5/7/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

This has the idea of a cherry cola california pinot profile, but you can definitely tell the fruit is green and the cooperage cheap.

That being said, there is enough acidity to make this not a simply a cloying pinot. I respect Mondavi for trying to improve their base products over the last 5 years. Unlike the Mondavi Pinot I drank ~5 years ago, this is actually drinkable.

5/5/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Ripe black fruits and sweet vanilla from the oak. The tannic structure is relatively decent for the price, setting it apart from other competitors at this price point.

5/1/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

Toffees and nuts bring the richness, and candied citrus peel bring the lift. A spray of salinity and fresh boal acidity give this a long, lively finish. More air + warmer temps bring out the baking spices and darker notes of caramel and burnt brown sugar.

Very nicely priced.

5/1/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Fresh, mineral wine with a simple and clean finish. Black cherries on the palate lead some earth and savory spices.

This goes down easy, and probably would've been better chilled in an outdoor bbq type situation. Drinking it alone, the lack of structure and one dimensionality make it a bit boring after a few sips.

Would buy again, just in a more appropriate venue.

4/24/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

Red fruits with plenty of acidity and gentle bubbles to keep the glasses flowing.

Nothing special, but a guaranteed crowd pleaser bubbly at ~$20

5/1/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

Drank over a month. A sweet praline pecan nuttiness is contrasted with a fresh boal acidity. With more air, candied orange rind, dried fig, sultanas add more complexity to the richness. The acidity holds strong and keeps the palate in balance.

Acidic lift from the grape and a pinch of salinity on the finish make this decant glass very drinkable even as a standalone dessert. Very nice for the price.

5/1/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

Drank over 1.5 months from 3L box.

Elegant florals and strawberries on the nose. A mouth coating medley of nectarine juice and ripe strawberries on the palate. Savory herbal notes like rosemary add a layer of complexity to the fruit on the palate. The finish is fresh and firm.

I am positively surprised by the longevity of the box format. The fresh aromatics and fruits continue to show 1+ month after opening.

I hope the team considers making more of their core lineup in box format. I love it.

4/18/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Blackberries and creme de cassis dominate the core of the concentrated palate. Licorice, clove and herbs follow. Ample acidity to lift the dark, brooding fruits.

This could use more time in cellar, but I personally like where its at. Maybe a few more years so it can hit the magical point of balance between the primary and secondary.

4/18/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

A well structured presentation of lifted red fruits supported by the sweeter elements of the cooperage. The inclusion of the cabernet fruit adds intensity and heft on the mouthfeel. Light savory herbs emerge with more air in glass.

This is drinking great now, though I'm not sure if this has much upside to develop in cellar.

4/18/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Oaked strawberry compote with a silky finish. Drinking well after a few hours of air.

While inoffensive and a crowd pleaser, I personally found nothing of interest in this wine. This is indeed a solid pinot noir, but perhaps a bit too aggressively priced.

4/18/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Ripe cherries and strawberries with cola spices and light earth. Sturdy, ripe tannins add structure to the whole package. Light herbal tones emerge with more air.

A very nice, enjoyable American pinot noir. This is drinking well already with a few hours of air.

4/18/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

A natty presentation of brambly fruits. Floral undertones and tart strawberries makes this a fresh, quaffable drink.

Nice if you like the more natty presentation of fruits.

4/18/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Honestly, a pleasant surprise. I usually am not too fond of these celebrity wines, but this one had enough tannic and acidic structure to not let the sweet fruit and oak overwhelm the palate.

A reasonable wine at an acceptable price. I enjoyed drinking this with a charcuterie board spread.

4/18/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Fresh green apple with a toasty and creamy body. Fresh citrus acidity gives this a refreshing lift.

Great start for the night type drink.

4/18/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Layers of well concentrated blue/black fruits blend with dusty, earthy and herby tones. A sturdy acid and tannic structure hold the strength of the fruit together.

Wish I had a grilled piece of red meat to go with this.

4/18/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

I personally much prefer this bottling of Darioush's Cabernet Sauvignon to the regular Napa Valley Cabernet.

The generosity of Darioush's cooperage is better exhibited in contrast with the fresh red fruit and mid palate acidic lift. Rather than the usual oak dominated finish from Darioush, there is an extra layer of savory herbs that keeps it from feeling too cloying.

4/18/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Heavy handed on fruit ripeness and oak concentration. Its rich and decadent - almost a hyperbolic expression of Napa.

This needs a prime black angus ribeye to balance it out. Unfortunately I did not have it on hand so it was a bit much for me.

4/21/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

A delightful wine that is reminiscent of Jeff Owens's work at Odette - rich and opulent with a light silky texture on the palate. Fresh blackberries and black plums are surrounded by mocha, coconut and baking spices from the barrel. There is plenty of mid palate acidic lift to cut through the decadence of the secondary barrels.

Three hours of decanting integrates the acid structure and secondary barrel influences well, and leads to a long, fresh and slightly savory finish. This is a first vintage and perhaps I did open it a bit too early (I could not wait), but I wished there was a bit more depth in the primary fruits.

Nevertheless, I look forward to future vintages from Angelo Owens. This is a great wine making style and enjoyable to drink for a broad audience with food.

4/14/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Fresh, mineral and lifted. White floral, menthol and a gently tart green apple acidity make this a soothing drink.

A one hour cold decant helped this a lot.

4/7/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Drank over two days. Cherry, tobacco, rose petal water and leathery tannins - very typical Barolo.

As the tannins soften on the second day, the sweetness of the fruit is more apparent. There certainly is a lot of upside to patiently waiting this out for another 10 years.

4/4/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

With a few minutes of air and some swirls, ripe strawberries and cherries burst forth from the glass. The nose represents the heritage well - the power of a Bonnes Mares and the elegance of Chambolle.

The palate was amicable - ripe, concentrated cherries and raspberries present on a beautiful bed of fresh, lifted acidity. Despite the depth of character, this wine is still very quaffable.

The finish was a bit fleeting for how dense the palate was - unclear if this is due to bottle condition or simply a characteristic of the wine. The bottle ran out before I had a chance to verify.

Still a fantastic wine even without the long finish I was expecting.

3/31/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Benefited from a long decant. Dark, brooding fruits open up to show their vibrant acidity after sufficient time in the decanter. The rocky minerality and long, lifted finish lay some promises for the future.

It certainly is a delicious bedrock zin after enough air. However, this feels no more rewarding than the 2021 with much more patience required.

3/30/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

This was tasting good out of the bottle, and even better with a 3 hour decant. Deep layers of red and black fruits twist and turn between purple flowers, baking spices, leathery tobacco and cedar wood.

There is nothing you wouldn't expect from a Sonoma cabernet, but this bottle delivers the whole package with extra aromatic intensity and a long finish that sharply contrasts the light-weight body.

Very pleasurable and easy to drink - the bottle vanished quickly.

4/1/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

Bright, vibrant citrus acidity backed by fresh minerality. Concentrated orchard fruit sweetness unveils itself with more air on the palate, with white floral elegance starting to build in the glass. Certainly has a depth of impact on the texture, but is a bit fleeting on the finish.

This was a well-aged bottle that picked up the vibrancy of a young wine and roundedness of an aged wine.

3/29/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

Felt young on opening, as the freshness of the citrus fruit and pear were still very much present. Ripe green apple sweetness shows on the mid palate and leads to a clean, lightly creamy finish.

A perfectly stored bottle.

3/26/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

Opened 3 hours ahead of tasting. Air unlocks the concentrated red fruits and tingling spices on the nose. The palate follows with a full bodied delivery of savory red fruits and a crushed rock mineral tone running throughout. A very long finish rides the softened tannins with an emphasis on the barrel sweetness and earthen spices.

3/23/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

Two hour decant. Bouquet carried fresh blackberry/raspberry aromatics with a fresh lift. Bright, delicate entry of the black fruits leads to a fresh explosion on the palate akin to biting into a freshly picked black plum. Sturdy tannins and bright red fruit acidity carry this into a long, persistent finish. Fresh, concentrated brambly goodness in a glass. Goes great with entrees ranging from fish to steak.

3/15/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

Reduction on open that quickly blows away with air. The freshness of the lemon is a bit angular at the start, but quickly softens with ~15 mins of air. As the wine unfurls, fresh florals and lemon glide across the palate. As with many of Raj's other wines, this is light, silky and gentle on the mouthfeel, but still carry plenty of heft and concentration.

The finish is long as the fresh lemon acidity catches the wave of minerality down your throat.

A very pleasant wine with plenty of energy on the palate to keep it interesting through the night.

3/9/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Needed a day in bottle to open. Fresh, minty black fruits from the cabernet and spicy savory red fruits from the shiraz mingle on the palate. It has a lot of markers of both cabernet and shiraz, backed by a creamy vanilla from the barrels.

Solid red wine.

3/7/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Beautiful bouquet of spices, dried rose petals and fresh red fruits. On the palate, darker fruits like plums and blueberries emerge. The whole package is surrounded by sturdy get well integrated tannins. Menthol and savory earthiness bring this in for a long, pleasurable finish.

19 barolos have always impressed me in their relatively early drinkability. This is no exception.

3/7/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Needs some time in glass to open up. White flowers and nectarines on the nose lead to a rich palate laying on a strong backbone of fresh citrus minerality and a creamy body.

This went great with an assortment of shellfish appetizers. The persistent lemon rind finish helped lift a lot of the stronger seafood courses.

3/7/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Sweet tropical fruits with a creamy body from the 50% new oak. The acidity was present but a bit lacking in contrast with the richness of the entry. Perhaps a 13 or 15 type brightness would suit this type of style better.

This likely works great as a 50 ml pour alongside a rich dessert, but it was a bit much for me as a standalone glass.

3/5/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

Showing great after 3 days open. Beautiful bouquet of red cherries, fresh raspberries and grapefruit. Palate reveals juicy, red fruits expressed with clarity and acidic lift. A long orange/grapefruit juice finish runs for a full minute after swallowing.

Those that enjoy vibrant red fruit contrasted with waxy citrus peel oil texture would love how this shows on day 3.

2/29/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Crisp green apple tartness with fresh white flowers floral. It takes a day of air to get the sweeter red apple notes.

A fresh and drinkable iteration of compagni portis. It does lose some of the depth and complexity I loved of the past years though.

2/24/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

2 hour decant. Nose of plum slices, creme de cassis and lavender. A dark, plummy palate that extends into a savory finish supported by a strong thread of mineral acidity.

This is a fresh drink that hits the spot, and shows well after a short decant. Definitely in a good spot to drink now.

2/24/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Gentle lemon oils, grapefruit juice, ripe lemon, and ripe fruits on the palate.

This had enough heft to go with butter poached lobster, but I can see this being too imposing without food.

2/18/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Drinking the 2024 iteration with 100% Lodi fruit.

Light hints of red and black fruit with a soft tannin finish. The light minerality makes this a much more pleasant drink than most wines at this price point.

Fine to drink, and adds good structure to a red wine soup base.

2/18/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Very, very green fruit blended with heavily diluted maraschino liquer. A light hint of butter powder - or something somewhat artificial to improve mouthfeel.

Honestly, at the price, I am amazed they can fit 12.5% abv into such an inoffensive package. I can see the time and place for this.

I originally bought it for a cooking wine but this is unfortunately much to thin to add any flavor.

2/11/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

Drank through multiple days of air, and it performed well all throughout.

The wine coaxes you in with an attractive nose of potpourri, cooking herbs, black and white pepper, and fresh plum skin.

The freshness of red berry fruit and the multi-dimensional layers of savory spices combine on the palate for layers of flavor. Fresh minerality and mid-palate lift keep the wine easy to drink as you get pulled into its long finish of savory spices.

This paired fantastically with hanger steak curry. Despite how many spices were already present in the curry, the Pallieres seemed to have more to add.

2/11/2024 - SH Wu Likes this wine:

Decanted and served over two days. A thick layer of dark, brooding fruit are given a vibrant mid-palate lift and persistent savory finish.

With more air, the perfumed nose starts to blossom with lavender, savory spices and fresh cut plums. The tannins merge seamlessly into the wine by day two, and this wine acquires a gentle, coating texture.

The vibrant bouquet loses some of its luster by day two, so perhaps this wine simply needs more time in cellar to hit the bouquet of day 1 and the gentle intensity of day 2 at once.

2/5/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

A little bit natty on the nose on open - give it time to blow off if that is not your thing.

After a good amount of air, this wine really pops. Fresh acidity with a core of orchard fruit, spice and herbs. A thick, creamy texture leads into a long finish.

2/4/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Nutty butter, bruised red apples followed by a chalky, crushed rock minerality. A zesty citrus fruit freshness lifts the whole package and keeps it drinking well.

The wine was in a good spot when I was poured it - seems to have been opened for a while.

2/4/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

A solid sauternes that has aged well through the years. Dried orange peel, sultanas, candied lemons and a soft, gentle finish.

The acidity has softened gracefully through the years, and provided a great dessert experience. A beautiful wine that perhaps got treated a bit unfairly as it was served by a 88 Yquem.

2/4/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Served from mag. Rich orchard fruits layered on top of savory spices and light toastiness.

Fun blend and enjoyable with roast duck over rice.

2/4/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Rich red fruits with an aggressive sprinkle of cooking spices. It drinks very fresh despite the concentration of the fruit on the palate.

Was fantastic with roast duck over rice.

2/4/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Drank ~2 hours after opening.

Clean tropical fruits and fresh citrus rind followed by a gentle, slightly creamy finish. A very friendly wine at a somewhat unfriendly price.

2/4/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

A clean yet powerful presentation of fresh lemon acidity, ripe orchard fruit and a long, rich finish.

The structure seems amazing but the nose hadn't fully unfurled when I tasted. This one I have to revisit with a larger glass - I don't think my short time with it did it enough justice.

2/4/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Deep red fruit sits atop a classical California tannic cabernet structure. The age has softened the elements and heightened the cedar and tobacco.

I've personally never been too high on the 92s. Its a cabernet that has survived the years and is enjoyable to drink, but its also nothing to write home about.

2/4/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

Drank from mag. Required a lot and a lot of patience in glass, but was quite rewarding when it started firing on all cylinders.

The nose builds on toasted almonds, ripe white peaches, citrus fruit zest and a hint of sweet baking spices. Themes continue onto the palate with a rich presentation of ripe lemons, pear and peach. A long, rich lemon cream pie finish brings the wine down your throat. The fresh minerality keeps the decadence from being overwhelming.

Wish I had a mag for the cellar to see where this goes in 20 years.

2/4/2024 - SH Wu wrote:

This took a bit of time in glass to fully unwind. This probably is far from its ideal drinking date, but I'm not going to say no to something like this.

The nose holds the rich vibrancy of fresh cut white nectarines and mangoes topped with honey and lemon zest. The palate takes the same intensity and richness with a core of lemon, lime and grapefruit juice freshness to keep the wine approachable. A solid acidic backbone helps bring this wine in for a long, impactful finish.