Randy Fuller

9.2

This wine has a nice golden color. It smells fruity, with lots of citrus, pear and peach notes showing. The nose also has a significant amount of oak on it. The palate bears out the oak treatment, with a hefty dose of wood. If that is not in your wheelhouse, you might want to steer clear. If oak is your jam, then this is a great bargain for you. — 7 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.4

The Madeira Baltimore Rainwater Medium Dry is one of my absolute favorites in this range from Rare Wine Co. With its expressive citrus peel and nutty flavors, this pale, dry Madeira leans into the realm of sherry. Floral and spice notes lifted by bright acids add to its considerable charms. Readers seeking finesse over size and power will love this. This is a style done with less time in wood, lower acidity and less sweetness inspired by the wines of the early 1800s. L22130. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, December 2022)
— a year ago

"Odedi"

9.3

#MerlotThursday

So a few years ago I started my Merlot Thursday series, where I drink Merlot every Thursday. This is actually the wine that started it all. After watching the movie sideways a few times, I decided to try to get Merlot back in the game.

This wine was on my wishlist for a long long time, and I'm glad I am able to try it, finally.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Showing a beautiful nose with great complexity,

Dry on the palate and elegant.

Showing red and black fruits with earth, wood, spices, peppercorn, coffee, graphites, vegetables and herbs.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a great experience. A delicious Merlot based Bordeaux blend from Saint Emilion. Not from the best vintage, but at this level of wine making, it is almost always gorgeous.

Feels young and would continue to age nicely in the next few decades.

Showing great complexity and mouthfeel. I loved the nose much better than the palate.

Robert Parker 93 points. Wine Spectator 93 points.

I had it after 6 hours of airtime. I really wanted to love it even more, but it is what it is. Got to keep it real.

A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$700. — 2 years ago

m

9.3

Color: very dark. No brick change - drunk young
Nose: deep dry fruit, slightly earthy
Fruit: dense and rich, very very slight hint of tropical fruit
Herbal: slight zesty, minty
Wood: not apparent or non-detectable
Acidity: slight freshness
Alcohol: full bodied but not hot
Tannin: apparent, not long lasting, well structured
Overall: well structured, good dynamic, a little complexity, not subtle without nuance, medium length — 8 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

A treat to have 2 of Australia’s leading whites as in the Art Series Chardonnay and now the Lovedale Semillon both from 2011. Ironically 2011 was an awful vintage in nearly all of Australia except for Margaret River and the Hunter Valley. This highly awarded old Semillon had aromas of Lanolin, buttered toast with wet straw. All the descriptors of quality aged Semillon. A sweetish palate with a soapy texture. Perfectly balanced with acid diminishing. You can see how UK MWs would swear in the earlier days that these Semillons had been put to wood. They know now that they only ever see stainless steel. — a year ago

Dennis Hogenkamp

9.3

15.0% ABV Inaugural offering of this vineyard planted in 1890 near Fulton, CA. Field blend of Zin with small amounts of Alicante Bouchet and Petite Sirah. Boysenberry, dark hoisin, finishes with cherry. Very nice! — 2 years ago

Catherine Leith

9.3

Loved this one. Tons of flavour and smooth tannins. Notes of black fruit and wood with an usually green, herbal undertone. — 10 months ago

David Shaw

9.0

Purple red, medium pigment extraction. Wood and violet aromas. Slightly hot, blackberry flavor, and soft, wintergreen finish — a year ago

Michael B

9.4

Phenomenal. Every other year I open one of these bottles from 2016 and the evolution keeps impressing me. On the nose, has a character of rainy ancient west coast forest. On the palate, Blackberry, blueberry, with hints of dark cherry. Blended perfectly with a rich, aged, leather. Hints of cedar wood, slightly smoked. Perfectly balanced. Only going to keep getting better over the next few years. — 2 years ago

"Odedi"

9.0

This is a very nice Cabernet Franc from Virginia. Fruit forward with a nice mouthfeel and nice complexity.

Showing red and blue fruits with wood, spices, earth, light vegetables, tobacco leaf, spices, cocoa and coffee.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Very enjoyable by itself or with food. Tangy and easy drinking.

I had it a few months ago, and this time I gave it a light chill and had it by the pool.

Only 12.4% alcohol by volume, which is really nice to see.

90 points.

$35. — 3 years ago