12/1/2020 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

Young, and a bit rough right now. I like the wine’s well-judged balance (this is Ridge after all) and firm structure, but the fruit runs a bit hot and the oak has not integrated yet. Give it time.

12/1/2020 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

There’s so much oak here that there’s no need for a bottle. Now, I’m not prejudiced against Cabernet made in a more exuberant style. I love many a Napa. But this just reeks of cooked plum and vanilla, and tastes of french press dregs. Second of two bottles opened, both identical.

7/5/2020 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

A Sonoma pinot with the flavors of a tarted up Cotes du Rhône and the structural integrity of a lean-to. There’s cherry, followed closely by intrusive vanilla and cola notes, then some sourness and tannic grit. Viscous and hot. Over twenty four hours the character of this wine did not change.

6/7/2020 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

Light ruby in glass with subdued earthy aromas. This is quite open still, with refined lightweight tannins and a gentle cherry flavor that sweetens with air. The finish is of medium length and dry, where the grip of the tannins becomes more apparent. Young.

5/16/2020 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

Disappointing, considering the renown of this producer and the great quality of the estate Cabernet and Merlot. While this Chardonnay is faultless in its acidity, structure, and balance there is little going on aromatically or on the palate, and little else to hold one’s attention. Mute. Focused, but not intense - an exercise in balance without complexity. The only reason to purchase this wine is to retain access to the Monte Bello futures program. Consumed over four hours, little change through this period. Too young?

4/24/2020 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

From a pristine, recently issued bottle. By any conceivable metric this port is exceptional. Immensely concentrated and incredibly youthful at nearly 35 years of age. Perfectly balanced. Good quality spirit, seamless texture, and well-integrated tannin. Has decades of life left in it.

4/10/2020 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

Gloopy texture, plenty of oak and alcohol. In contrast to these elements the fruit is strangely restrained - buried, really, under the heft of the rest of the wine.

4/6/2020 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

Why are you drinking this now? Wait! There’s something to this wine, but it’s buried under quite a bit of wood at the moment.

3/29/2020 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

Proof that you can make good wine in a “poor” vintage. This wine is fairly rich, possesses lively acidity, and takes about an hour to fully unfurl. At eight years of age the tannins have integrated, though the autumnal character of maturity has not yet emerged. Pronounced spice, and impressive depth.

3/19/2020 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

Time has not done this wine many favors. Most of the fruit has escaped, and only sharp acidity, a hint of cherry compote, and damp undergrowth remain. That’s not to knock any of these attributes, though I suspect the wine has lost much of its vibrancy since its youth. Geriatric.

3/19/2020 - colorflavorlocking Does not like this wine:

A big, heavy wine with lots of oak that is strangely devoid of flavor. Though a bordeaux blend, I doubt I could identify this wine’s dominant grape - cabernet - blind. (Maybe some botched Australian Shiraz?). Jam and oak spice.

3/5/2020 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

I don’t think that this wine has evolved much in the five years since I last tasted it. You still have those aromas of licorice and smoke, and flavors of roast meat and dark fruit, but there are now hints of liqueur and mocha on the palate as well. Over a couple of hours the fruit faded and the texture became less supple - ferrous and herbal. Good now, should improve.

3/2/2020 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

A scotch that is always welcome - a great heaping seaside bonfire that you can drink. Laphroaig 10 nearly eases the pain and embarrassment of sending in one’s primary ballot a day before one’s preferred candidate drops out of the race for democratic nominee.

3/2/2020 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

The best aspect of this whiskey is its supple mouthfeel. But that’s what you expect from a wheated bourbon. Like its stablemate the eagle rare 10 you don’t get much in terms of complexity, and there is little to hold your attention. An all-around inoffensive drink.

3/2/2020 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

A perfectly decent whiskey, though one better suited for mixed drinks than consuming neat. Everything here is correct, but provided in insufficient quantity. Its body is too thin, and its aromas (spice) and its flavors (sour rye, caramel) are too restrained.

2/19/2020 - colorflavorlocking Does not like this wine:

What a strange pinot. Trying to describe this wine the words foremost in my mind are “beef stock.” Aroma of savory spices. Oily and full bodied, with flavors of roast beef and sweet fruit. A bit of rough tannin on the end. More soup than wine.

2/16/2020 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

Oaky at first, but this wine integrated after a decant of two and a half hours. Rich and full bodied with fruit reminiscent of blackcurrant. Pronounced spice, a bit of dust and leather, and pleasing sourness. Good acidity. Nose remains a bit reticent. Young tannin. Exceptional for the price (~20 usd).

1/31/2020 - colorflavorlocking Does not like this wine:

Tired. Brown rim, nose of leather and cherries. Fruit is a bit clumsy and overripe. Sweet. Decent acidity, lacking tannin. I prefer chianti with a backbone. From two bottles.

1/31/2020 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

14.6% alcohol by volume, but despite its brobdingnagian proportions the wine somehow maintains its poise. Good pinot-y nose. Though exuberant and very new world in style, the fruit character is not overwrought. Strawberries and cherries predominate on palate, with a bit of spice. Some oak sweetness. Acidity is very good, but there is no discernible tannin. No earth either. Soft. This wine is good now, and I would dissuade you from holding it for more than a few years. The structure just isn’t there.

1/17/2020 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

Day one: Exceptional, though this wine needs a decent amount of air to show at its best. Aroma of citrus, brioche, and gingerbread. Intense acidity on palate with flavors of green apples, baking spices, toast, and rum raisins. A bit like Apfelstrudel. Exquisitely balanced, with a huge, rich body and unami in abundance. I cannot remember tasting a wine that has shown so well at so early a stage of its evolution. 95.

Day two: Scorching acidity and massive power. Aromatically this wine has fattened up, but on the palate it is considerably less interesting and “kruggy” than yesterday. It’s all acidity and big white fruit, with little of the spice, bread, and green apple notes of the day before. Today’s austere showing has compelled me to downgrade this wine’s score, though its apparent structure and power augurs well for its future. 90. I’ll split the difference above.

1/7/2020 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

Aromas of petroleum and spice on opening. Very reduced, too young. Great acidity. Really savory - a bit of a smoked salmon and paprika quality to it. Some limes, apricots, and white fruit. Not rich - the body is filigreed and elegant - though good concentration. Impeccably balanced.

1/4/2020 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

A specter is haunting this glass - the specter of fruit. Really, this wine is on its last legs, but not oxidized like a previous bottle. Dark red with brown rim in glass, aroma of leather, red fruit, and old wooden ship. Some fruit sweetness, some spice, some acidity, and some alcoholic heat on palate. The oak is a bit much though - all bitter chocolate and espresso on finish. What remains is drinkable, but not particularly pleasant.

1/4/2020 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

I don’t know anything about this estate, and the internet turns up nothing either. Absent further information, I’ll assume that this wine was made in some guy’s shed. Fruit from Howell mountain. Aromas of pencil lead and spice. Black fruit, surprisingly light body considering the alcohol content (14.2 abv). Good acidity, but the palate is marred by some bitter oak. Youthful. I don’t know how much this cost, but considering the appellation I intuit a poor value.

1/2/2020 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

The color of amontillado. I once flavored a pecan pie with a healthy addition of laphroaig, resulting in a pastry that tasted quite a bit like this scotch. Roast hazelnuts, Christmas pudding, and burnt bacon on nose. Sherry, peat, salted whitefish, dashi, caramel, and bacon on palate. A bit like eel BBQ’d in the japanese manner, what with those fishy, sweet, and savory flavors. Richer and oilier than the standard ardbeg 10. This is fantastic, though I can’t help but wonder what this scotch would taste like if it was brought up entirely in good sherried casks. This is probably the best scotch you can find under a hundred dollars a bottle, trump’s tariffs on all that are good and european notwithstanding (though there is a case to be made for the ardbeg corryvreckan).

12/31/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

Remarkably youthful. A bit musty on opening, but aromas of black currant and spice emerge in time. Perfumed nose, silky mouthfeel. Rich on palate, with quite exotic spiced black fruit. Great balance, medium length. After an hour and a half tobacco and roast coffee starts to peek through. From a pristine bottle, should last a good while longer. Margaux!

12/31/2019 - colorflavorlocking Does not like this wine:

Repulsively jammy on nose. That’s all there is - jam. Fruit is too sweet, unbalanced on palate due to anemic acidity. Topped off with really sour oak. Decanted for three hours, from magnum. I don’t know what to blame for this wine’s poor showing - the vintage, its age, or poor winemaking. An optimist might say that I opened this wine at a bad stage. Maybe you should wait 10-15 years for this bottle format and hope for the best. Keep in mind that the ‘82 from this estate did not receive the best reviews in the late ‘90s, but an ‘82 opened the same night as this was spectacular.

12/31/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

A bit reduced on opening. Fruit leans toward new world, though in a restrained way, and the dosage is appropriate. Slightly autolytic. A bit of pear tart and licorice on palate. Could use more acidity, drink sooner rather than later. Shares a strong family resemblance with the roederer estate brut nv.

12/27/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

Aroma of spice, green peppers, black fruit, and herbs. Peppercorns and black fruit on palate. A bit riper than your typical Loire red, but well balanced. Silky tannin and good acidity. Dark in glass with light rim. Drink now, as it becomes quite sour and piquant after an hour in glass.

12/27/2019 - colorflavorlocking Does not like this wine:

Stewed fruit and nail polish remover on nose, rotten fruit on palate. Remarkably thin and sweet. Alcoholic kick. The color of red NyQuil. Consistent with other bottles from this producer. Truly revolting.

12/25/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

Deft balance of acidity and sweetness. Steely aroma of pears and honey. Becomes quite rich with an hour and a half of air. Intense fruit on palate. Good complexity. Very long finish. Full bodied and relatively high in alcohol, clearly not a Saar wine. Give it 15-60 years, or decant for an hour or two.

12/24/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

Demure aromas of fruit, spice, and herbs. Full bodied, but not concentrated. Dark for a pinot. A bit of sweetness and fruit leaning towards cherries and kirsch on palate (less charitably: watered down cough syrup). Slight tannin, and slight acidity. Gains heft with air, fruit becomes more apparent. Fairly new world in style, though balanced. Decent value. Wish there was more earth and more structure. Simple and enjoyable.

12/24/2019 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

Fully mature. Fairly ripe fruit. A bit simple. It tastes like it smells, and it smells of plums. Decent acidity, ripe tannin. So right bank bordeaux from a good vintage and mediocre producer ages reasonably well.

12/24/2019 - colorflavorlocking Does not like this wine:

Dusty. Astringent. Fruit hidden behind acidity and tannin. Does Chianti go through a dumb phase?

12/24/2019 - colorflavorlocking Does not like this wine:

A big, sweet wine. Overwrought. Mouthfeel like heavy cream. Still alive. Duval and Beaucastel work the same grapes, to wildly different results. So terroir really must exist. Like a flabby chateauneuf in a super ripe vintage.

12/24/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

Old school Napa Cabernet. Great balance, good acidity and tannic structure. Aroma of dark fruits, herbs, spice, and cedar. Dark fruits, herbs, and some spice on palate too. Oak seems to have been used judiciously. This wine is very young and should benefit from a couple of decades in the cellar. Give it a long decant if serving in the immediate future.

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

Like a good bourbon but better in every way. Incredibly rich. Great complexity. Great value at ~ $40.

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

From bottle purchased before prices went out of hand. Pleasant and refined aroma, palate like a good speyside. Not too sweet. Quite subtle. Is it worth current prices? No. Absolutely not.

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

One of the few acceptable whiskies blended by this company. Moderately complex rye, good texture, and spicy aroma. Be thankful that none of high west’s distillate is included. Horrifically overpriced.

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking Does not like this wine:

Simply terrible. Like a bottom of the shelf peated scotch mixed with corn syrup.

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking Does not like this wine:

This smells mostly of dill and American oak (Monte Bello gone bad?). Harsh. Obvious alcohol. Unpleasant texture.

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking Does not like this wine:

Nose of lab chemicals. Harsh and sweet. A blend of whiskies from various distillers and high west’s own. The distillate produced by high west must be no good.

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking Does not like this wine:

Quite simple. Too sweet. The rye fights the port. Really subpar, yet > $100 a bottle.

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking wrote:

Sweet and simple. Minimal complexity. Boring.

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

Good complexity for a bourbon. Rich molasses and spice notes on nose, dense on palate. Good value.

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

Alcohol is prominent. A bit salty on palate. Not the most refined whiskey. Expensive for what it is.

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

I don’t think that I understand bourbon. Obviously well made, but smells and tastes of brown sugar and not much else.

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking Does not like this wine:

Blech. Smells like a biochem lab experiment gone bad. Thin and spiky body. Sickly sweet. Just revolting.

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

Highly refined. Great peat expression. Incredibly subtle and complex. Not too sweet. Reliable as always, and worth the price. The artificial coloring is unfortunate though (looks like a decades-old speyside).

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking Does not like this wine:

Hot and discombobulated. Peat buried by sweetness. Chunky on palate. Smells like alcohol and brown sugar. Terrible value.

12/23/2019 - colorflavorlocking Likes this wine:

Sweeter than laphroaig, less iodine character, higher alcohol, a bit richer. Great aroma. Tarry. Great value.