3/3/2024 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Nice visit to a more classic era of Rhône mixed, with some dusky and dark fruits with a sting mineral undertone. Wish it had offered more on the nose but maybe the quiet on this front was a good sign that there wasn’t anything manufactured about this bottling. Acids were controlled and the finish was quite long and had a nice blackberry/forest floor quality to it. At this price definitely worth grabbing multiple bottles if available.

12/27/2023 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

More subdused than I was expecting, solid fruit and a decent rhone flavored mid palate (wish it had more black pepper and barnyard) with nicely blended tannins. I believe I might have overpaid though at $32 (warehouse style store) since the comm average is $7 lower.

One small dig here - why exactly is this bottle labelled as "caliifornia." Sounds like there's some Lodi or Central Vallley fruit in this wine. Sorry but between Sonoma and Napa there should be plenty of areas that could be sourced to make this one an 85% designation eligible bottle.

11/22/2023 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Reticent was the best way to express my approach to this almost 2nd label when I popped it, because as we all know it's in that expected winter sleep phase. Plus JLev's less than stellar reviews made me wonder if I would be popping something that was best suited for a 55th year college reunion instead of a friends gathering to watch Southern Charm. Thankfully I had nothing to fear and my oh my but did it go fast!

Under optimum conditions I would recommend an hour plus decant but on this evening we didn't need it as from the beginning the wine was bright and lively, with surprisingly controlled tannins and a laser sharp fruit focus. This is simply just beautiful fruit oomph in the making and yes, letting it rest for another decade won't make you regret it for the here and now it's got some early bubbling cassis magic really pushing the envelope of top notch Bordeaux. For those thinking that we didn't care enough to make this an exercise in scientific discovery we left about two fingers in the bottle for day two and were richly rewarded for doing so. The cassis got even more lively and the slight tannic bite disappeared almost altogether and was replaced with a nice hint of velvety fruit with a hint of mature paddock. I'm really starting to believe in the magic of this exemplary vintage and can only exhort those who want to grab more to get out there and find some of these little treasures on the secondary market.

11/30/2023 - Mr.Overhill Does not like this wine:

I thought this one was the OTHER Laroque. Bummer cause I was wanting some dark plums and leather saddle but got oak chips floating in cherry koolaid. Next time I'll ask the experts at the Tracker before I grab and go!

11/19/2022 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

At almost ten years it's just starting to enter that "elder statesman" zone of great chardonnays. The lushness of youth has faded and is being replaced by a wonderfully balanced profile of fruit meets terroir and that special magic that only wonderfully cultivated grapes from these blue-chip growing zones can capture so effortlessly. If this winery is doing anything wrong in continuing to capture the essence of this varietal year in and year out, I welcome hearing what that shortcoming is exactly. Otherwise, pop, pour and simply ENJOY.

8/11/2023 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Still much too young to really get much from this one, very tight at open and somewhat thin, more tannic than I was expecting. Good bright red fruits, acids were controlled. On day two it was somewhat more rounded out, with a decent addition of some graphite and bulls blood. No way of denying it, this was a great year for merlot in the gironde plateau. Wish I had opened up a smaller bottle and let this one sit for another five plus years (from magnum).

9/10/2023 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

It took about two hours to open up, but when it did was it ever a nice young lady - great red berries from the merlot and a very enjoyable undertone of smoked beef. It's just so fun to try and find all the many flavors that compete with each other in these little gems, and with this vintage in particular I'm so much looking forward to the evolution of both the fruits and the terroir in these right bank bords. By 2030-33 they should be simply awesome

7/5/2023 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Wonderfully singing - everything was open and the fruit and tannin mix was just about perfect. As good as it is now, I believe it will only get more nuanced with time.

7/4/2023 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Nothing like American made French grapes for our nations birthday! Who needs French wine when Mike and gang can do such a great job on this side of the pond. Bright red bing cheeries, zesty black pepper, some floral notes and a wonderful amount of in your face Cali fruit that really is second to none. For an ‘18 this wine is really singing now and hopefully will stay strong for another six plus years. Go. ‘Murca!

6/28/2023 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Coming into a great drinking window right now. Was wide open from the get go with lively fruits, melded tannins and a velvety mid palate that was so rewarding. The finish, with some charcuterie and slight earthiness really completed the experience. Wish I had more to enjoy over the next 2-4 years.

4/6/2023 - Mr.Overhill Does not like this wine:

Not sure if this one was flawed but it wasn't at all a pleasurable wine. Very tart and somewhat smoky, with a short, clipped finish. If it wasn't flawed then there's some serious bottle variation with this wine.

3/26/2023 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

It took about an hour to open up but once it did it was singing. Wonderfully pinpointed bright red fruits and nice brambly undertones with a lingering blueberry finish. Really serious stuff here for something that's not a cab or merlot based Napa wine.

6/25/2022 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Vivacious and so sharp for the best Spanish vintage in the past 25 years. Wish I had another six of these beauties! Still wonderfully modern in style but so much more nuanced from its youth, with bright cherries and some black olives with a nice finish of sweet tobacco. But with this beauty singing so strongly I'm guessing it has another 10 years easily.

8/24/2022 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

Popped the last of the 2016 Bedrocks and I was surprised that it wasn't more rewarding. Maybe I was expecting more development from a prestige vineyard bottling that is now in year three of development? There was nothing wrong with the wine, it had plenty of bright fruit, even some of that telltale orange peel flavor, but it never had that fifth gear of enjoyment that so often come with these Carlisle wines. I blamed it on the bottle of '19 Monbousquet that we had earlier in the week, now that one was SINGING! oops, sorry for the note drift, but after that in your face baby the Bedrock was almost muted and surprisingly bland. The score reflects my appreciation of the quality of the winemaking here as opposed to the varietal shortcoming itself in its ability to develop a more nuanced and stratified midpalate as it ages. Positives were the still bright fruit and slight but zesty spice undertones. Unfortunately the youthful garrigue I so loved in the same wine two years ago was 'gone baby gone.'

8/19/2022 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Solid as ever - great amount of black pepper and spice upon first opening, with some delectable dark fruits and even a touch of flowers. A dead ringer for a solid Cornas and really in a great place right now. Finished on day two and it was still drinking wonderfully, with more fruit and some tannins still peaking through. Acidity was nicely controlled and it had a lingering finish which made it even more enticing. Definitely has the stuffing to develop for another 3-5 years easily.

8/5/2022 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Just a superb bottle of pets, with awesome bright red fruit and wonderful backing from the nicely melded oak. It's definitely ready to drink now and should prove to be quite rewarding if you let it breathe for at least 1-2 hours before you drink. For mine the extra air time brought out the secondary flavors which I found to be more earthy and zesty.

6/12/2022 - Mr.Overhill Does not like this wine:

Unfortunately, this one is definitely getting past prime. Dried tannins, clipped fruit and an overall slight bitterness on the finish diminishes the tasting experience. No damage appeared to have occurred on this bottle, and it was stored in a climate controlled environment. Initial tasting was the best with some cassis and mint flavors, an abundance of earthy almost mushroom flavors on the finish. But the fruit was subsumed by the unkind tannins, which stayed strong through the second day. Hope anyone else who still has a bottle finds a better experience than I did.

6/4/2022 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

A super aromatic candy apple red kind of an elixir, with notable staying power and some real heavy hitting Grenache "oomph". It almost jumps out of the glass with such a sweet cherry explosion and hints of wet rock but in the mouth those wonderful aromas get pushed aside quickly by some huge black pepper and subtle rosemary, definitely more old world, dare we say southern Rhone exemplaries? Only on the mid palate do these zippy red fruits push to the fore and really allow for a rewarding finish of cherry licorice and pungent fruit flair. Drank the bottle over the course of several.hours and the last of it was definitely the best. Should improve beautifully over the next two or three years as it continues to evolve.

5/17/2022 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

Still quite youthful, a wonderfully full flavored wine with upfront blackberry flavor and nice underlying acidity. While it starts big in the front the mid palate brings out a more refined earthiness and aspiring meat flavors. Really wonderfully balanced wine with softening tannins and a long blue fruited finish. Easily has another five plus years of refinement potential.

3/25/2022 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

This one was really rewarding, especially for the perfume lovers of wine. Last bottle I had was not rewarding at all, was possibly an off bottle. This one though was just gorgeous, with an in your face nose of rich blackberry meets smoky red peppers and sweet violets. It came blowing out if the glass and never stopped. The mouth feel was also surprisingly smooth, with wonderfully melded tannins and pungent blue fruits, with a slight barbeque meaty finish. My only concern was for the mid palate - as wonderful as all this flavor was the oomph somehow felt hollow, which might have been a component of the Grenache being the sole varietal here. Great finish as well, with lingering smokiness and raspberry licorice notes that went on and on. I don't see this one improving greatly on the body but hopefully it will become more refined and should develop some interesting tertiary flavors over the next few yesrs. Would love to compare it side by side to a Grenache only CdP and a Washington Grenache from the same vintage. Wish I had more bottles to enjoy in the coming years!

10/28/2021 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Nicely focused and quite expressive. A mix of red fruits and fragrant baking spices on the nose that stayed open the whole time. I didn't pick up any acidic streak and the tannins are already nicely controlled The mouthfeel was especially rich and the finish was quite elegant and filled with a nice mix of red raspberry jam and creamy vanilla. Should really continue to develop beautifully over the next few years.

3/28/2021 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Beautifully integrated tannins, rich cassis and plum fruit, some subtle paddock, and rich all American oak finish. Still to me the bellwether for traditional Napa cab and could easily go another ten plus years.

3/11/2021 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

For a young wine this darling has some serious living already. Rich fruits and wonderfully enticing tannins with a beguiling bramble and spice cake finish. It feels like its going to be a long term keeper and a winner of a vintage for the old geezer.

4/11/2021 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

All I can say is black fruit overkill, but it’s a very good way to die. This is on the second day, with also some rich tannins and a good amount of exhumed earthy soil. But my oh my was this puppy ever expressive when first opened. It was a full force of bright fruits and really awesome forest undertones, a hint a the garrigue even, and a beautifully floral and flinty nose. Of the two I think I like the second day more, but only cause I’m a big tannin freak, when it’s done right that is. Winner of the year from Mike for me at this time.

4/3/2021 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

Interesting Spanish blend by way of Paso.bNice rich fruits and spicy undertones. The grenache especially was very bright in this one. From last bottle in a mystery case and did a good job in mystery solved. Would buy again.

3/20/2021 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

Restrained is definitely the buzzword for this reticent one. It's pretty rich in the black fruits but other than some loaminess and flint finish I'm not seeing a lot of action on the tongue or even the nose. Had the same wine in '19 and it was even more basic, so at least it is slowly evolving. Definitely more of a food friendly wine, and the level of acids is suggesting it will have a decent life ahead. Maybe in another five years the fruit will finally start to show it's potential? If not then at least it should have some decent tertiary development.

3/19/2021 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Really good solid mouthfeel for a Kirkland label. Maybe we just expect less when the big K is on the front? Anyway, excellent background of salinity and underbrush to go with enticing red fruits and surprisingly easy tannins. Excellent minimizing of any subtracting oak and even a nice subtle acidity to add some zip to the finish. Yeah, definitely would grab a case at this price if you can before those 16s have been replaced by the not so likable Josh Cabernet!

3/5/2021 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

A dense and still quite youthful syrah, with some earthy and zesty characteristics, and a great sense of terroir from the Wahluke slope. Good solid tannins that give it some really memorable character. Second of two bottles and seems like this one will be a nice long aging wine.

3/13/2021 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Continues to evolve in all the right ways, especially the mouth feel, so incredibly silky and really gaining nuance. Starting to pick up more tobacco and flint as the tannins drop off, but the rich dark fruit still takes the fore. If Chile made a vintage that is a doppelganger for '82 Bordeaux and this bottling is a valid representative, maybe this is the one? Would love to do a horizontal of their best '12 cabs at 10 years to see if others are as enticing and lively as this beauty. Finished this off on day three and it was beautifully holding everything together. Makes me hope that this can be a really long time ager.

2/24/2021 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Fruit filled nose of black cherry jam and fragrant vanilla. Mouthfeel was really solid with nice controlled fruits and good graphite. More classic style than the usual Rollandville product. Such a winner of a vintage and looking forward to seeing these babies evolve over the next decade.

12/20/2020 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Finally starting to show it's young adult form and looks like a prime time tv starlet. Really a deft hand by Ms. Harrison in the slowly evolving terroir of these blue chip grapes. Yes, the black fruits are still in the forefront but the evolution of those tertiary earthy undertones are subtly rewarding. And such a wonderful interplay with the lushness of the mouth feel on the back of the tongue. By the last glass I wished it hadn't gone so quickly. Suggest that you keep a bit in the bottle an extra two days if you do open this soon so you'll have an idea where it is in its slow evolution in about other 6 or 8 years. This really is anew age Rhone styled classic in the making.

2/1/2021 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Bright and nicely fruit forward, but with nicely uplifting acidity underneath. Some good bittersweet chocolate and rich chassis notes with a solid and mouth smacking mid palate. Not all young Bordeaux are meant to evoke debates if it's too soon to open a new vintage and to me this is a fun wine that succeeds in that regard. Hope it continues to get better.

1/26/2021 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Surprisingly balanced and very polished fruit attack. More cherry and floral flavors with a nice acidic undertone. This one was much more polished than expected at this price point. The Ramey influence is showing already.

12/26/2020 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

More new world than usual, with rich dark fruit and subdued tannins. Nice acidity sub component as well. The flavors are starting to integrate nicely and includes a decent amount of gaminess and iron. Hope it can continue to evolve similarly over the next 5-10 years.

2/13/2021 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

Similar to my previous bottle, with a nicely perfumed nose of bright cherries and some loamy earth and lilacs. I popped it thanks to Motz’s note and am glad I did. It’s really quite open and the tannins are quite in check for such a young wine. Velvety smooth and wonderfully balanced. A winner for the vintage indeed.

2/7/2021 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

Rich and smoky, not at all like previous vintages and for some reason there was no varietal sense for this bottle that made me feel it was a garnacha. Very dark and deep blackberry flavors but the smoke taste was quite off putting at first. Maybe it’s just too young and needs another 2-3 years before it settles down? It was more enjoyable on day two with a spicy zing and some good vanilla from the oak as the boldness of the fruit settled down somewhat. Definitely will wait awhile before revisiting.

2/10/2021 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

Dang tasty. Good dusky fruit, supple tannins and some nice Rhone earthy undertones. For a ‘17 it has some suave finesse and great balance. Just the right amount of acids to age nicely. Wish I had more.

2/4/2021 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Gotta agree with JM, this is one nice little nugget of liquid gold. Really great oak flavor on the front of the tongue (note, NOT floating oak chips but a beautiful integration with the fruit and subtle acids) and some really flavorful citrus and orange peel flavors on the mid palate. Even a slight touch of stone and really really lithe on the finish. Not sure if it's just the characters of a solid vintage or if these guys are on to something up in the Santa Cruz mounts. Looks like another example of a solid family winery that floats under the radar. Wish I had more.

1/28/2021 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

This snappy wine does a great job of combining no. rhone character with a definite Cali thumbprint of fruity verve and presence. While I loved the intense nose of blackberry puree and lavender with some subtle smoke the persistent medicinal flavor on the front end didn't help the cause for my final impression. There was an almost plumlike fruit profile to the dark fruits with a slight acidity on the finish. It's drinkable now, though a two hour decant helps to open up the fruit even more and allow some of that awesome nose to show even more. I would give it another two years before revisiting and hope that the medicine flavor finally backs off completely.

1/2/2021 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Mine was from a half bottle and I found it to be more approachable than I was expecting. I didn't find any oak/pencil chips floating in my glass and definitely didn't find the more modern style to be an impediment to my enjoyment. Maybe the question should be when does this style work for Lacoste and when doesn't it? Some vintages will be more amenable to this balls to the walls approach than will others. Not sure if I would call this over extracted but it was definitely on the fuller side. Plenty of good dark fruits and some nice graphite and stone. And I think that the acids will be an attribute in the long run as the fruit/tannins balance play out. I think the big question here is will this puppy have a long shutdown phase or will it be approachable in under six or seven years? I sure hope so and will be looking for more bottles in the meantime. 93 plus now but definitely much more potential in the long term.

12/4/2020 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

For a young Bordeaux this one was very promising, with bright sexy fruit and controlled tannins. Really thought the acidity heightened the rich cassis fruit attack and provided some nice verve to the finish. For a second label and a steal from last bottle ($40 per) to me this is a great grab if someone wants an early accessible 2016.

12/6/2020 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

Upon opening, a whopper of an oak bomb, with plenty of candied cherries and a latex sheen to the fruit and not that agreeable on day one. It settled down somewhat after two days and softened enough to show some of its future potential, with the oak starting to meld into the fruit and the crazy vanilla giving way to some sweet cassis and red licorice. Leave alone for at least another two years.

11/1/2020 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

Loosening up more than it had previously, but still quite lean and tart. Almost like bright cherries that need to sit in the sun for another day before they really open up. Some nice rhubarb and flint to finish off the mid palate as well. Will try again in a year or two.

10/13/2020 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

Becoming a leaner and quite tangy rhone styled syrah, with a good amount of bing cherry and lime undertones. Wish it had more tertiary development but I don't think it will evolve much more for now. Short clipped finish also was less than I was expecting. Would drink soon as opposed to waiting if you have any remaining.

9/22/2020 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

rich fruits have been subsumed by a more spicy and earthy component, with some plum flavors as a backdrop. It isn't even close to crashing yet and should really be something in another 2-3 years.

8/23/2020 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

Beginning to fade and the fruit feels like a dying python that still is wrapped around my chest. Maybe this bottle was not as well preserved as my last one, regardless it was still an interesting one. Dark fruits and some leather with a drying tannic finish. The heat was still lingering after all these years making we wonder what a bruiser it must have been in its youth. Drink soon if you have any.

8/15/2020 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Initially, dark and plumlike with a very subdued nose, but once it opened the fruits became more lively with a blackberry and prune lead with some really expressive allspice and root beer undertone. it aged quickly once it got some air; would definitely drink up in the next year or two if you have any bottles remaining.

8/8/2020 - Mr.Overhill wrote:

This one is still a wall of rough tannins, but the fruit doth lurk below. If the rest of the bottle is anything like the first glass this gal is barely out of her teen years. Will check back on day two. Hope it really loosens up.

By the third day with open air it loosened up somewhat but is still a rough beast. There's alot of dark fruits and black licorice/fennel with an undercurrent of stoniness, but I'm not sensing that the fruit component is really being allowed to show its true potential. I think it needs another 5+ years to soften up, and maybe even then it won't have any decent balance. It's just a black hole without any light at this point in time.

7/12/2020 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Must respectfully disagree with the Motz take on this one, as it showed both beguiling depth and much promise from what is basically an entry point into the Barton dynasty, Rich dark cassis with a respectable plum puree and solid graphite mid palate, with what are already remarkably tame tannins. And even better, the fruit and acids were getting along just fine. Yes, it's still trying to find its voice but once it does I think we will have a great qpr rendition from the Medoc that has the stuffing to really grow over the next decade plus.

8/3/2020 - Mr.Overhill Likes this wine:

Another winner from the SRH region, and with some nice zesty chops and really fresh fruit. Subtle acids add to the earthy loam mix and lift the already solid mouthfeel. Very lively on the finish with nice raspberry and mushroom lingering well after it's no longer on the tongue. Hope this one has the chops to last for at least 8+ years.