4/6/2024 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

It was time. Domaine Serene no longer makes this. What a shame. This is a wonderful wine, still showing fruit and softness. Last bottle in my cellar. Had with lamb stew and another night of gratitude. 4 years cancer free!

3/11/2024 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

Distinctive and exquisite way to start sa meal and wow your guests

11/6/2023 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

Young, but I had to try it and it will age into another Spottswoode beauty. I imagine this reaching 98 or so in a few years as it softens and ages. Had for 74th BD with my darling wife.

10/5/2023 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

Solid wine. Very nice. Nothing remarkable and ready to drink.

9/1/2023 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

This particular bottle was outstanding. Bright fruit up front and soft lingering finish. No more left but nice way to go out.

6/30/2023 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

Nice

6/30/2023 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

Nice!

5/18/2023 - ungerlei wrote:

Excellent and balanced and drinking perfectly right now

4/15/2023 - ungerlei wrote:

Excellent. Shared with friends at University Club and even the sommelier enjoyed. Consistent with their outstanding prior vintages

4/15/2023 - ungerlei wrote:

Had for anniversary at the Fearington House. Exquisite. Still a bit young with a lot of forward fruit. Hang on to it a bit longer.

4/9/2023 - ungerlei wrote:

Huge, powerful and balanced. Extraordinary wine. Wish I had purchased more!!

12/31/2022 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

Exquisite, succulent, memorable. If you have some, enjoy and if you don't, find some. Had a a local French Bistro with long time friends and a 750 ml just isn't enough, and I can still taste the finish this morning.

12/1/2022 - ungerlei wrote:

still drinking very nice. cork was perfect and wine was soft and balanced. Wouldn't wait much longer--enjoy now

11/27/2022 - ungerlei wrote:

Very nice, balanced.

10/15/2022 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

unfortunately my last bottle, but very balanced and drinking beautifully right now. This is a wine that only a few know of and that can be sourced through Golden Gate Wine Cellars in SF. The more recent vintages are even better

11/4/2021 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

Opened for a special occasion and not disappointed. Nose a bit funky upon opening, but that subsided. Wine was "bright" and lots of wonderful fruit with incredible balance and a lingering finish. Truly great wine and drinking well right now

10/26/2021 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

Balanced and nice fruit. Not a huge wine--a pleasant wine. Shared for a night with neighbors celebrating an October full moon on a beautiful NC evening and it was enjoyed by ALL--even some who were not big wine drinkers.

7/12/2021 - ungerlei wrote:

Wow. What a wonderful wine. Balanced and huge at the same time. Would have cellared longer, but its time had come

6/19/2021 - ungerlei wrote:

Waited too long. Not right. Discarded

6/3/2021 - ungerlei wrote:

opened and enjoyed last night. still showing lots of fruit and well balanced. a delightful wine--not overpowering--just a very nice cab that is drinking well right now.

2/27/2021 - ungerlei wrote:

A nice wine still showing delightful fruit. I had the same experience that JHIEB reported: there was so much sediment at the top that the wine barely dribbled out of the bottle until I broke that up. It will likely hold up a few more years, if well cellared, but enjoyable right now. Not a beast, but very satisfying.

2/25/2021 - ungerlei wrote:

Really drinking nicely right now

12/25/2020 - ungerlei wrote:

Well, Christmas dinner 2020. Have a couple of these left and opened one and it did not disappoint. Paired with a Wagyu Prime Rib (rare) and OMG; wish I could share the experience with all of you. Have a safe and healthy 2021

12/24/2020 - ungerlei wrote:

For Christmas 2020 (with small covid safe gathering) and needing to treat ourselves to something special

10/18/2019 - ungerlei wrote:

Deep, well balanced, long rich finish.
This is an excellent cabernet that can hold up to any out there with a more recognizable name. If you have some, enjoy

10/15/2019 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

Very nice zinfandel. Nice fruit and balance. Delightful.

10/15/2019 - ungerlei wrote:

Nice barolo. Drinking OK with reduced tannins and nice finish. If you have this, don't hesitate to enjoy now.

10/15/2019 - ungerlei wrote:

Young. Nice fruit but not a huge wine. Perhaps opened too early and will wait before trying again. Don't recommend drinking now, but hold. Will mature into a nice, not great, wine.

1/22/2019 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

solid, complex and nice balance of fruit and tannins (which have softened considerably). A very nice Bordeaux style (in contradistinction to some of the fruit bombs coming out of Napa). Finish is a bit "soft" and that is the only issue I have with this wine.

12/3/2018 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

Wonderful balance and drinking beautifully right now.

11/15/2018 - ungerlei wrote:

Popped and poured from cellar, so a bit cold. Astringent finish is a bit disturbing which hopefully will soften and become more inviting by tomorrow. Potential is there for a solid wine, but this one just doesn't quite make it.

11/12/2018 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

Young, but I had to try it. Recommended by a knowledgeable friend. Lots of fruit and balanced tannins. Reminds me a bit of a somewhat "bigger" Post Parade (another nice fruit forward cab). This is a very nice wine and enjoyable now.

11/6/2018 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

OMG. Sometimes people refer to big cabs as "velvety" or "chewy". This wine is both. Decant and enjoy.

11/6/2018 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

Outstanding

11/4/2018 - ungerlei wrote:

Excellent fruit and finish. A delightful "light" cab. Easy to simply enjoy without being overwhelmed. No sharp edges and a very pleasing experience from nose to finish.

10/8/2018 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

Wonderful wine--very typical of Paul Hobbs (I could taste it blind and pick out that Paul Hobbs fruit). Balanced. Drinking nicely now and should for several years. It is just solid excellent

9/10/2018 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

A lot of fruit. This wine should likely sit in the cellar for a while to settle down. It is a hugely audacious cabernet and will improve with some maturity

9/9/2018 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

The only reason I didn't give this 100 is so that I can do it when I taste it again in a few years--if I can wait that long. This is as close to perfect (for my taste) as it can be. This is not that overpowering, kick you in the face fruit bomb that has been popular coming from Napa in recent years. This is a balanced bottle of perfection that seems to combine the best of left bank Bordeaux with the best of Napa. It is a delight now, and even though young, the tannins are soft and this wine is approachable. As it ages, I anticipate the alcohol dying down a bit and this wine will be (it already is) awesome. What a treat and I wish I had even more. Over the past decade, Spottswoode has turned out consistently outstanding cabernets and this is winner.

9/7/2018 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

The problem with getting older is you have to open some wines before their time, and this is a potential beauty, but please, if you can get a guarantee that you'll be around and kicking in 2022, wait til then! Very tight with a somewhat rubbery nose, but the fruit and balance is awesome and this will mature into a 95+. Tannins are too overwhelming right now, but as we left the wine breathe (did not decant) it began to show more loveliness by the third hour. But sometimes even that third hour isn't guaranteed. Just saying....some wines need time and if you don't have it, bequeath this one to someone you love and 5 years from now, they'll think fondly of you. A big audacious bottle of wine that simply needs much more time in the bottle. And just to be clear, I'm enjoying the heck outta that third hour offering.

8/15/2018 - ungerlei Does not like this wine:

Well cellared and was looking forward to it--but corked for sure. Too bad

7/7/2018 - ungerlei wrote:

Wow! The cork was wet, so I was worried, but this wine is drinking beautifully right now. Smooth, balanced, soft and long delicious finish.

6/16/2018 - ungerlei wrote:

Excellent the first night.
By the second night it had lost its character.
If you have any of this left in your cellar, drink now

6/9/2018 - ungerlei wrote:

Had with good friends at a wonderful Italian restaurant.
This was the exact time this wine was bottled to accompany.
Drinking perfectly right now.

6/7/2018 - ungerlei wrote:

Young and BIG. Lots of fruit here for those who are fans of this "jammy" style. This is a killer cab and I look forward to trying it again in a few years

5/28/2018 - ungerlei wrote:

Opened with family and this one has matured nicely (better, actually, than my family!!). Wonderful wine to share and to enjoy. Thick, well-balanced with fruit still prevalent, deep lingering finish.

5/28/2018 - ungerlei wrote:

Perfect cork (thanks to careful cellaring) and this is why it is worth waiting for wine to mature. This was a good wine in the first years and now, it is spectacular. Wonderful deep fruit, soft and velvety. Looooong finish. Wow. I think it is important to note that wines are truly meant to be consumed after they have matured and for those of you with good cellars, enjoy some of your old friends and let the new ones sit for a while!

5/25/2018 - ungerlei wrote:

This bottle may have been a bit off and not the experience I've had with other bottles. A nice sangiovese, but nothing special here.

5/6/2018 - ungerlei Likes this wine:

Well, they've done it again. This wine is still young but perfect balance and that incredible QC depth. They were 100 rated by WA last year, and I think this one may be better. I opened one a bit too soon, but what a treat. Don't plan to die with any of this left in my cellar!

4/10/2018 - ungerlei wrote:

Excellent. Nice fruit and low tannin. Drinkable now. Not overpowering and soft easy finish.

4/9/2018 - ungerlei wrote:

A bit disappointing. A nice wine. Nothing to rave about