Comments on my notes

Red

2016 Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog Walla Walla Valley

3/12/2019 - jhieb Likes this wine:

96 points

Another fantastic vintage. I've had the Cailloux, Cerise, Chamberlin, and BF from this 2016 vintage, and while all are approachable and wonderful, the BF is clearly a step or two above the others. The '13 BF is still the best I've had, but this is close behind. The BF is slightly more feminine, with more expressive fruit and mineral characteristics. All of these will get better with time, of course.

jhieb commented:

6/12/19, 8:09 AM - Hi Dave, yes, the '10 Cailloux was a great vintage...and honestly, the Cailloux is one of my favorites every year. I like the extra finesse and acidity that comes from the co-fermentation of Syrah and Viognier. I prefer Cayuse wines 5-8 years from the vintage date, because I like that raw big bold nose and flavor. I was fortunate enough to taste an '07 Bionic Frog over the holidays, and while it was an amazing wine, the nose and flavors were more subdued and smooth than say a '12. So, I'd either hold your bottle until the fall, or lay it down for another 2-3 years to see how it develops. Wines do tend to have dormant periods, and there is bottle variation...which is all part of the fun of getting to see how a single vintage/vineyard changes over time. Cheers!

PS - I was lucky to walk into the Cayuse shop back in 2002 (?) and buy two bottles of the 2000 Cailloux from Christophe. Even the early vintages were fantastic.
jhieb commented:

3/11/20, 6:41 AM - @vintage1949 yes, I have the 2017 vintage, which was delivered in December, but I have not tried it yet. I believe 2015 was the only recent vintage that was skipped due to cork damage.
jhieb commented:

1/18/21, 9:20 AM - Hi Dave - I haven't seen anything on the quality level of the 2020 vintage, although I cannot remember a bad vintage from Cayuse. I was rafting a few hours from Cayuse last summer and the weather was fantastic. We've got until August to decide on whether to continue...
jhieb commented:

1/22/21, 9:02 AM - Hey Dave, I'm pretty excited about the new free bottle of wine as well. It will be interesting to learn more on the web call. I love that most of the Cayuse/No Girls offerings have been single varietal, but I'd always hoped for some creative blends.
jhieb commented:

1/22/21, 3:11 PM - I haven't heard anything about challenges with the 2020 vintage from Washington, so I would be surprised if they cut back on their offering.

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Red

2012 Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

12/16/2015 - jhieb Likes this wine:

97 points

WOTN. This bested the '10 Spottswood. The strucured tannin lifts the fruit to a higher level. Faultless. Among other great wines, this is the one everyone kept revisiting.

jhieb commented:

5/28/16, 10:12 PM - This was open for about an hour before tasting. We had a great lineup of cabs that night, so no one was in a rush. The '12 MM is really approachable out of the gate, but it does open more with air. Enjoy!
(Can't wait to try the '13, but, wait I will).

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Red

2010 Wren Hop Pinot Noir Shriveled Hand Russian River Valley

11/29/2015 - csimm wrote:

97 points

An absolutely phenomenal bottle of wine. In fact, one of the most alluring Pinots I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. PnP with an enticingly brooding nose of dark berry and baking spice aromas. On the palate, delightfully unctuous red and purple berry notes: rich raspberry, ripe plum, blueberry, rosemary, fresh pine needles, cardamom, clove, and an awesome streak of red and black licorice. Baking spices of cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and anise repeat throughout the initial entry.

Completely envelops the mid-palate with a full-bodied viscosity that rides on through the 45+ second finish. There is a slight forest floor and cedar element that barely shows itself on the back end.

In a totally perfect drinking window now, and potentially for the next several years. No decant necessary in my opinion. PnP and enjoy! This is the kind of wine that is a testament to Russell Bevan's ability to craft amazing and extravagant wines (without going too over the top), and Jim McDonough's first-class creative management skills in maintaining the vision of producing truly memorable wines that reflect quality in the glass. Highly recommended. Absolutely bad a** bottle of wine!

jhieb commented:

11/29/15, 9:43 PM - Great notes. Can't wait to open one up! The '09s are phenom as well.

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Red

2010 Walter Hansel Winery Pinot Noir The North Slope Vineyard Russian River Valley

3/29/2013 - jhieb Likes this wine:

92 points

Fantastic, deeper, darker Pinot. Almost reminds me of good Anderson Valley fruit. This wine has a solid backbone and I can see this being even better in 1-2 years. The smoke from the last vintage has dissipated (I liked the smoke), and what has left is a more diverse wine.

jhieb commented:

4/18/13, 4:43 PM - To me, the smokey characteristics are almost completely gone. I liked the previous vintage, too.

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