4/14/2024 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Way too young.

4/10/2024 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Dark cherry and blackberry on the nose and palate. Lots of i]oak, but not overbearing. Needed about 90 minutes to soften and open up. Drank over 2 nights and it was fantastic both nights. A lot of sediment, so I recommend decanting.

3/30/2024 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Muted fruit initially, then cedar and spice on the palate. This wine is very young. Will hold my other bottles for at least a year.

3/17/2024 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Black cherry initially with some spice on the finish. Definitely needed about an hour to open up. This wasn’t a bad wine, just didn’t impress me as much as some other reviewers.

3/10/2024 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Needs an hour to open up. Would benefit from more time in bottle. Some fruit, but still pretty closed up and acidic. Also, needs food

3/9/2024 - ThistleB wrote:

Smooth fantastic Cabernet/Merlot blend. Fruit forward with hints of blackberry and dark cherry and vanilla on the finish. Paired well with beef, but equally enjoyable having another glass after dinner. Wish I had more.

3/8/2024 - ThistleB wrote:

Very earthy even for a Malbec. Very little fruit. Funky finish. Ended up dumping half a bottle. Won’t buy again

3/4/2024 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Nice Pinot Noir. Pleasant balance of fruit and spice. Drank over 2 nights. Maybe even better on night 2. Good with or without food. Chill slightly

2/12/2024 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Very smooth Cabernet. Good with or without food. Would buy again

2/7/2024 - ThistleB Does not like this wine:

Drank over 2 nights. Night 1 was a little too sweet with a bit of a vegetal finish. I was going to dump it on night 1. Night 2 it was much more tame. Seemed not as sweet with more notes of bing cherry and cassis. Probably wouldn’t buy again. There are better red blends out there in the $40 ish price point

2/5/2024 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Delicious dark fruit. Medium acidity. Great Malbec- will buy again

1/19/2024 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Drank over 2 nights. Excellent fruity nose. Very bright with bing cherry and blueberry on the palate. Paired well with bruschetta. Glad I have a couple more bottles.

1/7/2024 - ThistleB Does not like this wine:

Disappointing nose. Some vegetal notes and wet leaves. On the palate, initially bing cherry, then rhubarb and smoke with a little minerality. I did not like this. Not a typical Pinot Noir.

12/28/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Full bodied, smooth Cabernet. Needs 90 minutes to open up to dark fruit, cassis, and a hint of vanilla on the finish. Make sure you pour through a strainer as it has not been filtered. Lots of sediment that is present even if pouring from a decanter.

12/28/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Dark fruit and some spice. Medium bodied and not real complex. Easy drinking. Used to be my weeknight & picnic go-to, but it’s almost $30 now which I think is too much. I used to purchase frequently when it was $20/bottle.

12/25/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Needs at least 60 minutes air time for flavors to open up. Dark fruit, vanilla, with a hint of chocolate on the finish. Young, but drinking well now.

12/21/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Not much nose, but intense, smooth dark fruit on the palate. Full bodied mostly Merlot with Cab Franc and Cab Sauv blended in. Nice Bordeaux at this price point. Seems a little young. I will give it a year before I open the next bottle.
It was a bit softer on night 2.

12/14/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Medium-full bodied. Needs 90 minutes to open up

12/10/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Needed 1-2 hours to open up. Once it did, was smooth and had a nice long finish. Still a young Cab. I won’t open another bottle until fall 2024.

12/7/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Smooth and most enjoyable. On the nose prunes and caramel. On the palate, raisin, caramel, and smoke with a hint of prune and almond. Good at this price point- $44.99.

12/3/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Nice and smooth- unlike some Malbecs. Medium-full bodied. I liked this on its own without food. I’m usually a Cabernet drinker, but liked this enough to buy again.

11/21/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Fantastic nose. On the palate, dark fruit, cassis, and some vanilla. Very pleasant long finish. Drank over 2 nights. Night 2 better.

11/20/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Drank over 2 nights. Elegant balance of dark fruit, vanilla, and caramel. Beautiful nose and fantastic long finish. Make sure you pour through strainer. Lots of sediment

11/4/2023 - ThistleB wrote:

I’ve had this Cab before and enjoyed it. This bottle was disappointing for a Napa Cab. Very little fruit. Mostly herbal and vegetal flavors on the palate. Acidic and needed food with it. Drank over 2 nights after 60 minute decant on night one. Likely won’t buy again.

10/31/2023 - ThistleB wrote:

Didn’t taste like Malbec to me. A little astringent. Medium bodied. Even though it was only $10, probably wouldn’t buy again.

10/31/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Sweet red and dark fruit. Easy drinking. Doesn’t need food

10/30/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Very enjoyable. Fantastic nose, fruit forward, but then vanilla, and maybe faint butterscotch and a very pleasant long finish

10/26/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Very smooth after 1 hour decant. Put through filter as lots of sediment. Fruit forward and vanilla and cedar on the finish

10/25/2023 - ThistleB wrote:

Maybe this bottle was off. I had two bottles previously and really liked it, so I bought two more bottles. The one that I just drank, lacked fruit and was a little on the sour side. It had a brownish tint to it, so maybe it was a bad bottle.

10/1/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

May be young, but still enjoyable. Fruit forward with not a lot of complexity

10/1/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

This is my favorite Malbec. Smooth, balanced, food friendly.

9/16/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Smooth and fruit forward. Not much nose. Paired well with cheese plate. Just as good on night 2.

9/12/2023 - ThistleB wrote:

One dimensional Cab. Probably wouldn’t buy again

9/8/2023 - ThistleB Does not like this wine:

Tried this at a Total Wine class and bought a bottle. Turns out that I really didn’t like more than a couple sips. Seemed flat and acidic. I think my palate is more tuned into a Chardonnay. Won’t buy this one again

9/8/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Dark fruit. Heavy on the oak. Needs to breathe about 90 minutes

9/8/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Fruit forward, medium bodied

8/31/2023 - ThistleB wrote:

A little wimpy for a Cabernet. Weak spicy fruit

8/28/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Always love this Cabernet, no matter what I’m pairing it with!

8/27/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Lots of dark fruit- blackberry, black cherry, and after it had some time to breathe, I tasted some fig and vanilla. Good teeth staining Syrah and petite Syrah in this very nice blend. $20 at Costco. Will buy again

8/23/2023 - ThistleB Does not like this wine:

Did not like. Dumped out most of the bottle. Sour and tasted like mildew

8/21/2023 - ThistleB Does not like this wine:

Night one this wine was harsh and acidic even after breathing for 2+ hours. J Lohr is much better at this price point. Won’t buy again.

8/4/2023 - ThistleB Does not like this wine:

Sour. Lots of grapefruit on the palate. Ended up pouring it out.

7/29/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

A little sweeter than most roses, and that’s what I liked at. Went down way too easy. Paired with grilled spicy chicken and it was a great pairing. Will buy more

7/23/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Smooth and balanced with black fruit, currant, and a hint of vanilla. Nice long finish.

7/19/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Nice Pinot, though not real complex. Mostly fruit- raspberry and strawberry. Very little spice. Low tannins. Good with or without food. Will buy again

6/26/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Smooth Cabernet. Dark fruit. Needs 60 minutes to open up

6/19/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Excellent with crab cakes. Crisp and not over-oaked.

6/19/2023 - ThistleB Likes this wine:

Sweet for a rose’. Flavors of strawberry and watermelon. I really liked it, both with and without food. If you’re a rose’ purist, you won’t like this because it’s not crisp enough and is sweeter than most. (That’s why I DID like it)

5/31/2023 - ThistleB Does not like this wine:

Did not like this wine at all. Worst Bordeaux I’ve ever tasted, though I usually go for California cabs, not French wines. It tasted overwhelmingly musty. Not much nose, but that might be good given the skunky taste of it. I even tasted it on night 2 with a bit of chill on it, still couldn’t drink a glass of it.

5/23/2023 - ThistleB wrote:

Drank with a little chill on it on a hot day. Paired with cheese and crackers. Light and fruit- forward. Not a lot of spice, but it hit the spot and the price was right. (15.99 Total Wine)