Day One: Deep, dark and intensely colored. Purple core with rub rim. The reddish hue to this immediately reminds me of a right bank bordeaux blend. The nose is AMAZING on this. WOW. Licorice, black cherry, leather, cassis, slight vanilla, bacon, tobacco, red plum, red raspberry. Dry with a sense of sweetness that is more fruit than anything… I don’t think it’s r.s. but definitely a soupcon of sweetness suggests itself to the palate. Very silky texture and mouthfeel, full bursting flavors of kirsch, cherry, touch of chocolate if you dig for it. Low tannin. Can feel the alc on pop and pour, but an hour-to-two-hours in decanter aided this. Very enjoyable. Vaccuum pumped and kept in fridge in bottle overnight.
Day Two: No change in color. Nose STILL intense. Scents of black licorice, anise, now dried fig, dried blueberry, dark chocolate, cigar tobacco leaf, cherry, some oak, baked pie crust, vanilla, very faint clove, strawberry…. is there a scent that ISN’T in this??? The nose on this wine makes me doubt my sanity. In the mouth, today there is more noticeable t&a here — meaning more noticeable tannins and acidity… the tannins are very nice, soft and tamed but present and needed with the size of this wine… while the acidity on day two gives more balance day two. Lots of mocha here today. A dark, concentrated core of flavors mid palate but light acidity lift at the end. Love it. Alcohol heat has retreated somewhat as well. Looking forward to day three to see how it evolves. Vaccuum pumped and kept in fridge in bottle overnight again.
Day Four: We were out last night so I didn't get to try the remainder on Day Three. Now it is Day Four VERY curious how this has held up. Will finish it tonight, but expect it's doing just fine!
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At first twist and pour didn't really like it- smelled something a little off (VA or hairspray type smell?), but this seemed to blow off after a half hour. The flavors were mostly dark fruits, fairly rich, virtually no tannin, decent acidity, but the weird aroma came back after a while. There was quite a bit of sediment in the bottle. Overall, not bad, but glad I picked this up for half price- would've been disappointed otherwise.
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4/5/2022 - UMRich Likes this wine: 93 Points
still going strong
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6/7/2019 - jfkwines wrote: 94 Points
Great!!!
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8/26/2017 - dynedain wrote: 92 Points
This has aged beautifully, bringing out rich soft tones. Drink it now if you have it.
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6/11/2017 - BarryPaulPrice Likes this wine: 94 Points
Day One: Deep, dark and intensely colored. Purple core with rub rim. The reddish hue to this immediately reminds me of a right bank bordeaux blend. The nose is AMAZING on this. WOW. Licorice, black cherry, leather, cassis, slight vanilla, bacon, tobacco, red plum, red raspberry. Dry with a sense of sweetness that is more fruit than anything… I don’t think it’s r.s. but definitely a soupcon of sweetness suggests itself to the palate. Very silky texture and mouthfeel, full bursting flavors of kirsch, cherry, touch of chocolate if you dig for it. Low tannin. Can feel the alc on pop and pour, but an hour-to-two-hours in decanter aided this. Very enjoyable. Vaccuum pumped and kept in fridge in bottle overnight.
Day Two: No change in color. Nose STILL intense. Scents of black licorice, anise, now dried fig, dried blueberry, dark chocolate, cigar tobacco leaf, cherry, some oak, baked pie crust, vanilla, very faint clove, strawberry…. is there a scent that ISN’T in this??? The nose on this wine makes me doubt my sanity. In the mouth, today there is more noticeable t&a here — meaning more noticeable tannins and acidity… the tannins are very nice, soft and tamed but present and needed with the size of this wine… while the acidity on day two gives more balance day two. Lots of mocha here today. A dark, concentrated core of flavors mid palate but light acidity lift at the end. Love it. Alcohol heat has retreated somewhat as well. Looking forward to day three to see how it evolves. Vaccuum pumped and kept in fridge in bottle overnight again.
Day Four: We were out last night so I didn't get to try the remainder on Day Three. Now it is Day Four VERY curious how this has held up. Will finish it tonight, but expect it's doing just fine!
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8/28/2015 - AdamL wrote: 89 Points
At first twist and pour didn't really like it- smelled something a little off (VA or hairspray type smell?), but this seemed to blow off after a half hour. The flavors were mostly dark fruits, fairly rich, virtually no tannin, decent acidity, but the weird aroma came back after a while. There was quite a bit of sediment in the bottle. Overall, not bad, but glad I picked this up for half price- would've been disappointed otherwise.
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