1/27/2024 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Most notable feature of this wine, compared to others I’ve tried, is its surprisingly high level of acidity instead of tannins. A food friendly wine with tart red berry flavors and subtle hint of herbs. Moderate body and and medium length finish

7/2/2023 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

I completely agree with Oldhick’s notes. Deep, dark inky color. A big wine with sweet, dark fruit predominant. Less complex and spicy than other vintages. Medium finish and light tannins. Definitely an approachable wine. 89 pts

1/29/2023 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Big & rich. 40% Malbec plus classic bordeux blend with merlot, cab, petit Verdot and cab franc. Nothing subtle about this wine with dark fruit forward and moderate tannins. Pairs nicely with bbq, steak and hearty dishes. Moderately long finish. Drinking well now. Not sure it will improve age but should hold nicely for at least 5 years

1/28/2023 - MystMrQ wrote:

Dry and oh so very, very, very bubbly. So much so that bubbles is the first thing I notice. Palate cleaning and food friendly. Nice with Asian foos

1/5/2023 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Big, rich but beautifully balanced Pinot. Bursting with cherry, chocolate and all-spice with a long, long finish. Make no mistake, this may be a Pinot but it’s no delicate wall flower. This wine will stand up to beef, pasta and similar foods that typically call for a bigger wine. Drinking beautifully now but likely to hold well for several more years.

9/18/2022 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Bright cherry flavors with hint of cedar and oak. Food friendly with nice acidity and finely grained tannins. Moderately long finish. A baby brunello. Great QPR at $25.

8/24/2022 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

What a delight! Great, food friendly wine and excellent QPR. A sort of “right down the middle” Red. Not too big and not too thin. Red berries and plum on the nose with just a hint earth and spice. A true Goldilocks of wines. Liked it at the restaurant price of $56 and love it at $16 retail

6/3/2022 - MystMrQ Does not like this wine:

Beautiful nose with hints of dark red fruit and chocolate but the pleasure ended there. On the palate sour cherry, dirt and eucalyptus notes did not work together. Moderately tannic with medium long finish.

8/11/2021 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Drinking beautifully now. Deep and complex with dark cherry and cola nuts with a lovely, spicy undernote on the finish. Love this wine!

3/13/2021 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Much to my surprise this bottle was remarkably vibrant. While the color had shifted more toward brick red it remained fruit forward with notes of blackberry and hints of spice with a moderately long finish. I loved this wine in 2003 and still love it now.

9/28/2020 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

A stunning combination of lush honey and flowers with tart apple and lemon curd with a long, lingering finish. Just a wonderfully balanced and complex wine.

7/4/2020 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

A classic expression of Bien Nacido vineyard. Tart cherry gives way to allspice and cola notes. Long finish. Outstanding Cali pinot

5/9/2020 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Big and bold but there’s a spicy, peppery zing that really sets this over the top. Love it!

4/11/2020 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

A big, fruit forward wine that’s still drinking beautifully. Rich, deep blackberry flavors dominate with enough tannins to stand up to hearty food. Only thing missing were the cracked white pepper notes that have always made this particular Hartford Zin so distinctive. Recommend drinking now

12/28/2019 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Stunning nose of dark cherry, light and acidic body with cola and spice notes.Medium-long finish. Great food wine and drinking beautifully now.

4/20/2019 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Better after decanting but not yet to its full potential. That said, bright cherry cola flavors with hints of earth of spice. Hopeful that spice notes become more pronounced with age. Right now, just a bit one dimensional but with definite potential

7/6/2018 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

After about 15 minutes in the glass, red fruit forward and rich on the palate with a moderately long finish. Nothing stood out per se. Instead, just a really nicely balanced, food friendly wine. Drink now.

7/1/2018 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

A classic French rose. Salmon in color and tiny bubbles that create a smooth, delicate finish. Only the slightest hint of of sweetness- dry and crisp. Medium-long finish. Overall, well balanced and very versatile.

9/29/2017 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Full and rich, definitely a "big," new world, merlot. Fruit forward and jammy, but not syrupy, with sneaky tannins and a long finish. Not terribly complex but an enjoyable and good friendly wine. High in alcohol ( 15.4%). A nice offshoot from Caymus.

7/9/2017 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Deep purple hue. Dark fruit and mint (or is it eucalyptus?) on the nose and in taste make this a distinctive, and pleasant syrah. Mild tannins make this easily accessible wine that's ready to drink now. Full body and medium length finish.

6/30/2017 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

A rich and beautifully balanced wine. Classic CA pinot with dark cherry and cola notes. Rich mouthfeel and long finish. Nothing dominates especially but that's part of this wine's charm. Just a really pleasant Pinot.

6/23/2017 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Crisp and lively, distinct grassy notes and a just a hint of the grapefruit flavors that distinguish New Zealand SB's. Not as pronounced as most Marlborough SB's I've tried but nice nonetheless. A very food friendly wine.

6/14/2017 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Simple, straightforward and nicely balanced with a tart acidic backbone that makes this a food friendly wine. Nothing terribly complex but no off notes either, with bright dark cherry notes. Relatively thin mouthfeel and moderate finish. Nice for the $18 price.

6/4/2017 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Classic Central Otogo with upfront cherry cola notes over a background of subtle spices that give this wine complexity and a long finish. Drinking beautifully now but likely to age well through 2019.

12/31/2016 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Delightful, light, food friendly wine. Tart cherry flavors with a sharp, acidic finish that allows this wine to accompany a variety of foods. Not terribly complex but very pleasant.

11/16/2016 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Until now, I was not a fan of Sea Smoke's Ten. But this wine is stunning, especially if you like your pinots big and bold. Deep and complex with a dark cherry core wrapped around layers of earth and allspice with a finish that lasts a week. Perhaps most surprising, is that this wine keeps its bite, with a level of acidity and tartness that complements a wide range of food. While this may age for several more years, I believe it is at its peak now. Drink and enjoy!

10/28/2016 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

An eminently drinkable blend of 2 obscure grapes: Norton & Noir. Medium bodied, slightly tart. reminds me of cranberry/cherry blend. firm acidic backbone makes this a good foreibdkt wine. Different but enjoyable

9/5/2016 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Dark almost inky black with deep, rich blackberry and blueberry flavors that almost reaches sweet. Silky full mouth feel with fine grained tannins providing structure. Almost reminds me of a petite syrah, it's that big. Highly extracted version of a Tempranillo at 15% alcohol. Not typical but really well done.

9/3/2016 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Easy drinking and food friendly. Dark ruby red in color but lighter red fruits on the palate. Virtually no tannins but sharp acidity make this wine pair nicely with a variety of foods. Simple but lovely food wine

7/23/2016 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Opened up beautifully, with full, spicy, fruit-driven attack but with a surprisingly softness from fine-grained tannins. Drinking beautifully now, quite likely at its peak. Enjoy.

6/10/2016 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Lovely pure fruit on the nose and initial taste but thin for a cab/syrah combo. Disappointingly fast finish. Drinking nicely now. Unlikely to improve with age.

5/8/2016 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Deep, rich and fruit driven. Blueberry and blackberry dominate. Long finish but very little development. What you start with is what you end with. While there isn't anything subtle about this wine, it's really enjoyable if you like this style

4/2/2016 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

A deep, rich wine with notes of cherry and spice that give this wine a lovely complexity that evolves over the mid palate. What really distinguishes this wine is its soft, gentle mouthfeel driven by its small grained tannins. Cab flavors in an almost merlot package. Long, fruit-driven finish. A remarkable wine at the price.

3/27/2016 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Tough year for everyone, including Rafanelli. Slightly more vegetal than I'm used to for this wine. Good but short of great.

3/20/2016 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

A rich, dense (almost sweet?) pinot with distinct floral and violet notes- an intriguing departure from pinots with more classic cherry cola flavors. Feels big for a pinot with a long finish. Quite intriguing.

2/14/2016 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Fruit driven and made in an accessible , easy to drink international style. While the flavor profile was not especially complex, the mouthfeel was especially rich, almost silky, with well integrated tannins and a long finish. An excellent complement to steak similarly hearty dishes. A very good friendly and approachable wine.

1/17/2016 - MystMrQ wrote:

Fruit driven and pleasant if a little thin compared to typical Lodi Zin. No off notes but no real complexity or depth either. Short to medium finish. A simple but pleasant quaff.

12/31/2015 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Surprisingly bright and crisp given its extended aging time in both barrel and bottle. Tart, green apple dominates making this a very food-friendly option. At $80 retail it's not a great value, but certainly an enjoyable sparkler, especially if you're fond of chardonnay-based, California interpretations.

12/4/2015 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Light, complex and herbal. Bell pepper dominates the nose but the wine itself manages to be both delicate and have a long, spicy finish.

11/15/2015 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

A nice food wine with crisp, sour cherry notes on the attack lingering through a moderately long finish. The healthy acid backbone makes this a good wine to pair with rich foods. My only complaint is that the wine is just a little too one-note for me, with no real development or subtlety of flavors. Good to very good, but short of great.

9/7/2015 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Classic Cali pinot nose with cherry cola and spice, but big promise becomes a little thin on first sip. That said, flavors develop nicely and wine has a medium long finish. Food friendly and accessible wine that's drinking nicely now.

8/29/2015 - MystMrQ wrote:

Bright cherries on the nose with subtle hints of spice, but thin with a quick finish. No off notes and pleasant overall, but nothing special either.

8/22/2015 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

An inky black, big, fruit forward wine with distinct mineral or eucalyptus note on a long finish. Definitely an in-your-face wine but with just enough acid and tannins to make it a nice complement to burgers or hearty fare. 50% petite syrah, 43% cabernet and 7% syrah. Interestingly, the Scholium web site notes that most of the petite syrah and cab were co-fermented, not blended.

6/30/2015 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Really nice, pure Cali pinot. Less spice than I typically associate with Carneros but rich, cherry and cola flavors with a rich mouthfeel. Medium long finish. Drinking wonderfully now but likely to hold through 2018.

6/27/2015 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Popped, poured and was pleasantly surprised. While tannins have softened somewhat, still has a rich mouthfeel with notes of black fruit framed by subtle cola and leather. Medium to long finish. Very nice. Drink by 2017.

6/22/2015 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Rich with lovely depth of spice and cherry. Still drinking beautifully now. Best by 2017.

4/25/2015 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Immediately struck by unusually deep color and pronounced apple on the nose. Evolved and improved over time as apple flavor picked up cinnamon and other spices after about 20 minutes. Still less complex than Schramsberg at its best, but still quite lovely.

4/13/2015 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Sigh. Drink now as this wine is slightly past its prime. While still possessing fairly intense core zin fruit flavors of blackberry/dark cherry, the spicy pepper zing that makes Hartford's Highwire zin my favorite in their portfolio is long gone. This remains a good zin but drink now- additional aging will not improve this wine.

4/7/2015 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

For a Lodi zin, this is remarkably light in body but with the clean, full fruit-forward cherry and red fruits that Turley is known for. Though less complex than some of their offerings, this is a lovely and food friendly zin.

1/18/2015 - MystMrQ Likes this wine:

Having been disappointed in the past by the aging potential of many CA cabernets, I was pleasantly surprised by the evolution of this wine. While the tannins have softened, there are layers of red fruit that mingle with cola and spice with a long finish in a medium bodied wine. Very, very nice.