5/5/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Opening nose is alluring and rich with dark cherry and hints at more to come. Palate is a striking cherry note that feels immediately identifiable as BV (and can be noted in their base Napa cab as well), alongside cedar and baking spice. Decanted and with air nose gets a bit of umami character - mushroom, soy sauce, moss. With air the palate evolves to a generous mix of cedar, cherry, and sweet tobacco. Drinking very well, enjoyed this more than the previous bottle last year.

5/2/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

First bottle never opened up, so was hesitant popping this one. Initial nose is umami, soy sauce, mushroom, leather, pine forest, and some hints of dark fruit. Palate is prune and raisin, with undercurrent of blueberries and bramble.

20-30 minutes in the decanter, the prune has blown off, and vanilla and baking spice hints emerged to compliment blue fruit. Evolved into an intriguing bottle of mountain fruit.

4/28/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Based on recent experience, I'm finding many of the 2018 Brunellos to be drinking nicely in their youth. On opening this was tight, making me wonder if that wasn't the case here. Slightly astringent and puckering with notes of dark cherry, leather, grapefruit, earth. With air, notes of tobacco, violet, rose petal and wet earth emerged. Medium body with generous mouthfeel that was more integrated than I expected. Not quite creamy but texturally very nice with a little air.

91-92, very good now and interested to see how it evolves.

4/7/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Nose slightly vegetal, hints of black olive. Palate is mixed berry bramble, slightly salty, with more olive and bell pepper. As the wine opens, notes of cigar box, cedar, cloves, fennel. Solid entry level Malbec but definitely a step below their high end stuff.

4/23/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Nose of honey, wet rocks, very intriguing. On the palate reminded me a bit of a California Chardonnay, more buttery and nut forward than I expected. Pleasant but not sure it was really a fit for my palate. Maybe drank too young?

4/21/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Received my six pack and had to try one. Did not disappoint. Nose of green apple, key lime, and straw. Viscous mouthfeel with a modest hint of minerality. Palate is a tart medley of tropical fruits - passion fruit, mango, and more - alongside lemon custard, sour green apple, citrus rind, and cantaloupe. Evolved with air and gradual warming. Paired with a chicken alfredo, which it cut through nicely. 92+

4/19/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Generally consistent with prior note. Found the sangiovese to be more muted this time, and overall palate more muddled. Very approachable and easy drinking if a bit nondescript this time around.

4/14/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Cork snapped on opening but thankfully able to rescue with Durand. Decanted through Vinturi for sediment, then tasted serially over next two hours. Agree with others it needed air to open up, but definitely ready and drinking well. Nose is deep with plum, dark fruit, raspberry, and alcohol notable at first. Nose reminds me of Insignia somewhat. On the palate, cigar box, plum, dark fruit, spice. Thick and mouth coating. No strong oak or vanilla notes for me but maybe with more air. Really lovely Bordeaux blend, I think the Merlot and sizable dolap of Cab Franc definitely shine through. 92+

4/6/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

With pizza. Fruity, easy to drink, not overly sweet. Somewhat elementary Tuscan with notes of leather, burnt citrus. Very drinkable.

4/6/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Decanted and aired for 45 minutes prior to first glasses. Consumed over the ensuing hour. Nose and palate opened up with air, providing classic floral notes, dark cherries, hints of licorice, leather.

4/8/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Faintly funky nose that was otherwise very on variety. Palate is light and fruity, with hints of cranberry, lingonberry, holly bush, pine needle.

Very drinkable and perfectly fine for what it is. Paired well with pork tenderloin.

3/6/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Pleasantly surprised with this bottle, which we paired with beef stew. Attractive and fruit forward nose. Strawberry, raspberry, and potpourri on the palate, followed by hints of cranberry and a subtle notes of earth and roasted coffee beans on the finish. Agree with others that this was approachable and easy to drink but still showed some character. Strikes me as a solid value for the price point.

3/3/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Upon opening, the cork and neck were caked with thick purple sediment, so decanted through Vinturi to filter. Allowed to open in the decanter for less than an hour before first glass, drank over the ensuing hour+. Initially somewhat tart, with a slight prune and raisin character that had me worried it may be an off bottle. But undercurrents of dark cherry and vanilla were present as well, and as the wine opened in the decanter they came more into focus, as did secondary notes of herbal liquor and tar. Certainly a deep and brooding wine, it didn't feel like it ever fully resolved but was nonetheless very good.

2/24/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Fruity and fresh, light to medium bodied Sangiovese blend with a touch of sweetness. Ripe fruit throughout, with notes of dry leather on the back palate and hints of oak that are most notable on the finish.

Agree with others below, very enjoyable/approachable and solid value at the Costco price point.

2/23/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Pleasant, crisp, balanced. Notes of lemon meringue, apple, and hint of quince. Nothing overly complex or special but very drinkable and decent change of pace for $15.

2/19/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

First of four, purchased about a year ago from Last Bottle. Opened, tasted, then decanted for about an hour. Paired with steaks and au gratin potatoes. Nose of blackberry jam and vanilla bean. On the palate, moderate fruit, subtle cherry, largely overwhelmed by oak. Finish a bit thin and short. Overall impression was a little disappointing but perhaps expected given this is still youngish. It's very primary at the moment, a blunt instrument. 89-90 today, but hopeful that it can move up with some additional time in the cellar to better integrate.

2/18/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Drinking wonderfully with a 45 minute decant through an aerator. Fragrant, floral nose of rose and lavender. Classic palate of dark cherry, Tuscan earth, violet and rose petal, and faint hints of horse leather. Kept getting better and better. Outperforms price point.

2/15/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Rough and tumble grilled herbs and garrigue with wild boysenberry and spices. Paired with Chili, which improved the wine materially. Exhibited a slight chlorinated nose on open that dissipated with time and air, but was a bit off-putting. Fine for what it was but can't say I loved it.

2/14/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

With the wife for Valentine's. Drank at cellar temperature. Very pleasant, exhibiting notes of honey and buttered nuts, along with some hints of brioche.

2/16/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Neither as good nor as bad as some of the comments here suggest. Simple, approachable Rhone with plenty of wild bramble, herbs, and fruit. Some raspberry, some savory notes. Not particularly complex but a good value even relative to (generally affordable) Cotes du Rhone.

1/30/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Nose is light and leads with lemongrass, green apple, citrus. Palate is tart and clean with a pleasant and notable minerality, maybe a whisper of lemon meringue. Finish is a bit odd, almost like a stainless steel aftertaste, but it faded with time. Pleasant, clean, crisp, simple.

1/26/2024 - DizzyOneCheck wrote:

Not sure what I expected, but wine was clearly past peak, verging on flawed. Tart, sour, the tempranillo typicity was all but gone. Sadly, I suspect this was excellent 5+ years ago.

1/28/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

This was excellent and surprisingly ready to go with a decant. On initially opening the wine was very tight and tart, with a nose of soy sauce, mushroom, umami and a palate of sour cherry and leather.

Decanted for 75 minutes and the wine was transformed: Black cherry, raspberry, violet, and Tuscan earth. Full mouthfeel while still erring on the lighter side of Brunello. Some secondary notes of tar, oak. Exceeded expectations.

1/22/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Decanted for 30 minutes before first glass, finished over the next two hours straddling dinner (grilled ribeye) and children's bedtime. Nose was fresh and bordered on jammy, rich with tones of blue fruit and dark cherries. On the palate much of the same, notes of plum, black cherry, and oaky vanilla, with a luscious mouth feel and lengthy finish. Frankly exceeded expectations for age and vintage, really pleasantly surprised. 91+

1/20/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Another Costco find that I decided to take a shot on. Tempranillo based blend with some Cabernet Sauvignon (most online listings say 20% but the bottle indicated less). Nose of raspberry mixed with eucalyptus, anise, and hints of herbal liquor. More menthol than "mint". On the palate it plays very much to the blend, blackberry and hints of cherry tempered by fennel and herbal notes. Interesting, tasty, and a decent value at the Costco price point. Paired with enchiladas.

1/15/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Consistent with prior note, if anything more elegant and succulent than the last bottle. Rich black cherries, hints of grapefruit and blood orange, faint floral notes. Better with a decant. 2 more bottles and will be hard to hold off on them.

1/13/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Pleasant but somewhat unremarkable. Modest minerality and some hints of grass and lemon. Good at the Costco price.

1/13/2024 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Opened and decanted for 30 minutes, drank over ensuing hour+. Nose at open had a slight funk but blew off very quickly. Poured ruby with a hint of brown, some mild bricking. Certainly looked its age on opening. I think this is in a good window but the air definitely helped and the wine opened and evolved with time.

On the palate, initially dominated by tart cherry but opening up to rich, deep red fruits, with plum, cocoa, dark chocolate and notes of tobacco and cigar box. Alcohol was notable, particularly at open, but not overpowering.

A very enjoyable but very dense, serious wine.

1/7/2024 - DizzyOneCheck wrote:

Some sediment on the cork, decanted through a filter/aerator and enjoyed over the next 90 minutes. Nose was promising on open, but the wine itself was fairly linear and fell short of the nose for me. Lacked depth and modest fruit was overwhelmed by oak and drying tannins that led to an impression of dry wood. Not an unpleasant drink but ultimately I thought it was pretty generic and forgettable.

1/7/2024 - DizzyOneCheck wrote:

Flawed - poured brown, smelled and tasted oxidized. Decanted to be sure but knew immediately it was bad. No change with air. Have another bottle, hope it turns out better but given the shared provenance I'm not optimistic.

12/30/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Decanted, drank cooler than room temp but warmer than cellar temp. On the palate it hits all the expected notes, with layers of herbs, bramble, mint and anise/licorice, but (for my taste) lacked a bit of depth and concentration. Overall very pleasant and drinking well currently, 90-92.

12/28/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Consistent with prior note, although this bottle was a bit less luscious and complex than the first. PnP for the first glass, followed by a decant. Not as much evolution from the time in the decanter this time. I actually think it would have benefited from being served a touch cooler than room temperature. Still a great value at $35 for Bordeaux fruit that is drinking now.

12/25/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Decanted for 90 minutes+, and served alongside a 2013 Ovid Experiment R8.3 with Christmas dinner (prime rib). First impression was how deep and intense the nose was - deep, dark fruit with hints of herbal liquor, licorice and anise. Maybe the most deep and nuanced nose on a wine I've ever tasted, it felt like you could "fall in". And on the palate it (mostly) delivered on the nose: blackberries, black cherries, blue and purple fruit, with integrated tannins and a silky mouthfeel. For much of dinner I had it slightly ahead of the Ovid, despite my preference for that wine going into the night. As the night wore on the Insignia did seem to drop off some, and started to exhibit some bitter flavors and notes of green pepper. Nonetheless, a stupendous wine and a real treat. 94-96.

12/25/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Phenomenal. Decanted for 2 hours before serving with prime rib. Nose of black and blue fruits, and rich, deep palate with luscious berries, dark cherry, and hints of spice. It held its own against a 2010 Insignia, another great wine but one that costs at least twice as much. Just a tremendous wine, and at a decade old it still felt young at times, occasionally being almost two fruit forward. This is one to drink now and drink later, if you're lucky enough to do so.

12/27/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Last two bottles, very similar to my prior note. Tart cherry, fruit, leather, soil. Was best with an hour+ of air. Good example of lighter side of Brunello, matched well with pizza and enjoyed by all.

12/18/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Another sub-$15 wine from Costco. Here, notes of black and purple fruit bramble lead the way, followed by hints of char and volcanic soil, oak and vanilla. Dash of raspberry on the back palate as the wine opens up. Pleasant enough weeknight food wine, 88-90.

11/24/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Consistent with prior - easy drinking, juicy, but Syrah brings some nice complexity and hints of spice. Paired with pizza. 88-90.

11/18/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Decanted for 90 minutes, drinking wonderfully with a little air. Nose of dark fruit, black cherry, leather, soil, and gravel. On the palate very fruit forward, a touch sweet, with notes of blackberry, lilac, and hints of minerality. Creamy mouthfeel. Great QPR at $35-40 a bottle. 91+.

11/17/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

PNP, and drinking well from the open. Nice Bordeaux blend that still presents the Tuscan terroir front and center. The nose in particular almost suggests sangiovese (there is none in this blend), with hints of burnt citrus and Tuscan soil. Good balance of fruit on the palate with a dash of leather and minerality. Really enjoyable and great QPR relative to its better known and more expensive older brother.

11/17/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

A lesson in patience, or my lack thereof, as seems to be so often the case. Pulled from the cellar to stand up a few hours before opening, then decanted for sediment. The nose gave a burst of warm fruit on open but receded quickly. Initial tastes were flat, muted, gravelly with faint fruit but overwhelmed by graphite and earth. I was concerned it may be flawed. Over the ensuing few hours each glass got progressively better. The last pour - at three hours open - was rich with florals and dark fruit, the graphite and wood well integrated, texture and mouthfeel rounded and luscious. From the bottom of the decanter, the traces seemed to whisper to me "how many times do we have to teach you this lesson, old man?"

Great expression of Margaux that is drinking well but needs a lengthy decant to show it's true colors. Hopefully you have more patience than I did. 91-93.

11/13/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

$17 Costco pickup, 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Merlot. PnP with sausage and peppers. Big bold nose with in-your-face fruits and oaky vanilla. Palate is fruit forward and slightly sweet, again with oak and slightly bitter and puckering Sangiovese tannins leading to a dry finish. Perfectly serviceable weeknight dinner wine.

11/12/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Nose is fantastic and complex right from the start - rich, dark bramble with hints of black olives, roasted bell peppers, and blackberries. On the palate the Malbec is expectedly dominant: savory, briny, but with a backbone of dark fruit and some notable oak (which receded as the wine opened up). Served slightly above cellar temperature with about 40 minutes in the decanter, I would probably give this wine a little longer to breath next time. It certainly has the legs to lay down for a while. 92+

11/11/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Nose of cedar, menthol, roasted nuts, toasted coconut. One the palate, dry cherry, baking spices, coconut muffins, and orange zest. With air the wine really blossomed. The last glass, at 2.5 hours in the decanter, was incredible, with layers of dark fruits and florals.
Really enjoyable, and at a shockingly reasonable price (I wonder for how long). Drink or hold.

11/3/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Pulled from cellar mid-afternoon to stand up and warm up. Decanted through a Rabbit aerator to catch the (significant) sediment. Drank from 30 minutes to an hour and a half after decanting. I think allowing to come up to temp helped here, as did the air, but it didn't need hours. Right out of the bottle the wine was tight and tart. Much less barnyard than previous bottle, and blew off quickly. Nose opened up nicely but not sure the taste quite lived up to it. Fruit was subdued, with strong undertones of flint and gravel, but better balance than previous bottle. Blind I would have sworn the Cabernet here was of the Franc variety.

11/1/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Pleasant, quaffable Tuscan blend. Syrah is strong on the nose, some hints of barnyard and mossy earth. Blackberry and tart fruit on the palate, with puckering tannins, a moderate acidity and some mid palate spice. Juicy and approachable, it was fine on its own and with grilled pork chops. 88-90

10/4/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Midweek pop and pour. Nose is immediately very Paso, bright red cherry notes. On the palate, cherry and raspberry followed by blackberry cobbler. Some spice on the mid palate, slightly puckering with just a hint of oak and burnt sage. Finishes with hints of campfire and burnt marshmallows. A little sweet, but very pleasant and surely a crowd pleaser.

10/8/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Bramble-y nose of dark fruit, almost zin-like at first. Some real depth to the nose. On the palate it starts and ends with the Malbec. Anise, licorice, menthol, herbs. Fruit appears more on the mid palate, raspberry and dark cherry. Savory, almost slightly salty finish with notes of olive.

Drank over several nights and fared fine in the fridge with the cork back in. Solid and enjoyable for what it is, but there are (in my opinion) better Malbec-dominant red blends for the same or a lower price point (for example Amancaya, which can be had for about half the price).

10/27/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Costco pickup. 2017 is the first vintage since this wine was upgraded from Riserva to Gran Selezione (thus the confusing CT situation with this appearing in both). 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc. Opened and allowed to breathe in the bottle but not decanted. Drank over an hour +/-.

Great chianti nose of sour cherry, slightly earthy with bitter herbs, a hint of barnyard, and maybe anise? At opening, the wine is juicy, slightly tart, with a distinctive Sangiovese flavor of Tuscan earth and sunshine, tart cherry, blood orange, hints of raspberry and burnt citrus rind. Smooth and lingering finish that hints oat apricot. As this opens up, gets more fruit forward and slightly sweeter, with splashes of rich cherry juice but still with a slight acidic bite of faint grapefruit rind.

Paired with pizza, it held up fine. Outperforms its relatively modest price point price point. 90+

9/25/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Plum, dark berries, hints of black olive, spice and leather with that tell-tale Malbec fortitude and a notable undertone of savory on the finish. Great as a PNP, better with air in the glass, and just as good on nights 2 and 3 as well (stored in the fridge overnight with the cork back in). Recommend serving a little cooler (closer to a Malbec than a Cab serving temp).
Echoing others, really remarkable QPR for the quality and depth you're getting here.

9/15/2023 - DizzyOneCheck Likes this wine:

Nose is dominated by cherry with faint hint of oak, but palate is much more balanced. Cherry, vanilla, licorice, oak, raspberry. Soft mouthfeel, not quite mouthcoating but very supple. A well rounded, well integrated cabernet that is drinking well now. Decanted for about 30 minutes.