7/28/2019 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Brilliant bottle but needs tons of air at this stage to round into shape. Open/decant six hours ahead of time or keep it in the cellar for a long while.

1/1/2019 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Decanted for three hours and enjoyed over the following three. Lots of leather and black cherry on the reserved but detailed aromatics. On the palate it is terrifically layered with dried cherries, baking chocolate, blood orange, and licorice. Bright acidity lifts the fruit and there is a ton of grip. It goes beautifully with a meal but turns a bit tougher on its own. It shows great class and pedigree and will be enjoyable for the next 10 to 20 years. This was my only bottle and I'm glad I got to try it, but if I had to pick it would be one for 2024.

12/16/2018 - SevenDayMile wrote:

I opened this on a whim. At about hour three it showed its pedigree and was an incredibly rewarding Barolo full of fruit, depth, and structure. It is still imposing and chewy, but in a really good way. I've had experiences with other top vintages of this wine ('07, '10) but this was my favorite of the lot. Truly exceptional. Drink now with a healthy decant if you like your Barolo on the younger side, but for those who have the patience this one should be stunning in 5-10 years and drink well for 15+.

12/14/2018 - SevenDayMile wrote:

At this point this needs about a three-hour decant to start. Anything short of that and it has too many angles and edges to really show what's going on. When it unfurls, it has beautiful aromatics highlighted by florals and surrounded by crisp red fruit. Fine grain tannins combine with mouthwatering acidity, bright red plum, and good grip. There's structure to spare. Does it have the stuffing to match the world-class score that some have put on the wine? There's an outside chance...probably in the 2025 range it'll be much more clear. But it's good, will be good for a long time to come, and certainly puts many wines in this price point to shame. And that's the real charm here - how many Cru Barbaresco of this quality can you find for $35? If it stays in this price range, I'm a buyer in any respectable vintage.

10/8/2017 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Third time trying and first time seeing the mid-90 point potential that many have put forward. Really turned a corner after about four hours and finally showed the focus, balance, and purity that makes for a beautiful young Barolo. Revisit again after four years, although with a positive experience and modest price-point it might be hard to have such patience.

3/6/2017 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Seven years ago (wow...) I posted this at a 98 and one of the top five wines I've ever tasted. That list is a lot deeper now, but the score isn't too far off. What a soaring, terrific wine that has everything in the right place.

10/13/2016 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Not to be confused with the Gravel Bed Red (which it seems like many have looking at the valuation) this is the 100% Cabernet from a 2.6ha plot that is winery only and RP said smells like La Mission tastes like a $500 To Kalon. Contrast that with the fact that my only point of reference for Sebastiani is selling oaky Chardonnay "by the glass" over 15 years ago. How can you NOT be curious?!

I'm glad I hopped on this bandwagon because the wine is seriously good. Bright, composed, and texturally brilliant, I went straight out to buy more and was lucky to get what I did. I'm not putting it alongside the aforementioned heavyweights, but for what $60 gets you in top vintage domestic Cabernet, I am really happy with what this delivers. Drink anytime now with a 2-3 hour decant, or follow over the next 15 years. 94+

8/15/2016 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Very cool to get a go at Petrolo's 100% cabernet, considering it was just two barrels or so. It is truly spectacular stuff and once again priced at a fraction of what it'd be worth if you found this quality in Bordeaux or California. Bright red fruit, lively, with a seamless, generous texture, good body and depth. On the modern side of things - something that I enjoy in this case. A real treat to try, but I'll still load up on Galatrona given the option.

8/15/2016 - SevenDayMile wrote:

As an everyday value, this knocks it out of the park for me. A bit less angular and focused than some of the more highly regarded releases (Riserva, Rancia) but perhaps better for it given the everyday, crowd-pleaser pricepoint. It needs an hour in the decanter, but everything seems resolved after that. Round, plush, but never heavy, retaining a traditional Sangiovese profile and a great food wine, it was very easy to enjoy. I don't think this will ever evolve into a more dynamic wine, but absolutely terrific for what it is nonetheless.

8/15/2016 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Had to give this a run, it's been tempting me for a while. Not the legend that JS claims, but don't take that for meaning it's not a complete and rewarding Tuscan red. It started to resolve around hour four showing some great depth, texture, and refinement. Modern but not overdone, it will age beautifully without question and folks who picked it up on release (and enjoy this style of wine) will be very happy they did. Forget in the cellar for five years if you like them on the more youthful side, or let it develop through age twenty without issue. 94+

6/7/2016 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Tasted at the winery, apparently after being decanted eight hours earlier. Tightly wound and compact but so endlessly layered. Had the texture and density of a great vintage of Latour and is so much more resolved and seamless than the 2012 Dominus preceding it. Very impactful and never heavy, I can see what the critics are so excited about. It didn't change my life (my never-quite-100-point standard) but perhaps given the same decant after 10 years in a cool cellar it will have the capacity to do so.

6/3/2016 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Tasted at the winery. Massively different from the vibrant, elegant, and pure 2012. Big and rich - certainly not the compact and brooding grand vin, but a juicy and lively style. Great value for what it is - terrific wine off the same vines as triple 100-point Dominus. Decant in the AM if you're going to open soon, otherwise cellar for five years and enjoy over the following 10-15.

2/22/2016 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Delicious with a two hour decant. It didn't have the elite level of complexity/depth, but simply enjoyable, seamless, and true to the style and place. Not a life-changing wine, but just simply a terrific bottle.

5/25/2015 - SevenDayMile wrote:

No detailed notes, but one of the best high-end 2010 Chateauneuf bottles I've opened to this point. Yes it is young, but after a few hours' decant everything is in such a good place - texture, depth, structure are all incredibly rewarding and impressive.

8/11/2014 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Enjoyed after a two-hour decant.

Spectacular quality here - didn't take detailed notes, but the texture was sublime and everything was in balance. Superb refinement and a real treat for those who delve in to young Nebbiolo.

Outclassed a recent '08 Rocche by a long margin - perhaps just where they are developmentally. One of those out of the blue surprises that keeps you going back for more.

3/28/2014 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Decanted for two hours, enjoyed over the next two.

Sage, blackberry, vanilla, and cassis dominate the gentle aromatics of this Tuscan red. The wine just gets softer and more expressive with time. Dry tannins are present but a juiciness builds in the background. A clean, pure red fruit that plays at the edges of the palate reminds me of Sette Ponti's Orma (perhaps modern Bolgheri, or perhaps just in my mind from a recent tasting).

For Cabernet-based Bolgheri Superiore at this price ($35), it will be hard to find many comparisons. On the modern side of the spectrum, but not defiantly so. Definitely worth a look, especially if you have an hour or two to let it sit in the decanter.

2/15/2014 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Coravin'd three months ago and decanted for two hours. Nearly overwhelming aromas - hugely powerful aromatics of an array of crushed red fruit. On the palate it is fully loaded but lightweight all the way. Huge acidity and tannins coat the mouth with flavors of blood orange and black raspberry, with a slight tough of tertiary flavor (one of the few signs of age at a dozen years). The texture is impeccable and there is so much vivacity to this wine.

I was impressed with a taste when I first pulled a glass, but the pedigree this is showing now is undeniable. Terrific.

2/8/2014 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Double decanted over three hours. Hugely aromatic and decadent aromas of pure red plum, black cherry, and cedar, with a brandy-like sharpness coating the lot. Gobs of dried fruit on the powerful palate - craisins, dried cherries, and cassis. Still, there is a huge level of refinement and definition. It is a big wine, but not heavy. Concentration is not a question here, and the acidity and tannins meld well with the palate. A lingering finish carries through a minute. There is a Shiraz-y note here.

This is a very good, very forward wine. The syrupy and hedonistic side of it is indulgent, but there is still a great level of depth and detail to be found. A terrific wine to experience, but it does get better than this. I'm happy to have opened it now, but it will be fascinating to pop anytime over the next fifteen years.

2/2/2014 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Showed terrific refinement and caliber, but took about four hours in the decanter to turn the corner and show a core of brightness and sweet fruit to compliment the toasty and more full aspects of the wine. For those looking to find a sweet spot for this wine I would say now with a ton of air or feel free to forget it for another 5-7 years if you're the patient type.

1/19/2014 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Decanted for three hours. Dried red and deep black fruits dominate the very luscious aromas. Black currant and dried cherries lead the way. The palate is rich and only shows edges where there is a spine of spicy minerality. Good length follows flavors of framboise, clove, and bitter chocolate.

My previous bottle was remarkable while this was just very good. Perhaps my mood vs. what the wine delivers. Either way, still a huge success if you find it at the right price.

12/30/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Decanted for two hours and enjoyed over the following four. Aromas are mostly dark fruit with licorice, tar, and clove. The seamless texture is enough to make the wine, but bold flavors of black cherry, dried strawberry, and vanilla lead to chewy but not overly dry tannins.

A great vintage and terrific wine. Well done.

12/7/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Dark inky core with a hazy ruby rim. Very deep aromas of dried black and red fruit with plentiful fresh asphalt and pine. Explosive acidity lines a core of dusty strawberry, raspberry coulis, mint, and dark chocolate. There is an intensity to the aromatics and length of this wine that is very impressive and plentiful structure to see old bones. Good now with a lot of room to grow, this is a great balance between modern and old school Rioja. Enjoy 2014-2025.

11/24/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Open for two hours. The aromas are very precise but slightly reticent and include just-ripe pear and crisp red apple. On the palate it is all about purity. Immensely clean, fresh, and sharp, the star of the show is the texture and persistence - after the flavors give way a tangy minerality and acidity linger on the palate for easily a minute. Chablis doesn't get much better than this for me, and even now is showing superb stuff.

11/14/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

After about three hours of air. Fine sediment. Tar, licorice, and black cherry are abundant on the nose with forward, linear aromas. The texture of the wine is striking and seamless and flavors of blood orange, clove, strawberry, and dark chocolate come through on the palate. Not as monumental as past bottles, but still a complete, ready to drink Barolo of superb caliber and class.

10/27/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

I've loved Alban's wines over the years, but this particular bottling and vintage just comes off as hugely vanilla-coated. The fruit is pure and the texture unctuous, but it seems a bit off balance in that to me it is overly sweet and candied. A miss for me.

9/20/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Pure garnet color. A reticent nose but palate staining flavors of rich cherry and plum with abundant chewy wood/grape tannins and resounding acidity. One of the fuller, more abundant 08's I've tried. What I like in modern Barolo. This is packed for the long-haul and will reward being forgotten for 5-10 years. 94-96+

9/14/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Seriously perfumed with a melange of blue and red fruit. The palate delivers elegance with floral notes, cranberry, and black tea. Very soft and a great example of top-vintage Pommard, this is an excellent value and an example of a 2010 that rewards early drinking but will go for another decade.

7/19/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Deep purple core with a garnet rim. Impressive and intense aromatics leap out of the glass with red plum, boysenberry, raspberry jam, and dried red cherry. The intensity of this wine rebounds on the palate and supports chewy red and black fruit. The finish is lingering and amazingly refreshing for the pure boldness of the wine. A hint of dry oak tannin peeks out at the finish on this mouthcoating wine. Seriously impressive with plenty of room to improve. An epic Merlot that I am thrilled to have tasted and will be fascinating over the next three or more decades. To bridge the gap between new world an old, this will hold its own anywhere. 97+

6/16/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Decanted six hours, enjoyed over the next two. Powerful aromas of black raspberry, cedar, and red currant. The palate is seamless with dried dark fruits, chalky minerality, pine, and raspberry preserves. Good acidity and texture help the refinement of this terrifically young wine. Although modern for Bordeaux, it still shows a sense of place and draws the line well before new-world decadence. 94+ right now with promise to show good things with further evolution. Drink 2017-2030.

5/13/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

No detailed notes - spellbinding purity, minerality, texture and persistance. So hard to put down - simply a beautiful and rewarding wine. Needs about two hours of air now, or another few years in the cellar.

4/28/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

No detailed notes - consensus WOTN (blind) with a field that included some tough competition: '10 Grand Veneur VV, '10 Saint Cosme les Claux, '08 SQN the Line, '10 Lato Grenache, '10 CSJ Vieilles Vignes, '10 Bosquet Grand Pere, and more.

Pure class and one not to overlook from this terrific vintage.

1/27/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Decanted and enjoyed over the following two hours.

Hazy pale straw. Aromas of green melon, lemon rind, and candle wax. The palate is texturally seamless at this point, with intense flavors of key lime, grilled pineapple, ripe kiwi, and baked apple. There is a pronounced oaky and flinty character to this wine that provides richness and length.

I would call this a very well-made wine that unfortunately does not excite me at the moment.

1/27/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Pure class here. No detailed notes, but I was amazed that even through the New World character, there was a serious core of Old World minerality that you see in Chateauneuf. Rarely have I had this experience from a domestic Grenache. Delicious, layered, complex, rewarding. Well done!

1/21/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

No detailed notes - nothing showed as particularly impressive from this bottle. It was aerated for three hours before enjoying, and by the end, a good compliment of minerality and length was there, but it was just an undistinguished bottle for me in the scheme of the great 2010's.

1/12/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Very expressive nose of black and blue fruit. Luxurious texture backed by blackberry, black cherry, and raspberry, leading to a long and detailed finish. This strikes that rare refinement between balanced weight, concentration, and length.

This is no doubt a top-tier New World Syrah of the highest regard.

1/11/2013 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Deep inky core with a medium purple rim. The nose is moderately intense, with a backbone of minerality and a core of red currant, graphite, blackberry, and macerated cherry. The seamless palate and purity steal the show, with mouthcoating cherry, strawberry coulis, baking spices, and cinnamon. There is a little heat on the end, and a long, easygoing finish.

Regardless of press and price, this is most definitely a wine of refinement and quality, and will age beautifully for years.

12/16/2012 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Double decanted over 4 hours.

Inky purple. Aromas of boysenberry, blackberry, grilled game, and red currant lead to a robust palate with persistant acidity and a core of red fruit - cherry, raspberry, and plum. Fine tannins, superb texture, and great length. Does not necessarily have the core of minerality of some other heavyweights from this great vintage, but for that reason I prefer this right now.

8/4/2012 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Decanted for three hours, enjoyed over the next three. Beautiful, classic, intense aromatics of leather, framboise, tar, and a distinct sense memory of chewy cherry candy as the core. On the palate, the texture is elegant with blood orange, chocolate, strawberry coulis, and the good kind of oak tannins. There is a distinct minerality to the finish which coats the tastebuds and reveals a bit of this wine's youth. Spectacular now with some air, this will be a gem to open for years to come. I'm glad to have this in my cellar, and while it will make old bones, it is hard to look at and resist opening.

7/29/2012 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Decanted for three hours. Best of three bottles that I've had over the past few years. On the nose, intense aromas of baking spices, orange rind, and cherry skin. This leads to a palate full of rich sour cherry, the edges of tar, and long, deep, fine grape tannins. The texture is seamless, and classic nebbiolo flows from the glass. Just a treat to enjoy now, this can be enjoyed many years going forward, but I don't imagine it getting better than this.

2/25/2012 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Slightly corked. 0 for 2 with this wine. Oh well.

2/18/2012 - SevenDayMile wrote:

On two occasions I've had this wine and the same stays true both times: the wine is better on day 3 or 4. Really good when it resolves, but it takes a long time to find a sweet spot.

2/18/2012 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Four hours of air under this one and it is still tough an tannic. This wine may develop into something good, but for now it is not worth popping. I'm a big Barolo fan, but this one didn't do much for me at all.

2/18/2012 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Not particularly remarkable or rewarding after 3-4 hours of air. A bit indistinct although not unpleasant by any means.

2/16/2012 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Decanted for four hours, no detailed notes.

Nice easy drinking Tuscan with good depth but very little resolve; not particularly tannic, just dull on the back end. This is night and day from the '06 which is a bit monolithic and dense. While I think I enjoy this style more, it needs to offer a bit more over the coming years to be something worth following in the long run.

2/14/2012 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Decanted for a half hour and decanted again for another hour. There was a moderate amount of fine sediment left behind.

Deep ruby core with a dull ruby rim fading to salmon pink. The nose is intense with aromas of ripe strawberries, cherry coulis, blueberries, and rich potting soil. The palate is rich with blood orange, vanilla, valrhona chocoalte, and a slight wood tannin. There is impressive length, concentration, and resolution here.

This is a deeply rewarding wine that is simply pleasurable but still varietally distinct. Flat out delicious.

1/30/2012 - SevenDayMile wrote:

This wine is a brilliant straw gold with flecks of green. Waxy aromas of lime and lemon lead the way with red apple skin and a stony minerality. The palate is rich and deep with sharp flinty notes, tangy apricot, and lime. A touch of heat and spicy oak tannins lead to a slightly gritty finish.

There is a lot packed into this enjoyable wine. A few hours of air or a bit of age will help resolve some of the edges. Looking forward to seeing this on day two.

1/20/2012 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Decanted for two hours, enjoyed over the next three.

Pale ruby core fading to a deep pink rim. Rich aromas of stewed raspberries, tarragon, strawberries, and warm leather notes. The palate is lush with red and black fruit with good concentration and moderate grape and oak tannins. Flavours include ripe strawberry, light touches of basil, and boysenberry.

Although this is a complex effort from Roar, the wine is really not in a place that shows great balance. There is a bit of wood on the nose that doesn't mingle well, and the palate lacks elegance at this point. A definite hold that could really prove its potential in a few years. I hope I have the patience.

1/11/2012 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Grainy and disjointed. Not sure what the story is, but this bottle was off.

1/5/2012 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Decanted for an hour on night one. Left in the bottle overnight, notes from day two.

The wine is viscous; inky black at the core with a vivid purple rim. The aroma is powerful with dried cherries, blackberry jam, vanilla, and a robust floral note. The palate is bright with rich plum, black cherry, and raisin flavours; a coarse texture, and moderate grape tannins lead to a long and spicy finish.

This definitely shows the remarkable pairing of density and elegance that great wines accomplish. Spectacular now with some air and a really limitless future ahead.

1/3/2012 - SevenDayMile wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Enjoyed over the next two. At this point in the wines' life, it seems to need time to breathe to soften the edges and liven the fruit. The first few sips after the decant seemed a little bit sharp and listless, but after some air it rounded out quite nicely.

All that said, it is a positive drinking experience but there is not enough in this wine to justify the price tag. It still has life left, but some wines just may have more to offer in their youth.