strawberry, rhubarb, raspberry, and cranberry with oaky notes of clove, nutmeg, and black tea. Light bodied and dry. Alcohol medium, tannins low, acid medium+

12/29/2022 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Dark cherry, blackberry, black currant, earth, leather, and herbs. Dry and full bodied. Aged in concrete, so no oak influence here. Alcohol medium+, acid medium, tannins medium+
If you are looking for "one last bottle" to open after midnight, one that is decent for such an occasion, and considering that you will probably forget to screw to top back on...look no further.
Drink now.

11/30/2022 - Stephen.Somm Does not like this wine:

Simple, yet drinkable red fruit juice without much backbone or structure. Tastes like something you'd get at Trader Joe's for half the price.

At this point, when Sucking gives a 90...it's really 87/88 at best. I mean seriously, there is no way in Hell this is a 90 point wine! Not on anybody's scale.

11/13/2022 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Smooth and dry, with red and black fruit notes. Additional notes of smoke, earth, and leather. Nicely balanced. Acid medium, alcohol medium, tannins medium.

$10 via K&L Wine Club. For that price, this is a definite re-purchase.

11/12/2022 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

The full body and syrupy black fruits remain. The other structural elements are collapsing. Past prime, and definitely the end of its drinking window. Acid and tannins rapidly diminishing. Wish I had opened this 3 years ago, because it was probably amazing.

11/9/2022 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Average Merlot-dominant Bordeaux blend with black fruits, oak, and moderate tannins.

11/7/2022 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Lemon, lime, grapefruit, pear and apple aromas and flavors lead the way here, with herbal and flint notes providing support. Drinkable and dry. Solid QPR.

11/7/2022 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Restrained oak is the key to this wine. It allows a pure expression of RRV Chardonnay instead of the butterbomb CA Chard is known for. Fantastic QPR. Alcohol medium, acid medium. Paired well with pan seared herb salmon, roasted broccoli, and herb de Provence potatoes.

10/17/2022 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Notes of black plum, blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry, black cherry, tobacco, oak, licorice, and chocolate make for a hot fruit bomb typical of this producer. If you like this style, you will love this wine. Alcohol high, acid medium, tannins medium.

1/15/2021 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Good value GSM @ $15. Red and Black fruits mingle with dried herbs on the palate. Acid medium, tannins medium, alcohol high.

10/14/2022 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Dry rhone blend with a lovely pale pink color reminiscent of the ever-popular Provence style. Easy drinking and delicious with red fruit notes such as raspberry, watermelon, and strawberry. Acid medium, alcohol medium.

10/31/2022 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

A very different style of Sangiovese...that nonetheless drinks dangerously well and pairs with a wide range of foods. Medium bodied, juicy, and fruit forward, with notes of blackberry, black plum, black cherry, herbs, tobacco, mocha, and anise. Not as earthy or tannic as most Sangioveses, yet the wine is deliciously smooth, nicely balanced, and dry. Outstanding QPR at $18 from K&L.

10/29/2022 - Stephen.Somm Likes this wine:

Abundant fruit on the nose and palate. Blackberry, black plum, blueberry, cherry, and raspberry. Unmistakable black pepper as well. Additional notes of vanilla, soy, black currant, and mocha. Alcohol high, tannins medium, acid medium. Solid QPR here. Will buy again.

10/30/2022 - Stephen.Somm Does not like this wine:

I have enjoyed Lincourt wines in the past, but this was by far the biggest disappointment yet. The drinking window note above must be accurate, because this wine tasted past prime and undrinkable.

10/12/2022 - Stephen.Somm wrote:

Floral on the nose, with cherry and red berry characteristics. Light bodied, dry, and centered. An average burgundy for an introductory price. A novice could start here, then move on. That being said, there is excellent QPR here.