9/13/2019 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Decanted 1 hour. Gorgeous dark crimson color. Had with grilled ribeye. Dark fruit and spice on the nose. Full-bodied, fruit forward style. Nice finish. Left wanting more.

6/30/2019 - coreywb wrote:

2 hour decant. We have had the pleasure of going thru many bottles of this world class Cab Franc. Once again it didn't disappoint. No hint of the bell pepper you can sometimes get with this grape. Gorgeous nose, full-bodied and a long, beautiful finish. Sorry I am down to my last few bottles. Have also had the 2011 and 2013 vintages of this wine and the'12 is the best, followed by '11 and '13 but all are excellent. Waiting on my 2015 vintage.

6/30/2019 - coreywb Likes this wine:

First tasted this at Winery in Barossa and was truly impressed. 50 plus year old vines produce this Frontignac. Think caramels and nuts with a mild hint of honey. Not at all cloyingly sweet. Wonderful dessert wine that comes in a beautiful 500ml bottle and is not readily available in the U.S. Saving the last bottle for a special occasion.

7/25/2017 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Decanted 1 hour. Inky, pretty dark violet color. Full rich nose of blueberries and blackberries. Some spice. Full voluptuous wine. Nice finish but could be a little longer. New world, loads of fruit. Still shows tannins. This can get better for several years. Very nice Syrah for under $50. Tensley flagship wine.

7/24/2017 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Double decanted but only for short period of time. Pretty dark ruby almost violet color. Gorgeous nose of cassis, dark berries and chocolate/cocoa. Full bodied, luscious mouthfeel. Tannins still present but on sweeter side. Nice, medium length finish. This is drinking well now with proper decant but next 3-5 years will be even better. Tasted versus Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso 2011 and thought both showed well, though the Duemani had more depth and body. Both great!

5/27/2017 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Pretty golden hue. Falanghina and Biancolella. Amalfi Coast. Nose of salt air and slightly grassy. Reminds me of a complex Sauvignon Blanc. Excellent body and acidity make for great food match. Fish or linguine w/clams comes to mind. Love her flagship wine, Fiorduva at $65, but this is great QPR at $22.

5/27/2017 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Last few years of Barbera from Alba or Asti have been inconsistent. This is the best bottle of Barbera I have tasted in awhile. Dark ruby red. Lovely nose of cherries. Medium bodied, nicely integrated fruit, sweet tannins and a decent amount of acidity to match with food. Nice pizza or red sauce pasta wine. Simple, tasty red for good QPR at about $20.

5/19/2017 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Decanted 3 hours. Beautiful violet color. Extremely floral nose. Dark cherries and a minty or menthol taste. Full-bodied and balanced. A very elegant Flaccianello without many of the rough edges that Sangiovese can have. Almost Napa-esque in style. A very good wine now that will only get better over the next few years.

5/14/2017 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Opened my last bottle at a Top 10 All-time favorites tasting. Wow! Did not disappoint. It has been 4 years since I last tasted this and it is now in a perfect window. Decanted 1 hour and needed a little more. Over the next 2 hours it really opened up. Violet color with beautiful floral, dark fruit. Tannins have softened considerably. so much fruit left in a 14 year old wine. So elegant and easy to drink. Long finish. Top 5 wine out of 30 and at half the price of most. Would buy a case today if I could find any. Finest Rhone wine I have ever had. Can last 10 more years at least.

5/12/2017 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Gorgeous wine. multi-hour decant. Dark ruby, pretty wine. Nose of dark cherries, a touch of spice and mild earthiness. Young but not overly tannic. Full body, velvet mouth feel. Beautiful finish. This will only get better for at least the next 5 years. A great example of the wonderful 2010 vintage.

4/15/2017 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Odd combination of grapes (Ripoli/Ginestra, Fenile) from 80 year old vines on the Amalfi Coast. Had with Northern Italian shared plate meal. Terrific match for shellfish, fish, risotto or creamed sauces. Beautiful golden straw color. Enticing nose of fresh cut flowers. Vibrant big-bodied mouthful that reminded me of a syrupy honey that has just a touch of sweetness. Though the oak has given this a luscious, mouth coating feel, there is no evidence of it in the taste. The finish is long and leaves you wanting more. This is by far the single best Italian white wine that I have ever had. Buying more immediately.

3/28/2017 - coreywb Likes this wine:

PnP at dinner last night. Beautiful nose of dark red berries and black fruit. Wonderful balance. Been awhile since I have opened any KB and this reminded me how well made they were. If you catch the right drinking window this is a superb example of Pinot. Fruit is fore front but not overpowering and balance is excellent. Plenty of acidity to match food. Long, lovely finish. Regret I don't have another bottle. Santa Lucia Highlands is producing outstanding Pinots and this bottle rivals any from Sonoma Coast or RR.

7/14/2016 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Had at Luca in Carmel. Decanted 2 hours. Dark ruby color. Prettier than many Brunellos. Upfront fruit without the normal earthiness. Much more approachable than the powerful 2010's. Lovely, softer mouth feel from the sweeter tannins, but still has more than enough acidity to stand up to any food. Nice, though not particularly long, finish. Ordered more based on current drinkability. Great QPR for $50.

3/20/2016 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Decanted 3 hours. Had with Filet Mignon. Perfect match. Beautiful dark ruby almost violet color. Nose of dark fruit and currant. A hint of eucalyptus. Beautiful, elegant wine with dark chocolate notes. Silky smooth tannins still evident. Great finish leaves you wanting more. Though already 11 years old, seems as though this could easily go another 5 and be just as great. Compares very favorably to Insignia, which is a personal favorite.

3/14/2016 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Tensley has long been a favorite of mine. I am a staunch fan of Colson Canyon Syrah virtually every vintage. Last year I joined the wine club because it is among the most reasonable clubs I have found in their required purchases. I have now purchased significantly more than my requirement based of how great Tensley 2014's are. The Noir is my single favorite. Beautiful dark, almost inky color. Gorgeous nose of dark berries. Full, lush with soft tannins that make it approachable now. Better in a couple of years. Finish is outstanding and leaves you wanting more. The fact that this wine was made with almost 2/3 new oak is probably why I think it is slightly better than the other 2014's but they are all excellent.

3/14/2016 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Club members get BMT and OGT blends. The BMT is a grenache/syrah blend . The color is very dark ruby. Beautiful notes of both blueberries and raspberries. One hour decant. First glass wows you. Big hit at dinner. Velvety texture with full body and a great finish. The QPR for this magnum is outstanding.

3/14/2016 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Beautiful dark ruby color. Notes of raspberries and blueberries. Full, rich flavor with nice body. Finish is medium. This wine has great QPR. Bought a second case. Have tasted all of Tensley 2014's and they are fantastic. Colson Canyon and Noir are the best and in the 94-95 range. The 2 magnum blends OGT and BMT are also fantastic. But this wine is by far the best value. Friends all love this wine.

12/10/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Another excellent 2008 cab. No time to decant. Dark ruby color. Floral bouquet with darker berries. Beautiful body with no sign of tannins. Tastes of chocolate and maybe blackberries and blueberries. Silky smooth and beautiful to look at. Wanted a longer finish but still left me looking forward to the next glass.

11/18/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Re-discovered Sancerre on a recent visit to France. Love the style of Sauvignon Blanc. Pretty straw yellow color with a bright mineral, slightly grassy nose. Citrus flavors with a crisp medium body. Enough acid for food. Great match for halibut or dover sole. More elegant, less fruit forward style than New Zealand and a little less grassy than California. Nice wine, equally good for summer sipping or fish dinner. Daulny makes several different styles, but this is my favorite to date. Good value.

11/18/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine:

I discovered this wine last vintage. Cannot believe the consistency from year to year. Now my go to white for dinner. Great QPR at $16.00. Straw colored, citrus nose. Lemony, crisp almost tart quality. Nice body and a wonderful finish leaving you wanting more. Excellent acidity makes for really good food wine. Slight preference for last year's vintage but this is still a really good bottle of wine.

11/18/2015 - coreywb wrote:

75/25 Syrah/Mourvedre. Violet color. Nice floral nose, dark berries and slightly earthy. Big, full and still very tannic. Should have decanted or waited. Flavors don't match nose and a little short on the finish. Fan of Brian Benson but this is not my favorite.

10/10/2015 - coreywb wrote:

Inexpensive Pinot. Beautiful floral nose. Lighter color with modest body. Enjoyable taste of red berries with floral notes. Okay finish. For this price point this is a good everyday wine that won't blow anyone away but won't disappoint either.

9/21/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Gorgeous dark ruby color. Decanted for only 30 minutes. Lovely bouquet. Taste of dark berries, chocolate, roasted meat. Big, lush. This always proves to be a genuine bargain for the price (under $50). Tannins are mild and finish is excellent. Monastrell, or Mourvedre if you prefer, is a terrific grape if done well and the people of Jumilla usually do. I buy this virtually every year. This vintage is outstanding.

8/30/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine:

A shining example of the 2007 vintage. Needed to decant for more than 30 minutes, but the wine opened up quickly. Dark, beautiful violet color. Nose of currant, dark berries, cedar and a hint of mint. Still has significant tannins but they soften quickly. Only thing keeping this from being a greater Cab is the finish, which is medium length but still leaves you wanting more. A terrific bottle of Napa cabernet.

5/7/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Grabbed this bottle by mistake and thought I had grabbed the lesser priced red blend. Oops! No time to decant and had to drink. Scrumptious nose of dark fruit and wood. Color is gorgeous dark ruby. Could not believe how approachable this is now. Some tannins but softer and sweeter. No sign of 15% alcohol. Full, rich body with an incredible finish just asking for more. As with almost any wine this winery makes, it is remarkable. Among the top wines I have ever had. Many more years of enjoyment for those of you fortunate enough to have this wine.

4/6/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Opened for an hour. Dark ruby color. Nose of dark berries. Medium bodied, enjoyable taste of blackberry/blueberry. Fruit is slightly diminished but still enjoyable. Nice finish. Wouldn't wait too much longer to drink these.

4/6/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine:

A beautiful ruby red. Nose of red berries and a slight floral hint. Raspberry, cola on the tongue. Still vibrant and fresh after 8 years. Medium body. Nice finish. Too bad, my last bottle of this. To those who have some, open and enjoy.

4/6/2015 - coreywb wrote:

No decanting. Pretty violet color. Limited nose of dark fruit and earth. Medium body. Big, firm tannins overwhelm the fruit. Seems out of balance for me. Not sure waiting for tannins to smooth out will help. Finish definitely didn't make me want more. Maybe my expectations were too high since I've enjoyed so many wines from Epoch. Did get better in the glass as the night moved on. This was a decent wine but not anything I'd recommend to a friend.

4/4/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Feared that perhaps I had waited too long to drink this. 7 years for KB multiple vineyard blends is a long time. No decanting. Opened it up and still a beautiful ruby red and instantly smiled at the beautiful nose of raspberries and a touch of spice. Medium body with a beautiful, smooth and elegant feel. Nice finish, though I was hoping for a bit longer. No sign of any tannin in my bottle and immediately drinkable. I now know why this was in Wine Spectator Top 100 in 2010. Great example of how patience can pay off as previous bottles of this left less of an impression.

4/1/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Beautiful ruby red color. Nose of fresh cut flowers and red fruits. No decanting. Medium body with luscious raspberry and red fruit flavors. Smooth and elegant. Excellent finish leaves you wanting your next taste. Much more subtle than most California Pinots. Best bottle of Pinot I've had in a long time. Thankfully I have a couple left.

3/20/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Decanted 1 hour. Color is inky dark purple. Nose is dark fruit and earth. Full bodied. No sign of 15.9% alcohol. Beautiful mouthful of dark berries and plums. Light tannins and wonderful finish. This a lush, prime example of a big, bold California Zinfandel. Great bottle of wine, among the better Zins I have ever tasted.

3/13/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Color is a dark ruby. Notes of berries and some floral aromas. Full bodied, lush. Little to no tannins and what's left is sweet. Decent acidity for food. Lovely taste left me wanting more. Nice finish. Had with pasta and marinara sauce and really was a hit with both of us. A lovely bottle of wine.

3/13/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Dark ruby color. Beautiful nose of fresh cut flowers. Medium to full body. Sweet almost non-existent tannins and big full mouth feel. I would be re-miss if I didn't think this was a $40 - 50 bottle and at under $25 the QPR for this wine is incredible. Would buy more in a heartbeat.

1/30/2015 - coreywb wrote:

Beautiful dark ruby color. Nose of black fruit, a little earth and a touch of leather (the cab franc). Seems like it should be a big, bold wine from the nose but the merlot softens it and though still some firm tannins, it is very drinkable. Full body, but I wanted more on the finish. Overall nice bottle of wine but on the expensive side from a QPR standpoint.

1/10/2015 - coreywb Likes this wine:

I have loved this wine since I first tasted it a few years ago. This is one gorgeous Napa Cab. Beautiful dark color and lovely nose of dark cherries and chocolate. Soft sweet tannins. Drinking perfectly now with minimal decanting. Smooth and elegant. Only thing keeping from higher score is medium length finish. Sad I have only 1bottle left.

12/7/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Decanted 1 hour (not enough). Beautiful crimson color. Strong nose of cherries, earth and some leather. Tannins are still present and show the potential of this wine in 5 years or more. Beautiful body with a strong finish. Other than it's youth, this is a terrific bottle of wine. I look forward to the next one in several years and with a longer decant.

6/22/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Decanted 30 minutes prior to having with filet mignon. Floral nose with a hint of eucalyptus. Cab blend with 75% being cabernet. Beautiful dark brooding violet color. Tannins are softer and on sweeter side. Medium to full body with a medium finish. Wanted a better finish. Though an enjoyable wine, does not match up that well to price and original hype. Name and poker chip on bottle make it more of a novelty and conversation piece.

6/18/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Read from other reviews how approachable this was and opened a bottle for friends at lunch with steak sandwiches and burgers. This a new world cab with a dark ruby color and a lots going on on the nose. Blackberries, blueberries, a hint of chocolate and even a little plum. Medium body and a nice finish. Universal approval from friends. Think this will get better with some age as fruit dissipates slightly and the wine gets some added complexity. For now, it is just plain enjoyable.

6/16/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Decanted 3 hours. Had with pasta and eggplant parmigiana. Beautiful, rich dark color. Darker fruit on the nose with just a hint of usual Brunello earthy bouquet. Sweet tannins, lovely balance and a sumptuous long finish. Uccelliera is fast becoming one of my favorite Brunello producers. More approachable than most of the 2006's.

6/7/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

I waited for several years to get on the Quilceda Creek list. This wine alone makes that worthwhile. While everyone wants their cabs, this red blend is gorgeous and an incredible value at $40. The color is dark ruby /violet and the nose is absolutely awesome. Dark fruit as well as cherries. No hint of the 15.2% alcohol. Delightful drinking right now with only a hint of sweet tannins. Balance with a lovely finish, leaving you wanting more. If you can find some, buy it.

3/22/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Dark crimson color. Nose of dark fruit. Nice body with a hint of chocolate, some mint and lovely dark fruit. Decanted 1/2 hour and still needed more. Significant tannin still left, mellowed out with dinner. Had with filet mignon and mashed potatoes. Great match. Medium body and medium finish. Nice Paso Robles cab, a match for most Sonoma cabs but short of Napa quality.

3/14/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

This bottle is still tasting beautifully. Dark ruby color. Nose of cherries and dark berries. Luscious creamy body and the fruit is still there. This has aged as well as any other Sea Smoke vintage I've had. Has evolved to elegant and smooth. No signs of age or being tired. Decanting not required. Lovely straight to the glass. I believe this was the first vintage of the new winemaker and and 7 years later it is still extremely enjoyable.

3/14/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Unfortunately, this was my last bottle and I forgot how good it was. Never had a better $40 cabernet blend. Alpha Omega's second wine is better than most firsts. Pretty dark ruby color, blueberries, blackberries, a touch of mint. Soft tannins after 45 minute decant. Some chocolate in the mouth and very nice full body. Medium finish. All in all a terrific wine and an even better wine for the money.

3/9/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Beautiful dark ruby color. Nice floral notes, dark cherries. Medium to full body with blueberries, plums and dark cherries. Softer and sweeter tannins. Medium finish. This is a blend of Montepulciano, Cabernet and Merlot. Had with pizza and thoroughly enjoyed. Drinkable now or for the next several years.

2/24/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

My second bottle of this wine and it keeps getting better. Beautiful dark crimson color with an incredible nose of dark fruits and a hint of spice. Very full bodied wine with a luscious full finish. Sweet tannins. Some decanting might help but this was great right out of the bottle. Completely different from the 2011, which was more subdued and more elegant. This a big, rich, juicy wine that will leave you wanting more. At $35 this is still a great value.

2/16/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

I have had so many bottles of this and it never ceases to amaze me. I recently found another case of this vintage and boy am I glad. Same golden hue, nose of honey and stone fruit and such great crisp acidity to go with a variety of foods.

2/16/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Decanted 2 hours. Dark ruby red with no sign of orange tinge you sometimes get with Brunellos. Pretty color. Very nice nose of dark cherries, some floral notes, some wood and a touch of spice. Beautiful dark cherry taste with only a hint of earthiness that shows up in many Brunellos. Very nice body. Sweet tannins. Acidity makes it a perfect match for a host of Italian delights and more. Very approachable now. In 5 years it may be even better. Only wish finish was a little longer.

1/29/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

I had saved this bottle for a special occasion. Decanted 2 hours. Great pro reviews and CT reviews. Maybe my expectations were too high. A terrific bottle of wine but just didn't live up to the ratings. Beautiful crimson color. A little eucalyptus on the nose. Nice full body and delicious fruit, still some tannins but sweeter side. Finish disappoints. Too short and left me a little flat.

1/29/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Love this wine. Decanted 1 hour. Dark ruby color. Cherries and dark fruit on the nose. A touch of spice. Big, rich full Pinot. Delectable and somewhat creamy feel in the mouth. Nice long finish leaves you wanting more. Only Kosta Browne I've had that I enjoyed more was the great 2009 Sonoma Coast. Sorry I only have 1 more bottle.

1/29/2014 - coreywb Likes this wine:

Decanted 1 hour and needed more. Still tannic, but can be consumed now with more decanting. Should last for 10 more years at least. Dark ruby color, typical earthy nose with only a touch of fruit coming thru. With a big hearty Italian meal this was an excellent wine though I still prefer the 2001 to this vintage. Does not yet have the elegance of the 2001. For those who prefer a heartier style this will please you. Will wait a couple of years before trying next bottle.