by Winepisser | Jan 24, 2017 | Quick Review
Lovely, dry with a long finish. Basically Downtown Abbey in champagne form.
by Winepisser | Jan 21, 2017 | Quick Review
50% split between sauvignon blanc and semillon, the latter dominates here. Fruity and light this resembles SB not at all but it’s very drinkable. Paired well with blue shark in garlic cream sauce.
by Winepisser | Jan 21, 2017 | Quick Review
Very faint pineapple on the nose, with green apple on the tongue. Crisp but not acidic, low minerality, generally lovely.
by Winepisser | Jan 21, 2017 | Quick Review
Disappointing, this sherry reeks of soy sauce, and lacking appropriate sugar. Surprised at positive reviews for this. Pair with chow mein, as in pour it over the chow mein.
by Winepisser | Jan 21, 2017 | Quick Review
Bad glass? I was excited by the reviews but found this woefully lacking. Nice mouthfeel but lacking oomph and not much fruit. Dull overall. Perhaps needed more air. May re-rate this if I try it again.
by Winepisser | Jan 2, 2017 | Full Article
The rising star in New World wines is Uruguay, and this year’s prestigious Winepisser Best Wine award goes to a fantastic Tannat out of Carmelo, produced by winery Narbona. As our original February 2016 review pointed out, this is a meaty wine, in all the senses...
by Winepisser | Jan 1, 2017 | Quick Review
Dry almost mineraly reez, utterly unlike its cousins in the old world. Gasoline nose is nicer than it sounds, and gives way to a crisp, slightly acidic blend of sour melon and bitters. Pair with a bold fish plate. Riesling fans may not like this unless they are...
by Winepisser | Dec 24, 2016 | Quick Review
Good value. Wishing for something more. Maybe crispness? But definitely drinkable and perfect refreshing accompaniment to summer lunch.
by Winepisser | Dec 24, 2016 | Quick Review
Like mule urine with food coloring. Only good if you really, really like food coloring.
by Winepisser | Dec 24, 2016 | Quick Review
From the Rothschild/Catena families, strong dark fruits crash together with firm but not overpowering acid. This is a bold glass and worth whatever price you pay for it.
by Winepisser | Dec 24, 2016 | Quick Review
Out of the bottle the nose was chemical and powerful, but allowing it to sit in the glass (better yet, decant it) for at least a half hour gave way to roses and cinnamon. This is a fruit forward malbec with subtle tannins and low acidity. A great example of the breed....
by Winepisser | Dec 23, 2016 | Quick Review
Horrid, petroleum reek makes you think you’ve put a pile of oil-soaked rags in your mouth; once it’s inside you, it only gets worse. Imagine acid mixed with carcass, and you’re getting the picture. The only sure thing about this wine is that it will...
by Winepisser | Dec 21, 2016 | Quick Review
Crisp acidity masks any oak, if they used any. Mineral finish invokes Sauvignon Blanc which is a good thing in this case. Actually quite light and delicious. Chardonnay lovers are not gonna like this, unless they approach it with an open mind.
by Winepisser | Dec 10, 2016 | Quick Review
High acid, medium tannin, lots of oak; Powerful, but not stellar. Not drunk under ideal conditions, so may try it again and re-rate. Contains 15% Merlot, so it’s not pure CS.
by Winepisser | Dec 10, 2016 | Quick Review
Color is pure white, nearly like grain alcohol; Slight taste of ammonia fouled the perfume of some underlying lavendar. Bad bottle? Overall, not a great glass, but need to try again under better conditions so I am giving them an extra half star.
by Winepisser | Dec 8, 2016 | Quick Review
https://www.vivino.com/users/winepisserWait, what? I don’t understand all of the 4 star reviews of this wine on Vivino. This is a middling NZ SB at best, nicely balanced acid vs fruit but lacking in mineral finish and overall punch. Almost seems like a...
by Winepisser | Dec 7, 2016 | Quick Review
Dull and flat. I had more fun cleaning the glass afterwards than drinking it. And I am not fond of cleaning my own glasses.
by Winepisser | Dec 6, 2016 | Quick Review
Lighter acid than later years, this is decidedly mellow. Floral more than mineraly, you’d be excused if you didn’t realize this was a sauvignon Blanc. Still very nice but won’t hold to dishes other than light fish.
by Winepisser | Dec 2, 2016 | Quick Review
Bright yellow; moderate sugar with a belated but lasting finish of apricot and green apple, but not at all dipping into Riesling territory. Slightly tart. Very lively.
by Winepisser | Dec 1, 2016 | Quick Review
Color is pale yellow/green, almost like a sauvignon blanc. Overall, lacked distinction, but hinted at vanilla; no citrus despite that promise on the wine menu. Paired with duck w/ garlic pea puree and quinoa, and the wine was buried under the dish. Disappointing....
by Winepisser | Dec 1, 2016 | Quick Review
Good, not oversweet, with slight nose of smoke; on the tongue it’s plum and wood, like a fruit cellar. Not the best porto, but enjoyable.
by Winepisser | Nov 29, 2016 | Full Article
As I’ll be writing shortly, for whatever reason 2016 has been the year of the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc at Winepisser. Despite this, no NZ SB has made our five-star list, and you’d think one was due. This trend remains true as we announce our latest...
by Winepisser | Nov 28, 2016 | Quick Review
Blend with majority of tempranillo; notes of black pepper but with a finish of garlic. Overall dominance is black cherry and plum. Powerful so it paired well with a traditional penne dish, but drank well by itself, too. Recommended.
by Winepisser | Nov 24, 2016 | Quick Review
(No tasting notes.)
by Winepisser | Nov 20, 2016 | Quick Review
Drank this under optimum conditions, meaning I drank the entire bottle and got totally wasted. A rare admission for a wine reviewer. Overall, not a bad Argy Essbee, lacking the punch of its NZ brethren, but nevertheless enjoyable. Light on the tongue, fresh on the...
