10/10/2023 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Old gold color. Some petrol on the nose but doesn't detract on the palate. The wine has sweetness but is restrained enough to be balanced with the natural Riesling acidity. I find it hard to stop after a few sips--the urge is to continue sipping it. Hints of honey, white flowers, jasmine and ripe pear. It held up in the refrigerator for a month after opening!

10/17/2023 - wondersofwine wrote:

I included this in a wine tasting in my retirement community. In my opinion the wine was not showing at its best on this day. It came across as brooding, maybe because it was paired with a Hirsch Vineyards Pinot Noir West Ridge from the Sonoma Coast. Normally I like wines from M-S-D "Les Millandes" and still have one from Arlaud to try but will not assign a rating on this occasion.

11/6/2023 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Included in a tasting I conducted in my retirement community. Fresh-tasting and fruity and I preferred it over a Morey-St. Denis Premier Cru also in the tasting. Cherry and raspberry scents and flavors with perhaps some wild berry notes. Ripe tasting and exhibiting power but not lacking elegance.
Full-bodied with a lingering finish. The remaining wine held up well for two more days. I would rate it in the 90-92 range.

4/1/2023 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Grapefruit and lime notes., More richness and length than ordinary. Still quite drinkable.

11/6/2023 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Opened Nov. 4, 2023 at my sister's dinner party. Because I wanted to share it, I only had about 5-6 ounces. The aroma was the first thing I noticed--very aromatic. It still tasted fresh and fruity but delivered more than just the fruit. There was some depth and spine to the wine. It drank quite smoothly and may be at its peak for those who prefer freshness over aged qualities. I really appreciated the balance in this wine. Critics notes find floral elements in the aroma as well as fruit and other scents.
It did have some floral aspects in my opinion but in an elegant, not overpowering manner. The best Spanish wine I've had since my last taste of a Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva some years ago at a charity tasting for Red Cross. (I am not really into Priorat wines.) Hard not to go back for another glass. Others at the dinner party appreciated it too.

3/10/2023 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

More mature than the first bottle I consumed some years ago. Dark crimson with some purple tinting. A complex nose with some herbs, some leather, and dried flowers or potpourri. Flavors of dark red fruit such as raspberry. Drying tannins on the back end. Pleasant. Some sediment as I neared the end of the bottle. Medium body.

9/1/2022 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Not sure what vintage I had since the restaurant did not list vintages on the wine list and I had it by the glass, not the bottle. I chose this to go with my duck l'orange and it was a very nice pairing as the server confirmed. The wine was inviting with a fruity aroma and flavor--fresh berry/cherry notes and light to medium body.

12/4/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Golden color. This wine exhibits lots of minerality--stones or flint and flavor of tart apple and citrus (grapefruit?) I find it refreshing and appealing.

4/3/2021 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Heady aroma of dark fruit. First sip tasted almost sweet--probably the grapes were quite ripe at harvest. Good wine that I would rate 88 or 89i.

3/30/2021 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

I would rate somewhere in upper 80's.

12/16/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Labeled as 14.1% abv. First night I had it with Stouffer's Turkey Tetrazzini. Dark purple color; nearly opaque; displays viscosity. I find the primary scent to be dark plum with a secondary aroma of dark berries. I enjoyed the flavor from the first sip--finding ripe dark plum and plumskin, black currants and possibly blackberries. It is on the ripe side rather than tart and acidic but has a charming aspect. It has a lengthy finish with a little fuzzy tannin on the finish. This wine may be in its prime currently. I have one more bottle and will probably consume it this year. I would rate it 89 or 90 points.

10/14/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Shared with Steve and Barb on the verandah of Burke Manor Inn, Gibsonville. Tangerine note more prominent than last bottle,

10/28/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Medium straw color with clarity. This has a heady nose with baked apple, green herbs and slight citrus scents. It is refreshing on the palate with a medium amount of acidity. This is a nice Chardonnay. I have had Chardonnays from several different producers using grapes from Charles Heintz Vineyard and have rarely been disappointed.

11/15/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

The cork was a bit crumbly but came out almost intact. I strained one small bit with a tea leaf strainer while pouring the wine into my glass. The wine was a deep gold color indicating oxidation. I held this past prime time, but it was still flavorful. I get baked apple, gentle spices (cinnamon?) and even some clove. It has a long finish. I enjoyed it with a deli potato/bacon/Cheddar cheese soup. When opened in its prime, it is probably one of the best Chardonnays to come out of Argentina,

11/28/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Labeled as 13% abv. I had this with leftover ham and turkey slices from Thanksgiving and with a baked potato. Purple color, lighter around the rim. The nose and palate tend to dark fruits. It was a decent pairing with the ham but not a great match for a sharp Cheddar. My score for the wine would be in the upper 80s.

11/25/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Darkly colored and opaque. Smooth drinking with a nice tart edge.
The fruit flavors are mostly cherry with perhaps a bit of dark plum and boysenberries.

9/29/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

The wine has some transperency and is a Burgundy color which lightens at the rim. ,It has some viscosity and scents of raspberry and pine (?)
Ripe dark cherries and dark berries and plum contribute to an appealing flavor of the wine. This is more "'slurpable" than complex and contemplative. I could see it as a picnic or patio or casual party wine, maybe paired with sliced ham and potato salad or fried chicken or chicken wings. I had it with potato skins--not a bad pairing. This has a number of low scores on CellarTracker--I was more generous in my scoring. It's for those who favor ripe fruit and uncomplicated wines.

7/19/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Labeled as 13% abv. Medium gold color. Crisp apple flavor, tart presence on the palate. This improved on the secomd and third day, earning a point uptick in my scoring,

5/31/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Labeled as 13% abv. Dense, opaque, purple-red wine. Nice either chilled or at room temperature. Dark berries and spice flavor the wine and add to its fragrance. I enjoyed it with beef tacos.

9/3/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Labeled as 14.5% abv. I purchased a couple bottles of this after a tasting in a Raleigh wine store during a past Triangle Wine Experience. Straw color with clarity. The palate is refreshing with a tingly acidic presence. I find a hint of grapefruit. I believe the wine went through fermentation in stainless steel tanks which is what I prefer for the Sauvignon Blanc grape. Very nice.

6/29/2019 - wondersofwine wrote:

Tastes a bit grapey on first impression. Improved on the fourth day. Dark and dense in appearance. Black berries and a hint of spice.
86-87 points

9/27/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Labeled as 12% abv. Pale apricot color with clarity. The taste is slightly yeasty with some crisp apple notes and a whisper of ginger. It is quite acidic and has a rather lengthy finish. I see it as an interesting variation on blanc de noir. I gave it 87 to 88 points in my mind but don't have a lot of comparisons for a fair rating so chose not to put a rating number on CellarTracker. I liked it.

9/8/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Labeled as 14.5% abv. Darkly colored; opaque. The wine is redolent with juicy, ripe fruit (raspberry and blackberry perhaps.)

7/7/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Better than the bottle opened in 2018. Light gold tint with clarity. It has a lifted note and notable flintiness, slight petrol, not as prevalent as previous bottle. It is quite acidic with lemon and grapefruit aspects. This is a refreshing, stand-along sipper. It also might be a good pairing with crusty bread and cheese or Spargel (white asparagus) and thin-sliced ham. This was quite slurpable by the third evening open. On a letter scale I would give this a B-plus, numbers 91 or 92.

8/1/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

13.5% abv. Organic grapes. Screwcap. The wine is straw in color. The nose is very fresh and invigorating with grapefruit, lemon and slightly grassy herbs. On the palate it is crisp and tart, speaking of an acidic spine. It has a long finsih. I feel this is a cut above the typical New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and its price reflects this. Still, I would usually favor a Sancerre S. B. over this Kiwi example.

8/7/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Dark cherry flavor. Medium or greater body, lingering finish. The wine seems to have a slight herbal nuance. Fuzzy, chewy tannins. Enjoyable and a reasonable QPR for a Burgundy. I paired with Porterhouse steak and potatoes. A tossed salad with Greek dressing was eaten separately. 87-88 points.

8/17/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Pale coral color with clarity; attractive hue. I get strawberries (red berries) and citrus (lemon and grapefruit and maybe a hint of tangerine.) White pepper adds spiciness. It shows a light minerality and slight tartness. It has a surprisingly bold finish marking it as medium to medium plus body. I initially scored it 87-88 points but by the third evening I raised that to 88-89,

7/11/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

This surprised me on the first evening by not being totally over the hill--maybe its the old vine grapes that saved this. It surprised me on the fifth evening by still being very drinkable. (The sixth evening saw it faded and tired.) I still had single bottles of this wine from 1999, 2000 and 2001 vintages that never got entered in my CellarTracker listings. I was certain that I had held onto them for too long. 14.4% alcohol by volume. I found this very pleasurable to drink. There is plenty of dark fruit--
dark raspberry and boysenberry and that "bramble" fruit one comes across in Zins. Then there is a touch of smokiness and earthiness. It calls to mind a walk in an autumn forest. I am curious to see how the 2000 and 2001 vintages have fared.

5/27/2020 - wondersofwine wrote:

Labeled as 12% abv. This is quite darkly colored; nearly opaque. Grapey flavor suggesting purple grapeskins and also some Chinese spice notes and clove and sour cherry.

5/15/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Labeled as 13.5% abv. This was a pretty burgundy color; semi-opaque. Both the nose and the flavors reflect dark cherries and berries and plums. There is some puckering on the tail end but this young N-S-G is already inviting and delicious in a vibrant, fruit-filled manner. I find some iron filings and some chewiness in the mouth. I first tasted this wine at a wine dinner in Durham, NC and was not familiar with the producer but would recommend this to others. I have since ordered a couple bottles of the 2016 vintage.

7/5/2020 - wondersofwine Does not like this wine:

Labeled as 13% abv. After loving the 2014 Christian Moreau Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos, I was expecting to be wowed by the Valmur. Frankly, I found it disappointing. A pungent aroma takes over the nasal passages with lots of seashell and flint and an overpowering lanolin, nail polish scent. I have liked a touch of lanolin in white Burgundy wines in the past but this was too dominant. This was acidic in a lemony way and unwinds in a lengthy finish. I was hoping that nail polish scent would diminish on the second or third day--it did diminish a bit by the fourth day. The fruit is a bit elusive to pin down--hints of lemon, quince or pear and maybe gooseberry. CellarTracker notes and John Gilman liked it much more than I did, so maybe I had an off bottle or I am an outlier on this wine. Gilman did suggest starting to drink this in 2024 or later.

4/26/2019 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Labeled as Methode l"Ancienne and 13.9% abv. Dense, dark purple color. The flavor is ripe and rich in dark berries, a blend of blue and black fruit. I think it is too heavy and hearty to pair with salmon but it might complement grilled or roasted fowl or even smoked ham or brisket. (I had it with smoked ham.) This may be displaying secondary elements but it was not tired or faded. 91-92 points

3/9/2019 - wondersofwine wrote:

Labeled as 13.8% abv. An orangey/coral color with clarity and viscosity. This, IMO, has a floral mystique along with forward fruit. Spicy notes follow on the tail end. In fact, spice seems to be a bit overpowering in my estimation.

3/5/2019 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Labeled as 13% abv. Screwcap. According to my notes, this may be a rose' of Syrah. Really pleasant dry rose'. Pink/coral color. Nose of red berries and citrus. Nice acid. Good chilled or at room temperature. Appealing raspberry nuance.

3/2/2019 - wondersofwine wrote:

Labeled as 13% abv. Medium gold color. Seems to have almost a Chardonnay nose--possibly aging quickly; I'm not certain. On the palate, it is fresher and more typical of the Sauvignon Blanc grape with citrus and lemongrass and celery. Quite pleasing and refreshing. Not oxidized or over-the-hill at all. 91-92 pts.

6/12/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Labeled as 13% abv. This wine is both "easy drinking" and elegant. Slightly tart berries and a touch of spice mark the flavor palate. There are some tannins present--perhaps from grape skins or whole cluster? This could be cellared for several more years or consumed now. 92-94

1/8/2019 - wondersofwine wrote:

13% abv. Shows viscosity. Dark burgundy color, slight transparency. Inviting nose of ripe berries--raspberry and blackberry. Tart enough to cause a pucker of the mouth but appealing enough to encourage further sipping. Flavor includes raspberry and a hint of smoke. Juicy with ripe fruit and a hint of earthiness. Complex enough to suggest different elements as the tasting progresses. One evening I paired this with East Carolina-style barbequed pulled pork and cole slaw on a toasted bun. It seems higher alcohol than the labeled 13%.

6/27/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Purple Burgundy color; semi-opaque. Nose and flavor of purple fruits--plum and berries with a touch of spice.

2/26/2019 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

14.1% abv. One of my dwindling supply of Gary Farrell-made wines. Ullage was low but the cork appeared solid. The wine showed viscosity. I find this wine exciting in its robust flavors. The nose was reticent when I first removed it from the refrigerator where it resided for several weeks. On the palate I sense raspberry, orange zest and mild spices. Delicious! I still have a few remaining Alysian wines but will be sad when they are all gone. (Amended note: I just checked my Alysian holdings on CellarTracker and I have more bottles remaining than I thought. I will have to start drinking some of the older vintages.)

3/19/2019 - wondersofwine wrote:

Long cork--bottom half broke off during extraction but crumbling was minimal and I poured it through a tea sieve. Dark red/purple color. Scent of dark fruit and some woody odors on the nose--more fragrant in its earlier life. I should have consumed these earlier.

5/19/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

14% abv. Darkly colored and opaque. The scent and flavors are of dark berries and the wine is slightly brooding. I believe it has reached full maturity and would not benefit from further aging. I drank this one evening with meatloaf and mashed potatoes and another evening with macaroni and cheese.

6/24/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Labeled as 13.5% abv. CellarTracker notes say this would be better in 2 to 5 years but is enjoyable now. I am opening the first bottle and will save my second bottle until 2022 or later. This IS enjoyable now. It has dark fruit notes (black cherries) and steeped tea with a long finish. There are some chewy tannins and hints of underlying minerals/iron notes. It is balanced and elegant. I am sorry to finish the final glass on day three but glad I have another bottle waiting in the wings.

5/15/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Labeled as 12.5% abv. Bright, fruity with hints of orange zest amid red berries and cherries. I have liked this producer in other vintages also. Good qpr. 90-91 pts.

5/3/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

The wine is full of minerality--cold steel--pure and a bit austere. The fruit notes recall grapefruit or lemon--in the citrus camp anyway--but the mineral notes tend to be in the forefront. Although the wine is not at all buttery, it did pair well with buttered, salted popcorn. This is a nice Sauvignon Blanc that I thought was reasonably priced at about $22 before tax.

11/28/2019 - wondersofwine wrote:

13.8% abv. Opened at a communal Thanksgiving dinner at church and finished at home Dec. 3rd. Gold color with clarity. Oak-influenced and not my preferred style.

1/1/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Pretty fragrance of dried cherries and spices. Mellow drinking with light to medium body and good balance. It is similar to the producer's regular Chambolle-Musigny of the same vintage but perhaps a tad more intriguing or enticing.

12/29/2018 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Light gold color. Crisp, acidic and mineral-laden.

3/26/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

12.5% abv. Beautiful color--I agree with the reviewer who called it dark salmon color. It has a bit of orange notes and coral notes. I pick up flavors of pink grapefruit and unripe strawberries. This is an enjoyable rose'. 88-89

4/18/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

Labeled as 14% abv. but one reviewer says 13.9% abv. Very darkly colored and opaque. Scent of blackberries and cassis. I'm not certain I smell the damson plum some have mentioned, but it may be lurking there in the background. This contains some tobacco leaf scent and has tannic material. No doubt the wine is young, but it is already delicious and easy drinking. There is a bit of tartness or astringency. You can drink now or hold for further evolving. I would award 93 points now--94 in the future? 93+

4/23/2020 - wondersofwine Likes this wine:

From a 375 ml. bottle. 13.2% abv. Golden color--golden leaf or golden sheaf. The nose suggests juicy apples. On the tip and bottom of the tongue I find tangy and puckering qualities. It strikes me as fitting somewhere between an apple cider barrel and an oatmeal apple cookie. The mineral element evokes polished rocks. There is material to grab hold of and savor on the palate. I would compare this more to a Maconnais or Chassagne-Montrachet than a Chablis but it is proudly Sonoma Coast.