5/4/2024 - markcic Likes this wine:

With our good friends Michael and Leslie coming out to dinner m I looked to find a wine that neither of us had tried before. This was in my cellar so I opened it and allowed it to slow ox for 5 hours during which time we drank a 2016 Realm Farella The nose is dark fruit with a hint of chocolate. The palate was dark berries, dark red cherry, sandalwood, tobacco and hints of chocolate which came out on the long smooth finish. Really good wine served with steaks off the grill on a chilly NJ night.

5/3/2024 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine:

Similar to prior notes after PNP

5/3/2024 - Winokdub wrote:

Still a big pinot but softened with some air. Great nose. Vibrant acid nice finish. Still some fruit showing. Yummy!!

4/21/2024 - Sp@rk Likes this wine:

This wine has a loud bang at opening (sweet, alcoholic, overwhelms senses) but after an hour or two things settle down and it becomes orderly and enjoyable. Never had a wine like this so it was very interesting for me.

5/3/2024 - Geaux Tigers wrote:

This wine was a disappointment.

PnP and seemingly recalcitrant at open, but hoped for improvement with air.

Early nose of red dust, cedar, pencil shavings, burned hardwood sawdust, dried herbs, chocolate. Palate wasn’t as giving early, but red cherry, red raspberry, and chocolate covered cherry liquer shown through. There’s a there there, maybe?, I thought it just needs time. The Cab Franc is dominating at this early stage (more earth than fruit).

After 60 min no change. After 90 min no change. After 2 hr no change.

The Cab Franc seemed to have to Merlot in a headlock and wouldn’t let go. Blind, I would’ve put this as BDX from a hot hot year with all the earth and slight booze. The fruit never got unshackled.

I wanted a wine with a bit more fruit and balance like the prior bottles, hence my disappointment and bias. Objectively this was a good wine, 95ish, but subjectively I was looking for something else, so 90ish. Not going to try and reconcile that spread into a CT score.

My last bottle, I hope your remaining bottles show more!

4/28/2024 - Meerlust wrote:

This was amazingly dark for a 20 year old wine. As one would expect from a Bevan wine, the nose was explosive with dark cherry, cassis, and oak. The palate was equally impressive with deep flavors of black cherry, cassis, and vanilla. The tannins have fully resolved, and while this was clearly a full-bodied wine, the acidity kept the wine’s size in check. The finish was long and packed with lovely dark fruit. It paired perfectly with my son’s medium-rare, birthday sirloin strip steak and was one of the best wines I have tasted in a long time. Well done Russell.

4/28/2024 - Takeshi Likes this wine:

Solid crisp and buttery forward single vineyard chard. Very mellow and rich that highlights the new world napa style.

4/10/2024 - aultrawines Likes this wine:

AW96. Wonderful and memorable. 1 hour decant, held in place for the entire course. Deep dark purple/black in the glass. Serious fruit quality and intensity, with a classy, silky smooth finish. Enjoyed at NapaGrill in Zurich, Switzerland and paired perfectly with a 30-day USDA Flannery Porterhouse.

4/27/2024 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine:

Similar to prior notes after a 2.5 hour double decant; outstanding, drink or hold

4/27/2024 - seijaro Likes this wine:

Scored a TKO against 2010 Lynch-Bages (93,93,94,94) for lunch: 97,98,98,98. A GIANT wine bursting with flavor, what a treat to drink! We love Bevan wines and Wildfoote may be our favorite, even better than the Tenches. Thank you, Russel!

4/25/2024 - KTelaak_Buffalo Likes this wine:

This wine was a bit awkward initially and after about 2 hours it really developed and was just classic Bevan magic for the rest of the night. Absolutely decant if you can.

4/24/2024 - Bob23 wrote:

Very much a Bevan-style pinot, by which I mean it's deep and ripe and luscious, but with acidity and tannic structure. Not going to appeal to Burg fans at all, but a solid example of Cali pinot turned up to an 11.

4/22/2024 - Mr T wrote:

big, deep rich Cali cab with some initial green coming perhaps from the cab franc but that quickly passed. wine is classically ripe for Bevan, but reasonably well balanced and not overly hot. Really enjoyed this wine and no doubt 10 years in the bottle has settled it down. that said, this is hardly earthy or showing secondary/tertiary signs of maturity. IF you like Bevan wines, you will enjoy this wine.

4/21/2024 - Red Sox Fan Likes this wine:

I agree with RayT, the 2016 seems much bigger than prior EE vintages. We had it after a 2014 Tor BTK, and it was a little like going from Smokey Robinson to AC/DC. Both wines had a 60 minute decant. I’d try the 2016 EE again in a few years with a longer decant.

4/20/2024 - nberbar Likes this wine:

All of Dunnuck's notes and more just had it with poke /spicy Yuzu sauce. it was a huge citrus floral bomb with a really long finish nose starts with grapefruit finishes with huge floral bouquet

4/20/2024 - Barsacpinci Likes this wine:

Surprisingly big wine. Nice gold color color. Aromatic nose of grapefruit. Palate shows typical grass overlayed with melon and lemon. THis could handle a couple more years.

4/13/2024 - AGELVIS Likes this wine:

Two hour decant. Opaque black core, with an electric magenta rim. Stewed black cherry, slate, amaretto chocolate cookie, caramel, orange pulp, coffee, and cinnamon toast. Dry, satiny, full bodied palate, with lots of orange. Firm, yet plush tannins on the long finish.

This is very complex for its youth. It’s rich and borderline overdone (i.e., classic Bevan). I’m fading on this style. It’s fun every so often, but this is not an everyday wine. It’s too confectionery and decadent. With all of that said, it’s certainly well made.

4/19/2024 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine:

Coravin pour. Bold and beautiful, with great length on the finish.

4/18/2024 - gteran76 Likes this wine:

One of my wine selections for my mom’s birthday along with 2009 Merus. Opened for one hour and 15 minutes before starting dinner at MesaMar.

Cloudy gold and pale yellow, nose of wet grass and grapefruit, the palate is very tropical with grapefruit, lemon, pineapple and green apple. The body is medium and bright acidity. Should keep on drinking well for the next 5 years or so…

4/18/2024 - seijaro Likes this wine:

Wow, what an SB! Yes, pricey... but worth it. Among the best SBs I've ever had, back to the 2005 Rochioli. Buy some.

12/7/2020 - VAGenius Likes this wine:

Bold nose with blackberry, black raspberry, briar patch, tar, and smoke. Strong fruit-driven palate with blackberry and black currant followed by black licorice, menthol, and milk chocolate. Polished finish with blueberry and toffee/butterscotch notes, light hers, clean stony notes a a touch of oak. Modern and fruit-forwards, its a pleasure to drink. (Note the cork was showing seepage on the sides!)

4/16/2024 - webbaker Likes this wine:

Multiple tastings with consistent notes. Quite outstanding. It showed no signs of decline, could have used another couple of years in the cellar.

4/15/2024 - gkrueger Likes this wine:

This is really good juice. Love this winery.

4/15/2024 - lvjohn Likes this wine:

Definitely on the mellow side of life right now. For those of us who love this wine for it's vibrancy and the Dry Stack Vineyard fruit, it's a bit of a disappointment. The purity and essence of what we considered on of the best California S.B.'s really is there and it's a unique wine.

4/14/2024 - vancouvermatt wrote:

Needs decant, huge wine with plenty of stuffing but I imagine I would’ve preferred this a bit younger

Long finish

4/14/2024 - Jhalpern27 wrote:

Solid wine, didn’t love it for this price point.

3/19/2024 - Rossodio Likes this wine:

Improved since 2022 and at likely peak. Expressive and a bit tropical. Lovely.

I had half of the bottle. Drank in the Keys.
Vvv

4/7/2024 - Elkcims wrote:

1 hour slo-ox - closed. Rebottled and let oxidize further and drank most on day 2. Had the usual blackberry, black currant characteristics and some charcoal yet with a bitter tannin and a green unripened fruit taste. Bought on release and stored impeccably in cellar. I think I missed my “best by” window by a 4-5 years on this vintage. Not unpleasant but not at all like the rich decadent Bevan juice I’m accustomed to. 92-93

4/6/2024 - deadwax Likes this wine:

Grabbed the wrong bottle, did not intend to open this so young. Oh well, it was terrific. Double decanted 4 hours ahead. This will be so good with proper time. Dark fruits, an almost liqueur intensity.

4/6/2024 - mfimiani47 Likes this wine:

This was more open than I thought it would be. Plush, ripe and dark fruits. Got even better with 1+ hours in decanter. Will certainly get better with some further aging.

4/6/2024 - ShineLovesWine wrote:

Opened this to finish off my last bottle of the 2015. The bottle has been stored well, but the cork came out in about 3 pieces. No obvious signs of it being flawed on the nose. Poured into a decanter for over 2 hours. First few sips after decanting were disjointed. Came together slowly with more air time as we sipped it slowly with dinner. As others mentioned, profile had a mix between black and red fruit, hints of tobacco and tar. Missing quality secondary notes. Overall, this was missing the pleasurable mark we were hoping for on this evening. Likely past its peak prime and steadily sliding down a bumpy snow hill. Glad this was my last 2015 bottle, otherwise I’d be popping the remainder of them quickly.

4/2/2024 - MotherMongo Likes this wine:

Probably the most nuanced Bevan cab I've ever had. It doesn't smash you in the face like some of them do; rather it delivered a intriguing blend of red fruits and licorice very smoothly. A little tannic, but certainly not as much as other Bevans. Very much enjoyed the change of pace.

4/5/2024 - Cablover1982 Likes this wine:

So approachable for a ‘21. This Ontogeny is extremely delicious. It could and should get better with time but it’s already a very tasty wine. Ripe black fruits, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, leather and slight tobacco. Solid acidity with big pillowy tannins on long finish. I tell myself to hold but I’m already on my 3rd bottle.

4/1/2024 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

I have not had this wine in 5 plus years. I was expecting overblown and flabby but was the opposite. Good structure with firm tannins. Dark fruit and ripe but actually some freshness. Probably at peak now.

3/29/2024 - JerryMasters Likes this wine:

Still a bit early. Decanted an hour, better 24 hours later in the bottle.

3/30/2024 - Tacarlson1998 Likes this wine:

Rubie’s favorite. 🥰🥰

3/29/2024 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine:

Decanted briefly. Super intense, fruit-forward Cab, luscious and pure and over the top. This is the epitome of this style and most will love this.

3/24/2024 - marshalc Likes this wine:

Maybe not as integrated to merit Dunnuck’s 97 IMO but above Galloni’s 80. A bit hard to rate but still enjoyable given some flaws

3/24/2024 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine:

90 minutes decant. Probably needs a few more years before approaching again. Great underbelly of black and blue fruit, just a little tightly wound right now.

3/23/2024 - sean7711 Likes this wine:

Give this some serious air. On night 1 and PnP this was borderline undrinkable. After a night under vacuum and 6+ hours this is really nice. coffee, menthol, cassis. Not overly done but ripe and lush like typical Bevan.

3/23/2024 - aultrawines Likes this wine:

AW93. Needed 2+ hours in the decanter and evolved beautifully at this early stage, very drinkable now.

3/21/2024 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine:

Pop and pour. Best after an hour with viscous, full, intense body and gorgeous nose of purple fruit and wildflowers.

3/21/2024 - Badmonkey wrote:

Drank this bottle over two days. Dark ruby fruit - currants, dark cherry, and blackberry. Really smooth mid-palate with a nice purity and solid depth/concentration - medium plus body. Nice rich flavors of cassis, baking spices, cocoa, and a graphite component. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep - it could use some more time to open-up with the finish. Slow ox during the day for around ten hours and drank out of a decanter for a couple more. Improved a little with time. Quite enjoyable on day one but better on day two as it opened-up some more. 96 on day two. 100% cab.

3/14/2024 - Cthroughit Likes this wine:

2-3 hr decant. Excellent right now.

3/18/2024 - MotherMongo Likes this wine:

Always a go-to and something I like to serve to guests/friends who want to elevate their Cab experience. Served at a dinner party with Middle Eastern food and got nothing but complements from everyone.

2/10/2024 - Sp@rk Likes this wine:

Well balanced and smooth

3/16/2024 - Thomas D Likes this wine:

deep ruby color; red fruit and incense nose;
full bodied; cassis , tobacco, cocoa flavors
long finish drinking very nicely mow with a one hour decant.

3/15/2024 - Sdr69 wrote:

After returning from a ten day business trip to Dijon and drinking nothing but Burgundies by the glass, this is what I was craving. Full bodied, full-throttled, fruit-forward lusciousness that was just what the doctor ordered. No matter your preference, there’s room in everyone’s cellar for bottles like this …

3/10/2024 - BenitoBlanco_ Likes this wine:

Big, vibrant red fruit with some tomato leaf type character going on. A bit bigger mouthfeel and RS than you might expect from pinot. They definitely did not pinch pennies on the fruit used for this. Unmistakably new world, but super tasty if that's what you're into. You might wanna give it some more time if you are looking for more tertiary complexity.

3/11/2024 - MBurka Likes this wine:

Two hour decant and drank over two nights. Excellent nose. Casis, with a bit of red fruits and plenty of cigar box. It’s more restrained on the palate than I was expecting. Plenty of fruit, though it’s held in check with chocolate, leather, and a touch of stone. The acidity is perfectly judged and the tannins are beautifully balanced. I’d give this wine a few more years to develop the depth I’d expect from a bottle at this price range, but I imagine it will be well worth the wait.