1/31/2011 - Amrussell wrote:

Very tasty indeed. Honey and apricot like flavours.

12/12/2010 - Amrussell wrote:

Fabulous. Green apple and tropical hints. Highly highly recommended.

9/18/2010 - Amrussell wrote:

Really spectacular QPR from Buccella on their Merlot YET again. This is truly one of the best straight Merlots that Napa has to offer. Smooth chocolate and black cherry on the palate and beautiful spice box on the nose.

I purchase some of everything that Buccella produces each year, all of which is wonderful, but I must say that at the price, I can't recommend this highly enough. Fill your boots if you can.

6/26/2010 - Amrussell wrote:

Fruit on the palate and nose - predominantly redcurrant / blackberry. Very tasty indeed, though perhaps a TOUCH too much alcohol. Perhaps could use a year or two more.

12/29/2009 - Amrussell wrote:

No tasting notes taken, far too busy consuming. Notable by the unanimous remarks from friends praising quality of the wine. Though not cheap, STILL a very good QPR

12/28/2009 - Amrussell wrote:

Difficult to score - may need a year or two (or perhaps 5). Rasin like on the nose and palate - but lots and lots of oak, to the extent that it drowns out the rest somewhat. Will revisit in a few years.

9/7/2009 - Amrussell wrote:

Very pleasing indeed, though no fireworks. Slightly wooded / herbacious on the nose. Red fruit (redcurrent mostly) and some pencil shavings on the palate. Medium body, moderate finish. Decent QPR.

8/30/2009 - Amrussell wrote:

Really very good indeed. Even if not the best HSS ever, certainly a solid example (does that even count as finding fault?).
Pure, fulsome, and luxurious. Wonderful nose of cedar and blackberry. In the mouth very Cali Cab - absolutely delicious; raspberry to black cherry and quite evident dark chocolate and vanilla. Finish warm and comforting lasting for 30 seconds plus.
Guaranteed enjoyment in a glass.

7/14/2009 - Amrussell wrote:

Drank as part of an anniversary dinner. Truly a wonderful Merlot, with a truly excellent QPR. Nose of blackberry and pepper, round and smooth in the mouth - blackfruit and velvet with a warm spicebox finish. Highly recommended.

5/9/2009 - Amrussell wrote:

Not sure if I had a different bottle to the previous reviewer, but this was certainly NOT a 99pt wine. Which, however, is not to say it wasn't good... maybe too young.

Fruit forward, but more tropical than berry (hints of passion fruit on the nose perhaps?)... The Grenache much more than the shiraz. Medium bodied and a nice balance, but no fireworks... A little insipid in the mouth with an 8-10 second finish. Not much complexity, but solidly pleasant. A good lithe wine that will compliment subtler fare - nothing too rich.

5/8/2009 - Amrussell wrote:

A really superb Shiraz - exactly what you cross your fingers and hope for when dealing with this grape - fruit (and lots of it) but with the right amount of acidity to tie it all together. Dark berries, licorice and a touch of dust / earth on the nose; big bold and straight up the nostrils, but with finesse not brute force. Huge black fruit on the palate, raspberry / blackberry boiled sweets and jam - very full mouth, long satisfying and wet on the finish. Perhaps not the best Shiraz I've had, but not far off at all... Would HIGHLY recommend this not least because of its price. Maybe even better in a year or two.

4/26/2009 - Amrussell wrote:

A nice wine, but not exceptional by any means. A solid and easy drinking merlot with a smoothness in the mouth that shows it has been well put together. Black berries and a touch of pepper on the palate. Would drink again happily if offered, but no plans to seek it out. Overall, I have to say though that there are better value wines out there for this sort of money - e.g. many a bottle of Buccella Merlot or Blackbird Arise, which at similar price tags makes this look decidedly ordinary.

3/29/2009 - Amrussell wrote:

Nose of smoke, mint and black fruit. Pepper, oak and cherry on the palate with a taste something like grass... Dark dark purple and relatively full bodied. Everyone enjoyed this immensely and I would say it's very solid value for the money. Marked it down a point or two as it seemed to fall apart a little about 4 hours after the decant - taste became much more metallic. That said, I think this may have simply been a function of its interplay with the food consumed, so I would not want to judge it based on that factor alone. All in all, a very good Auzzie Shiraz.

3/22/2009 - Amrussell wrote:

Enjoyed this wine, but not as much as I thought - perhaps I was expecting something a little more fulsome. Berry and pine on the nose, with a little licorice - raspberry sweetarts on the palate (or any other slightly sweet but slightly tart confectionary) - a little more acidic than I would have liked, which detracted from the fruit and body. Good, not outstanding. Perhaps there are better wines out there for this sort of money. That said, I can see it appealing well to a particular segment of the market.

3/21/2009 - Amrussell wrote:

An enjoyable and quite drinkable wine, but not something I would specifically seek out again; a touch two dimensional and not as powerful or profound as I expected. Medium body with a spicy and slightly floral nose. Hint of pepper on the palate with dominant taste of black fruit - particularly black cherry / blackberry. The bottle didn't seem to evolve much in the couple of hours it was consumed, but maintained the solid but not stellar characteristics it showed on opening. Not bad value, but not one to inspire either.

3/14/2009 - Amrussell wrote:

Drinks very nicely indeed. I cannot profess to be a Roussanne expert, but I may well buy this again if I can find it here in the UK. A buttery / nutty flavour with a hint of citrus. A touch of sweetness follows, but it is only slight and in no way syrupy / overpowering. The finish is soft and without any discernible sharpness. Very good QPR, highly recommend.