May 28, 2020 - Dark violet in color looking younger than its 13 years. Nose is deep and dark with aromas of blackberries, black olives, coffee grounds, and road tar as well as a menthol component developing with time in the glass. Full bodied in the mouth with impressive palate impact echoing all the dark black aromas and showing persistence on the finish. This wine is likely to have a long life ahead. This vintage of The Core has one of the darkest aromatic and flavor profiles I’ve come across in Napa cabernet. It doesn’t seem to play much in either the tenor or baritone ranges – spending most of its time in the lower registers of the bass notes. While there is a suggestion of purple fruit here, the wine gives the overall impression of dark black qualities at this point in its life. Was perhaps a bit more varied on the second night. Obviously well-made with a level of gravitas from the deep dark profile, but in the end, probably not my stylistic cup of (black) tea.
January 10, 2020 - Delicious bottle of your typical $120 Napa cab. Excellent fruit and weight. Not at all hedonistic but with good clean fruit. No way you can mistake the wine for anything that is not a good Napa cab. Good acidity and blue / black fruit all the way. Drinking very well right now with no signs of being losing its power although I suspect this is a wine to be drank within the next 2 or 3 years to take advantage of its fruit.
February 18, 2018 - Tampa Spring Break (the third); 2/16/2018-2/18/2018 (Various Tampa locations (Seasons 52, Capital Grille, Berns etc.)): Wine #7: Definitely new world, more fruit, soft and almost velvety in nature but with some acidity in there as well. Moderate age. Some spice and herbal.
March 14, 2017 - Opened for a birthday dinner. A sticky cloying, grapey alcoholic mess. Nose of rotten fruit. Barely drinkable. We left half the bottle. I don't think the wine was spoiled. I'm not a Cabernet drinker, but I just don't get what others see in this style.
July 13, 2016 - Young and fresh, with loads of tannin and structure. There is no reason not to enjoy this now, but I'm sure it has a long life ahead of it.
August 11, 2015 - The best '07 I have tasted in the last year. Drinking very well.
October 11, 2012 - Very disappointing for a 2007. Fine cigar and mineral drive the wine, rounded off with worn leather and aged fruit. Heavy tannins still grab you and demand a food to be paired with the wine.
August 12, 2012 - Too soon! Will be worth the wait. Approachable with decent decant.
June 27, 2011 - SOOO TIGHT!! I know to wait for this wine but I knew this would be completely appreciated by the guest I had over, and I was right. It received a WOTN vote, over Shafer Hillside, Quivet, 12C, Lewelling Wight, Corra, and Karl Lawrence Herb Lamb. Huge tannins that blocked me from seeing into the wine. Deep dark full bodied monster that needs at minimum another couple of years in the cellar. I would never of guessed this to be a CA cab in a blind, this reminds me of a young Barbaresco.
March 9, 2011 - I couldn't resist taking a sneak peak, and I wish I had more patience. Hold off for a few more years if you want to see what this has to offer. Reminded me of Corra, but one of the tightest wines I have ever tasted. Full bodied dark beauty that envelops that mouth with dark fruit, earth, and touches of oak. Huge tannins grab the mouth and keep the wine from ever exploding/revealing everything you know is there. The wine completely excited me but left me wishing I had waited until she matured into the phenom you know she will become in a few years. I wish they had held it at the winery 1 more year.