December 29, 2023 - One of 2023 highlights. Another generous treat from a friend. Decanted for 2 hours and drank after dinner. Love the nose. Extremely elegant and silky smooth. One of the best.
May 21, 2023 - Excellent. Full bodied, mellow, no tannin.
May 4, 2023 - Served blind. Opened by Allred. 2nd time I have had this wine. Deep purple color. This was still rather tight and likely needs more time to show better. Notes of plums, leather, pepper and black cherries. Round finish. Other vintages I've had include the 1985, 1993, 1996, 2000, 2009 and 2010. The best was the 2009. 93 points.
April 29, 2023 - 4th Saturday Brown Bagger (EBCC): Blind. Similar to wine I, with chocolate and dark fruit qualities, with the addition of saddle leather and mocha. Long finish. Not as expressive as previous examples but still lush and forward and very enjoyable.
This was decanted for about two hours then rebottled, poured around four and a half hours after the cork was pulled.
April 13, 2023 - Drank with Chad and Nicole. Delicious for sure, but this particular bottle took second fiddle to a 1996 Lynch Bages and a 2010 Clos des Papes CDP, both of which were considerably less expensive. This was also definitively inferior to the 2006 vintage that we had a week before. Tannins were well resolved and still had considerable residual dark black and purple fruit, seemingly ready to drink now. Not complaining here, but honestly this bottle underperformed given the high expectations... maybe just a matter of bottle variation. Will drink my one remaining bottle in 2-5 years.
April 6, 2023 - Med ruby in glass
Campfire smoke, chocolate, currant, Blackberry, black cherry. Lots of oak.
Smells like it has some age but drinks like a fresh young cab. Med+ to high acidity, high alc, full body and intense. High tannins but very ripe and juicy, it is not out of balance even with the high alc.
Can drink well now for a big wine but I think a step change will come with time as tannins and alcohol can better integrate for greater balance.
January 14, 2023 - Decanted briefly. High-toned with fine tannins and gorgeous acid. This is well aged and showing beautifully.
September 20, 2022 - Doesn’t hardly get any better than this. One of my favorites
September 16, 2022 - Friday Night Brown Bagger (R&R's): Blind. Crimson red color with just the slightest bit of bricking. Opens with a floral lavender quality, which gives way to red plum plum, olive and currants. On the full side, with medium tannins, abundant red fruit, chocolate and spice. With time in the glass iron and herbal elements emerge, and the red fruit comes forward. Good balancing acidity.
This ended up as WOTN for a couple of folks. Double decanted off its sediment not quite three hours before the flight. Absolutely no rush here- this kept getting better as we revisited it over the following two hours. Needs decanting if pulling the cork now- minimum two hours.
June 19, 2022 - This wine opened up after 90 minutes. Nose was elegant and exceptional with some vanilla and chocolate ( caramel) and dark fruit. The taste was all black cherry and blackberry and other dark fruit with a sweet finish - long, and enticing with chocolate and vanilla - oak gone with a sweet finish that lasts forever. A perfect wine!