Freddy R. Troya

8.9

Ridge Three Valleys 2023
Sonoma County, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A classic Sonoma field blend composed of 71% Zinfandel, 16% Carignane, 9% Petite Sirah, 2% Mataro, and 2% Alicante Bouschet. Crafted in Ridge’s signature transparent style, this vintage leans toward a riper and more fruit-driven expression than many of the winery’s other bottlings.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackberry preserves, ripe plum, black cherry, and raspberry compote dominate, supported by touches of black pepper and baking spice.

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with polished tannins and a broad, generous texture. The fruit lingers across the palate with a warm, persistent finish.

Food Pairings
A natural companion for barbecue, smoked meats, burgers, and hearty pizza.

Verdict
While impeccably made, this is one of the few Ridge wines that didn’t quite resonate with my palate. It leans a bit too jammy and overripe for my preference, though lovers of rich, fruit-forward California reds will likely find plenty to enjoy.

Did You Know?
Ridge has long been one of California’s pioneers of ingredient transparency, listing the exact grape composition directly on the label.

🍷 Personal Pick
I truly love Ridge wines, but I’d still reach for Lytton Springs or Geyserville before this bottling. If bold, juicy Zinfandel blends are your style, however, this one could easily become a favorite. — a month ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga Martínez, now run by Manuel, Isabel & Isaac Muga Caño. Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice, unmistakable Muga. 4 grape blend from the Haro district (70% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), palate shows cherry and currant flavors with espresso, vanilla & toasty oak tones. Soft full tannins, lively acidity on a medium+ finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Nice value! Great vintage! — 2 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Six grape blend, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah, dark Ruby with ripe dark fruit aromas with spicy vanilla oak. On the palate flavors of black cherry and blackberry with notes of black pepper, leather, vanilla and cacao. Nice balance, fine tannins, medium+ finish ending with fruit, vanilla, oak and spicy notes. — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice and oak. 4 grape blend from some of CVNE's best vineyards in the Rioja Alta (85% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), aged in both French and American oak for 24 months. On the palate flavors of blackberry and currants with licorice, vanilla, tobacco & toasty oak tones. Soft full ripe tannins, wonderful balance, lively acidity on a long finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Very nice! Tried several bottles! — 5 years ago

Jeff Miller

9.1

My wife wanted to buy me an interesting wine as a Valentine’s Day gift and chose the 2013 G.D. Vajra Kye Freisa. I’ve tasted a lot of the Piedmontese grape varietals, but never Freisa until tonight.

After a decent decant, the Kye, being a dark ruby color, was a deep, rich wine with notes of roasted strawberry, wild blueberry, black plum skin, rolled tobacco, white pepper, blood orange, dried herbs and hot asphalt. The wine initially seemed a little wild, earthy and gamey, but that blew off after a bit. Structurally, the Kye was medium plus body, medium plus tannin, high acid, and had a fairly long finish. Delicious wine that paired well with a fire roasted tomato bolognese with rotini. — 5 years ago

Severn G

9.4

Nose has ripe blackberry, fresh black cherry, cherry jam, mashed cherries, toasted anise seed, sweet smokey cedar, cherry liqueur. Rich and beautiful.

Palate has bright black cherry, old milk chocolate, cherry jam reduction, ripe fig, dried fig, black currant jam, moist garden soil, licorice and grape Jolly Rancher candy. Rich palate with mild tannins and long finish. This wine is in an outstanding spot with years ahead of it still, enjoy 2024-26, in proper storage. Decanted 6H.

Paired with pulled pork sandwiches, a Superbowl Sunday tradition for us. A local pork shoulder (Mill River Farm, New Marlborough, MA), dry spice rubbed and rested for 24H, then 10H in the slow cooker; it's just falling apart...so beautiful, our kitchen smells amazing! Garnished with our garden bread & butter pickles, homemade barbeque sauce, pickled red onion and a dash of cilantro, all a worthy combination. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

150+ years ago Giovanni Gaja opened small restaurant in Barbaresco, making wine to complement his food. 1859, he founded the Gaja Winery. Winery has been shaped by that of Angelo Gaja. Under Angelo's direction, the the native Nebbiolo grape was elevated to world-class esteem. Ruby, rich berry fruits aromas, earthy herbs. Palate, juicy cherry and raspberry with tobacco, black pepper, leather, savory tannins, great mouthfeel on rich long finish. Needs Cellaring! Tasting Sample! — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Gavi comes from small growing area in northwestern Italy located north of Genoa on steep slopes of Ligurian Apennines. White label is La Scolca’s everyday wine, an alternative to their “Black Label”. From Cortese di Gavi grape (younger vines), pale yellow color with aromas of stone and citrus fruits, extended lees aging. On the palate flavors of apple and lemon, nutty notes, nice mouthfeel. Medium finish, vivid acidity ending with a mineral character. Nice! — 4 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice and oak. 4 grape blend from some of CVNE's best vineyards in the Rioja Alta (85% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), aged in both French and American oak for 24 months. On the palate flavors of blackberry and currants with licorice, vanilla, tobacco & toasty oak tones. Soft full ripe tannins, wonderful balance, lively acidity on a long finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Very nice! — 8 months ago

David Kline

9.5

2010 vintage. Black cherry and black currant with cigar box and allspice and a touch of multi-grain on the nose. Black and bing cherry with chewy tannins and rooibos. Plum tartness, and an interesting grape-y aspect. Ripe currant and licorice.
This is more like it!


#chateaulynchbages #lynchbages #pauillac #appellationpauillaccontrôlée
#leftbank #bordeaux #grandcruclasséde1855 — 2 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Gavi comes from small growing area in northwestern Italy located north of Genoa on steep slopes of Ligurian Apennines. White label is La Scolca’s everyday wine, an alternative to their “Black Label”. From Cortese di Gavi grape (younger vines), pale yellow with delicate aromas of stone & citrus fruits. Palate, with extended lees aging shows rich apple & lemon flavors, nutty notes, good mouthfeel. Crisper than ‘17, medium finish, vivid acidity ending with a mineral character. Nice! — 4 years ago

Ely Cohn

9.1

When winemakers devote themselves to the mastery of one grape, every bottling from top to bottom tends to be exceptional.

Such is the case with Raul Perez and his consistent ability to make Mencia bloom.

Vico is aromatically rich and complex. Cedar, new leather, blackberry, black currant, cinnamon, cocoa, coffee.



— 5 years ago

Fredrik Finn

9.3

We’ve been embarrassing slow at exploring the greatness of the noble Aglianico grape in Sweden.
Full bodied and powerful but remains fresh and vibrant with plenty of energy and a mineral nerve. Somewhat unleashed and needs time to breath to unfold. Black Cherries, Currants, red plums with a floral lavendel like lifted followed by baking spice, sweet tobacco and a warm stone mineralogy that brings tension and energy. 
Fresh acidity and mouth coating tannins with a powdery texture that is well integrated in the good fruit concentration and full body with an expansive complexity and long finish. — 5 years ago

Mark Howard

9.3

Aromas of dark black fruits - blackberry, plum, blueberry. Bold and big, with soft integrated tannins that draw you into the inner sanctum of the grape varietal. A tinge of age at the ends, but not in the fore front. Nice lovely finish lasting over 30 seconds before it breaks down. Definitely at its peak of performance. Paired well with the bolognese. Even better with the veal chop with figs, pluots, and watermelon radish. As Elizabeth says, this is a gorgeous wine. “It’s a grown up, but not old”. Or as I like to say, like a 40 year old classy lady wearing an evening gown and pearls - just stunning! — 6 years ago

with Elizabeth

"Odedi"

9.1

Deep purple in color with a short purple rim.

Strong fruity nose and full bodied, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing black plums, cooked cherries, sweet blackberries, light cedar, earth, herbs, chocolates, peppercorn, tobacco leaf and black tea.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very tasty Malbec from Red Mountain in Washington State. Extracted and fruit forward.

Still young and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. Would be nice to revisit it in 5 years and see how it evolves.

Nicely balanced with a soft mouthfeel. Elegant and spicy.

A good sipping wine. Rich and in your face kind of wine.

A blend of 96% Malbec and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in (60% New) French Oak barrels for 22 months. A small production of only 2,800 bottles.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$85. — 8 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Agricola San Felice – Pugnitello 2017
Toscana IGT, Italy 🇮🇹

Overview
Made from the ancient and rare indigenous grape Pugnitello, rediscovered and championed by San Felice, this wine showcases Tuscany’s dedication to preserving forgotten varieties. Its name comes from “pugno” (fist) for the tight cluster shape of the grapes. The 2017 vintage reveals the grape’s intense character in full force.

Aromas & Flavors
Deep black fruits dominate — blackberry, plum, and cassis — layered with cloves, forest mulch, and spicy wood. Subtle earthy notes and dried herbs give the wine a rustic but elegant Tuscan signature.

Mouthfeel
Bone-dry, powerful, and firmly structured. The tannins are bold yet polished, supporting a dense fruit core with savory spice and smoky undertones. The wine sits squarely in its prime drinking window, showing maturity and balance without losing its intensity.

Food Pairing
Pair with Tuscan bistecca alla Fiorentina, wild boar ragù, or truffle risotto. Also excellent with aged pecorino or charcuterie.

The Verdict
A compelling example of Tuscany’s viticultural heritage. The Pugnitello grape delivers depth, authenticity, and a unique sense of place. 2017 shows remarkable power and elegance — a wine lover’s discovery worth seeking out.

Personal Pick Highlight
Pugnitello is one of my favorite indigenous Tuscan reds because of its history and singular profile. This 2017 was at its perfect prime time — an absolute standout in San Felice’s lineup. Cheers! — 9 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Impenetrable in colour - incredibly dark. Noticeably oaky as an initial impression, dusty amongst the red and blue berries but generally contained to begin with. The palate is full bodied with that oak influence - very polished. 46% Carmenere, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon,, 19% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. If tasted blind I would swear this was Cabernet Sauvignon dominant but when you realise that Carmenere has its origins in Bordeaux it makes sense. With more time in the decanter more cassis and blackberry coming through on that rich full bodied and brooding palate. Tannins resolving. Oak not as dominant as initially. James Suckling gave this 100 points and stated that this was South America’s greatest red wine, which is a big call. Interestingly Clos Apalta is owned and the wine is made by the French. Had my last bottle 117 weeks later on 26 July 2024 with similar notes. Red and black berry fruits on nose. Also earth, cinnamon and tobacco leaf. Interesting history of the grape Carmenere which is Bordeaux in origin and has thrived in Chile. — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Just opened another bottle! Founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga Martínez, now run by children Manuel, Isabel & Isaac Muga Caño. Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice and oak. 4 grape blend from the Haro district (70% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), 36 months in oak, palate shows elegant flavors of cherry and currant with espresso, vanilla & toasty oak tones. Soft full ripe tannins, lively acidity on a long finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Great vintage! — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

8.9

#kosherwineSunday

This is an interesting red wine from Israel. This Marselan grape is a crossing of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, and it really tastes like it.

Showing black fruits with oak, earth, vegetables, spices, tobacco leaf, chocolates, coffee and peppercorn.

Dry on the palate with a short finish and round tannins.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Needs a couple of hours to open up properly and remove some of the acidity.

Peaking now and will be good in the next few years.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables.

100% Marselan grapes were aged in French oak barrels for 16 months. Kosher. Mevushal.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$25. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga Martínez, now run by children Manuel, Isabel & Isaac Muga Caño. Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice, unmistakable Muga. 4 grape blend from the Haro district (70% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), palate shows cherry and currant flavors with espresso, vanilla & toasty oak tones. Soft full tannins, lively acidity on a medium+ finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Nice value! Great vintage! — 6 years ago