8/30/2009 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Corked! Huge nail polish nose.. Awful.

1/22/2009 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Open and decanted for two hours and served with Flannery Rib Eye steaks. The cork was stained to the rim and wet to the touch on the top of the cork under the foil -- I was worried but the wine was drinking perfectly. Very opaque purple color and clear to the rim. Big showy nose of cedar box, mint, sweet cassis notes. The mouthfeel was wonderful with very smooth tannins and a plush and long finish. Not too sweet and cloying with a very balanced body. A very well made wine.

2/8/2008 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

The first of the inaugural vintage for us. Double decanted for two hours and served with baked salmon and sauteed spinach. Deep ruby color with nice notes of dark fruits and hints of spice. Great balance, power and finesse with smooth tannins. Lovely flavors of dark cherry and blackberry and the wine continued to evolve and unwind throughout the evening. Very sappy and juicy with a long finish.

2/3/2008 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Double decanted for two hours in anticipation of the next offering. Deep purple color with an expansive nose of sweet cassis and vanilla. Very deep and layered with a sweet cassis focus but it finishes very juicy and structured. Nice sweet tannins. Good effort and very hedonistic. Did not sense any of the heat mentioned in earlier notes.

1/16/2008 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Double decanted and served over three hours. Deep ruby red color with a powerful nose of red fruit and spices. A bit primary but very well structured with good acidity and a wall of red fruit flavors. Very juicy with some sharp tannins and good length. I am really looking forward to seeing how these evolve.

1/4/2008 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Decanted for 1 hour and served with roasted chicken. Medium ruby color with very slight bricking. Beautiful round nose of red fruits and earth. Very nicely balanced mouth feel with red and black fruit notes and dirt -- no real spice flavors emerged tonight. The tannins are very slight and the wine is perfectly balanced with a long finish and no hint of heat. Wonderful.

11/23/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Double decanted for two hours. Very powerful nose of cherries, dark fruits, and strong floral notes. The palate is very pure and balanced with moments where the acidity races ahead of the fruit. The tannins are upfront and making a statement, and the finish is a bit short, but this wine matched well with the turkey and trimmings.

11/11/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Very dark ruby-red with the typical powerful Officer aromas that wafted all over the house. Deep and broad cherry and spicy notes. Very balanced but quite fruit-driven with dark fruits and red fruits and earth. Amazing length but never over the top. Just a gorgeous Zin.

11/3/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Beautiful showing. Decanted two hours. Deep purple color with some faint browning along the rim. Seamless palate with notes of black fruit and pepper and cherries and chocolate. Long finish with some drying tannins. This wine delivers the goods. Better than any Pax we have opened over the last two years.

10/31/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Decanted for 2 hours and served with black cod in parchment. Clear gold hue with a big minerally nose with some citrus notes. Beautiful balance of citrus and nutty flavors and wet stones, with moderate oak tones. Great acidity and length that hit just the right tone. Very beautiful and balanced wine that really highlighted the food.

10/17/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Tanzer's note is spot on -- but we found that the wine was very restrained and a bit tight -- even after a 2 hour decant. The nose is very cool toned with some spice and meaty notes. Very sweet initially but mellowing out and deepening to a broad finish with sweet fine tannins. Just fell a bit short tonight.

10/13/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Wow -- love where this bottle is on the evolution scale right now. Expansive nose of wet stones and subtle tropical notes that beg you to bury your nose in the glass with layers and layers of complexity. Very minerally but with tons of stone fruit flavors and spices with some hazelnut notes on the long finish. For us, this just blows away the 2003 PM portfolio.

10/1/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Decanted two hours -- simply love the wine! Very well crafted wine. Beautiful balance and harmony -- lovely and somewhat restrained nose of black fruits, earth, some funk and white pepper. Lovely long and smooth mouthfeel with none of the huge tannins of Pax or super extraction of Alban. Just a lovely wine that will match beautifully with a wide range of foods. Superb.

9/24/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Another strange but true wine from Abe and Scholium. Honey gold color with a rich nose full of floral notes and spice. Rich and full flavored with a touch of sweetness on the back end of a long finish. Notes of apple and pear and some nutty flavors as well. No signs of heat. It's a wild ride -- we paired with shrimp linguine with asparagus. Not quite sure what to serve this with frankly. A challenging wine to absorb and put in context -- as a bit of a purist, I can see how some could be offended. But you have to applaud his willingness to take risks.

9/8/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Badly corked.

9/3/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Very deep ruby red. Mild nose of black cherry and some bacon fat. Very fat mid palate that is quite rich and creamy but very sweet and super extracted. Finishes a bit short with a tannic and dry finish. Not my cup of tea.

7/23/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

This is the most open and flamboyant of Joe's wines we have tried to date. The color is quite dark and full, with a wonderful pure nose of red fruit and some herbal notes. Very full and juicy on the palate with intense flavors of blackberry, sour cherry, and spicy flavors. No earth notes or funk, but a very minerally texture. Nice long finish and the low alcohol is simply delightful. We want more!

7/21/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Concur with the earlier notes -- very expansive nose with a good bit of earth and spice and smoked meaty notes. More on the full bodied side but not monolithic, wonderful full palate texture with sweet dark fruit and a long somewhat sweet finish. A great showing for this wine.

7/9/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Very deep and dark purple color. Very pure nose of cherry and vanilla and a seamless palate of high toned red fruit with a bright and long finish. Did not detect some of the nuances that the Carlisle and Outpost zins demonstrate, but this is one laser beam focused zin. Very nice.

7/3/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Perfectly in balance with some soft tropical notes, nice minerality, and good acidity. Everything is in place and never over the top. Served with baked halibut and fresh pesto.

6/24/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Decanted for 1 hour -- deep ruby color. Very similar experience all around. Nice aromatics of spice and cloves and dirt. Very syrupy sweet on the palate with some fizz. Alcohol and acids are mostly in check but the wine is hot. Gobs of extracted fat and plummy fruit. Not our style.

6/10/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Scores just a bit higher than a Rivers Marie 2003 consumed two weeks ago. Decanted for 3 hours. Very very sweet nose and initially hits the tongue with very sweet dark fruit. No signs of overt alcohol and the typical Foley oak signature with toffee and chocolate and expresso. Very good but comes up a bit short - particularly given the tariff.

5/26/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Gotta agree with Chris on this one -- just a very fresh and bright peppery fun zin. Very deep and rich nose of red fruit and spice and medium bodied with a long silky finish. Tannins are very fine grained and only a bit dry. Perhaps our best zin this year -- including the Carlisles which we love.

5/25/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Not my cup of tea -- decanted for two hours. Somewhat shy nose of red fruits and some spice. Medium to full bodied with an immediate blast of sweet red fruits followed by sour cherry. Very slight tannins and moderate acidity make this a very strange wine. We will end up cooking with this stuff tonight. Very disappointing.

5/10/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Opened in honor of the newest mailer and decanted for two hours. This is some serious stuff! Nose is a bit muted but the wine is just so balanced with a core of ripe cassis and cocoa without any signs of overt heat or sweetness. Very smooth tannins and a super long finish with perfect acidity. Great counterpoint to the Realm Tokalon from last week. Just lovely.

5/8/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

This bottle was a "wow" wine at our dinner party this week. Very deep ruby color with a super intense nose of black cherry and some spice. This is a very rich and super focused wine with a deep core of cassis and just a touch of graphite and minerals. We loved it -- and look forward to more

5/5/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Deep ruby color with a clear rim. Decanted for two hours. Very deep and dark nose of black cherry and some spice. Medium to heavy palate with deep black cherry flavors and a long finish. No signs of heat and the tannins are quite smooth. An easy drink but not highly complex or interesting.

4/27/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Very interesting wine and an intellectual experience rather than a hedonistic one. Very clear straw color. Shy nose with hints of minerals and some pear notes. Love the mouthfeel and balance with a great blend of mineral and fruit with round flavors of peaches and apricots. Despite the 15.7% alcohol, the wine does not feel overly hot or heavy. Not sure how long the acidity will keep this in balance though.

4/16/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Hard not to dig this wine, although I should be flogged for opening this so early. Love all of the Lauren's we have in the cellar. Typical Aubert hazy green gold hue with a a bit of a shy but promising nose of flowers and peaches. Beautifully round body with great balance and energy and a super long finish. Filled with stone fruits, wet stone, and a hint of tropical notes. No hint of heat or oak or any confected flavors. Geez this stuff is good, and with a little time, watch out.

4/8/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

A very rewarding bottle and quite open and ready to drink. Medium ruby red with a very nice nose with subtle notes of red fruits and earth. Not a wine to hit you over the head, but very open and ripe with nicely balanced cherry fruit flavors. Medium to long finish and very smooth -- and only 13.5% alcohol.

4/6/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Decanted for three hours and served with pan seared tuna. Gotta echo Chris' note. Very big expressive nose with classic burgundy notes of earth and red fruits. Not too much funk or barnyard but simply earthy and rich. Very smooth and balanced palate with lots of energy and a silky feel. Classic tangy red fruits and a medium long finish. Hard to believe this is a Pisoni. Lots of life left in the bottle.

3/31/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Decanted four hours and served over another three hours. Inky and black as night. Amazingly complex nose with the typical Alban funk and tar. Over time the nose matured into incredibly dense notes of roasted meat, berries, and smoke. Initially a bit sweet but very well balanced and lush with an energy and pulse that is compelling and fresh. Very long and smooth finish. Wow!

3/30/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Double decanted for four hours and consumed over another four hours. Very dark and teeth staining purple color. Still very tight and primary with the tell tale Foley aromatics of blueberry and oak. The wine is still very primary and a bit all over the place during the course of the evening. Medium bodied with a bit of sweet blueberry and kirsch flavors. Very smooth tannins but the finish was short and a bit thin. This is not an early drinking Pride at this point.

3/29/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Double decanted for two hours and served with grilled tri trip. Very dark ruby color. Notes of very dark fruit, vanilla and cherry on the nose. Medium to full body with straightforward flavors of kirsch and black berries and vanilla oak. The tannins are quite noticeable but manageable. Medium to long finish. This has significant room for improvement over time but for now is a bit primary and not showing well given the cost.

3/28/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

We just love this wine! The color is a very clear and pale yellow, with an expansive nose of flowers, citrus, and sweet melon notes. The palate is very clean but with some heft and some tropical fruit notes and citrus. Nice long and clean finish that matched well with sea bass, but with enough weight to match well with shellfish or chicken.

3/26/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Decanted one hour. Medium dark ruby with a bit of cloudy sediment. Muted nose that opened steadily over four hours with black cherry fruit and some very cool lavender and thyme notes. Very balanced and a bit fat in the midpalate but very smooth with cleansing acidity. An intellectual drink that evolved and improved over the night without overwhelming the food. I enjoyed this very much.

3/22/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Another strong QPR from Garagiste. This is not a cocktail wine, but is was wonderful with scallops and chanterelles. Very understated nose, but a wonderfully balanced palate cleansing and brisk wine. Very stony and yet floral and graceful.

3/19/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Beautiful medium ruby color. Nose was initially quite shy but after 30 minutes just exploded in the classic Carlisle way with deep aromas of black fruits, spices and pepper. Medium to full bodied but a bit lighter than other Carlisle's with sweet black fruits and asian spice tones. The tannins are present but fairly smooth. Despite the fact that this is not the most showy or rich Carlisle in our cellar, these wines just seem to disappear at the table.

3/18/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Good deep ruby with no signs of bricking. Somewhat shy nose of nebbiolo cherry and flowers. Very good grip with slight tannins and a wonderfully medium body with plenty of cherry, cedar, and some spice. Very nice and very food friendly.

3/15/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Opened in light of recent offering letter. Slightly cloudy light yellow color with no traces of green. Nose features full aromas of citrus, and apricot, but not overly penetrating. Good acidity and balance and still a bit tight. Quite minerally with dominantly citrus flavors and little sign of oak. I would describe this wine as quite elegant and feminine in comparison with the Aubert and Rochioli SVD chards we enjoy.

3/5/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Double decanted for two hours. Very deep and dark ruby. Very shy nose of dark fruit, blueberry and a bit of earth. Very full , sweet, luscious, and fat with berries and some spice. This is an incredibly full and dense wine, but with a good backbone of acidity and firm grippy tannins. A tad bit of heat. Overall a huge wine but very balanced and edgy. A wow wine for sure.

2/24/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Decanted for 1 hour in the 57 degree cellar and served with broiled salmon. Very dark, almost an opaque purple color. A modest nose of dark fruits with no spice or earthiness. Very rounded and full on the palate, almost heavy in the mouth. Very little acidity or energy in the finish. More of a cocktail or cordial wine that did not really complement the meal.

2/21/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

A big brawny pinot KB style. Very dark almost purple color. Loads of dark fruit and black cherry notes. A hint of spice. Surprisingly light on its feet with some lighter red fruit notes on the finish. Tannins are definitely still resolving here and the mouthfeel is a bit chalky. Not super food friendly but a very stylish and impressive wine.

2/14/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

As others have noted, the nose is initially quite bretty. The barnyard blows off quickly but the nose is very muted. Very medium to light body with some pretty flavors of plum, loam and bark notes. Still quite tannic and dry and a bit thin.

2/12/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Dark ruby but very clear. A shy nose iwth a bit of forest floor, rose petals, spice and deep dark fruit notes. A medium bodied wine wtih subtle tannins and some tartness mixed with black cherry flavors. Great QPR.

2/12/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Decanted for one hour and served with a roast chicken. Very clean ruby red color. Very open and expressive nose of red fruit, some raspberry and cherries, some earthy and forest notes. Very full palate but nicely balanced with deep red fruit. A long and bright finish with no signs of heat or overly sweet notes. Another example of the solid WS wine making approach.

2/11/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Served with home made pizza. Very dark purple with a very broad and expressive nose of brambly dark fruit and some peppery notes. The palate is quite road and full with lovely dark fruit, raspberry, and an earthy minerality. The wine carries the alcohol well with no discernible heat. A very pure but rich wine.

1/21/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Another great wine from the Carlisle hit parade. Pop and pour with home made pizza on a Saturday night. Incredibly expansive nose of berries and spice and vanilla oak. Very balanced and zingy with acidity but with notes of dark fruit, pepper, and chocolate and vanilla. A real crowd pleaser that I do not like to share with others!

1/11/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Very deep purple color. Much darker than the Shafer Relentless from last night. Subdued nose of forest floor, mushroom, and roasted meat. Very meaty initial attack with very moderate tannins and a bit of a short finish. I liked this quite a bit and it was great with food at 13% alcohol. Very good with braised lamb shanks.

1/11/2007 - elliott.h.farber@gmail.com wrote:

Double decanted for four hours. Served with braised lamb shanks. Absolutely opaque and bloody dark purple. Big nose with some tar and asphalt and coffee. Not overly complicated palate with meaty flavors and some bacon fat and cassis. Chalky tannins but not very complex or interesting. Just a big drink and not my cup of tea.