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Tasting Notes for wdcwineguys

(474 notes on 396 wines)

1 - 50 of 474 Sort order
Red
3/10/2024 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
91 points
Needs about 1hr of air, but gets better with even more time. This Fay is decent. Powerful black fruit up front. A touch sweet. A bit over ripe perhaps? Tannins were almost non existent. Here’s my problem, ‘16 was a great vintage and at this price point there are some great examples of Napa Cabernet. This wine falls short. There’s no individuality or character to this Fay. It lacks the depth and structure you’d expect. It’s a decent wine, not great, and at this price not good value.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
3/3/2024 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
1hr decant. Enjoyed over several hours. Excellent now, or hold another 5-10.
Red
2015 Château Fleur Cardinale St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
2/25/2024 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
94 points
30 min decant, would benefit from an hour of air. Riper fruit, black cherry, plum, graphite and some vanilla on the nose. The oak is still present, but this wine has aged well. Excellent value and a wine that drinks like a much more expensive Napa blend. Enjoy now or over the next 10 years.
2 people found this helpful Comment
Red
2016 Sheridan Vineyard L'Orage Yakima Valley Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
2/19/2024 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
Similar to my previous note. Paired with Snake River Farms wagyu tri tip. Drinks well now with some air, but will hold another 5+.
Red
2/18/2024 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
88 points
It needs about 30 minutes to open up. After that tart cranberry, red cherry, and a nice pop of acid. While we didn’t have it with food, this would go well with food. Enjoy now.
White
1/30/2024 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
90 points
This wine was doing really well for 8 years in. Very enjoyable.
Red
2021 Riverain Pinot Noir Silver Eagle Green Valley of Russian River Valley (view label images)
12/30/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
94 points
Spectacular. Deep ruby, almost opaque. It’s much darker and more full bodied than many Pinot’s, but a great example of the Silver Eagle vineyard. Dark cherry, cranberry, roasted mushroom. Enjoy now with a short decant or hold.
1 person found this helpful Comment
White - Sparkling
12/27/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
90 points
Enjoyed alongside caviar for Christmas dinner. Balanced, Champagne with a good level of dryness and not sweet. No formal notes, it was enjoyable.
Red
12/27/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
95 points
One of the first bottles we bought for our cellar and our first QC purchased back in 2016. This wine drinks like a 5yo bottle. If you open it now, give it 60 minutes of air. Tannins are smooth and well integrated. Nose of black cherry, graphite and you can still smell the oak, a bit of dusty dry barn wood. Full bodied, long finish. This is built to hold and could easily go another 10-15 years.
4 people found this helpful Comment
Red
12/26/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
95 points
3hr decant at cellar temp. Poured about 20 min before dinner. Paired with beef tenderloin.

Expressive nose of dark black cherries, plum, graphite and dry tobacco. Tannins are smooth and fully integrated. I was actually a bit surprised how far along this is. I’d say it’s in its peak window. Drink now to 2028. Fruit is massive, but balanced.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
12/20/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
92 points
30 min decant, enjoyed over several hours. This really started to shine around hour 2-3. Great example of Cabernet Franc. Lighter than a Cab Sav, but still good body. Medium body and finish. Drink now with some air or hold through 2028.
Red
11/28/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
Give it 30 min of air and then it’s excellent. Dense black fruits. Medium-full bodied/finish.
Red
11/12/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
PNP. It needed about 15 min in the glass and it opened up nicely. Good balance of fruit, tannins well integrated. This is a blend of grapes from Napa and Sonoma. Very enjoyable bottle.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
11/5/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
92 points
1hr decant. Expressive nose of red cherry, cranberry, vanilla (oak comes through). Bright & tart up front, but it mellowed out over the course of the evening. Drinks well with some air, but would also benefit from a couple of years in the cellar.
Red
2020 RdV Vineyards Lost Mountain Fauquier County Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
10/23/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
94 points
Tasted at the release event. I’m unclear of how long the bottles had been opened. Fragrant nose of black cherry, blackberry, plum, graphite and just a hint of vanilla. This is more fruit forward than the ‘19, with ripe fruit up front, but layers of complexity with a long finish. It’s drinking very well young, more so than some of the other vintages, but this will be interesting to see where it goes over the next 10 years. Tasted beside the 2013 vintage and it’s great to see how Lost Mountain holds up so well for the long haul. This is a 10-20 year old wine. I found the 2020 to be both fruit forward, but not jammy, and complex. It’s hard to compare to the 2019 without trying them side by side.
Red
2021 RdV Vineyards Friends and Family Fauquier County Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
10/23/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
91 points
Drinking well, even young. Tasted at the winery during the Lost Mountain release. Nose is distinctly F&F, black cherry, blackberry, graphite and dusty gravel. Punch of fruit up front. Medium+ body and finish. This is a great introduction to RdV, it just lacks the balance and finesse of Lost Mountain.
Red
10/21/2023 - wdcwineguys wrote:
87 points
Ok, but not great. Tight on day one and flat on day two. There’s not much going on here.
Red
10/14/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
92 points
PNP. Bright red fruits, cranberry, red cherry, a touch of dusty gravel. Enjoyable single vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot.
Red
10/9/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
94 points
This wine is in a great place. Give it about 30 minutes of air. It will continue to improve throughout the evening. Drink with a decant or hold 5-10. Dense blackberry, plum, black cherry. Tannins are well integrated, good grip. Full bodied, long finish. This is a fantastic example of Oakville Cab.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2016 Château Kirwan Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
9/24/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
92 points
1hr decant. Enjoyed alongside a 2016 RdV Rendezvous and 2016 Sloan Asterisks. Nose is a bit muted. Black cherry, blueberry, and graphite. Medium+ body and finish. Tannins are well integrated. Very enjoyable and a good example of a wine from Margaux.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2016 RdV Vineyards Rendezvous Fauquier County Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
9/24/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
1hr decant and enjoyed over several hours along side a 2016 Chateau Kirwan and 2016 Sloan Asterisks. It matches well with the Bordeaux. Cool blue fruits, black cherry. Just a faint hint of the oak. Medium body, medium+ finish. Silky smooth, delicate and nuanced. Aging well. Still has more time, but also drinking well now.
Red
9/16/2023 - wdcwineguys wrote:
88 points
2hr decant at cellar temp. This wine did not pair well with steak. Oak is still present on the nose, but the fruit is muted. Acid is high. Overall this felt a bit disjointed. It was ok, but would I guess this was aged Bordeaux if served blind? No.
2 people found this helpful Comment
Red
2019 Andremily Syrah G2 Vineyard Paso Robles Willow Creek District (view label images)
9/10/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
96 points
Ready now with a 20-30 minutes of air. We let it open in the glass. Upon opening a strong nose of vanilla and popcorn from the oak. This faded and left behind black cherries, plum, ripe black fruits. Full bodied, medium-long finish. Smooth tannins and great balance. Great wine.
1 person found this helpful Comment
White
9/3/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
92 points
Light straw. Expressive nose of lemon peel and grapefruit. Crisp, well made. Too bad he just sold the label to Gallo.
Red
9/3/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
97 points
Similar to my previous note. 4hr decant in the cellar. Served around 65, enjoyed with BBQ. Fantastic. Drink now with air or hold.
White
9/1/2023 - wdcwineguys wrote:
Over the hill. This wine is on the downward slope. Pinnacle on the nose. Deep yellow straw color. A bit sweet. After 30 minutes of air a nose of raisins and stewed fruit developed. I don’t think it’s flawed, I think it’s past its prime.
Red
8/19/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
88 points
It’s fine but some of their other vintages have been more interesting / better
Red
8/11/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
90 points
Bright and fresh. Red cherries, cranberries, light-medium body. Good example of a Sonoma Coast Pinot noir.
Red
8/6/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
92 points
30 minutes of air, enjoyed over several hours. Inky dark purple, expressive nose of plum, blackberry, black cherry. Full bodied, ripe fruit. Medium+ finish. Nice depth and texture to the wine with fine tannins. Drink or hold. Enjoyed with steak, but it was also good on its own.
Red
7/23/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
88 points
This is a great PNP Virginia red blend that’s well made, easy drinking and would pair well with a cookout or on its own. Medium ruby, red cherry, blackberry and an earthiness on the nose. Light-medium body. Drinks more like a Pinot. Good example of a no fuss VA red blend.
Red
7/16/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
96 points
Tasted at the winery. This is getting me excited for the ‘21’s. It’s young, but showing great promise. Black fruits up front, but very quickly graphite, dusty gravel and just a hint of oak. Fine tannins that have grip, but not too much, and not unexpected at this point. This is a fantastic wine.
6 people found this helpful Comments (3)
Red
2019 Promontory Penultimate Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
7/16/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
95 points
Tasted at Promontory next to the Promontory ‘10, ‘17 and a barrel sample of ‘21. Tasting them side by side, Penultimate is a richer, full bodied cab blend where the fruit is ripe and up front. Black cherry, pepper. This is a great wine, just very different than Promontory. They play well together.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
7/7/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
94 points
Fantastic. PNP, enjoyed over several hours. Full bodied. Long finish. Ready to enjoy.
Red
2014 RdV Vineyards Lost Mountain Fauquier County Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
7/5/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
Drinking really well. See prior notes. Enjoy now with a short decant or hold.
Red
6/30/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
30 min decant, really started to open up after an hour. Deep black cherry, graphite, leather and old tobacco. Silky smooth. Tannins are fine and we’ll integrated. Ready to drink. Fantastic value.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Rosé
2020 Andremily Rosé Santa Barbara County Mourvèdre (view label images)
6/19/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
Don’t expect your typical rose. We started with this chilled and gradually let it warm up. It just continues to develop in the glass. Complex and layers of flavor. Heavier than a typical rosé. Expressive nose of red cherry, strawberry, melon and then something herbal that I can’t put my finger on. Held up very well with charcuterie.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
6/19/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
PNP, but allowed to open up in the glass. Black cherry, plum, bell pepper, and vanilla. The oak is still strong on the nose, but subsided some with time. These are drinking well now, but should get even better. Medium-Full body, long finish. Great balance and quality. Tannins are super fine. Another great wine from Brand.
Red
6/9/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
92 points
Getting much better. Oak is strong on the nose, black cherry, gravel. Needs about 30 minutes of air to really open up. Drink or hold.
Rosé
6/1/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
94 points
Ping grapefruit, lemon zest, hibiscus. Bright, balanced with nice depth. Fantastic rosé.
Red
5/29/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
92 points
Enjoyed with BBQ. Rich black fruits, currants, black plum, dense in color. This is a great example of PV from Glen Manor.
Red
2019 Crimson Lane Vineyards Parral Fauquier County Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
5/29/2023 - wdcwineguys wrote:
84 points
Tasted at the winery. 42% Cab Sav, 33% Cab Franc, 25% Merlot. 28mo in 60% new French oak. This wine is fair, but way overpriced for a first effort. The blend is off. The balance is off. The tannins don’t know what they’re doing.

Vines planted in 2016. The winery just opened and I had heard good things. The tasting room is fantastic, but it doesn’t matter how pretty the scenery is if the wine isn’t good. For almost half the price you’ll get a better bottle from Linden, Glen Manor or Barboursville for that matter.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
5/27/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
PNP. Wanted to check out the new releases. Ready to go right out of the bottle. Full bodied. Great fruit up front and smooth tannins. Enjoyable.
Red
5/27/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
91 points
This needed about 1hr of air and then it came together. Blue and black fruits, more restrained than Seavey’s cab, but a nice wine. Pairs well with beef. Good acid and balance of fruit.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
3/26/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
Still young, but with some air it’s approachable now. Full bodied, firm, but smooth tannins, black cherry, leather, dried tobacco leaf, vanilla. This wine is typical of Ridge’s style and more old world than new, meaning it’s not a jammy, fruity wine. There’s depth and layers. Enjoy now with a decant or hold 10+.
5 people found this helpful Comment
Red
2009 RdV Vineyards Rendezvous Fauquier County Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
3/19/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
This wine surprised us. It was a bit closed the first night. After 24 hours it opened up and was fantastic. Black and blue fruits. Some earthiness, minerality. If I was drinking this blind I would have gone to Bordeaux or 20yr old Napa.
Red
3/19/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
95 points
PNP. Full bodied. Long finish. Tons of fruit up front. Depth and texture. This is a full throttle Napa cab.
Red
3/4/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
Great bottle. Cork was in great shape. Black cherry, black licorice, boysenberry. Full bodied, long finish. A great wine for the price.
Red
2019 Opus One Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
2/19/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
1hr decant at cellar temp. Deep ruby, black fruits, some vanilla and tanned leather. Nose and style of this vintage is a good blend of Napa meets Bordeaux. The wine was lighter than I was expecting. Definitely lighter than the 2016. It wasn’t tight however, tannins were there, but integrated nicely. Surprising for such a young wine. I’ll let the other bottles sit another 2-4 years before revisiting.
Red
2/19/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
94 points
Ready to go with about 30 minutes of air. Black cherry, plum, blackberry, hint of leather and graphite. Full bodied, smooth tannins, long finish. This has come together so well.
Red
2017 RdV Vineyards Rendezvous Fauquier County Red Bordeaux Blend (view label images)
2/18/2023 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine:
93 points
Getting even better. It needs a 1hr decant and then it’s fantastic. Blackberry, blueberry, graphite, wet granite. We’ll balanced Merlot leading blend. Elegant, refined, just such a great wine.
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  • Tasting Notes: 474 notes on 396 wines
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