5/12/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Little bouquet upon opening. Full bodied, displaying the characteristics of a high end Bordeaux Blanc.
Long finish, went well with food.
Tough to justify the price, though….

5/5/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Rich and elegant, sporting typical CA Syrah characteristics, but softened by age.
So good with grilled marinated beef!

4/20/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Wonderful Cabernet fruit, integrated tannins and a sweet finish. In a very good place!

4/19/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Lemony, with Burgundian minerality and a food-friendly mid-palate. Shorter finish than anticipated, but the elegance wins out.

4/16/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Did not live up to my somewhat unrealistic expectations - wonderful cabernet fruit, fully integrated tannins and a pleasant finish.
Lacked the "WOW" factor - hard to justify at current prices.

3/31/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Last bottle! Still elegant and drinking a bit young for its age. No bricking or fading.
A fine wine for grilled beef!

3/9/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

A touch rustic until 2-3 hours in the glass.
Fruit, vanilla, tobacco and integrated tannins.
Drink or hold.

2/24/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Hard to believe this is almost 20 years old!
Black cherry, vanilla, crème de cassis, all in balance.
Drink or hold.

2/23/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Textbook Condrieu - balanced, peach and almond essence framed by excellent structure.
A bit one-dimensional, but satisfying nonetheless.
Drink up!

2/22/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Nothing special, but lovely balance and proper acidity for a Sangiovese-based blend.
Nice food wine - served with rich pasta baked in Alfredo sauce with mushrooms.

2/20/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Drinking at peak - fully integrated tannins, black fruits, balanced and so well made. Drink up!

2/17/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Lithe and supple, balanced and featuring integrated tannins and muted fruit.
An elegant old lady perfect for food!

2/10/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

So elegant, featuring black cherry, wood and a hint of tobacco. Solid mid-palate and a long, luscious finish. Drink now or hold - no hurry!!

1/27/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

An elegant old lady, mature and fully integrated fruit, wood and tannins. Hollow mud-palate, medium finish.
Great with grilled beef.

1/13/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Drinking elegantly and so nicely balanced. Has aged gracefully and achieved wonderful taste and a long finish.

1/6/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Balanced, fruity and so well made!
Very solid food wine - served with fresh baked bread and homemade Shepard’s Pie!

1/1/2024 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

You MUST decant this beauty for at least two hours if you want it to sing!! Excellent balance, mid-palate and finish.

12/31/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Does not taste 17 years old. Black fruits, cedar, vanilla- it’s all there! Enjoy now or wait.

12/30/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Vanilla, fruit and mild oak. Balanced, excellent mid-palate and a medium finish. A fine food wine!

12/25/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Needs an hour of air before drinking.
Fruit forward, good with food.

12/24/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

An elegant old bird - still has some fruit and cedar - balanced and great with grilled loin lamb chops.

12/21/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

From a 375. Nothing special, but we’ll made. Very good with food, as the balance keeps any one feature from dominating.

12/17/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Good fruit, very little bricking for a 10 year old example. Somewhat one-dimensional and a short finish.

12/5/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

What INDYTOM said!!!

12/3/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Needs air - after 2 hours in the glass it opened up and came together. Flowers, cedar, integrated tannins.
Nice food wine.

12/2/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Lemony and crisp, showing little oak or butter.
Tropical fruit, nice mid palate and a medium finish.
A very food-friendly effort!

12/1/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

An elegant old lady, featuring a fine balance of fruit, wood, vanilla and cedar. Fully integrated tannins, excellent with food.

11/30/2023 - oldcabman Does not like this wine:

Medicinal, thin and lacking any focus or direction.
Disappointing and off the repurchase list!

11/18/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

What Rollerball said - exactly!!
Wish I had more!

11/11/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Textbook Barolo. Gave it 2 hours in the decanter and the wine opened up nicely. Served with homemade beef stew and sourdough bread.

10/21/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Very solid - textbook example of Aglianico.
Wonderful food wine. Medium weight with a lasting finish.

10/13/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Smooth and balanced - a great dinner wine!
Has aged gracefully, unlike its consumer!!

10/7/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

What APTOSC6 said!!!
Lithe and supple - a real treat.
3 bottles left - no hurry!

9/30/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

So soft and integrated - fruit and wood, vanilla and super soft tannins.
A pleasure to serve and to drink!!

9/16/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Deep, dark and brooding. Excellent balance and integrated tannins.
Medium finish. For the fans of modern Spanish reds made so well!

9/15/2023 - oldcabman Does not like this wine:

A ghost of a wine - fruit has disappeared.
Decent balance, but hollow mid-palate and skanky finish.
May have been great in its day, but..................

9/13/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

I am 72 years young and have been drinking Chardonnay for many years, and have never had one like this.
Burgundian depth, minerality and so beautifully balanced.
Served with saline boiled lobster - perfect!

9/12/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Decent table wine, but nothing better.
Simple, rather one-dimensional.

9/10/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Dark and brooding - textbook Sagrantino.
Dark fruits, a little wood and firm tannins. Softened a bit with some air but kept the long finish intact.
If you don't like this, Sagrantino isn't your cup of tea!!

9/3/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

A fine effort - decant of an hour helped.
Nothing to get excited about, but balanced and very nice with food.

8/27/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

An impressive balance of fruit, wood, cassis and depth in the mid-palate where it just sings! Not sure more age will help, as it is so good today.

8/17/2023 - oldcabman Does not like this wine:

Dank, flat and sour. Almost undrinkable.
Will not buy again.

8/8/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

You must give this at least 2 hours of air time before drinking.
Opens up gradually but elegantly - all the best Barolo characteristics in balance. Probably in its best drinking window right now!

8/7/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

So well made!!
Everything in balance after a 2 hour decant (tannins a bit strong prior to the decant).
Fruit, wood, vanilla - if you treasure CA cabs with a bit of bottle age this wine will not disappoint!
Only 100 cases made, so may be a tough find!

7/29/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

A dry, food-friendly version of the best region for rose.
Our reliable summer sipper!

7/23/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Smooth and fully resolved. Balanced strong points of fruit, mid-palate and finish.
Not sure more time will help - drink up!!

7/8/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Hard to believe this is 20 years old - has the brightness and cut of a younger vintage.
It’s all there - a 2 hour decant is required if you want to experience all it has to offer.

7/1/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Drinking much as it did many years ago.
Lithe and supple, holding up well. Not a blockbuster, but it never was.

6/27/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Still holding well - no change from my last review. Unfortunately, this was my last bottle!

6/23/2023 - oldcabman Likes this wine:

Weighty for a SB, and substantively representative of the CA style.
A bit one dimensional in the mid-palate, but a medium finish which went well with grilled swordfish.
Better than many other CA efforts, but needs more complexity to really shine in the $40-45 range.