Last of 6 bottles. Deep semi-opaque purple-black with a touch of brown. Notes after 1/2 hour. Leather, pencil box, plum, blackberry. Strong up-front tannins, mellow mid palate, nice finish. Has not developed a lot of tertiary complexity, but is nicely balanced and smooth. My opinion this was over-oaked and the fruit is a bit overwhelmed, Ei really liked. I would say this is probably in it's drinking window - but????
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Nice mature cab nose. Medium body mid pallette. Good acid and still some fruit and some tannin too but seems more than mature but still pleasant but not a blockbuster.
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decanted to filter out the sediment, but aired out for less than a half hour. Is drinking well, more balanced than I remember from prior bottles. May simply be variance between bottles
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Deep crimson-purple. Blackberry, tar, pencil box nose. This wine continues it's evolution in drinkability. Now smooth, nice tannins, black cherry and plum. Elegant, nice finish. Very good - excellent. Drinking very well now (finally)
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At 11 years old, this still needs a bit of decanting. Straight out of the bottle, it was wound up tight, almost making one's mouth pucker. A half hour later it was drinkable, and a couple hours of later, it was very good. So, make sure you have time to decant and air out for at least an hour or so before drinking. Not too fruity, good balance and a nice finish.
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Crushed and dried dark fruits on the nose and mid-palate framed by a favorable acidic component on top and fine grain stringent tannin underneath and a compressed finish. Enjoyable balance and focus with how it shoots across the palate and explodes straight into a strong short finish. recommend decant
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OK, let's see if 3 more years have softened this wine... Notes from day 3; Opaque purple-black with a ruby rim. Nose is plum, cherry, hint of tobacco. Somewhat astringent, but fruit is there. Blackberry, black cherry. Still a hard core of minerality and dryness, almost (but not quite metallic) in character. Much better, but tannins are still quite strong. "21 months in Reserve French oak" may come with a time-out penalty. Ei liked on day 1. Recommend another several years before drinking, as the tannins in this wine are still in the 1% range for cabs.
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PnP. Bramble berries in the nose. Tastes of blackberry with tar, tobacco, leather and smoke. Bone dry with excess tannins. Decanting for a couple of hours may soften the tannins a bit.
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Dark purple in the glass. Tannins in evidence but nothing pronounced. Enjoyable Cabernet fruit, cassis and dark berries. Overall, decent but nothing ethereal. Not terribly good QPR.
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pnp, first night over 1.5 hr, could not get anything from this wine, almost completely shut down....dismayed,corked it and left on table......24hr later, amazingly, a wonderful wine emerged......layering dried and ripe dark fruits integrated well with a fine powdery but sturdy bottom structure......will try decanting the next bottle 2-3 hr before serving
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I concur that this vintage is ready now. Nice bouquet, smooth on palette and finish. More Bordeaux like than California cab, i.e, fruit has been integrated with the tannins.
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i thought drinking well right now ... a bit on the elegant side, rather than a bomb or chewable tannin-rich wine ... i think this is going to be as good as it gets, so drink up!
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Decanted for approximately 2 hours. Very dark in glass. Nose of mostly oak, leather, smoke, little bit of dark fruits. Taste - full in the mouth, quite tannic still after 2 hours. Heavy on smoke, earth. Little bit of fruit but not totally balanced in my opinion. Likely needs more time.
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Decanted through Venturi 6 hours prior. Dark purple. Nose is tobacco, leather, dark fruit. Tannic, bitter, plum and cherry, then a hint of sweet fruit coming in at the end. Way more balance than last time. Long, lingering finish. Still way too acidic for my taste and will wait additional years before trying again, but much better than last time around.
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Nice dark crimson in color, there are notes of blueberry, anise, leather, and soiled earth on the nose. In the mouth the wine has a nice full bodied flavor with notes of dark fruit, firm tannins, and mocha shine through. Decanting for an hour assist with pulling out the profile and alluring nature of this wine.
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Soil, mushroom, leather, cinnamon, and a hint of plum on the nose. Blueberry in the mouth with continued length make this wine quite enjoyable this evening. I did not enjoy this wine as much the first 2 times so am curious about that. Tonight, this wine is on!
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Masters Sunday pairing...Really tight out of the bottle. Started to sing after about 2 hours of air time and was lovely up until the last sip. Ton of complexity, wonderful (but refrained) fruit, really long finish. Paired with our classic grilled sweet onion and pork tenderloin with broccoli rabe sandwich (ala Tony Luc's). Almost lived up to the excitement of the Masters. Glad we have 2 more.
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Decanted for an hour. Blueberry, leather, and some earthiness on the nose. This wine is pretty full bodied and notes of black fruit and mocha come through. Good wine with a steak and maybe a piece of dark chocolate afterwards would be nice. :-)
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Slow-O 3 hours, served at cellar temp. Dark ruby core, minimal sign of age. Fairly hedonistic aromas of red and black currants, chocolate, espresso roast, carob and vanilla bean largely follow through to the sensibly full-bodied palate. The wine gains complexity with each glass, managing to gently delineate the layers of silky berry fruit before they're whisked away by a meandering brook of acidity. Femininely styled with its grace and purity and one I would recommend over the next 6 years for best enjoyment. 14.2% abv, score: A-
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Definitely better than last bottle. Decanted for over 2 hours. Tannins are beginning to smooth out. Initially experienced an odd underlying acetone taste but it subsided with time. Could distinguish dark fruit and a little vanilla. Medium finish. Enjoyed this with a steak.
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This wine was tasted in double-blind fashion at Vintage Wines, Ltd. The bottle was kindly provided by Don Shapiro. It is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, 2% Petite Verdot. The grape source for this wine comes from the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas Mountain range, and the wine is described as being aged for 21 months in "reserve French oak". The robe is opaque ruby, and the moderately intense nose shows aromas of cassis, vanilla and potpourri. Full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity and generous toasty oak. The flavors are black fruit and mineral-dominated, but they must relinquish much of the stage to the oak. The middle palate is full, leading to a medium-length, oaky finish. While not unpleasant, it is this taster's opinion that the winemaker was too heavy-handed with the oak. Drink now-12/17.
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It would have garnered a +90 if the fruit had any real finish to speak of. Starts out w/ this tease of a nose aanf flavor reminiscent of a Ramey or maybe Silver Oak. But it is just a wisp. Still liked it, with cellar my final 4 bottles for a year or so.
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An excessively tannic Prilosec bomb on opening. Some moderation after an hour or so. Why make a wine so tight? Maybe I should open a week before drinking? Wait til next decade? Definitely will wait a couple years before opening another bottle and keep my fingers crossed.
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Hmmm. My experience has certainly been different than Brucegolfers. Opened bottle 4 hours before drinking. Decanted about 1 hour before pouring. Initially only scent was earth. First glass very tight...mostly alcohol flavor but after lots and lots of swirling began to get dark cherry breaking through on palate. Never experienced the density of fruit that brucegolfer described. However, definitely began to open up in the 2nd glass and by the end, lovely delicate bing cherry on palate with a smooth enjoyable finish. Adjectives like Big, Powerful, Rich, Concentrated, in no way described this bottle. The one statement that fit both brucegolfer's and my bottle was the argument "for a long stay in a cool cellar".
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Appellation: Sonoma County Vineyard: 100% Bugay Vineyards fruit “From the south-facing slope of the Mayacama Mountains” Varietals: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot Cases Produced: 1066 Technical notes: Alcohol: 14.2% pH: 3.77 TA: 0.58g/100ml RS: Dry Tasting notes: This wine displays the delicious flavor of ripe herbs and minerality reminiscent of a classic Margaux style wine. The enticing aromas of fully developed black fruits are framed by mature leather and tobacco notes. Very complex in the mouth with a wonderful combination of lush, rich textures and layers of cassis, black cherry, black currant and mocha flavors. Fantastic balance with a long, complex finish where the nuances of mineral and earth flavors linger along with cinnamon and nutmeg. 21 months in „Reserve‟ French Oak Barrels. Suggested food pairings: New York Steak cooked over an open oak grill, Fillet Mignon with shallots and cognac, and Beef Bourguignon. Bittersweet Chocolate Souffle‟.
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4/27/2023 - Atwellian wrote: 90 Points
Last of 6 bottles. Deep semi-opaque purple-black with a touch of brown. Notes after 1/2 hour. Leather, pencil box, plum, blackberry. Strong up-front tannins, mellow mid palate, nice finish. Has not developed a lot of tertiary complexity, but is nicely balanced and smooth. My opinion this was over-oaked and the fruit is a bit overwhelmed, Ei really liked. I would say this is probably in it's drinking window - but????
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4/9/2023 - Winokdub wrote: 89 Points
Fruit is fading. What is left is decent but nothing compelling. Time to drink up and have moderate expectations
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10/3/2021 - Winokdub wrote: 90 Points
Nice mature cab nose. Medium body mid pallette. Good acid and still some fruit and some tannin too but seems more than mature but still pleasant but not a blockbuster.
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11/5/2018 - WineDoDo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Perfect window for drinking now. Tannins are very soft snd the fruit is just right.
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3/30/2018 - jzebrack wrote: 90 Points
decanted to filter out the sediment, but aired out for less than a half hour. Is drinking well, more balanced than I remember from prior bottles. May simply be variance between bottles
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9/30/2017 - jzebrack Likes this wine: 88 Points
off-putting at first.
did not balance out for several hours.
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9/25/2017 - Atwellian wrote: 90 Points
Deep crimson-purple. Blackberry, tar, pencil box nose. This wine continues it's evolution in drinkability. Now smooth, nice tannins, black cherry and plum. Elegant, nice finish. Very good - excellent. Drinking very well now (finally)
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3/17/2017 - jzebrack Likes this wine: 88 Points
This does need decanting and at least an hour or more to air out.
It also needs to be drank with food.
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11/28/2016 - jzebrack Likes this wine: 90 Points
At 11 years old, this still needs a bit of decanting. Straight out of the bottle, it was wound up tight, almost making one's mouth pucker. A half hour later it was drinkable, and a couple hours of later, it was very good.
So, make sure you have time to decant and air out for at least an hour or so before drinking.
Not too fruity, good balance and a nice finish.
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11/9/2016 - drummer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Crushed and dried dark fruits on the nose and mid-palate framed by a favorable acidic component on top and fine grain stringent tannin underneath and a compressed finish. Enjoyable balance and focus with how it shoots across the palate and explodes straight into a strong short finish. recommend decant
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1/12/2016 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich and full bodied solid fruit, classic Cali cab structure and medium finish
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8/14/2015 - Atwellian wrote: 88 Points
OK, let's see if 3 more years have softened this wine... Notes from day 3; Opaque purple-black with a ruby rim. Nose is plum, cherry, hint of tobacco. Somewhat astringent, but fruit is there. Blackberry, black cherry. Still a hard core of minerality and dryness, almost (but not quite metallic) in character. Much better, but tannins are still quite strong. "21 months in Reserve French oak" may come with a time-out penalty. Ei liked on day 1. Recommend another several years before drinking, as the tannins in this wine are still in the 1% range for cabs.
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8/4/2015 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice Cali style cab, aged well, smooth mouth feel, medium finish, subtle fruit
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7/9/2015 - Sniffy-Sniff Likes this wine: 90 Points
Didn't have the wow factor I was expecting. Fruit has faded a bit. Perhaps an off bottle...
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3/26/2015 - ELH wrote: 88 Points
Fruity and austere at the same time.
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1/28/2015 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 92 Points
classic cali cab, complex structure, held back its fruit until the end.
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1/15/2015 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 89 Points
austre and well structured, slow to open but paired exquisitely with grilled tbone and asparagu
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8/15/2014 - NutmegNative Likes this wine: 90 Points
PnP. Bramble berries in the nose. Tastes of blackberry with tar, tobacco, leather and smoke. Bone dry with excess tannins. Decanting for a couple of hours may soften the tannins a bit.
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6/29/2014 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 92 Points
A powerful wine, earthy nose with flavors of soft cherry, leather and toacco. Good balance and medium to long finish.
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6/7/2014 - ELH wrote: 88 Points
Dark purple in the glass. Tannins in evidence but nothing pronounced. Enjoyable Cabernet fruit, cassis and dark berries. Overall, decent but nothing ethereal. Not terribly good QPR.
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3/10/2014 - drummer Likes this wine: 93 Points
pnp, first night over 1.5 hr, could not get anything from this wine, almost completely shut down....dismayed,corked it and left on table......24hr later, amazingly, a wonderful wine emerged......layering dried and ripe dark fruits integrated well with a fine powdery but sturdy bottom structure......will try decanting the next bottle 2-3 hr before serving
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12/15/2013 - Charlie.Gail Likes this wine: 89 Points
I concur that this vintage is ready now. Nice bouquet, smooth on palette and finish. More Bordeaux like than California cab, i.e, fruit has been integrated with the tannins.
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12/7/2013 - mdfuller Likes this wine: 89 Points
i thought drinking well right now ... a bit on the elegant side, rather than a bomb or chewable tannin-rich wine ... i think this is going to be as good as it gets, so drink up!
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11/4/2013 - Annie1 wrote: 89 Points
What a difference time makes. This was smooth, quite enjoyable...Tannins have tamed.
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3/26/2013 - sancor20 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep dark color. Rich and powerful. I think this one is hitting its prime.
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10/17/2012 - TJOlsen wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for approximately 2 hours. Very dark in glass. Nose of mostly oak, leather, smoke, little bit of dark fruits. Taste - full in the mouth, quite tannic still after 2 hours. Heavy on smoke, earth. Little bit of fruit but not totally balanced in my opinion. Likely needs more time.
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8/22/2012 - Atwellian wrote: 84 Points
Decanted through Venturi 6 hours prior. Dark purple. Nose is tobacco, leather, dark fruit. Tannic, bitter, plum and cherry, then a hint of sweet fruit coming in at the end. Way more balance than last time. Long, lingering finish. Still way too acidic for my taste and will wait additional years before trying again, but much better than last time around.
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8/19/2012 - Foodievines Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice dark crimson in color, there are notes of blueberry, anise, leather, and soiled earth on the nose. In the mouth the wine has a nice full bodied flavor with notes of dark fruit, firm tannins, and mocha shine through. Decanting for an hour assist with pulling out the profile and alluring nature of this wine.
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5/26/2012 - Pvvvv wrote: 93 Points
Decanter for one hour. Nose in the glass was black fruit and currant with caramel and chocolate. Enjoyed with beef tend
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5/18/2012 - Foodievines Likes this wine: 91 Points
Soil, mushroom, leather, cinnamon, and a hint of plum on the nose. Blueberry in the mouth with continued length make this wine quite enjoyable this evening. I did not enjoy this wine as much the first 2 times so am curious about that. Tonight, this wine is on!
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4/8/2012 - Sniffy-Sniff Likes this wine: 92 Points
Masters Sunday pairing...Really tight out of the bottle. Started to sing after about 2 hours of air time and was lovely up until the last sip. Ton of complexity, wonderful (but refrained) fruit, really long finish. Paired with our classic grilled sweet onion and pork tenderloin with broccoli rabe sandwich (ala Tony Luc's). Almost lived up to the excitement of the Masters. Glad we have 2 more.
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3/2/2012 - jrglm wrote: 90 Points
Good fruit, earth, spice on the nose & palate
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2/7/2012 - Foodievines Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decanted for an hour. Blueberry, leather, and some earthiness on the nose. This wine is pretty full bodied and notes of black fruit and mocha come through. Good wine with a steak and maybe a piece of dark chocolate afterwards would be nice. :-)
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11/24/2011 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Slow-O 3 hours, served at cellar temp. Dark ruby core, minimal sign of age. Fairly hedonistic aromas of red and black currants, chocolate, espresso roast, carob and vanilla bean largely follow through to the sensibly full-bodied palate. The wine gains complexity with each glass, managing to gently delineate the layers of silky berry fruit before they're whisked away by a meandering brook of acidity. Femininely styled with its grace and purity and one I would recommend over the next 6 years for best enjoyment. 14.2% abv, score: A-
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11/8/2011 - Annie1 wrote: 87 Points
Definitely better than last bottle. Decanted for over 2 hours. Tannins are beginning to smooth out. Initially experienced an odd underlying acetone taste but it subsided with time. Could distinguish dark fruit and a little vanilla. Medium finish. Enjoyed this with a steak.
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7/22/2011 - toddmk wrote:
A well balanced wine. Definitely elegant and good but not great. I also felt it was kind of simple for a $40 plus bottle.
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3/18/2011 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 88 Points
This wine was tasted in double-blind fashion at Vintage Wines, Ltd. The bottle was kindly provided by Don Shapiro. It is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, 2% Petite Verdot. The grape source for this wine comes from the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas Mountain range, and the wine is described as being aged for 21 months in "reserve French oak". The robe is opaque ruby, and the moderately intense nose shows aromas of cassis, vanilla and potpourri. Full-bodied on the palate, with low-to-medium acidity and generous toasty oak. The flavors are black fruit and mineral-dominated, but they must relinquish much of the stage to the oak. The middle palate is full, leading to a medium-length, oaky finish. While not unpleasant, it is this taster's opinion that the winemaker was too heavy-handed with the oak. Drink now-12/17.
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3/14/2011 - Philly-O wrote: 89 Points
It would have garnered a +90 if the fruit had any real finish to speak of. Starts out w/ this tease of a nose aanf flavor reminiscent of a Ramey or maybe Silver Oak. But it is just a wisp. Still liked it, with cellar my final 4 bottles for a year or so.
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3/3/2011 - Atwellian wrote: 79 Points
An excessively tannic Prilosec bomb on opening. Some moderation after an hour or so. Why make a wine so tight? Maybe I should open a week before drinking? Wait til next decade? Definitely will wait a couple years before opening another bottle and keep my fingers crossed.
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2/14/2011 - uncle al wrote: 91 Points
Excellent fruit and long finish
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2/8/2011 - Annie1 wrote: 86 Points
Hmmm. My experience has certainly been different than Brucegolfers. Opened bottle 4 hours before drinking. Decanted about 1 hour before pouring. Initially only scent was earth. First glass very tight...mostly alcohol flavor but after lots and lots of swirling began to get dark cherry breaking through on palate. Never experienced the density of fruit that brucegolfer described. However, definitely began to open up in the 2nd glass and by the end, lovely delicate bing cherry on palate with a smooth enjoyable finish. Adjectives like Big, Powerful, Rich, Concentrated, in no way described this bottle. The one statement that fit both brucegolfer's and my bottle was the argument "for a long stay in a cool cellar".
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12/27/2010 - mdfuller Likes this wine: 89 Points
well balanced and a delightful sonoma cab; here's why it's not >90 ... a bit light on the fruit especially on the nose. a bit sharp on mid-palette
i tasted with humus, bread, walnuts, and chips ... i think another year in bottle
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12/13/2008 - clamb487 wrote:
Appellation: Sonoma County Vineyard: 100% Bugay Vineyards fruit “From the south-facing slope of the Mayacama Mountains” Varietals: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot Cases Produced: 1066 Technical notes: Alcohol: 14.2% pH: 3.77 TA: 0.58g/100ml RS: Dry Tasting notes: This wine displays the delicious flavor of ripe herbs and minerality reminiscent of a classic Margaux style wine. The enticing aromas of fully developed black fruits are framed by mature leather and tobacco notes. Very complex in the mouth with a wonderful combination of lush, rich textures and layers of cassis, black cherry, black currant and mocha flavors. Fantastic balance with a long, complex finish where the nuances of mineral and earth flavors linger along with cinnamon and nutmeg. 21 months in „Reserve‟ French Oak Barrels. Suggested food pairings: New York Steak cooked over an open oak grill, Fillet Mignon with shallots and cognac, and Beef Bourguignon. Bittersweet Chocolate Souffle‟.
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