2009 Rhys Pinot Noir Skyline Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Cruz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$130.00USD

Rhys makes some of the best Pinot Noir's in California.  This is bigger in fruit but with a Burgundy styling.  Garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight black cherries, spice and just a hint of pine.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cherries and some black cherries with an underlying char and forest floor.  Great balance.  Long finish.  This is still drinking youthfully.  It should continue to so do for another ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this works well with poultry or  meats, but would be nice with Salmon as well.  

2020 Domaine Huet Vouvray Demi-Sec Clos du Bourg, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$39.00USD

Huet is one of the top producers in the world.  That they make Chenin Blanc in the Loire Valley just keeps the price down.  The 2020 is another star.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  It has a great nose with orange peel, slight ginger, sea air, quince.  Full bodied.  Great balance.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet with enough acidity to counter it.  Flavors of quince, slight ginger and salinity.  Long finish.  This is drinking great now and should for another fifteen years.  Great on its own, this will work nice with Thai food.

2021 Winzerhof Dürauer Roter Veltliner Göttweiger Berg, Austria, Niederosterre, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is painstakingly made in the winery to ensure there is no rot in the grapes.  Screw capped.  11.5% abv.  Green/gold in color, clear and bright.  This has a small amount of spritz to it.  Chances are likely that a bit of CO2 is introduced at bottling to give it this effect in order to make a refreshing wine.  The nose is good with smoke, orange peel, and slight strawberry notes.  Slightly oily texture which is nice.  On the palate, this is pretty much dry but not quite.  Lower acidity.  Nice minerality with some char and citrus.  Nice finish.  This is an easy wine to drink on its own an

2021 Winzerhof Dürauer Grüner Veltliner Kremstal DAC Ried Gottschelle Nr.1, Austria, Kremstal DAC, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is from Austria.  Screw capped.  Upon pouring, this is noticeably spritzy/frothy.  A friend who brought the bottles back from Austria said a bottle consumed last summer was not spritzy.  It would appear that this is a separate bottling and best guess, they gave it a shot of CO2 right before bottling.  There is a popular drink in Austria made from Gruner Veltliner and Selzer which is essentially a Gruner Spritzer.  Perhaps, this is the wineries take on that.  Light golden with a fair amount of medium sized bubbles.  Clear and bright.  The nose has limes, pears, and slight herbal note wh

2007 Saxum Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+

Hard to believe that a 16 year old California Syrah could taste so youthful, but this bottle was bought on release and well stored.  82% Syrah, 13% Mourvedre, and 5% Grenache.  15.7% abv.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, roasted meat, roasted red peppers, white pepper and slight char.  Full bodied.  Well balanced.  Great texture.  Powerful yet agile, it is both huge and deft at the same time.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Medium tannins.  Loads of black raspberry fruit with some minerality, white pepper and char.  Long finish.  Tasting thru th

2006 Saxum Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$130.00USD

76% Syrah, 18% Mourvedre, and 6% Grenache.  This weighed in at 16.7% abv!  Again, this is a monster wine, but it doesn't drink like one.  No noticeable alcohol on the nose or palate.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, plums, White pepper, Roasted herbs and slight earthy/gamey meats.  Full bodied.  Great acidity.  On the palate, this has loads of fruit.  Black raspberries, black cherries and slight plums with a bit of black pepper and char.  Long finish.  This is a great wine if not quite up to the top vintages of Bone Rock, it is almost there.  It is

2005 Saxum Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$150.00USD

Really great showing for this bottle.  93% Syrah and 7% Grenache.  16.1% abv.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, roasted meats and roasted herbs, floral notes, white pepper and slight earthiness.  Full bodied.  Again, that Saxum lightness of being both enormous and light on its feet at the same time.  No sign of alcohol on the nose or palate.  On the palate, loads of black raspberry fruit with some roasted meats, minerality and juicy acidity.  Long finish.  Most tasters had this highly ranked.  Drinking youthfully.  This bottle was purchased

2004 Saxum Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard, USA, California, Paso Robles, wine Review

Vintage: 
2004
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This wine has been troublesome since release with what appears to be trapped CO2.  I don't think it is refermentation as there are not really any off odors that usually accompanies.  It was interesting to try at 19 years from vintage.  This bottle was opened and allowed to breathe for an hour or so prior to serving.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, very earthy, slightly sweaty, some roasted meats.  Full bodied.  On the palate, there is some carbonation.  Not frothy but a line of bubbles in the glass.  The wine is drinkable and pretty

2003 Saxum Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2003
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$160.00USD

In a vertical tasting of Saxum Bone Rock, 2000 thru 2007, this was the groups favorite.  It is in a beautiful, still youthful, place right now.  This is a blend of 88% Syrah, 8% Grenache, and 4% Mourvedre with 15.7% abv.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, some char, some roasted meat and slight floral note.  Full bodied.  Lots of energy and at the same time, almost weightless as it dances across the palate.  Notes of black raspberries with minerality and char.  Great acidity.  Long finish.  Delicious.  Drinking very well on its own, this will wor

Pages

Pages