12/2/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

Much better this outing. Perhaps the time. Perhaps the bottle and mood. Inky for sure. Not tough on tannins and berries were abundant. Will buy more for the cellar and wait...

4/15/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

Not too good. If you've got people over (note, I didn't say good friends), go ahead and put this stuff out. Otherwise, you might want to save it for a night when you're about six bottles deep.

2/10/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

Not bad for $12.00. After 30 minutes of airing, I took my first taste and was pleasantly surprised given the age. Still fruity and to my surprise and delight had a bit of spark to it. I warn of this though. I like big bold cabernets and lots of tannin so a longer air time might be advised. For those holding for a later drink, it's still got years on it.

1/28/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

If you have a bottle hanging aroud, do yourself a favor, get rid of it. This bottle has seen better days and they were long ago. Unfortunately, it could not hang on and died in the bottle. I tried every trick in the book to give this wine a chance, but nothing worked -- time to decant, a big fill on the glass, trying hard to convince myself, late night -- nothing worked. It's over.

1/22/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

Tannin rich and a little bit beyond its days. I will say, however, that I didn't pour it down the drain. It was a little better after airing for an hour, but not up to the caliber I'd share with friends. Berries were clear, nose was musty. If you've got some in your cellar, you might want to consider drinking while you're working on something, not when you're entertaining friends who know good wine.

1/14/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

Easy to drink and inexpensive. Great when you have guests over.

1/8/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

Superb! No air time needed. Fruitful and silky smooth.

1/8/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

Dinner with the Kelleys.

1/9/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

Dinner party with the Kelleys.

1/7/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

As good as I remembered from last week! Quickly becoming a favorite for sitting around and drinking. Full of flavor right out of the bottle. Nice nose. Berryfull!

1/5/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

Upon opening it was tough to drink. Very bitter. It is young. Decided to let it sit hoping it would open up. After a five hour wait (not deliberate. I had work to do.), I poured another glass and was pleased to find the tannins down and the berries and spices up. Not as good as Bin 128 Shiraz, but then again not quite as expensive. I am always looking for inexpensive reds to drink regularly and this one makes the list albeit towards the lower end. Next time I won't wait five hours...

1/1/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

A favorite of mine that never disappoints. Nicely structured. Good value. Mellows with airing, but good out of the bottle.

1/1/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

A big disappointment. Tasted funny and it wasn't just tannin. It wasn't me either. One of the worst I've had. I had high hopes for Tintara, but ended up pouring 3/4 of a bottle down the drain. My friend, who also tasted it, says to get rid of the other 3 in my cellar. I'll let them sit for quite a few years in hope the next time I open one 'll get a pleasant surprise. A bad new year's eve experience.

1/2/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

Purchased at the Wine Exchange in Squaw Valley USA (Olympic Valley, CA). Opened with friends and immediately poured. By far one of the best I've had in a while. Fruity and silky smooth. No bite at all. Got a little better with breathing, but the gain was small since it was great right from the open! Wine store claimed only 100 cases made. Proof that good things do come from small wineries.

1/2/2006 - cah1162 wrote:

Purchased at Wine Exchange at the Village at Squaw Valley USA (Olympic Valley, CA). Opened after finishing off a bottle of 2001 Gamble Nelson Stags Leap Cabernet. The Chimney was rated by our group of four to be a distant third in a two man race. The problem was too much tannin. Even after sitting the bottle down for 30 minutes, it was still tough compared to the Gamble straight out of the bottle. Perhaps we should have heeded to the warning on the bottle which stated the wine would be excellent in 10-15 years. I will put a bottle or two in my cellar and wait... I might even buy an earlier vintage, say '96 or '97 to see if age is indeed Chimney's friend.

12/30/2005 - cah1162 wrote:

Very nice. Soft and supple. A little bit of tannin hanging on after a mouthful. Will age nicely imho. I will buy more and hold.

12/29/2005 - cah1162 wrote:

A friend recommended this and he was dead on... worth every penny, nickel, dime, quarter and dollar spent. Excellent taste right from the start. Got better as it aired out. My, oh my, where has this one been hiding?

12/29/2005 - cah1162 wrote:

I'd never heard of this wine until my wife surprised me with a few bottles ('01, '02). The '01 is a tasty treat. I will buy more. I must confess, however, it followed an '00 Paradigm Cabernet and an '02 Duckhorn Merlot. While it wasn't a dead heat, the Gina came in pretty close to those big dogs!

12/29/2005 - cah1162 wrote:

Most excellent! Worked well with veal parmigiana and lasagna. After short airing period, we dove in head first. No bite or aftertaste! Very rich and full of flavor. I wish I had more to save for later.

12/28/2005 - cah1162 wrote:

Hard on the tannins at first, but after sitting for 30-45 minuntes, the berry flavor showed itself. Imho, WW was being kind when he gave this cab an 87 rating. Bold is not an adjective to use when describing Dante. It's light on taste, but a value when compared to others at this price. Others may disagree, but I would rather pour it down my throat than the sink. And I've poured many others down the sink.

12/27/2005 - cah1162 wrote:

Still may need to sit a bit. Tannins hang around for the long haul. One hour later it had mellowed, but still needed to heed somewhat. I love a big tannin, so if you're looking for smooth and silky, stay away. Otherwise, hit it and enjoy! It's good now and will likely be better later.

12/27/2005 - cah1162 wrote:

I am not a big Pinot fan, but this one made me smile. No typical Pinot back taste.. the fruity taste of the berries took care of that. I found myself reaching for a second glass... that's a good thing. If you're hesitant about Pinots, try this... you won't be disappointed.