December 17, 2022 - Very off, extreme sour aftertaste and the nose and taste was off
August 24, 2021 - Cooking wine, nothing more. Over the last couple of years the pressure inside 2 of the bottles has been enough to spontaneously blow the cork out even with the foil on.
December 7, 2019 - Still showing some rough edges - maybe needs more time, maybe it won’t turn the corner. Certainly some acidity there which won’t soften. The ‘09 is certainly starting to show it’s quality over the ‘10
November 2, 2019 - Decided to try the final two of these. One shows a seriously raised cork - I can imagine the pressure under there. The other looked like it might be a good bet. Not so much ... very fizzy. That’s it for my 2010s.
Still have some 2012s and 2013s around.
July 31, 2018 - Interesting story about this last bottle of the lot. I'm not sure when I uncorked it, but it must've sat in the cellar open for at least a week before I got to it. And it was great! No fizz, decent balance between oak and acidity, and soft tannins. Some rust in the color now, but it sure seemed to be drinking fine with all of that air exposure.
May 26, 2017 - Decided it was time to get rid of these bottles, so I brought up two from the cellar expecting that I would have to just pour them out.
Only needed to open one : perfectly drinkable with only the slightest fizz that would disappear in the glass in 2-3 minutes.
Totally surprised!!
tasting notes are similar to ikaarianens.
December 19, 2016 - Opened one it is was fizzy, mushroomed cork, consistent with other notes. Opened a 2nd bottle and it was the same.
August 7, 2016 - Cork was depressed under the foil, and did not mushroom out of the neck as I feared it might. Aroma from the neck seemed odd, which a decant quickly explained. It was quite fizzy. Aromas showed that it was not worth saving and down the drain it went. I knew this was distinct possibility so was not upset. Just returned to the cellar to grab a 2011 CT Rutherford to enjoy with steak tips.
May 14, 2016 - The first of about a dozen of these bottles and approached it with some trepidation & uncertainty given the previous comments / TN's especially regarding the fizziness - maybe it is the age now but this bottle actually drank quite well w/out any off-tones or fizz. Both Kim & I were able to convince ourselves that perhaps there was a hint of fizz on the very late palate but if it was there it was extremely subtle and could very well have been group think since all the previous notes had mentioned this. Still young but now maturing big, dark bold Howell Mtn cab decanted about 90 minutes at point of consumption and continued to further improve through the evening - I think it is just now starting to hit it's stride and easily has another 5-10 years left under proper cellaring conditions. Tannins present but balanced, big wine, good mouth feel with a rather lengthy aftertaste. Bold dark aromatic nose with very typical Napa cab flavors of balanced big dark fruit, oak, cassis with a hint of earth and smoke developing on the mid-late palate. Definitely recommend this wine if the remaining bottles are on this par and at our original price point this is now a very good QPR wine - as noted above no fizz or off tones noted. Now you guys are all wondering did Smig pay him for this tasting note ;) - in fact no transactions, monetary or vinous or otherwise, were involved and this note is w/out "sponsorship" or other "undue influences".
December 28, 2015 - Decanted 3 hours and then venturied, still not good. We decided to save the wine for a reduction sauce.