Nick Arensdorf

9.1

Juicy fresh blackberries and reduced black cherry, bay leaf and green bell pepper, and graphite. Subtleties of anise, mint, sandalwood and vanilla. Bursting flavor on the palate in my opinion. Deep purple, medium tannin, medium acidity. Yummy $15 rec from Mark and BGarden. — 4 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.0

Tonight is Saturday night and I have opened the 2015 Château Les Cruzelles Lalande de Pomerol. A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.

On the nose there is black cherry, raspberry, plum, fig, anise, tobacco leaf, violet, bay leaf and herbs.

On the palate there is black cherry, blackberry, plum, fig, green bell pepper, herbs, allspice, licorice, chocolate and soft oak.

This wine is medium to full body that is well balanced with medium + acidity and medium + supple tannins that leads to a medium to long dark fruit finish. A beautiful wine that is vibrant and fresh. Let's all have a great weekend and please be healthy and safe in these trying times. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

8.9

A pretty color of dark ruby with a nice reddish rim.

Strong nose of blueberries, black cherries, plums, vanilla, licorice, oak, cloves, spices, pencil lead, light vegetables, chocolates, tobacco, dark coffee and black pepper.

Full bodied and spicy with medium plus acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with plums, black currants, cherries, sweet raspberries, tobacco, herbs, spices, vanilla, oak, licorice, light vegetables, coffee, chocolates and peppercorn.

Long finish with soft tannins and tangy cranberries.

This Cabernet Franc from Livermore Valley is very enjoyable right now. Showing nice complexity with a soft and smooth mouthfeel.

This is a nice surprise. I expected to see more bell peppers and vegetable notes, but I didn't in this case, which I liked.

Needs 30 minutes to open up and remove some of the acidity. Has high alcohol but it is not noticeable.

A good wine to sip all by itself or to pair with food. Nice and enjoyable.
I paired it with cheeses and olives.

Would be nice to see how this evolves in the next 2 to 5 years.

15.7% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$36. — 6 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.5

90° at 7pm calls for more Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
.
Cloudy Bay was founded in 1985 by David Hohnen of Margaret River’s Cape Mentelle along with its first winemaker, Kevin Judd, who would go on to spend 25 years there before creating his own label, Greywacke. Judd is widely considered as the pioneer responsible for elevating New Zealand wine to its current status. Judd also happens to be one of the best wine photographers in the world (I highly recommend his ‘The Landscape of New Zealand Wine’).
.
According to Master of Wine Bob Campbell “the genesis for Greywacke Wild Sauvignon was Cloudy Bay Te Koko; a funky, barrel-fermented sauvignon blanc that bent all the rules when it was made in 1992 and initially sold only through the cellar door. Greywacke Wild Sauvignon is a blend from 10 different Marlborough vineyards which are machine-harvested at night. After pressing the juice is settled before being pumped into mostly old barrels and fermented using indigenous yeasts (about 15-20 different strains). The wine undergoes a partial malolactic fermentation and lees stirring.”
.
Incredible aromatics... an almost vibrant herbaceousness... red bell pepper, grapefruit zest, tangerine, apricot, and cucumber, with a silky smooth mouthfeel unlike most Sauvignon Blancs. Extraordinary. — 7 years ago

Kyndal Cherokee Sutton

9.0

There were some almost bell pepper flavors and a good bit of acidity. I will definitely buy again. — 8 years ago

Hum

9.1

Cabernet focused ... bell pepper, bay leaf, red fruit, cedar. — 8 years ago

with Charlotte

Daniel P. Drake

9.1

Let's start the week off with another Left Bank Bordeaux the 2016 Les Clos Des Carmes Haut-Brion. The second wine from Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion a blend of 51% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Petit Verdot.

On the nose the is brambly black fruit, black cherry, cherry, raspberry, blackberry, plum, vegital notes, bay leaf, chocolate, currants and minerals.

On the palate I am getting black cherry, cherry, plum, blackberry, vegital notes, green bell pepper, violets and minerals.

This wine is medium to full bodied with medium + acidity and medium+ grippy tannins that has a long dark fruit mineral finish. Have a great week and stay healthy and safe for the rest of the week. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 5 years ago

Shengli Hu

9.2

Pinot Noir on limestone. Tart bright red cherry, red plum, blackberry, black cherry, red flowers, green bell pepper, black pepper, wild herbs, high minerality gravel like, reductive, no new oak, elevated acid, medium plus tannins, medium plus finish. Young vines, 10% whole cluster, cold soak. — 6 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.0

This yellow-gold wine rings the “old-style Cali” bell in all the right ways. A nose of apricots, mangoes and apples is helped along with the smell of buttered popcorn. Oak treats the palate as well, draping over the tropical fruit like a sunshade. The acidity is zesty, yet the mouthfeel tends toward creaminess due to the wine sitting on the lees for five months. The oak is a definite part of the wine, but the effect is softened enough so that it's a pleasure, not a pain. — 6 years ago

Tom Inners

9.4

Took a some time for this wine to open and unwind, but I’ve enjoyed tasting it all the way through. Loved the ride. A stunner on Day 3 as we find it tasting like your quintessential “Supreme” Pizza. Serious notes of green bell pepper, Italian sausage (w/ fennel), black olives, sweated onions and savory oregano. Aromas of violets, crushed vitamins, and crunchy minerals. A fun site to work with in my time with Lioco wines. Santa Cruz! — 7 years ago

Brian S

8.9

Nose: black fruit, old roses, bittersweet chocolate, slight bell pepper.
Taste: black berry, black cherry, coffee ground, bay leaf, mint, thin mint Girl Scout cookies, gravely rocks.
— 7 years ago

Robert McCall

9.1

Strawberry, spice, earth, and faint herbal/bell pepper note dominates the nose. Bright strawberries, spice, pepper, and a nice silky acidity provides moderate intensity in the mouth. Showing well tonight baby! — 8 years ago

Sergio Licea

9.2

Cherry heering, blackberry jam, clay, bay leaf, mint, bell pepper, pencil shavings. Balanced acid/rough velvet tannin balance, juicy texture, medium bodied, earthy-herbal-slightly smoky finish. Inviting light toned aromatics, food friendly structure and finish. Unique interpretation of Cabernet. — 8 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.3

Tonight's wine is the 2017 Ridge Estate Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.

The nose has rich dark fruits of black cherry, blackberry, black plum, black currant, licorice, chocolate, violets, graphite and rich earth.

The palate reveals black cherry, blackberry, black currant, green bell pepper, soft toasted oak, graphite, licorice, spice, violet and earth.

This wine is full bodied filling the mouth with rich notes, medium + acidity and medium + mouth coating grippy tannins that moves nicely into a long black fruit finish. This wine does not disappoint for a second wine from Ridge. I hope your week has been going well and we have all been safe and healthy. Let's look forward to the weekend with more openings. Have a great rest of your week. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 5 years ago

Lawrence Asrikin

9.0

Ripe red bell pepper, cocoa powder with hints of oak and red peppers. Medium bodied with soft tannins. — 6 years ago

Rich Mueller

9.1

Others say it’s oaky... I get a little but not in an off-putting way. For the $, this is incredibly solid. Perfect for Thanksgiving or any white meat bird. — 7 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.4

The Spur is an inky dark wine with an explosively earthy nose. Big black fruit - plums, cassis - are met with dense forest floor and sage notes. The palate is equally blessed, with an easy touch on the oak, a lively acidity and gentle tannins. Herbal flavors include white and bell pepper and a hint of rosemary. — 7 years ago

David Shaw

8.9

Dusty, slightly funky, sweet cherry, cassis and perhaps bell pepper notes in nose. Cherry, cassis and later green plum flavors with length in mouth, Chewy medium weight tannins with cherry, raspberry and mustard greens on finish. Fun to see them doing unfiltered wines. Aged this a bit but not sure about the results. No discernible wood, malolactic or such. Inexpensive, worth trying whatever vintage you can find — 7 years ago

Richard Schnitzlein

9.0

Ripe, but not overripe. Green bell pepper nuanced with Ted and black currant fruit. Fairly supple. — 8 years ago

Matt Grauwiler

8.9

Very refreshing on a nice summer day; bell pepper bursting on your nose and mouth — 8 years ago