2/20/2022 - gestep Likes this wine:

Drinking nicely with great color and nose. Everything one wound expect and more. Seems to have many more years of clearing potential but I don’t expect it will get much better. Sadly, this my last bottle.

2/11/2022 - gestep Likes this wine:

Getting pretty bricked. Was pretty good with a healthy nose but I don’t think it’s going to get any better. I’m going to drink my remaining supply soon.

7/29/2021 - gestep Likes this wine:

A bit on the sweet side but good acid to partially balance that out. Jammy. Great purple color. Nice dark fruit on the nose and pallet.

12/9/2020 - gestep Likes this wine:

Pulled a couple of glasses with the Coravin. Great dark ink color. Nose typical of Napa Cab. Nice dark berry notes. Still plenty of time left but I don’t think it’s going to improve much more. I have several bottles in the cellar. Hopefully, I’ll be able to test that theory.

7/5/2019 - gestep Likes this wine:

Pretty darn good QPR

9/10/2018 - gestep wrote:

This is the second bottle I’ve had recently. It’s clear to me that it’s on the way down. Drink ‘em if you got ‘em!!! Hey

1/8/2018 - gestep Likes this wine:

Looking forward to drinking these over the next few months. I think it’s going to get better in the coming years but I don’t think mine will last that long.

5/27/2017 - gestep Likes this wine:

A bit surprised at how well this held up. I was assuming it would be well passed its prime.

Cork was nearly gone was not comprised and had done its job admirably.

Color was just barely getting some hint of bricking. Had more fruit on the nose than expected.

Wish I had more. If you happen to still have one that has been properly cellared you will be pleased if you drink it now. It would even be better if you share it with a trusted CellarTracker note writer. ;-)

12/29/2016 - gestep Likes this wine:

A nice level of bricking. Dark dried fruit flavor, mostly raisin, coming through at first, but seemed to fade quickly in the glass.

Don't think it's going to improve much more. Drink 'em if you got 'em.

7/23/2016 - gestep Likes this wine:

Hell, Yes!

Why do the good ones evaporate so quickly?

12/27/2015 - gestep Likes this wine:

Drinking quite nicely. Tannins have succumbed to a faint but pleasant nose. Nice finish with balanced acidity.

If you had the foresight to cellar this, now is a good time to reward your patience. If your stock is low, waiting a few more years couldn't hurt.

1/8/2015 - gestep Likes this wine:

Great fruit.

12/28/2014 - gestep Likes this wine:

When I opened, I had low expectations. I assumed this value wine would be well beyond its prime. 25 years old and still going strong ��! No signs of bricking and surprising clarity. Crazy good leathery nose. Long finish with well integrated tannins.

I have no recollection of what it was like when young, but it's carrying its age well. When I pulled it from the cellar I was expecting over-the-hill characteristics, and probably pouring down the drain. Now I wish I had more. Godspeed my friend, I barely knew you.

12/24/2013 - gestep wrote:

Violet color. Much better than 2012, but that is not much of a compliment. Seemed to loose fruitiness, and get more tannic over time.

12/8/2013 - gestep wrote:

Surprisingly still drinking well. Only a bit bricked.

11/21/2012 - gestep wrote:

I must admit that I'm not a Beaujolais Nouveau aficionado, but I can say with little equivocation that this wineis not good. To call it "bad" would be a disservice to all the the other bad wine that is out there.

I'm tempted to describe it in standard wine tasting parlance. That isn't worth my time to compose, nor your time to read.

I would have poured it down the drain, but I have too much respect for my sewer pipes.

5/13/2012 - gestep Likes this wine:

Still drinking nicely. Cherries and dried dark fruit. Great color, no bricking of note.

2/29/2012 - gestep wrote:

a nose of cigar box that presents itself as being much more aged than it is

8/31/2011 - gestep Likes this wine:

Nice old-world leathery juice. Amazing QPR.

Although I admit that the company with which I shared this bottle and the great meal may have influenced my opinion, this was a great bottle!

6/17/2011 - gestep wrote:

Lacking in any depth or character. About what one would expect when one pops a cork on a less-than-ten-dollar bottle.

6/10/2011 - gestep wrote:

interesting color that makes me want to say "peach"

6/2/2011 - gestep Likes this wine:

A lot more red fruit on the palete than I remembered from pasr bottles of this vintage.

5/31/2011 - gestep Likes this wine:

Good QPR, but for a 2005 I expected a bit more. I'm glad I have more left.

5/12/2011 - gestep Likes this wine:

Fresh and crisp wit lots of citrus zest on the palate and a nose to match.

5/7/2011 - gestep wrote:

Light color. Open and fruity.

5/6/2011 - gestep wrote:

Wow, Huge dark, dried fruit. Rasin, plumb, dates... it's all there.

4/24/2011 - gestep wrote:

Bricked color. Past its prime, but wasn't too disappointing with dark dried fruit notes.

5/1/2011 - gestep wrote:

Drinking nicely. Reasonable QPR.

4/30/2011 - gestep Likes this wine:

Dark purple color. Eucalyptus and plums/dates on the nose with the alcohol one might expect from a 15% wine. More tannin than I expected. I took a small position back in 2009 and "rediscovered" a few remaining bottles last week. I look forward to drinking them over the course of the next several weeks.

4/4/2011 - gestep wrote:

Popped and poured. Dark purple color. Unpleasant bitter finish.

After sitting for an hour or so, an end-of-bottle half glass lost bitterness and was quite pleasant.

2/24/2011 - gestep Likes this wine:

Invitingly light color. Drinking quite nicely.

12/26/2010 - gestep wrote:

A bit past its prime.

10/24/2010 - gestep wrote:

Could benefit from a bit more time in the bottle.

9/29/2010 - gestep Likes this wine:

Dark berries, a bit of anise, and a fleeting hint of cinnamon.

9/29/2010 - gestep Likes this wine:

Lots of floral perfume on the nose.

9/27/2010 - gestep Likes this wine:

Super tannic with lots of structure and dark fruits.

9/24/2010 - gestep wrote:

This is one of the highest QPR that I've had in quite some time. It'd be hard to beat for $9, and I'm not sure if many $20 bottles could show as well!

8/29/2010 - gestep wrote:

Super sweet.

Not sure what prompted me to throw this in the fridge, and I can't really believe that I opened it.

Surprisingly not total crap. Not good, but I expect more crappy-ness from this many-year-old gag gift.

5/22/2010 - gestep wrote:

Lots of alcohol on the nose and palate.

4/24/2010 - gestep wrote:

Nice color. Fruity nose with overwhelming cherry notes that carry on to the front pallet. I paired it with the wrong food, so I don't feel comfortable passing judgment.

4/22/2010 - gestep Likes this wine:

A nice, approachable, smooth merlot with soft tannins.

4/13/2010 - gestep Likes this wine:

Distinct green apple, especially the peel) notes, but not particularly tart.

4/6/2010 - gestep wrote:

When first opened it was, dare I say "nasty", but after an hour the dark fruit and slightly tannic pallet started to shine through.

4/4/2010 - gestep wrote:

Has held up better to the ravages of time than I expected.

4/3/2010 - gestep wrote:

Starting to pick up some petrol notes.

3/20/2010 - gestep Likes this wine:

Decanted for a couple of hours. Nice restrained tannins. Cedar and leather notes on the nose. A bit of dark fruit on the pallet. We picked up this bottle 18 months ago; I'll have to see if I can find some more.

3/14/2010 - gestep Does not like this wine:

Not a particularly good showing, even when one considers that it is available at a price considerably less than that at release. Hopefully it will get better with some cellar time.

2/27/2010 - gestep Likes this wine:

Decanted for an hour: faint nose of wood and leather. After pouring over the course of 3 more hours it opened up with some dark fruit notes.
Long finish. It seems to be on the decline, but still a good drinking wine.

2/21/2010 - gestep wrote:

Had a very off-putting bitter taste when first opened. Benefited immensely from a pass through the vinturi aerator. Some fruit and leather started to come through on the nose after the first vinturi pass into the decanter. A second pass from the decanter into the bottle turned the initial disappointment into a much better experience. A bit of licorice started to come through on the nose toward the end of the bottle.

2/20/2010 - gestep wrote:

Tasted this afternoon at the wine store. Not sure how long it had been opend. Nice zin. The lack of heat was especially surprising when I realized this was labeled as 15.8% alc!