4/24/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Floral up front, citrus, medium-high notes through the core, long finish on acidity. Tasted next to a similarly priced muscadet, this was the longer and more intense wine.

4/21/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Soft red fruit in front of mineral and earth on the core, nice acidity takes over the finish

4/21/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Dusty black fruit and peach in front of an herbal core. Haven't had a young Aussie Shiraz in close to a decade yet this stuck out immediately as on message. Body is thinner and finish is towards acidity. No obvious flaws, unlike many of TJs label wines we've tried, seems solid at about $13.

4/20/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Soft red fruit up front, moves straight into a medium-high noted core, finish is on pillowy tannins with good acidity. Higher noted and tangier than expected, really good paired with grilled meat.

4/17/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Peach, pineapple, nice little acidity, this is really good at around $11

4/17/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Black fruit, somewhat vegetal through the core, thinner, good finish though on a lick of acidity.

4/15/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Dark cherry in front of earth and big acidity. Wound up on day 1, by day 3 it was ready to go with some complex herbal notes in the core, though still very primary and assertive. I tend to like these around years 5-7 and I think this is fun now but will be fantastic by 2027ish.

4/14/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Dark fruit, earth, lower acidity, simple and nice.

4/14/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Very closed off and reductive at pop. Relaxed a little by day three. Flowers, apple, mineral / stone, high noted and bright, long, luminous.

4/7/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

As before on flavor and mouthfeel. Wasted 1/3 by trying to pop and pour on Day 1. Just open this a day before and you're good.

4/7/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Kind of halfway between a Langhe red and a rose; rose and cherry up front, tar and earth on the thinner core, finish is tilted towards acidity but still some nice tannin. Liked it best cold and went well with a chicken dish that would have called for pinot, gamay or ruche.

4/6/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Summer fruit and honeysuckle in front of a broad, medium-toned core with salinity and then a reasonable length finish (maybe not as long as hoped for) on acidity. Mouthfeel is towards the leaner side but by no means angular or spiky. Really good with oysters on the halfshell. Note: Having minimal to no experience with Soave, I would 100% have called this Chablis if tasted blind.

4/2/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Something really odd on the nose; stealing from other reviews, there's a Malibu Coconut Rum thing going on here that's subtle but once I noticed it, it started to dominate my sense. That's in front of an otherwise pretty nice wine for the price with black fruit, a lower noted core with earth and tobacco and vanilla, and a decent finish on a good pop of acidity.

4/1/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Very pale red in the glass. Nose is all red fruit and the mouth follows, crunchy raspberry and cranberry hits with the intensity most of the 2021s I've tasted have. Fairly linearly straight through the core - maybe some candied orange - and into the very long finish. Tasted over three days, really hadn't given up much by Day 3. My experience is that these shaped wines tend to trade that acidity for core complexity after a few years and get really good after ~7 years, so, 2028? OTOH if you want to experience intense Dundee Hills redness in its youth, pop away.

3/30/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Opened in the morning, took one sip, then drank (drunk?) in the evening. Very tight at pop, don't even think of popping and pouring this. 8 hours later: Complex nose with flowers, fruit, herbs, mint. Black fruit in the mouth leading directly into an equally complex core with earth, herbs, eucalyptus, mint, bacon and then a long finish on decent acidity and cottony tannin. Wish we had given this more time, have a feeling it would have been even better on Day 2 or 3, this one got finished too quickly due to the exuberance of a 3 person spring calcotada; Salud.

3/30/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Tropical fruit in front of steely acidity. Simple, good seafood wine and good value at around $12.

3/30/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Green apple in front of a fleshy, almost grippy core and then a shorter finish on less than expected acidity. I think Ben nailed it with "Doesn't taste like Sauvignon Blanc" - reminds me more of the Anne Amie Muller Thurgau I had the other day.

3/26/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Pear tart, light character throughout, not bad

3/25/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Not sure I had the right note with the right wine on the previous bottle; this led with apricot before diving into a lower-noted, stone and mineral core and then finishing on balanced sweetness and acidity.

3/25/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

As before; delicious.

3/25/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Day 1, angry, can't remember a tighter bottle at pop: scant fruit in front of a dark core with funk, blood and barnyard. Corked it up and into the fridge. Day 2, big fruit meets the funk, still not very approachable though. Day 3: Ok, now this is open enough to enjoy: Flowers and black fruit on the nose, same in the mouth plus blueberry, very good intensity, core is higher noted that I expected with the fruit carrying over into sage, mint, bacon. Finish starts right away and is very long on cottony tannin and acidity and some alcohol heat. Carried a splash over into a Day 4; notes are same as Day 3, maybe a touch less intensity.

3/24/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Over three days and side-by-side with the 2011. Day 1, raspberry up front, stemmy core. Day 2: Opened up with intense raspberry and cherry up front, cottony / linen + vegetal, stemmy notes on the core and then a long finish on some tannin and a bright acidity. Day 3: Open even more, just a wave of red fruit up front and then strong vegetal flavors on the core almost like a Cab Franc before finishing back like a pinot with a big pop of acidity. YUM!

3/24/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Over 3 days, side-by-side with the 2017. Day 1, crushed flowers, fruit seems really diminished next to the 17, really linear towards the finish. Day 2 much more expressive, just a few sips with the majority of the bottle remaining for tomorrow. Day 3 it's awake: violets and strawberries on the nose, cherries in the mouth moving into a thinner, earthy core and then a long, tart, tangy finish.

3/24/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Green apple, lemon, some minerality on the core but not nearly as much as I remember from previous vintages. Finish is on acidity but not nearly as long as I remember either. Might be wine changing, might be one of those wines where my expectations are out in front of reality. At <$20 it's still a great wine to put up against a couple dozen oysters.

3/21/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Apple & mineral, good acidity

3/21/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Apple, citrus, quick finish

3/18/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Classic roses, red fruit, tarry core, finish is somewhat shortened but still nice with cottony tannin leading acidity. The full tour, just compressed and not elongated like I might expect from something above this price point. Enjoyed over 3 nights, can't say it evolved much though.

3/18/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Soft black fruit up front, earth on the round core, finish is mid-toned with good tannin leading a slight hint of acidity. Gentle without being delicate, nice texture. I don't drink nearly enough Brunello to assess value but we enjoyed this one at around $35.

3/17/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Another year another bottle; one left now. Still luminous with floral and citrus (limequat?) up front and a long finish with an almost Viognier-like oily texture. Hoping I can hold on to the last one for another 3-5 years and see what this is like with a decade+ under it.

3/16/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

A straight line of crunchy red fruit with deep, chunky tannins meeting halfway through the journey before the long finish on acidity. Best chilled slightly, this has that _goes with rich foods_ thing that I love most about gamay.

3/14/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Red fruit and green apple up front, lighter in the core, finish is mostly on acidity. This has more of the glug glug quality that I actually like in gamay; better at cooler temp

3/14/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Red fruit character, earth and slight burnt caramel notes on the core. finish is decent length on good acidity and tannin. A little under expectations at around $20.

3/11/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Tropical fruit, apple, simple

3/10/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Apple and citrus, light-bodied, easy, good value at <$10.

3/10/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Red fruit up front, dives quickly into an herbal and earth core before finishing long on acidity and plenty of tannin.

3/10/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Soft red fruit up front, moves smoothly into a deep core with savory and earth, finish is long on good acidity. Tasted next to a Fleurie (Clos de la Roilette Cuvee Tardive) this is the softer, funkier and at this point the more interesting wine. Both were delicious with poulet au vinaigre. Super strong showing from the home team!

3/7/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Intense color and in the mouth black fruit, dates, christmas fruitcake in front of a medium finish on a good balance of acidity and tannin.

3/3/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Bright citrus up front, middle has a bit of chalkiness, acidity is a little lower than I was hoping for. All in though not bad at all at $12

3/3/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

As before; pure delicious red fruit up front, only lacks texture and backend complexity that might take it over the top but for what it is it's really nice.

2/28/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Black fruit up front, heads immediately into bass notes / vegetal / herbal / green peppery core before a long finish on chunky tannin and a lick of acidity. Cab Franc? Like a lot of TJs wines this is pretty unbalanced, this one in the direction of clunkiness, interesting textures but flavors just aren't my fav.

2/25/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Apple, honey, lower acidity

2/25/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Drank over three days, really shouldn't have touched it on day 1, day 2 was great, day 3 was best: Raspberry up front, dives quickly into a deep, earthy, walk-in-the-forest core with powdery tannin taking over and meeting up with good acidity to take it home on a long, medium-toned finish.

2/25/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Delicate red fruit up front, acidity starts on the core with blood orange along with deeper flavors (didn't catch which in my notes) and continuing on through the finish.

2/25/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Black fruit up front, core is herbal and medium noted, nice lick of acidity on the finish. Good but the 21 Temperance Hill was better...

2/24/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Red fruit up front, moves quickly into a savory and herbal core, finish is long on acidity. Theme of the 2021s seems to be intensity due to the early summer heat, this one is right in line and delicious.

2/24/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Peach, almond, quick finish

2/24/2024 - oropeza wrote:

Tangy, lively, just a hint of funk, decent at room rent but killer at like ~50 degrees.

2/24/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Apple and honey towards the front, minerality and a nice lick of acidity in back. Hits much higher than the similarly price chenin, really good at the ~$17 price point.

2/19/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Blueberry up front, bramble and mint on the core, finish is decent on acidity and tannin. Fully bodied and good journey on the palate, especially at under $15 this really hits.

2/18/2024 - oropeza Likes this wine:

Gentle red fruit on the nose, pretty strawberry and raspberry up front, dives deep into tar and herbs, thick tannins take it home with some help from a nice lick of acidity. Classic tar and roses profile, full spectrum in terms of flavors and textures.