3/12/2023 - jcable wrote:

Haven't rated in a while, this was really good. Paso fruit but restrained and polished in a good way. Mataro? Sure. Classic.

9/2/2021 - jcable wrote:

this one was over the hill for me

11/22/2014 - jcable Likes this wine:

Did a tiny vertical of 06 and 07 I, and they were both great. The 06 is in a much heavier glass bottle, FWIW. The 06 was more jam and fruit and yet amazingly well balanced. The 07 was refined and structured and showing fruit but also clearly saving something for later. While the SxS was nice I'll drink the other 06 soon and let the 07 cellar a bit longer.

11/22/2014 - jcable Likes this wine:

Did a tiny vertical of 06 and 07 I, and they were both great. The 06 is in a much heavier glass bottle, FWIW. The 06 was more jam and fruit and yet amazingly well balanced. The 07 was refined and structured and showing fruit but also clearly saving something for later. While the SxS was nice I'll drink the other 06 soon and let the 07 cellar a bit longer.

10/14/2013 - jcable wrote:

Still kicking but agree with drink now. Was smooth and drinkable immediately but really opened up after about an hour of decanting. Subtle nose and finish, but some cherry and sandlewood in the middle with light tanins. Delicate.

9/26/2013 - jcable Likes this wine:

I love the GR/FM I. Has always been my favorite. This bottle did not disappoint. Big fruit, pepper, clean structure and smooth finish. Not messy or jammy. Modern architecture, Mies van der Rohe. A desert island wine for me.

8/24/2012 - jcable wrote:

Amazing wine, really my favorite right now. For me a go-to bottle that's guaranteed like the CaymusSS, at a much lower price point.

8/14/2012 - jcable wrote:

Was afraid it would be past it's prime, but it was delicious. Good complexity, subtle tannins (age!) and a smooth yet medium finish. Instamatic... hydromatic... points for smoothness. :)

8/5/2012 - jcable wrote:

Bigger than your average summer wine, would stand up well to food, but enjoying it in this heat

7/21/2012 - jcable wrote:

Wow! Beat a Caymus 04.

6/17/2012 - jcable wrote:

Solid Oregon Pinot, showed the age well, light, smooth and medium finish, subdued aromatics

6/17/2012 - jcable wrote:

Mellowed nicely, good balance, smooth

5/20/2012 - jcable wrote:

Amazing wine that just got better with air. Was a 91 as a pop and pour, grew to a 94 after about an hour.

12/30/2011 - jcable wrote:

Lovely, a nice surprise. Of course the nose is pleasant and floral (cab franc!), but the pleasant surprise is that it carried well into the mouth and finish. It was a gift, but I'd buy again.

12/25/2011 - jcable wrote:

Amazing.

11/26/2011 - jcable wrote:

Didn't expect much, so decanted and left alone for an hour. Tasted at 30 min in and just OK next to an 07 fidelitas cab that was all youth. But with food and 30 min later this wine showed the balance and depth that made it a winner. Not a mind blowing wine, but proved itself well and ppushed the fidelitas down to I'd say an 86, and that's a good wine (but tonight still young/impudent.)

10/27/2011 - jcable wrote:

Decent right out of the bottle IMO, excellent blend, probably my second favorit GR/FM after the collab 1.

9/25/2011 - jcable wrote:

Definitely in the "very good" camp, solid blend, smooth with medium short finish, solid fruit flavors but not much of a nose and medium to short finish.

9/25/2011 - jcable wrote:

Great wine, solid fruit, medium finish, dark in color, a bit early and suggest giving it a bit more time.

7/9/2011 - jcable wrote:

Bangin' with huge fruit. Had it decanted but splashed a bit in my glass right away and was delighted with the floral and peppery boquet, ruby color and great forward dark fruit (cherry, berry). Decanting took some of the juicy texture out of the fruit after an hour, but the nose remained strong and the medium finish only got longer. Great balance, went great with beef, would buy again but fear this one isn't currently in their lineup per the other tasting note. IMO drinking very well right now. Structure and balance suggest it could go a bit longer, but yummy today.

5/21/2011 - jcable wrote:

Awesome. Great structure, and the fruit really blossomed in the glass in just ~20 min. Held it's own against a Caymus SS fro the same year!

5/8/2011 - jcable wrote:

Great right out of the bottle.

5/8/2011 - jcable wrote:

Amazing. Wish I had more. Needed about 30-40 minutes, and then was nice and big.

4/18/2011 - jcable wrote:

still hot

4/18/2011 - jcable wrote:

Tasty

3/22/2011 - jcable wrote:

Showed well for an 83. Still very much alive, tanins relaxed, layers of fruit, a bit thin, but nice finish.

3/12/2011 - jcable wrote:

Drinking well right now.

1/31/2011 - jcable wrote:

tight but good is right. give it some time (I gave it about 40 minutes) and the fruit comes out. Still tight, but a lot more approachable. After 90 minutes it has relaxed even more, but this baby needs more time in the cellar.

1/28/2011 - jcable wrote:

Pure silk from the fruit-forward and elegant nose to the long delicious finish. Drank it next to Mark's Water Witch (bd blend) and it showed just how great an expression of Syrah this really is. I used to love the Collab I, but the III is growing on me fast. We decanted for about 20 minutes and it was glorious from there until it was gone a scant 30 minutes later. Cherry/leather/tobacco, very light on the spice, no real smoke, light but layered tanins that add to the whole silk mouthfeel and finish. Impressive.

1/28/2011 - jcable wrote:

A bit tanic and hot and chemichal on the nose on first pour -- I didn't even taste it right away. Chalky even at first. Then 30 minutes later a totally different animal with an almost strawberry element, great fruit, open dense expressive nose. What a delightful change. Loved it.

1/8/2011 - jcable wrote:

Wow. Really enjoyed this. Garnet in the glass, with a lot of buttered popcorn on the nose at first. Great fruit! Smooth dark cherry, some berry (rasberry?), and a great finish. Truth be told the finish was a bit biting on the end at first, but that went away quickly and a nice sily fade-out replaced it. This bottle is all growed up! :) May have more in it, but I'm thinking drink in the next 12 months.

12/25/2010 - jcable wrote:

Loved this chard. Paired it with some corn/marscapone ravioli that was on the sweet side and it was up for the task. Straw color, subtle mineral nose, bright and crisp in the mouth, and a pleasant medium to short finish. We'll get more!

12/24/2010 - jcable wrote:

Mineral, fine with seafood, unremarkable.

12/24/2010 - jcable wrote:

Cork in good shape, first pour showed brick colored edges. Nose was bright, checmical. First taste was bright and tight and thin but I was relieved to taste that it was alive and the fruit was there. Decanted for a few hours, and around the fourth or fifth hour it really opened up, just in time to pair with some beef. Showing it's age here and perhaps past it's prime, it was still a great wine. The nose opened up and the mid-pallete and finish really came on strong after 5 hours in the air. The tannins and fruit were evident on the nose and carried well to the finish. Mid pallette and back to the finish was where this shined over the nose and first taste. A pleasure to drink 1983 as we close out 2010. Held up well and in the end was quite tasty -- folks were into it and it was gone by hour 7. I saved a gladd overnight but the 6/7 hour mark was the highlight. If you have it and aren't collecting, drink up!

12/24/2010 - jcable wrote:

Wow. Just wow. This is an extrordinary pinot, IMO. So fruit forward (strawberries! cherries!) and pure silk in the mouth. Dark for a pinot. The whole nose-to-mouth-to-finish is one long silky smooth experience. I love it. Cherry Pie is a perfect name.

11/28/2010 - jcable wrote:

This gets an 87 because it has the delicate structure and layers that make Brunello great, but in the end this wine did not match my expectations or hopes. Nice cherry color in the glass after a decade (no brown wine here), and the nose is alive with spice. At first it was a bit bright/hot, but the fruit was there and the tanins were already softening. The finish was a bit short. Four hours later it was still a bit thin, but the acids and tanins had softened considerably. The thin thing with the medium to short finish is a bummer for me. I always romanticize about perfectly cellared brunellos blowing me away, but in my experience they show great structure and layers, but are not strong (they are thin), and the finish/fruit is not impressive. IMO, drink now.

11/27/2010 - jcable wrote:

Great value, good wine, enjoyed it.

11/16/2010 - jcable wrote:

Really enjoyed this Malbec! Slight butter on the nose and gentle balanced fruit in the mouth with amedium finish. A slight bitter note (slight!) on the finish the first day, but not enough to take away from the score by more than a point. Butter and oak and floral notes faded to darker fruit on the second day, but still solid. Wish I had a few more.

11/14/2010 - jcable wrote:

Took to a blind wine tasting where folks not only guessed "which is which", but also ranked their favorites. This beat out an 07 Leonetti Merlot and an 02 Quilceda cab -- a 100 point wine! (Not sure why QC got 100 in 02, 03 and 05 are better, but this isn'ts upposed to be about that, so...)
Some subtle oak on the nose but big structure and layers in the glass. Feels trite to say "dark cherry, leather, casis" (etc) but it was all there. Probably one of my favorite wines, and it is starting to show well now but likely has a few more years of improvement. (The 04 is drinking very well now.)

11/9/2010 - jcable wrote:

Really enjoyed this, and enjoyed it even more the next night, so don't be afraid to decant. Drinking well now.

11/9/2010 - jcable wrote:

a bit too fruity and bright for me, but opened up quite a bit and I enjoyed it a lot more the next night.

10/31/2010 - jcable wrote:

Decant and let breathe for at least 30, or it is a bit tight/hot/barnyard. Once it opens up it's delightful, floral, good expression of the fruit, some tanin (but soft), a good wine.

10/24/2010 - jcable wrote:

Needed to open up but in the end was quite tasty, well balanced, yet without much complexity and with a shorter finish. Decent value Barolo.

10/24/2010 - jcable wrote:

Fantastic, drinking well now. Sily smooth, still light in color, and tasting good right after opening. Medium finish but so light and smooth and well balanced!

10/20/2010 - jcable wrote:

A good value wine, went well with my enchiladas. :)
For the price it is quite good. None of that "cheap wine" smell or taste (misplaced acidity and sweetness.)
Not running out to buy more, but I respect the good value that it is.

10/18/2010 - jcable wrote:

Mmmmmm

10/8/2010 - jcable wrote:

Some complexity and buter at first but the finish was a bit disappointing

9/29/2010 - jcable wrote:

tasty, but lay it down a bit longer

9/24/2010 - jcable wrote:

Really enjoyed this, great fruit on the nose, well balanced, great for the price ($23 at Top.)

9/25/2010 - jcable wrote:

Didn't really love this one. Had a cheap wine nose and similar grapey flavor. Got better after 30 min, but of all the Kirkland wines I've tried this is my least favorite.