5/10/2024 - Tony Poli wrote:

WON, without question. Theme was Central Coast.

1/26/2024 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Sublime. Drinking perfectly out of the bottle.

12/2/2023 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

According to the CT drinking window (usually on the way too short side), this should be over the hill. Wrong! It was quite bright, seemingly with plenty of life left, and quite yummy. Would not confuse it with an Italian Sangiovese, but, like Sonoma Pinots compared with Burgundy, this was quite American, and I liked it a lot.

11/29/2023 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

I have over 600 bottles in my cellar. Rosalie made her wonderful turkey chili tonight, and I pulled this out. I am not sure I could have made a better choice. Delightful, fruity nose. The palate was bright fruit, smooth, but with plenty of oomph. Long finish. Best of all, we will have the rest of the chili tomorrow night, and there is half a bottle left to pump down and have another go at a perfect pairing.

10/26/2023 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Popped and poured tonight. Paired with grilled salmon, Swiss chard, and Japanese sweet potatoes. Not a big bruiser of a Barolo, but not exactly subtle, either. Terrific nose of cherries and stone fruit. Fruit forward palate, with a cherries explosion not unlike Cali Pinot Noir. Long finish. Wonderful.

8/28/2023 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

I thought this was exceptional. Apparently it is a blend, 80% Aglianico, 20% Piedirosso, and it is quite a bit softer than the straight Aglionico’s that I have had. Approachable, almost easy-drinking. Paired with spaghetti all’assissina, where one “assassinates” the spaghetti, essentially by partially burning it. Both were fabulous.

8/4/2023 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Lots of stuff going on in this one. Bright nose. Plenty of fruit, good balance, long finish. There were guesses on the age centered around 2018. Holding up quite well, I would say. Loved it.

7/28/2023 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Theme was old world rose. This was quite nice. The note included in the Garagiste write-up, which was quite brief (in my shorthand, if Rimmerman doesn’t write much, the wine is pretty good and doesn’t need as much of a sell job) was a bit flowery (Mediterranean scrub???), but this wine earned it. Lots of stuff on the palate, despite a relatively calm and quiet nose. I didn’t get much in the way of cherries, emphasized in the note, but there was plenty of spice and fruit. Decent length for a rose. Wish I had bought more.

7/23/2023 - Tony Poli wrote:

This gets better with some age.

6/23/2023 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

This is just coming into its own. Classic Barolo, I will hold my other bottles.

6/18/2023 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Opened for Father’s Day, with slow cooked shredded beef. Great nose, lots of cherries and ripe berries. Plenty of fruit on the palate, tannins have smoothed out. Long finish. This is drinking exceedingly well now. The CT drinking window is crazy short - this could go a few more years.

5/25/2023 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

I just read that Beaujolais is the Rodney Dangerfield (no respect) region of Burgundy. I am beginning to think this is so. This 8 year old Chenas was delightful - lots of fruit, deep garnet color, subtle but complex nose. Almost jammy palate, we drank with cedar planked salmon. Great pairing. I think I will be trying more Beaujolais in the near future.

4/28/2023 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

I agree with previous notes. Our theme tonight was Maconnais, this showed extremely well. Complex nose, smooth palate, a bit less complex than the nose. But just a delight to drink.

4/7/2023 - Tony Poli Does not like this wine:

Parker was wrong. I can’t go to 65, like another note, but this was sour, unpleasant.

3/17/2023 - Tony Poli wrote:

This has come around. Worth the wait.

3/14/2023 - Tony Poli wrote:

This is what I expect Barolo to be.

3/6/2023 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Paired with a really good wild mushroom and ground sirloin papparedelle pasta. Terrific pairing. Juicy fruit, nice acidity, long, pleasant finish. Popped and poured, changed a bit in the glass, but not much. Will revisit tomorrow.

2/24/2023 - Tony Poli wrote:

Theme was Napa floor. This was glorious, and definitely could go some. Integrated, lots of fruit, resolved, but plenty of structure. Wish I had many more.

2/14/2023 - Tony Poli wrote:

Opened about an hour before dinner, drank a bit as I cooked. Plenty of fruit left, but smooth and resolved. This was really good. Paired with beef tenderloin on the grill- perfect. This could still go some, I think the drinking window for these Rafanelli cabs are, in general, too short.

1/22/2023 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

We opened this at a restaurant with friends. These WS Pinot s really age well, their drinking windows are too short on CT, IMHO. This was just singing. Lots of cherries on the nose, but more subdued than their younger offerings. A bit of earth and forest floor mixed in. The palate was quite alive, with plenty of fruit, still, but good complexity and balance. Didn’t taste or smell the alcohol at all. Long, pleasant finish. Glad I let it sit for a while, but I think it could still get better.

12/31/2022 - Tony Poli wrote:

Opened on New Years Eve to accompany beef bourguignon. Popped and poured, out of the bottle it was quiet, a nice sipper, but not what I expected. As it opened, however, it showed its stuff. Big wine, perfect with the beef.

12/30/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Visited a friend today who asked if I would like a glass of wine. He pulled this one from his cellar. He had bought it on release, and stored it well. Popped and poured (well it wasn’t quite that simple, the cork broke, so we poured it into a decanter through a strainer). The color was a perfect Nebbiolo color. Nose was big, as in BIG, lots of sour cherries, tar, red fruit. It was quite a mouthful, again with the cherries, lots of complexity, coated the palate wonderfully. Long finish. Given its age, this might have faded over time, but there were four of us, and we didn’t give it a chance to fade. One of the better Barolos I have had.

12/25/2022 - Tony Poli wrote:

I tend to drink these young. They are so approachable. But this one kind of got lost. If this is typical, these estate cabs get better with age. Still lots of fruit, but it is picking up some weight and complexity. Maybe let my other, later vintages sit a while.

12/15/2022 - Tony Poli wrote:

Theme was zinfandel - I brought this because it was relatively old, for my cellar. It turned out to be middle-aged in this group. There were some quite a bit older, including a Caymus Zin (I didn’t know about that one) from the ‘90’s. But this was quite elegant, fresh, drinking wonderfully. The CellarTracker drinking window is woefully short on this one. Not much pepper, not that Hayne’s are ever very peppery, but good fruit, good balance. Loved it.

12/4/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Popped this tonight with beef stroganoff, nice surprise. Good fruit, plenty of acidity with the stroganoff, paired quite well. I bought this on a whim with my summer allocation, glad I did.

10/27/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Last had this 4 years ago. As others have noted it is aging quite well.

10/21/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Theme was Spain, blind, pretty broad. This one was quite interesting. I read my previous note - it was agreed that it was accurate. But the guesses were all over the place. Oldest guess was 1992, others thought it was quite young. Grenache was thrown out there, but so was Tempranillo, of which we had already tasted several times. Rarely is the group that far apart. All agreed this was a pretty good wine.

10/14/2022 - Tony Poli wrote:

Potential, but crazy tannic at this point. Theme was Piedmont, so it was clearly in theme. But it needs time.

10/7/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Cayron vertical. 05, 10, 12-17. These wines are amazing, and amazingly similar. 2010 was supposedly a hard vintage from Cayron, but it was drinking wonderfully tonight. A bit less acid than those that followed (we drank old to young), but surprisingly consistent. Fun tasting.

9/24/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Typical WS cherries explosion, but with additional nuance. Paired with planked salmon, this could not have been better.

7/20/2022 - Tony Poli wrote:

Brambly, peppery, as others have noted. I saw I had two of these, apparently I gave the other one away. It was to a good neighbor for a significant birthday. I think I chose well for the gift, this is really good. With burgers on the grill on a nice, sunny evening. The Howell Mountain pedigree shows.

7/19/2022 - Tony Poli wrote:

This is actually getting better. More complex and integrated, a joy to drink.

6/30/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

At Cafe Zinho, paired with soft shell crabs and striped bass entrees. Could not have been more perfect.

6/28/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Good summer sipper. Consistent with other notes.

5/12/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Had to open this without a decant, for friends who are Pinot fans. This was just singing. I have had several Fe Ciega Pinots before, this was the best. Lots of cherries, but plenty of balance. Bright nose, made you want to put it in your mouth. Long finish. Ojai rocks!!

5/6/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Delightful quaffer. I would buy this again, if I could find it. It was a gift, and was the only bottle in the system when we opened it tonight. Some citrus, a hint of grass, but nothing like New Zealand. Not a big or serious wine, but a lot of fun.

5/3/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Still punching way above it’s weight. And getting better with age.

5/1/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Delightful light summer sipper.

4/23/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Others have called this a “bright, tangy” Cotes du Rhône. That is a pretty on-point description. I would definitely put this in a New World flavor profile, but it could pass for French. I am enjoying this. My first Rocks and Gravel. I think it has benefitted from its time in the bottle, seems resolved and has decent balance.

4/8/2022 - Tony Poli wrote:

Pleasant surprise. Drank beside a more traditional Chardonnay white Burg, this was clean and crisp. Much lighter in color, almost clear, it held its own with regard to complexity. Nice nose, good fruit. Worthy of the maker, would buy again.”

4/8/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Theme was Burgundy, Bourgogne or Haut Cotes de Nuits, less than village wine. QPR on the table was really high. This was quite good, balanced, ready to drink. Complex nose, good structure, long finish. It was followed by a 2018 Michel Gros Haut Cotes de Nuits, which was slightly better. The pedigree showed through on both of these wines.

3/29/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Fascinating expression of Sangiovese. Acidic, but not overwhelmingly so. Good fruit. Would buy again.

3/13/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Mature and balanced. I believe the drinking windows on Ct for these Williams Selyem Pinots are, in general, too short. This was drinking wonderfully tonight, and might not get a whole lot better, but there were no real signs of age, and it could easily go another 5 years. And could get better. A bit more subtle than the typical WS cherries explosion in the mouth, this was more restrained.

3/4/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Theme was Cab, 2010 or older. This had improved since our last bottle, smoother, more balanced. Likely will get better still, but was wonderful tonight.

2/21/2022 - Tony Poli wrote:

Much more approachable early, unlike other Aglianico del Vulture wines that I have had (Titolo). I love Elena Fucci Titolo, but it needs about a day and a half in the decanter. This, popped and poured tonight on a whim, was quite nice. Dark fruits on the nose, smooth palate, long, interesting finish. Glad I bought 6.

1/29/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Tasting theme was Meursault or Montrachet. This was Rosalie’s wine, and was one of two Les Narvaux wines on the table. It actually was a bit more expensive than my Blagny premier cru - I guess they are pushing that vineyard. While good, this lacked the balance and overall taste profile of the premier crus.

1/28/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

This was drinking wonderfully. Tasting theme was Meursault or Montrachet. Last time, few Meursaults. This time, 85% Meursault. The premier cru’s were better, and seemed more age worthy than the village wines (surprise, surprise). This had good balance, citrus notes, nice acidity, long, pleasant finish.

1/14/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

Fresh, citrusy, just delightful.

1/9/2022 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

We had friends over for pork stew, which was great comfort food on a cold night. This was up a point from our last bottle. Nose had a bit more of the Syrah stink that I get from the Rhone, but with plenty of New World sweetness. Seems to be evolving in a positive direction. Again, great QPR, we and our guests loved it.

12/28/2021 - Tony Poli Likes this wine:

We are fans of Giacosa Arneis. This is different, both on the nose and in the mouth, but it rivals Giacosa. Rosalie’s comment, after quite an approving facial expression, was “what a lovely white wine!” Melon and pears on the nose. The palate is quite expressive, melon, stone fruit and some spice, long finish. The only negative is it is from Garagiste, I can’t easily get more. Should have bought cases…