With my nephew at our house. No detailed notes. Decanted for two hours and drank over another three. Dark ruby colour. Concentrated blue and dark fruit and some red fruit, a vegetal/herbaceous aspect that adds complexity but does not fully fit the rest of the picture, bitter chocolate, light tobacco, spices, and vanilla, with medium-level acidity, lightly grainy tannin, and very good persistence. The alcohol is lightly warming and felt higher than the 14% ABV stated on the label. The new oak is present, and the texture is grainy/sandpapery and not as smooth as one would hope for. The wine has great concentration and outstanding length but needs a few more year to integrate the oak and soften the texture. 91(+)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark ruby color with medium legs. Oak, cassis and blackberry on the nose, which really opened up after two hours in the decanter. Chewy palate with plum and black tea dominate. Long leathery finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Super Bowl 2023: this was better than I expected, not a typical Calif fruit bomb but nuanced & sophisticated. I will try to provide more detailed notes later, but on the nose & palate ripe black and dark red fruits with a pleasant undertone of herbs de provence, lavender, thyme, mint along with cassis and a wonderfully smooth finish. Drinks very easy. Medium to dark garnet in the glass with long, slow legs. Medium acidity, alcohol; low sweetness. Decanted for an hour before serving and consumed over the course of the football game. Has the backbone to go another 5-8 years (maybe 10) without losing any structure or character.
Would I buy again: yes - highly recommended. An excellent Bordeaux blend from a quality Calif producer that has some history. I have a couple bottles left and would definitely buy more if I see it in the $45-50 range. A wine with character, nuance and class that stands out among the usual Napa offerings in its price range.
NB: my wife (who *hates* most Calif wines) said she really liked it, thought it was French (I didn't tell her 🤠)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bought one of these almost a year ago to check out the vintage and consider buying more. Just getting around to it while vacationing in Banff NP and happy to report this is a compelling CA Cab with plenty of old world crossover character. Unfortunately, I was forced to PnP at The Sensory restaurant in Canmore. Usually I’d either decant a young cab blend or slow ox. So the structure needed either more time or more air than I could provide but this was totally in my wheelhouse and I’ll buy more if I see them. 91-92
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep garnet color. Strong alcohol, berry, leather, earth on the nose. Lots of pepper to taste. Cooked cherry, sour apple, oak, black pepper, all spice. Medium high alcohol, medium low sweetness, medium acidity. Drinking fairly well in 2022. Could easily see this going another 5-10 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Well balanced, ripe black fruit and slight truffle. Fairly nice finish with baking spice, cedar and dry tannin mouth feel. Give it 2 to 3 hours of air prior to serving.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Well balanced and not as big as I originally expected. A very firm tannin and well structured. I was surprised as I was expecting something different like a typical Californian wine, but I did enjoy its subtlety. Reminded me of a French wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ask expected very similar in style to my review of the '15 vintage. This one lacking some of the richness though. Still very close, three days to finish and it didn't change much.
Old school vineyard that brings high quality to every darn bottle. LOVED this one. Had it with burgers on a Saturday evening and it danced with the meal like it took classes at Alvin Ailey.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
2/11/2024 - PSPatrick wrote: 91 Points
With my nephew at our house. No detailed notes. Decanted for two hours and drank over another three. Dark ruby colour. Concentrated blue and dark fruit and some red fruit, a vegetal/herbaceous aspect that adds complexity but does not fully fit the rest of the picture, bitter chocolate, light tobacco, spices, and vanilla, with medium-level acidity, lightly grainy tannin, and very good persistence. The alcohol is lightly warming and felt higher than the 14% ABV stated on the label. The new oak is present, and the texture is grainy/sandpapery and not as smooth as one would hope for. The wine has great concentration and outstanding length but needs a few more year to integrate the oak and soften the texture. 91(+)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/15/2023 - Twopawsup Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark ruby color with medium legs. Oak, cassis and blackberry on the nose, which really opened up after two hours in the decanter. Chewy palate with plum and black tea dominate. Long leathery finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/15/2023 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 95 Points
Black fruit,
Blue fruit, cedar, cassis, herbal notes, leather finishes balanced A
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/12/2023 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Super Bowl 2023: this was better than I expected, not a typical Calif fruit bomb but nuanced & sophisticated. I will try to provide more detailed notes later, but on the nose & palate ripe black and dark red fruits with a pleasant undertone of herbs de provence, lavender, thyme, mint along with cassis and a wonderfully smooth finish. Drinks very easy. Medium to dark garnet in the glass with long, slow legs. Medium acidity, alcohol; low sweetness. Decanted for an hour before serving and consumed over the course of the football game. Has the backbone to go another 5-8 years (maybe 10) without losing any structure or character.
Would I buy again: yes - highly recommended. An excellent Bordeaux blend from a quality Calif producer that has some history. I have a couple bottles left and would definitely buy more if I see it in the $45-50 range. A wine with character, nuance and class that stands out among the usual Napa offerings in its price range.
NB: my wife (who *hates* most Calif wines) said she really liked it, thought it was French (I didn't tell her 🤠)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2023 - pauldrinksgsm Does not like this wine: 86 Points
It's a bit too fruity but not substantial
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/19/2022 - KAT9 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Much more integrated compare to last time. Napa fruits but not over the top, some herbal characters showed up. Balance on the palate.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/8/2022 - chablis28 wrote: 92 Points
Bought one of these almost a year ago to check out the vintage and consider buying more. Just getting around to it while vacationing in Banff NP and happy to report this is a compelling CA Cab with plenty of old world crossover character. Unfortunately, I was forced to PnP at The Sensory restaurant in Canmore. Usually I’d either decant a young cab blend or slow ox. So the structure needed either more time or more air than I could provide but this was totally in my wheelhouse and I’ll buy more if I see them. 91-92
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/23/2022 - mdanser wrote: 93 Points
Deep garnet color. Strong alcohol, berry, leather, earth on the nose. Lots of pepper to taste. Cooked cherry, sour apple, oak, black pepper, all spice. Medium high alcohol, medium low sweetness, medium acidity. Drinking fairly well in 2022. Could easily see this going another 5-10 years.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/23/2022 - R.Jos.Valent Likes this wine: 93 Points
Well balanced, ripe black fruit and slight truffle. Fairly nice finish with
baking spice, cedar and dry tannin mouth feel. Give it 2 to 3 hours of air
prior to serving.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2021 - joraesque wrote: 87 Points
A bit flabby, and also a bit too fruit-forward. Disappointing. 14.2% ABV.
87+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/21/2021 - pswines1908 Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Not my style. Earth and pepper notes. More like a cab franc imo.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2021 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 95 Points
Black fruit, herbal notes, cassis, chocolate, smokey oak, leather, tannins. A
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/31/2021 - Sonoma-W wrote:
Disappointing! Nothing approaching the great rubicons we have had. Issue with the bottle?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2021 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 94 Points
Black fruit, herbal notes, cedar cassis hints of chocolate, big tannins A
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/22/2021 - bhzhong wrote:
Well balanced and not as big as I originally expected. A very firm tannin and well structured. I was surprised as I was expecting something different like a typical Californian wine, but I did enjoy its subtlety. Reminded me of a French wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/12/2021 - wineotim wrote: 92 Points
Ask expected very similar in style to my review of the '15 vintage. This one lacking some of the richness though. Still very close, three days to finish and it didn't change much.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
6/5/2021 - KAT9 Likes this wine: 91 Points
A lot of red fruits, slight earthy, higher acidity than normal. Tannin is resolved. Ok to drink now but in a year or two should be better.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2021 - josephkolinsky Likes this wine: 93 Points
Old school vineyard that brings high quality to every darn bottle. LOVED this one. Had it with burgers on a Saturday evening and it danced with the meal like it took classes at Alvin Ailey.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2020 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big black fruit, blue fruit, cedar, spice, Smokey oak. A-/A
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/12/2020 - Heimanator Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great can
Will repeat
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/7/2020 - Basegad wrote: 90 Points
Tasted at the winery and found it to be too young and tight. Will let my bottles age until 2023 or later to mellow.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/13/2019 - Eamc2 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Young, but smoothed out after decanting. Definitely can age, but great with a steak now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment