4/3/2024 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

This is just so beautiful. Drinking perfectly. From memory: slow ox (popped and let breathe in the cellar for five hours). Incredibly layered, sweet red cherry, baking spices, clove and nutmeg, but the fruit is still full and plush, resolved tannins. My wine of the year thus far.

4/3/2024 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

A zippy and fresh expression of Bordeaux. After an hour of slow ox: Pencil lead, deep soft plum and pure boysenberry aromas. The palate shows waves of persist and slightly acidic purple fruit. Where so many wines from this region are monolithic it's nice to see a modern-biodynamic take on a classic region. This is very good and only needs a little time to breathe. No idea how this one will age but I like where it is now given its 'natural wine' bent.

4/3/2024 - Rabaja wrote:

A very grassy nose almost Sauvignon Blanc in character with gooseberry, pear, lemongrass, and residual sugar / cat pee. The palate shows very good structure with acidity framing the hard orchard fruit very well. I'm not that familiar with Mendocino Chardonnay so I really don't know off this is stylistically on point or not. The attack really speaks to Chardonnay but the aromas show slightly differently. Very pleasant finish. A Chardonnay to drink with seafood rather than chicken.

1/12/2024 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Warm red currant, strawberry, Sicilian confections on the nose. This is a very red fruited wine here. Still not a pop and pour deal as this truly comes together after about 30min of being opened. Delicious on the palate. Soft and pleasant. Decidedly not a blockbuster and has a European slant on an American style Cali Cab. Really great qpr.

12/21/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

This opened up nicely to cherry blossoms, cherry pulp, fresh thyme and notes of soil, saline and iodine. The palate is dry and still shows a lot of tannin which makes me believe it's beginning to enter it's second drinking window. I imagine in 2025 this will be singing. Not bad for an "entry" level Chianti Classico.

12/10/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Upon opening this is seriously tight and unenjoyable with fishy lactic notes of Mylanta, beans, and baked plum. After three hours open in the bottle it has finally has come around to show copious amounts of black and blue fruit, lilly, creme de cassis, and cedar box. It is immensely more appealing than upon pop and pour. Be sure to give this several hours of slow ox or decant for an hour. Air won't hurt this as it's seriously structured. The 50% syrah / mourvedre lend a somber and brooding quality compared to more grenache heavy Rasteau. Not a criticism but I do prefer my CdR to be more grenache heavy. On the palate the wine also displays a more generous amount of acidity with a high pitched tingling of black fruit. This is excellent and worth cellaring a few bottles for the medium term.

12/10/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Good wine but doesn't come close to the level of the 2014. Red cherry, roses, blackberry, cardamom and a touch if brown sugar that shows the heat of the vintage. Palate is a touch austere and not as fluid, refined and enveloping as the 2014. Overall good but a bit disappointing.

12/1/2023 - Rabaja wrote:

Beautiful wine and drinking gloriously at the moment. a melange of soft blue, black and red fruit. Cool airy aromas I often associate with Foillard. Seemless texture. Much better than it was a year ago but I don't see how this will improve. I agree with Sotto, drink now.

11/29/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Just to be clear right off the bat, drinking this now is infanticide. If you're curious, give it a couple days of slow ox or do what I did - six hours in the decanter. Anything shorter than that will result in disappointment. After six hours in decanter: high toned raspberry vitamins, potpourri and blueberry pie against a backdrop of smoky plum and brooding blackberry. The palate has not yet come together as there is searing tannin and acidity. Once this comes together it will be an excellent wine in the low to mid 90's but right now the elements have now yet gelled. I imagine it will be best between 2035-2040 so hands off for a good ten years + as this is built for the long haul.
Side note, coming back to it 32 hours after initial decant (8 hrs in decanter and the rest returned to bottle) it's still tight but showing much more elegance.

11/25/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

PnP: leather, pyrazines, red currant, gravel. Fairly forward nose. Silky on the palate and showing red fruits, leather and spice. Tannins are mostly resolved.

Six hour slow ox does a lot of good for this: super floral, more red spice punch, pencil lead, dried cherry. Just a beautiful wine. Probably could use more exposure to air. No need to rush and drink this.

11/16/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Wow. This one connected for a home run.
Huge deep bruising black cherry fruit with a dollop of blackberry, a bit hot but quite lifted wild brambly aromatics, tons of soil tones, there's also a sense of salinity on the higher tones keeping a sense of purity and freshness. The palate is plush with soft purple fruit, fresh acidity that evenly coats your mouth and the sweet tannin is mostly present on the lingering (60sec!) finish. Unmistakably Oregon and decidedly on the darker fruit spectrum yet not at all somber. Outstanding!

11/7/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

I guess this is a Ripasso??? Very Valpolicella Superiore in style: lighter bodied, full of flavor, but lacking that plum skin phenolic thing. Very light upon opening, balanced and attractive but a bit tight. After six hours open, it has relaxed and shows gobs of macerated maraschino cherries. Nice acidity and balances tradition with modern wine making, as one does in Italy.

10/29/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Best served just below room temp (65F). On the nose, apple and pear with a strong wax, honey and melon rind presence. The nose reminds me of a more pear noted Jacquère. The palate is generous and more acidic than Jacquère with orchard fruits and melon rind flowed by acidic/bitterness. The finish leaves an unmistakable Gerber's apple baby food followed by tons of minerals and a touch if salinity. Such a cool wine. No idea how the cellar will treat this thing.

10/5/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Hard to keep this at an arm's length away. From memory: soft cherry blossom, fresh spring water, grassy pink grapefruit candy, red apple skin, Cavaillon melon and a touch of cranberry. The fruit is so pure it really makes this wine shine. Dry but without any alcoholic fumes and just a touch of austere tannins to keep it honest. Really great stuff. Love the art work and design.

10/5/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Drank over two days. Needs at least four hours of slow ox (ideally more than six). I find a lot of modern Tempranillos have a confectionery note upon opening that can take hours to resolve. This has that. I think this phenomenon might lead to some negative reviews. Once it's gone, I find the nose much more appealing and I can really dig in. Spicy plum, Mongolian herbs, dank black cherry, dark chocolate, and a touch of rose. There's also a very high toned red cherry thing. The finish is long but comprised mostly off the tannin from the oak. Like other modern, fruity examples, I find these to have those wood tannins that sear into your gums if you swish your wine around in your mouth. Maybe that's why I'd recommend to drink this with a hearty meal. Lots of dilly American oak sweetness can be fun on a cold night. I drank this over two nights and found it deeper and fuller on the second day. This after being left in the office by a window for a day. Lush branmbly dark fruit and a good sear from the acid and oak. (88-90). This will cut through fatty meats great and should work great with hearty stews.

9/21/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Lovely deep black cherry, tar, licorice and rose petal aromas with a finely structured sweet tannin backbone. This is a wine that is ready to go but several more years in the cellar won't hurt it. The wine was best upon opening as it showed more structure and nuance. Around the 8hr mark it started to become a bit more somber and a touch sour reminding me almost of a cherry vinegar. I strongly recommend against extended breathing. Within its window there was lovely drinking: full of flavor, wonderful tannic structure, beautiful aromas. But 2007 was warm and it shows here. Even for Nebbiolo the color was advanced with a pronounced orange tinge showing on the edges. I took JD's advice about it being open for business and glad I did. All said, a wonderful modern style wine (as one gets with Clerico) packed with flavor and nuance.

9/8/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Initially popped and poured a small taste and showed very tight, very lean body and not giving much on the nose. I figured it would put on more body with a couple days of very slow ox (cork back in the bottle after a two ounce pour). Day three it put on a lot of weight to become a rich and compelling wine. The nose opened to show sweet plum and blackberry, red raspberry compote, with cedar and black truffle aromas. It's still a bit primary with just the truffle showing secondary aromas. The palate is long, seamless, full of sweet tannin, and just simply delicious. You won't get that from a simple pop and pour at this stage. I'd sit on this for at least two more years expecting it to become a very complete entry level CdP.

9/2/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

PnP: big fruity aromas of overripe plums and strawberries, bing cherry, apricot with volcanic notes of cinder and ash lurking behind the fruit. It really strikes me like a really serious Nero d'Avola. It's fruity but sophisticated. It was best when initially opened and then faded and became increasingly more sour as the night went on. I don't think there's any rush to drink it but when you pop it's best to drink over the first couple hours.

9/1/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

From magnum: initially upon opening it shows thin. Tons of blood-iodine aromas with tart cherry and notes of blood orange peel. After breathing in bottle for four hours the wine is beginning to blossom and putting on weight. Some tertiary aromas are coming through. Funky strawberry, cola, still some blood but far less, and a touch of marzipan. More sweetness comes through at this point on the palate. Longer too. Excellent place at the moment.

8/9/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

PnP: found this at the bottom of a bin in the cellar. This is so much better than one I had two years ago. A bit thin compared to the '16 but makes up for it with elegance.

I would have to say this is in a lovely place. Perfumed with wild red berries, mulberry, strawberry compote, and wintergreen with nuances of saline, balsa wood, and licorice yet it always brings you back to the red/black fruit. The palate is elegant with something a bit missing in the midpalate. The finish is lively and rather long and leaves a residue of fine grained tannin that you don't notice on the sweet attack. This needs light fare like grilled chicken or vegetables but I imagine it can stand up to some heat so spicy fish tacos might work. (Enjoying it on its own at the moment.) It can probably stand to go another couple years but it's rather good now.

8/4/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Decanted and drank over two hours: Showing way more advanced than a bottle two years ago. That one was hot, rustic, crunchy and needed time to resolve. Tonight the wine seems to have reached maturity and maybe on the decline. That said, it is a good mature wine. Cloudy sediment that gives the wine a hazy quality. Bricking on the edges. Nose smells of spearmint, fresh thyme, green peppercorns, red currant, smoky plum, iodine with a touch of soy sauce. The palate is more expansive than the nose. Tons of savory red fruit, slightly sweet and shows that garrique character. Paired perfectly with grilled balsamic-glazed lamb rib loin chops (lamb porterhouse) and herbs. 88-90

7/31/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

While familiar with his crus, this is the first time trying his Villages bottling and I'm impressed. Satiny, sexy, deep flavors for this carbonic/natural style. Love it. Deep woody / forest floor aromas with spiced plum, apricot, and cherry pie. Not picking up the Brett others have noticed. Not sure what I'd pair this with as it's so good on its own.

7/21/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

This is a modern style Rioja that seems more focused on generous fruit than the traditional profile. Tart cherries and leather dominate. There also some new oak, cranberries, orange marmalade, saw dust, a touch of blackberry. While modern, this is not huge and seems to be a little more restrained than one might expect from this note. That said, the wine shows some fleshy red fruit and has a nice flavor. Maybe it will improve over time? There is enough fruit and acid to warrant so. Think this is my last bottle. . .

7/20/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

When I say oxidized, you say oxidized!
PnP: this is such an interesting wine. So oxidized that you get more almonds, saline, and hints vegetal green notes than the orchard fruit notes one would expect in a chardonnay. In some ways I get that tell tale apple but it's so burried that its only presence is as apple butter. As it sits and opens up it becomes bruised apples and egg whites.

The palate is rich, medium plus density (think village level Puligny), has medium acidity, a long finish and proves to be really well balanced. This grows on the drinker. . . but it may require ten plus sips before you like it (unless you're already familiar with the style). This is a fun wine. Perfect with strong cheeses.

7/19/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

This wine has a lot going on for itself. For a Mercurey it's on the more robust side of things. I don't know if they do carbonic maceration but the wine seems quite juicy and with a touch of VA. The fruits seem to be dark and toasty. There's also meaty element here. As the wine has sat in the cellar for a second year, it is showing more VA than in the past. The acidity strikes the front of the tongue in a way that reminds me of Alberto Orte's wines. I preferred this upon release but this bottle is decidelely better than the last one I had a few months back. Ideal pairing with Peking duck.

7/18/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Like the Carpe, this is an eye opening wine. Whereas the Carpe had a purity and precision of fruit this wine has a deeper complexity. One of those wines where each sniff reveals completely new aromas. At times I get a Cantillon Geuze or Kriek aroma, other times pure strawberry / blackberry fruit, sometimes toasty aromas of wood and that Gamay high toned grassy and other times dark undercurrents of brambly dark fruit. It is fresh, ready upon pop and pour but definitely opens up after an hour to reveal its full complexities. Best served at cellar temp / slightly chilled. This is the type of wine that will change minds about the possibilities of Gamay. It may even make an unsuspecting guest an oenophile.

7/3/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Originally popped and poured and showed a bit tight. Decanted for four hours and it really blossomed. Becoming quite tertiary at the moment. Shows a mature nose of macerated cherries and figs with earthy notes of balsam wood, oak, candied plums and orange rind. Fantastic mouthfeel - full, deep and very satisfying. In a beautiful place but let it breathe for a long time.

6/14/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Pnp. Still right upon opening. Very new world but maintains poise and depth. After two hours of being opened, the wine begins to sing with lots of violet nuanced fruit. Thereafter it shows more loamy cherry fruit. Very good but I don't think it's quite hit its drinking window.

5/24/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

PnP. This can use a little air as it opens up after thirty minutes or so. Tropical fruit wrapped in apple is how I'd describe the fruit. It's quite refined and difficult at first to get that gooseberry element from the Sauvignon Blanc. Seems a little more on the Semillon side but still far from sweet. On the pallate there is a nice creamy element with a touch more acidity than the nose alludes to. I think this can continue to develop and I'd be curious how a little nuttiness would influence this wine. Solid stuff.

5/16/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

This is in a good spot right now. Tons of creamy plum, blueberry pie and a touch of bacon fat. This has put on weight since I last visited it two years ago. The alcohol is a touch high and you sense a bit of that heat on the nose. Plenty of grippy tannin on the finish but the acidity is there to balance things out. Seeing how tannic this finish is, I don't see any rush to drink these. I would gather it is hitting its stride now and should last another four years or so.

5/15/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Pnp. This is so good. Very toasty, flinty gooseberry. Saline, iodine, spearmint, chalk. Wouldn't have guessed it were Sauvignon Blanc. Very sophisticated stuff.

5/15/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Sheep's milk cheese, lemon curd, sea brine, chalk. The fruit is yellow apple with notes of lime. Nice balance of creamy, toasty, and linear acid with fine bubbles. Very well made and interesting.

5/15/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Pnp. The purity of fruit here is immaculate. Gooey strawberry, sweet soil notes, a little jam. Very polished and lifted. I could smell this for hours. The attack is all strawberry. There is some acidity supporting the fruit and a small amount of tannin on the finish. This is so good. It may be a little sweet for some but the purity and precision of the fruit is stunning. Gorgeous.

5/10/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Pnp. This is very good and nicely showing signs of age. Dusty red currant and raspberry with a beam of spiced plum dominate the fruit profile but the wine is showing mostly secondary aromas of pan drippings, peppercorns, tarragon, bay leaf and oolong tea. There's also a baked ham element that may be remnants of reduction. So savory on the palate it makes your mouth water. Here, the fruit is very delicate and finishes with fine tannin. After it sits a few minutes in the glass it begins to put on weight but never exactly fills out into something rich. At this point the wine is delicate yet still packed with flavor.

5/10/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

I don't drink a ton of new world merlot but this is very serviceable and fun. Tons of black and blue fruit framed nicely by med+ acidity. The tannins are still there but beginning to resolve. No signs of aged aromas yet. Probably best to open and breathe in bottle for a several hours. Drank well on the second night but I think the sweet spot was somewhere in between nights one and two (day 2 mid-morning???). No rush to drink, this will still be good in a couple years.

5/9/2023 - Rabaja Does not like this wine:

Not my thing. Super light style of grenache which I sometimes enjoy. For me, the amount of volatile acidity is a big turn off. Viniferatu's tasting notes are spot on if you enjoy wines this amount of VA. For me, all I can think of is aromas strawberry jam and stomach bile. The palate is light on its feet and the entry is sweet with tons of strawberry. The midpalate is cherry, bay leaf and blood orange and finishes very green with string tannins. Maybe this evolves into something nice, but now it's sweet, angular and acidic.

2/11/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Definitely tight upon opening. It was more forward and juicy at age 3 so maybe it's in a dumb phase.
After 3 hours in decanter it began to open. Crowd really enjoyed it but still seemed tight to me. I’ll wait two more years to open my next few.

1/20/2023 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Lovely upon opening but it really blossomed after four hour slow-ox. A very herbal potpourri of cedar and thyme balance against a dark fruited backed by dank soil notes (Chile!). Very structured on the palate and definitely has a Left Bank personality with tooth staining tannin. This is lovely and no rush to open either as this should evolve nicely for the medium term as I think it's lacking a touch of acidity to warrant twenty years or so.

12/15/2022 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Port soaked cherries dominate supported by tarragon and nuances of oak. Great attack and length on the palate. Fantastic Burgundy for a pittance.

12/14/2022 - Rabaja wrote:

Deeper than the 'La Poulousa.' Loads of dark berry fruit with wonderful spice notes of sandalwood and herbs. Very lifted and perfumed. This should age nicely for the medium term.

12/14/2022 - Rabaja wrote:

Bright red fruit and engaging but a touch too much VA for my palate.

12/14/2022 - Rabaja wrote:

By the lofty standards Raul Perez's blancos, this is boring and monotone.

12/14/2022 - Rabaja wrote:

Excellent wine. Incredibly perfumed with hazelnuts, motor oil, and orchard fruit and seems almost sweet on the nose. Off dry palate. This is compelling stuff.

12/14/2022 - Rabaja wrote:

Riesling like nose (sans petrol) of oyster shell and orchard fruit. There's also a distinct peach component. This is perfumed. The palate has a sweet attack of ripe orchard fruit yet is tightly wound with some depth of flavor and. Very well made. Should last a few years and maybe become even deeper.

12/14/2022 - Rabaja wrote:

Cumin and Indian spice blend. Purple fruit. Deep, complex, and a touch smoky. This has a luxurious palate. It's deep and long and infanticide at this point. Hold for a few years to see if all its elements come together. Everything seems to be there.

12/14/2022 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Loads of plum and cherry fruit with library aromas. The oak is integrated at this point. There is almost a VA element but I don't detect any flaws nor does the wine seem flabby. Perhaps just a touch of VA makes keeps this wine fresh and aromatically alive without becoming a problem. In any case, clearly well made and retains its freshness.

12/14/2022 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Deep, dark and brooding. Tons of cherry fruit with a lovely rose nuance. There seems to be a fair amount of coconut but no dill which excites me. The palate is deep with a lovely and very focused finish. Count me a fan.

12/14/2022 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

Deep and tannic. Clearly built for the long haul but at this moment it's a little young. Despite the big fruit and tannin, this retains a beautiful freshness.

12/14/2022 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

An almost refreshing style of Rioja. Not quite modern, not quite traditional but perhaps the latter is more accurate. Long finish and clearly well made. Just a touch too much dill for my preference.

12/14/2022 - Rabaja Likes this wine:

So good. This is very compelling with its deep and long complex fruit. I'm a fan!