January 11, 2014 - I won't give this a formal score because I might have missed something or it may just not be my cup of wine. I found this to be tasty but too fruit-forward; more like a grape-cherry lollypop. That said other cellar-trackers, one pro, and at least one person at the table all find it delicious so I will attribute it to palate differences and move on.
August 2, 2013 - Bright, juicy, all around seriously flavorful with light weight. A winning combination for me.
June 18, 2013 - Lighter in weight and aromatic presence than I expected after tasting their Sonoma County and La Encantada bottlings. Was thinking this would be the best of the 3, however I thought it was actually a bit lacking. It just didn't achieve the effortless power I'd hoped for. Still, beautiful color and very good. But the bottle I drank from fell short of something I'd call outstanding.
May 1, 2012 - Nose -- Toast and cherries evolving into something much more like exotic spice, pencil shavings, cedar and pine. Really powerful and intoxicating.
The earthy pine/cedar/spice reveals itself even further into the taste, where it confronts a blast of tart cherry and raspberry acidity. Some bittersweet chocolate in the finish to round things out. A complex, non-conforming pinot with plenty of surprises. In a word, wow.
April 22, 2012 - In Pursuit of Balance (NYC): One of our favorites of the tasting. Very complex.