3/12/2024 - daveyk39 wrote:

Gave 2h air. Deep ruby color. Offers raspberry, dark plums, compost, pepper, toffee, 5-spice and a restrained hint of oak. Medium-full bodied, creamy and smooth, with dark fruit, licorice and raspberry hints on the palate. Spicy through the lingering finish. This wine has quite a bit of depth and character, a lot to like.

12/31/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Medium ruby color. 90m air. Cherry, leather, pine, bay leaf, white pepper and potting soil on the nose. Silky and medium-bodied on the palate. Firm rustic tannins that are a bit reluctant to resolving. Dark cherry, fennel, tobacco on the palate with a peppery finish.

12/25/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Cranberry, cherry, tomato leaf, compost, chocolate and forest floor on the nose. Medium-light bodied, satin texture, plush tannins, brightly acidic. Strong presence, yet graceful, with cherry-cranberry and earthy tones, with a lingering finish.

12/23/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

3h air, given the varietal. Offers red plum, pepper, leather, chocolate, cinnamon and wet rocks. Medium bodied, satin texture, but broad, rustic tannins which slightly overpower the wine itself. Red fruit and earth on the palate, with a spiciness to the finish.

12/16/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Deep ruby color. Offers raspberry, red plum, potting soil, hard cheese and hints of coffee and truffle. Silky texture, full-bodied, with firm, rustic tannins. Drank mostly on Day 2, when the tannins had mellowed a bit. Dark fruit, truffle and earthy undertones on the palate.

11/23/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Thanksgiving wine again, PnP this time. Medium Ruby color. Notes of Dark cherry. blood orange, pepper, mushroom, coffee, and fresh sage. Creamy texture, medium-light bodied, Graceful and supple, with polished tannins supporting juicy red and black berry, with hints of sage and umami in the lingering finish. Lovely.

11/21/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

2h air. Medium ruby/purple color. Notes of blackcurrant, blackberry, forest floor, leather, baking spice and a hint of jalapeno. Creamy and smooth, medium-bodied, surprisingly restrained for a Napa Cab. Vibrant dark fruit on the palate, with a lingering finish that brings notes of earth into the mix. Worth the 5 year wait!

11/10/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Gave 1h air. Pale garnet color. Cherry, sun-dried tomato, tomato leaf, smoke, leather and tobacco. Smooth and satiny on the palate, supple and medium-bodied. Racy on the palate, with cherry and leather peeking through a layer of dust and lingering through the finish. Tannins are still a little unruly and chalky, so this still probably has a decade of life left, at least. Great food wine, especially rich food, given the acidity.

11/11/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Pale ruby color, PnP. Aromas of strawberry, cranberry, campfire, truffle, forest floor and a hint of chocolate. Velvety texture, medium-light bodied. Graceful and round, with vibrant red fruit and a hint of citrus, that's positively juicy on the palate. Just enough powdery tannins to give it a backbone. Such a great value.

11/3/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Disappointing after the sheer surprise of the 2016 Dalem. Very restrained on the nose. Offers plum, red currant, charcoal, coffee and a hint of tobacco. Crabapple, very tart, on the palate. Decent body and structure, with sinewy tannins, offers some hope for the future, but will time tame the intense tartness?

10/2/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

2 hours air.

Bright ruby color. Offers raspberry, red plum, espresso, white pepper, potting soil and cardamom. Creamy, medium-full bodied, with a frame of polished tannins that are surprisingly resolved, given the wine's youth. Raspberry and mouthfuls of dirt, with a lingering finish. Robust, round with a seductive edge to it. Drinking fine now, but with plenty of runway ahead of it.

8/4/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Gave 90m air. Aromas of red plum, black currant, cigar box, pepper, dark chocolate, star anise and leather. Robust, full bodied, velvety texture, with angular chalky tannins. Needs more time laying down.

8/4/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

2.5h air. Notes of cherry, smoke, anise, vanilla, green olive. Round and seductive, with a creamy texture, medium-full body and plush tannins with a pleasing firmness. Cherry and raspberry on the palate, with a peppery mid-palate. A slight discordant stalkiness in the finish is the main negative.

7/2/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Gave about 2h air, based on TNs.

Deep ruby color. Absolutely fantastic bouquet, redolent of black sherry, red currant, wet gravel, chocolate, tar. eucalyptus and rose petals. Smooth and supple, medium-full bodied, with flavors of red and black fruit, streaked with hints of menthol, earth and spice. Lingering dried fruit finish, supported by fine-grained tannins.

Perhaps a little tight still, and could benefit from a few more years of rest. But a very solid wine, regardless.

7/1/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Deep garnet color. Offers blackberry, raspberry, BBQ meat, mushroom, pepper, bay leaf and coffee. Velvety texture, medium-full bodied, zesty red and black fruit on entry, an earthy middle and some hints of cinnamon in the finish. Nice, but a little soft.

6/25/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

At the decade mark, this has developed nicely into a smooth, soulful and very easy-drinking Merlot. Medium garnet color. Notes of raspberry, red plum, white pepper, clay pot, bay leaf and a faint trace of cedar. Supple and smooth, medium-full bodied with a satin texture.

Red fruit, clay dust and herbaceous notes on the palate. Peppery in the finish, with a scaffold of fine-grained tannins.

5/29/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Pale garnet color. Complex aromas of cherry, fig, tar, potting soil, menthol, anise and white pepper. Satin texture, medium-full bodied, but a bit thin on the palate. Flavors of sour cherry, rose and plum, with a nice dustiness. Firm muscular tannins.

5/21/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Medium purple/ruby color. Gave 1h air, probably on the low end of what's needed at this early stage. Notes of plum, dark cherry, menthol, cinnamon, potting soil, chocolate and bay leaf. Creamy and smooth texture, full-bodied, with muscular tannins. Red and black berries, pepper, warm spice and a hint of licorice in the finish. A little challenging at this stage, but extremely potent and full of potential.

5/20/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

2.5h air. Inky purple color. Dark cherry, coffee, cured meat and menthol on the nose. Very shy on Day 1 and overwhelmed by aggressive chalky tannins. Much more approachable on Day 2. Full-bodied, with blueberry, dark cherry, coffee and licorice on the palate. Still fairly muscular tannins, but not as aggressive and bitter as on Day 1.

5/14/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Gave 90m air, not entirely sure that is necessary. Deep, deep ruby color. Offers blackcurrant, plum, clay pot, blackcurrant leaf, sauteed mushrooms, warm spices and leather. Creamy and opulent, full-bodied, with vibrant red & black fruit flavors, spicy and peppery through the finish, supported by well-resolved chalky tannins. Depth and maturity.

4/19/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

3h air. Deep ruby color. Blackberry, blackcurrant, pepper, potting soil, pencil shavings and bacon fat on the nose. Robust, dense, perhaps a bit extracted, black and blue fruit flavors. Velvety texture and firm chalky tannins. Promising!

4/15/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

3h air, based on prior TNs. Offers raspberry, potting soil, black currant leaf, and a hint of truffle. Full-bodied, with potent red fruit on the palate. Tannins are significantly resolved since my last bottle. Earthy and peppery through the lingering finish. Big and bold, rather simple but not in a bad way.

4/16/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Notes of cranberry, mushroom, orange peel, compost. Juicy red fruit, salinity and umami on the palate. A bit on-descript, lacking presence.

4/2/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Still gave 2h air based on prior note, and found this much improved, if still dealing with assertive chalky tannins. Deep ruby color. Aromas of cherry, blackberry, menthol, potting soil, rose and hints of oak. Very potent stuff, with intense red and black berry on the palate, some licorice and pepper in the lingering finish. Smooth and succulent, full bodied.

3/31/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Deep ruby color. Cherry, red plum, barnyard, potting soil, dried herbs and espresso on on the nose. Silky and medium-bodied. Funky and cherry on the palate, very lively with a peppery lingering finish. Tannins are still a bit chalky and there's ab it of stalkiness in the finish at first. Lots of life left in this.

3/30/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Medium garnet color. Offers black cherry, forest floor, dried herbs, minerals and dust. Satin texture, medium bodied. Sour cherry on the palate, earth and minerality with a salinity through the finish.

3/28/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

2h air. inky purple color. Note of raspberry, espresso, jalapeno, dust and...bear with me...banana bread. velvety and rich, full-bodied, with red fruit, earth and caramel on the palate. Polished tannins retain some grip that could use a few years to resolve.

3/28/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

2h air. Deep ruby color. Aromas of blackcurrant, dried cherry, new leather, umami, dust and bay leaf. Medium-full bodied, graceful and supple, with a smooth texture. Red and black fruit, giving way to umami, licorice and intense red fruit through the finish. Mature chalky tannins add support.

3/28/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

45m air. Pale ruby color. Aromas of sour cherry, leather, tar, mushroom and tobacco. Intense sour cherry on the palate. Tight, with firm chalky tannins that could use a few years to resolve.

3/10/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Vibrant and elegant in equal measure. I gave this about 1h of air, not sure that's needed. Medium garnet color. Offers dried cherry, fig, oak, leather, dill and a hint of charcoal. Extremely smooth and rich on the palate. Medium-bodied, with cherry, dirt and salinity, streaked with caramel and supported by polished tannins. The oak is a bit of an outlier here, poking itself out somewhat unappealingly. It doesn't detract enough to really affect things, but if it mellows over the next few years this could really be something.

2/18/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Pale ruby color. Aromas of cherry, truffle and rose petals. Satin texture, medium-light body. Cherry and citrus on the palate, deeply acidic, which makes it far less pleasant on its own. But, paired with cheese (which is what we did) it cuts through the richness and strong flavors and makes an excellent pairing.

2/14/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Valentine's Day wine. Ate with a North African inspired chicken dish, a lovely pairing. Unlike prior note, very drinkable after 3-4 hours of air.

Medium ruby color. Aromas of red plum, sour cherry, smoke, leather, potting soil and white pepper. Silky texture, but a little thin for my liking. Medium-full bodied. Sour cherry and slight medicinal quality on the palate. Tannins remain a bit unresolved and grippy, so some time may still do this wine good.

2/15/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Deeply floral (rose) on the nose, with additional notes of cherry and charcoal. Satin texture, medium body. Lots of dried red fruit on the palate. Chalky tannins.

2/11/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

This high altitude Malbec keeps going from strength to strength as it grows and matures. Deep purple color. Plum, fig, grilled meat, espresso, black olive and a hint of clove. Luscious creamy texture. Voluptuous and mouth-filling plum, red fruit and baking spice. Spicy finish and plush tannins for support. Not a subtle wine, but a harmony to match its boldness.

2/5/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Pale garnet color. Offers cranberry, smoke, forest floor and a faint gaminess. Soft and delicate on the palate, mossy with dried cherry and a bitter edge. Sweet in the finish.

2/5/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

90m air. Dark ruby color. Notes of plum, blackcurrant, coffee, mushroom and pencil lead. Creamy and voluptuous, potent on the palate. Dark cherry, licorice and coffee into a lingering minerally finish. Tannins remain fairly muscular.

2/2/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

A lovely and reasonably-priced Rioja. Medium garnet color. Aromas of dried cherry, red currant, cedar, coffee, black olive. Satin texture, slightly thinner than I recall, texturally. Sour cherry and dusty on the palate, with polished tannins.

1/22/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Exceptionally dry, pairs well with something rich...we paired it with pizza and it was good with the cheese and sausage. Less impressive on its own, but still very good. 90m air. Medium garnet color.

Cherry, strawberry, tar, parmesan and florality on the nose. Smooth and lush, medium bodied, with intense cherry and echoes of the parmesan on the palate. Spicy through the finish, supported by fine-grained tannins.

1/21/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

I fear this may have passed its prime, or is very close to it. Still enjoyable and reasonably priced. But it feels thin compared to prior tastings.

1/15/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Either some bottle variation or time hasn't been kind to this Washington Cab/Merlot blend. Dried cherry and strawberry, clay pot and chocolate. Medium-full bodied, sating texture but overall feels a bit thin. Tart red fruit and fine-grained tannins balance nicely.

1/14/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

This has been an interesting wine to watch in the Tasting Notes section while I tried to remain patient. From initial excitement to a period of concern and disappointment, the timing started to seem right to open one and see where we are...and it does not disappoint.

Gave 2h air. Deep ruby color. Slightly shy aromas of raspberry, dust, dark chocolate, and jalapeno. Creamy and smooth, full-bodied. Chalky tannins add a frame for intense raspberry, fig and baking spice on the palate. While robust, retains an elegance about it. A slight medicinal quality in the finish is the one off note.

1/12/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Not nearly as good as on prior tastings. Not sure if that's bottle variation or that this wine just drinks better when young...future bottles may answer that question. Plum, black cherry, compost, espresso and olive on the nose. Satin texture, succulent dark fruit, with baking spice and espresso. Tannins needed some time to calm down, even with a 1.5h decant.

1/7/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Aromas of raspberry, smoke, sassafras, sweet tobacco, green peppercorn and graphite. Plum and red fruit on the palate, medium-full bodied, with sinewy tannins. Potential, but it's all a bit awkward and disjointed at the moment.

1/8/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

Medium Ruby/Purple. Offers blackberry, dried cherry, clay pot, black olive, jalapeno and a hint of oak. The promisingly complex bouquet is not backed up on the palate, which is very simple, very primary. All dark cherry with just a touch of anise.

1/1/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

2h air. Medium garnet color. Notes of cherry, plum, clay pot, anise, coffee, jalapeno, menthol. Smooth and satiny feel, medium-full bodied. Succulent cherry flavor really pops amidst a profile that's got saline, dust and pepper, with hints of anise and toffee in the lingering finish. Tannins as well resolved at this stage, offering a good amount of structure that really shows the wine off well. A slightly discordant stalky note in the finish is my one complaint.

1/1/2023 - daveyk39 wrote:

This Merlot-heavy Right Bank style blend continues to impress. Deep garnet color. Plum, black currant, cedar, pepper, espresso and cured meat on the nose. Creamy texture, juicy red and black fruit, with hints of cured meat and vanilla and a lingering, peppery finish. Enjoyably dense, the lively red fruit is a pleasant surprise. Chalky tannins are still a bit assertive, more time in cellar or a long decant is advised.

12/28/2022 - daveyk39 wrote:

Deep ruby with some bricking around the edges. Offers dark cherry, plum, smoke, baking spice and forest floor. Creamy and rich, full bodied, with sour cherry, black fruit, smoke and licorice on the palate. Plush tannins.

12/27/2022 - daveyk39 wrote:

81% Cab Franc, 11% Malbec, 8% Petit Verdot. 18 months in 80% new French oak, bottle aged 2 year before release.

Gave 2h air, perhaps not needed. Inky ruby color. Cherry, smoke, minerals, dried leaves and espresso on the nose. Smooth and medium-bodied, deep and supple. Very alive on the palate: cherry, cranberry, earthy notes and pepper. Tannins remain a bit rustic and chewy and could perhaps still use a couple years to resolve.

But, while Belle Fiore can be a bit hit-or-miss across their catalog, when they hit its a real pleasure and surprise and Siderio tends to be a solid performer.

12/25/2022 - daveyk39 wrote:

Wasn't as impressed as I was hoping. Not bad, just not meeting expectations, which were perhaps too lofty on my part. Offers cherry, dark plum, leather, grilled meat, dark chocolate and cardamom. Creamy texture, full-bodied. Cherry and chocolate on the palate, just a bit soft and out of balance with the firm chalky tannins.

12/25/2022 - daveyk39 wrote:

Gave this 1.5h air, but I don't think it needs it anymore. Notes of blackberry, raspberry, potting soil, pepper, green olive and tobacco. Smooth and medium-bodied, with dark fruit, hint of raspberry and licorice and an earthy streak. Perhaps a bit raisin-y in the finish, but still a solid value that paired well with a Christmas cioppino.