Vinod Peris

9.0

Nice and smooth Spanish red blend. It’s juicy but not fruity. I like it. — 5 years ago

Paul B.

9.0

Great balanced CA Pinot. Was a bit skeptical about the different grapes and locations but then my wife bought this without knowing it was saved on my list. And wow, what a blend (of different PNs). Enough fruit mostly dark and medium body but love the presence of enough acidity and layered finish w understated earthy spice. What a value for the price. A new addition to the rotation for non-events/holidays. Solid. — 5 years ago

Lori

9.5

Seven Mountains Wine Cellars
Tickled Pink
Produced and bottled by Seven Mountains Wine Cellars
Spring Mills, PA 16875
www.sevenmountainswinecellars.com

***Super sweet, beautiful color. Local PA wine score! This is a lovely rose` wine which I located at Wegmans (grocery store) in Williamsport, PA in May of 2018. I have never seen this wine at any PA Wine & Spirits locations, so I was glad that I took a chance on this wine when I saw it! — 6 years ago

Christopher Hodges

9.0

Has a very nice flavor. Easy drinking and fruity. Clean and light. Should be drank in on sitting, doesn't need extra breathing and gets detrimentally worse as time goes by. — 6 years ago

Bret Ginter

9.0

Plum, cherry, chocolate, berries, dark fruit, with some oak in the background. Jammy w/ nice structure/tannins. Thank you universe for providing us with Dave Phinney. — 6 years ago

Felicia Arlin

9.3

Oh my God! This is crazy good! Crisp, fruity, (not annoyingly so); refreshing with a slight tingle of acidity. This Rose is absolutely beautiful. — 7 years ago

Kyle Byram

8.9

Whalez.

Another home run for the Locations series. Great acidity and bright red fruit. — 7 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.1

This dark Italian has black cherry and raspberry on the nose, with a solid grounding in soil. Spices and herbs decorate the aroma profile, with allspice and anise predominant. On the palate, it's a bold showing of dark fruit and currant accompanied by a savory, black olive edge. Those savory notes last long into the generous finish. — 7 years ago

Matt Sterr

8.9

Chard, SB, Rous. — 8 years ago

Tony Hunt

9.0

Super full n fruity yo! Black cherry, huckleberry and lemon zest. Great match w Spanish tapas on a cold January eve in the Chicago area. Hell to the yeah. A steal indeed. — 8 years ago

Michael West

9.4

Delicious fruit forward wine. — 9 years ago

Kristie M. Connor

9.1

Raspberry, red apple, Dried strawberry, clove, leather, violet, plum, potting soil, molasses. — 5 years ago

Elizabeth Verity

9.3

Love this, highly drinkable, smooth and flavorful — 5 years ago

Kurt Schuster

9.0

Not overripe. A good fruit fruit forward first taste that goes to oak sweetness but ends with an awesome burnt caramel/sugar flavor. — 6 years ago

with Aissa

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

2010 was a very good vintage in Rhône. Rostaing is a well know producer with people that know and drink Northern Rhône wines, not so much with others that do not. The Ampodium is the entry level into Rene & Pierre Rostaing wines. It is a blend of 13 vineyards in Northern Rhône. They are simply one of the very best producers in the region. I spent an afternoon with Rene & his son Pierre tasting in the their cellar and in their La Landonne vineyard as shown in the photos. The 2010 is drinking beautifully with many good years ahead. On the nose; ripe & slightly stewed/baked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries, creamy raspberries, stewed plum, black raspberries, cherries, steeped fruit tea, dry crushed rocks, iron pan, some white & black pepper, bacon fat, grilled savory meats, pork, black licorice, black cherry cola, decayed & fresh red florals with violets. The body is round and medium full. The tannins round, still a little chewy & around 55% resolved. The length, texture, tension and balance are in near perfect harmony. The fruits are; round, ruby & ripe; slightly stewed/baked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries, creamy raspberries, stewed plum, black raspberries & cherries. Steeped fruit tea, dry crushed rocks, chalky minerals, iron pan, coffee grounds, spice, some baking spices w/hints of vanilla, white & black pepper, drying blood, dry herbs/bay leaf, dry stems, moderate levels of bacon fat & pork, grilled savory meats, black licorice, black cherry cola, decayed & fresh red florals with fresh violets for days. The acidly is round and dripping. The long finish is plush, velvety delicious and lasts & lasts. In good vintages, I would put this in blind with the best of of the best new world wines from any vintage that many love; SQN, Booker, Saxum, Alban, Cayuse, Horsepower etc.. I’d bet most of you would pick it over these producers that cost much more $$$. It’s simply one of the best pound for pound wines/producers for this varietal. Especially, for the $$$. Wow, what a wine for the $. $55 upon release. Photos of; Winemaker Pierre Rostaing and our group in their La Landonne vineyard, the small sign that barely identifies their Estate, an example of the Quartz mineral that runs throughout their La Landonne vineyard and the view back onto the river from the top of the very steep La Landonne Vineyard. Producer notes and history...Rene Rostaing produced their first wine in 1971. However, it took almost three decades before wine became a full time occupation for Rene Rostaing. Domaine Rene Rostaing came about through marriage. The wife of Rene Rostaing was the daughter of the famed Cote Rotie grower, Albert Dervieux, and the niece of Marius Gentaz-Dervieux who gave Christine the vineyard land that became the Northern Rhone estate for Rene Rostaing. Through inheritance from Albert Dervieux Thaize (his father-in-law) who retired in 1990, and from Marius Gentaz Dervieux, his uncle, Rene Rostaing expanded his holdings, giving him some of the best terroir in Cote Rotie. The new vineyard land was basically 3 small parcels in the La Landonne, Cote Brune and Vialliere lieux-dits. This initial expansion from his initial tiny parcel, allowed Rene Rostaing to change careers and become a full time vigneron. Since 2007, the estate has managed by Pierre Rostaing, (son) of Rene Rostaing. Currently Rene Rostaing owns 7.5 hectares of vines that is spread out among 20 different parcels located in 14 locations. Perhaps the most celebrated vines of Rene Rostaing are the 1.6 hectares of vines they own in the La Landonne vineyard (photo). On La Landonne, the vines are more than 60 years old. Some vines are even close to 100 years of age! Those are his largest holdings. The smallest vineyards of Rene Rostaing are located on Cote Blonde. Rene Rostaing also has vines planted in; Fonjean, La Vialliere, Le Plomb, Bouchare, Leyat, La Roche and La Tupin. Their oldest vines are more than 70 years old and are used for Rene Rostaing Cote Blonde. The majority of those plantings are on the steep hillsides with mica, schist and rocky soils. 25% of those vines are closer to the bottom of the slopes and on the flats. Rene Rostaing remains a traditional Cote Rotie producer who is not among the last to harvest. His wines are aged using very little new, French oak barrels. On average, Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie are aged in about 10% new French oak barrels. Rene Rostaing produces 4 different Cote Rotie wines. Rene Rostaing Ampodium, which was previously known as Rostaing Cuvee Classique, is a blend of 13 sections of different vineyards, but it does not include their best holdings on La Landonne or Cote Blonde. The fruit for Rene Rostaing Ampodium has at least 40% or more of the stems removed and run between 12-13.5% abv. The wine is usually made from 100% Syrah and is aged in an average of 15% to 25% new, French oak barrels. The amount of new oak can be less, depending on the character of the vintage. About 1,750 cases are produced each year. The wine is no longer called Cuvee Classique, the name was changed to Rene Rostaing Ampodium with the 2009 vintage. Rene Rostaing La Landonne comes from a terroir consisting of sands with iron oxide and traces of quartz. This wine is always produced from 100% Syrah. The grapes are partially destemmed, with about 10% to 20% of the stems removed, depending on the vintage. There are vintages when no destemming takes place. The remainder of the grapes are whole bunch fermented in stainless steel vats. Rene Rostaing is not a believer of using too much new oak for the aging, which on average uses 10% new, French oak barrels and the remainder of the harvest is aged in demi-muids (600 liter) and French oak barrels. This wine is like most wines from La Landonne, masculine and meaty in character, requiring at least a decade to soften and develop. On average, Rene Rostaing La Landonne produces less than 600 cases depending on what the vintage delivers. Rene Rostaing Cote Blonde is perhaps his best. It’s produced from a blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier. The grapes are co-fermented. The vineyards is planted in the region call Arzel. Arzel is a poor, mineral laden soil with deposits of Silex and Mica on a steep hillside. The vines are more than 50 years of age. The grapes are partially destemmed…35% to 50% of the stems are removed. The remainder of the grapes are whole bunch fermented in stainless steel vats.
The remainder of the harvest is aged in demi-muids. This one is the hardest to find and most collectible of all their wines. In fact, they only produce close to an average of 350 cases of Cote Rotie in most vintages. Rene Rostaing Cote Brune made its debut with the 2013 vintage. The vines were once part of the holdings of Marius Gentaz, which eventually passed to Rene Rostaing. Rostaing replanted those vines in 2000. Made from 100% Syrah. — 6 years ago

Montana Williams

9.5

Really great blend. Sweeter, berry front with a slightly dry, woody finish. Seriously delicious. Will buy again. And again. And again. — 8 years ago

phil

9.5

Excellent table wine. Dry with a real clean finish. No bite, very much a favorite if mine.
Hard to find, but when I do I buy it. — 9 years ago

Meghan Sweeney

9.1

Oregon Pinot Gris from Harvest Liquors. The grapes are sourced from three locations around Oregon — 11 years ago

Lauren Mott

10

Fruity notes — 5 years ago

Sean Ryan

8.9

Very fruitful and hearty. Not too much on the back end but a fantastic drink — 5 years ago

Melissa Mesko

9.8

Update... 2017 bottle tasted and didn’t rate as high as ‘Locations CA’ by Dave Phinney but very close. This particular bottle tasted and smelled young. Original tasting.....Very well rounded and balanced. Structure and lots of fruity flavor.
Smooth elegant finish. — 6 years ago

Sara McCarter

9.3

Yiannis tasting...very smooth April 2018.

Blend vintage — 6 years ago

William McVicker

9.2

Great wine at a great price! — 6 years ago

George Hsirrap

9.5

Smoot, well balanced. Great for those who appreciate great wine and enjoyable for everyone. — 6 years ago

Ryan Frank

8.9

Non vintage - part of Phinney's "locations" series. — 7 years ago

Matthew Beninati

9.1

This is interesting. If you didn't tell me, I would've pegged this for a rhone or a CDP. It has fruit, spice, acidity, and tannins. I suppose the lack of backyard funk doesn't match that of a rhone.. but this is pretty dam close. Very pleasing bottle of red. — 7 years ago

Paul Crabbe

9.2

I'm sold on Location's wine. This blend isn't super dry (my preference) but it's not sweet either (no thanks). Will be buying more from them. — 7 years ago

Michelle Sakowicz

9.8

Smooth, fruit, bold. Pleasing to the palate — 8 years ago

Jerry Bezner

9.1

Excellent. Full body — 8 years ago

Arnaud Namer

9.3

Du corps, rond, fruits rouges/noirs — 9 years ago