3/2/2024 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Primary but pleasant. Black cherry, earthy notes, firm acidity, moderate to high tannins. Savory and mature. A little VA.

2/27/2024 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Color is clear straw with flecks of light green. Mineral and matchstick on the nose, along with lean lemon, mineral and grapefruit. There is also a note of toast. On the palate, the acidity is moderate and measured, merging nicely with minerals and salinity. Finishes with good length, nice tart minerals, dried lemon and lemon rind. The lingering finish is mouthwatering and has a subtle chewiness. An excellent food white that improved nicely in the glass.

2/19/2024 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Wonderful earthy cherry and gentle funk. Subtle tar under medium-ripe cherry, with spice and great balance. Finessed but not too light. Very nice and detailed. Plenty of character. Did fade a tiny bit in the last sip or two.

2/19/2024 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Medium to light garnet color. The nose is savory and meaty. Underbrush, anis, grilled meat, beef broth, dried cherry. On the palate more savory notes, dried cherry, and a note of vicks cherry cough drop. Moderate acidity and tannins.

11/23/2023 - Bob Fyke wrote:

I feel like I was supposed to be more impressed with this wine, given what I had been told by others. It was nice enough, but not remarkable. Good darks fruit and nice primary notes, good structure, but not a lot of details on the nose or palate. If it were an $18 bottle, I would have been happy, but it wasn't.

11/19/2023 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Solid and balanced. Lots of lovely detail in the aromatic nose and on the palate, but they required close attention. Dark cherry, warm spice. Tannins, acidity and fruit are well harmonized. Double decanted about an hour in advance. Thoroughly enjoyable.

10/25/2023 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Popped and poured. Deep garnet color with some transparency at the edges. The nose shows earthy spice with ripe black cherry and blackberry, subtle charred cedar, dried floral perfume and roasted meat and toast. These elements are all subtle, but form a very compelling and solid complexity. The palate is well balanced with dark cherry fruit, fine juicy tannins, snd easy acidity. Well integrated. An hour into the bottle, the predominant characteristics are slightly smoky cedar, warm pie spice, and firm black cherry. There is a nice grip and minerality on the finish. Very enjoyable.

10/21/2023 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Clear ruby color. The nose shows elegant dried red cherry, clay subtle asian spice, and a suggestion of sweetness. The palate is pure and pretty with more.red.cherry with finesse. The cherry is supported by mineral and sweet acidity.. There's also a bit of sweetness on the tip of the tounge, but the weight is dine and lean. Nice length on the finish as well. Very pretty and enjoyable. Well intrgrated, but no signs of fading.

6/24/2023 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Nice and balanced. Fruit forward, for a Barolo. Not particularly complex.

6/24/2023 - Bob Fyke Likes this wine:

Lovely. Balanced acidity and fruit. Pineapple, green apple, pie spice, some earthiness that was pleasantly unusual. Beautiful aromatics. Not over the hill.

6/18/2023 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Bummer! Corked, after 7 years in the cellar.

6/2/2023 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Popped and poured. Rustic black cherry and leather. Not much complexity. Did develop a little bit of depth over 1-2 hours, but unimpressive for this price point.

5/9/2023 - Bob Fyke Likes this wine:

This is a beautiful chianti. The color is the first clue as to its depth, showing purple_red which is only transparent at the edges. The nose initially shows dense black cherry and opens to charred sandalwood, , a little dried rose, and flinty soil. The palate is firm and full of dense black cherry, not rustic at all. There's burnt orange rind, savory notes, a suggestion of sweetness and very fine tannins. The acidity supports it all in a balanced way.

3/12/2023 - Bob Fyke wrote:

On the nose, notes of green apple and lemon with nice petrol. The palate had moderate acidity, low viscosity, and a mineral finish. It was nice enough on its own, but really showed well with our dinner (chicken crepes). A satisfying pairing since the crepes had apple and onions in them as well.

2/20/2023 - Bob Fyke Does not like this wine:

Not sure what is the cause, but this bottle did not live up to the notes of others. It was simple and without any secondary details. Hoping it was a flawed bottle, although there was no sign of heat damage or TCA. If I was to score it as-is, it would be in the 82 point range.

11/25/2022 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Decanted 30 minutes in advance. Dense garnet in color with only a suggestion of bricking at the rim. Dark red cherry, pomegranate and earthy spice on the nose. The palate has a nice density, with ripe roasted black cherry, roast beef, and savory spices. The acidity is just right, for CC and the tannins a sweet and integrated. Mouth-watering and solid.

10/15/2022 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Decanted and poured; details evolved over two hours. The nose has excellent complexity with dark strawberry and raspberry notes with tobacco and white pepper as well. On the palate there is good balance with very fine grained tannins. Fresh red cherry skins and some charred sandalwood. There is a bit of weakness on the palate as it thins out just before the finish; this improved over time in the glass. Despite that, this did not disappoint.

10/14/2022 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Holding up very well. Just a hint of bricking. Integrated and complex. Dark red cherry fruit with a pleasant roasted note. Sweet leather, flinty earth and Asian spice. Very well-balance with acidity and tannins that complement but don't stand out. No indication of fading, just nicely grown-up.

2/12/2022 - Bob Fyke wrote:

I love the way the grenache and sangiovese balance out the syrah. There is real finesse in each of the elements, but the solid heart of syrah is there. The nose shows subtle tomato soup, blackberry, dark pie spice and a bit of dried flowers.The palate is beef broth, roasted blackberries, more chewy spice and a little sandalwood. The structure may be the best part, with a satisfying and savory blendng of gentle acidity and delicious tannins that finish like a tiny meal.

1/12/2022 - Bob Fyke wrote:

The nose has very nice signs of maturity with forest floor and mushroom over roasted blackberry. The palate is still fresh and light with easy acidity, lean red cherry and cranberry, and only subtle tannins. The highlight for me was the maturity on the nose, while the palate was just very pleasant, but not complex. Interestingly, the color is still garnet with no obvious bricking.

12/16/2021 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Nice level of detail at this price point. Warm spice, savory, good balance. Warm red cherry and Earthy undertones.

11/26/2021 - Bob Fyke wrote:

The nose is clearly Bordeaux, with subtle pencil lead and lean black fruit. A bit light in weight and finish with underwhelming structure. Showed a little improvement in the last sips, with tobacco note surfacing. Maybe it will get better with time. Nice if it was $15, but not so great at $35. Open and decanted 4 hours in advance.

11/6/2021 - Bob Fyke wrote:

The color is medium garnet with a tinge of brown. On the nose there's pure, aromatic, lean black cherry, with fresh mushroom, grilled meat, some iron and a hint candied red cherry. Palate is elegant in weight with fresh red cherry and sweet acidity. Mouth-watering. Minimal tannins and a bit light on the finish. Probably loosing it's stuffing to age, but still lovely. I'd love to try another to see if this is typical.

10/16/2021 - Bob Fyke Does not like this wine:

This was just too simple and unremarkable, especially at this price point. The nose is quite reserved with very subtle notes of fresh plum and black cherry. The palate is balanced but not solid.

10/11/2021 - Bob Fyke wrote:

There are subtle notes of pie spice and earth, but they are a little hard to find. Pure, fresh red cherry notes are very nice on both the nose and palate. Plenty of acidity and a medium to light weight. Tannins are minimal. I was hoping for more.

10/4/2021 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Quick note. Dense and full of character. Plenty of blue and balckberrry. Sweet acidity and easy tannins. There is a great savory, beef broth quality to the palate. At 10 years old, it doesnt show any signs of fadings and has all the components to press on.

9/18/2021 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Finessed richness, with savory, dense, red cherry and warm licorice and pie spice notes. Balanced and easy to drink. Tannins and acidity are complimentary and not obvious.

9/11/2021 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Dense and full of power and structure. Solid black cherry with subtle spice. Tight, with very little aromatic action. Full of potential.

8/18/2021 - Bob Fyke wrote:

The nose is distinct and pronounced, but restrained. Dark smokey incense with dried violets, esrth, a little pencil lead and wonderful cured tobacco. The palate shows fresh blackeberry and black currant in a balanced dense style, with form sweet tannins and moderate acidity. The finish is long and satisfying witb rich tobacco and charred earthe lingering.

8/1/2021 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Siper solod and traditional with lots of stuffing. Savory, with roasted meat untertones, dense black cherry, black earth and dried roses. Big tannins on the finish. Opened Up and really showed complexity over three hoirs and into the next eveninf. Do decant and wait, or cellar for more years. Packed and balanced.

6/13/2021 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Enticing nose of red cherry and strawberry in a savory / spiced way. So nice, with undertones of mineral earth. The palate shows the same fruit profile, nice balance, and a little beef broth.. The acidity and tannins are surprisingly moderate, at this young age (with food). Every sip and sniff was a pleasure. Lazy tonight (writing-wise), but this is just lovely Nebbiolo.

6/12/2021 - Bob Fyke Likes this wine:

Double decanted 4 hours in advance. Color is a beautiful med-red garnet with great clarity and a hint of brick at the edge. The nose is a very deep black cherry with high notes of dried cherry skin. There is also sweet saddle leather, clay earth and spice notes. Subtle ginger, nutmeg and clove. There is also a bit of orange rind. The palate has a medium weight with good integration. More black cherry with sweet acidity and fine tannins. The structure is not obtrusive in any way, but rather complimentary to the cherry, spices, leather and earth. The acidity does provide a satisfying bite, but is in no way overpowering. Lovely satisfying Sangiovese.

5/15/2021 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Not remarkable, but enjoyable. Fresh black and red fruits on the nose and palate. Moderate tannins. Good balance.

4/30/2021 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Sold value. Very nice Syrah character. Satisfying and balanced. Not particularly complex, but very enjoyable.

12/22/2020 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Decanted 1 hour prior to first pour. Initially, on the nose, shows notes of cranberry, warm brown sugar, subtle dried violets and dried red cherry. The palate is lean and fine grained, with earthy notes, minerally clay and more dried red fruit. The tannins are sweet and very fine. Overall, it hints at complexity, but the details don't stand out. Perhaps with time.

10/26/2020 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Completely under whelming. The total lack of character and depth makes me wonder if this id flawed, but there is no sign of TCA or heat. All structure with no fruit or or secondary notes. Drinks like a low end Chianti. Will drink my remaining bottle soon to see what it tells.

10/21/2020 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Solid nose of dried blackberries, beef broth, and a hint of charred smokey herbs. The palate is full of flavor and lean in weight. Dried blackberries, with no sweetness and very well balanced acidity that really carries things. The finish is mouthwatering with a fone texture, lingering savory and berry notes, and a fine grained grip. Quite a nice syrah that brings out the bold characte, butr with finesse.

10/5/2020 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Solid, traditional Sangiovese. Not particularly complex, but all the clasdic elements are here. Dried black cherry, leather and a subtle dried rose petals. The palate has clean red cherry with subtle acidity, and significant dusty tannins on the rustic finish.

7/16/2020 - Bob Fyke Likes this wine:

Just a generic observation on my experience with this wine in multiple vintages. I always find it lovely, complex and satisfying, with lots of pretty character. Always an easy "yes" for me when shopping.

6/29/2020 - Bob Fyke Likes this wine:

Quite solid and dark. Blackberry and black cherry fruit with pronounced tannins. Balanced components but needs time to integrate.

6/28/2020 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Nice level of acidity, with notes of caramel, pineapple, and white peach. Not particularly complex. A little disappointing, at this level.

2/13/2020 - Bob Fyke Likes this wine:

Solid, enjoyable nose. Dark red fruit and strawberry preserves, cured tobacco leaves, spiced cherry pie, undertones of flinty Earth. Firm dark fruit on the palate. Moderate acidity. Spiced , slightly chewy finish. Medium grip.

9/8/2019 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Lovely and satisfying.Ripe black cherry with dried rose petals and subtle perfume. Notes of cedar provide an accent to the nose. Richly aromatic. The palate shows more black cherry, some orange rind, fresh acidity, flinty Earth, and fine grained grip. No gaps here.

10/29/2018 - Bob Fyke wrote:

I very pleasant surprise. Great balance and integration. Seamless. Aromatic spiced cedar. Fine grained texture / chewiness. Dried red and black cherry. Dried roses as well. Quite satisfying.

8/22/2018 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Good complexity. Rustic foundation. Develops well with time in the glass. Licorice, dried herbs, dried cranberry.

11/27/2017 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Showing well for its age, but lacks much detail or secondary notes.

7/4/2017 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Firm concentrated black cherry and blackberry with plenty of structure. Some perfume and spice. A CC meant to lay down. The components are all there to develop into a beauty with 5-10 years, min.

2/19/2017 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Always an excellent value. Finessed and complete. Satisfying from first pour to last drop every time. Aromatic red cherry and strawberry, spice, good structure underneath, but easy going.

12/9/2016 - Bob Fyke wrote:

Starts off dense and rich but backs off soon to a place of nice balance. Roasted raspberry, spiced brambles, savory notes and herbs. Palate is balanced with dense dark raspberry and balck cherry, spiced herbs, sandalwood, and black pepper. Complete and satisfying. Improved overnight.

12/4/2016 - Bob Fyke wrote:

My favorite of the three vineyards in the Garagiste offer (Boushey, Red Willow were the other two). Would like to try this again. Good depth, detail, and complexity. Developed well over time in the glass. Balanced. Well structured with nice firm edges.