Poor Bob's
Robert Craig Winery
Bob's Cuvee Sauvage Napa Valley Red Blend 2013
This one-off Cuvée from the boutique Robert Craig winery which focuses on mountain appellations in Napa is 50% Spring Mountain CS and 50% Howell Mountain Zinfandel (same juice that goes into the Turley Zin) aged 12 months in French Oak, 35% new. Gentle nose of dark fruits, green and sweet bell pepper, coffee, herbs, slight scent of perfume. Silky and savory on the palate with refreshing acidity. Bitter herbal finish. This wine is supple and delicious. And a hell of a deal at $20! — 8 years ago
Shypoke Cellars
Poor Ranch Quilie's Grenache
Really into this bright, super fresh wine with some good tannins. 4 barrels produced, give me all of the Grenache that you have. — 8 years ago
New Clairvaux Vineyard
Poor Souls Block Petite Sirah 2014
Barbera is becoming one if the most popular wines in California, and this one will show you why. Beautiful ruby color, cherry & light oak, smooth with a lingering soft finish. A Great example of the definition of "Balanced". — 9 years ago
Domaine Le Colombier
Tradition Vacqueyras Grenache Syrah 2011
A total wine pick up. Vacqueyras is a French AOC in the southern Rhône region, established in 1990. Often receiving the unfortunate moniker of "a poor man's Châteauneuf-du-Pape", the wines are typically GSMs and can age nicely if produced correctly. This one is 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, (the AOC requires a minimum of 50% Grenache in the wine). While you can drink the wines young, they truly begin to shine after 3-4 years. This wine seems to be peaking now. ~$17 | #totalwine #vacqueyras #GSM
On the eyes: Dull deep brick brown, slightly cloudy, peaking to slightly orange at the rim. Med stain, med tears, no gas/floc.
On the nose: Black cherry, mulberry, vinous, nice oak character, hint of petrol and pepper.
On the tongue: med+ acid, med tannin, med alcohol, med body, a bit chewy in the mouth. Bright red cherry, stewed blackberry, a hint of mulling spices, touch of oak and tar. Nice finish. — 9 years ago
Château Suduiraut
Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1984
1984 is a 'poor' vintage but hot damn this is beautiful. Dried apricots, lavender. Fruit is still very much there with acidity lifting to a lingering finish. Wish I could have saved this to drink a few more years from now! — 10 years ago
Grgich Hills Estate
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
First night stand (with my coravin).
This was my first love (in the wine world) shortly after popping my wine-cherry. But didn't appreciate it to its fullest till now. Maybe it just aged well, maybe my awareness of all the different characteristics got better...in any case, I fell in love all over again...
Nose: Perfectly ripe blackberries and deep ruby cherries. Nice baking spices. The 2012 Faust smells like a $5-bottle in comparison (even though it cost about the same price the times that I became proud owners of both, especially with this particular bottle back when I was a poor graduating college student). Maybe that's how 9 years of experience affects your maturity...maybe I just need to drink more wine and edumacate myself, which I don't mind.
Tongue/mouth: Even though it's 12 years old, the tannins hold on for dear life to your taste buds (hasn't really incorporated itself to the rest of the nicely developed parts of its body). Drink with something fatty (like my short rib I happened to have). Then you can really enjoy the berriness of the wine.
I'm just so purely happy that I can enjoy a taste of it without the guilt of having to commit to it fully and leave it [the bottle] feeling empty. Thank you, Cory. — 10 years ago
Rene Rostaing
Ampodium Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2010
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. — 7 years ago
Mauro Sebaste
Parigi Nebbiolo d'Alba 2012
Perfect poor man's Barolo for my budget — 10 years ago
Bertoldi
Gran Passione Rosso Veneto Corvina Merlot
Poor man's Amarone, lovely every day wine — 11 years ago
Club W
Poor Man's Pinot Blanc
Easy and sharp! It was my first experience with Pinot Blanc, and I think it will be a grape that I will seek out in the future. — 11 years ago
Robert Young Estate Winery
Bob's Burn Pile Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Wow. Big, complex, delicious. 2004 — 12 years ago
Sandhi Wines
Bent Rock Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay 2014
THE. BEST. DOMESTIC. CHARD!!!!!! Yes, yes, yes. I'm blown away. This is the best domestic chard I've ever drank. This particular vintage is killer. I could poor this in a lineup of top notch Meursault and none would be the wiser, that's how good this is. Intense smoke/funk brought on by minerality that most domestic producers could only dream of. A legendary wine in my book. @June's All Day, Austin TX — 8 years ago
Sans Wine Co.
Poor Ranch Vineyards Rosé of Carignan 2016
Electric blush rose. Strawberries and cranberry. Great with Italian Johnny Marzetti. — 8 years ago
Domaine Maume
Aux Etelois Gevrey-Chambertin Pinot Noir 2009
It's election night and this wine has cherries 🍒 but overall it's a light weight with not enough stuffing may be the poor vineyard is catching up with this. (I might have rated this higher in the past). I will try this tomorrow again. +++ Slightly better the next day with added weight and complexity. +++ — 8 years ago
Domaine de la Gramiere
Côtes Du Rhône Red Rhone Blend 2011
Alc. ?? (I couldn't find it on the label).
This may not be a 100% representative bottle as it has been sitting on a wine rack in my living room for 12+ months.
Showing brownish edges and a bit muted fruit (again probably my bad for the poor storage) but with a certain energy and core that I would like to think derives from organic farming and respectful winemaking.
A very nice quaffable everyday drinker that is good-value for the money (about $18-20 if I remember correct).
— 9 years ago
Château La Fleur-Pétrus
Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 2010
💸💸💸 Infanticide... 14.5 abv is apparent. For the impatient, 2009 is in a better place. Poor man's Petrus 🤑 — 9 years ago
Robert Foley Vineyards
Napa Valley Merlot 2012
I love Bob's style of winemaking across the board, but especially his Merlots (Switchback, Pride, Hourglass, and his own label is no exception). This one is Big, bold, very fruit-forward with pronounced oak (but not overpowering) and fairly strong tannins. This is still a baby and made me understand what they mean by a "Cab lover's Merlot". — 9 years ago
Bob's African Wines
Pinotage 2013
Love it!!!!!! — 10 years ago
Penfolds
Bin 389 South Australia Cabernet Shiraz 1966
BOOM! 66 Bin 389 looking sharp! #FilthyOldVino #Wine Great year in OZ! So much Yumminess! Shows the value of Cellaring wine in a controlled environment for it's life! Better control than my piss poor video focus! The old man paid $6.95 on release. Great core of fruit. Much more finesse than others I've had from the era. Refined texture, seamless. A real purity about this wine. Great acid. Bags of personality. — 10 years ago
Chateau Chevalier
Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Bob's standard — 11 years ago
Cryptic Wine Cellars
California Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2010
Wow! Zin dominated with cab.sauvignon and petite sirah (among others). This is fantastic wine for the price. This is a poor mans prisoner! — 12 years ago
Kim Stanbro
Our evening of Walt Pinots continues with more neighbors at home for family game night. Bob’s ranch was delicious but my least favorite. — 7 years ago