| 2006 - Ridge Three Valleys |
| May 15, 2008 |
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A very nice zin. Purple red in color, medium bodied wine. Very structured for a zin. Impressive. Balance was excelllent. Fruit was not prominent; however, the the combined terroir of the blended multiple vineyard zinz, alcohol, and fruit make for a well balanced. wine. When no one component sticks out yet all are present, that tells me this is a well made zin. Bouquet slightly of meat. Highly recommended. Made me want to try others Ridge zin bottling, perhaps of single vineyard sites. They make a lot, like Rosenblum.
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| 2001 - Latour, Domaine Louis Marsannay |
| May 15, 2008 |
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Thin red in color, acidic banalce. Nice tang due to acid. Not certain if this was supposed to have more fruit or it faded. Fastes running legs I've ever seen. Slight bricking/browning, yet despite these apparent detractions, was an OK wine. The finish fades quicky but due to the acid present, there is a tang that also remains. It remains to be seen if further aging can improve this wine.
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| 2005 - Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel |
| May 15, 2008 |
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Color of cranberry, light to medium bodied wine. Bouquet of oak cask. Legs ran uniform and medium speed. Although it is somewhat potent, I kept thinking I wanted more fruit and taste. Reacted strongly with toungue. However, this zin seems to require a day in decanter for more flavors to show up. And they did. After a day there was less oak and more fruit and more zing in the mouth. Alcohol did come out more also, as there was a burn at back of the throat, but this was accompanied by more fruit as well. Surprised this evolved more positively for such a budget priced wine. If a store didn't have higher quality zins, such as Seghesio, Rosenblum, ect, and this was available, I wouldn't feel disappointed by choosing this. This and Coppola Diamond Red Label seem like safe choices at this price point.
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| 2004 - Niebaum-Coppola Diamond Series Red Label Zinfandel |
| May 15, 2008 |
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This wine seems to offered a lot at restaurants, where I first encountered it. thought enough of it to buy a bottle for home. Purple in color, slightly fruit forward, medium bodied wine. Taste of cherry. Slightly drying on tongue and a touch of that zin bitterness. Seemed to go well with spicy foods, and by that I don't mean peppers, just strong spices such as rosemary. For budget zins I would recommend this and Gnarly Head.
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| 2005 - Cosentino Winery Zinfandel Cigarzin |
| May 14, 2008 |
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I thought this might be a fad wine at first. Have some zin and cigar. This wine surprised me. It is good. Very fruity and primary zin. Dirty ruby red in color, fruit forward, medium to full bodied wine. Legs took forever to develpe and then ran slowly. Not dry or over oaked, although there is some oak. Not real active in mouth either; alcohol was will concealed behind fruit. A potent zin with a nose that has staying power. Now second day decanted, some oak and tannins are appearing. Has a bitterness I associate with both zins and malbecs but not a flaw, just characteristic of these grapes. Bouquet did not fade over time either. A nice zin and recommended.
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| 9998 - Bucci Verdicchio Classico Castelli di Jesi |
| May 14, 2008 |
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Very good Italian white wine. to me was almost the exact opposite of a reisling. golden staw in color, taste and bouquet of lemon. Finish lasts about 20 seconds and legs ran fat and fairly slow. If you've never tried a Vedeccio di Castelli you owe it to yourself to try one.
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| 2001 - Rudd Estate Oakville Estate Proprietary Red Wine |
| May 14, 2008 |
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Opened and decanted on 5/09/08. Was not apparent this was a Cab at first. A Cali bordeaux blend. Looked like purple grape juice. In glass the ruby color almost to the rim. First legs ran fast, second wave ran slow. Bouquet of dark fruits, oak, and vanilla. Balance was superb, one of the best I've encountered. Felt this in no one location in the mouth; its effect was all over the palate. Alcohol hidden and well balanced. Medium body. Finish fades failry quickly. Some coarse residue in the glass. Has developed more structure after1/2 in glass and is more complex. Now some tannins appear but nothing detracting. Like it when wines develope and change in the glass. To me that's a sign of a well made wine, which this is. Now on 3rd day the oak is apparent in the bouquet and taste. Tannins drying effect is evident when wine is swished in mouth but this dissipates quickly. Compared to a 2001 Spring Mountain Elivette, which was very absorbtive in the mouth and developed each half hour in glass, this wine is more about balance and structure. Based on the tannins and oak, I would age this to 2017. I noted a lot of sediment in this wine, then saw the bottle was under number 10. I wonder if when the bottled this first batch the winery might have gottten too much sediment in the first few bottling.
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| 2005 - Schmitt Sohne Riesling QbA Classic |
| May 07, 2008 |
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It's hard for me to imagine a better value in white wine of any kind. Light yellow in color, fruit forward style, light bodied and crisp. Pear taste dominates and sweetness flolows, but not syrupy sweetness. Finish fades quikly but then reappears in cheeks and back and sides of tongue. Had some M & M's for a snack and that pleasantly changed the wines taste, which tells me it pairs well with chocolate. This wine is so palatable and reasonably priced that buying this is a no-brainer.
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| 2005 - Bodegas Borsao Garnacha Tres Picos |
| May 07, 2008 |
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An improvement over the 2004, which I found a little harsh and hot. Not this one. Dirty ruby red in color, well balanced and medium bodied. Taste was tart and tangy like a granache should be. Robust and powerful due to the energy of the granache grape. Feel this on the back of tongue and in the throat. Aftertaste reminds me of bittersweet chocolate. Very reactive in the mouth. Finish 10-20 seconds. Bouquet of winery barrel room, which is somewhat yeasty and heady. Legs ran fast, fat, and in several waves. Light and fine residue in glass. This is well made and I definitely like it, but I feel this would be hard to drink a lot of. Think this willl go well with strong flavored foods and sauces.
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| 2001 - Wattle Creek Shiraz |
| May 07, 2008 |
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I never heard of this wine until a store in Vegas (2007) showed me it. Was surprised I picked up the 2001. Purple maroon in color, balance was good, and full bodied. Bouquet reminds me of a light zin. First sip is smooth, then a tang appears and has a lingering finish that shows on the middle of the tongue. But I still say this is overall smooth. Not hot either. I feel the extra aging in bottle helped smooth this wine out. Friend notes high alcohol for her; weighs in @ 14%. If you find this try it, you won't be disappointed.
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| 2005 - Banrock Station Chardonnay |
| May 07, 2008 |
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This wine is very reasonabley priced; some would call it cheap. This continues to be the best surprise in quality for me in white wines. I can't believe I liked this wine so much. I had no expectations based on it's price, and I was very nicely surprised. Exceded all expectations and I like when that happens. Crisp wine, citrus and peach flavors and bouquet. Light straw color. Good balance, no harshness of flavors or alchohol, light bodied. Oddly enough, I refridgerated this after opening, and the next day fruit jumped up a good notch. No oak tastes or off flavors either. Between this and the Schmitt Sohne family of reislings, the best quality/value white wines out there in your supermarket. Don't write it off because of the price; you owe yourself the chance to see for yourself.
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| 2000 - Miner Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville |
| May 07, 2008 |
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I know 2000 is sort of an off vintage for California wines, but if this was an off vintage for this wine, I need to check out an 'on' vintage. Vanilla taste which tells me oak. Looked somewhat like a darker pinot instead of cab. Slightly fruit forward but well balanced and medium bodied. Also acid as well on uncorking. Not a heavy fruit style, but I loved the way it developed in the glass. Some wines taste almost different from sip to sip, gaining complexity and flavor. Those are some of my favorites and this was one. A good wine, nuanced, flavorful, with structure. Finish faded quickly, which was predicted once friend saw how fast the legs ran. One of the better cabs I've had.
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| 2002 - Flora Springs Merlot Estate |
| May 07, 2008 |
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I only drink merlot occasionally. Don't have nothing against it, not like those influenced by the movie Sideways. The color was light burgundy with good balance and a light body. Strong reaction energy on the back of my tongue. Not harsh, just very active.Smooth on its 4th day but still retains a sting. How is that? Fruity on the first taste, then alcohol pushes aside fruit and says hello. A slight residue in bottle and glass. Okay merlot that will appeal to those not wanting an overpowering wine.
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| 2004 - Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Richard Sauret Vineyard |
| May 07, 2008 |
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This Zin was different somehow from all others I have had, such as Seghesio, Ridge, Gnarly Head, ect. Smooth yet potent. Plum flavors also which surprised me. Deep purple and medium bodied due to smoothness, which I attribute to a well balanced wine. Not super potent in the fruit division like some Zinz but again very well balanced. At 16% you will feel this. I am so intrigued about this style I will seek it out again just to sip and taste. Some wines make me want to just sip and taste and this was one of them. Recommended if you want to try a Zin of another color.
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| 2003 - Concannon Petite Sirah |
| May 07, 2008 |
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This was a full bodied wine right out of the gate. Deep purple color, well balanced. I credit the hot 2003 vintage for that. Like a souped up shiraz from Oz. Strong flavored and taste lingers. Legs ran medium fast. Everyone should sample a petite syrah to see if it's for them. Good.
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| 2003 - Wolf Blass Shiraz |
| May 07, 2008 |
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Deep purple and opaque. Fuit forward and full bodied. So fruity a friend said it reminded him of grape juice. Alcohol came out after the fruit. About a 30 second finish. Legs started out running medium but then took a while to decend. Light on the tannins. Most people who just have wine ocassionally talk about Yellowtail, but this and Greg Norman are better choices for me at this price point. Recommended.
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| 2001 - Gunderloch Riesling Kabinett Jean Baptiste |
| May 07, 2008 |
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Pale yellow in color, almost clear. Balance was good between fruit and acid and medium bodied. Taste was of apricots with acid present. I feel thsi bodes well for aging. Swear I also smelled and tasted watermelon. Recommended to be on your short list.
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| 9998 - Chapoutier Crozes Hermitage Petite Ruche |
| May 07, 2008 |
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Thin red in color, fruit forward, light bodied wine, low acidity. Color was semi-translucent, not deep or inky. Color does not go to the rim. A very pleasant and polite wine with a 20-30 second finish. I taste this all at the back of my mouth on the back and sides of tongue. This reminds me of a pinot but this is syrah. Fermented in cuve (cement vats) and sees no oak per their site. I would buy it again.
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| 2004 - Bodegas Borsao Tres Picos (Garnacha) |
| May 07, 2008 |
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Thin ruby Red color, floral bouquet, light to medium bodies, simple in structure. Metallic taste of granache. A little hot out of the bottle but has calmed donw on second day (decanted). Leg and running pretty slow. I smelled some sort of flowers in a glass that sat overnight. Really makes my mouth pucker and shrink. Finish fades in about 10 seconds. A decent Grenache at the price.
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| 2003 - King Estate Oregon Pinot Noir |
| May 06, 2008 |
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I'm on an Oregon roll! Color thin ruby red, medium to bouquet nice but not intense, a little chewy and fruity. Lots of contradictions going on but it woked for me. Also a 'bright' tasting wine. Very pleasant to drink, not overpowering, but not thin either. Legs run medium-slow and finish lasts 10-20 seconds. But the taste is excellent. Flavor sits on back and sides of tongue. I recommend this wine without reservation and woud buy again if I can find it. As much as I loved this Oregon wine and a 2002 Eola Hills, a 2003 Martinelli Belle Vigna was in a different class.
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| 2002 - Eola Hills Pinot Noir |
| May 06, 2008 |
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This review is for the Reserve, a blend of several vineyards. A good pinot all around. Ruby red and medium bodied. Taste was what I call 'bright'. Finish lasts almost a minute. Stays on back of tongue and palate. Very active in the mouth.Very full flavored pinot. Yeasty bouquet but in a good way. Legs ran medium fast. After three days decanted, fruit still stuck around. Recommended and an overacheiver in my book.
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| 2001 - Dessilani, Luigi Spanna Riserva |
| May 06, 2008 |
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This is nebbiolo. Thin red, like some pinots. Body medium to full. Taste slightly bitter and dry. Slight fragrance, nothing overwhelming. Finish a little hot. Medium legs.Taste was more in throat and back of tongue but then moved forward on tongue and lingers there a full minute. Feel some heat on the exhale. Might not be for you but for a change of pace try it.
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| 2003 - Venta Mazzaron |
| May 06, 2008 |
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Purple/maroon in color. Light bodied and simple. Justa tad bitter. But when first opened...no bouquet at all! Bu thte next day (decant) bouquet much better. Nice nose, subdued but fragrant, reminding me again of a winery barrel room, but just a whiff of that. Taste occurred on the roof of mouth and midde of tongue. So so but actually okay for the table.
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| 2002 - Buil & Gine Gine Gine |
| May 06, 2008 |
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Raspberry red in color and light bodied. A simple wine. Left decanted for 6 days and detected a formeldahyde flavor. Yeesch! But oddly, was fine when we first tasted so this must be popped and poured in one sitting. Tangy from some acid yet overall a polite wine.
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| 2004 - Kaesler Shiraz Stonehorse |
| May 06, 2008 |
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Nice finish, peppery, lots of extract. Heat upon first sip (15%) but did not overpower. Garnet-violet in color. Complex, and medium to heavy bodied wine. Finish lingers. Dense wine that stained the wine glass! Really reacts with the tongue. Legs crept down the glass. A disinctive and powerful wine and recommended. Would probably take a little more aging, possibly to 2012-2015.
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| 2001 - Muga Rioja Reserva |
| May 06, 2008 |
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Bright ruby red in color. Well balanced, alcohol and fruit seemd in step. Good heady boquet, again like a winery barrel room, a smell I love very much. A hard one taste wise to put a finger on. first thought it was tangy and tart, later I detected cherry flavors. A taste appeared in the mouth after awhile that I could not identify but wasn't a detraction. No dry nor sweet no over oaked, a good solid wine. Went well with salmon and rosemary potatos.
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| 2000 - Louis Bernard Chateauneuf du Pape Red |
| May 06, 2008 |
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Spicy, peppery, metallic, with a beautiful nose. Not dry either or loaded with tannins. Color was thin ruby red. I kept tasting this wine to see what else came through and I don't always do that. A good entry level CdP.
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| 2003 - Cimicky, Charles Trumps (Shiraz) |
| May 06, 2008 |
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This guys does well with his wines. Robust and dry, Delicious! Full bodies and somewhat complex, even at thsi price point. I think you get you monies worth and more from this producer. Recommended.
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| 2003 - Guigal Cotes du Rhone |
| May 06, 2008 |
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Grenache with that metallic taste like putting tinfoil in your mouth. This is not a detraction; I like tin foil in my mouth. Light in body with a 10-15 second finish. Smooth and a little dry. A good table wine. It amazes me to find wines such as this for reasonable cost that just smoke what suprmarkets are offering at this price.
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| 2003 - Terrazas de Los Andes Malbec Reserva |
| May 06, 2008 |
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Good strong bouquet when opened; smelled from across the room. Powerful wine, fruit prominent. Had a lot of reaction on tongue and made it sting. Usually I associate this with strong alcohol content but this was not the case. Just think this was a very active wine. Developed well over a few days in decanter but always retained that sting. Still, a good wine to pair with certain meal that require a dense strong counterbalance.
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| 2004 - Weinbach, Domaine Riesling Reserve Personnelle |
| May 06, 2008 |
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This wine threw me. Strong initial reaction of some sort of mineral which then subsided quiclky to pears and apples. Medium dry. Developed well in the mouth. Taste was not what I expected but this is not a bad thing. Went quite well with an orange roughy. Good wine, interesting flavors, multiple flavors. My first alsatian wine and now I am curious.
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| 2004 - Castello Banfi Chianti Classico |
| May 06, 2008 |
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Very fruity wine. Strong bouquet. Smooth, no harsh flavors or burn. Alcohol well hidden. Cherries? Good table wine. Tangy sangiovese. Legs ran medium slow and fat. Finish 20-30 seconds and taste sits on the front of the tongue a good while. This is the 5th day in decanter and it has held up well. Liked it and it is giving me incentive to explore more chiantis. Recommended.
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| 2000 - Vascos, Los Le Dix de Los Vascos |
| May 06, 2008 |
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A Baron rothschilde colaboration. Good bouquet right off the bat. Good fruit, soft and pleasant with a 20-30 second finish. Threw some sediment which decanting helped greatly. Had a little 'fire' to it which I have come to take as an alcohol charateristic of Chilean wines such as Montes. No off flavors either. Made me want more.
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| 2004 - Minges, Theo Riesling Kabinett Gleisweiler Holle |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Semi-sweet wine we had while listening to an outdoor symphony play Beethoven and Brahms. Taste of pear and sour green apples. Finish lingered for 15-20 seconds tops. An okay wine; think my taste tends more toward the dryer, more complex reislings. Would I buy again? One tasting was enough. Not knocking it, just think there are better wines for me in this style to try.
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| 2003 - Oliverhill Winery Shiraz Jimmy Section |
| May 05, 2008 |
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| Very good shiraz. Balance was impeccable. Fruit forward, flavorful, and delicious. Deep purple and cork was darkly stained. Friend commented that it was not like other shiraz wines he's had which have had bitter and powerful flavors. This was very good and a great deal. Rates up there with a bottle of Sicillian Gold I once had that also blew me away on how good it was for the price point. Would buy again without reservations. Recommended highly! And the 2005 is even better!
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| 2005 - St Urbans-Hof Riesling |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Strong peach taste. Not as sweet as a bottle of Baron Heyl Estate Riesling consumed at same time. Another guest states he detected pear as well. Good balanced wine. Finish about 15 seconds. Would buy again. Think this would age to 2015. Remains one of the best valued reislings at a reasonable price point.
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| 2005 - Heyl, Freiherr Riesling QbA Rheinhessen Baron von Heyl |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Good wine. Fruit forward. Taste of pears dominate. Legs ran slower and fatter than a Thorn Clarke Shotfire recently consumed. That surprised me. Was a scent in bouquet that for the life of me I couldn't put my finger on. Llike something familiar yet unexpected in wine. This is not a detraction; just wish I could name that smell. Would buy again. Age this to 2015 tops.
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| 2004 - Seghesio Zinfandel Sonoma |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Tasted fruity and bouquet quite strong, again like a winery barrel room, but not quite as pronounced as their 2002 Cortina I had a year ago, which was one of the most beautifully fragrant wines I've every had. Deep purple colored and legs ran very slow. Slightly chalky, and a bit of the alcohol showed through on some burn I felt on tongue. Seghesio remains my favorite zin, with Rosenblum a close second. Looks like I need to try Ridge zinz next. Might consider aging a little while longer just to see what developes, say 2-3 years tops.
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| 2001 - Robert Keenan Winery Merlot 25Th Anniversary |
| May 05, 2008 |
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This was a different drinking experience than my first bottle consumed early this year. First time was a little astringent, but not this time. This was a very good merlot, quite probably the best I've had so far. Drank well right out of the bottle, no decanting. Very smooth, especially for merlot, and fragrant. Mountain tannins add bite. Nice purple color. No off odors or tastes, strong merlot fruit flavor. An unsung gem and a good bang for the buck. Would buy this Keenan wine again without reservation. Would drink within the next 3-5 years.
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| 2003 - Dumol Chardonnay Russian River Valley |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Best bottle of white wine I've had so far. Golden yellow color and very well balanced. Competed well in balance catagory with a Ridge 2001 Montebello, which I thought was one of the best balanced wines I ever had. The bouquet reminded me of a red wine.Rich and very pleasant, no harshness or bitterness. Tastes occur at middle of tongue but fades in about 15-25 seconds, leaving no off aftertastes as some Chards do. Decanted for 2-3 days and it did change. Fruit became more pronounced but also became slightly harsher, as if the alcohol came peeking out from behind the fruit. Buying a DuMol Chard is to me a no brainer. Best enjoyed in its youth and consumed before 2010.
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| 2005 - Castle Rock Pinot Noir Russian River |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Slight Pinot flavor. A soft wine. Tasted faded quickly. Decanted and got better over 2-3 days. Fruit intensified. However, I prefer Oregon Pinots at this price point, as fruit is more prominent. Would not buy again.
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| 2001 - Bucci Verdicchio Classico Castelli di Jesi |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Golden straw in color. Taste is of lemon with a faint lemon bouquet. Very nice, nothing harsh. Finish faded within 20 seconds. Almost the exact opposite of reislings. Leg ran fat and fairty slow. Food freindly. I prefer this wine over many chardonnays I have had. Might have found an alternative to chards and reislings.
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| 2001 - Chateau Valrose Cuvee Alienor |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Not a fruit forwards wine, more structure and substance and terroir. Fairly dry wine, tannins apparent, with oak flavors. Legs ran fast. Friend detected vegetal notes of peas. Peas! Should have told him I 'pead' in his glass. Oddly, even though it was mostly merlot, he said he tasted more of the cabernet grape. The remaining 25% is Cab Franc and that added to the aromatics.
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| 2005 - Cosentino Winery Zinfandel Cigarzin |
| May 05, 2008 |
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A fruity, medium to full bodied wine. Dirty ruby red in color yet cork not stained deeply. Bouquet of red fruits. Taste is slightly bitter but extracted, a slight touch of oak as well, nothing overdone. Tannins. A little burn but the fruit then takes over. Finish fades in 15-20 seconds but flavor lingers on tongue a good while. This was a fairly good Zin, one I rate favorably against a 2002 Seghesio which remains my favorite.
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| 2006 - Escorihuela, Bodegas Malbec Don Miguel Gascon |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Nice label. One of the prettiest colored wines I've seen. Reminded me of a garnet gem stone. Fruit at first seemed strong but then that tapered off. Not a dry wine. No alcohol burn either. Acidic. An average wine. Higher acidity would lead to a good paring with certain foods.
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| 2006 - Mollydooker The Boxer |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Very nice, medium dry with some sweet tannis. Not hot either. Nice fruit flavor, no off or unpleasant tastes/odors. Deep purple in color, so extracted left stain on the glass. Went very well with barbecue ribs and sauce and really stood up well to the flavorful sauce. I think it's okay and, for around $20, worth purchasing. I would age this 5 more years to see what it would give then.
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| 2001 - Campo Viejo Rioja Campo Viejo Reserva |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Very decent rioja for the price. Flavorful, medium bodied wine, had a strong nose. Decanted, and the flavors faded. This is meant to be consumed same day opened in my opinion. Very worthwhile purchase for everyday consumption and dinner.
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| 2005 - Norman Estates, Greg Shiraz Limestone Coast |
| May 05, 2008 |
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This would be my choice of shiraz over Yellow Tail at this price and quality point. This was on the tannic and oaky side and was dry as a result. But good fruit as well. Nothing over the top, but would be happy to get this at the table at a restaurant and it is a reasonable price also. Think it could age 1-5 years more tops. I say it's average to better than average.
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| 2003 - Bodega Numanthia Termes Numanthia |
| May 05, 2008 |
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A very good wine for the price point ($20-$30). Cork was very dark as one would expect from a tempranillo. Bouquet was strong, almost like a powerful zin or a winery floor. Deep colored wine, very purple. Full bodied and luscious. So extracted the glasses were stained. But very good and flavorful. Would buy a Termes again hands down.
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| 2002 - Seghesio Zinfandel Cortina |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Beautiful nose! Smells like a winery barrel room, that thick heady aroma. 15% alcohol hides behind strong fruit. Potent, one glass gives you spinney head! Medium bodies. My best zin and producer to date.
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| 2002 - Lafleur Gazin |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Extremely smooth and tasty. Cheryy and blackberyy flavors. 15 second finish. succulent and no after burn. Well worth trying.
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| 2005 - Lucignano, Fattoria di Chianti Classico Colli Fiorentini |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Very aromatic wine, very smooth, good sangiovese fruit, alcohol hidden well. Not overy dry nor tannic, just a tad tart due to some acid but just about right for me. To me this is a great table wine. If I was out dining and wanted a nice inexpensive wine (figure it would be $10-$20 in restaurant) I would be very pleased if this came to the table. Very food friendly and not a mean bone in its body. Nothing complex or fancy, just very drinkable. My favorite table wine to date.
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| 2005 - Pascual Toso Pascual Toso Malbec |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Very fruity wine, deep purple (what I call 'dirty' purple) medium bodied. Bouquet was so alluring I found myself sticking my beak in the glass to get a whiff over and over again. Strong malbec flavor. Finish 20 seconds or so. Slightly dry tannins. A very decent wine, a total overacheiver in my book. For $10 this should be in your glass.
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| 2004 - Schmitt, Franz Karl Riesling Beerenauslese Niersteiner Kranzberg |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Very structured, flavors of peach primary, pear secondary. Flavors changed and intensified for the better as wine reached room temperature. Mineral as well. At 11% on the dry side.
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| 1998 - Vietti Barolo Castiglione |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Light color which reminded me of a pinot. Decanting recommmended. Developes in the glass. Some may find it on the strong side (13.5%) but not me. Medium bodies. Some licorice flavors and slightly botter. Decanting helps a lot. No heat from alcohol.
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| 2002 - Hanzell Chardonnay |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Acid was prominent but not obstructive. Rich and bordeaux like. Long cork tells me someone thought this will age well. High acid makes this a good parign with rich foods as it cuts through sauces.
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| 2000 - Planeta, La Burdese |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Never though cab when I thought Italian. The best cab I have had to date. Fragrant! Delicious! Fruit hung around after 3 days in decanter. Reminded me a little of a zinfandel. Fine residue in glass. Medium bodies. Can't say enough about this wine, really surprised me.
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| 2003 - Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Estate Old Vines |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Classic Pinot flavor. coats the tongue. Started out hot. Decanted and heat subsided and fruit showed through. Legs ran donw glass in a sheet. Will age well.
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| 2001 - Spring Mountain Vineyard Elivette |
| May 05, 2008 |
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A complex, fuller bodied wine that had a longer finish, perhaps 20+ seconds. Reminds me a lot of the Ridge Monte Bello 2001, another excellent wine, as it has the same grape blend. The Elivette was a bit more fuller due to the higher cabernet percentage. This wine shows best when given time to develope, perhaps at least 45 minutes or more. How much more will it improve with age?
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| 2003 - Martinelli Pinot Noir Bella Vigna |
| May 05, 2008 |
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Had three wines with dinner; 2001 Spring Mountain Ellivette, A Villa Bucci Verdicchio del Castelli di Jesi, and this Martinelli...and the Martinelli was a hands down favorite. Picked as the best wine by all dinner guests. It was neither too overpowing in fruit nor alcohol, and one of the best wines I've ever had with dinner. Very tasty and well balanced. Weighs in @ 15.6% alcohol and I never tasted it...but it snuck up on us nonetheless. I have looked at other reviews of this wine, and they are on the low side, but I can only rate it based on my tasting, and it was delicious. One of the best Pinots I've ever had. Had a beautiful red color. Based on this tasting, I would not hesitate to purchase a Martinelli again.
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| 2001 - Ridge Monte Bello |
| May 05, 2008 |
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| A beautifully balanced wine, one of the best I've ever had. Offered the manager a sip; she was surprised there was a merlot taste. Petite verdot added aromatics.Alcohol never surfaced, was all wine. Tasting so well so young
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Peter M. 's Wine Reviews