4/14/2024 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

Duckhorn's Three Palms Vineyard has been described as producing fruit for consistently one of the best Merlots in California. The 2019 vintage is darkest ruby in the glass (almost inky) with a nose and palate of bright, red cherry and muted oak. It has a lengthy and lip-smacking finish. I made the mistake of popping and pouring the wine the first time that it was tasted. Without air, it was quite a disappointment -- especially, for a $100 bottle. I scored it a 90, and was left scratching my head and wondering if, I was drinking the same wine that my CT brethren had described. A 5-hour decant, however, softened its fierce tannins and allowed its beautiful fruit to emerge.

4/24/2023 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

Nearly 20 years ago, I was introduced to Rhone-style wines from Paso Robles and especially, single-vineyard Syrah. At that time, I found these wines a pleasant change from their lower-alcohol and less fruity counterparts from Santa Barbara County. Of course, it helped that these Paso Robles wines were less expensive, --- even cheap -- in comparison to some Cabernets hailing from Napa. Today, with the passage of time and receipt of some stellar WA, WS and WE scores, the “best” of these Paso wines are now released for around $100 per bottle and in some cases much more. I now realize that after two decades, it’s not only the prices of these wines, which have changed, but my palate. I find, for example, that the recent releases of these Paso Robles “icons,” to be over-ripe, mono-chromatic, fruit bombs that taste decidedly, the same – especially, single-varietal wines, sourced from single vineyards.

Thank God for Brett Urness of Levo Wine. I have a degree in Classics (Latin) and I confess to being attracted to the name of his label Levo, before I even tasted his wine. In Latin, Levo means, I “rise, lift, or elevate.” And, that’s precisely what Mr. Urness does with Rhone varietals. Take his 2018 “Under the Gun” Syrah. Clocking in at 88% Syrah and 12% Petite Syrah, Under the Gun is a cuvée with fruit sourced from a combination of cooler and warmer vineyards located in both Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. In his deft, winemaking hands, this blend exhibits the savory nose and complexity of an actual Northern Rhone, but sacrifices none of the hedonistic pleasure, I once derived from Paso Robles’ highest-scoring (but no longer my favorite) wines. It’s almost as if Mr. Urness has polished the rough edges off a Hermitage or Saint Joseph in creating his Under the Gun, which is fitting. In Latin, Levo also means I “polish.”

11/23/2022 - Dagalaifus wrote:

In the glass, the wine was dark ruby. On the nose and palate, red fruits including cherry and raspberry with a hint of balsamic vinegar. The finish comes up too short. This was my first "WOW" wine, which I had the pleasure of tasting circa 2009. So, you can imagine how disappointed I was tasting this same wine in 2022. To be fair, I can't tell if the wine was way past its prime, or I sampled a bad bottle. Considering the recent and extraordinarily positive reviews of this wine, it's probably the latter. Still, this bottle cost me nearly $200 including shipping. For that price, I won't be buying it ever again.

11/13/2022 - Dagalaifus Does not like this wine:

Manzoni Bianco is a varietal created by crossing Riesling with Pinot Bianco. In the glass, the wine is dark straw or light amber. On the nose and palate, the wine is a strange mix of garden herbs and white peaches. I'm an enormous fan of Foradori's Granato -- a breathtaking Teroldego -- but won't be buying this white ever again

10/28/2022 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

Dark ruby with a nose and palate of cherry, rhubarb and muted vanilla. Improved only slightly with a decant. A very good wine, but not the 95 points that one critic scored it. Despite the 14.5 alcohol and haling from warm Jumilla, this Monastrell with a dollop of Granacha is medium-bodied and even elegant. My one criticism of this wine is that the winery makes the El Molar, a similar and much less expensive Granacha that is just as good.

10/9/2022 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This Tempranillo with 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot is a medium to full-bodied wine that is dark ruby in the glass. It shares a nose and palate of sour cherry, leather, earth, and dill. Considering its price ($49) and the high scores it has received from the established wine press, I was I initially underwhelmed. However, I tasted it blind the next day and added 3 points to my score -- suggesting that the wine was built to age and my initial impressions are initial impressions. That having been said, I still think the wine is overpriced at $49

9/23/2022 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This Rioja is medium ruby in the glass with a nose and palate of kirsch, leather and just a hint of smoke. It had a fiercely tannic and unpleasant finish. I'm writing in the past tense because I tasted the wine 24 hrs later and was amazed by how the tannins softened. You can find this wine at your local Total and sometimes Whole Foods with a free corkscrew at around $20/btl. Is it Vega? Of course not.
But at around $20/btl it has a great QPR and with an extended decant, it makes great BBQ wine.

9/19/2022 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

In the glass, this wine is inky with a razor-thin ruby ring. On the nose, and palate, the wine is oak, moist earth and prune. I'm still tasting the finish (in my mind anyway) days latter. The fierce tannins detract from what is otherwise a remarkable wine; so, give it an extended decant. I tasted the wine 12 hrs after opening and it reminded me of the way a perfectly aged Bordeaux embraces your mouth -- albeit, this is a full-bodied bruiser of a wine

9/19/2022 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This decidedly lighter Grenache shares a nose and palate of sour cherry and allspice. A good wine but bears no resemblance to a Gigondas, or Garnacha. Considering the astronomic score it received from one critic, I was completely underwhelmed.

8/14/2022 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

The Montepeloso estate, from which the A QUO hales, is near Bolgheri in Tuscany. The wine is an unusual blend of 30% Montepulciano, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, 10% Marselan, and 10% Alicante Bouschet. The medium-bodied A QUO is darkest ruby in the glass and a real chameleon. Popped and poured, it's earthy even funky on the nose and palate. 24 hours later, the earthiness and funk have blown off leaving a complex, black and red-fruited beauty of a wine. Notwithstanding the varietals from which it is made, the A QUO reminds me more of a great Southern Rhone than a Super Tuscan. If you're patient and willing to give it some air, I can't recommend a better wine for around $25.

7/31/2022 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

The Garmon is a Tinto Fino (aka Tempranillo) from Ribera del Duero. The wine is made from 30-100 year old vines and aged in French oak, instead of the American oak, which has been historically obligatory in Spain. It is darkest ruby in the glass. On the nose and palate, black cherry, oak, vanilla, and chocolate. This is a high-alcohol, full-bodied fruit bomb that's probably 10 years from integration. Considering its pedigree, I was expecting much more for around $75/bottle.

7/24/2022 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

Darkest ruby. This Santa Barbara County, Syrah-based wine contains a dollop of Viognier. That having been said, its tasting profile is more California than Northern Rhone. It shares a nose and palate of blue fruits, violets and muted vanilla and white pepper. It has a never-ending finish, which was much appreciated by this taster, as the wine flirts with perfection. As an aside, the Jonata tasting experience at the winery outside of Lompoc is the best in Southern California and the winemaker Matt Dees also crafts memorable Bordeaux varietal wines and the Hilt line of Pinots there.

7/24/2022 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This is the second wine of Duhart Milon. This wine is darkest ruby, almost inky in the glass. On the nose and palate, the wine displays notes of graphite, earth, and black currants. Despite its 2009 vintage, some of the tannins remain. That having been said, this gem of a wine is close to being perfectly integrated. I paid $59 for the bottle and can't imagine how the Grand Vin could be better. This is what classic red Bordeaux tastes like.

6/6/2022 - Dagalaifus wrote:

The 2018 Hayfork is inky in the glass. This full-bodied wine shares a nose and palate of blackberry jam and toasty oak. It has a medium-length finish suggesting it will age for another 5+ years. This is not a bad wine, but for around $80, I’d like some integration. Put this away for a few years.

5/29/2022 - Dagalaifus wrote:

This Toro is inky with a nose and palate of blackberry, oak and balsamic vinegar. The finish comes up a little short suggesting that it’s not a cellar candidate. I am an enormous fan of this wine and especially, the 2012 vintage, but I was frankly disappointed by the 2016. Come to think of it, I haven’t had any 2016 wines from Toro including Vega Sicília’s Pintia that were particularly good

5/29/2022 - Dagalaifus Does not like this wine:

This Washington Grenache is medium-bodied and ruby in the glass. On the nose and palate, strawberry light vanilla, oak and forest floor (like an earthy Pinot Noir). I thought it was awful, but it has garnered stellar scores from some of the world’s best known-tasters.

5/29/2022 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This medium to full-bodied wine is 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is dark ruby in the glass with a nose and palate of coffeee, dark berries, vanilla, tobacco and pronounced oak and cedar. The finish is lengthy suggesting it will age effortlessly for at least ten years. The pronounced oak and cedar remained even after a 12-hour decant. Nothing close to the stellar 2015 or 2018 vintages of this marvelous wine and the 14 has a disappointing QPR.

5/28/2022 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

Dark Ruby with a nose and palate of black cherry, raspberry and oak. Medium-length finish. A good wine but with a middling QPR. The Termes from the same vintage and any of the URO wines, which populate Total’s shelves are better wines and better bargains from Toro. Off vintage?

5/9/2022 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This SuperTuscan is
65% Merlot
19% Cabernet Sauvignon
11% Cabernet Franc and
5% Petit Verdot.
It’s darkest ruby in the glass with a nose and palate of black cherry, licorice, oak and a wee bit of smoke. It’s finish goes on and on suggesting that it will age for at least 10 years. It’s a tannic beast and I’d recommend a multi-hour decant before imbibing. Really impressive and better than most Right Banks I’ve tried for twice the price. Tasted multiple times with consistent notes.

4/15/2022 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This wine is purple in the glass with a nose and palate of blackberry jam, cherry, toasted oak and muted vanilla. (It’s aged in new French oak instead of the obligatory American oak). Medium-length, but memorable finish This is a fruit forward (slightly extracted) and New World style of Tempranillo, which I found irresistible, but I wouldn’t cellar it for more than 5 years.

1/23/2021 - Dagalaifus wrote:

Inky in the glass with the same vegetal/green pepper notes, which I typically associate with Cab Franc from cooler vintages, identified by taster Oldcorke. Given the high scores this wine consistently receives from professional tasters, I was disappointed.

9/4/2020 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The fruit is sourced from 11 different vineyards in Washington including the stellar Klipsum and Red Willow. Darkest ruby in the glass, this fruit forward wine shares a nose and palate of black cherry, toasty oak, vanilla and mocha. It has a 45 sec + finish. While delicious popped and poured, I would put this wine away for at least 3 and preferably 5 years to allow the fruit, tannins and acid to more fully integrate. If you don't want to wait, decant it in the morning and pour it in the evening. I paid less than $30 for this wine. And at that price, it has an outstanding QPR. Slightly better than the very good 16 and 17 vintages.

9/2/2020 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend of the five Bordeaux varietals. It is dark ruby in the glass with a mocha nose. On the palate, the same mocha as well as cedar, black cherry and licorice. Has a lengthy, tannic-dominated finish. Given the stellar reviews elsewhere, I was more than a little underwhelmed.

5/23/2020 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This Sauvignon Blanc is made from a unique SB clone haling from Italy called Rauscedo. The grapes are grown in the cooler climate Bennett Valley in Sonoma County. In the glass, it is medium straw sharing a nose and palate of lemongrass and passion fruit. The finish is quit tart suggesting that it might even age. BTW, this is a wine that actually tastes pretty different every vintage and my scores reflect that. (I tasted a 2018, in September 2018, that was positively stellar). I've. also tasted some vintages that smelled of sulfur right out of the bottle. Fortunately, rotten-egg smell dissipated with a few hours in the decanter.

5/22/2020 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is palest yellow in the glass. It shares a nose and palate of grass, gooseberries and Meyer lemon with a creamy mid-palate. The finish is crisp and mineral driven. While I prefer the California iteration of this varietal (i.e., tropical fruit), this wine is very well done.

4/14/2020 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

The wine is darkest garnet, almost inky in the glass. On the nose and palate of this medium to full-bodied Pinot, cherry cola. Has a never ending finish. I'm an enormous fan of Roar wines haling from this particular vineyard, but to put it bluntly, this wine is a "hot mess" right now. I'd put it away for a few more years, or give it a lengthy decant, and then, give it another try. If this sounds like a bad tasting note, it's not. I've bought 6 bottles of this vintage because I am confident that it will improve dramatically with a few more years in the bottle. On another positive note, many winemakers in California make a Pinot Noir that tastes like a different varietal. And, no, I'm not naming names. This ROAR tastes like Pinot Noir. So, my prediction is 95 with a little patience.

4/12/2020 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This lighter-bodied wine hails from Sicily and specifically an area near the volcano Mt. Etna. It is a blend of the two, genetically related varietals Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappucchio found on the island. It is dark ruby in the glass. On the nose, rhubarb, cranberries and violets. On the palate, the same rhubarb, cranberries and violets, and just a hint of wood. Fierce tannins round out a never-ending finish. I think Quantico has the potential to be a very good to excellent wine, but I'll have to wait on the tannins to soften before I can be sure. Put this away for another 5 and maybe 10 years. Alternatively, decant it for at least a day and pair it with something that can counter-balance those tannins (e.g., pasta puttanesca, or a garlic-driven dish).

4/3/2020 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This white Burgundy is light-straw colored. On the nose and palate, green apples, cinnamon and just a hint of oak. The finish is exceedingly long and acidic, but, nevertheless, deftly juxtaposes the malo and oak at the front end with exuberant fruit at the back end. Absolutely outstanding and at around $30/ bottle, the wine has a phenomenal QPR.

4/2/2020 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This blend of of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot, is dark garnet almost inky in the glass. On the nose, blackberries, currants (muted) oak and forest floor. While full-bodied, it has an elegant lightness to it, which is difficult to capture in tasting notes. The finish is long and smooth; accordingly, I wouldn't wait more than a few years for the wine to improve. Stunning.

4/1/2020 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This wine is a dark garnet in the glass. On the nose, cherry and mocha. On the palate, the same cherry and mocha and just a hint of oak. The finish is lengthy but exceedingly tannic. This needs to be cellared for at least 3 more years and I suspect it may not peak for another 5-10. As an aside, Grassini's Sauvignon Blanc lineup is exceptional and those wines are all drinking wonderfully right now.

3/31/2020 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

Medium ruby in the glass. This Tuscan Merlot has a nose of black cherry. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied with the same black cherry, as well as baking spices. The finish is acidic and the wine utterly forgettable. Honestly, it tastes more like a decent Sangiovese than a Merlot from the New World, or the Right Bank.

3/30/2020 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

Inky in the glass, this full-bodied red shares a nose and palate of black currants toasty oak, moist earth and smoked meat. It's complex with a tannic backbone that bodes well for cellaring. The best Aglianico I've ever tasted

P.S. I tried the non-reserve version of this Aglianico from Donnachiara and it's nearly as good for about $20 less per bottle.

3/30/2020 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

Darkest ruby in the glass, this extracted, full-bodied effort shares a nose and palate of blackberry, raspberry and oak. The finish comes up a wee bit short. Given how much I enjoyed tasting earlier, more complex vintages of this wine (especially, the cool 2011 vintage), I was more than a little disappointed

3/30/2020 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This wine is pale straw in the glass. On the nose and palate, red apple, baking spices, and vanilla. This medium-bodied and fruit-forward wine has both the intensity and complexity of the very best Alsatian wines, albeit it's from Austria.

P.S. It was still going strong a solid week after opening the bottle. Like most Austrian GV's it's also sealed with a screw cap; accordingly, don't be afraid to put it aside for years.

7/16/2019 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This medium to full-bodied wine sees nearly three years in oak. In the glass, it is a dark ruby. It shares a nose and palate of black cherry, violets and tobacco. It lacks -- in a good way -- the herbaceous and even green pepper-like notes that I so often find in other Cab Francs. It's finish, however, is extremely tannic; accordingly, I would put this away in your cellar for at least 5 and maybe 10 years, or decant it for a extended time now, before tasting it.

5/19/2019 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This Tempranillo from the very warm Toro region of Spain is sourced from 100+ year old vines. It is the darkest ruby in the glass with an aromatic nose of blueberry, blackberry, vanilla, pronounced oak and smoke. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied -- veering towards extracted -- with the same blueberry, blackberry, vanilla and new oak. The finish is lengthy and memorable (in a good way). Although the flavor profile is unmistakably Tempranillo, the wine bears little resemblance to a Joven, Crianza or Reserva from Rioja. Note, later vintages including 2014, 2015 and 2016 are not even close. So, if you are interested in the Numanthia, I would definitely pick up a bottle of the 12, and open it in the next year or so, if you can still find it. As an update, I also tried the 2016 vintage and was underwhelmed.

5/17/2019 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

Susumaniello is a rare varietal found only in Puglia. This is an extracted, garnet-collared wine with a nose and palate of raisins, black cherry, tobacco and mocha. If tasted blind, I imagine most oenophiles would identify it without hesitation as an Amarone or some California Zinfandels. There's nothing particularly complex about this wine, but at a sub-$25 price per bottle, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it by the case; especially, if you like Amarone or that over-ripe, California style of Zin. P.S., A number of online sources claim that the unusual name of the grape is derived from a word meaning donkey in the local vernacular. Apparently, the vine produces large bundles of grapes, which appear similar to the bundles carried by those pack animals. That etymology -- like most etymologies for grape varietals -- is probably false.

4/29/2019 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

Tegan Passalacqua deftly crafts the fruit-forward and even extracted wines for Turley Wine Cellars. But this consummate winemaker also creates more graceful and even ethereal red and white offerings for his own label Sandlands. My Sandlands favorite is his Trousseau. For those of you unfamiliar (like me, until a few months ago) with that varietal, it originated in France, where it is made into single-varietal wines, but is perhaps better known as Bastardo (i.e., "Bastard") in Portugal, where it is blended with a hodgepodge of other grapes to become Port. In both France and Sonoma County, where Tegan, sources his New World Trousseau fruit, the wines are a lighter almost a transparent shade of red, but not (I emphasize) pink. His 2016 effort shares a nose and palate of cherry, strawberry, muted baking spices and forest floor. Indeed, in a blind tasting, I fooled a wine snob into incorrectly identifying the wine as a Monterey County Pinot. But the similarity or confusion with Pinot Noir does not do this varietal, and Mr. Passalacqua's remarkable creation from the same, justice. Indeed, if given the choice between the Sandlands Trousseau and any Pinot from California to taste, I would invariably, always and happily choose the Trousseau. Addendum, while I suspect this lighter-bodied wine is meant to be consumed immediately after release, it's noticeably better after an extended decant, which suggests that it will age gracefully for a few more years. Second addendum, I tried the 2017 vintage of this wine, which is an even lighter-bodied version of the stellar 2016. As much as I liked the 2017, it pales (literally and figuratively) in comparison with the 2016.

12/23/2018 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This Mourvedre from Paso Robles is darkest garnet, almost inky in the glass. It shares a nose and palate of blackberry, black cherry, vanilla, mocha and smoked meat. It's finish is lengthy and infused with baking spices. The Dial Tone is fruit forward, but not as hot from the alcohol or as extracted as many other Rhone varietals from Paso. Then too, it has that pleasant funk, which I associate with Northern Rhone Syrahs blended with Viognier. I understand that the winemaker, Chris Kiranbay worked with the always brilliant Russell From (Herman Story).

Addendum, I tasted the wine 24 hrs after opening and it had lost some of its wonderful aromatics. That having been said, the tannins had begun to integrate with the fruit softening the palate.

12/20/2018 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This Merlot, Cab Franc and Cab Sauvignon blend is darkest garnet, almost inky in the glass. The wine is full-bodied sharing a nose and palate of blackberry, black cherry, oak, mocha, vanilla, tar and licorice. It's drinking wonderfully after a "pop and pour" and the finish is only medium-length; accordingly, I would consume it right now or after a short stay in the cellar. The 2015 is radically different from earlier, more elegant vintages of Monbousquet and could easily pass for an outstanding Bordeaux blend from Napa, Sonoma or Washington. I really enjoyed the wine, but I fear it will disappoint Bordeaux purists looking for a more traditional, Bordelaise, flavor profile.

12/15/2018 - Dagalaifus wrote:

This Tuscan red is a blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah. The medium-bodied wine shares a nose and palate of red fruit and muted vanilla and suffers from an all too short finish and middling tannins. It's frequently described by tasters as "New World" and the flavor profile of the wine certainly resembles a lighter-bodied Merlot from Sonoma. Nothing special.

12/15/2018 - Dagalaifus wrote:

This medium-bodied Pinot is ruby in the glass. It shares a nose and palate of cherry, cola, and more pronounced forest floor and concentrated mushrooms. It has an exceedingly tannic finish, which probably explains why it was still going strong 4 days after I first popped the cork. This is a sub-twenty-dollar bottle that has received excellent scores from JS and other critics and is lauded by many wine retailers for its outstanding QPR. To each his own. This "earthy" Pinot simply didn't appeal to me.

12/9/2018 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This Washington red is a Bordeaux blend of Merlot, (58%) Cabernet Sauvignon (36%), Cabernet Franc (5%) and Petit Verdot (1%) with some of the fruit sourced from Red Mountain. The wine is darkest garnet in the glass with a ruby halo. It shares a redolent nose and palate of raspberry, black cherry, blackberry, toasty oak, mocha, mint and more pronounced cedar. While medium-bodied, the wine's finish is lengthy. The D2 is described as the winery's entry-level red. For my money, however, it's actually better than the 2014 vintage of Delille's pricier, but still outstanding Chaleur 2014 Bordeaux blend. The Red Mountain AVA, by the way, produces truly distinct reds which are described as "more structured" or "more tannic" than reds from other Washington AVAs. Whenever I hear that "there is no such thing as Terroir in the United States," I disabuse the naysayer of that notion by pouring him/her 2 or 3 Red Mountain wines. Addendum, I tasted the 2014 with the 2013 and the 2014 is a significantly better wine.

11/24/2018 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This "Super Tuscan" is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Petit Verdot and 20% Cabernet Franc. In the glass, the wine is a dark garnet. It's medium-bodied and shares a nose and palate of blackberry, black cherry, tobacco and cedar with hints of earth, tar and smoke. Popped and poured, the wine is ever so tight; accordingly, give it a few hours in the decanter or a few more years in your cellar before tasting. The finish is stunning with all of the aforementioned tasting notes lingering in your mouth for minutes. As an aside, I tasted this blind with half a dozen wine store proprietors. They were split down the middle with half insisting it was a Left Bank Bordeaux and the other half convinced it was a Super Tuscan. That's not surprising, as the wine's flavor profile (for me anyway) falls somewhere between a Left Bank Bordeaux and one of those stellar, but much more expensive Super Tuscans. A wine that I won't soon forget and at $39 per bottle, it has an outstanding QPR. Addendum, a number of CT tasters refer to the wine's "balance," or describe it as "balanced." I wholeheartedly agree with that characterization, but only after a few hours in the decanter. Addendum, I subsequently tasted the 2013, which RP adores. The 13 is still pretty rough around the edges, and given a choice, I'd go for 10 instead.

11/17/2018 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. In the glass, it is a dark ruby. This medium to full-bodied wine shares a nose and palate of blueberry, blackberry cassis, mocha and French vanilla. Oak and cedar, which are characteristics of the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal, are barely discernible. It has a mid-length finish and the tannins are silky smooth. Accordingly, I would drink this now or cellar it for no more than 2-3 years. I’ve read reviews of this wine comparing it to much more expensive, “blockbuster,” NAPA Cabs. I find the comparison inapt or even disengenuous. The Faust has a flavor profile similar to outstanding Cabernet Sauvignons or even Merlots hailing from the much cooler Sonoma County. Unlike those Sonoma wines, however, the Faust does not require (and would probably suffer from) long-term cellaring. Indeed, I suspect the wine would receive much higher scores from my CT brethren if it was tasted completely blind (i.e.the tasters were not told it was a Napa Cab and were asked to guess the predominant varietal and County of origin). Made at Quintessa and, as described above, in a very different style from that winery’s more typical Napa Cabs.

11/12/2018 - Dagalaifus Does not like this wine:

This Washington Merlot is a medium garnet in the glass. This light-bodied wine shares a nose and palate of sour cherry and green bell pepper. Every year, Charles Smith makes some of the best wines in the world. Sadly, this is not one of them, and at $50+ per bottle, it has a poor QPR.

11/12/2018 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This Pouilly Fume (Sauvignon Blanc) from Jolivet is pale straw in the glass. It shares a nose and palate of lemon and wet stones. The mid-palate and finish is uncharacteristically smooth and creamy. This wine came highly recommended by my Somm friends and at less than $30/bottle has an outstanding QPR.

11/7/2018 - Dagalaifus Does not like this wine:

This Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cab Sauvignon, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot, is also a blend of of the 2010 and 2011 vintages. 2010 was a cool vintage and 2011 was downright cold. Not surprisingly, the wine is light to medium-bodied with only 13.5% alcohol. In the glass, the wine is a light ruby and could pass for Pinot Noir. On the nose and palate, sour cherry, truffles and muted hints of cedar and oak. Thankfully, the finish was short. This is a sub-80 point effort and perhaps my least favorite red in 2018.

11/3/2018 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

Rob Lloyd is a former winemaker at Rombauer and and one of the founders of the Butter and JAM Chards. Not surprisingly, his eponymous Chardonnay is similar to those efforts. In the glass, the wine is pale straw with an aromatic nose of toasty oak. On the palate, this medium to full bodied white offers up the same oak, as well as vanilla, red apple, pineapple, guava and sweet butter. There's just enough acid in the finish to balance the malolactic notes. This is not my style of white wine, but If you like the wines mentioned above, it's worth the extra $.

10/28/2018 - Dagalaifus Likes this wine:

This is an Argentine blend of Malbec (54%), Merlot (18%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%), Syrah (8%), Cabernet Franc (4%) and Petit Verdot (3%). This medium to full-bodied effort shares an aromatic nose and palate of black, cherry rhubarb, blackberry, caramel and just a hint of black pepper. The finish is lengthy, oak-infused but not tannic; so, I would drink it now rather than waiting for it to improve with a few years in the cellar. This is surprisingly complex and tasty for a sub-$20 bottle.