5/15/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Ripe and forward, with notes of peach, Honeydew melon, and white flowers leading the way. A hint of honey pings off the lively acidity and emerging minerality. Delicious.

5/11/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Hints of petrol and citrus populate the nose, with notes of lemon drop candy, necatarine, mango, and sea salt commingling on the palate. Lively acidity and a skosh of minerality keep things in check. Lovely.

5/11/2024 - ziavino wrote:

This might need some time to settle in - came across a tad disjointed, with notes of Meyer lemon, kiwi, and sea salt supplanted by a wave of oak that takes over and lingers on the finish. Spritzy, with medium acidity.

5/8/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Intriguing as always, and needing a couple hours to open up. Notes of bell pepper, leather, tart cherry, and hints of brett commingle throughout, with ample acidity moving things along. Puckery and savory, and a nice change of pace, if not a tad simple.

5/7/2024 - ziavino wrote:

PnP, with notes of fresh squeezed lime and petrol jumping out of the glass. Bone dry with good intensity and featuring notes of lime, Granny Smith apple, and grapefruit coalescing on the palate. A slight honeyed note emerges as it warms, with lively acidity keeping it racing along.

5/5/2024 - ziavino wrote:

This is terrific, sporting notes of peach, Jonathan apple, and Canary melon throughout. Nice density here, with plenty of ripe fruit and hints of oak weaving in. Good balance too, with a healthy dose of minerality and enough acidity to provide tension.

5/2/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Ripe and assertive, with gobs of fruit throughout. Notes of grapefruit, lemon, pineapple, and gooseberry lead the way, with grapefruit winning out and lingering on the puckery finish. Good purity of fruit here, well made, and a nice patio pounder or pairing with seafood. But there's no scenario where this is a 95 point wine and top 10 of the year (per Wine Spectator).

4/30/2024 - ziavino wrote:

It's been a decade or so since I tried this wine, and it mostly drank how I remember it. Long on fruit and low on character, with gobs of ripe blackberry, raspberry, and milk chocolate leading the way. A healthy dollop of oak weaves in, with a hint of black pepper emerging. There's some heat here, too. Well made for what it is, but not my style.

4/30/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Terrific, with notes of nectarine, Honeydew melon, Jonathan apple, Lurpak, and fleur de sel coalescing throughout. Ample minerality emerges, and medium acidity keeps it moving.

4/27/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Notes of sweet Mandarin orange and peach lead the way, with hints of mixed herbs weaving in. While tasty, it's dense and a tad muddled, and comes across as cloying and in need of more acidity.

4/27/2024 - ziavino wrote:

PnP, and slow ox'd over the course of 3 hours (should've properly decanted). Initially tight and ungiving with considerable heat, but this settles in to reveal a very nice (and young) Zin. Red fruits lead the way on the palate, with notes of raspberry and cranberry coalescing with a skosh of dark chocolate. Oak is seamlessly integrated, and there's just enough acidity to keep it all moving.

4/26/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Interesting wine. An initial note of crabapple eventually blows off, revealing hints of clementine, cut flowers, and apple cider. All very subdued, with medium acidity, good minerality, and chalky tannins emerging late. Agree with previous notes that this likely needs some time to settle in.

4/21/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Red fruits lead the way here, with notes of strawberry, raspberry, and red currant commingling throughout. The Mourvedre pops, with tar notes emerging and lingering on the medium-long finish. Silky mouthfeel. A modern style (15.5%!), yet doesn't feel over the top.

4/21/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Tangy yet high-toned, with notes of ruby grapefruit, nectarine, sea salt, and gooseberry coalescing throughout. There's a nice roundness here as it warms and lively acidity keeps it moving. Delicious.

4/20/2024 - ziavino wrote:

This needed some time to open up, eventually showing notes of Gala apple and Mandarin orange, with latent minerality emerging in the background. Nicely integrated oak is here too, and there's just enough acidity to balance its weight. Nicely done, if not a tad simple.

4/18/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Notes of pineapple, Meyer lemon and gooseberry coalesce throughout, with lively acidity tempering the roundness. Hints of sea salt weave in too. Great purity of fruit, and another excellent vintage of this.

4/18/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Tasty and straightforward. Notes of boysenberry and plum lead the way, with a hint of smoke weaving in. A skosh of minerality emerges too.

4/16/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Richer than most other bottles of Albarino I've had, showing off notes of ripe peach, Mandarin orange, and mixed herbs throughout. Maybe a skosh of honey too, with ample minerality as well. Lively acidity tempers the roundness as needed. Terrific stuff.

4/16/2024 - ziavino wrote:

PnP, and squarely in its drinking window. Notes of black currant, plum, and dark chocolate coalesce throughout, with the faintest hint of tannin still hanging on. Decadent, yet there's enough acidity to keep it feeling fresh. Delicious, and nearing its peak if not already there.

4/14/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Notes of Mandarin orange, nectarine, and Crenshaw melon coalesce throughout while enrobed in a beam of intense minerality. Great density and length too, without becoming cloying. Delicious.

4/13/2024 - ziavino wrote:

PnP, and singing right out of the gate. Notes of ripe black plum, black currant, and dark chocolate coalesce throughout, with hints of tannin emerging late and lingering on the medium-long finish. One of the best vintages of this blend I can recall.

4/12/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Ripe and generous, with notes of Meyer lemon, Fuji apple, and peach coalescing on a bed of lively acidity. Loads of minerality too. Utterly delicious.

4/9/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Pleasantly surprising, and a nice qpr. Notes of blackberry, black currant, and black pepper coalesce throughout, with a tannic bite emerging late and lingering on the medium-long finish. Tasty now, and should improve further over the next few years.

4/9/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Loads of oak and tropical fruits lead the way, with notes of mango, pineapple, coconut, and vanilla coalescing throughout. There's an interesting green streak here, and enough acidity to keep it honest. Could use a few more years for the oak to settle and integrate.

4/6/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Outrageously good for the price, with notes of ripe peach, Fuji apple, and sea salt commingling throughout. Features electric acidity, with hints of minerality weaving in. Stinky nose too, with loads of diesel funk.

4/6/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Off-dry, with hints of honey, lemon oil, crabapple, and mango commingling throughout. There's good purity of fruit here and a luxurious richness to boot, but as others have noted I was begging for more acidity by the third sip.

4/4/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Very good and very interesting. Intense wet rock minerality is pervasive throughout, with notes of black plum, black licorice, and baking chocolate weaving in. Mouthwatering acidity too, and a finish that sails on.

4/4/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Notes of candied apricot, golden raisins, and honey coalesce throughout. Unctuous, with enough acidity to keep it from being cloying. Good entry-level icewine.

4/4/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Crabapple notes quickly blow off to reveal a melange of Meyer lemon, Gala apple, and brioche. Hints of almond weave in, and the creamy texture is countered by lively acidity. Very nice.

3/31/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Tasted first at the winery, then a week later in a Bdx Blanc blind tasting from around the world. The Semillon stands out here, with notes of Gala apple and hay leading the way. Lower acidity than I'd prefer and generically tasty, yet there's quite a bit of winemaking skill on display considering the terroir of West Texas.

3/31/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Elegant, if not a tad simple. Light notes of peach, gooseberry, and sea salt coalesce throughout, with a graceful skosh of oak emerging on the back end.

3/31/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Simple and puckery, with notes of grapefruit and lime dominating throughout. Good enough as a patio pounder, but could've benefited from a higher percentage of Semillon.

3/29/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Ripe (nearly off-dry) notes of Bartlett pear and nectarine lead the way, with a faint vegetal hint weaving in. Lively acidity keeps this moving.

3/26/2024 - ziavino wrote:

This needed a couple of hours to start showing off, as the first glass was lacking. Settles in though with notes of raspberry, strawberry, and allspice, with a hint of tar emerging late and lingering on the medium finish.

3/26/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Simple and tasty, bursting with notes of Meyer lemon and clementine throughout. Lively acidity keeps it honest, and a skosh of minerality adds depth. Terrific value.

3/22/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Nice, with notes of pineapple and candied orange peel leading the way. Medium acidity keeps it moving, with hints of mixed herbs below the surface.

3/22/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Classic notes of pineapple upside down cake, honey, and Mandarin orange lead the way, with hints of coconut and mango weaving in. Electric acidity throughout, and hints of tobacco dance along. Love this.

3/22/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Fruit forward, with notes of ripe blackberry and black raspberry leading the way. Hints of black licorice abound, with a faint tar note weaving in late.

3/19/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Still a nice enough value, but keeps ticking down a bit with recent vintages. Tangy, with all things lemon dominating the palate and hints of Bartlett pear weaving in late. Oak is well integrated, and there's just enough acidity to keep it feeling fresh.

3/18/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Fun pairing with corned beef and cabbage, served from a "bagnum". Plenty of ripe fruit, with notes of black raspberry and red currant leading the way, and hints of mixed spices lingering in the background.

3/17/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Dialed in, with loads of ripe fruit balanced by lively acidity and hints of sea salt. Meyer lemon, pineapple, and Bartlett pear notes coalesce, and a skosh of oak rounds it out. Another winning Chardonnay from Ramey.

3/17/2024 - ziavino wrote:

This needed a few hours to open up, eventually revealing notes of black currant, black raspberry, black pepper, and lilac. Hints of bacon fat and tar weave in and linger on the medium finish. There's a lot to like here, and it should improve further over the next few years.

3/16/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Notes of Mandarin orange, Honeydew melon, and quince coalesce throughout, with hints of minerality weaving in. Weighty, but with enough acidity to keep it moving. Straightforward and tasty.

3/10/2024 - ziavino wrote:

PnP, and tasted over the course of four hours. Surprisingly fresh and mouthwatering with more pronounced acidity than expected, and notes of black currant, blackberry, and plum leading the way on the palate. Hints of oak idle in the background, with emerging notes of tobacco lingering on the mildly tannic finish. A bit on the simple side, looking forward to seeing if this develops further over the next few years.

3/9/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Opulent without being conspicuous. Notes of ripe Bartlett pear, peach, and Meyer lemon commingle throughout, with plentiful minerality weaving in. Round and rich without being overweight, and enough acidity to keep it feeling fresh. Delicious.

3/6/2024 - ziavino wrote:

A Southern Rhone vibe, with notes of black raspberry, black licorice, and black pepper commingling throughout. Simple yet tasty, although not a profile I typically expect from Barbera.

3/3/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Showing well right now, with notes of black cherry, black currant, milk chocolate, and tobacco commingling throughout. There's a healthy dose of oak too that straddles the line but never quite takes over. Surprising freshness, with welcome acidity. This is solid.

3/2/2024 - ziavino wrote:

PnP, and the first few sips came across like drinking Pineapple cider. Needed some air, and revealed more over the course of a few hours. Loads of fruit here, with notes of pineapple, nectarine, and Meyer lemon prevailing, with a honeysuckle streak and just enough acidity to keep it from becoming cloying.

2/28/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Squarely in its drinking window, with notes of black currant, blackberry, and cigar box commingling throughout. There's a welcome freshness here, sporting juicy acidity and hints of minerality. Could use a bit more stuffing mid-palate and overall complexity, but this is solid.

2/26/2024 - ziavino wrote:

Not certain if it's just in a down phase or it's heading into the twilight, but the fruit was muted and acidity is fleeting. And yet, this still came across as a stunning white wine; viscous and oily, with light notes of white peach and Canary melon leading the way. Nutty and smoky as well, with hints of white pepper weaving in and a skosh of minerality emerging. Seriously long finish.