December 27, 2018 - This is my 5th and final bottle and, like the others, was extraordinary! The wines from Laura Zahtila/Laura Michael are consistently great, but the combination of their nuanced winemaking, incredible Beckstoffer fruit, and 13 years, made this a stellar bottle. Green olives, dried thyme, roasted meats, leather, and forest floor were the dominant tones with the primary fruits - dark ripe cherries and raspberries - playing a supporting role.
January 10, 2017 - Above and beyond. Rich and decadent but not too much barrel. Love the fruit expression and balance.
December 3, 2016 - Another terrific LZ wine. Not many cabs I think are worth the full price. This one is close.
August 19, 2016 - The color is dark purple but it's starting to show signs of bricking and aging. The nose is very complex some black fruits buts also earthy hints of barnyard and tobacco. On the palate this is a velvety wine with good balance of fruit and tannins. Secondary flavors of chewing tobacco are also on the palate and the finish is smooth and long. Lacks a bit of power for a higher score.
July 7, 2016 - Notes consistent. Just too much of a hint of green otherwise superb.
June 4, 2016 - Deep dark ruby red almost purple in color. The nose is very meaty with hints of tobacco. On the palate this is a well structured wine with still strong tannins and lively black fruit. Good complexity and a long smooth finish.
February 15, 2016 - After a 2 hour decant the nose had dark currants, earth, dried blackberry, cedar and hint of polish, palate is smooth with the sweet tannins nicely integrated at this point, with generous fruit purity and dark chocolate on the finish
February 6, 2016 - Rust red color with vanilla and cherry on the nose upon opening. This wine definitely needs decanting, as it has a fair amount of sediment. After 30-40 minutes it has opened up with dark cherries, currants, a bit earthy. Tannins completely integrated. Long smooth finish. This is an excellent wine, and an example of Napa cabernet at its best. Probably near the end of its drinking life this year or next.
January 17, 2016 - Muted nose maybe a hint of earthiness. Color starting to soften to a rusty red. Good balance on the palate hints of leather and fully integrated tannins. Smooth finish. I think most of the power from this wine left a few years ago. But a nice smooth food friendly drinker.
January 7, 2016 - Very nice cab. But had lots of sediment and it muddied the finish