August 2, 2020 - Enjoyed at Bartletts cabin
February 9, 2019 - The last of three. What an enjoyable pleasure of a hand crafted beauty. after two hours post pop the blueberry focus takes you on an amazing amazon trip of murky ripe dark notes. What a pleasure that is diminished by not having any more bottles.
October 13, 2018 - Round 2, and not a disappointment. This is a superb bottle of wine. The layers of flavors and chameleon shifting as it opens and responds to the the temperature changes. We opened up and aired about half an hour. It could have used more with a short decant but it was fun to experience the evolution of air and temperature. We started outside with barbecued hot Italian sausages and sauteed onions on a baguette. As the wine chilled, and the sun set, we finished inside with the warmth rounding out the wine for a nice long finish of numerous hints of dark fruit and berries with dry dark chocolate, cardamon, and cinnamon sprinkles. What a pleasure to enjoy. One more each of the 12 & 13. Must do a mini vertical.
January 16, 2018 - Very nice bottle. My last one.....
August 18, 2017 - PnP, no decant. Classic malbec dark, purple ink with a dark garnet edge. Woodsy, briary, pine sap and dark fruit nose. Smooth rich entry with a weighty mouth feel, minus the overabundance of green pepper that afflicts many lesser Cali and a good number of Argentinian malbecs. There is a little black olive, maybe a touch of fig? There is a very definite astringent character to this wine with the smooth powdery tannins coating every corner and crevice inside the mouth. I have not had this Ladera malbec before, but it is a very nice Cali surprise.
June 4, 2017 - Ready to drink and a great California Malbec. Lots of chunky sediment. Enjoyed over 2 nights and did not decant. But second night was really delicious so a decant on Night 1 would be good.
September 29, 2016 - Deep purple inky color. Rose, cherry, cedar, gorgeous aromas. Beautiful first taste on the palette. Violet plums, soft tannis on finish.
June 30, 2016 - Wow!! Great bottle of wine. Just a perfect fit for a week night cheese and meat dinner. Side note, great with hot dogs... Such a classic Napa Valley taste.
May 1, 2016 - Consistent with my prior note
April 26, 2016 - A Heart Of Darkness journey in the Amazon rain forest. A rich voluptuous wild wine with brooding dark fruits that need some time taming. Another 3 years before trying another.