Bright ruby/violet color. Every bit as fresh and expressive as the Nizza Barbera (see below) plus riper, richer fruit. Red berries, plums, black pepper and Asian spices. Concentrated flavors. Already complex. At abouit $15 a bottle, this wine is always a good addition to your dinner table.
Medium deep ruby/garnet. Intense smells and flavors. Cherries, red plums, spice. Barbera is generally high in acidity, low in tannin, and this is a perfect example. Fresh, lively fruit. Expressive and complex. May be the best Barbera I have had. I intend to keep Nizza Barbera on my shopping list.
Bright ruby, shading to garnet. Needs some aeration and swirling but opens up beautifully. Fresh cherries and violets--so direct but also suprisingly complex. Teases and pleases. Dolcetto fruit tannins are fine and supple, adding to the flavor profile rather than blocking it.
Very light brick color, showing maturity. Lifted bouquet, more red than black fruit. Intense flavors of cherries, black olives, mushrooms, minerals. Special old vine fruit and traditional wine making. Reverberates on the tongue with flavors that seem to last forever.
On a small pour, bricking is apparent around the edges but a full glass has a deep, dark color. Black fruit is dominant but red fruit tones are present around the edges. Full and rich on the mid-palate with a medium long finish.
Intense bouquet of fruit and flowers. Some, but not all at the table, detected some vegetable notes. Red as well as black fruits and cassis. Tart cherries on the long finish. This is clearly the most mature of the three wines on the table tonight, but it is showing very well for a wine from the mediocre 1981 vintage.
Dark color with minimal bricking considering the wine's age. Inrense bouquet with some of the minty, eucalyptis tones that were the hallmark of some of Mondavi's best Cabs of that era. Flavors are deep and well defined. Dark cherries, currants and cassis. Well balanced with acid and tannins that continue to give it longevity. Great wine.
Deep, dark color with some amber around the rim. Strong Cabernet fruit:: red and black currants, slightly earthy on the mid-palate. Acidity gives it freshnesss along the edges of the tongue and the medium long finish. May not improve from here but this 1985 has the fruit and structure to keep it going for at least another five years.
I taste at the winery at least once every summer, and this nearly always ranks as my favorite- as well-a bit sweeter than the Wbole Cluster Riesling but with comparable texture and a bit more complexity. It is now known as Block 12 Riesling.
Medium deep gold. Compared to the Helfrich Pinot Gris beside it at the table, it is noticeably sweeter but also fresher and brighter. Ripe pears and apples. Rich texture on the mid-palate. It has aged well over 11 years and still offers up youthful Riesling fruit and the promise of greater complexity to come.
Medium deep straw. Apricots, ripe pears, lychee. Good counter to the spicy pork dish. Medium body, medium acidity, good balance. A bit sweet but with a noticeably dry edge and finish. This has the traits that I prefer in a Pinot Gris.
Deep gold, holds it bright color even on the second night. Apricots, honey, blood orange and orange zest. Holding up better than many Sauternes of comparable age. Smooth and pleasantly sweet with ample acidity to keep it fresh around the edges. Better on the second night than the first.
Light amber color. Powerful and complex. Figs, roasted nuts, brown sugar, citrus zest, toffee and much, much more. Sweet and satisfying but not at all cloying. Finishes with complex flavors that continue to resonate for several minutes.
Deep and dark color. Cabernet is clearly dominant--black currants, blackberries, a hint of cassis.. Shiraz fills the mid-palate, adds body, weight and some chocolate flavors. Tannins are somewhat soft and countered by acidity that keeps it fresh. A good every day wine; I will go back for more.
Medium light purple. Beautiful aromas of red berries, cherries, flowers and spice. Silky Pinot texture wirh medium plus acidity. Intense flavors of strawberries, raspberries, orange zest. Long, complex finish.
Very dark, considerable free floating sediment but no crust on the side of the bottle. Very little, if any, bouquet but flavors are what you would expect from an 8-12-year-old Crozes. Dark fruit and tannin. Has not benefited from the etherial qualities that occur in Thalabert with extended aging but reminds me of the bottles I had of this wine in the early 1990s.The bottle has apparently been sealed pretty well by the capsule but without a cork for extra protection or whatever other benefits a cork may provide in terms of aging. Is this what I might expect from a 40 year old screwtop bottle?
Bright, medium deep ruby. Looks and smells like a traditionally made Rasteau. Cherry, black raspberries and a black licorice streak that is typical of wines from this CDR Villages. Medium body. A bit bold and tannic in its youth, but I'm sure the red and black berry charm will blossom in a year or two. I bought a stash and will be drinking some now and some later. For my taste, this is one of the best values on the TJ shelves.
Medium deep ruby with some Nebbiolo orangeish tones. Nebbiolo nose of dark cherries, rose petals and a hint of cloves--more forthcoming on the second night. Still some firm tannins even on the second night and plenty of acidity. At this stage, it lacks a little ripeness and complexity.
The color has lightened a bit around the rim but still a deep, bright ruby. Tbe cork was soaked and had leaked a bit after 37 years, but the wine was intact. Classic Thalabert personality. Black and red currants, cassis, black olives, leather and a hint of citrus peel. Enough acidity to produce intense, dancing flavors. And enough tannin to frame those flavors. A powerful wine. Reminds me of the 1983, which was still drinking beautifully at this time last year.
Medium dark ruby. Very short cork--the first ominous sign. Forward fruit, blackberries and plums, but the fruit is from Southeast Australia and clearly not from high quality vineyards..Not much concentration or depth of flavor. Medium tannin but not enough acidity to give flavor interest.
Saltram has a high reputation in Australia, but I don't find this to be one of their best efforts.
Medium dark with the orangeish tones around the rim that are typical of traditionally made Nebbiolo. Deep and concentrated smells and flavors oriented toward dark cherry, leather and earth. Plenty of tannins but they are ripe and subtle. Ripe fruit and dry tannins competing for attention. Black licorice and cherries on the finish. Good when first opened but is really singing by the end of the meal.
Significant browning as to be expected from a 44-year-old wine. The bouquet is heavenly, even better than that of the Lopez de Heredia.Red fruits, leather and that lovely uplifting Rioja spice. Old barrel American oak vanilla with a touch of dill. Acidity has carried this wine and still keeping it intact. Not quite as deep or concentrated at the Lopez de Heredia but close. A finish that lingers in memory long after the meal is over.
Deep ruby with bright tones. Mostly red fruit bouquet, deep and concentrated. Strawberries, black raspberries. Medium body, bright acidity. Has that special Rioja spicy uplift. Intense finish that lingers with subtle nuances that come from aging.
Deep,saturated ruby color. Lighter than the Patz & Hall. Intense smells and flavors: fresh red and black berries. Silky smooth texture.The structure clearly leans more toward acid than tannin. Exciting flavors that dance on the tongue. A wine that is almost impossible to resist.. This is my seond Couloir wine in a week--a Roma's Vineyard and a Londer Vineyard. Very different wines but both excellent.
Dark and deep, much darker than I would expect from Pinot Noir. Also much darker and more tannic smells and flavors. Entrancing bouquet, fruits and flowers. Keeps me going back for sniff after sniff. Dark cherry, pomegranate and spice. More tannin than I expected but it doesn't keep the lovely fruit flavors from shining through. Lots of fruit, lots of complexity on the finish.
Deep yellow color. Has been matured in first, second and third use barrels with partial malolactic fermentation. Aromas of white flowers, bay leaves, ripe pears and apricots. Merdium bodied with medium acidity. Broad flavors of pears, apricots, grains and nuts. A distinctive wine with its own personality.
Grapes are sourced from four historic high altitude vineyards in the foothills of the Andes. The wine sells for about $20 a bottle.
Medium deep ruby. The bouquet (perhaps oak influenced) is lovely at this point. Flowers, fruit, spice. Red raspberry shading to cranberry on the palate. Also some citrus zest. Central Otago is squarely in the middle of the Southern Alps with high altitude and cool climate so the wine has ample acidity. For $13 a few yeares ago, this was an excellent value for a Central Otago Pinot.
Medium dark color. Similar to that of the New Zealand Pinot beside it at the table. Intense smells and flavors of red raspberry and tart cherry. Sweet fruit framed by lots of black pepper. Reminds me of a good Southern Rhone, and I like that.
Medium light ruby, shading to amber at the rim.All four of us at the table are immediately drawn to the intense bouquet. Berries galore: red raspberries, fresh and ripe. Cherries too with a fine acidic edge. Silky texture and flavors that come at the tongue from all directions. Both sweet and savory. Beautiful finish, beautiful wine. Even after the excellent Etna Rosso, all four of us chose this Pinot Noir as the wine of the night.
I have always thought of this wine as similar to a fine Pinot Noir, and tonight, drinking it alongside a very good Anderson Valley Pinot, the comparison is spot on. Looks like a Pinot, although maybe a tad darker. Smells like a Pinot with complex tones of flowers, fruit and spice. And it has that lovely texture of Pinot, fine grained and silky smooth. Cherries, spice and minerals, fully developed. Long, deep and complex finish. I am ready for the next case.
Medium deep yellow. A wide range of smells and flavors: white flowers, lemon zest, pineapple, cilantro, almonds. Leesy acidity, silky texture and a long, rich finish.
Darker ruby than a traditional Cotes du Rhone. Also bigger and more tannic. Perhaps some oak, but maybe that's because of the relatively high proportion of Syrah in the blend. Dark cherries and blueberries. Somewhat rough on the mid-palate but a pleasing level of acidity and intensity on the finish. Not the traditional Cotes du Rhone style I loved during the 1980s and 1990s but a good wine that I would buy at $10 to $12 a bottle.
Medium deep yellow. Fresh scents of flowers and fruit. Bright flavors of lime, peach and yellow apple. Medium to light bodied with more acidity and lesss sweetness than a New World Chardonnay. For $11 to $15, this is an excellent every day choice. And if you see Bouchard's Pouilly Fuisse for a comparable price, please let me know.
Medium deep crimson. Violets and fresh fruit aromas. Black fruit at first on the palate with some tannin that is not at all unpleasant. Then the red berry Grenache emerges on the mid-palate, teasing and pleasing, and opening up a range of flavors. Velvety texture with perfect acid/tannin balance. The finish, though, is what makes this wine special. It lingers beautifully long after the glass is empty, washed and put away.
Very deep and dark crimson. Red and black fruit, plums and cherries more than berries. Also some beet root and sweet oak. Full bodied Shiraz in the middle; leafy Cabernet around the edges. Smoother on the palate than the last bottle we had a few months ago. Not much complexity at this point.
This wine and the Point Ormond wine we had last night are similarly priced. I far prefer the Point Ormond.
Deep and dark. Classic Syrah scents and flavors: blackberries, boysenberries, lavender, anise seed and black pepper. Much more acidic than your typical Aussie Shiraz and moderate in alcohol (13.5%). Not at all sweet. Matured in concrete vats and stainless steel (no oak). In its fourth year, Point Ormpond Shiraz is already drinking beautifully, but I am sure it will age beautifully over the next five years or so.
Deep garnet with some bricking at the edges. In a full glass, though, the color is dark, almost opaque. At least in 1985, no new oak was used in the wine's maturation so the color is a sign of the wine's concentration.70% Grenache, 15% Syrah plus old vine Cinsault and a small quantity of Mourvedre. Intense boutique of cherries, red and black berries, violets and aromatic Provencal herbs. Ripe, succulent flavors of strawberries, raspberries, plums. Medium to low acidity and tannins have faded away leaving a luscious mouthful of concentrated mixed berry fruit. Impossible to resist. Some complex savory notes develop on the finish as the wine warms and aerates. 39 years after the vintage, this wine is as lovely as ever.
Deep golden yellow. Canteloupe melon, honey, flowers and limestone minerals. Broad flavors but plenty of acidity. Works beautifully with the flavors and texture of grilled acorn squash. This has what I love about Savennieres. It is a sometimes cranky wine, and I wish I had been more patient with the bottles I consumed before their time.
Medium deep ruby. Laid back scents and flavors of red and black currants. Pure fruit, not much oak but authentic Bordeaux profile. Flows smoothly across the tongue. Acidity keeps it fresh and lively now and will also allow it to age gracefully over the next few years.
Medium deep, bright ruby red. Retaining its color well 10 years after the vintage. Cherries, flowers, cinnamon and other baking spices. Sweeter and richer with none of the citrus zest that provides complexity in many Willamette Valley Pinots. Medium body, smooth texture. Fresh acidity and supple tannins. I suspect the finish will become more complex with another year or two in the cellar.
Deep and dark with almost purple tones. Ripe red and black raspberries and coffee oak. Also some mature notes of leather and raisins in the bouquet. Gran Reservas that I remember from the 1970s spent several years in old American oak barrels that gave them strong smells and flavors of vanilla and dried dill. This wine, I suspect. has been matured, at least in part, in new French oak barrels that have imparted a more modern, international profile. Ripe red and black fruit on a long and elegant finish
Medium violet red. Cherries, cranberries, forest floor and spice. Blood orange and zest on the finish. Drinking well now with good acidity and silky tannins. should develop complexity and finesse with some aging..
At $20 to $25 a bottle, Straight Shooter is a moderately priced Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and an excellent value.
Light color even for a young Sauvignon Blanc. Grapefruit, a touch of passion fruit, lemon zest and freshly cut grass. Elegant on the mid-palate with a long clean finish. A pleasant touch of salinity on the finish. As I have said before: cheap at twice the price.
Bright, medium light ruby. Dark cherries, berries, plums and spice. Medium bodied with moderate tannins and the Barbera acidity to please the palate. By the end of the meal, the finish has become very mellow and friendly, inviting sip after sip.
Bright ruby, darker than most Oppenlanders I have seen and tasted. This 2007 is particularly rich but still has the complexity and finesse that I espect from Oppenlander. Red berries with wild fruit intensity, minerals and a touch of cinnamon. Ripe fruit on mid palate and finish. Bright, fresh and acidic...even at age 17. Hard to quit sniffing and sipping.
Medium deep with some orangeish Nebbiolo tints. Rose petals, red berries, sea salt and more subtle savory qualities. Ripe and lovely. Surprisingly accessible for its age but has serious depth and concentration with a glorious finish. Some say Valmaggiore drinks best 6 to 12 years after the vintage but will certainly keep and improve for much longer. Now at 5 years, this 2019 Valmaggiore is drinking beautifully, one of the best wines I have had this year. I am looking foward to following its evolution over the next decade.
Medium deep gold. Captivating scents of nectarines, pears, minerals and honey. Matured in both American and French oak but does not come across as oaky. Medium bodied, medium plus acidity, distinctive flavors, clean finish. Excellent value for $15 to $20.
Medium deep with some bricking. Unmistakeable nose of mature Chateauneuf, bright and fresh. Grenache red berries, fresh and dried, countered against savory notes of sea salt, minerals, spice and peppercorn. Lovely ripeness carried by mouth watering acidity from front to back. Beautiful finish with layers of ripe flavor. This is what Chateauneuf is all about. A perfect match for grilled rack of lamb.
Very light red color, like looking through rose-colored glasses. Pretty aromas focused more on fruit that floral traits. Nothing ripe in the smells or flavors. Cranberry, sour cherries, lemon zest. The citrus zest reminds me of some Oregon Pinots, but this lacks the ripe fruit flavors that provide balance in those wines. An interesting wine with good depth of fruit but definitely on the tart side.
