Community Tasting Note

• Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 94 points

  March 31, 2016 - My first time with this wine -- wow, what a powerhouse. Almost black in the glass, this is a heavy looking wine with a nose of blueberries, mineral and earth. This was a coravin pour, so initially not much air and the wine comes across and incredibly dense with chalky tannins. The more air it gets the more it opens up, and it just keeps getting better. Super concentrated on the palate. Great layers and structure, this wine is quite a find. Not sure about the relative value vs an equally impressive 2013 Rudius Panek, but my guess is this will last longer and possibly age better. Rudius really knocked it out of the park in 2013. Surprised they don't sell out.

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6 Comments

• csimm commented:

  11/5/16, 8:53 AM - So I guess the million dolllar question (or rather, the $450 question) is ... Is it worth picking up a 3 pack of this, especially compared to the price point of the Panek?

• Cristal2000 commented:

  11/5/16, 10:52 AM - You know, hard to remember. I believe the cost is just under $400 for a 3-pack. The grapes come from a high rent neighborhood, and the wine definitely delivered. Given the choice of a really well done 2013 wine like this one, or a 2014 wine for the same price, I'd lean toward taking more 2013's. I just think it's a superior vintage from what I've tasted so far. I noticed Parker seemed to like it.

• csimm commented:

  11/5/16, 11:25 AM - Thanks for the feedback. I keep buying 2013 wines and not focusing too much on 2014 - at least from a broad-brush perspective. I'm sticking to familiar wineries and not branching out much in 2014. 2013 is a different story; I've branched out too much in the name of science I'm thinking.
  
  I like Jeff Ames' style (though his wines can be a little hit or miss for me at times, even with Tor). Thanks again!

• amauryc1 commented:

  5/13/17, 8:36 AM - csimm & cristal200
  
  Wineacces.com is selling this wine for $115 and shipping included with no minimum. I may pick up at least 2

• Cristal2000 commented:

  5/13/17, 11:15 AM - Thanks for the heads up. Certainly an under the radar, but super high quality wine. Not many of those in Napa.

• csimm commented:

  5/13/17, 5:10 PM - Thanks Amaury! Pretty good price point there. The KE is by far Ames' best work with this label (though I have to admit I had the 2014s a couple of months back and, though good, they lacked a little of the complexity I would have otherwise desired. The KE was indeed the best of the bunch though. It is quality juice, but just didn't have much of the "oomph" I was personally looking for. I'll bet the 2013 supersedes the 2014 (especially at that price point you're talking about on Wineaccess).

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