Bright, medium ruby. Very aromatic: violets, rose petals, dark cherries, anise seed. At 10 years, the smells and flavors are clean, bright and fresh. Very fruit forward but not at all simple. Has the depth and complexity that you expect from Nebbiolo. It's on my buy list.
Very dark. Black berries, dark cherries and layers of black licorice. Full bodied and rich, almost like a Ripasso in its fruit concentration. Drinking well now but enough acid and tannin to carry it for many years.
I bought this wine from Wall Street Journal Wines as a Montepulciano Challenge--three bottlers of La Chiamata and three bottles of Roma Rosso. Both were very good, but I think my vote goes to the Roma. Here are my notes for the Roma:
Deep, dark and bright. Very aromatic from the time the cork is popped. Dark cherries, black berries with a touch of cinnamon and dark chocolate on the finish. Good concentration, this is a serious wine. Plenty of acid, plenty of tannin--maybe a bit too much for current drinking.
Medium dark ruby red. 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Carignan. Syrah elegance showing. Black raspberries, currants, cassis. Rich texture, concentrated flavors. Dark chocolate/black pepper on the fruit driven finish. This is what I expect from a Cotes du Rhone, and it is very hard to find today at this price point.
Wow! This wine, at 27 years of age, just shouts freshness. Cherries, black and red, as well as strawberries, blue plums spice and pepper. More acid and more tannin than the Vieux Donjon but still with a savory/sweet Chateaueuf profile. This has much to recommend it, and two of us rated it as Wine of the Day until we went back for a second go at the Vieux Donjon. In terms of aging, 1998 was a controversial Southern Rhone vintage (too ripe for some critics), but these are two wines that have aged admirably.
Bricking moving in from the edges. Deep, layered fruit, ripe and lovely. Fairly low acidity for a Chateauneuf but that makes it taste even more luxurious. Salty, savory notes frame the ripe, luscious middle.
Some rusty tones in the medium maroon color as to be expected. Ripe strawberries and spice very reminiscent of traditional Southern Rhone wines. Great texture. A wine that seduces you rather rather than bowling you over. Has matured well but probably isn't going to last as long as a traditional Chateauneuf du Pape.
Dark Shiraz tones in color, smells and flavors. Mulberries, blackberries, spice and black pepper.Best's has some of the oldest and finest Shiraz vineyards in Australia, and all the good Shiraz traits come through in this unique sparkling wine.
Rusty ruby/garnet Nebbiolo color. Glorious scents of flowers and wild berries. Cranberries, tart cherries, delicate but intense and powerful. Rose petals, violets, herbs, forest floor. Has been aged 12 to 24 months in large Slavonian oak barrels. Barolo with a mineral edge and lighter tannins. No apologies; this is a special wine.
From a 1500 ml bottle. Dark ruby red. Expressive bouquet. Red and black cherries, some herbal tones. Low tannin, high acidity typical of Barbera. Well balanced for drinking right now.
The color is much lighter, of course. Brickish red. The bouquet has less fresh fruit and more earthy, autumnal scents. Leaner on the mid-palate but with a tensile strength like a fine Pinot Noir. Savory, salty nuances that linger so beautifully. This is the magic that only comes with age and only with the few wines worth aging. Reminds me a lot of some of my favorite Domaine Thalabert (Paul Jaboulet Crozes Hermitage) wines from the 1980s.
Deep and dark, looks young for a 20-year-old wine. Strong black fruit smells and flavors--blackberries, black raspberries, menthol, some floral tones. and French oak spices. We have had this wine several times over the past decade, and it has evolved a bit but still has the same black fruit Shiraz personality.
Deep, dark and bright. Very aromatic from the time the cork is popped. Dark cherries, black berries with a touch of cinnamon and dark chocolate on the finish. Good concentration, this is a serious wine. Plenty of acid, plenty of tannin--maybe a bit too much for current drinking.
I bought this through a special offered by Wall Street Journal Wines through an ad in the Sunday New York Times.
Deep gold, not much darker than the younger wine beside it. The nose is much more expressive: wildflowers, lemon, honey, yeast and minerals. Very rich on the mid-palate--lemon curd, creme brulee. Clean, mineral driven finish. A real treat.
Probably because bidders were leery of a nine-year-old Chardonay, I got this bottle and another for $15 each on WineBid.
Medium deep gold, bright and clear. Needs some warmth and aeration to open up. Honeydew melon, guava, citrus and, finally, some savory tones on the finish. Still lacks the lemon curd, honey flavors that developed in the 2017. They will come, I assume, if I have enough patience.
Deep and dark. Blackberries, blue plums, cassis, chocolate and vanilla. Full bodied (14.5%) but not overly okay. 73% Cabernet with Shiraz that admirably fills the mid-palate. with a Rich texture. This is a good example of Barossa Cabernet Shiraz even it it lacks the nobility (and price) of Coonawarra fruit. For $5.99, of course, it is an excellent value.
Very dark maroon color. One year in large seasoned oak barrels and then six months in stainless steel before bottling. Exotic scents of violets, wild blueberries, huckleberries, spices and minerals. Full bodied but delicate, nuanced flavors that coat the tongue. Deep, concentrated finish.
Brilliant maroon, vlolet color. Has all the entrancing smells of Nebbiolo at its best: roses, cherries, black raspberries, black licorice. Fresh, vibrant flavors dance on the tongue with acidity that keeps you coming back for sip after sip. Plenty of tannins from both grapes, but they provide a structure that enhances rather than blocks the fresh fruit flavors. A good match for almost any food.
At $18 to $22 a bottle, L'Informale may be a bit pricey for every day use, but for "informal" or even "formal" occasions, the quality is hard to beat.
Brilliant gold, light for a 9-year-old Chardonnay. White flowers and fruit on the bouquet. Rich, buttery texture with flavors of toasted brioche and honey with a spicy, slightly citric edge typical of Pouilly Fuisse. Beautiful finish
Deep ruby. 80% Grenache, but the red berry and black pepper traits typical of Grenache are not as prominent as you might think. 10% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre produce darker tones of black and blue berries, blue plums and cassis. Firm tannins but sleek texture on the mid-palate and finish. Beautiful now but will probably improve.
Dark crimson, still bright; lightening at the borders. It takes awhile for the bouquet to open but it is well worth the wait. Very aromatic: cherries, earth, rosemary and thyme. And the flavors are even more enticing. Full bodied and rich. Sweet fruit backed by savory tones of tobacco, sea salt and black olives. Powerful, powerful finish. The perfect match for rack of lamb.
Deep gold, looks more mature than it is. Lively smells and flavors--tropical fruit, oak, toasted brioche, butter, vanilla, a touch of honey. Rich and full bodied but equally fresh and vibrant. Would be very enjoyable on its own or at the dinner table.
Nothing cheap about this wine. It sells for about $30 but I bought it for a bit less through Wine Spies.
Medium ruby, still almost as dark as the 2005 Greysac but shading to garnet a bit earlier. Red currants and cherries here plus cassis, leather and cedar. Still has that Poujeaux charm on the mid-palate; ripe and generous. Memories of past greatness show up on the lovely finish.
Medium deep gold. Lively smells of flowers, lime and melon. Has an acidic edge and mineral flavors I associate with Oregon Chardonnay. At this stage of development, I don't detect the lemon curd texture I love in Chardonnays from Willakenzie, Willamette Valley Vineyards and Sokol Blosser wines. For a general Oregon appellation (not even Willamette Valley), however, Roofline offers an impressive array of complex, savory smells and flavors.
Medium light garnet. Fresh berries more than cherries, violets more than roses. but unmistakeably Piedmont Nebbiolo. Aromas and flavors that expand over the course of the meal. Crisp on the mid-palate, ripe on the finish. Not a Barolo but not a quaffer. Clearly a wine that demands to be taken seriously. For $20, I am a buyer.
Light ruby/garnet n color with orangish tones typical of Nebbiolo that has not been aged in barriques--a plus for me. Has all the classic smells and flavors--cherries, roses, violets, raspberries and a touch of black licorice--understated but clearly present. Also that characteristic dryness on the mid-palate, even though the wine is surprisingly high (4.g/L) in residual sugar. (Acidity is 5.5 g/L.) Light in body and power for a Nebbiolo but that doesn't detract from its presence at the dinner table. It goes very well with an Autumn vegetable-oriented meal.
Will it age? I really don't know but I have never met a Nebbiolo wine that didn't gain complexity and depth with several years in the bottle.
Bold, dark color as expected. Incredibly complex bouquet: raspberries, dark cherries, vanilla, chocolate...and more. Rich texture with layer after layer of deep, complex flavors. By nature, Ripasso is slightly sweet, but you wouldn't know it because of the bold, delightfully bitter tannins on the finish. Opens with a flourish, ends with an bang.
Darker than most Pinots in color. Also darker in smells and flavors. At 1800 feet, the Perli Vineyard is above the fog line and, as a result, gets more exposure to sunlight. Black and blue berries, flowers, anise seed and earth. Ripe and friendly with a nice acidic edge. Drinks beautifully now but has good tannic structure for aging.
Medium ruby, has lightened a bit over the last few years. Cherries, dark berries, earth, a touch of clove. Medium bodied, rich texture, characteristic Barbera acidity. This wine has spent some time in new oak but tannins have softened and ripe fruit is showing through. Delicious, medium long finish.
Cork is long and shows only a tiny line of red at the lower end. Medium dark ruby, clear and bright. Has the Thalabert profile and personality. Black currants, cassis, leather. Ripe, almost lush but with characteristic intensity and acidity. Long, complex Thalabert finish. Probably not as good nor as ageworthy as Thalaberts from the 1980s or early 1990s but still very good.
Medium light ruby shading to garnet. Wild red raspberries and cranberries, leather and spice. Ripe fruit with pleasing acidity. Medium long finish. Not as intense as the 2006 but no complaints.
Deep and dark. Blackberries, dark cherries and spice. Lush and smooth. 13% alcohol and residual sugar that is just below what many tasters detect. Well received. We also had the 2024 version which was more fruit forward but not quite as smooth or aromatic. For $5.99 at Trader Joe's, this and other wines from Epicuro are excellent values.
Medium deep, bright dark cherry color. This wine is a 60/40 blend of Grenache and Syrah--more Syrah than most CDR wines and that is showing. More black than red berries, dark cherries, anise seed and a touch of black pepper. Not at all like Gigondas but unique smells and flavors that I like. Ripe fruit, supple tannins, tasty finish..
Light pink color, almost a rose. Smells like a Pinot Noir. Tastes like a Pinot Noir. Fresh red berries and cherries, well defined and detailed. Great acid/tannic balance. Shows the delicacy and depth of a good Pinot Noir. I poured out half a glass a half hour before dinner so I could taste the wine at room temperature as well as chilled. I preferred the room temperature; Donna, the chilled version. Take your choice; it's a nice wine.
Medium dark, no oak, according to the winemaker. Black fruits--berries, plums, currants--plus some lavender, black pepper and leafy notes. Also hints of black olives reminiscent of bottles of Jaboulet's Domaine Thalabert Crozes when I drank them in their youth in the 1980s. Who knows? Whatever, the wine sells for $14.99, and I am a buyer.
Very deep and dark red. Black fruit and dark grape skin tones. No oak that I can detect but plenty of tannin. Compared to Barbera, Dolcetto is generally high in tannin, low in acidity, but this Dolcetto has enough acid to balance the bitter and lead to a firm, delicious finish.
Medium ruby. Not much new oak, if any. Beautiful smells of roses, violets and fresh fruit. Cherries and more cherries--tart enough to tease your taste buds and sweet enough to give pleasure. Enough tannins to provide a firm structure but supple enough to let the flavors shine through. I can't find anything to fault with this wine, except that I never buy enough.
Full yellow gold. Unique smells and flavors: white peaches and cream, honey, lemon curd. Rich texture but not buttery. Long, deep, complex finish One of the favorite whites at our table.
Very pale, bright and clean. Some floral notes in the aroma. Very refreshing: green apple, lime, pear and honeydew melon. Lean and clean with just the right amount of acidity and fresh fruit. For $4.99??
Medium ruby, bright and clear. Grenache strawberries covered with freshly ground black pepper. Syrah body and structure and Carignan spice. Drinks so beautifully at every stage of development and with any meal--from fine dining to carry out pizza. This is my last bottle; I must go and get more.
Deep and dark. Black and red berries, purple plums, lavender. Lots of Syrah qualities. A plush, fruit-filled wine with some weight and complexity on the mid-palate. A good match for the iconic Grillade and Grits dish that is always on the Roadhouse Sunday menu.
Medium garnet with the orangish tints characteristic of Nebbiolo. The characteristic smells and flavors of Nebbiolo are also present. Flowers and tea on the nose Dark cherries, tobacco and black licorice on the palate. Full bodied (although only 13.5% alcohol) with asssertive tannins that fill the mouth and coat the tongue. Dry and savory. Delicious berry fruit on the finish. Suggestions of Barolo at a fraction of the price.
The cork crumbles even though it is completely dry and there is no sign of past leakage. Just a cheap cork, I decide, and this wine deserves better. Very deep and dark. Lush and luxurious. Black berries, very ripe plums and fig. A touch of tobacco on the finish. 15.5% alcohol, but the wine carries it well, perhaps because of higher than expected acidity. Old soil or not, Heathcote is capable of producing top quality Shiraz, and this is a delicious example.
Medium light color. From the first sniff, I start thinking "Viognier," and it is indeed 60% Viognier. Lovely aromatics, pink and white flowers, honey. Apricot flavors on the palate and medium body echoing well constructed blend of Roussanne, Marsanne, Clairette, Bourboulanc and Grenache Blanc. Elegance, freshness, strength and purity.
Medium ruby, very similar to the Vinsobres. Probably stainless steel and concrete. Classic Southern Rhone: fresh strawberries and red raspberries with peppery spice. More red fruit than the Vinsobres, more acidity, less alcohol (14.5% vs 15%) and more intense smells and flavors. Also has been in the bottle for an additional year. This is my kind of wine. Excellent value at $9.99.
Medium ruby, bright and clear. No sign of new oak aging. 52% Grenache, 48% Syrah, but has the upfront friendliness of wines with higher Grenache content. Fresh berries along with black pepper and licorice. Fruit flavors seem somewhat dilute compared to some of my Southern Rhone favorites, perhaps because of the relatively high alcohol (15%). . But the wine is drinking well right now, and I will buy more if I see it again on the shelves.
