4/6/2016 - Dierenarts wrote:

A beautiful, light ruby color in the glass straight to the rim. Aromas of strawberry and bing cherry mix with hints of cigar box, cola and wild spice. The palate shows excellent depth while remaining vibrant- there are layers of flavor that keep revealing themselves with each sip, but the wine does not feel tired in the least. The finish is long and complex, and makes you want to come back for more. This is drinking beautifully now and should continue to impress for at least another 5+ years.

2/27/2016 - Dierenarts wrote:

60%grenache 40% syrah crushed violets, ripe cherries, red currents lavender fennel seeds nose, palate sweet fruit with minerality

10/29/2015 - Dierenarts wrote:

90 Points, Zachys Buying Team: “The 2011 is the first vintage to be released of this miniscule production rebel wine project from Bordeaux’s neighboring region of Bergerac and the team behind the iconic Saint Emilion - Château Angélus. It is a unique Chardonnay blend with a touch of Petit Manseng and Sauvignon Blanc. This is a great pop and pour white that offers some complexity and a spectrum of nuances at this price point. Expect notes of apple, lemon peel, grassiness, acacia honey, a touch of oak, and minerality - a signature from the calcareous soils of the region. There is a yin-yang component with its rich glycerin texture and high acidity that makes for a great food wine. Pair with Asian-based lemongrass dishes or a classic goat cheese."

3/29/2014 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

much better when I tasted it in the barrel, especially after comparing it to a 2006 Dashe zin yesterday, I must say this wine seems anemic. Nice fruit of cherry and red rasberry with some clove and spice, but appears more watered down than I remember

3/28/2014 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

My last bottle of this lucious wine, raspberry nose with lavender pepper and clove. Long finish very fruit forward with soft tannins, palate of black raspberry, spice, clove and hint of chocolate

2/13/2014 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

wonderful Barbera from Sonoma, long smooth finish, raspberry and plum, I'd definitely drink and buy this wine again, nice surprise, lucky I have 2 more

1/7/2014 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

young but wonderful, black and boysenberry, long finish with raspberry, creme brulee and nutmeg

10/31/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

Not your grandfather's chianti, lighter, not as arid or acidic nor as earthy, not very complex but nice drinking with food wine. Some spice on the nose with hint of blackberry, full mouth feel with moderately long finish and nice tannins that should mellow some with age, taste of black cherry and prune with hint of licorice, chocolate and minerals. glad I bought a case at $10/ bottle sight unseen

10/29/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

Nice spice on the nose, soft but long lasting tannins, prune, blackberry with hint of cinnamon and licorice. Southern Rhone wines are fast becoming my fave.

10/27/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

deep dark plum purple color, not much on the nose, very fruit forward with concord grape, plum, clove, and some blueberry, nice smooth tannin mouth feel, long finish, great wine for the price

5/31/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

wonderful dark rose color with fresh cherry nose, floral and hint of peach, concentrated cherry and pomegranate on the palate with mild acidity and some mineral finish...another winner from southern France

5/30/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

light yellow green color with peach and lemon on the nose, slight buttery mouth feel with honesuckle, lemon/citrus rind, ripe green melon, balanced acidity with a smooth long finish

4/18/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

apple pear and grapefruit nose with hint of lavender, on the palate fresh acidity and minerality, citrus and apple with a beautiful long finish

4/14/2013 - Dierenarts wrote:

wonderfully rich purple color, aerated and decanted, blackberry nose with some plum and spice, great mouth feel and long pleasant finish, blackberry, plum, blueberry some pepper and coffee notes, with some minerality and nice acidity, very smooth tannins

4/5/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

nice pinot for the price, light red with mild fruit nose, simple berry on palate brief finish light tannins, not bad drinking wine for North Coast Pinot under $15

1/30/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

great wine for the price, light golden color, nose of pear, peach, citrus and hint of almond, bright crips acidity and light minerality both of which linger on the palate, fresh apple, citrus (lemon) not at all buttery and no signficant oak. Have had bottles that were much more expensive without this level of quality

1/28/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

compared to '08 Louis Latour Vire-Clerie which was a much nicer burgundy. pale yellow, mild fruit on the nose and palate, light acidity and minerality, rather plain but enjoyable wine, perhaps needs more time

1/28/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

nice medium yellow color, fresh nose of apple some pear and vanilla, same on the palate fresh acidity that has a moderate long finish, fresh fruit mostly pear and lemon, not much oak and not very buttery at all both the ways I like it

1/18/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

fresh with nice vibrant acidity and minerality roasted nuts and fresh green granny apples, paired very nicely with simple sesame shrimp chinese food

1/12/2013 - Dierenarts Does not like this wine:

on the nose and front end of palate this wine showed what was once great, nice fruit, soft tannins, however on the finish it was obvious that this bottle was past its drinkability with an vinegar like acid finish that lingered

1/5/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

Paired with a bordeaux and garlic, onion, tarragon, parsley (etc.) marinated filet mignon grilled to perfection and topped with blue cheese. Blind tasted with against a '82 Mouton Rothschild (which was easy to identify and won hands down) a good wine but not great, very soft tannins and smooth finish.

1/6/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

enjoyed as part of 7 course wine pairing dinner with good friends and fellow oenophiles. Probably a 98 rating in truth but with the current meal and good friends plus blind tasting between this and a more average '82 Ducru. Wonderful flowers, red berries, lilac, tobacco and cedar. Long, long super smooth finish with just a hint of fine tannins. Paired with a bordeaux and garlic, onion, tarragon, parsley (etc.) marinated filet mignon grilled to perfection and topped with blue cheese

1/5/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

enjoyed as part of 7 course wine pairing dinner with good friends and fellow oenophiles. Paired with a coffee infused pot de creme. a little early for this wine but very nice sweetness candied fruit nose, citrus is restrained, texture is wonderfully creamy with hint of oak and vanilla

1/6/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

enjoyed as part of 7 course wine pairing dinner with good friends and fellow oenophiles. citrus with a mineral/salt finish, paired with acorn squash soup but the soup's inclusion of a smokey bacon didn't do it for our guests, we needed a red.

1/5/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

enjoyed as part of 7 course wine pairing dinner with good friends and fellow oenophiles. About as perfect as it can be, orange, melon, raspberry and grapefruit with some spices, pastry yeastiness and very fine bubbles with long finish and nice acidity balancing good minerality

1/5/2013 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

enjoyed as part of 7 course wine pairing dinner with good friends and fellow oenophiles. Nose of apple, grapefruit, lemon tart, creme brulee hint of nuts. good tartness and minerality balance with apple pear lemon ginger and cinnomon, fine bubbles and lingering finish

12/12/2012 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

very fruity, cherry and plum, soft on the palate with minimal tannins, good every day wine nice for the price, great with aged gouda and bagette

12/9/2012 - Dierenarts Likes this wine:

beautiful yellow/green color, very fine bubbles, apple and vanilla on the nose, bright acidity, mild yeast, apple pie, baked pear and mild cinnamon spice with a pleasant medium finish, can't beat this for the price and I can see why WS ranked in top 100 and a smart buy

11/24/2012 - Dierenarts wrote:

lovely straw color, pear, peach and green apple with straw and crisp clean acidity

10/21/2012 - Dierenarts wrote:

enjoyable but very simple chardonnay without much character

10/16/2012 - Dierenarts wrote:

nice citrus and mild aciidity, long finish, refreshing, a nice every day drinking wine for under $9

8/24/2012 - Dierenarts wrote:

nice fresh nose of grapefruit, citrus acidity on the front end with a mild buttery finish, mildly oaked with grapefruit, lime and vanilla tones

7/23/2012 - Dierenarts wrote:

a very lackluster watery slightly fruity rather poor excuss for a cabernet

7/16/2012 - Dierenarts wrote:

very nice and classic provence rose, pleasant nose of melon and peach, wonderful fresh brisk acidity, long dry finish, some minerality, peach, melon, touch of vanilla

6/4/2012 - Dierenarts wrote:

Had this with a nice grilled vegie pizza. 1st off...it was ventura aerated and decanted. Nice dark garnet color, darker than most pinots I've had. nice fruity nose of raspberry and cherry, rather high on alcohol content and body. nice bright acidity with long pleasant finish with end of vanilla, spice and hint of tannins. What was more interesting was the second glass a half hour later, this wine tasted more like a left bank bordeaux very strange but I just wish I had more of it in the charity basket i won at auction

5/26/2012 - Dierenarts wrote:

it's swill

5/24/2012 - Dierenarts wrote:

Wonderful light rose/peach color, fresh nose of light cherry/raspberry, wonderfully long finish with surprising acidity and even some lingering minerality, great summer drink

5/5/2012 - Dierenarts wrote:

very n ice pale yellow green color with fresh aromas of peach and honeysuckle, refreshing palate with peach, citrus (lemon) and a touch of vanilla, long finish with mild bitterness and citrus acidity, nice minerality with just a touch of a buttery mouth feel

4/27/2012 - Dierenarts wrote:

a bit early to drink but is approachable now, nose of fresh lemon, green granny apple with hint of grasses as well as honeysuckle, on the palate nice citrous acidity, lemon/lime, lemon grass, mild oak and/or cedar hints, long elegant finish albeit a bit tight should age well,

4/23/2012 - Dierenarts wrote:

one of the better Merlots I've tasted, much better than bottle tasted last year! Dark ruby, black cherry, plum, hints of oak, chocolate and tobacco, wonderfully long finish with beautiful soft tannins

4/23/2012 - Dierenarts wrote:

truely excellent bubbly, celebration of my wife's birthday, lemon, peach, apple and long finish with pleasant yeasty brioche

1/21/2012 - Dierenarts wrote:

a pleasant "typical" provence red, not much on the nose, very pleasant palate of light bodied raspberry and red cherry almost no tannins, brief finish but all in all a pleasant drink every day ordinary wine

12/20/2011 - Dierenarts wrote:

The bottle was a gift and had it with pea soup tonight. Deep garnet color with wonderful fruity nose. On the palate it has massive plum and black cherry. It's "thick"/syrup like but in a good way, no tannins to speak of, extremely smooth, long finish. Except for the lack of sweet it is somewhat reminiscinet of drinking a tawny port.

12/3/2011 - Dierenarts wrote:

not much on the nose but nice palate of fruit blackberries, some cherry and sage with medium length soft tannin finish and pleasant minerality. For an under $10 wine this is one for every day drinking and so far undervalued, but then again I love Rhone wines for every day.

10/4/2011 - Dierenarts wrote:

Consumed with special desert at home for our 30th wedding anniversary, very pleasant nose of tropical fruit, fine bubbles, on the palate, nicely but not overly sweet, hints of apricot, mango, pineapple, and vanilla, soft silky mouth feel with a long pleasant finish. Went fantastically well with our fresh figs, dipped in sugar, caramlized and then reduced a sauce with a fine 10 yr old tawny port, butter and lemon juice served over fresh vanilla bean ice cream.

10/4/2011 - Dierenarts wrote:

Consumed at home on our 30th wedding anniversary. Beautiful golden color, fine bubbles (almost too noisy in the glass LOL), nose of apple and apricot with honeysuckle, on the palate wonderfully refined bubbles and acidity, apple blends with apricot, peach and honey, fresh minerality, finish goes on forever, truely a wonderful wine and not overly "yeasty" like some of the more acclaimed imports.

9/25/2011 - Dierenarts wrote:

Very nice Chablis, nose of fresh and light fruit, lemon mostly with some peach plus mild chalk/minerality, bright and clear yellow-green color, on the palate very nice acidity and minerality typical of a good Chablis, very refreshing with mostly lemon and citrus in general, smooth and buttery mouth feel but still not overly so, a very long and pleasant finish of lemon tart, minera (chalk and graphite)l and crisp acidity. Sorry I only bought a 1/2 case..finished 2 bottles with my wife on a relaxing Sunday!

6/9/2011 - Dierenarts wrote:

If you want a light, fresh easy drinking, refreshing standard summer rose...this isn't the one. This one reflects its Bordeaux roots (from St. Estephe). It has a lovely color, medium dark rose, I would describe this as a full-bodied rose. It has a thicker feel on the tongue. Kind of like if a provence rose is compared to this wine it would be like comparing a burgundy to a left bank bordeaux. The nose is fruity with strawberry and red rasberry including a hint of citrus. The mouth feel is full and thick (too "syrupy" for my wife as a stand-alone drink) with tastes of red rasberry as well as moderate but pleasant minerality, good acidity and a long satisfying finish. This one will stand up to food nicely.

4/7/2011 - Dierenarts wrote:

Deep, deep purple color, nose of young fruit black raspberry, mild pepper and tea with a hint of african violet, taste includes black rasberry, cherry, with a hint of chocolate, tannins are prominent but smooth albeit a bit chewy. This should get better with a few more years in the bottle but is certain nicely drinkable now. I would agree with the other reviewer with a comparison to a Gigondas

9/27/2009 - Dierenarts wrote:

very nice easy to drink wine good for any day. very fruity, concord grape, plum and slight mineral finish. very light and not really complex on palate. no tannins to speak of.