4/18/2024 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Not so different from the 500 ml bottle I opened in 2023, except that it opened up a little quicker, and did develop some loamy/earthy character on the finish that I really enjoyed. It’s definitely a California wine, but the story is about the dirt.

3/16/2024 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Back in January 2024 I opened the bottle of 1999 Clos Ste. Hune that I had bought on release and cellared with care for 20+ years. It was completely oxidized. Yes 20 years is a long time, but Clos Ste. Hune is capable of extremely long aging. Anne Trimbach reached out to me and offered to replace the bottle. We had a pleasant back and forth regarding the potential causes of poor showings of late-1990s Trimbach wines, and we agreed that lack of care by the importer or distributor could have been a contributing factor. My few bottles of 1998 Trimbach, purchased in France, have to date been perfect.

In mid-February the replacement arrived, triple boxed and swaddled in bubble wrap. I put it in the cellar for a few weeks of rest, until an obvious opportunity to open it arrived with a dinner alongside long and new friends at southern New Jersey restaurant Two Fish. The wine did not disappoint.

Not surprisingly for a middling vintage, this Hune is mature, but the bottles showed zero traces of oxidation, and floated alongside the excellent food, lifting the heavier courses, and singing harmony to the lighter ones. Seashell, lemon zest, and a compelling smoky note, more harmonious than could be termed petrol, infused the aromatics, and echoed on the palate, lingering longer than I had the patience to calculate. The next sip called, and there were also other wines.

The cause of the premature oxidation in the prior bottle is hard to know, but Anne’s effort to show the true quality of 1999 Clos Ste. Hune certainly paid off.

3/2/2024 - Rieslingfan wrote:

There's a dish I make every once in a while of braised pork shoulder with hoisin sauce, garlic, chilies and dried cherries. With sauce slathered on the pork it's a really difficult food match, but the pork itself is perfect with Zinfandel. There's enough flavor infused into the pork, but it doesn't have the significant sweetness that the sauce adds to the dish. So to go along with the pork I opened this, and it was essentially a perfect match. The fresh acidity in the Zin played off the richness of the pork, and the brambly, red fruit notes were a fine accompaniment to the flavors of the food - even if a bit of sauce got involved! On its own the wine is fantastic, and similar to the Once & Future editions from this vineyard. It's more transparent than the Bedrock versions (at least young), and for that reason I prefer it.

2/19/2024 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Pop and pour, and from the first moment this was a "wow" wine. Red fruit, a touch of spice, but not quite oak spice, and a mineral depth that carried from the entry through the finish made this one of the more enticing young Pinot Noirs I have ever had the pleasure to drink. It was interesting that I kept expecting the wine to gain more richness, but it always kept a level of tension that was like the wine was holding back. Even with that it was delicious for the three hours I followed it, and kept telling me that it has a lot more in store for the future, as it perfectly balanced fruit and tannic structure. Falstaff has always been my favorite Kutch wine, and is right there for favorite U.S. Pinot Noir.

11/18/2023 - WetRock wrote:

This really captures the basic expression of a dry Sherry. That Marcona almonds, citrus and vanilla thing. It comes off more basic and immature if you will. Not a lot of complexity or harmony. More fat and straight forward. Yet, a wine like this from California is certainly an achievement. I hope they can refine the production. There is certainly a lot of potential here and its already a real nice dry light dinner wine which in and of itself is still not the standard here. No change over three nights.

Just, please, no more wax.

2/3/2024 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Been through several bottles of the 2021 vintage of what was once my favorite California “red wine” blend. It has calmed down from its overly spiky youth, but it has no depth. I don’t know the blend of this vintage, but it seems as though the Barbera has taken a back seat, and with it so has the fruit and depth. This is thin on flavor, high on acid, and just no fun to drink. There was no wine I drank more of than this one from 2014-2020, but I’m done. They have taken this wine in a direction I don’t want to follow.

7/23/2023 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Pop and pour, and it is shockingly fruit forward. Feels like super ripe Contra Costa Mataro. Fast forward an hour, and the middle has filled out with deeply savory tones, and herbal notes. Go forward another hour, and the teeth come out. Tannins clamp down on the finish, to remind me that this is Bandol, not California. Still, it was a shocking level of fruit. My lazy young Tempier was the 2011, so perhaps I have missed some style and/or climate change effects. It eventually turned into what I was expecting, so I will let my other bottles rest and develop.

11/7/2023 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Served in a blind tasting alongside the 2012 Bedrock Alder Springs Syrah, this wine took the flight, and won the night. Where the Alder Springs was dark and brooding (and really no slouch) this North Coast Syrah had layers of aromas and flavors, from sun-drenched herbs, to floral, to leathery, to bright red fruit. It was the complete package. The structural balance on the palate was spot on for drinking right now or for holding a few more years. My preference would be now just because it was so “on” last night. Yet another time where a bargain wine from Bedrock wipes the floor with the competition.

10/17/2023 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Seems to have crawled into a bit of a shell. It’s lost some of its boisterous, youthful fruit, but has not yet started to develop bottle aged complexity. Give this a few years before sampling again. There’s plenty of depth, but it’s not giving up the goods right now.

2/25/2023 - wchrisw wrote:

I get it that Evangelho is a unique site set amongst urban sprawl, special soil and old ungrafted vines. This wine, the Ridge mataro Gonzalves along with the T Vine mataro Evangelho ‘15 and ‘16 all are just too light for me. Not a bad wine just not my style and that’s fine. My mistake for not noticing this was less zin driven as well. It did pop a bit with some spicy food. I’ll casually drink my remaining bottles over the next couple years as maybe I’ll learn to appreciate the so called ethereal experience of Evangelho.

5/2/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Two years since this was released, and I am the first to post a note on CellarTracker? Shocking!

Anyway, this is clearly old school. There’s significant structure, and while there is plummy, berry fruit, it’s not at all over the top. This is a wine that is going to need time, and will likely reward it. I do pick up a hint of ethyl acetate, but not so much as to be distracting. It’s just something I will keep an eye on, and evaluate when I open another bottle in a few years. For now, serve with food that has a little extra fat content, to give something to balance out the tannins.

6/8/2023 - Rieslingfan wrote:

TN: Old Cabernet and Young Mourevdre (plus two Rieslings): Second of four young Mourvedre wines served together, this was the most immediately ready to go, and showed all the dark fruit, earth and savory character that I expect and love from the grape. A little tight on the finish perhaps, so if you have more (I don't), give them a couple of years to evolve.

5/25/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Cooked. Bought on release from a trusted shop on the day they received it, and stored in my 53 degree cellar since then. Supply chains suck.

9/18/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Shared a bottle with a long time friend who has probably drunk more Scheurebe than the rest of the global population combined. We both agreed that the wine was good but nothing special.

Still don’t get what people see in this.

6/17/2023 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Two years ago I said I would wait a long time before opening any 750ml bottles of this wine. Well, sometimes two years is long enough. Four hours in a decanter didn’t hurt either. Still, it’s a very young wine, and has some teeth behind the black fruit and roasted meat. Normally a young, structured wine needs some extra time to come together in the mid-palate, but this actually shows very well, with extra herbal elements, and a richness that buffers some of the harder edges. At one point I was concerned that I had overbought on this particular wine, but after two bottles I am very happy that I have a lot of it.

1/24/2023 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Sometimes people think that very ripe fruit obscures sense of place. This Cabernet is clearly very ripe fruit, but there is still that high toned expression of mountain fruit. Fresh red berry fruit and spicy (hi oak!) tones dominate the aromatics, and on the palate the acids and tannins kick in to balance rich, ripe fruit. For the fruit-phobic it’s probably too much, but overall it’s only a few degrees past classic, and a lovely way to finish a Tuesday night.

4/20/2023 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Tasted after a two hour splash decant, this is certainly drinkable, though it is extremely tannic. Deep black fruit, savory tones and a minty top note create a pleasurable aromatic, and the depth of fruit is enough to buffer the tannins…for a while. Eventually is becomes quite stern, though the overall quality is still apparent. It actually reminds me a bit of the Corison Napa Cabernet, though I think the balance is managed better in the Corison. In the overall Napa Cabernet marketplace this is a good value for what will likely be a very ageable wine in the classic style.

3/30/2023 - Rieslingfan wrote:

From a six bottle OWC in my dad's cellar that had never been opened, this was in fantastic shape, and showing off with about two hours of air. A short decant might have been even better, as the last bits post-tasting were continuing to flesh out. Either way the deep red and black fruit, integrated tannins and smoke, earth and cedar secondary aromas and flavors were everything I could want in a top Cabernet Sauvignon. Nothing over-the-top here, just a classy, structured Cabernet with a long life ahead. Happy to have more, and think any time will be a good time for a bottle from here on out.

12/12/2010 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Casual Sunday sipping with the footbal games on - this is not showing much in the way of development, but it has never shut down. Tropical fruit, mineral water and a surprisingly zingy finish make this a very complete and balanced package. Great QPR too, as it was about $13 back in 2004 (not much more now for current vintages).

3/13/2023 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Working on a “drink the good stuff” philosophy, I opened this for a Monday dinner with leftovers. Why not! Initially as stern as an angry nun teaching 8th graders, it mellowed out over two hours, though never became soft or cuddly. Instead it maintained a perfectly starched collar, dark tie, and well tailored suit level of elegance, with a warm smile and engaging banter. Honestly it carried the image of the late Anthony Barton. Classic Bordeaux, it showed all the aged tobacco, understated cassis fruit and firm tannins, even more than twenty years after what was at one time considered a “modern” vintage. It demanded a rare ribeye, but alas it was not to be. Still, this feels like a wine that is emerging into a mid-life stage, with ample substance to carry on for as long as necessary. Just be sure to dress for dinner.

3/12/2023 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Cork was a complete disaster to remove, even with a Durand. Eventually decanted through a filter, cleaned out the bottle and put it back in after a few hours. First glass was about four hours after opening, and that was still way too soon. Only twenty four hours later did it finally start to give up the goods, as the dark curtain peeled back to reveal a buffet of black raspberries, dark chocolate and cherry liqueur. Still quite tannic, and with no shortage to the depth of flavor, this seems to need another ten years minimum to even approach some degree of maturity, and that’s from half bottle!

8/3/2019 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Last night was the best bottle of this wine I have ever tasted, and I have has a lot of this wine and this vintage. It was captivating. Still possessing lots of youthful fruit, it also had a subtle creamy edge. What really set it apart, and put it right up as one of the greatest Rieslings in my recent memory, was the endless depth of flavor. There was no way to touch the bottom. I kept tasting, and there was always more flavor, more aroma, more substance that remained. I felt as though I wasn’t ready for this wine. It was beyond comprehension. The 105 (at the time) year old, ungrafted vines knew too much. They had seen too much, and learned too much to transmit through one bottle of wine.

Bottles of course vary, but this one indicated that this vintage could be immortal.

Just stunning.

12/28/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Is it Holus Bolus? Is it The Joy Fantastic? What’s up with the Black Sheep thing?

Anyway, thanks to an interview in the Bedrock Wine Conversations podcast I grabbed a mixed case of Amy and Peter’s wines. Half a bottle in I am thrilled I did. This is meaty, smoky, deeply fruity Syrah that hits all the right notes for me. From very young vines, it still conveys great depth in the mid-palate, and a sappy yet fully tannic finish. I bought two bottles of this specific wine, and wish I had bought six to follow over time.

12/7/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:

I have been buying this cuvée as a case purchase for a few years, as it’s fantastic value for Pinot Noir regardless of appellation, and it’s also a clear vehicle for Ribbon Ridge. Damn I should have bought two cases of this 2021. The depth is off the charts, and for $25! Ninety minutes open, and the aromatics blossom, with earthy and floral notes joining the dark red fruit. The structure is buried until the finish, then it pokes out just enough to show it’s there, and is present to manage the wine’s development. Not sure how I am going to keep my hands off it, but maybe a few bottles will last several years.

11/24/2022 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine:

Mouth-watering aromas of sweet raspberry and violets, with hints of peonies too - delightful. On the palate, a bright attack of raspberry, then a series of waves of flavours, ranging from violet, to plum, to blueberry, to blackcurrant, then back to raspberry, and so forth. Quite ripe, quite rich, but not at all syrupy, this has a strong sense of place with that Chinon chalkiness, a slight hint of green to the finish.
The fruit is ripe but subtle, oozing class and elegance.
Much better than a few years ago, this is now absolutely delicious, but it is only at the start of its plateau, so no hurry.

5/21/2022 - BobS Does not like this wine:

Past its prime and undrinkable...

10/20/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:

One sip and it’s old home night. There’s a familiarity. Drinking Ridge wine from this site for over 30 years, and it’s instantly recognizable. The little bit of succulence to the fruit, the oak spice, and touch of butter, and the measured concentration speak to the Ridge execution of this Alexander Valley site. Overall I don’t see this as a benchmark or standout version of Geyserville, but it’s completely solid, and presents a classic version of the wine. I will be completely happy drinking it for years to come.

9/20/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Goodfellow wines have always tended to the elegant. This one is on the extreme end. Barely darker than a Rosé, aromatically effusive, yet fleeting, and nearly weightless on the palate, I was not sure if I was drinking wine, or imagining it. Everything that should be there is there. It’s just a ghostly presence. I suspect this will age on its balance (that said, acid-phobics beware), but I have no idea what it will become.

9/13/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:

This seemed rather closed in/ungiving for several hours. It eventually opened up, and some of that mid-palate complexity that comes with aged Kabinett started to creep in, but it was just around the edges. I suspect this really needs another couple of years to emerge from sleep. Lots of air can help, but cellar time is always better IMO.

8/24/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Great dry Riesling is a bit of a holy grail, even for me, the guy who fell in love with Riesling because of an Auslese.

The single greatest dry Riesling I have ever tasted came from Alsace, but the most consistent high level in dry Riesling for me is in Austria. From the basic regionals through the top single vineyard wines, Austrian Riesling delivers precision, grace and depth of flavor that cannot be equaled anywhere else these days.

Case in point is this 2019 Gaisberg from Schloss Gobelsburg. Saline, stony, and still richly fruity, it maintains an edge all the way through the palate. It’s a cold knife, drawn slowly across the tongue, but on the flat. It doesn’t cut, but it leaves a tingle as it passes by.

2/27/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Not much like my first bottle in 2019. This one seemed leaner, and also with stronger, aggressive structure. Perhaps it’s a bit shut down. Seems like all the material is there, but it doesn’t want to play right now.

7/28/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Wednesday night after a trying day at work, and I needed something good. This was at hand. Two hours to open up (working from home means you can let a bottle air while still on Zoom calls) then it was down to business. Deep blackberry, Darjeeling tea, spice, cedar and moist earth all come through on the nose. It’s a little bit aggressive on the palate, so time is definitely your friend. I will wait on my other bottles, and definitely wait on the Colombiere. Of course I say that now, and will most likely have a loss of willpower sooner rather than later.

2/7/2022 - grafstrb wrote:

-- decanted about 30 min. before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 hours --

NOSE: initially very tight; carbonic-esque; cool raspberry/strawberry combo.

BODY: medium-light bodied; slightly hazy/dirty garnet color of medium depth.

TASTE: light concentration of fruit; garrigue; light, fine tannins; a touch bitter; little dusting of cinnamon/oak; fine, but didn't really grab my interest at all; my last bottle was on 01/08/17, and this didn't develop in any of the ways I was then hoping it would.

7/11/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Big, and a bit unformed, this seems to just need time to unwind and shed a little of its youthful fat. The back end shows good freshness, adding a lemony acidity to the more tropical initial entry. It’s not at all over sweet, so certainly more than drinkable at this stage, but I would like to see more of the bones.

4/21/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Interesting and tasty wine, though I honestly don’t see what all the fuss is about. It tastes like Scheurebe (kinky beast that it is - sage, grapefruit, apple skin and a touch of cannabis fritter), and has good acidity. I don’t get the depth that was in the HGS Scheurebe wines. It’s fun, but doesn’t have an extra gear beyond that.

5/25/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Testing out one of these in the name of science. Simple answer is do not follow my lead. This was a giant ball of tannin when I opened it. It was a giant ball of tannin after an hour in the decanter. It was a giant ball of tannin after three hours in the decanter. The tannin covers up a pretty impressive core of material, so I think the future is positive. It's just that the future is not any time soon. This needs at least five more years in the cellar, and probably closer to ten.

10/3/2021 - Frank Murray III wrote:

Disgorged October 2019, 100% Pinot Meunier from the small parcel near the domaine called Les Fortes Terre. Just a single gram of dosage used. Opened this last night, retasting today. The texture and depth on this is very good, especially considering the absence of the dosage. Like last night, the acidity reminds me of grapefruit pith, with a spicy kind of note like a ginger or something even akin to a subtle white pepper. The core has a plumpness to it, a mix of apple, mango, plus a berry flavor like a black cherry and even a tangerine kind of thing. This wine, perhaps even this vintage, strikes me as interesting, something that makes me think. It has this cool richness and then the acidity comes through and it all works. I like it. But, I hate these Special Cub bottles, and ironically, there is nothing special about having a bottle that is so damn hard to store!

5/3/2022 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Seems like a really solidly constructed wine, but it's completely closed down. Either decant for a long time, or let it sleep for a few years.

4/16/2020 - Rieslingfan wrote:

My 2018 note is still completely accurate.

10/15/2021 - Frank Murray III wrote:

First bottle of this and man was it good. Served blind, alongside the 2015 LF Longues Voyes (which is 100% Pinot Noir). Disgorged February 2019, 2-4 grams of dosage, 100% Pinot Meunier. Old vine too, with vine age going back to the last 1940s to early 1950s. This was really good last night, reminding a lot of the Marie Courtin Efflorescence in how that wine conveys the red berry quality so well. There is a red berry pastry here, with really beautiful balance, plenty of energy and some rocky soil tones, too. Bravo.

11/6/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Decanted immediately prior to serving by the guy who brought it, so it took a little while before that angry, hard shell of Montrose finally cracked. When it did there was still the austerity of 1995, but also the cedary, earthy development of “older” Bordeaux. Admittedly it’s hard for me to think of 1995 as getting towards that older phase, as it was the first vintage of Bordeaux I bought on release. Oh well, I guess I am getting older too. The wine kept developing and improving for the couple of hours we spent with it, the fruit deepening, and the savory tones increasing. Ideally I might wait three or four more years, but a three hour advance decant might do the trick as well.

10/14/2021 - Jeff Leve wrote:

At 20 this is the right time to be drinking this gem. Fresh, spicy, floral, long, and intense, the wine is showy, without being over the top. The smoky, spicy, red fruits, crushed rock, herbs, pepper, and flowery nuances with a background note of white peach hit the spot. This is really drinking well today.

10/10/2021 - catowne1 Likes this wine:

The more I drink this the more one dimensional it becomes. Starting to almost taste like a manipulated wine with how prevalent the oak is at 6 years. I bought a case on close out from the local grocery store, so I’ve got 9 more btls to go. Maybe it’ll improve more.

6/2/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Spicy, peppery, but for my taste much too too candied fruity to make a solid Syrah. Each sip has elements I really love, then there’s a sugary presence on the finish that just mars the overall impression of the wine. Not happy to say it, and frankly shocked, as the other Dupuis releases I have tried were lovely expressions. This one is a notable disappointment.

1/3/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:

The first vintage of Elyse Cabernet made by Russell Bevan, and it is indeed a “baby Bevan” wine, with the same textural elements as his eponymous wines, but on a smaller scale. Deep cassis and berry fruit, buffed tannins, silky palate presence, it’s all the finely honed, eminently drinkable Napa Cab. It’s a style of wine I profess to not like, but Russell somehow makes it cool. I can’t stop drinking it. A real bargain in the modern Napa Cab world.

9/4/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:

First, a rant. This is not a gold capsule wine. The Leistenberg Auslese in 2001 (and 2003) has a white capsule. There is no gold capsule version. I spent a couple of years trying to get the CellarTracker folks to understand this, but finally gave up. “Goldkapsel” it is, despite the fact that it’s not.

The wine is freaking gorgeous. Wildflower honey drizzled over ripe peaches, served with a sprinkle of nutmeg, and a quick flambé to add a touch of caramelization and a hint of smoke. It’s only modern-Spätlese sweet, but it has stupendous length and haunts the palate with a creamy vanilla finish. The balance is at a point where nothing sticks out in any direction. It’s completely integrated. Drink now and enjoy. Age it longer and enjoy. Imagine what it might have been like if it was actually a gold capsule wine. ;)

8/29/2020 - BostonDoug Does not like this wine:

I may be an outlier here but I think this wine is out of balance. Tannins are nearly undetectable, light acid or maybe it's all hidden behind a somewhat sweet, fruity wine. Might be a good pizza wine. I didn't pour it out, not bad in that way, but it's not a Pax I'll reorder. I bought this bottle at the tasting room ... so I must have liked something about it ... just can't find that enjoyment now. PnP, drank over 3 evenings and did develop a little but not enough to care.

5/17/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:

It’s sort of a Proustian moment. I open the Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Renner, and I immediately travel to the Monopol Hotel in Wroclaw, Poland. I spent a great deal of time there while on business travel, and came to know the names and faces of the staff. I also came to know the wine list of their two excellent restaurants, which featured an extensive line of Schloss Gobelsburg wines at excellent prices, close to US retail. I explored the full range, including bottlings that I could rarely find at home. It was a treasure trove.

Tonight it’s a flashback, and also a reminder of how much I love this particular bottling. It’s not the flashy Lamm, or the trendy Tradition. It’s just the standard for me in terms of non-trophy, single vineyard Grüner Veltliner. There’s richness and depth, and also brightness from ample acidity. It’s as comforting as a good dream, and just begs the next sip every time I put down the glass. It’s good memories, and a good evening tonight.

3/26/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:

Consumed over two nights, and a breath of fresh air after a pandemic winter. Spring flowers, light, refreshing red fruits, and a touch of finishing bitterness like a tonic for the soul. So delicious, yet sadly so hard to source, like joy in the midst of tragedy.

2/22/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:

On night one I thought this was the most open/giving Lagier Meredith Syrah I had ever tasted. 48 hours later I go back to it, and while I am still convinced as of its forward nature, there is so much more that it was initially holding back. The deep, plummy/blackberry fruit co-mingles with black olive, roasted meat and a scent that I can only describe as violets on a wood fire. The texture is plush, with the tannins buried beneath bucket loads of fruit and savory flavors that coat the palate. These L-M Syrahs seem to take forever to mature, and given the density of the 2016, forever might be too short. Thankfully, given the density, it will likely be engaging and pleasurable at any point along that long road to eternity.