11/26/2011 - lumber1 wrote:

Wow ...

11/13/2010 - lumber1 wrote:

Very nice wine ... opened when it was a bit cold ... better as it aired out ...

11/18/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

just ok

10/7/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Just love it. Only two bottles left. It is now changing colour and losing its punch, but it is still mouth coating and lovely.

10/7/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

I think this bottle gets a bum rap. While it may not quite have the body, it is certainly very smooth and has great flavour - just not quite a cab bomb.

10/7/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Fabulous.

10/7/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Absolutely Unreal. Enjoyed with the Bonhommes and Andrew and Kika. At first seemed a bit dissapointed, but then it opened up and it was so incredibly smooth ...

10/7/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Just a great wine. Every bit as nice as a Pape ... only one bottle left.

10/7/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

will continue to hold. Enjoyed it very much ...

10/7/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Classic flavour

10/7/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

A dissapointment as I was told this was going to blow me away. Just because it can keep for two weeks, doesn't make it tasty. Will try letting the next one breath ...

10/7/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Chewy, Nice ... can still take time.

10/7/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Nice

5/14/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Very nice, starting to edge on the rim. Nice smooth taste ... went very well with pork on the BBQ and garlic mashed.

4/26/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

light bodied. Only had one bottle, received as a gift. Expected a bit more fruit.

4/15/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Agree with some of the other reviews ... just too sweet. My goodness, if you drank a few bottles of this you would have a splitting headache and your mouth would feel like you drank a bottle of night-time-sniffing-sneezing remedy ... otherwise known as nyquil ...

4/15/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Drank my last two bottles. What a shame. I know some find this a bit bland, but I found that it was very subtle ... the opposite of a California fruit bomb. I loved the deep lingering flavours. Drank with good friends up skiing and it was the hit of the night - by a mile! Now, it is all gone.

4/15/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

A nice wine. Full bodied ... nice mix of tanin and fruit. Will continue to age, but drinks well right now.

4/15/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Man, some of the chianti's lately have seemed flat. I don't know if I should decant, eat with Salami or just cry! Perfectly nice wine with pasta, but ...

4/15/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Sleeper, Nice stuff. Love the name ... everyone does.

4/15/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Took some advice and decanted this two hours in advance. Either it has still room to age, or it is just in the blah stage. it as nice enough, but I would not put it up with a Rhone!

4/15/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Very nice and subtle. Ate with a nice pasta & fish. Lovely wine.

4/15/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Still trying it to see if I like it ... almost seems too dry ... as if it has closed down ... or maybe it never had any?

4/15/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Nicely done, fruity, good value.

4/15/2007 - lumber1 wrote:

Great, as always.

10/20/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Tried my first bottle. Found it a a bit sweet, definately needs a slight chill. Ready to drink now with lots of fruit, but not quite what Pinot like; I would certainly not have recognized it as Pinot in a test.

10/9/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Well made wine. Drank with Thanksgiving pork after opening a spoiled bottle of Cornas - what a contrast. Again, shouuld have decanted, but was still full of great fruit and a nice long finish in the mouth.

10/9/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Almost like a vinegar on the nose. Awful.

10/3/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Ordered a bunch of Bordeaux 2005 futures, so it gave me the itch to drink a nice bottle. Opened the View Telegraphe, but did not decant. Very predictable nice Chateuneuf; could certainly sit for a few more years. No negative signs of aging and just starting to take on character.

8/1/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

I like the glycerin smoothness of this wine ... only a few left ... was great value.

10/1/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Wow, just an insane wine ... big and beefy ... could likely go away for a long, long time ... took a bottle to Erin's house.

4/30/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Drank another two at Hamilton Aiport ... still very nice ...

4/30/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Drank with guys at the Hamilton Airport with a catered meal. Was quite nice ... what you woudl expect in a good year chateauneuf du pape ... glycerin and a good finish ... still some fruit.

4/2/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

OK, a bit earthy ... maybe it neeeds time?

4/2/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Had a bottle along with the 1998 Boursan Chateauneuf du Pape. Side by side you could see that this definately needs more time. It has the stuff to age, but is still a bit firm. It needs to smooth out and lose the "bite", but still a very nice brunello. Maybe with some hard cheese?

4/2/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

A fabulous wine. Drank four bottles when Steve, Scott and Doug were over to celbrate our trip to the North Pole. At with great Rib steaks and some grilled salmon. Very smooth. Did not show any signs of aging ... other than a smooth nice taste. It did improve further with aeration.

2/15/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Despite some of the reviews, I really liked this stuff. Nice fruit and it had some character. Drank in Ellicottville with Mark and Darcy.

3/15/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Just all-right, not super. Love the label, but it smells a bit earthy. Again, depends on the food pairing, this time with Pork ... next time pasta.

3/15/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Mmm, this wine really needs to air+ depends on food matching. This time, only about an 86 ... very purple, sangiovese, a bit dry on the edge ... next time, remember to let it warm up and breath.

3/2/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Very very nice. Opened to celebrate buying a new business. Had with a great steak. This wine did not get great reviews, but I love the fruit ... a bit of an edge but also soft and round. All around, much better than I thought.

12/24/2005 - lumber1 wrote:

Nice bottle, very smooth. Showing its age, browning on the edge. It was good value so we are just having fun seeing how long it will last.

12/25/2005 - lumber1 wrote:

Just ok, not great.

2/19/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Don't remember drinking it, but it is gone. Probably just ok.

1/19/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

We just love Brunellos - period. Balanced with some fruit, easy drinking. A bit firm, but might loosen up. Nice to drink and remind me of Italy ... aaa ... hard to go wrong with a 1999 Brunello.

2/4/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Enjoyed a bottle to celbrate Greg's 40th and Karen's 29th (again). This was an absolute surprise. Perfectly balanced and very very smooth. Did not have that sometimes present Jammy typical California Cab. Great Nose, smooth, smooth smooth ... has a few more years of life for sure.

1/26/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Drank at same meal as a 1994 Grgich. Both were great. Still have a few bottles left of the Mount Veeder. Can certainly continue to sleep for a few years.

1/26/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Only had one bottle (gift) and drank it with a pork tenderloin. It was a typical wonderful California Cab. Certainly still had tanin and could be kept for many more years. However, great to drink now as well.

1/22/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Had with a great steak dinner. Big and hearty, not for hte meek.

1/1/2006 - lumber1 wrote:

Just a great wine. Still has excellent fruit and an absolute pleasure to drink.

12/29/2005 - lumber1 wrote:

Wow, what a difference the pairings make. This time, did not decant and started the bottle a bit on the chilled side. The flavour exploded. We had it paired with lamb chops and it was delicious. Still has a firm dry finish and a tiny bit of sour aftertaste, but great stuff. I take back what I said about WineSpec in the previous rating.