Ken Z

9.2

Drank 4/23/22

Nose of black cherry, strawberry, dill, and a hint of oak. For an 11 year old wine the fruit is quite bright, with strawberry, red cherry, and some earthy notes. Very well balanced, Long, dry finish For those looking for an inexpensive wine with some age on it, this fits the bill at around $15 from Costco

4/22/8/4/4 +50 = 92 pts. — a month ago

Ken Z

9.2

Drank 1/29/22

Nose is spectacular, with blackberry, plums, vanilla, and cedar. On the palate, black and red cherry, plums, earth, and a bit of tomato sauce. Firm but well entegrated, and balanced tannins lend structure to the long finish. This has evident oak treatment, and has a very international feel with the roundness given by the merlot. May not be everyone's cup of tea, but I find this very enjoyable, and a great value at around $18

5/21/8/4/4 +50 = 92 pts.

Excellent with a stromboli — 4 months ago

Ken Z

8.9

Drank 1/25/22

Nose of plum, blackberry, and earth. On the palate, black fruits dominate, with plum, earth, and black pepper. Finish goes on quite a while, with drying black fruits. Pleasantly surprised by this wine. Drink, or hold up to 10 years.

3/22/7/3/4 + 50 = 89 pts. — 4 months ago

Ken Z

9.0

Drank 4/7/22.

Very nice with lamb chops.

Almost Tuscan on the nose with bright red cherry, a touch of black licorice candy, roses, and earth. Flavors darker, with licorice , tar, and black cherry. Finishes with moderate tannin backed by black cherry.

3/21/8/4/4 +50= 90

Better than the precious vintage. Nice. — 2 months ago

Ken Z

9.2

Drank 2/26/22

Scent of plums cassis, pipe tobacco, vanilla, On the palate balck fruits, cedar, smoke, and earth. Medium finish. At roughlyly $40, this is an excellent value for Napa cab.

4/22/8/4/4 + 50 = 92 pts. — 3 months ago

Ken Z

9.0

Drank 1/27/22.

Bouquet of blackberry, and black pepper. Blackberry, spice, and tar on the palate. A bit closed off at this point . Finish is long and dry. We'll balanced, but not giving a ton. I would hold a few years. Try after 2025.

3/21/8/4/4 +50= 90 pts. — 4 months ago

Ken Z

9.2

Drank 12/25/21.
Merry Christmas

My last remnant of our trip to Italy in 2014.

This is the Riserva. The Vineyard is known for playing classical music to their vines.

Bouquet shows cedar,, violets, and cocoa. Black fruit is there, but certainly not prevalent. Flavors of stewed black cherry, earth, tar, and plum sauce. Tannins still firm, but well integrated. Obvious oak influence. I'm fine with this, but if you don't enjoy oak, it may not be your thing. Dry on the finish, which goes on for about 45 seconds.

4/22/8/4/4 +60 = 92 pts.

I enjoyed this with red wine braised short ribs, but would be even better suited for a steak alla Florentina — 5 months ago

Ken Z

9.1

Drank 3/18/21

On the nose blackberry, cocoa blueberry,and earth.
Flavors of blackberry, earth, tar, cocoa, and espresso. Tannins are firm, but in balance with the wine. Long finish, with black fruit and earth.

3/22/8/4/4 +50 = 91 pts.

Better from the Reidel than the Zalto stem — 2 months ago

Ken Z

8.9

Drank 3/10/22

Bordeaux for less than $10, that boasts a 92 pt WE rating got my attention. I approached this with anticipation, but some skepticism.

I tried this in both a zalto and a less expensive Reidel glass. It was better in the Reidel glass a bit closer to mid 70 degrees, if you have a large stemware collection

On the nose plums and some blackberry are accompanied by peppercorn. Lighter, but pleasant. Flavors are similar, with plummy, blackberry notes, backed by earth, smoke, and bit of red fruit on the finish. Drinkable, but not 92 pts.

3/21/7/4/4 +50=89 pts. — 2 months ago

Ken Z

8.5

Drank 1/15/22

Blackberry, lavender, and some earth on the nose. Lacks some of the "garrigue" that I would typically associate with the rhone valley. Blackberry, tar, black licorice and firm tannins on the palate. Black fruit on the drying finish, which does go on for quite a while. Nice ,drinkable middle of the road Ginondas, but for the price, buy this one up.

3/21/8/3/4 +50 =89 pts — 4 months ago