1/24/2023 - Todd French wrote:

Not a fan of Central Coast/Paso wines, in general, so I was quite pleasantly surprised by this wine - it has a nice weight, great concentration of dark red and blue fruit, large, round supple tannins, touch of oak char, herbs and forest floor, really nice wine with a substantive grip and pleasant finish. Well done, for sure, and great value. I estimate this wine is better on its own than with food, but it's so enjoyable on its own I'd not bother to pair it :)

8/5/2022 - Cabfrancophile wrote:

Not a fan of this wine. Heavy on the VA (nail polish remover), somewhat nutty. A bit of dried fruit, though overall not overripe, good acidity with varietally appropriate tannins. But overall a very rustic wine, given its youth, a bad cork is not likely the source of its impression. Drink now.

**Update: re-corked immediately after opening and stored in fridge for 2 weeks. More enjoyable, interestingly, VA less noticeable, though still 'muddy' in terms of flavor profile. New oak showed both on the nose and palate, though not too dominant. Structure and weight were varietally appropriate, very Neb-like to handle a long time since initial opening. Revising review accordingly.

5/26/2022 - Motz wrote:

Among the best surprises of this year. Old School, in all regards. The winemaker showcased the terroir's purity.

Plush Merlot encompassing a bold Cabernet Sauvignon core. Balanced extraction, oak treatment, and for such a ripe vintage, the 13.5 abv was much appreciated.

A grocery outlet purchase for under $15, me thinks, which makes it an exceptional value. No notice of brett...but lots of tobacco, worn leather, lathered horse, funk, and cool-climate forest floor.

11/30/2021 - fingers Likes this wine:

After an hour unscrewed. Light ruby red color, clear and sediment free. Medium powered, simple bouquet of cherry jam and light brambly oak. I like the palate balance and mouthfeel and basic fruit flavors that create a pleasant day-sipping kind of pleasure. The 13% abv is perfectly behaved. Nothing complex to think about, just the notion that something from his part of world can actually show a good sense of place and terroir, which this does in my novice opinion. Well done.
5+10+16+8= 89
On the second night, this started to feel pretty ragged so I don’t think it’s destined for the long haul.

2/1/2021 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:

Raring to go after 2 hour in wide bottom decanter. That said, I'll wait another 2-4 years before the next one. An insane value; highly traditional styling. The last few drops were the best/most complex. Lovely. highly recommended+

http://www.italianwine.blog

1/21/2020 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:

This is a tremendous value/wine in this vintage. Have been drinking at least a case each year for the past 10+ as this is one of my wife's favorites; it's not always my favorite, but in this vintage, it's (at $18) an exceptional value. Med/Med+ body, with lots of honey, corn, green veg., white pepper, ripe apple/pear and a good base of mineral/soil. Easy to drink, delicious, pure and well-priced - what's not to like? This will never win any awards for complexity, but on the sheer enjoyment scale, at this price-point, in a well-grown package, this is easily recommended+. Drink now or in the next several years; 12.0% abv., screwcap.

Bought 7 more immediately after tasting.

1/13/2018 - bretrooks wrote:

Not decanted, consumed over ~2 hours. Lean, clean, dark-fruited, just a little meaty/smoky, maybe a bit of brush, very little pyrazine-type green (which I appreciate). This is showing somewhat taut and simple at the moment, but we liked the overall balance, and I suspect this has some life ahead. Seems fairly priced to me at ~$17.

5/29/2018 - bretrooks wrote:

Not decanted, consumed over ~1 1/2 hours at room temp. This is very much in line with the bottle from 1/13/2018. The balance is good and I like the overall feel of the wine, although there is a sense of simpleness and it seems closed. Hard to say whether this will open up with time or just coast for a few years, but it's nice enough right now, if a little lacking in personality.

6/10/2017 - Ben Christiansen wrote:

Mineral and some earthy funk on the nose with the gewurtz perfume buried underneath. And some power on the back.

10/29/2018 - RajivAyyangar wrote:

MNB: Riesling vs. Chenin: (blind)

Pale gold.
Aromatics aren't super distinctive - maybe a hint of honey / botrytis. Notable oxidation - yellow and slightly bruised apple.
On the palate - 20g/L (actually 25g), slight frizzante, 13% alcohol (actually 12%), high acid. Very confused:

Riesling - Alsace Grand Cru (would be dry-er) or Spatlese (would have lower alcohol).
Vouvray Demi-Sec - makes sense.

Final call: 2013 Vouvray Demi-Sec.
Actual: 2015 Les Rosiers Jasnieres
Analysis: I was pretty close on this! Not bad - a bit premoxed, but otherwise correct.

Loire Chenin is often oxidative in style. This was more apple-driven than I’d consider typical. Especially at such a young age.

5/29/2018 - brigcampbell wrote:

Mourvedre based Rosé? The best. This stands with any rose on the planet. The good news it's made by a great guy and love supporting the cause. Complex aromas of earth and leather with ripe apricot and peach. Fresh cut peaches and a little grit for good measure.

11/4/2016 - bretrooks wrote:

Decanted 2+ hours. Slightly slightly corked, just enough for me to notice it wasn't correct. I thought my palate might just have been off, but then I detected a subtle whiff of cardboard about halfway through the glass and couldn't shake the impression after that. Not corked enough to make it undrinkable for our guests (who are not inexperienced with wine), but still a little bit sad.

2/19/2018 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:

Benvenuto Brunello 2018, Montalcino centro; 2/16/2018-2/19/2018 (Montalcino): (Benvenuto Brunello, 2018, Montalcino) A new producer for me, and I can see why, it's a tiny production of ~ 3,000 bottles. After the initial fermentation in stainless steel, the wine is allowed to macerate for an additional 30 days. After, the wine is raised in large Slavonian casks for ~ 2 1/2 years, then some bottle refinement. Traditionally styled, with good purity showing through even if it's a bit timid today. Nonetheless, give this a few more years of rest, some prior aeration, and enjoy with a proper meal. Good>very good. 2021-2036+ recommended

https://www.ItalianWine.blog

3/10/2018 - bretrooks wrote:

Not decanted, consumed over ~1 1/2 hours. Seemed a little bit closed to me, but it opened a bit with some air. Simple but rich dark red fruit, a bloody note, some oak influence, something ever so slightly medicinal on the finish. Ok acidity, very subtle tannins, a touch of heat showing. Decent QPR for a cocktail-type wine. My grenache-loving wife liked this more than I did...I thought it was ok for the style, but probably not enough so to rebuy.

2/17/2018 - Pjjt wrote:

Nice bouquet, deep red, woody taste

1/14/2018 - bretrooks wrote:

Consumed over ~2 hours with & after grilled salmon, starting at cool room temp and slowly warming. This has developed a little bit in the months since our last note but remains seriously compelling - watermelon or red raspberry with something like peach/mango in the mix, good citrus acidity, medium plus weight, lovely nose. Top-notch CA rosé, drinking well now.

12/26/2017 - grafstrb wrote:

-- tasted non-blind on Days 1, 2, and 5 --

Very tannic, medium-big, and not terribly complex on Days 1 and 2. Day 5 rolled around and I figured I'd have a little taste before dumping the rest down the drain ... Yo! Hey now. This is what CdP is all about! Black tea, mineral, garrigue, tobacco, plum, still some light tannin hanging around. Medium bodied. This wine epitomizes the general rule that big-time CdP's fall asleep around the 10 year mark. Hands off for now. Patience will be rewarded here. I see this in the low to mid 90's further down the line. Excellent.

10/27/2017 - Bin707LoversDetroit Likes this wine:

Very interesting. When a writer has a feeling about a wine, an amateur writer like us, it's so reaffirming when it's already laid out there by another...

On 8/17/2017 - BRETROOKS wrote... "...this one had a bit of burnt rubber to it which receded over time but never fully went away..." And before we saw BRETROOKS review, we kept thinking, it had a nose of freshly polished, boot leather...

This wine's flavor was way better than its nose! We'd say, an 89.5 but round down... A really high B+ just the olfactory away from an A-... It kept it from being a very well balanced wine for us.

We bought 4 or 5 bottles after a tasting in September. Not like us to only put a bottle down for a month, but we knew these were down there and we KNEW they were GOOD and already 4- nearly 5 years aged...

So we cracked it, with LOTS of yummy cheeses, our homemade sausages, grapes and crackers...

The bottle did not last the length of our Sideways DVD (again)... "Are you chewing GUM?!?!?" So Funny!!!

We will hold the next one of these for at least six months.

It's a really tasty wine! Body thin, nose off, but taste & flavor a winner!

4/23/2017 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:

Consistent with the taste of a few weeks ago, but this time I got to spend some hours with it, and have it with a meal. The main takeaway here, for my palate: wait, at least a few years. Yes, it's delicious now, but really, opening one today is to miss out on many good things to come. Thru 2025. highly recommended

https://www.ItalianWine.blog

7/28/2017 - bretrooks wrote:

Two small glasses consumed distractedly while warming from fridge temp to cool room temp. General impressions: medium-bodied, medium acid, dry, nondescript red fruits and some floral elements. Unmemorable, maybe, but satisfying enough at $7.

6/6/2017 - CranBurgundy wrote:

The nose is very brandy-ish. It's more like a liqueur than wine, and the alcohol seems much higher than 16% shown on the bottle. Not quite as nut flavored as I was expecting either. There's some peach and apricot with honey hiding behind the alcohol.

Maybe it needs some air as other sweet wines do, so I'll evaluate over a few days before scoring.

It did get a little better over a couple nights, and a hint of nuts joined the mix while the alcohol burn settled down a bit. Overall, a decent bottle but nothing I'll go out of my way to stock.

4/3/2017 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:

Stunning. Tasted today during the Grandi Langhe event in Neive. In a room full of Barbaresco wines from dozens of producers, showing many vintages (to show a vertical context), this wine was in a category all its own. Electric was the word that kept repeating in my head, this is so fresh, so balanced. This may be my favorite new release classico in the past decade; likely even more than that. It's thrilling. Medium-bodied with great cut, the layers of red fruit come with plenty of citrus and pomegranate/strawberry aromas and flavors. If you're a fan of this house, I strongly suggest you consider multiple cases. May well end up being one of those wines that's always going to be on point; a life of 20+ years should be no problem at all. A masterpiece of freshness, structure and elegance. highly recommended+

https://ItalianWine.blog

11/27/2016 - bretrooks wrote:

Opened, tasted, and then saved to consume with dinner the next day (not decanted). Light-to-medium-bodied with firm acidity, showing tart cherry/raspberry/cranberry fruit, a background layer of dried herbs/spice, and an earthy note like dust, humus, or mushroom. There's also definitely some of that ash/mineral/metallic element that I've gotten in Etna nerellos before. Quite nice for the price, and seems like it will be versatile with food for the next handful of years at least. 89ish for now with definite upside.

10/3/2016 - grafstrb wrote:

-- opened 1.5 hours before first taste --
-- tasted non-blind over a couple hours --

NOSE: medium+ expressiveness; strong mineral tone set against a backdrop of lemon/lime peels; not complex.

BODY: green-yellow color of medium-light depth; tiny bit of spritz; medium-light bodied.

TASTE: 12.5% alc. not noticeable; medium+ acidity; a bit zippy; strong mineral, especially on the finish, which is medium-long and of medium-strong intensity; tropical --- coconut/lime/gooseberry; better than usual for this bottling --- did Austria get some of Germany's 2015 magic?; very nice, and I will happily buy again for $17; drink in the near term, as this seems open and not complex.

50, 5, 12, 17, 7 = 91

3/20/2016 - bretrooks wrote:

My first one of these. Decanted ~4 hours, consumed over ~2 hours. The nose was fairly expressive at first but gradually closed down for the evening, showing thin dark fruit with whiffs of baking spices and something metallic. On the palate, this was definitely "big syrah," weighty and dark with blackberry preserve/black cherry fruit, dark chocolate, and hints of oak and something like clove or anise coming through on the finish...not too much funk or meatiness in this bottle. Smooth tannins, modest acidity, a noticeable bit of burn from the alcohol, but maybe not as much as I expected from the listed 15.9%.

Given the density and heat of the style, food pairing seems tricky, limiting its appeal for me. However, it's well-made in that style, works as a (big) cocktail wine, and I definitely know folks who will appreciate it when I open this for them. I may try a longer decant on the next one to see what that does for it.

1/10/2016 - bretrooks wrote:

Not decanted, consumed over 2 1/2 hours. Dark and rich but also poised and delicious, in its way. A welcome acidity lifts the palate, keeping notes of blackberry/black currant and baking chocolate from becoming too brooding. I like this and am glad I took a chance on it...might have to pick up some more. 89ish, and I don't have experience with the baga grape, but I expect this will drink well for at least the next 2-3 years.

12/14/2015 - Pknut wrote:

Not my style of CdP. This is big, syrupy and overly alcoholic. In fact, I really didn't enjoy drinking this. At Barbounia.

7/18/2015 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:

I picked a few of these up exactly one year ago, and I've been waiting for the right opportunity ever since. Well, tonight was that opportunity, as I wanted to enjoy it with friends as much for their reactions to the wine as my own. Having said that, this is a food wine, and as a further qualifier, a wine-geek's food wine. I found plenty to admire here, though it did require some careful inspection, my friends, less so. Either way, delicious starter wine; I will probably finish my remaining bottle within the next 12 months. A quality effort. For more detailed notes, see bretrooks's excellent reviews. 12,7% abv, recommended (for AFWE only).

Double decanted for one hour, served non-blind 3 hours later.

6/6/2015 - bretrooks wrote:

Not decanted, opened 30 minutes before pouring out & consumed over ~2 hours. No great depth, perhaps, but this is a solid wine with everything in its proper place for a baseline CCR - not-too-ripe cherry fruit, a bit of woody/peppery spice, decent structure & balance to work with food and maybe last a few years. Made by Villa Cafaggio, this is an excellent weeknight/cellar defender option at <$9.

P.S. Consistent notes from bottle #2...still solid, although I'm a maybe a little less enthusiastic about it overall. Still worth picking up a little more, which we recently did.

4/26/2015 - bretrooks wrote:

Decanted ~1 hour before consuming over 2-3 hours. This needed the air we gave it, as it started off relatively closed (especially on the nose) and was just waking up at the time the first pours went into glasses.

Medium-to-deep ruby/purple in the decanter. Slightly roasted dark berry fruit, peppery spice, and a distinct saline element were fairly constant, while notes of meat, dark chocolate, and black licorice came and went in intensity. Nice persistence, and there seems to be good potential for more depth to develop. Not as 'huge' as I expected from the high listed alcohol content, although there is just a touch of heat and a little unintegrated acidity as well. Tannins struck me as mild and smooth.

Time in bottle to integrate and develop should be beneficial, although this drinks well enough now with air given its youth and scale. Still, I suspect that I'll never find out the extent of the drinking window on this, since ours will be gone before we hit the far end of it.

3/24/2015 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:

While I find the wine to be approachable now, I can't say I find it too interesting. A serviceable table wine that showed much better (fuller, more aromatic complexity) on night #2. In addition, I've opened 3 bottles in the past week and have noticed a fair degree of bottle variation. Very traditional in style and composition, but not austere or bitter in any way; very much in the red-fruited vein. Notwithstanding all of that, I recommend letting these rest for a few more years. 13,5% abv., recommeded

https://italianwine.blog/

3/7/2015 - Tim Heaton wrote:

After the experience with the bottle I opened just 5 weeks ago, I really didn't see the point in taking up space unnecessarily with this final bottle. While it's my preference to put some age on wines in general, there are the exceptions - wines that show much better in their youth; this appears to be one of those exceptions. Held since release, this was charmless. Again. Well composed, technically, but absent the verve and nuance I'm always looking for. If you've got some, and you haven't checked (at all?) in a while, I recommend doing so. Medium-bodied, avg acidity, red fruited; no complexity. 14,5% abv (fully resolved). Drink now.

9/7/2014 - bretrooks wrote:

Consumed over 2+ hours. Pale peachy-pink in the glass, with an almost-imperceptible effervescence upon pouring, just a hint of secondary fermentation. The nose makes me think of a dry rosé, reserved and more floral or pithy than anything else. On the palate, this is medium in weight and shows some white Rhone waxiness alongside plenty of lemon/grapefruit zip and an intriguing background note of rhubarb or almost-ripe strawberry. Delightful and unusual stuff, and I'm glad to have another.

10/13/2014 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine:

I really like this wine... but mis-matched it with dinner!

6/22/2014 - bretrooks wrote:

Not decanted, consumed over 2+ hours. Tart black cherries and neutral oak influence, hints of dust and leather, a little tight and dilute overall at this stage. This could integrate and improve over the next couple of years, but at the moment it pretty much comes off as a straightforward example of old school-leaning reserva Rioja. I enjoyed this well enough, but I probably won't seek out more. 87-88.

1/11/2014 - Tim Heaton wrote:

Slow-O 4 hours, served non-blind. Held since release, cork soaked nearly half. Fully mature medium ruby color, faded all the way to the rim. Initial aromas are a bit troubling (as is the color), with some VA, play-doh, bright raisin, prune, walnut, and hot stones. The 20% abv is there, but it's nicely folded into the background. First taste -- oh yeah, this is ready, fully (AndyV you were spot on). I'm thinking the acids are going to outlive the fruit here, but that works for me this evening as I'm really not in the mood for a fruity, in-your-face jam and etOh fest. I'm going to serve this at cellar temp (58F) and follow it from that point. I'll update this note if anything interesting develops. Drink now.

12/22/2013 - bretrooks wrote:

Not decanted due to lack of decanter, consumed over 1 1/2 hours. Should have given this more air - upon opening, this was fairly tart and structured, showing a bit of oaky, slightly smoky/herbal character but not a lot else. After an hour or so, some red fruit started (just started) to reveal itself, with the familiar tarry notes coming forward as well.

Given some air, this is nice enough now, but my main impression is one of future potential; I'll be sitting on my other one for a while, although I'd have to defer to others for guesses about long-term development. By the end of our meal last night, 89-90ish for this bottle, likely higher in a few years.

1/2/2014 - fingers wrote:

Notes after 12 hours of slow-O. Very dark ruby/purple color, about 90% opaque with big heavy legs. Light sediment. High octane nose of cherry and strawberry jam, paint, licorice, and forest floor. Big body, soft but plentiful tannins and the right amount of acidity for near-term drinking. Bold and hot (15%) with extra umami and pork fat. Dominated by the red fruit flavors. No holds barred on this very typical example of Paso ripeness. Really reminds me of Tobin James style. No restraint or elegance, so if you're into big fruit bombs, have at it. 4+10+15+7 = 86

12/11/2013 - kenhoeve wrote:

Pop and pour into decanter. Freaking delicious. No signs of age in color or on the palate, this bottle is immortal. Fresh berries, stem and forest floor, bubblegum, perfume/florals, black currant, cedar, exotic spices. Round and full, with good proportion and excellent line. Medium long finish of perfume, berries, and tannic grip. This will make old bones, the tannins and the acid are still there, and the bottle still is not throwing much if any sediment. Hands down, classic cab for the princely sum of $35. More notes to come...

11/17/2013 - bretrooks wrote:

Not decanted, consumed over ~2 hours. Dark, dense, and extracted, with notes of cooked cherries, oak, anise, and smoke. Decent acid and mouth-coating, slightly drying tannins which make for a longish but chewy finish. Reminded me of several wines we've had from Paso Robles.

It overpowered our dinner and seemed over the top to us, but if you're a fan of dense, oaky reds, it might be a good QPR for you...feel free to mentally adjust the score accordingly.

11/2/2013 - bretrooks wrote:

Not decanted, consumed over 2+ hours, mostly with a lamb dinner which in retrospect probably called for a heftier wine. Also, this was our first Sicilian wine (but not our last, I expect).

This was a pretty wine, drinking smoothly from the get-go, showing primarily high-toned red berry/currant fruit alongside pleasant hints of spice and something saline or medicinal. There was a little mineral astringency as well which, in conjunction with the papery tannins, makes me think this might be the "ashiness" some refer to in Etna wines. Refreshing but not obtrusive acidity.

While enjoyable, this did seem to be holding something back on both nose and palate, and overall, it came off as a little simpler than my note probably makes it sound. I expect that this will be drinking better a few years down the road once its potential is more fully realized, but curiosity get the best of us this time. C'est la vie.

10/17/2013 - bretrooks wrote:

Intense straw yellow color. Medium weight, with slightly spicy green pepper notes most prominent and a lesser amount of lemon/grapefruit. Friendly and well-enough made, just a bit green for my taste and on the simple side.

9/15/2013 - Tim Heaton wrote:

SnP, served non-blind. Not something I would care to drink on its own, but my new world, butter and malo loving friends couldn't get enough. Just too rich for me (oh how my palate has changed in the past 10, 20 years), but as it was served with some nice, thick tuna steaks straight off the grill, it worked. Be sure to serve this cooler than warmer, lest the 13,5% abv sneaks in on you. The first of 5 bottles, all of which I will serve to friends and guests that prefer this type of drink.

9/27/2013 - bretrooks wrote:

Not decanted, consumed over 2 hours. This has come along a little bit since my 5/28/2013 note. A bit on the darker side of grenache, especially in its price range - dense red berry/cherry fruit with a nice spiciness and plenty of acid integrating well. Maybe no special complexity to the fruit, but this is shaping up to be everything you could hope for from a grenache of this style in this price range. 89-90, and ready to drink now or over the next few (several?) years.

12/14/2012 - bretrooks wrote:

Not decanted, consumed over 2 hours. Hints of cherry skins on the palate, but really more floral and woody notes, with the wood being noticeable at first but mostly disappearing after a little bit of time in the glass. Enough acid, mild dusty tannins, and correct (if somewhat dilute) nebbiolo character.

While this doesn't seem to have the fruit to last and might not live up to high expectations because it's labeled Barbaresco, you'll have a hard time finding a better $10 nebbiolo for near-term drinking. (If you know of one, I'm all ears.)

4/18/2013 - Redguy Likes this wine:

I know it's early but thought I'd check in... glad I did. This amazing effort from Double D really caught me off guard. Started off as a pnp, then sampled over the next 4+ hours. Upon opening, this showed an extremely fine texture, a delicately composed disposition, great concentration, and electric sweetness resulting in an effortless and classy appeal. No baked apricots here. After a few hours air and as it warmed, fatness, richness, depth, and power came forth. Much more purposeful, but still with that extremely fine texture and near weightless impression...the least sticky sticky. After airing and warming this exploded with opulence and immense sweetness, butterscotchy candied citrus fruits, pear juice, and a bit of graham cracker. So purposefull yet effortless as it excites each taste bud intensely. There is plenty of acidity here, it's just so well integrated within the massive sweetness it's easy to miss. Great structure as well. From start to finish this danced across the palate: with ballet like movement when chilled and more like salsa when aired and warmed to 55+. Nothing short of fabulous in the mouth, this rolls around like liquid quicksilver coating every measure with luxurious golden ripeness. Sexy!

Somewhere between the refinement and class when chilled and the power and richenss as it warms is the sweet spot for this beauty. That somewhere should appear with another 10 years in the cellar and continue for decades. Had an '02 d'Yquem recently... this was every bit as good. Great wine, great Barsac, great QPR. 94+

4/9/2013 - bretrooks wrote:

Served at cool room temperature, consumed over 1 hour. My experience seems different than most of the other notes here - our bottle had strong vegetal notes of green chile peppers and just a background hint of honeydew melon. Decent acidity and doesn't seem badly made, per se, but I couldn't get past the greenness here.

4/7/2013 - bretrooks wrote:

Not decanted, consumed over ~3 hours...best from ~2 hours on. Colorwise, this is dark blood red transforming into rusty brown, but the palate doesn't seem as tertiary as might be expected. Dark plummy fruit with funky notes of anise and smoke, maybe just a hint of gamy meat or barnyard. Good acid and integrated but slightly drying tannins.

This seems to be drinking near its peak to me, although it does seem like it could go a few more years if you're looking for an especially funky experience.

3/11/2013 - BigSchmove Does not like this wine:

I did not like this bottle. It did not have any flavor. it was like drinking colored water. I've had other bottles from this maker and this was a big drop off. I was disappointed. I had one glass and dumped that bottle. It was not a good experience IMHO.

12/7/2012 - VTCellarDweller Likes this wine:

This was the first bottle opened from two cases acquired over the last 18 months. It was decanted for two hours with minimal sediment. It was consumed several days ago with dinner but I did not take notes at that time. The descriptions proved in earlier notes by Flamengo and several others are consistent with my recollection so I will restrict comment to my overall impression.
It was beautifully balanced, elegant, and nuanced hitting all the high notes I look for. The last bottle to give this much enjoyment was a 1999 Musar. That said, it clearly hinted at even more potential. It will be a challenge to keep my hands off this for another 5+ years. Patience presumed, I can then look forward to another 15+ years of extraordinary drinking pleasure. I eagerly await release of the 2001 Gran Reserva.