5/21/2023 - SandmanRT wrote:

Patience pays with this 14 year old wine stored for ten years in 57 F wine cabinet. Much better than prior reviews of same wine, only much younger. Fruit and tannins in perfect Chianti style balance in a wine which is not at all too old.

11/7/2019 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

Wow! A decent Rioja after 15 minutes. A gem after 8 hours. Soft and lush, Rioja typical fruit aplenty, not over the hill but just right. Soft tannins. At the Costco $15 price going to get me some more.

8/24/2019 - SandmanRT wrote:

Nice nose, great Rioja fruit. Not up to the 2010 which had more tannin grip and acidity, this one feels ‘soft’ by comparison. Open 10 minutes, will update if it’s better tomorrow.
Next day: Better, upped score. Nicer balance of fruit and acidity.

8/21/2019 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

Different than other white Bordeaux as all/almost all Sauvignon Blanc. A fresh taste, mineral but crisp, grassy and smooth. Food friendly, a simple crowd pleaser.

7/17/2019 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

Few minutes to open. Fruit, tannin in balance. Typical good Chianti. Would buy more

7/15/2019 - SandmanRT Does not like this wine:

Gold medal Macon wine competition
Not nearly as good as the 2014. Vegetative, some fruit but not a good value Bordeaux.

7/11/2019 - SandmanRT wrote:

Definitely has years of aging left. A robust wine on first evening after open for one hour. Fruit and tannins in balance. A good food match.

2/21/2019 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

Fruit dominates, typical Rioja jammy fruit flavours but still in balance with tannins. I see from prior notes that there is either a lot of ‘different’ bottles out there or more than one lot distributed. Costco dropped price from $14.99 to $10.99 here in Florida, now a pretty good bargain and planning to buy a few more.

2/12/2019 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

A lot of good fruit on the palate even for a Rioja. Plum jam cherry like fruit. Stated residual sugar of 2 grams per litre makes it as low as any red wine out there (I have personally never seen residual sugar of 1 gram per litre), so very fruity but not sweet. A pleasant drinking wine.

12/24/2018 - SandmanRT wrote:

A wine possessing Rioja qualities. Moderate fruit 3 hours after opening bottle, balanced tannins, ripe plums on the palate. Decanter gave it 95, best Rioja Reserva, Platinum medal. What were they drinking? Perhaps a different batch/barrel? Decent and acceptable, had better Rioja at Costco for less, was $11.99 but wanting to find bargains on Christmas Eve may be asking too much.

12/20/2018 - SandmanRT Does not like this wine:

No typical Napa fruit, so not representative of Napa reds. A drinkable wine but no more. While inexpensive, it cannot compare with some of the other reds which Costco carries in the same price range and I am specifically thinking of the Spanish wines.

12/8/2018 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

A complex and enjoyable wine with fruit well integrated with tannins and could well age more if necessary but drinks well now at age ten and open since yesterday. There is a Barolo-like flavour in this and there are plums and earthy qualities too. Bold enough for braised meats or aged cheeses.

11/13/2018 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

Very nice Montepulciano and not ‘tired’ or past it’s prime now at age 10. Fruit and acidity in good balance, very enjoyable and quite typical for the region.

10/7/2018 - SandmanRT wrote:

A very enjoyable mature Bordeaux bought today, 17 years old for $20 K&L wines California. Opened 30 minutes, fine claret, balance of fruit, oak and soft tannins. Not past it’s prime if you enjoy aged Bordeaux and I thoroughly enjoyed this one and worth the price. If however one enjoys fruit forward and a lot of oopmph (New World style wines) this may not be for you.

8/30/2018 - SandmanRT wrote:

This Cabernet was highly lauded by two critics. Bought a bottle and left open over one hour. Better value elsewhere, less fruit than expected. Not overly tannic and correct in typical Cabernet taste but my bottle would not rank high in my tasting.

8/15/2018 - SandmanRT wrote:

Three bottles opened one after another. All had volatile acidity flaw, smelled like turpentine, the one least affected was very corked. None was close to drinkability, even if one were to accept a less than perfect wine. What is annoying is that a bottle of Les Clos 2001 Delas Freres Crozes Hermitages opened today too also smelled of turpentine. A 2007 Chateaneuf du Pape Haut Pierre of Delas Freres also opened today is drinkable and needs overnight breathing to better judge tomorrow. In all my time of collecting and storing fine wines of over twenty years, I have had volatile acidity once prior and now four bottles from two vintages from the same producer is s bit much.

8/14/2018 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

Opened and decanted 30 minutes. Good tannins, not big fruit. Drinks well. 91-92.
Next day, wow. Much improved with ample dark berries fruit well integrated with tannins. 95, maybe 96. Long satisfying finish.

7/23/2018 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

Brick colour develops a tannic grip after decanting. Sandalwood, some fruit, typical younger Barolo, better next day after opening. Enjoyable and the price at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (tax in) is ~ $14.63 USD as of ‘delisting sale’. QPR through the roof!

7/23/2018 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

Medium and drinking well now. Not a huge difference after decanting. Ripe plums and black currants with subtle oak and moderate tannin, a very enjoyable and approachable wine.

7/2/2018 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

Jammy and more fruity than usual Rhone wines. Plums and berries flavours. I could mistake it for a New World wine, but decent nevertheless.

6/30/2018 - SandmanRT wrote:

Raspberry flavours with some tannin grip. Light to medium but a tad better than most anything in this price range or bottom price for red Burgundy. ($5 more however gets me a few better choices).
So good for the money, OK overall.

5/6/2018 - SandmanRT wrote:

Wow for the price. Fantastic fruit on the finish. As Chianti prices have climbed, this wine I had by the glass in a restaurant is a great price to quality ratio.

4/5/2018 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

Berries and cedar, soft tannins. Drinks now but can age I suspect. A very enjoyable Bordeaux

4/5/2018 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

Amazing Barbera for under $14 Canadian dollars. A lighter fruity red with good acidity. Very enjoyable. Have bought a case or more and drank quite a few. Great price to quality ratio.

4/5/2018 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

I find it difficult to think I am reviewing the same wine as the prior reviewers. Liquor Control Board of Ontario just got a massive 2497 cases, lot # L115 and it is the finest Bordeaux QPR for the $17 Canadian dollar price. Ready to drink with enough fruit forward for Bordeaux, it is a great value.
Smooth and ready to drink would describe it best.
Had another two bottles of the original lot, now maybe six total and all consistent except one was corked, had to pour down the sink. The last one I would rate a 90.
Update note: Chateau de Ribebon 2015 is coming back on May 11 to the Liquor Control Board of Ontario for $1 cheaper. Will this lot be an exact replica?
On the shelf 3 days early. I bought one May 8 with same L115 lot number printed on the bottom front label as original lot.
Other than the identical label I would never recognize this bottle as being the same wine. Correct Bordeaux it is but no fruit on the palate, I would give it 82 and fully understand some of the earlier unfavourable comments if the commentators had tasted this ‘lot’.
Bottom line is ‘taster beware’ as there seems to be a lot of variation under the same label. The good is very good, the other, meeh.

4/5/2018 - SandmanRT wrote:

Still closed without much fruit showing after two hour decanting. Better by the end of meal another hour and a half later. I have another two bottles and will keep minimum three years before opening another.

3/22/2018 - SandmanRT wrote:

Strong smell like turpentine. Googled it and it is likely ‘volatile acidity’. Breathing does not cure it. Cork perfect condition and storage impeccable at 57 F wine storage unit. Too bad.

2/16/2018 - SandmanRT wrote:

A non-vintage blend, the label saying “Founded in 2005” has fooled some tasters into reviewing the 2005 vintage! Tastes like a new world, fruit forward type of wine, not typical of Italian blends, even primitivo based. Berries, still firm tannins. Seems to have substantial residual sugar even at 15% alcohol. OK but not great. Too sweet.

1/23/2018 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

A fruit bomb, cherries on the palate, reminds one of Amarone wines. Big, bold taste for those who enjoy the style.

1/13/2018 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

Citrus and light oak, fresh and food friendly. A very enjoyable white.

12/22/2017 - SandmanRT Likes this wine:

Read prior notes. I taste ready to drink fruity Rioja without too much oak as suggested prior. On sale at Costco for 11.99 ridiculous bargain. Going to get a few more. Rarely taste wine this good at this price.