April 30, 2023 - Decanted about 2 hours.
October 19, 2022 - Some Weighty Wines on a Wonderful Autumn Eve (Los Angeles, CA): My first encounter. Served blind, I failed to place it altogether. A glycerined texture was a dead give away for the dominant alcohol here. I noted mocha and brambly berries, not CDP hallmarks. Eventually I could recognize the Grenache, but to be honest it is a Grenache expression that lacks typicity, so dense and reductive I wanted a spoon, and could only manage to down a glass. Think Sine Qua Non is warmer years. Maybe with more air or bottle age it will regain some of the nimbleness and nuance others have noted, but not on this night.
February 21, 2022 - Decanted 3 hours.
December 28, 2021 - This wine continues to drink very well completely mature - perhaps less "sexy" wine (yes it was) than it was a few years ago - but more mature and nuanced. Silky smooth and a pleasure to drink. I can't understand the comments about over-oaked or out of balance - perhaps a different batch?
A real pleasure to drink but no hurry
October 5, 2021 - Good fruit, peppery
October 28, 2020 - Decanted 3 hours.
June 28, 2020 - Decanted 4 hours.
April 12, 2020 - Decanted about 3.5 hours. Nose was nice but weaker than a few years back. Palate was big and powerful, with evolving complexity during the 2 hours following. A hint of sweetness paired well with Easter ham. While a couple years ago it seemed like these were going to sleep, maybe a sign of life again, but probably wait some more to pop the next one.
April 20, 2019 - Regular dinner group (@ My place): Beautiful bouquet with ripe dark berries, herbs and spices and sweet licorice. On the palate juicy dark and red berries, ripe cherries, licorice, good acidity and round tannin. Beautiful wine.
February 18, 2019 - Really probably should not have opened this at the time (ninth bottle in a tasting, but where the hell else can one go at the stage but big??). Similar to my 3/2/2018 note, thankfully without the burnt note I mentioned then. Yes, crazy big. Almost sweet. Kind of syrupy in texture. If I had this earlier in the night I would almost certainly mark it as 'not like' -- but being honest, it really sort of hit the spot. Fruit was quite fresh and despite the size, seeming sweetness and not a ton of acidity, it was not cloying (or perhaps I was too tipsy to notice otherwise?). No need for a port after this.