December 7, 2023 - Tjis had been opened the day begore and I think was beginning to tire. Suspect it would have merited a higher score when fresh. This is great wine, very open and expressive but also with real depth. 2007 is a great vintage and it shows here. Classic blackcurrant and cassis, along with earthy leather notes. The big structure is amply covered by the generous ripe fruit. Long with moderate complexity. Drink now, though will last.
August 27, 2023 - Tight upon opening.
Black/red fruit on the nose mostly, with some wet slate and vanilla.
Silky texture, med+ body, med acid, med tannin.
A beauty that needs some air to open up. Young still, and needs more bottle age. Try again in 3-5.
November 17, 2022 - Last tasted 2013, when I thought it was too closed and tannic. It's still dark garnet opaque, with no hints of brown edges. The aroma is slow to open and subtle at first but is moderately intense after several hours, cassis and some smoky French oak, some complexity. Full but round fruit, mostly cassis, still with moderate but soft tannins that increase after 30 seconds and persist in the finish. An excellent wine but is it worth $700+ needed to buy it now? With six left of 2006 and 2007 I'd rather have the money than more of the wine, will sell the others.
Ric
September 3, 2022 - Popped and poured. Should have decanted and given it more time to open up. No sign of aging at all -- powerful, red fruit with a hint of herbaceous earthiness, smooth and balanced.
February 19, 2022 - Wine of the night!
February 4, 2022 - tasted blind
velvety, smooth, coffee inflected dark fruit, though somewhat monolithic.
September 10, 2021 - Only subtle tertiary aromatics at this point. Mostly dark fruits with undertones of tobacco and forest floor. Palate is perfectly balanced, blackberry and cassis. Silky tannins; no heat. Delicious now but will evolve in complexity.
August 25, 2021 - Decanted over cocktails. Now in middle age, this beautiful wine is showing near-perfect with silky, velvet balance. On the palate, the cassis seamlessly blends with gentle tannic body, filling the mouth with deliciosity. These are connoisseur wines, ridiculously expensive compared to the average bottle yet worth the ticket for Napa cult lovers and unlike some, delivering that transcendental experience beyond youth. Thank you!
July 16, 2021 - Annual gathering with Chicago winos in Chicago (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): Expressive nose displaying sweet concentrated black fruit with a hint of red, crème de cassis, blueberry jam, plum, cappuccino, strong lead pencil, strong lead pencil, cedar, vanilla/oak and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of opulent black fruit, rich yet silky and polished, medium acidity and mineral, very fine tannins and a long black fruit driven finish. Although youthful, it is drinking beautifully. It is less structured than the Scarecrow. Another classic Cult cab.
July 16, 2021 - DC/Chicago Wine Dinner Extravaganza (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): Dense black fruit, this powerful and meaty with brooding structure. Still backward, the wine didn't thrill me tonight but I like its possible potential with hints of nuance that (may?) emerge based on layers of flavor coming through already. Patience required.