9/2/2023 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Very very good SB for an incredibly good price - have already gone back and purchased more

7/22/2023 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Solid NV

4/26/2023 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Little tight but opened after an hour. Absolutely sang on day two. Will hold on to the second bottle for a bit more time but this drank brilliantly

7/8/2022 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Still have the better part of a half case left - this seems to get better with each opening. Will try to spread them out (excellent summer drinker, may make it difficult to keep…)

12/30/2021 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

This is obviously young, but it’s drinking phenomenally. We were being evacuated due to the fires in Colorado, and grabbed this bottle that was literally delivered an hour before we were told to leave as a thank you to our friends hosting us. Just an excellent Zinfandel that drinks elegantly, even served on its own. Fantastic - pick them up while you still can.

11/14/2021 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

tight at the start - very good once it opened up, but tightness st the start took about an hour+ to unwind. Drink now as the color her was turning brick-ish

12/23/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

2002/2003, disgorged March of 2018 with 14 years on the Lees. 50/50 (CH/PN). Cream and pear nose - In the mouth has zip with acidity that goes beyond that of many vintage champagnes (think Krug, perhaps?). Some cream and lemon peel on the pallet - definite citrus notes. Still very good, but not for champagne drinkers who prefer savory, drink-on-its-own champagnes. So, yes: Drink with food - something higher in fat - to tamp down the acidity, and keep your stomach happy.
Don’t take this review negatively - this is rockin’ stuff, just not something you’ll savor on its own.

12/6/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

A great experience - the provenance of the bottle allowed for the optimal tasting - shipped directly from Turley via Christina Turley’s Cellar to ours when she graciously opened up her cellar earlier this year. Hints of jam, ripe red fruits, and cran. Smooth as hell. Just a fun bottle, and just color showing signs of copper on the edge, so this one isn’t long for the world. Drink em if you got em, this was a good one.

11/17/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Excellent - really glad we picked up three bottles!

11/7/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Slightly Acidic, but still great. Not a drinking champagne - pair with something fatty, perhaps, but not as necessary as say with a dry Riesling. Quite enjoyable and who can beat the reason for opening the bottle.

8/9/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Lemon peel and crushed shells in the mouth - drank too fast for adequate notes - excellent Sauvignon Blanc (obviously)

8/9/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Drank too quickly to take serious notes. Off the top of the head: nose of crème brûlée and lemon (but not overpowering). Echoed in the flavor profile, with a super balance between creaminess and acidity, slightly brighter than a traditional vintage champagne, but gorgeous.

8/5/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Pale salmon color in the glass - smells of honeydew, wet sea shells, and a bit of lemon. In the mouth, we have lemon peel and sea minerals. A really wonderful, classically done rosé.

7/22/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Deep ruby color in the glass. The nose is spice forward with a bit of smokiness and plumb. In the mouth it is bright, but opens up to plumb, leather, and smoke that is absolutely stunning - drank over two nights, and was still developing day two.
Give this one a bit of a decent - maybe an hour or two? It started a touch tight but was singing shortly thereafter. Will also do with some time in the cellar, but open if you have multiples as it is still drinking well today.

8/1/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Pale-full gold color, this is not a rosé - the nose is reminiscent of vintage champagne, with notes of of baked bread, caramel, and cream. In the mouth it has that same creaminess and Carmel with accents of lemon peel and a pleasant bit of bitterness hiding in the back end. Really delicious and fun, and still drinking well!

7/29/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Pale yellow wine out of a really fun bottle design (has a sort of spout at the top). Nose has a hint of lemon peel and honeydew, with minerality on the back end - the nose is faint. In the mouth you’ll taste the lemon peel and, again, a somewhat generic mineral flavor. A bit of not-unpleasant bitterness.

6/28/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Medium purple in the glass. Nose has notes of Cranberry, raspberry, strawberry, white pepper, and a hint of leather. In the mouth the taste is bright with cran and raspberry, and a bit of pleasing grip. Really ends up being a nice warm weather red, though not as light as their Sceales Vineyard Grenache. Wonderful bottle - we have three more and will give them time, but absolutely not necessary

7/2/2020 - Mot and Rob Does not like this wine:

Not rating. Had a bit, and it was just too oddly bitter and had a bit too much sweetness for Mot’s taste. She said that drinking it felt like an impending hangover. Dumped the bottle - life’s too short for wine you don’t like.

6/16/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Dry but not bone dry - just enough sweetness to cut the acidity. It drinks quickly / quick enough that we didn’t take as detailed notes as we normally would... ha

6/13/2020 - Mot and Rob Does not like this wine:

As many have pointed out, this smells like dog poop and dairy farts. The palate is *fine* but how do you drink bubbles while also holding your nose? This is probably an experiment... we just wish we weren’t the subjects. We like wine that is a challenge, but... not like this... no... not like this

6/11/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Medium gold with a nice bit of head that immediately calms into dancing bubbles. Ripe red apple, and a kiss of both peach and honey on the nose. While the nose makes it feel like it is going to be sweet, any notion of sweetness is dropped once it hits your mouth. This is dry, balanced, and oh so good. The flavor has complexity, but can pinpoint a bit of apple and what can only be called a pleasant bitterness. Drinks almost like an aged champagne, but without the creamy or toasty notes. Wish we had more than one bottle.

6/6/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Medium ruby coloring in the glass. Nose with a bit of ambiguous complexity: dark, ripe red fruits, almost jammy, and just a touch of spice on the nose - night even have a bit of smoke, but somewhat hard to pinpoint. Jam-like flavors of red fuit - cherry? Also drinks well with smooth tannins - an overall well balanced wine. She trailed off as she wrote her notes, which is usually a sign that she greatly enjoyed a wine. Drinks well now.

5/31/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Pale yellow in the glass. On the nose, which is faint, you can get notes of lemon peel, pears, and just a whisper of mineral that is hard to place (maybe wet slate?). In the mouth, the notes are clear yet, again, light, featuring lemon and pear with a backing of wet seashells. Incredibly light and easy to drink - delicious, really.

5/30/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Pale straw color in the glass. On the nose: Lemongrass with a faint hint of both minerals and peach. In the mouth there is lemon peel and generic minerality. Solid summer staple - not going to blow anyone away, but also not offensive. We used to drink a lot of this and keep our fridge stocked with it. It was our introduction to NZ Sauvignon Blanc and, as a result, carries a bit of nostalgia whenever a bottle is opened.

5/25/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Deep purple in the glass. On the nose: Tobacco, leather, and black cherry. In the glass, flavors of tobacco and black cherry that, at times, swirls into more of a generic red fruit forward. Drinking beautifully right now.
Note: a friend of ours drank a bottle of the same vintage recently and said he had noticed a bit of brett. Mot did not when she drank it, but also (thankfully) may not have a palate that is sensitive to brett - would be interested in feedback from others as well.

5/16/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Interesting salmon color. Bit of a medium hue, and somewhat hard to pin down. Super pretty! Nose is all peach and watermelon with a little bit of lemon peel. Light body in the mouth with the flavors of watermelon and lemon peel coming back in front of a bit of wet slate. Great acidity that doesn’t burn. Refreshing and fun.

5/21/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Pretty pale yellow color. The nose has ripe red apple (like fresh cut), honeysuckle, and peach. I’m the mouth it has a bit of residual sugar but isn’t exactly sweet either. Call it off-dry? The flavor profile is lemon peel, honeysuckle and peach. Interesting and on the money for the price.

5/23/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

The color is gorgeous: a pale purple with tiny bubbles (they lasted, too!). Ripe strawberries and actually a hint of lemon peel on the nose. In the mouth a hint of lemon peel comes back with minerals and strawberries. Playful bubbles and stunningly delicious. It drank lighter than expected- absolutely worth trying if you can - hopefully they decide to make it again!

5/21/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

This is a dry Gewürztraminer. A bit of residual sugar was left in so it does not to kick you in the stomach with acid. Beautiful nose: ripe, fresh cut red apple; honeysuckle; peaches. Honeysuckle and peach carry over to the mouth with a bit of lemon peel as well. Very enjoyable

5/14/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Pale yellow hue. On the nose: green apple, lemon grass, bit of toasted cream (verrrry faint) almost like vintage champagne. Palate is lemongrass, green apple, and a slight bitterness (pleasant) a touch of lemon peel. Dry, crisp, delicious.

5/10/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Pale straw. On the nose: honeysuckle, honeydew, and a hint of minerality. The palate is honeydew, lemon peel, with a bit of slate. Maybe a touch of green apple. Overall crispy lighter acidity (compared to NZSB)

5/1/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Rating based on the wine itself, not based on this wine being a Cab. Might have a lower rating if this were being rated on its merits as a cab.
Deep purple color. Jammy (in a good way) delicious red fruit nose. Plumb, raspberry, and a bit of freshness (hard to pinpoint).
In the mouth, plum sauce and cranberry with a long finish with notes of tobacco at the back end. Smooth tanins. Just a superb wine.

4/24/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Deep purple wine. Nose of raspberry and blackberry bramble. Hints of brandy and campfire. Stunning nose.
In the mouth it has rich red fruits, leather and a touch of smoke. Delicious, absolutely stunning. Lives up the expectations for this bottle for sure. This was the one and only we could find, but will absolutely be hunting to backflll the cellar as it has a few years left. Delicious.

4/19/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Awesome - drinking fabulously even just three years under cork. Faint-ish nose of ripe red raspberries and a bit of cranberry. In the mouth the roles reverse with cranberry notes playing in front of what feels like raspberries. Light, bright, and delicious.

4/17/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Pale purple wine. On the nose, notes of ripe red fruits and a hint of spice. In the mouth, cranberry, a bit of currant and white pepper. Bright wine with a decent amount of acid. Balanced and solid

4/12/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Second of three bottles consumed. The first was June 2019. Normally we’d be saving this for a little while longer, but quarantine has been making us choose things that give a bit of comfort.

Medium Purple in the glass, the nose smells of raspberries, red cherries, and leather. Really warm and comforting nose.
In the mouth tobacco, with hints of leather at the edges and ripe red cherries at the back end. Rich flavors of red fruits and a touch of spice. Longer, fading finish with smooth tannins that give a little grip but not overly so. Absolutely fantastic years for the old vines.

4/11/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Pale straw wine - the nose has minerality and a bit of lemon peel. But the nose mainly features cat pee - not in an offensive way, but it is absolutely there.
The flavor profile has a mix of honeysuckle, lemon sweet, and melon. Crisp and delicious - easy to drink for sure

4/5/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Medium straw in the glass. The smell is outstanding: crushed sea shells and wet slate, lemon zest, and a hint of honeydew.
The flavor is light, crisp, and refreshing. Wet seashells and little lemon zest. Easy drinking for sure. For a winery known for gigantic red wines, they absolutely slayed this Sauvignon Blanc

4/1/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Just one of the best zin producers, and this bottling is no exception. Have been a bit lax, but notes to follow

3/31/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Little early to open but quarantine will do that - still absolutely delicious, will rack the other bottle for some time. More notes to follow, but the most important for now is that the 2016 is NO LONGER A ROSÉ! Absolutely falls into a Blanc de Noir category as it is beautiful and golden.

3/31/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Great wine - more notes to follow

3/24/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Deep purple in the glass. This grabs your nose with notes of raspberry jam with white pepper and a bit of cognac. The cognac notes *might* be from age (6 years) but it did not seem like it was over its hill - it was a very pleasing scent.
In the mouth this bottle is balanced - medium bodied, smooth tannins, medium acidity, and beautifully dry. 14% abv this drinks with the alcohol as an afterthought. Completely gorgeous flavor profile of cranberry sauce, cognac (once again), and hints of leather that all lead down to a medium finish. Fascinating, alluring, and an instant favorite.

3/17/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

We opened this young because we’re quarantined and it was in the house. I know. But Mot wanted to try a young Chianti Classico to see if she could get notes down (we have two 750MLs we’re holding for a few more decades. Day one was very tight (even with a solid decent) both on the nose and in the mouth. By day two this has opened up. The nose has a slight undercurrent of red fruit but is mostly spice, rich leather, and pepper with smokiness. In the mouth it’s leather and tobacco with a dash of pepper. Obviously we opened this wayyyyyyyy too young, but it was fun to see how this looks today to try to imagine how it will be in the future. During this dystopia it’s nice to imagine the normalcies that will return, somewhere down the line.

3/18/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Outstanding wine - drank it too quickly to write down the notes, but roll with me on this one. It’s very good.

3/3/2020 - Mot and Rob wrote:

Little hot in the bottle - not bad but better zins. The nose was fantastic with ripe blackberries, dark red cherry, and a bit of cocoa. But the mouth had a bit of a bite and drank hot (it’s 16.5) dark cherry and cocoa with spice on the tongue

2/27/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

This is easy drinking. Medium yellow (gold ish) color. Honeysuckle with a bit of lemongrass and honeydew on the nose.
Lighter flavor featuring melon and honeysuckle notes and a slight minerality.
Longer finish for a white wine - really funky - worth picking up if you can find it - this wine is easy to drink but also kind of nerdy in the newness of the grape.

2/21/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Medium purple in the glass. Nose is incredible - very fruit forward with raspberry, ripe red cherries, and a hint of cranberry.
In the glass, red fruit takes a back seat to leather and smoke. Lingering finish features those same red fruits with cranberry being the most predominate.
Wine is well balanced - juicy with a bit of pleasant grip.
Note that day one was slightly out of whack out of the bottle. Effervescence and a bit tart - should have given this a solid decant. Day three was fantastic. This Pinot drinks solidly over a few days and doesn’t become flabby or washed - just a sturdy wine that drinks really phenomenally. Will stock up and drink over the next few years for sure.

2/17/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

In the glass, this pale ruby pinot has ever so slightly started to show age on the edge, which is somewhat surprising given its relatively youthful age.
The nose does not disappoint, however, as it is a red fruit forward with ripe cherry taking center stage, with hints of smoke on the edge of the scent.
In the mouth, this pinot features tart red cherries with a showing of red fruit and hints of white pepper on the back end. Medium finish that isn’t overly complex, this wine is absolutely fine.
Despite enjoying, would we go back and load up? Probably not. The coloring was showing as though it were a 15+ year old wine, which is disconcerting as we keep our wines properly stored. The flavor didn’t seem to be impacted, however, which leads me to believe this was either a cork flaw that we caught before it became oxidized or something to do with the storage/shipment prior to our purchase. Who knows.
It’s a fine bottle, so don’t shy away from buying one or two, but don’t invest any serious cellar space to holding any more than that.

2/14/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

100% Pinot Noir Blanc de Noirs is a trip. First off, the color is this insanely deep gold with a tinge of pale copper to it. This is not rosé, but is just ever so slightly copper in its coloring.
On the nose you get lemon peel, brioche, and honeydew. Interestingly enough, independently Mot said honeydew was light and at the back of the nose while I saw it as forward. Otherwise we agreed on scent.
The taste was lemon peel - bright with other citrus notes and a hint of pleasant backend bitterness. The bubbles are playful, and this champagne feels alive.
This NV drank more like a young vintage champagne than a typical NV... will probably buy this as our go to NV and try to age one or two bottles for the hell of it.

1/27/2020 - Mot and Rob Likes this wine:

Medium purple in the glass, this has a nose that works out notes of blueberry, plum, and a bit of white pepper.
In the mouth, this has a forward mixed, juicy red fruit base with a bit of blackberry and oak on the back. Really great, dry Zin that made for a nice, different label in our cellar - definitely will look for and purchase again