12/24/2023 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Drinking really well. Pop ‘n Pour for Xmas dinner. Served with (and really complimented) horseradish encrusted tenderloin. Nice long finish. Still plenty of life left - years.

12/1/2023 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

You would never know that '11 was an off vintage by drinking this TRB cab. This wine is singing right now.

1/20/2023 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Yummy!!

12/31/2022 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Still drinking fantasticly. Tanins are present, but softened and well integrated. Fruit shines through. Still plenty of life left.

12/22/2022 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Still drinking really well

12/3/2022 - DCSteve wrote:

It’s been a few vintages since I had some Phantom. This was always one of the best QPRs on the market. This one is disappointing. It’s not bad, but it lacks the character of previous vintages - it’s too smooth. The character of the Zin doesn’t really come through. Still good for the price, just not what I expected

11/12/2022 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Spectacular. Smooth as can be but the tannins are still present. With everything that was 2011, this is still a great wine drinking really well.

11/5/2022 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Super tasty. Drinking really well right now. Smooth with well integrated tannins.

11/1/2022 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Echoing previous comments, drinking really well and great QPR.

12/24/2021 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Smooth and easy drinking. I'm probably missing some of the subtleties due to leftover of a Covid induced cold.

7/24/2021 - DCSteve wrote:

I agree with most of what has been said so far. First of all, it needs to breathe for at least 30 minutes. Very acidic and tart straight out of the bottle. Surprisingly so. After it calms down, definite watermelon and general citrus notes. Not what I was expecting or looking for when I opened, but definitely grew on me. Paired well with Grilled Siracha Salmon with Avocado Pineapple Salsa on the Traeger.

2/21/2021 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Still needs a little time to open up. Once it did, smooth and fruit forward.

1/30/2021 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

One of the good ones from 2011, a rough vintage

12/10/2020 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Very smooth. Super enjoyable. Pop ‘n Pour.

11/11/2020 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Pop and pour. Really drinking well right now. Agree that there’s not much more to get out of continued cellaring but it definitely has shelf life left.

11/7/2020 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Agree with all the recent notes. Drinking great right now.

10/9/2020 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Spectacular. Drinking really well right now.

9/24/2020 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Nice wine. No heat at all, which is a bit surprising for a Two Hands Shiraz (though this bottle does have some age on it). Tastes like cherry candy. Not in a bad way. Very enjoyable.

7/28/2020 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

This was yummy. Been sitting in my cellar for a while and decided to break a bottle out to pair with Beef Tenderloin. Some cherry on the nose but on the tongue. Tannins present but mellow. Drinking really well right now. Pop 'n pour.

6/27/2020 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

This was so good. Smooth as could be. Long finish. Paired really well with beef tenderloin. If you have some of this, drink it now but don't be afraid to let it sit longer. Plenty of life left.

5/27/2020 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

30 year old bottle for 30th Anniversary. I'm surprisingly good condition. A little thin but that's to be expected.

1/15/2020 - DCSteve wrote:

Had this on a 1/2 price wine night ($49). Glad it wasn't full price. It was good, but at full price the QPR is horrible. Fruit forward with little tannic structure. Very straightforward with little complexity. Not what I'd expect for a wine at this price.

11/9/2019 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Not sure where the drinking window came from but this wine has plenty of life left. First sip was weak, but after 30 miniutes in glass it really opened up. Tannins have subsided but are still present. Nice finish - it definitely lingers. Very enjoyable.

10/27/2019 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Drank this with friends for Game 5 of the World Series. Just seemed like the right wine to drink before a ballgame. It did not disappoint. No specific tasting notes since I'm writing this ten days later, but everyone really enjoyed it.

9/1/2019 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Spectacular.

3/23/2019 - DCSteve wrote:

Indifferent. For me this wine was not as polarizing as some of the reviews would indicate. It’s also just ‘eh’. Doesn’t really live up to what I expect from Camus which is generally oaky and vanilla. Just not very distinctive.

1/26/2019 - DCSteve wrote:

I was disappointed by this wine. Bought four of them at release on reputation alone. SB always has fantastic wine and I'm a big Foley fan. That said, for $125, the QPR is not good. Don't get me wrong, this is a good wine and we enjoyed it, it's just not a great wine, which it should be at that price. The nose, the palate, none of it blew me away and though I did not drink side by side, the Reserve felt very close to the regular. Other wines in this price range (e.g., Outpost True, Larkmead Solari) are memorable and the first taste has a 'wow' factor. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case here. I'm hoping there's some bottle variation and the others will be better. Note: Pop and pour, drank over 2 hours.

1/8/2019 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

This wine is singing right now. Spectacular.

12/19/2018 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Agree with the recent notes. QPR through the roof. Smooth yet distinctively a Zin. Fruit forward with a light pepper and spice. Glad I have two more!

11/11/2018 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

No specific notes but thought this was a solid wine.

11/8/2018 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Very enjoyable. Good QPR. Would buy again.

11/6/2018 - DCSteve wrote:

This is a very simple wine - no complexity. Cherry notes - drinks almost like a heavy Pinot. Fine for the price but probably won’t buy again.

11/3/2018 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Spectacular. Fully integrated. Really drinking well.

8/31/2018 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

From a magnum. Didn’t decant but opened an hour or so before pouring. Decadent is the word that comes to mind. Touch of chocolate, long finish - fabulous.

9/2/2017 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

From a Magnum. The wine is singing. Alcohol, even at 16% is completely unnoticeable. Tannins also very relaxed. It's just smooth, especially for a Zin, while retaining the signature Zin pepper finish. Yet another TRB gem!

4/12/2017 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Phenomenal. Short decant, but even the first pnp taste was, to use a phrase, stupid good. Smooth and well integrated. TRB strikes again.

2/20/2017 - DCSteve wrote:

This was fantastic. Started well and really opened up over the hour we drank it. Nice long finish. Too bad they stopped growing Syrah!

2/2/2017 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Fruit forward and we all agreed it really 'explodes' in your mouth. Though less than 20% of the blend, the merlot really comes through. Aging nicely and still plenty left in the tank.

1/27/2017 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Singing.

1/15/2017 - DCSteve wrote:

This wine is just singing right now. Pop and pour. A little tight a first but within 15 - 20 minutes really opened up. Smooth finish. Drink up!

11/30/2016 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Super high QPR.

4/16/2016 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

When the cork pushed down into the bottle as I tried to open, I thought we were in trouble. Fortunately , not corked. However, it is past it's prime. Still, I'd give it 90ish.

2/5/2016 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Yummy, yummy. This is in a really good place right now.

10/30/2015 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Spectacular. That was the first thing tht came to mind when I took my first sip. Amazing nose - so full of fruit! And finishes forever - just lingers on. Thank goodness I have one more.

10/23/2015 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

Really spectacular. Big nose - the fruit is really present and very pleasant. Tannins are totally integrated and just barely perceptible. Sad that this was my last bottle.

9/28/2015 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

No specific notes, but this wine is spectacular and drinking really well right now. I am sure it will hold for 5 or so more years, but I am not sure it will get much better. Tannins are well integrated - barely noticeable. Long, luxurious finish. This is not a typical California Cab fruit bomb (not that there's anything wrong with that!) - very sophisticated wine. Glad I have two more!

9/27/2015 - DCSteve Likes this wine:

QPR, QPR, QPR

9/18/2015 - DCSteve wrote:

Surprised me. Very nice wine and only got better as night went on. Excellent companion to veal chop - complimented rather than overpowered. Wish I had more of this.

9/2/2015 - DCSteve wrote:

Well integrated. Drinking well for being so young.

8/18/2015 - DCSteve wrote:

Smooth drinker. Can't beat the QPR.