Jay Kline

9.1

Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep ruby/purple with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart black fruits: black cherry, plum, some cocoa, dry leaf tobacco, vanilla and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. The alcohol is medium. This is tart and tasty; young and built for age.

Initial conclusions: this could be Cabernet Sauvignon (or a blend including Bordeaux varieties), Zinfandel (with a decent amount of Petite Sirah, Tempranillo or even Malbec from France, the US, Spain or Argentina. But I think the wood is playing a key role in the tannin here, meaning that I think it spends a lot of time on it. I don’t think it’s all American because it don’t get a bunch of coconut and dill…but this is probably a modern leaning Rioja. So that’s my call. This is Tempranillo from Spain, Rioja, Reserva level and younger, 2019. Boom. This is solid and reliable even though I don’t think it has the personality of Heredia or Pescina. Drink now through 2049. — 11 hours ago

Jamie Amann

9.0

Had a ruby color. Smelled like red berries and tasted like cherry or blackberry. — 4 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Best on Day 2. The 2023 Amador County pours a bright, deep straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart orchard fruit: peach, lemon, tangerine, white flowers, lanolin, and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the texture is waxy. Obviously young but I can’t help but feel that these Chenin’s from Tegan just keep getting better and better. Drink now through 2039. — 6 months ago

Konrad Ziegler

9.5

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all! — 3 years ago

Oliver N

9.3

Tart black cherry, anise, pine and alpine vibes, high acidity, low spicy tannins.
A beautiful Cali Barbera with the acidity and spice of Piemonte, with the high toned fruit of California sunshine. I love! — 5 years ago

John Watson

9.0

Amazingly good at the price point! Hits all the right rioja notes, tasting like wines costing $10-15 more — 6 years ago

Andy Wigginton

9.2

Over delivers! Rich and food friendly. A great companion to grilled flank steak and artichoke. If you see this bottle, don’t be put off by the reasonable price point. I would drink this again. — a month ago

romo

9.2

First vintage post-RPM, immensely enjoyable ten years on. As in Beaujolais, this CA interpretation is losing its original energy over time, but maintains its own signature profile. — 3 months ago

Heather Rostker

9.2

Nice gran riserva — 4 months ago

with Emmett and Brian

Ed Chin

9.0

A well made wine with plenty of time still. GSM’s just don’t do anything for me at the moment. — 6 months ago

Doug Powers

9.4

First vintage of this wine, finished with a German-made glass closure, rich and complex, dark fruits, really fantastic Sierra foothills (2,900 feet elevation) Syrah, long, lingering finish, and, 14.9% ABV, yet not hot?!?! — a year ago

with Jim

Doug Powers

8.9

55% Nebbiolo, 37% Mourvèdre, 8% Syrah. Medium-dark purple color, aromas of road tar and smoky notes, similar flavor profile, medium-long finish, quite good!! — 3 years ago

with Jim

Ruth Younie

9.0

Love this wine - soft on the palate, gentle spice (coriander) on the nose. Perfect accompaniment to cooking dinner! — 6 years ago

John Davidson

9.7

This is the best bottle of wine I’ve had from my cellar in years. Nearly perfect. Bought it in 2008 for $30 and one of my great finds. Good lord it was just divine. I’m sure there have been better vintages but I can’t imagine it. — 2 months ago

Daniel M

9.1

Bought with a discount at about 13 USD in equivalent Polish Złoty. It's a steal! The nose is very inviting with blackberry, black cherry, bacon, soy sauce, oak, a bit of tobacco too. What a nose ! The palate is very well made, with a great acid drive, some width, some matter, some nice blackberry and black cherry notes, some oily, a tiny bit thicker mouthfeel, some gentle, slightly drying tannins kick off in the rear, delivering a sandy layer over a very long, fruity, meaty, savoury finish that goes on for a very long while. This punches way above its price tag. Great stuff and even better than the 2020 I had some months ago. — 3 months ago

Jonathan Wall

9.1

Taste like the Sierra Foothills smell. Had a sustained maturity… not over mature… just seemed the way it was meant to be. — 5 months ago

Robert Ahlstrom

9.1

Deep ruby, opaque, spices and coconut, tart cherries, well balanced tannins and acidity, great rioja — 10 months ago

Tania Martell

9.2

Good Rioja for sangria — 2 years ago

Byron Hewett

9.3

I loved this. Really interesting white. A combination of Viura and Palomino. At Arzak. — 4 years ago

Maggie Harrison

9.4

yes, this is a photo of a computer image. tasted as part of a Mourvèdre wine group tasting via zoom, wines portioned into woozies. 2018v. super aromatic, raspberry/cranberry juice, fresh leather, violet. palate texture is silky, light but complex and flavorful, acid medium +, long tannins- just a bit of grip. fantastic — 5 years ago