| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
|---|---|---|
| Red |
2019 Sinegal Cabernet SauvignonNapa Valley more |
5/1/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 95 pointsThis was incredible, and reminded me of why I love Napa so much. What's more, although it isn't cheap, I think it represents great QPR and could easily improve with a cellar nap (although it doesn't need it; already very delicious.) 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2021 Substance Cabernet SauvignonColumbia Valley more |
5/1/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 93 pointsThis is the closest thing I have to a "house wine", one I buy at least fairly consistently through the years when looking for a reliable party favorite, very inexpensive gift, or simply something for my MIL to enjoy whenever she feels like it. This is my first time with this vintage. |
| Red |
2021 Trader Joe's Meritage ReservePaso Robles Red Bordeaux Blend more |
5/1/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 91 pointsNot so bad for the low price, but there are still plenty of better buys at wine shops...or grocers with better wine programs (seriously...TJ's has really lost like 80% of its wine game over the last several years. Notably lower quality in their private labels with only a couple of exceptions, and far fewer options when it comes to well-priced "good stuff".) |
| Red |
2017 Siduri Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlandsmore |
5/1/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 93 pointsThis is more or less my first wine from the Santa Lucia Highlands, not counting at least one that was well past its prime. Kind of surprising that it's taken me so long to try one, as a tremendous devotee of Pinot from all over CA (Sonoma, Central Coast, etc.) |
| Red |
2020 Luciano Sandrone Dolcetto d'Albamore |
5/1/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 90 pointsUnfortunately I mostly agree with the note on this from Vinous, which says this vintage might come as a shock to people used to the cuvee, implying it's a far cry from the opulent, richer style of previous years. I've only tried one other (2019), but where that was one of my favorite Dolcettos ever (I rated it 94), this is one of my least favorite; it feels so thin, wispy, unsubstantial in comparison that I thought I might have had an off bottle, briefly. |
| White |
2018 Domaine de Rocheville Saumur Blanc "Clos de la Thibaudière" BrézéChenin Blanc more |
5/1/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 91 pointsI was a little blindsided by this; it definitely had more residual sugar than I was expecting. Still a very good wine, and I know Chenin makes wonderful sweet wines, but without much info on the label (unless I missed something) I was expecting more of a very dry, floral style rather than something off-dry, which leaned pretty heavily into that "honeyed" Chenin thing. Yes, it was tasty. Plenty of honeyed lemon bar character, some vanilla, sweet floral tones, decent acidity to hold it together, but not quite enough to make me crave more and more. It became a little too sweet for me about halfway through the second glass. Thinking about similar things, I feel like I prefer the average Kabinett riesling, but obviously that's a broad statement. |
| Red |
2019 Produttori del Barbaresco BarbarescoNebbiolo more |
5/1/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 93 pointsAs with my last time trying this cuvee, this was already extremely pretty and effortlessly delicious in its very early stages, and yet it's obvious that a few more years will be beneficial, especially structurally. It's not hyper-expressive, but there's a beautiful, persistent presence on the nose already (no decant) with fresh sliced strawberries, deeper bing cherries, vague flowery perfume, nuances of thyme or wild mint, and touches of new leather, or maybe something like salty charcuterie (VERY subtle, nearly entirely about the cool, fresh red fruit.) Notably more earthy on the palate, with more of that leather tone coming out, dry earth and herbs, etc with more of the bright, slightly sour cherry thing (just a little more subdued than on the nose.) Tannins are obviously pretty noticeable, but I wouldn't call it coarse or gritty, just a little dusty at this stage. Very elegant and super-typical; ordered it off the list at Spinasse, a great Piedmontese restaurant in Seattle, for a few folks who were both decently-versed in Nebbiolo and others who had never tried one- both groups loved it. |
| White - Sparkling |
2012 Piot-Sévillano Champagne Millésime EditionChampagne Blend more |
5/1/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 93 pointsI was extremely happy and impressed with this, even though I'm still struggling to really understand this tier of Champagne, as they all seem to blend together intensely for me with a specific note of slightly oxidative apple orchard (which seems to totally overwhelm my palate.) This was no exception, and I don't mean to imply it wasn't delicious; a faceful of pure cloudy apple cider, and fresh crunchy apples themselves, with a gorgeous deep golden color, maybe with touches of cheese danish and white floral tones. That apple orchard thing was 95% of the profile- I really liked that it wasn't *insanely* oxidative, but it still showed plenty of that character. Deeper and more attention-grabbing than most Champagne I've tried with the one exception of a 2014 Jose Michel Special Club, which was also mostly apple-orchard style, although with a more interesting orange/floral tone to go along with it. Maybe I'm underrating it a touch...I'm just not completely enamored with the profile of good champagne yet, at least not enough to be constantly exploring it. I haven't tried any over the $100 mark, either. |
| White |
2021 Pierre Sparr Riesling Grande RéserveAlsace more |
5/1/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 93 pointsBarely took any note here, but this was really excellent and great value for $20- I could be underrating it, or at least it could easily age for a little while and continue to expand. Beautiful rich lemon and nectarine, a touch of rubber, dry and crisp without being sharp or puckery. I've had others with more depth and/or more vibrancy, but this is a really true example of Alsatian Riesling for very little $. |
| Red |
2021 Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel Sonoma Countymore |
5/1/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 93 pointsZin isn't my favorite grape ("jammy" wines are rarely what I look for), but this was very solid. Reminded me a bit of my favorite inexpensive Zins, Ridge Three Valleys and Bedrock Old Vine. |
| Red |
2021 Quinta Milú Rioja La Bicicleta VoladoraTempranillo more |
5/1/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 92 pointsI had a really hard time trying to guess this blind- on reveal, this made sense, as I certainly don't have real experience with un-oaked Rioja (a region so heavily associated with oak programs, also!) I thiiiiink this is the second un-oaked Tempranillo, from anywhere, that I've ever tried. It was pretty, if very simple and a little goofy. Gentle raspberry jam on the nose, really notably jammy to the point that my first guess was a Zinfandel. Not hot or imbalanced, just jammy. That's pretty much it; maybe a little vague herbal tang on the finish with some pepper, but it's mainly just a bunch of tasty, faintly-expressive ripe red fruit. Maybe I'm overrating it, but it's very inexpensive and does feel very much like "real" wine, just a playful one. |
| Red |
2020 Mercury The SisterAlexander Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
5/1/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 92 pointsVery tasty as usual with pretty red and black cherries, a bit of vanilla and red licorice- this vintage felt a bit thin compared to previous ones, a little less substantial. It had a nice elegant feel with good fruit, but if something is a little smaller-scaled, sometimes I expect a little more aromatic presence OR possible nuanced complexity; this didn't really show that, instead just showing like a smaller version of their usual wine. Very nice, just has to deal with strong competition from other vintages. |
| White |
2019 Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay Domaine EdenSanta Cruz Mountains more |
5/1/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 95 pointsThis seems to be slightly divisive, given the tasting notes here. For me, it was incredible and gets an extra point (or two) for fantastic QPR. I felt it was pretty fully made in a rich, somewhat buttery (gasp!) style, and made extremely well, with an excellent balance between power and energy. Some gentle golden buttery toast on the nose with cozy baking spices, coming just barely over the top of the fruit but not entirely, still leaving room for delicious lemon curd and faint hints of pineapple cake. Some sneaky minerality on the palate also, slightly powdery and with a very welcome accent of integrated acidity (really giving the perfect level of "lift" to the deeper, buttered profile.) Feels like late-90's luxury, marked down dramatically. I love that this was allowed to just be an unapologetically rich chard at a fantastic price, and I liked it a lot more than my experience with a green/austere Domaine Eden Cab Sauv. As for their flagship label, I've only tasted the Mount Eden Pinot (which was beautiful, and surprisingly earthy, with lots of dark pine and mushroom.) All three of these wines seemed to encompass very different styles and intentions. |
| Red |
2020 Philippe et Arnaud Dubreuil Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les TalmettesPinot Noir more |
4/30/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 94 pointsDidn't get detailed notes on this (shared very quickly with a large group) but I easily remember it as super delicious. The baby fat fruit was notably concentrated and darker-pitched, lots of blue and black berry character alongside a more "typical" black cherry tone. All very fresh fruit, just dark and ripe. I don't think the fruit left a LOT of room for earthy/savory character, but it was there, somewhere in the far background. Plenty of balanced acidity and silky, sappy tannins. Not very complex at this stage but very expressive and delicious. Savigny wines have always had pretty strong QPR, especially with the premier crus- this was another example of that. |
| Red |
2020 Domaine Notre Dame des Pallières Gigondas Les MourresRed Rhone Blend more |
4/30/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 92 pointsMaybe a little dull/straightforward for the price, but certainly very enjoyable with ripe raspberry liqueur at the fore, alongside little accents of that herbal garrigue in the very far background. Decent acidity holding it together, nice silky tannin. As with a lot of Southern Rhone wines in this price range, it didn't necessarily "grab me"- everything is fairly medium and 90% about soft, ripe fruit. It's rare that I'd choose this over a similarly-priced Northern Rhone, even if it was really tasty. |
| White - Sparkling |
NV José Michel & Fils Champagne Tradition BrutChampagne Blend more |
4/30/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 93 pointsLeaving just one note for two bottles of this we enjoyed over the span of a couple months (they felt about the same to me.) This was delicious- kind of a very basic Champagne, but with the caveat that it's sometimes available for VERY good prices (we literally got this for less than $35), which makes it an easy recommendation. It may be straightforward, yet it feels like "real deal" champagne with a bunch of creamy fuji apple, rich lemon curd, and intense energy. Maybe there's a touch of vanilla deep down- it's not especially "toasty", but thankfully it's not overly oxidative either, which I'm sensitive too and don't enjoy as much. I think for the sub-$50 Champagne category I very slightly preferred my experience with Moutard Brut Grande Cuvee, but this was very close behind. |
| Red |
2020 Meinklang BlaufränkischBurgenland more |
4/29/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 91 pointsTasty for sure, although weaker than many of the Blaufrankisch examples I've had and a couple steps down from the last vintage of this I tried (2018); some really pretty multicolored berry fruits are here, kind of vague but ranging from bright raspberry to darker blackberry. Fresh and vibrant, yet occasionally buried by a slightly dank herbal tone, just a little too present, and the whole package is more thin and astringent than juicy and balanced. It suffers just a bit when compared to a lot of other Blaufrankisch out there, many around the same price. |
| Red |
2021 Podere Ruggeri Corsini Barbera d'Alba Superiore Armujanmore |
4/29/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 93 pointsI could be slightly underrating this- it was definitely one of the top few Barberas I've enjoyed. I was a little worried it would be hot/jammy at 15% ABV, but it wasn't at all. Just thick and voluptuous with surprisingly fresh, pure fruit. Deep, dark raspberry liqueur, black plums, violet floral shades almost like a Dolcetto (but less "grapey"), touches of slightly brighter blackberry with a bolt of crunchy acidity. You could tell it had some oak aging in a way, with a sort of gentle spice to it, but it was 95% about the fruit. Tannins are there, but very fine and powdery, never coarse. Still feels like a "classic" Italian wine with high acid and such, but not at all the austere style that requires a food pairing to be delicious. Again, I'm being conservative with my rating here, especially as it'll continue to expand and evolve really nicely in the short term. It's usually around $30, but I found it for $25. Sub-$30 is a steal. |
| Red |
NV Mercury The Cru Lot XIIIAlexander Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
4/29/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 93 pointsReally nice, as with a ton of their wines, mostly shows a very soft, round, delicious tone of dark cherry cordial, with pretty melted tannins and gentle acidity (not super vibrant, but still pretty fresh, certainly not flabby or overripe.) This has a bit of blackberry pie or something else a bit darker to it than some of the others; I guess the Malbec/Syrah combo talking, but it's still mostly chocolate covered cherry framed in baking spices. Straightforward yet very enjoyable and certainly well-balanced. |
| Red |
2021 Megan Anne Cellars Pinot NoirWillamette Valley more |
4/29/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 94 pointsLike the last vintage I tried (2019) this is still fantastic value; maybe slightly less interesting for the listed wine-searcher price ($40) but it's pretty widely available for $30, sometimes less, and for that price it stands out quite a bit, gaining an easy extra point for the QPR. |
| Rosé |
2022 Château Pradeaux Bandol RoséMourvèdre Blend, Mourvèdre more |
4/29/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 93 pointsUnbelievably chuggable and delicious. Like a lot of Rosé, it doesn't have a lot of actual staying power for my palate, but it's true that this has more depth and breadth than most I've tried. The price reflects that of course, but I think it's really solid value overall, even with it being a good deal more pricey than the average provencal rose, etc. I like it better than the Tavel stuff I've tried so far, too- this has similar depth, but more energy. A ton of fresh, slightly candied strawberry and raspberry, some wild herbs, peony, and gentle saline tones. Acidity is very elegant, bristling with energy, never tart or puckery. I tasted two bottles over a few months and they were the same, so I'm just leaving this one note. |
| White |
2023 Lamblin & Fils Bourgogne Blanc Cépage Chardonnaymore |
4/29/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 92 pointsNice stuff, very simple but tasty with gentle lemon zest, a bit of salty and sometimes chalky minerality, and somewhat tart acidity. Sort of tastes like a mini version of good Chablis, which is exactly what it is. Good price. I think there's better/more interesting white wine around $15, but this is still good. |
| Red |
2020 Raul Pérez Bierzo Ultreia St. JacquesMencía more |
4/29/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 92 pointsVery delicious and fresh; yet I'm rating it a point lower than the last vintage I tasted (2018) as this was a bit more natty/funky, vibrant but less focused, compared to the super fresh and precise (but also clean and dialed-in) 2018. This 2020 showed lots of slightly funky strawberry, raspberry etc with a bit of salty umami and beautiful, gentle tannins. I like that the high acid is pretty well-integrated, not too puckery, but the fermentation is a little wild, giving it a faint kombucha character. My first instinct when blind tasting was some very natty Pinot Noir, and I couldn't figure out the region whatsoever. |
| Red |
2018 Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon Jack London VineyardSonoma Valley more |
4/29/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 90 pointsThis definitely grew on me over time, but never fully clicked with me. I understand that it's from a "cooler climate" area for CA Cab, but it ended up showing as an only-sometimes enjoyable mix of very green, slightly bitter bell pepper/coffee grounds (excessive pyrazine for my palate) alongside a pretty hefty, heavy weight, with warm plums and a bit of alcohol heat on the finish. Solid tannin structure and acidity though; gentle without being flabby. It certainly feels like "real" wine, serious stuff. It's just a little out-of-balance and a little tough to enjoy at this stage. |
| Red |
2020 Fattoria Pagano Roccamonfina IGTPiedirosso more |
4/29/2024 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 94 pointsMy first time with this grape. Pretty incredible value here; small-scaled, a cute wine without a ton of "depth", but so delicious and balanced with fresh red cherries and other assorted vibrant red fruits, a touch of gentle thyme or some other faint herbal tone, and really bright acidity that never felt tart or aggressive. There was a slight funk to it that lent fantastic complexity, a little umami, but not so heavy that it was barnyard-like. It was content to hang in the background. A beautiful, simple Italian food wine that was still totally delicious all by itself. Definitely gets an extra point for wonderful QPR; I love inexpensive Italian wines for pizza night and similar ventures, and in the category of sub-$20 rare grapes, this was one of the best I've tried. |
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- Tasting notes: 1,448 notes on 1,363 wines
