Clear dark red. Blueberry, spice, and cedar nose. Full bodied, black cherries, nutmeg, white pepper, blackberries, fully integrated tannins, smoke, and a long, slightly hot finish. Well made and still going strong.
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Tasted at a friend's Happy Hour get together with a few guys. Decanted for some time before my arrival. Still quite primary. Big powerful Merlot but still reasonably balanced. Plenty of lightly sweet, red and black fruit and some licorice, pipe tobacco, chocolate and baking spice elements. Very chewy texture with noticeably mouth-drying tannins. Bright enough to go well with food but a slightly bitter element on the finish. It was fascinating with a chicken, bacon and ricotta pizza, especially when I added some chorizo to the mix. The bitter edge disappeared and it was much rounder and lush tasting. This will last much longer in a proper cellar than the "drink latest date" prior to this note in CT (2021). It should improve easily through 2032 IMO. There is absolutely no rush to drink this.
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Dark ruby/violet in color. Plum, mint, eucalyptus on the nose. Smooth flavor, well structured tannins. This is some good stuff and ready to drink with a fairly short decant. Enjoy
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PnP. Ready to drink on opening. Cassis, Cherry, baking spices. Rich cherry, pepper, eucalyptus, tobacco, and tar. Long finish. Enhanced greatly by a little food to cut the richness of where this wine is sitting at the end of its prime. Pasta and red sauce, lasagna or even some hard cheeses. Drink now.
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Barrel sample gifted to a friend for a 50th birthday graciously by Mike Bolen of the likely final blend. Medium to dark ruby garnet. Nose has milk chocolate, sweet pipe tobacco and plum. In the palate the tobacco is more like chewing tobacco, as well as eucalyptus, milk chocolate, plum, cedar and a nice tannic structure. Finish is nice and long. The mouthfeel is rich and chewy. Lovely wine!
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3/15/2022 - merryberry Likes this wine: 92 Points
Clear dark red. Blueberry, spice, and cedar nose. Full bodied, black cherries, nutmeg, white pepper, blackberries, fully integrated tannins, smoke, and a long, slightly hot finish. Well made and still going strong.
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3/6/2021 - oldwines Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted at a friend's Happy Hour get together with a few guys. Decanted for some time before my arrival. Still quite primary. Big powerful Merlot but still reasonably balanced. Plenty of lightly sweet, red and black fruit and some licorice, pipe tobacco, chocolate and baking spice elements. Very chewy texture with noticeably mouth-drying tannins. Bright enough to go well with food but a slightly bitter element on the finish. It was fascinating with a chicken, bacon and ricotta pizza, especially when I added some chorizo to the mix. The bitter edge disappeared and it was much rounder and lush tasting. This will last much longer in a proper cellar than the "drink latest date" prior to this note in CT (2021). It should improve easily through 2032 IMO. There is absolutely no rush to drink this.
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9/11/2020 - bkrup Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just drinking so we’ll. Perfect with a hearty Italian style meal or 1 1/2” grilled steak. Leather, spice box, tobacco, toasted oak. Yum!
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3/7/2020 - AOAO10 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark ruby/violet in color. Plum, mint, eucalyptus on the nose. Smooth flavor, well structured tannins. This is some good stuff and ready to drink with a fairly short decant. Enjoy
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10/11/2019 - bkrup Likes this wine: 90 Points
PnP. Drink now. Fading but still solid. Needs to be served with acidic food or hard cheeses.
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4/13/2019 - bkrup Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP. Ready to drink on opening. Cassis, Cherry, baking spices. Rich cherry, pepper, eucalyptus, tobacco, and tar. Long finish. Enhanced greatly by a little food to cut the richness of where this wine is sitting at the end of its prime. Pasta and red sauce, lasagna or even some hard cheeses. Drink now.
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2/26/2016 - oldwines Likes this wine: 94 Points
Barrel sample gifted to a friend for a 50th birthday graciously by Mike Bolen of the likely final blend. Medium to dark ruby garnet. Nose has milk chocolate, sweet pipe tobacco and plum. In the palate the tobacco is more like chewing tobacco, as well as eucalyptus, milk chocolate, plum, cedar and a nice tannic structure. Finish is nice and long. The mouthfeel is rich and chewy. Lovely wine!
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