6/6/2020 - AdamWallstein Likes this wine:

Drinking great. Probably no rush, but no reason to wait (nor to worry that it has been too long).

5/16/2020 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Really great shape at the moment. Full body, bordering on lush, easy-drinking fruit with plenty of complexity and length.

5/4/2020 - AdamWallstein Likes this wine:

Very tasty. Great balance of energy, fruit, and complexity rn

3/9/2017 - AdamWallstein Likes this wine:

Very nice. Concentrated, structured, delicious principal flavor, and moderate complexity. Decent finish. (93-94)

3/2/2017 - AdamWallstein Likes this wine:

Was worried this'd be falling apart a bit, but it seems to be drinking nicely. Still good concentration, complex fruit.

3/6/2016 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Parker 97! LOL!

2/16/2016 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Pretty damn oaky. Musky too

11/4/2015 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Seemed a little fizzy. Nice powerful flavor though.

5/18/2015 - AdamWallstein Likes this wine:

Great right out of the gate; quite expressive and lots of range and length. It shut down hard after about two hours in the decanter. Might be wise to hold (or suck it down). 92+

5/2/2015 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Lots of spritz. Not ok.

3/14/2014 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Getting kinda boozy...

2/12/2014 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Still ok, but barely hanging on to life. The 152 bottles in various cellars around these parts ought to be opened!

3/5/2013 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Corked

1/12/2013 - AdamWallstein Likes this wine:

Complex and rich - generous in flavor and aroma. Quite a bit of funk, however... Alaina's remark, "it's got dirt mixed with a little poop and cinnamon." Indeed, the aromatics are centered around savory, funky meat juices and rolled earth - plenty of fresh wool, rare beef and stacked hay.
Starting with the generous but focused attack, rich dark fig fruit takes center stage. The mid-palate is quite pliant with plenty of interactive black tea spice and mineral elements, a floral-evergreen sensation lingering gently but persistently, with no heat to speak of. Seems to be in a very good place right now, where it should remain for several years at least.

9/6/2012 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Corked

6/4/2012 - AdamWallstein wrote:

So much flavor, I nearly shat myself.

6/4/2012 - AdamWallstein wrote:

In a nice spot; a more civilized version of the '07 with amazing intensity of flavor for an '06/ Meaty, floral slightly candied. A bit warm, but earthy and complex.

3/20/2012 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Silky smooth. Velvety tannins provide the structure vs relatively soft acids. On the first night the fruit was hidden behind incredibly aromatic black olive and endearing b.o. notes. By the second evening, the fruit came out and the aromatics took on much more sparkly incense character. Very nice. 93-94

3/7/2012 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Horribly corked

3/8/2012 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Corked

3/3/2012 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Arch and screamy. Impressive and intense, but I didn't enjoy it all that much. Disappointing.

2/20/2012 - AdamWallstein wrote:

So pretty. A beam of floral mango-lime with stone. Weightless; pleasureful.

2/11/2012 - AdamWallstein wrote:

An opulent pleasure-bomb. Plenty of stuffing to cruise along in the cellar. Blackberry, gingerbread and graphite, joined by subtle bacon.
Quite viscous, and nearly over the top.

2/4/2012 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Corked

1/3/2012 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Better on the second night. Rich, lush, opulent but not obnoxious. The best Clio since the '04.

1/3/2012 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Rich and chewy right now. Not much sweetness of fruit though. Virile minerality.

1/3/2012 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Hmmm. Too much barnyard for me. Plus a bit of heat on the back end. It or I might just be in a weird place (hopefully).

1/2/2012 - AdamWallstein wrote:

corked

12/28/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

An energetic yet luminous tasting experience. It makes you forget, for the moment, all other wines.

10/27/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

When I last had this 18 months ago, I was largely impressed by the flavor profile but had minor misgivings regarding the weight and texture. This time, those doubts were far more troubling. Tonight this wine struck me as distinctly lacking depth and intensity. Almost seemed like yields might have been too high, though I doubt that was actually the case. It's tasty, but disappointing given the (RP) hype.

10/25/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

corked! go to screw cap!

10/17/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Bright, generous and lively. Candied cherry and blackberry fruit with lavender spice in the lengthy finish. Not at all darkly fruited and far from heavy with no heat to speak of. Lacked a shade of aromatic complexity perhaps.

9/12/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

I'm thinking there must have been something wrong with this. Smelled like a burning condom with a touch of Santorum on it.

4/22/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Nice weight. Aromatics are subdued compared to a year ago, the texture is oilier, less crisp. Tropical flavors of unripe banana and honeyed quince.

4/22/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Sure, this is quite tight and primary, but I found it giving significant early pleasure, nonetheless. Cherry rhubarb candy on the nose, along with a zinc cough drop element. In the mouth, extremely dense and a tad unyielding, but the lively bright purple fruit was worth a glance. Cranberry lozenge and mineral elements vibrate throughout the very long finish. 93+

4/6/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

I know this is an off vintage, but damn; it ain't that off. A line drive of smokey blackberry fruit right down the center of the palate, joined by all sorts of vanilla laced charcoal and chocolatey incense. The concentration of the material here betrays the elevated pedigree with no uncertainty whatsoever. Long, powerful, but under control, and almost elegant.

3/29/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Lively, tangy and very long. Exuberant on the nose with lemony incense. Full-flavored and bracing, a touch of nutty oak in the background, but this is all about vibrant, lip-smacking stone-fruit and citrus.

3/29/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Saturated purple/violet. Expressive scents evoke true Walla Walla terroir (even though a portion of this wine comes from Stoneridge). I get all sorts of vegetation on the nose as well as Diesel exhaust and unsmoked tobacco. Firm and full-bodied in the mouth with lively acidity framing a distinctly old-world fruit center of plum and ash. The acid drives the dry finish against smooth tannins that fade into the grayish fruit flavors. This comes across remarkably cool-climate.

3/16/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Vibrant, bright red fruits on the nose with tobacco and lavender for sure. This put on weight in the glass/ bottle, and was richer and longer on the second day (re-corked in the fridge). A refreshing and energetic drink that has medium weight, but strong nervy grip.

3/16/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Vibrant and explosive, just a riot of a chardonnay. Wonderful tropical scents and flavors which by the third night (re-corked in the fridge) seemed a dead ringer for a pina colada; I'm telling you, the coconut was out of control.

3/8/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

A tad rough around the edges presently, this is bold bracing and lively. Lots of delicious purple and blue fruit with hot stone elements as well as toasty coffee flitter back and forth in a full-bodied tightly wound package. Looking forward to trying this now and then over the next ten years. (92+ (92-94))

3/8/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Totally delicious. Ridiculous QPR. BUTT! (Back up the Truck)

3/4/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Great stuff: way too drinkable. On the darker side of the red fruite spectrum, suggesting ripe cherries and black raspberry, not really blueberry though. I love the black olive notes on the nose, as well as those cinnamon scented coconut accents that run through the mid-palate. Long smooth, velvety finish. Really silky, and the mouthfeel improved on the second day.

3/3/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Great stuff, if a little too young. Some burg-like funk joins spicy wet raspberry with the finish showing plenty of tension and vitality.

3/3/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Believe the hype: Huge bodied but vibrant and lively as hell. Like drinking liquified rocks poured over lemon verbena sorbet. Glad I have one more as well as some '09s.

3/1/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

From a 375ml: Dense deep and chocolatey. Great poise and power, nothing out of place with floral and lead pencil overtones to the rich black cherry fruit. Tasted alongside an '06 Woodward Canyon Cab (a wine I generally like) made the pedigree here unmistakable. Depressing that this can't be my everyweek steak wine, but glad I have five more splits.

2/27/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Very balanced wine that's drinking quite well now. Some of the most chocolatey tannin I've encountered. Lots of great interplay between blackberry currant fruit and an herbal melange featuring thyme. Medium body, good proportions. Nice.

2/26/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

The worst case of TCA I've ever experienced. The aroma exploded from the bottle, and I nearly barfed. I poured a glass and sniffed, bad idea - It was Vurp City.

2/12/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

One of the most oxidized bottles of wine I've ever had the misfortune to smell, much less taste (and then promptly spit out, including a little barf).
Purchased from WineBid two years ago, so who knows. The cork was quite stained. Wow this was bad.

2/9/2011 - AdamWallstein wrote:

Big, rich, full throttle. Duh. Chocolate covered purple strawberries with road tar. Powerful finish, lipsmacking acidity.