Ah PB, Rasa’s discontinued secondary label. This Cab/Merlot is now fully composed and relaxed a decade later. Day two shows the very beginning of some savory aromas, though the classic plum, tobacco and spicy notes remain upfront. Spicy tobacco, plum skins, and black cherries fill the mouth before segueing to a nice and lengthy finish that brings cedar, black pepper and intensely drying tannins to the forefront. This wine is in a great place at the moment, really hitting its stride.
Finally just starting to hit its stride, the wine is beginning to unfurl and relax, showing fruit, spice, and tobacco notes alongside good acid and fine tannins. In many ways, this is the beginning of when I should have started opening these 2011s. Great value for a well made and restrained WA Cab/Merlot blend. Still have to tip the hat to Rasa!
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Inky dark purple with light nose of blackberry and cherry. Soft fruit with a hint of bitter, medium fruit and body, light on the acid and tannin. As others have said not for the long haul, drink up now. On night three the blue fruit aroma is wafting out of the glass 2 ft. away. This has developed into a nicely balanced medium fruit and body wine with notable acid and tannins. More restrained than fruity and definitely better with food and far from tired to my palate.
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Time in my cellar has not been kind to 2011 Washington wines. Likely a combination of a weak vintage and less than optimal storage conditions. Most 2011s are drinking like they are over the hill already, so I'm killing them off. This was no exception, although it drank far better on day 1 than day 2. Plum fruit, rather flat and unexciting. I got through a half bottle and retired the rest. Sad, because this was a blockbuster a year ago. Drink up!
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Starting to show it's age I think. Either that or my storage conditions are not ideal...maybe a mix of both. Lush black fruit: currant, berry, etc. Nice earthy component, barrel notes, and baking spices. Finish is all dark chocolate and espresso. Seems to be slipping in its status with my palate...93 to 91 to 90. Drink now - 2021.
Ran through the Menu decanter, but not sure this needed it. Super concentrated for a 2011, and seriously delicious. Big fruit flavors of cassis and black cherry, with cedar, dark chocolate and fig. Drink now 2024.
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The mouthfeel here is excellent, all flowing satin without edge or corner. But that is the also the problem as this feels excessively polished at the expense of character. Wife and I got bored after the first glass. It seems to speak more about wine maker than vineyard. Will reexamine on night 2, hoping for some spicy details to emerge.
*Night 2 this remained accessible and gained some breadth but little in the way of complexity. I will stagger my remaining three bottles over the next 5+ years and hope for more development.
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Decanted through the Menu decanter, and then back into the bottle. This is a lovely wine, just screams DuBrul Vineyard to me. Big fruit, very structured, awesome aroma. Happy I still have a number of these in the cellar. Drink now with air - 2026.
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Decanted and followed over 2 days. First taste after 30 min in the decanter: Tight. Fruit is there (I can sure smell it!) but not much in the flavor department just yet. Tannins are big, acid is medium-high. 2 hours in the fruit showed up. Currants, some cherry, barrel notes, some earthiness. Acid much better integrated and tannins, while still big, are less apparent. Funnelled 1/2 bottle into a 375 for tomorrow.
Day 2: Cellar temp, small nose, increasing as it warms. Violets, cassis, definite smell of wood and tobacco. Flavors are lovely currant fruit, plum, and earth...tannins are still hanging around, but relaxed from yesterday. Acid nicely complementing the fruit. Finish is cacao with espresso. Slightly bitter, but leaves me wanting more.
All in all, I would say this needs more time. Billo said it could lay down "for quite a while" and I believe it. Recommend drinking this 2017-2026, even though the current CT drinking window ends in 2017.
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Still tight, with primary and secondary flavors dominant. Fruit, spice, oak. Well balanced, as I usually find Billo's wine. Still too young and reticent. Hold and wait. Patience will likely be rewarded with a better wine in a couple of years. (Really a note to remind myself to wait. I keep checking in on these too early.)
Very nice cab blend especially for the price point, brooding and dark that probably would have been even better with some cellar time . None the less, this opened up over the evening to reveal the dark fruit.
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Tasted over three days. Not much changed. Very dense and primal. Good intensity. Serious stuff for a second label. Needs time, say 3-5 years, though I'll check sooner.
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8/31/2021 - PDX-S wrote:
Ah PB, Rasa’s discontinued secondary label. This Cab/Merlot is now fully composed and relaxed a decade later.
Day two shows the very beginning of some savory aromas, though the classic plum, tobacco and spicy notes remain upfront.
Spicy tobacco, plum skins, and black cherries fill the mouth before segueing to a nice and lengthy finish that brings cedar, black pepper and intensely drying tannins to the forefront.
This wine is in a great place at the moment, really hitting its stride.
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1/1/2019 - dsgris Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely with roast beef diner, nicely balanced with medium fruit and body.
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10/16/2018 - PDX-S wrote:
Finally just starting to hit its stride, the wine is beginning to unfurl and relax, showing fruit, spice, and tobacco notes alongside good acid and fine tannins. In many ways, this is the beginning of when I should have started opening these 2011s.
Great value for a well made and restrained WA Cab/Merlot blend. Still have to tip the hat to Rasa!
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7/20/2018 - dmcnic wrote:
No depth. Maybe waited too long to drink.
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6/12/2018 - dsgris Likes this wine: 90 Points
Inky dark purple with light nose of blackberry and cherry. Soft fruit with a hint of bitter, medium fruit and body, light on the acid and tannin. As others have said not for the long haul, drink up now. On night three the blue fruit aroma is wafting out of the glass 2 ft. away. This has developed into a nicely balanced medium fruit and body wine with notable acid and tannins. More restrained than fruity and definitely better with food and far from tired to my palate.
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6/11/2018 - RPerro wrote: 86 Points
Time in my cellar has not been kind to 2011 Washington wines. Likely a combination of a weak vintage and less than optimal storage conditions. Most 2011s are drinking like they are over the hill already, so I'm killing them off. This was no exception, although it drank far better on day 1 than day 2. Plum fruit, rather flat and unexciting. I got through a half bottle and retired the rest. Sad, because this was a blockbuster a year ago. Drink up!
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6/1/2018 - RPerro Likes this wine: 90 Points
Starting to show it's age I think. Either that or my storage conditions are not ideal...maybe a mix of both. Lush black fruit: currant, berry, etc. Nice earthy component, barrel notes, and baking spices. Finish is all dark chocolate and espresso. Seems to be slipping in its status with my palate...93 to 91 to 90. Drink now - 2021.
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9/15/2017 - RPerro Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ran through the Menu decanter, but not sure this needed it. Super concentrated for a 2011, and seriously delicious. Big fruit flavors of cassis and black cherry, with cedar, dark chocolate and fig. Drink now 2024.
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8/9/2017 - Redguy wrote:
The mouthfeel here is excellent, all flowing satin without edge or corner. But that is the also the problem as this feels excessively polished at the expense of character. Wife and I got bored after the first glass. It seems to speak more about wine maker than vineyard. Will reexamine on night 2, hoping for some spicy details to emerge.
*Night 2 this remained accessible and gained some breadth but little in the way of complexity. I will stagger my remaining three bottles over the next 5+ years and hope for more development.
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5/8/2017 - RPerro Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted through the Menu decanter, and then back into the bottle. This is a lovely wine, just screams DuBrul Vineyard to me. Big fruit, very structured, awesome aroma. Happy I still have a number of these in the cellar. Drink now with air - 2026.
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11/16/2015 - RPerro Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted and followed over 2 days. First taste after 30 min in the decanter: Tight. Fruit is there (I can sure smell it!) but not much in the flavor department just yet. Tannins are big, acid is medium-high.
2 hours in the fruit showed up. Currants, some cherry, barrel notes, some earthiness. Acid much better integrated and tannins, while still big, are less apparent. Funnelled 1/2 bottle into a 375 for tomorrow.
Day 2: Cellar temp, small nose, increasing as it warms. Violets, cassis, definite smell of wood and tobacco. Flavors are lovely currant fruit, plum, and earth...tannins are still hanging around, but relaxed from yesterday. Acid nicely complementing the fruit. Finish is cacao with espresso. Slightly bitter, but leaves me wanting more.
All in all, I would say this needs more time. Billo said it could lay down "for quite a while" and I believe it. Recommend drinking this 2017-2026, even though the current CT drinking window ends in 2017.
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11/6/2015 - ckellermd wrote: 87 Points
This wine needs help. Super tight, devoid of fruit. Balanced, nice tannins. Add a splash of Welch's and you are good to go.
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11/13/2014 - PDX-S wrote:
Still tight, with primary and secondary flavors dominant. Fruit, spice, oak. Well balanced, as I usually find Billo's wine. Still too young and reticent. Hold and wait. Patience will likely be rewarded with a better wine in a couple of years. (Really a note to remind myself to wait. I keep checking in on these too early.)
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6/13/2014 - PDX-S wrote:
Still very primal and tight. Lots of stuffing, delicious fruit, delicate tannins. Check again in a year +.
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5/25/2014 - Sundesertcactus Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very nice cab blend especially for the price point, brooding and dark that probably would have been even better with some cellar time . None the less, this opened up over the evening to reveal the dark fruit.
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2/5/2014 - Redguy wrote:
Tasted over three days. Not much changed. Very dense and primal. Good intensity. Serious stuff for a second label. Needs time, say 3-5 years, though I'll check sooner.
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