5/5/2024 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

More fruit than I would expect from WA. Seemed more in line with a California Cab. Mighty tasty, though.

4/15/2024 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Not a particularly special Champagne, but a good value from a region that has increasingly few good values.

4/15/2024 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Still very structured; could easily go another five years. Excellent mouth feel with characteristic punch of a petit syrah. Went great with ribs.

4/15/2024 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Definitely for old world fans; the fruit has completely given way to the terroir. If that's your thing, this wine won't disappoint. If you're looking for grapes, you might want a younger vintage.

3/31/2024 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Perhaps my expectations were lowered by the multiple "meh" or "flawed" reviews, but I thought this was a perfectly acceptable wine. Did have some funk on the nose on opening. Fortunately, I always plan on letting a CdP breathe for a while. After 6 hours in the decanter, that was gone and things were much more sorted. I'm not saying it's great, but it's as good as I would expect a $40 CdP to be.

3/31/2024 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Pretty much agree with others. More mineral and less oak than one normally gets from CA. Fruit notes are subtle and high quality. Good wine, maybe a bit pricey for what it is, but not excessively so.

3/20/2024 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Classic southern French featuring primarily Grenache with enough Syrah to provide backbone. Fruit forward, not a whole lot on the finish, but pleasant and a decent value.

12/30/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

For a couple bucks more you get a lot more complexity with the Reserve, which is done in oak rather than steel. This one is very clean and easy-drinking, but doesn't have as much soul.

12/28/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

OK for the price. Definitely a generic profile, but no flaws to complain about.

12/28/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Good value. California style (more fruit/less terroir than Oregon or Burgundy).

11/23/2023 - ebuckley wrote:

More than a bit tight out of the bottle. Decanted for an hour and that helped a lot. Good with BBQ but still just a bit stern for my liking.

11/19/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Very nice for the price. Not sure of the blend, but it really just shows as grenache. Smooth and round.

11/3/2023 - ebuckley Does not like this wine:

Rather disappointing for a Grand Cru. Granted, it’s not pricey, but the designation is supposed to mean something. Maybe too young as it was quite tight, but it didn’t open up even after a few hours. Even at this price point there are better options.

10/22/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Superb for the price and quite good even disregarding what a good deal it is. Pairs fantastic with BBQ (as one would expect from a Shiraz).

10/21/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Beautifully balanced. Definitely drink now as the tannins are getting thin.

9/24/2023 - ebuckley Does not like this wine:

As it's non-vintage and was given to me, I don't know how old it was. Maybe it just needed more time as Nortons often do. However, it didn't taste young as much as just out of balance with the sour notes taking over the whole palate. Drinkable, but there are many better $20 Nortons out there.

8/28/2023 - ebuckley wrote:

Nothing wrong with it. Not particularly special either. Pretty standard profile for Super Tuscan; not a ton of fruit, firm tannins, excellent nose.

8/26/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Solid for the price. Typical Sonoma Cab profile. At or beyond peak, but can probably go for another couple of years.

7/22/2023 - ebuckley wrote:

Solid for the money. Has all the proper characteristics of a true Champaign with lots of mineral and chalk. That said, this is not a premium Champaign by any means.

6/23/2023 - ebuckley wrote:

Solid wine for the money. Goes particularly well with BBQ.

6/23/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Great nose and well balanced on palate. Finish was a little disappointing. Got a bit sour after about 15 seconds.

5/27/2023 - ebuckley Does not like this wine:

There's nothing really wrong with it, just nothing special. A Grand Cru Bordeaux is supposed to be special.

5/17/2023 - ebuckley wrote:

A bit generic, but an excellent value.

5/17/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Typical CA Cab at a modest price.

5/8/2023 - ebuckley wrote:

Still drinking well but probably on the way down. Great fruit. Somewhat lacking in terroir, but a great paring with any dish based on red meat.

4/30/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Nice balance, very food friendly. Nice fruit mid-palate followed by just a touch of sour cherry on the finish. Probably on the way out, but still quite drinkable.

4/29/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

One doesn't typically cellar a $10 bottle for 14 years, but Norton rewards patience. Drinking quite nice right now. Big fruit, tannins are basically gone, a strong, tart finish that lasts for quite some time. Pairs great with BBQ.

4/14/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Just a bit too late on this one. I think it would have been 93-94 a couple years ago. Still an excellent wine, but past it's peak. If you have it, drink it.

4/12/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Maybe I'm being generous because I didn't have particularly high expectations for this wine. But I found it to be delightful. Lots of fruit. A surprisingly strong chocolate note. Also some strawberry. Just a bit off-dry.

4/5/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Fruit is presented very well. Excellent balance between nose and palate. A bit stiff upon opening, but rounded out quite nicely after about 20 minutes of air. Not much terroir which may be a good or bad thing depending on your likes. Perhaps a bit pricey for what it is, but certainly an enjoyable experience.

4/4/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Fun, jammy, easy to drink wine.

3/30/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Fruit bomb. Great with pizza.

3/26/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Very fruit forward for a Burgundy, but still unmistakably Old World. Excellent balance. Terroir comes through more on the finish than the nose. Seems like it's pretty near it's peak right now.

3/24/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Good everyday drinker. Very food friendly. Particularly good with tomato based sauces.

3/23/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Solid 1er Cru for the money. Nothing to add to what others have said except that I drank the second half of the bottle two days later (did pump the air out) and found it had lost very little. Makes it an even better mid-week drinker.

3/10/2023 - ebuckley wrote:

One of the better Missouri sparklers. Overpriced, but quite drinkable.

3/19/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

This isn't a varietal that I have a lot of experience with. This was given to me by a friend. What a happy find! Fruit forward, well balanced with just a bit of off-dry on the finish. Matched very nicely with BBQ.

3/18/2023 - ebuckley Does not like this wine:

Less than hoped for. Nose and first impression are good, but the finish goes quite sour on the back of the tongue. Got better with time, but never really achieved a great balance.

3/14/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Smooth and balanced. Terroir shines through without overpowering the nose. Back of the palate finish lasts quite long. Really excellent for a mid-priced wine.

3/12/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Nose was nice upon opening, so didn't decant. May have been a mistake because there was a little funk on the back of the palate that cleared up after it had been in the glass for a few minutes. Delicate fruit and tannins put the Mendoza terroir forward. Very nice for this price.

2/25/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Mostly Syrah. Fruit forward. Light tannins but acidic enough to cellar for 5-10 years.

2/18/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Sweet without being syrup. Lots of florals on the nose. Well structured fruit. Exceedingly long finish. Pairs great with fruit desserts or stands just fine by itself.

2/24/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Wasn't particularly impressed at first. Opened a bit over the next hour but seemed pretty generic. Interestingly, I left half the bottle and the next day it was considerably better showing a lot more fruit and a better nose.

2/16/2023 - ebuckley wrote:

Meh. Nothing wrong with it. Nothing right with it, either.

2/13/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Wonderfully fruit forward without being overpowering. Terroir is subtle, but distinctly Columbia. Still going great at 10 years.

2/13/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

Exactly what it claims to be: a modestly priced Barbera.

2/10/2023 - ebuckley wrote:

Soft fruit and the tannins have completely faded. Old World style with a very recognizable Willamette terroir. Drink now.

1/25/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

I'm not going to rate it because it's clearly past it's prime. But, it was still quite good; just not great. If you still have some, drink it now.

1/21/2023 - ebuckley Likes this wine:

OK for the price. Nothing particularly distinctive but no flaws either.

1/21/2023 - ebuckley wrote:

Very typical Willamette style. Drink now.