March 23, 2024 - Served blind, I admittedly thought it was Bordeaux - though Cabernet-based and 1980s were obvious. Black fruited at its debut, transitioning to red fruit, inflected with loam, Brettanomyes, and black olive. The Brett slightly overwhelmed at the start, though it became less dominant with time.
November 5, 2023 - Vinetasters: Old Cabernet (Park Ridge, IL): Served double blind. Sweet, dried dates on the nose. Quite expressive with good overall freshness here. I thought based on the darker fruit and liveliness that this was something from the 90s. A good dose of pyrazines as well. My 3rd, group's 10th.
September 6, 2023 - Hard to get a good read on this bottle as it was tasted at an indoor event which topped out ~ 84 degrees F room temp.. too warm. Immediately upon opening a eucalyptus and mint note comes to the fore, intensity does fade over time and shows more earth and tobacco as time goes on. Soft and medium bodied with earth, red plums, still good structure and no real noticeable finish. Even in a better tasting environment this bottle would have showed close to a decade past peak.
August 20, 2022 - Mid-Aged Zinfandel and Cali Cab Dinner (Casa Garard - Northfield IL): Still showing enough black cherry and plum on nose and palate, fresh enough with good enough power. This is starting to lose steam, but still has good length with a persistent finish.
August 20, 2022 - Chez Garard older Zinfandels and Cali Cabs: Really good for its age. Enjoyable in a flight of older Cali Cabs.
October 13, 2021 - Deep garnet color to the edge; lovely nose, lilac, leather, smoke. Minty, long, a little austere, perhaps aging, but still excellent.
May 15, 2021 - Medium garnet in color with no bricking at all. Nose of dark fruit, leather, mushrooms, forest floor, espresso, and a hint of barnyard. It kept gaining complexity in the glass as the night progressed. Silk on the palate, dry, lean but full bodied, medium plus acidity and with a solid amount of extract. Smooth and long lingering finish. Amazing purity, freshness and depth. Put this against two '82 Bordeaux and Mondavi took the crown. Outstanding effort.
May 17, 2020 - Pristine bottle purchase for virtual tasting. Did a coravin and should have decanted. Wow. Just sublime and long lasting. It’s a buy even though it is old and mature.
March 15, 2019 - Uncles Fine Wine Spring BYO (Home): Perfect bottle. Horse stables, tobacco, creme de cassis, blue fruit and light hints of iron and metal. Surprisingly fresh, with slender fruit. Streak of tobacco and snuff. Supersmud!
February 11, 2018 - Vinetasters: Robert Mondavi Reserve (1970-1998) (Skokie, IL): Served blind in a Mondavi lineup. Both the colour and nose indicate that this is a younger wine, with darker fruit aromatics and just a little bit of oak still showing. A little cedary, with fruit that is deeper and darker than many of the others. For the first time, there's also a little bit of vanilla that pops up. On the palate, this is almost certainly a younger example, with its more luscious fruit and ever-so-slightly modern elements. It's certainly not over the top, and this may be suffering from youth more than anything. My 10th, group's 11th.