3/28/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

Did not do a formal tasting on this wine. Nose is blackberry, coco and chalk. Blackberry, cherry and chocolate. Finish is decently long, although a bit monotone ( like an epic Moody Blues song). Probably one of the best value wines I have had in a long time. This is a wine I would bring to a dinner party for <$10. Nicely done!

3/20/2010 - btennan1 Likes this wine:

A: Clear with brown and orange hues. Serious solid sediment
N: Awesome nose. Vanilla, lavender, floral perfume. Candied chocolate torte. Little skunk in there though. Forest floor earthiness.
T: Super dry, little bit of the prom date here [ref 3 Wine Guys], very woody, little flabby and not much going on. This needs some time. Later in the evening this opened up real nicely displaying that old world fruit thing, fig and dried plum. Coco and a dusty heft.
F: Early in the night, little sort. Once it opened up some of the heat disappeared and wine was nicely expressive. Went from a boring wine to nearly engaging.
Overall: Definitely something nice going on in this wine it just too some time to emerge. If you pop and pour expect an ugly duckling.

3/17/2010 - btennan1 Does not like this wine:

A: Deep purple with first signs of age. Nice depth. Black cherry juice.
N: Strawberry shortcake. Skunk and a bad NYS Finger Lakes Cab note ( really acidic, green pepper, and dandelions ). This wine came from some funky earth.
T: Lots of earth and spice. Very tart, almost medicinal. Tannins are there but they are hidden by tart flavors.
F: Floral, clover and sweet greens. Bitter beet greens.
Overall: I think this wine comes from bad soil. Some bad hoo-doo on that terrior.
V: 2/5

3/13/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

I had very high expectations for this wine which is always a dangerous thing. In the end it was just a nice but forgettable bottle of wine.
A: Clear brown edges, russet. Less sediment than I expected.
N: Robitussin-y, lots of cherry lavender and forest floor. Subtle honey and river stones.
T: Huge dominant apple. Apple pie cinnamon without the sweetness. More of a fall wine than a Christmas wine. Baked apple pie.
F: Very long with balanced tannins.
Overall: Very good but not a killer wine. Almost distracted by the large apple notes.
V:3/5

3/10/2010 - btennan1 Likes this wine:

A: Super duper dense. Lots of sediment. Did I mention very dense.
N: Lemon cake with massive amounts of vanilla. Lemon poppy seed muffin. Currant and some raisin. Caramel cake - sticky toffee pudding.
T: Tart cherry and macerated fruit. Gritty. Palate is nothing like the nose, a bit of a let down. Needs some air.
F: Long monotone sour cherry. Ends with a real buttery caramel coco note.
Overall: A little sour up front. Plush in the middle. Nose nothing like the taste. Wine remained a bit sharp up to the last glass. Took some time to really open up. Needs more bottle age.
V: 3/5

3/12/2010 - btennan1 Likes this wine:

Did not do a formal review of this wine. Recall massive structure and super fine tannins. Rich opulent and really just out of this world. Consumed with a beef tenderloin in a red wine reduction sauce.

3/8/2010 - btennan1 Does not like this wine:

Highly disappointed. Sharp acidic and down right unpleasant. We have had some nice white CDPs, so I know it is possible. This was not one of them. Moving forward will stick with Chenin Blanc from Vouvray, better wines and a better value.

3/9/2010 - btennan1 Likes this wine:

A: Mild tone purple, not as dense as I would have expected given the nose and flavor profile.
N: Marshmallow and candy corns. Lots of fruit and floral. Hyacinth, violets and lavender. Bacon blueberry and cherry, like a triple fruit jam.
T: WOW! Super good, even better than the nose. A real pleasant tartness followed by almost syrupy big fruits. Not sweet and not cloying, just big and thick concentrate.
F: Moves to an almost old world undertone, as unlikely as that sounds. Mushrooms and earth at the very end. Not a super long finish but solid.
Overall: Nice. Biale rocks and this is one of his best in my opinion.
V: 4/5

3/7/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

Really edgy and rough almost like under ripe fruit was used to produce the wine. Did not finish the bottle the first night. Revisiting on day two really improved the profile. Still acidic but softer, with some interesting burnt meat flavors coming through. Like the ends of a charred steak. Much better on the second day.

3/2/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Dark purple, tinged lightly at the edges. Dense
N: Sweetness, jammy bot not cloying, a little fresh paint, bazooka bubble gum, evergreen and menthol. Christmas spice and earthy.
T: Chocolate berries (blueberry). Tannins not super strong. A chalky mineralized quality.
F: Slightly bitter and short.
V: 4/5

3/7/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Plum dense but very young. From angle very dark.
N: Earth, solid, lots of farmland and deep spice. Robitussin and oak chips. Musty and dusty on the nose.
T: Light cherry blueberry. Moisture soaking tannins. Not like the nose at all. Quite good.
F: Decent finish, really carpet like. Finish is more texture than taste. Ends a bit light and watery.
Overall: Killer value. Masculine old world wine. Held its own and very enjoyable. Definitely will get again!
V: 5/5

3/2/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

Just not pleasant. Very acidic and astringent, I have nothing pleasant to say about this wine. It is not that it is not memorable, it is, but just for being really bad.

2/21/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Very light red and super clear. XXX Vitamin water
N: Something very citrus like in this wine...orange zest? Saltine crackers, skunk and something rather green. Strawberries. Nose is interesting but a bit off putting.
T: Tart cherry, light and fruity. Soft and very light. Has a slight sweetness to the taste.
F: Gets you on the side of the tongue. Cranberry juice, vodka and lime... a cosmopolitan.
V: 4/5

2/22/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Looks light and young with very watery edges. Fuschia.
N: Herbal and fruity. Cinnamon nutmeg, lavender,perfumey, macerated strawberries/strawberry liquer, vanilla, and Nilla Wafers.
T: Cranbery, tart cherry, strawberry's and spring fruits. Light tannins.
F: Light structure, granny smith apples, pleasant bitter sour apple.
Overall: Pleasant very high valued wine.
V: 5/5

2/28/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

Really a great value. Some good fruits, decent nose. Bit high on the acidity and bit low on the tannic structure. Not something I would seek out but if I wanted to keep my price point under 10 this is a strong contender.

2/20/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

Man this is a beast of a zin.

2/15/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

Not something I would get again. Quite cloying and acidic with a complete lack of structure. But for the price, the wine still out performed what I expected.

2/18/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

I guess we are the outliers on this one. We really gave this some thought and any way we could slice it, this wine was one the best we recall having,
A: Very orange to nearly brown, lots of sediment.
N: Mocha, toasted coffee, marshmallow, orange short bread. Buttered pastries.
T: Prunes and rich smoky chocolate croissant. Lots of fig and coffee. Great balance and spectacular tannins.
F: Just keeps going for well over a minute. Undertows of dark fruits, fig and mocha.
Overall: I could live on this. Worth every penny and more. I hope I can find more of this. Delicious, masculine and refined.
V: 5/5

2/13/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

Very basic wine. Not one I would recommend as an introduction to Spain or to the varietal. Highly acidic and one dimensional. Even though this was a <$10 bottle I was expecting more. Definite pass in the future.

1/31/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Translucent pure red with some signs of age. Very clean looking.
N: Perfumed. Raisin, red currant and chocolate. Mesquite. Some strange fresh lemon note.
T: Coco. Hot and spicy. Slight bitterness and tartness.
F: Light up front. Needs some time. Decant this bottle for about 2 hours.
Overall : Once decanted this really opened up nicely. Some of the heat blew off and wine really mellowed out. Fruit was allowed to show through.
V: 3/5

1/18/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Very deep and rich. Orange notes looks almost viscous.
N: Meaty with a little sweet caramel. Fennel. Smells a bit like a bakery. Mushroom. Huge amounts of molasses.
T: Bold chocolate, chewy big fruits. Coffee.
F: Mint. Super long and opulent. The tannins are beautiful and alive. Some green grass or hay.
Overall: Very good but a bit intense. Had this alone without food, probably could have used a nice steak or burger.
V: 2/5

1/16/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

Did not take notes, recall earth, leather and solid fruits. Nice finish and firm tannic structure. Most enjoyable and memorable.

1/6/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

Did not take notes on this one but wish I had. Should have have a case of this on hand. Appears to be at a sweet spot for drinking. This would be a contender for the "Stranded on a desert island and only had $40 to spend on a wine what would get?" ... It would not win but it would enter my mind.

1/12/2010 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Very brown, foggy and a bit musty.
N: Lavender, heather something rather acidic but not unpleasant to say the least. A soft milk chocolate and earthy mushroom.
T: Tart cherry, leather and bacon. Blueberries and some soft perfectly ripe fruits. Pencil lead.
F: Coco to a sweet chocolate to a strong leather.
Overall: This is really hitting the spot tonight. Firm while maintaining a delicate structure. Nicely integrated structured tannins. Consumed the 2003 earlier this year and it did not compare to this wine. Wondering how much is bottle and and how much is just the vintage. Great value.
V: 4/5

12/12/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

Not drink as well as the past, possible that the bottle is on the decline. More likely a red flag that my storage conditions are less than ideal.

11/1/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Russet orange and purple at the core.
N: Licorice, strawberry rhubarb pie. Smoked herbs. Lavender, old world castle walls. Killer nose.
T: Not what we were expecting. We we planning on something very feminine and delicate. This is not that. It is light fruit and earthy. Almost a smoky rusty quality. Grippingly gritty. If this wine was a movie character it would be Clint Eastwood in a Fist Full of Dollars.
F: Long macerated strawberries.
V:3/5

10/4/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Very orange and clear. Some soapy like substance on the top of the wine.
N: Smokey macerated strawberry, cinnamon vanilla cupcake. Strawberry rhubarb pie.
T: Tart berries lighter than the nose. Not a lot of tannins but enough.
F: Long blueberry and red apple skin. Woodsy
Overall: Little bitter at first. Really opened up with time. First real old Biale we have had. Absolutely beautiful.
V: 4/5

10/22/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Dark nail polish
N: Fresh pant, very spicy. Hazelnut coffee, cedar and white pepper.
T: This is clearly the nectar of the gods. Beautiful. Not sweet but a velvety syrup. Pine sap, juniper and nutmeg.
F: Forever, dynamic and complex. A mild sweetness and herbal taste. Evergreen
Overall: Smells and tastes like what Christmas used to be. If you could bottle up "Its a Wonderful Life" it would be this wine. Simply the best wine we have had to date.
V: 5/5

10/26/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Purple and muddy. Lots of sediment in this wine. Crazy legs.
N: Lots of plum and coco. We also get banana. Very tight
T: Spiced plum pudding. Thick and smooth. Dark Berries.
F: Medium length and smooth. Opulent mouth feel.
Overall: Good but not great. Enjoyed but has that candied bad Grenache thing going on.
V: 3/5

10/27/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Major blue purple food coloring.
N: Perfume or cologne. Baby powder again. Not a very big nose for this wine.
T: Delicate tannins with a big mouth feel. Not getting much on the tung.
F: Bit woody and sweet. Rather basic.
Overall: Enjoyable but forgettable. We love love love Biale but this is not a good representation of what they are capable of. For my $ I would recommend Seghesio's Barbera over this one. Did open up a little over time and went well with a cave aged Gouda.
V: 2/5

11/8/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Brown edges. Very clear syrup but not viscous. Easter egg dipping dye.
N: Huge vanilla. Coco tobacco. Chocolate covered cherries. Forest floor detritus.
T: All tannins all day long. Bit of a let down from the nose presented. Almost pinot like.
F: Long and clean, lingering berries.
Overall: Its like a Spanish Pinot Noir. Air was not this wines friend. Wine fell short after 2 hours of air. May be past its prime.
V: 3/5

11/21/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Dark opulent and intense. Dense purple
N: Baby powder and liver. Currant, licorice with a musty dried lavender. Like walking into a potters shed. Raspberry
T: Lots of fruit and bacon. Forward boxing tannins.
F: Definite evolution here from berries to mince meat pie. Tar and tobacco. Big!
Overall: Very nice and big. Needs air but is very stable once it opens up.
V: 5/5

11/15/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Medium body translucent but not really transparent.
N: Strawberry blueberry blackberry cake. Smokey, floral.
T: Blueberry, blueberry cobbler. Precise tannins.
F: Short but then returns with a almost meaty undertow.
Overall: Spicy, quite delicious. Bravo Biale!
V: 4/5

10/29/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

Come on lets be reasonable, 100? That score brought this wine up to top 10 of my list. I am making it 76 which brings it back to the 88 of the inital rating.

10/20/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Very clear and young. Jolly rancher red.
N: Oh-my-god! Strawberries clover honey lavender orange blossom
T: Strawberries and ripe red apple, super fine tannins
F: Lemon but a bit short and fleeting
Overall: Fell bit short on the finish. Beautiful nose, nice palate.
V: 2/5

10/12/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Little orange, little russet but very clear.
N: Very light stones, orange cake, beef or liver, vanilla, walnut cream cheese frosting.
T: Delicate and a bit tart. Vanilla cream cheese again.
F: Long but rather monotone. Bit disappointed.
Overall: went very well with food but finish was a bit short for what I would expect from this wine. We decanted this for > 6hours and had with Beef Bourguinon.
V: 3/5

10/7/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Deep purple, an "evil teddy bear eye"
N: Woodsy sweet wild blackberry. Briar patch, smoke and clove.
T: Very organic, woody light tannins, bit green.
F: Little bitter apple peel.
Overall: Love the label, love the name for some reason, did not love the wine. Just never opened up to a meaningful expression.
V 3/5

10/3/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Pansy black vampire blood at night.
N: Blackberry, meat fat dripping on camp fire. Vanilla nutmeg and garden herbs. Lavender.
T: Stones, earth with nice firm tanins, intense dark berry.
F: Long and chewy ending in a pleasant floral note.
Overall: Very earthy and masculine. Robust. A romp in the medieval woods of France.
V: 4/5

9/29/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Very light and gem clear. translucent
N: Tangy and earthy with macerated strawberry, raspberries and apple cinnamon.
T: Sweet woodsy strawberries. Tangy, not much for tannin structure. Smooth
F: Very floral with bitters.
Overall: Opened up very slightly after 1h. Not as impressed wth this as I wanted to be. Expensive for what you get.
V:3/5

9/27/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: A very clear red wine, not really informative on that descriptor.
N: Light berries, Tangy earthiness, blueberries and pomegranate
T: Sophisticated peppers (what was I thinking when I wrote these notes). Red berries, little tart.
F: Woody rose hips and firm structure. Medium to light body with a strong tartness at the core.
Overall: Light and not real memorable, not worth the $.
V: 2/5

9/27/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

Hermann does it again. Clear attention to his vines and varietals, something that tends to be lacking in the Finger Lakes region. Peach and strawberry with overly delicate bubbles. Wine quickly lost its carb and then became a mildly sweet and light rose. Good wine and kudos for effort. Would get again.

9/24/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Light orange hues; Little fuzzy looking. Lots of sediment.
N: Honey, heather and sweet savory smoked bacon. Like smelling Little Moose Island at Schoodic point during a heavy fog.
T: Tart cherry; very different almost pinot like. Very light and sweet without being sweet if you know what I mean.
F: Amplified versions of the taste.
Overall: Initial taste after 1 hour of decanting was disappointing and flat. After another hour this opened up perfectly. Very floral
V: 4/5

9/20/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Dark clear and gem like. Looks like wine.
N: Mushroom and dried berries. Kirsch and cassis.
T: Concentrated fruits with tart cherry. Nice strong tannins, firm but not dominant. Eucalyptus.
F: Dried cherry and cassis. Thanksgiving, little burnt tasting.
Overall: Not what I was hoping for, little intense and firm. Looking forwarded to the 05, needed some time to open up (~2h)
V: 4/5

9/19/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Light and clear red. Stained glass again.
N: Skunk, viney and acidic. Lots of currant and coco. Coffee and orange peel.
T: Really nice tannins, wow. Tart and lots of tobacco. Bit old world.
F: Short and simple but extremely pleasant. Musty in a good manner.
Overall: Really surprisingly good. Improved over time.
V: 5/5

9/17/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Golden and light. Almost metallic looking. Flat Champagne magic juice.
N: Peaches and passion fruit. Honeysuckle, creamy and nutty.
T: Tart sweet, very smooth and clean. Oaky and nectar like.
F: Long tart vanilla.
Overall: Really nice and elegant. What a beautiful wine. Would get this again.
V: 3/5
Food: Egg and asparagus (tough match) but went ok 3/5

9/16/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Purple blackberry jam; Woodstain
N: Fresh berries or berry pie. Licorice and earth. Like waking into a leather boot shop in Fort Worth Texas.
T: Nice tannins and the wine tastes just like it smells. Very masculine
F: Lone, anise. Fine grit sandpaper on your tung.
Overall: Very different, earthy.
V: 3/5

9/14/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Dark and dense with brown notes.
N: Green spicy woodyness; Skunk
T: Super tart cherry; Viney;bakers chocolate.
F: Mouth watering like eating a succulent. Delicate and firm
Overall: Bit tart and acidic but certainly different. Better the second day but not well balanced.
V: 3/5

9/10/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Deep beautiful black cherry. Very clear.
N: Chocolate lavender. Very floral - violets. Liver smell. Black cherry and pepper.
T: Tar - Tobacco leaves. Very old world. Plumb
F: Gorgeous tannins. Was wave upon wave of flavor. Honeyed and complex.
Overall: Beautiful the second the cork was removed from the bottle ( and the label and name is cool ).Full and opulent.

9/9/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Very deep purple - Cranberry flannel.
N: Red licorice apple wood and granny smith apple skins. Fuzzy smell.
T: Light apple wood smoked...licorice. Chocolate cherry cordials.
F: Long for a light wine. Mild tannins.
Overall: This needs some air. Very nice wine that worked with tomato sauce. Slow start finished beautifully.
V: 4/5

9/2/2009 - btennan1 wrote:

A: Light salmon or coral.
N: Strawberry liquour, light and a bit smokey Pine and honey. Like sitting in a clover field surrounded by pine trees.
T: Red berries subtle and light. Lots of strawberry.
F: Bit green again. Sweet tarts. Nutmeg.
Overall: <No Comment>
V: 4/5