4/8/2023 - M57 Likes this wine:

Very Cherry, finishes cherry pie. Purple heading towards garnet. On the tart side but nicely balanced. Medium. Decent value in the $25-30 range.

6/12/2021 - M57 Likes this wine:

I don't understand the lack of love for this wine. Yes, maybe a bit uneven on the finish, but a solid drinker in the $30-35 range and a great foil for a well marbled rib-eye. Leverages the oak deftly.

5/6/2021 - M57 Likes this wine:

-Tar, leather, some vegetal notes. Drinks like an 89 right now.
-Still feels tight on night 2. Needs at least a few more years.
-Night 3: Finally loosening up - tannins are giving way to floral/perfumy elements.

5/5/2021 - M57 Likes this wine:

This is a delightfully well-crafted medium+ wine. Even better on day 2, pair this with a roast chicken ..or pasta in a more delicate setting like a vodka sauce. At $22 a very reasonable QPR

4/13/2021 - M57 Likes this wine:

Light-Medium. Candied Strawberries on opening.. Candy subsided over time. I'm not familiar with Cinsault so was unsure and tasted it in three different Reidels - Bordeaux - Syrah - Pinot. Softest in the Pinot, bolder in the Syrah. Meh in the Bordeaux. Not a great pairing with a Chicken Paillard salad with bleu cheese. Maybe better with a garlic shrimp pasta, or something that works with the strawberry. Really, it's a nicely structured wine.

3/6/2021 - M57 Likes this wine:

Lovely strawberry nose. Green apple, lemon and pie dough on the palette with just the thought of butter.

10/24/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Medium. In addition to some florals, earth and maybe even a little motor oil on the nose - not in a bad way. Spiced raisins on the palette. Bright. Drinks more like a pinot noir. Probably could give it an 89 but it's just an average value at $24.

10/16/2020 - M57 wrote:

Too much funk on the nose. A bit over-oaked. Finishes reasonably but not a great value.

10/16/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Ripe pear, with tertiary notes of tropical fruit, lemon and green apple - all with a lovely soft finish. Outstanding value.

10/12/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Didn't need much time to open up. Just a few hours if that. Drink now.

10/9/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Respectable for $19. Light fruit. Good acid. Very drinkable.

10/6/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Very Good Value. Moves from fruit to earth. Even better day 2.

9/24/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Medium. Decent structure: soft but with a bright quickish finish. Drank fine alone. Paired with apricot chicken pasta night one and salmon fillets on the grill night two. Neither was a knockout pairing. Dried herbs, pine, raisins. An average value at best.

9/16/2020 - M57 Does not like this wine:

Smooth and reasonably balanced. A promising nose, but with a musty flavor profile of which I'm not a fan. Drank two bottles. Same.

9/15/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Very Soft. Black licorice on a long finish. Matchbook mouthfeel. Was good with pasta with beans, bacon and red sauce on night one. Was worried that it might be too sweetish on night two, but it was every bit as good if not better with moist meatloaf muffin, roasted brussels sprouts and delicata squash. This would be killer with a steak.

8/4/2020 - M57 Does not like this wine:

I recall that when I first drank this a few months ago, I thought it was a little funky but not bad. This time around it was just a disappointingly cherry-ish grape drink.

7/18/2020 - M57 wrote:

375ml was going to port

7/13/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Medium. Reasonable value at under $20. No better on night 2.

7/7/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Drank over several days; held up right to the end. Very good value.

6/11/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Dense - Big nose with a hint of vanilla. Bing cherries and black fruit on the palate. Lots going on. Opened up nicely on night two though the oak became a tad cloying. Still, a good value @ $20+

6/3/2020 - M57 Does not like this wine:

A heavy dose of honeysuckle and roses on the nose; they just don't let go and continue to dominate the palette, which would otherwise promise blueberries and fresh fruits. It seems well-made enough; it's reasonably balanced. I suppose it could be an interesting adventure for some, but for me it's way over the top.

5/31/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

A diverse array of flavors, from darker fruits to herbs ..and fresh florals, yet reasonably balanced. Medium+ Not a lot of wood, yet full. Good Value.

5/31/2020 - M57 wrote:

Bright fruit finish in an old school style. Interesting, but perhaps not as balanced as it could be. Medium.

5/31/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Pale salmon color. Big mouthfeel. Peach liquor and florals. VG value.

4/7/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Lot's going on. Good movement. Oak on the smoky side, dark berries but with vegetal notes, prunes, milk chocolate finish.

2/16/2020 - M57 wrote:

On the thin side. Disappointing for it's price-point. Not much better day 2. Drink now.

2/14/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Med-Med+ licorice, hint of bell pepper, berries. I don't know that it finishes as well as I would prefer at the price point $30+ I paid for it, but I can definitely see it pairing well with the right food. It didn't quite hold up to a butter & thyme pan seared ribeye.

2/9/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

This is fantastic QPR at $15. Not a solo drinker, this demands food but with the right pairing it's killer. Medium and bright with a reasonably long finish, its acidity was the perfect foil for the chicken broccoli alfredo pizza.

1/14/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Oak a tad on the sweet side, but decent QPR

1/4/2020 - M57 Likes this wine:

Very Nice. Better on day 2

12/9/2019 - M57 Likes this wine:

Eminently drinkable for an under $15 bottle. Dry and floral at first, but smoothly moving to a more currant oriented palette with a surprisingly long finish. This could stand to cellar a few more years. I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up a 89 or 90.

11/29/2019 - M57 wrote:

A drinkable wine at $16, with a cedar-ish flavor profile, which is just not my style - that unfortunately dominates the strawberry and tobacco notes.

11/23/2019 - M57 wrote:

Medium. I admittedly prefer movement in a wine. This starts dry and woody and stays that way - the fruit just never delivers. Reasonably balanced and smooth, but not a great value at this price point.

11/16/2019 - M57 Likes this wine:

Bright and floral up front, then moves toward oaky sweetness. Not the softest of finishes but not unreasonable at this price range. Wants food.

10/17/2019 - M57 Does not like this wine:

Medium+ Must on the nose. Too much oaky sweetness up front. Decent finish. Not a great PQR.

10/1/2019 - M57 Likes this wine:

Came together nicely on day two. Agree with previous commenter about the fine black pepper on finish. Not my favorite flavor profile, but clearly a good PQR.

9/27/2019 - M57 Does not like this wine:

Decanted for two hours. Medium+. Round, even, and full bodied, fine charcoal texture with a reasonable finish for its price point. Nothing wrong with the structure, but cedar is way too dominant and overbearing for my tastes.

9/24/2019 - M57 Likes this wine:

Medium+ At under well under $20, this has an absolutely OUTSTANDING PQR! A barn in a glass when you first open it, it needs at least a couple hours to loosen up. On the clean side with a shortish finish, even after an hour on the first night the flavors were strong and pointy and even hinted at funk, but by night two all was forgiven as the funk disappeared and the barn melded into a soft, even movement. I want to give it a 91, but I feel like it's heresy at this price point. Definitely at the end of its life - drink now.

9/22/2019 - M57 Likes this wine:

Medium
Day 1: disjointed, floral, raspberry soap, even after an hour+ Thought it was the glass, but no. Left most for day two ..good decision.
Day 2: Starting to come together. Mint, cherries, earth. Good acid and fine grained but lots of grippy tannins. Will only get better with time.

9/20/2019 - M57 Likes this wine:

Big, bold, nice movement. Oak driven but leaving room for both fruit and funk. Cherries, leather. A world away but tastes like California.
Day 2: Softer. I was concerned the oak would become cloying, but not at all. Still a 90 but a wonderful value. Planning to buy more.

9/3/2019 - M57 wrote:

Not the blend of oak that I'm accustomed to with Petroni. A little too much new oak for my tastes. This bottle was coming in on the end of its time. Drink now.

8/30/2019 - M57 Likes this wine:

This was delightful. Very good value. Medium+ Barnyard, and as someone else mentioned, bandaid on the nose. Balanced with just enough grip to keep things interesting. Happy acid on the finish, which helped it pair nicely with a grilled rib-eye.

8/10/2019 - M57 wrote:

Upon opening there was some white sugar-like sediment in the first two glasses - possibly from the cork. The wine was fine if maybe a tad effervescent. Day 2 was a charm. Almost chewy and smooth. 88 on day 1 + 90 on day 2 = 89.

8/7/2019 - M57 wrote:

Medium - Black pepper day 1, Red licorice and orange peel day 2. Perfect acid on finish. Still has a few years in it, but drinking beautifully now.

8/4/2019 - M57 Likes this wine:

A very elegant expression of Cabernet Franc. Big and soft, with lots of fruit with a touch of caramel. Tannins are definitely there, but it didn't drink any better on day two.. Actually the contrary. Drink now. Open with friends and enjoy the entire bottle. 90 on day 1, 88 on day 2.

8/2/2019 - M57 Likes this wine:

Spice and pepper on day one. Day two, things start to come together. Tannins were prominent. Nice balance of fruit and leather/tobacco notes. Even on day two it started off a little tight. Good value under $30.

7/7/2019 - M57 Likes this wine:

Oak dissipates quickly to a surprisingly clean finish. Reasonable value

6/28/2019 - M57 Likes this wine:

Pears on the nose - apples on the palette, smoke on the finish. Oak is not overdone. Not the smoothest or longest of finishes. Purchased at the vineyard at a tasting. A tad overpriced @$43.

6/17/2019 - M57 Does not like this wine:

Medium. A tad cloudy, pruney funk in the nose. Very tart berries on the palette. Slightly effervescent. Mud. Not a bad finish.

Day 2: make that sour berries ..more like grapefruit. Not going to finish this one.

6/5/2019 - M57 Likes this wine:

Apricot nectar, oranges, mineral, good amount of density without being oaky. Decent value.