4/1/2024 - cheetadad wrote:

- Brick color. It's balanced with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a long finish - Brick color. Gracefully aging and in its prime drinking window. Aromas of dark red fruits, wood and a hint of tobacco. Taste follows suit. A harmonious balance of all thats good in a great Santa Cruz mountain cab.

4/4/2023 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

A well aged bottle. Deep garnet color. Nose - blackberry, black cherry, slightly herbal notes of mint, vanilla, charred wood and leather. Taste follows suit with addition of pipe tobacco coming through. Acidity and tannins are well balanced to create the desirable complexity in the long finish.

3/18/2023 - cheetadad wrote:

A warm climate California zin from the get go. Nose gives it away with jamminess of black cherry and cooked plums and very prune like aromas that just mask any secondary and tertiary notes that this might offer up. However vanilla and cedar coax through the layering of dried fruits. Taste follows the same order. Fortunately the sweetness masks the high alcoholic burn. It is a complex wine with a decent length. However a bit too sweet for me.

2/20/2023 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

Another victim of sideways. This is really a serious Merlot in every sense. Medium color with intense aromas of red and dark fruits. Think cherries and plums. Cedar notes and some tertiary earthy aromas. Taste brings all together with medium acidity, intense and long finish. 2015 was the last vintage of this stellar wine.

2/7/2023 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

Quite a complex wine. Pale but an intense ruby color. Nose is quite aromatic - red cherry, violet with some secondary notes of cedar. Taste reinforces the red fruit, cedar and adds some tertiary earthy notes. Good balance of acidity and tannins to support medium+ finish with all essential elements harmoniously playing their role to the end.

2/2/2023 - cheetadad wrote:

- Garnet color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry, cherry and dusty. It's balanced and has flavours of mushroom, cherry and black pepper with a medium body. Polished texture with a medium finish.

1/31/2023 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

Garnet color, with aromas of red and black berries, some floral notes, and vanilla. Secondary notes of leather emerge as well. Taste is harmonious with all of the above showing up along with some pepper note. Medium acidity and a fairly long finish. This is quite a complex wine that is alive and kicking even after 11 years. The fruit faded quicker than the rest of the elements to be outstanding but definitely in the upper end of a very good wine. Have 1 more bottle left and am in no hurry to open yet.

1/27/2023 - cheetadad wrote:

A heavier version of Pinot. Ruby, nose of red berries and floral aromas. Medium acidity and viscosity. A tad bit of the oak, some mild chocolate bitterness. Overall everything works in a good way. My first time tasting the St. Laurent varietal, but not the last. No wonder Jancis Robinson is so high on this grape.

1/3/2023 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

As atypical of a Merlot as one can taste. Heavy and superbly tannic. Brick color with a lighter garnet rim. Once the oak is overcome on gets the brightness of red berries. There’s life in this yet. Drink over 2 days and the 2nd day it had mellowed. I guess it could do with a decant initially.

12/31/2022 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

For NYE dinner. Had the bottle upright for 4 hours prior to decanting slowly under light below. Ended up about 1/2 inch with sediment left in the bottle. Mocha and oak on the nose. Taste begins with dark fruit, spice, chocolate and oak in that order. Still austere enough to require a fatty meat to tame. Excellent.

12/25/2022 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

What’s not to enjoy in a bottle of this. For my money the best qpr out there. Last bottle opened for a family dinner - after a rasteau and two hands Bella’s garden. This was hands down the most enjoyable. Mocha and red fruit front and center. Perfect.

12/25/2022 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

Opened up rather tight. Wood aromas first , followed by tart red fruit. Pepper n the palate is prominent and a “ coffee like” bitterness lingers. Over the the next hour of decant, similar notes but less disjointed. A pleasure with a Christmas filet. Definitely life left in this.

12/22/2022 - cheetadad wrote:

- Brick color - Inky purple and dense. No air necessary. Wonderful vanilla nose. Fruit is front and center followed by heavy oak, which lingers on while the fruit fades rather quickly. I think its beginning its downward journey. Drink up if you still have some.

11/24/2022 - cheetadad wrote:

Bit too much oak for a Pinot. The typical tartness one would expect gets masked.

4/11/2022 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

Great barbecue wine. Pepper and sour cherries stand out. Better than a zin with grilled chicken.

4/17/2021 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

This is quite a hedonistic pour. Dark and brooding- aromas of cedar and vanilla. Taste is long and multilayered. First is cassis , followed by dark cherries. Lingering taste brings coffee notes into the fray. A great accompaniment to a grilled strip.

1/31/2021 - cheetadad wrote:

A steal at $13. Brick red, red fruit dominating well balanced wine. Slight back end green tinge, with well refined tannins. No holding potential. Will buy as needed till they run out.

12/25/2020 - cheetadad wrote:

In a great spot right now. Popped and poured - first impression fruit forward, notes of cherries. Secondary notes follow - slight herbaceous and fine tannins. Long finish and very well integrated. Last bottle.

8/30/2020 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

Mellow drinker. Well integrated. Red fruit forward. Not much tannins to speak of. Don’t know how much longer this will last before turning.

6/9/2020 - cheetadad wrote:

What an excellent wine. In the perfect spot right now. Not too heavy, earthy and dark fruit dominate.

9/26/2019 - cheetadad wrote:

A non traditional blend that seems to work quite well. Started out a bit closed but an hour later it begins to come together. Syrah and Cabernet profiles were definitely recognizable but the Zin seemed lost. Works on the whole. At $28 / bottle - works very well.

12/22/2018 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

1 year on and this is now beginning to come into its own. The green is beginning to dissipate into the background. Fruit coming forward but still has a bitter aftertaste that will need to settle. Much promise. Revisit in a year.

11/30/2018 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

Have been a fan of the winery for a long time. This one is the best I’ve tasted. Vanilla and cedar nose. Taste reinforces without being overly closed. While it may age, its drinking rather effortlessly right now. Well balanced wine on its own or accompanying lamb.

5/10/2018 - cheetadad wrote:

A different wine altogether a year out. Woodsy aromas on the nose. Taste is full of earthy tones, some berries, but what stands out is a long tobacco finish. Good drink and see it getting better.

4/2/2018 - cheetadad wrote:

An 80? Really? Apothic red rates 84? While not the best in class, at $15/bottle it just became my mid week drinker. Nothing stands out but nothing distracts either. A nicely balanced blend.

11/29/2017 - cheetadad wrote:

Damp forest floor aromas - a nice graphite edge on first sip. Unfortunately the the high alcohol burn is distracting. Overall a pleasant sipper. Dont know if it has enough backbone to age very well but at $20/bottle who needs it to. Buy and drink.

10/29/2017 - cheetadad wrote:

In the zone. Let it breathe for an hour or so for it to show itself. Wonderful woody aroma of cedar and mild sandalwood. Taste is a harmonious blend of fruit and wood. Long finish.

10/23/2017 - cheetadad wrote:

Unfortunately its almost past peak. The fruit has begun to fade from what I remember 2 years ago. Cant see it going much longer. No score. Rather remember it for what it was than what it is.

8/14/2017 - cheetadad wrote:

Do yourselves a favor. Let this lie in slumber for a while. Nose is promising but taste validates it's not ready for prime time. Green and flat. No fruit. No points.

7/30/2017 - cheetadad Does not like this wine:

Can't remember having a worse wine. Anyone been to china will pick up baiju aromas and flavor thru this swill.

4/24/2017 - cheetadad wrote:

Everything including the kitchen sink seems to have been thrown into this one. But at the end of the day it seems to work. An easy drinking wine with a bit of a rustic aroma of earth and red berries. Taste is pure red fruit, with a bit of a graphite edge to the medium finish. Worked well with chorizo and chimchurri rice.

A gripe, after a high rated 2013 cab vintage, they've jacked the price. Can't seem to find a bottle of their 2014 napa valley cab for under $50. What gives?

4/16/2017 - cheetadad wrote:

Noticed some crystals on the cork. Slow legs, aroma of dark berries and some green coming through. Taste - the green is prominent here, followed by berries and dark coffee notes. The all too familiar mineral edge comes in at the end. Medium finish. Great accompaniment to the grilled lamb.

12/25/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

A dark Pinot this. Opens up with red berry nose, rather sweet. Taste has berries and oak. Longish finish. Good with garlicky Cornish hen Christmas dinner.

12/13/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

Opened up tad bit cloying. Extremely fruit forward with chocolaty notes being prominent. A little bit of air settled it down to a more balance mouthfeel. Still berry forward but some tannic bite on the back end emerged to balance the experience. Very good.

11/3/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

- Brick color - This is a superb expression of napa cab. Not overly fruity with the just the right amount of tannic bite. Cedar, mocha, dark berries they're all there and well layered. Medium to long finish. Slightly bitter after taste that will surely integrate over time. Great QPR. Will be buying a few more to lay down.

11/2/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

The green is so prominent. Overall well integrated, but the green notes are distracting. True cab. profile.

7/1/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

Decanted a couple of hours. Lavender and herbs on the nose. Some musk and bittersweet chocolate. Taste unfortunately was a little flat. Felt the fruit was receding. May have passed its prime. Too bad was looking forward to this. Nose excellent, mouthfeel disappointing. No score.

6/25/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

- Brick color - Wonderful nose of dark berries and black currant, with a hint of vanilla. Taste brings the vanilla first followed by the berries. Long finish. Great with a grilled ribeye.

6/17/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

- Yellow brown color - Green apple color. Beautiful apple and lemon nose. Taste as refreshing as it can get.

5/23/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

Chocolate notes dominate. An atypical Syrah when compared to say Australia where pepper notes seem to stand out. This one is rather one dimensional. Not bad but not great either.

5/20/2016 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

What a beautiful nose. On opening wafts of dark berries emerge from the bottle. In the glass they continue to explode. Blueberries and cassis. Taste brings forward mildly dusty tannins intermixed with a touch of tartness, which recedes over time in the glass. Drinking perfectly now. Can't see how it will improve.

4/15/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

- Brick color - Brick color. An interesting wine this. A little bit thin in appearance and muted aromas upon opening. Sitting in the glass for about 30 minutes opened it up. Some woodsy notes ( truffles or mushrooms ??) begin to emerge, taste is nice, a structured tannic backbone to a cassis and dark berry flavor is the impression. Medium length finish, but a lingering alcohol "burn".

4/6/2016 - cheetadad Likes this wine:

I think too early to drink. What peeked thru shows promise of what's to come. Day 2 it softens up a bit but not too much. Good buy to hold for a couple of years.

3/6/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

Not your typical SB. Oak dominates taste. Nose was rather muted, hints of lemon peel are distinct, very little tropical fruit or mineral. I guess aging in oak overpowered the normal characteristics. Different, but not in a bad way. Paired with braised chicken.

3/4/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

Buy as you need kind of wine. Popped and poured. Nose of dark berries and a hint of currants. Taste brings some cocoa and coffee tastes in addition. Coffee lingers longest. A balanced drink this, not complex. Pleasant not outstanding.

2/16/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

Nothing complex about this. Ready to drink now. Don't know how it will age, but I found a new house wine. On sale at $20. Great QPR at that price.

2/13/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

Dark fruit aroma on this brick colored wine, some white pepper spice too. Taste, first is the pepper, followed by tobacco and then the dark berries. Excellent and drinking very well. Perfect accompaniment to braised lamb shanks.

2/11/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

Not a bad mid week drink. Lightly tannic, not too many Pinot characteristics stand out, but for the price who can look for varietal refinement? Better that Meomi.

2/5/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

Part of a wine tasting dinner. Leather and sour cherries dominate. Didn't get enough air to settle down appreciably. Held a tannic bite through the tasting. Has the backbone to improve further. Good value BDM.

1/26/2016 - cheetadad wrote:

This is so not ready. Even double decanting did not tame the tannins. Hints of red berry flavors do break through but hard to be able to rate now. Let it be for a 1 year+. No score.