March 25, 2023 - Sometimes the Mike Smith wines are just a bit too extracted for me and this was close but ultimately not over the top. It was plush and super concentrated but surprisingly elegant.
Just a hint of sweet and a pleasing warmth that was embracing not hot.
Good depth of flavor and nice complexity.
Notes of blackberry, almost liquer-like.
Opened early and decided to just do a double decant back into the bottle and let it rest a few hours.
Drinking beautifully on this day.
August 13, 2021 - Similar thoughts as a couple years ago. Dark red and black fruit - blackberry, currants, dark cherry, and dark raspberry. Really smooth mid-palate with a beautiful purity and nice depth/concentration. Nice rich flavors of dark berries, some spice/licorice, cocoa, and a graphite component. However, I thought the finish was somewhat lacking - a little short/not much depth. The blend shows in my opinion. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Not much improvement with time but at a nice drinking point. In my opinion, in line with the 94 rating from WA. Almost entirely cab sauvignon with some petit verdot.
August 10, 2021 - I decided to drink this after a conversation comparing this wine to a 2016 Realm Bard. I did not have a 2016 of the Fortuna so I had to go with the 2015. This was garnet in color with a nice nose but with a hint of alcohol that was resolved when tasting. On the pnp this was not ready to go so I decanted for two hours and drank over another 5 hours. This had flavors of blueberry, blackberry, and dark cherry. This wine really came together at hour three where the wine added some heft and the blueberry and dark cherry flavors became liqueur like in a good way. It also added some cedar and a touch of mint on the finish. On day two this wine lost some thrust. So drink now with a 3 hour decant or give it an extra year or so.
As far as the comparison to The Bard, I gave both wines a 94. I felt like the Fortuna had a little more depth but The Bard had more complexity. I did feel the Bard had more room for growth in the future but I think that had more to do with the 2016 vintage than the wine itself. For my taste buds I feel both wines are very good in their price range with both the Realm The Bard and Carter Fortuna at $110. I still buy each wine every allocation which is my highest praise.
January 23, 2021 - I decanted for four hours, and the wine did not show welll at room temp, tasted over extracted. Cooled it down in the fridge, and then it showed properly.
All your expected cassis, plum, and blackberry that you’d expect on the nose and palate. Integrated tannins. For my taste, I think the grapes could have been picked a bit sooner.
July 3, 2020 - Brought a bottle to my favorite wine bar for the owner to try. Decanted this for an hour and a half and drank over another hour. Dark garnet in color with a medium nose. On the palate cassis, cherry, and plum with herbs on the finish. While this was good and I felt like it would improve with more air I enjoyed this more a year after release.
June 6, 2020 - Impressive in the nose with earthy berries and oak. Full bodied and round. Pure Napa! Still potential for slight improvement. 95+p.
May 30, 2020 - So this was showing fantastic tonight on the PnP. Deep electric purple with a slight haze. The nose is brimming with dark fruit and graphite. Candied black cherry glows on the palate, followed by pencil shavings. Wood is integrated and not intrusive at all. Balanced and supportive acidity and no flab, but so full fruited it (almost) leaves the impression of RS.. this fades with air. The yum factor is super high with this one. It also has that 2015 signature of small compact berries. As a case example, holding Mike’s wines for 3 years after release seems to yield some pretty fantastic results. Overdelivered today.
April 7, 2020 - Probably rating this a bit high but I just flat out enjoyed this wine and I wasn't sure what to expect. Paired with steaks on the grill. Came across to me as a sweet (but not too sweet) blueberry and dark currant mix with a really smooth texture and enough acidity to hold things together without becoming overbearing. Seems in the zone to me as don't think this is a wine you are waiting for earthy complexities to develop. This one is all about the fruit with just enough restraint. And I just noticed this was a $95 bottle - bravo.
March 8, 2020 - This bottle is solid, tasty and very enjoyable six month later. Reddish purple color, with an appealing bouquet, nice depth, concentration and nice, ripe fruit that more of a darker profile. a medium/ full bodied wine consisting of dark berry, dark cherry, plum, and currants and ceder aromas. Although out of the gate I rated this wine higher, it is still an excellent wine that I would score 94+ Points.
November 27, 2019 - Solid, down the middle napa cab. Very ripe, perhaps a bit too sweet and forward, but certainly good.