April 28, 2024 - My last bottle, and kinda sad about it. Yes, this is a big, extracted, oak-influenced, rich, beautiful, perfumed, deeply fruited, complex and interesting wine. If you don't like big extraction, this isn't for you, but it is balanced. A damn fun and interesting wine, I love it.
September 19, 2020 - I haven’t opened one of these for years - the wine isn’t showing any sign of age - but I sure remembered liking this a lot more 5 years ago . It’s just too OTT for me. Dense , tons of kreosote , over ripe super dark berries, with toasty oak.
September 5, 2018 - From memory - dark red/purple color. Expressive, dark-fruited nose of cassis and black cherry. The palate was plush with dark fruit, subtle oak, and integrated tannins. This paired well with grilled steak and should have at least 5-10 more years. Even people who claimed they don’t like cabernet sauvignon, liked this wine.
July 15, 2018 - Spectacular wine in every way and will still age for many years longer
May 29, 2017 - Integrated, drinking well right now.
May 17, 2017 - Dropped into a decanter, finished later in the evening. Blackberry, ripe cherry, boysenberry over bits of graphite and a tease of oak. Tannins are nicely integrated at this time. Congrats to those of you who still have some left, this still has life ahead of it.
April 17, 2017 - Opened and decanted. Took to Izzy's Steakhouse in Oakland. Nice blackberry fruit on the nose and entry, but the finish was green, somewhat harsh and astringent. Asked for a decanter which they provided. No change during the course of our dinner. Fair to Good. This may need several hours of decanting, or a couple of more years, or it will never resolve and be what it is.
FYI, the food was mediocre (filet mignon). I've pretty much given up now on steak houses in the SF Bay Area. Will dine at home or at friends houses to cook expensive beef to pair with Napa Cabs.
October 9, 2016 - Open an hour before serving, probably would have benefiting from decanting. Black fruit aromas with vanilla and liqueur hints. Similar flavors with good concentration. Very enjoyable, nicely balanced slightly one dimensional.
October 1, 2016 - This was in a better place than when we tried about a year ago. Has softened a bit and flavors are more secondary. Still think this has another year or so to really hit the sweet spot.
February 14, 2016 - Very tasty CS; Seems well integrated yet fruit forward without being cloying. Good texture and tannic structure.