Wine Reviews

An archive of all wine reviews

Buty, Horse Heaven Hills (olumbia Valley, Washington) 2008
Linda Murphy
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September 13, 2011
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 Columbia Rediviva is the name of the ship Captain Robert Gray sailed on the Columbia River while exploring the Northwest Passage in 1792.  The...
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Helderberg Wijnmakerij, Stellenboch (South Africa) Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Marguerite Thomas
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September 13, 2011
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 The only thing this wine lacks is an accompanying guide to let us know how to pronounce its name.   Everything else about it is...
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Paul Dolan, Mendocino Coast (Mendocino County, California) Zinfandel 2009
Marguerite Thomas
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September 13, 2011
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 If you don’t think Zinfandel can have charm, you probably haven’t tried Paul Dolan’s Mendocino Coast offering.  This wine is admirably sinewy, lushly flavored,...
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Yalumba, South Australia (Australia) Shiraz 2010
Michael Franz
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September 13, 2011
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 I can’t say whether the organic growing of the grapes for this wine is why it tastes so good, or whether a broader conscientiousness...
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Ostatu, Rioja (Spain) 2008
Michael Franz
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September 13, 2011
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 Rioja is turning out a lot of impressive-looking wines these days, whereas this one only starts to impress when it really counts, which is...
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Vina Zaco, Rioja (Spain) Tempranillo 2008
Robert Whitley
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September 6, 2011
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 This is a decidedly bright, fresh, modern Rioja from one of the oldest, most important areas of the district. Vina Vaco is from Bodegas...
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LaFollette, Sonoma Coast (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2009
Marguerite Thomas
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September 6, 2011
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 Notably refined, this Pinot Noir manifests its fruitiness with a whisper rather than a shout.  Its subtle floral perfume, and fresh earthy and mushroomy...
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Boekenhoutskloof, Western Cape (South Africa) 2009
Paul Lukacs
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September 6, 2011
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 An intense, muscular wine, this blend of primarily Syrah and Grenache tastes deep and dark, with, yes, a dark chocolate note in its long,...
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Trenza, San Luis Obispo County (Central Coast, California) 2008
Robert Whitley
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September 6, 2011
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 Is there nothing winemaker Christian Roguenant can’t do? When I first met Christian he was making sparkling wine for a now defunct winery. It...
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Paraiso Vineyards, Santa Lucia Highlands (Monterey County, California) Pinot Noir 2009
Robert Whitley
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September 6, 2011
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 Proprietors Richard and Claudia Smith are longtime Monterey County grape growers, and they’ve sold grapes over the years to many of California’s most well...
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Sequana, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2009
Michael Apstein
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August 30, 2011
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 Sequana’s Russian River Valley rendition is riper with more emphasis on raspberry-like fruit flavors than the one from Santa Lucia Highlands. Savory elements complement...
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Lake Sonoma Winery, Dry Creek Valley (Sonoma County, California) Zinfandel 2008
Paul Lukacs
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August 30, 2011
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 A real surprise, this fairly modestly-priced Dry Creek Valley Zin has been made very much in what used to be called the “claret style,”...
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