2/24/2019 - runandshoot wrote:

A lot of heat on the start, middle and finish.

1/19/2019 - runandshoot wrote:

Decanted about 30 min to 1 hour before drinking. Great nose of red and dark fruits, somewhat muted most likely because it was chilled below optimal temp. Smooth and polished on the sip, really refined and marvelous. The finish comes quickly and is a enormous wall of tannins, only hinting at what this wine could be a decade from now. Will need a lengthy decant or a long time in the cellar to soften the tannins and round out the wine. Overall, an outstanding wine, with the possibility of being extraordinary with further age. Well done!

11/27/2018 - runandshoot wrote:

Seemed to be in a dumb phase right now - not a lot of aromatics or much showing in the glass. Had a 2012 that was open and singing, but this sadly, was not open for business.

11/4/2018 - runandshoot wrote:

Super sweet deliciousness. Yes, I like the sweet wines, too.

10/21/2018 - runandshoot wrote:

Solid bottle - smooth blend. Not really a fan of zinfandel, but it works nicely with the blend. Not too complex, but very enjoyable for a weekday evening, casual dinner.

9/15/2018 - runandshoot wrote:

Really delicious - in a great place right now. A nice balance of fruit and alcohol - with a nice layer of dark fruits after the initial cali cabernet sweetness. Actually paired pretty well with food, as well as by itself.

9/30/2018 - runandshoot wrote:

Might be in a dumb phase, but muted aromatic and fairly reserved on the palette. Not showing much in fruit, which allowed the sour cherry notes (themselves relatively muted) to show through. Short finish leads me to believe this is closed down for now, or it's a a bad bottle. Definitely out of character for a TRB-style wine.

9/30/2018 - runandshoot wrote:

Very fruit forward, high-alcohol style. One dimensional, but it's still a very enjoyable dimension!

9/29/2018 - runandshoot wrote:

Still young and vibrant.

9/15/2018 - runandshoot wrote:

Really solid bottle of pinot. A little more fruit forward than I have typically found in Oregon pinot, but more nuanced than brute force. Seems like each subsequent bottle we had was better than the last (this was the last of three bottles). Would buy this again, as a daily drinker.

12/23/2017 - runandshoot wrote:

Another close-to-perfect bottle. Really really young, but man, is this a pleasure to drink right now. Interested to see how this tastes when the typical Krug profile really pushes to the forefront, rather than playing around the edges. Either way, I'm going to enjoy the journey!

12/23/2017 - runandshoot wrote:

Sour cherry on the pallate with muted Napa Cab on the nose. A little disappointing, as the sourness overpower the initial taste before eventually giving way to a sweetness of Napa fruit on the finish. Maybe needs a little more air, but half of the bottle went back into the cellar for an overnight cork-in-the-bottle "decant." Stay tuned for day 2...

12/23/2017 - runandshoot wrote:

Pop and pour - typical Pritchard Hill/Napa Cab on the nose - strong cherry and dark fruit on the palate, big tannins backing sweet fruit through the mid-palate through the finish. Definitely will get better with age. Delicious!

12/23/2017 - runandshoot wrote:

Utterly perfect. A perfect blend of fruit and nuanced secondary characteristics - typical Pritchard Hill/Napa Cabernet. Dark purple and opaque - opened and decanted for two hours to remove the considerable amount of sediment that has collected over the past 18 years. Still youthful on the nose, the first taste reveals black and red fruits, cassis, and a savory note that dissipates into a sweet finish. Drinking over an hour, the bottle opened up further to reveal layers of complexity that I didn't notice with the past bottles over the years. Can't really see this getting any better, and I wish I had more! Bravo!

12/22/2017 - runandshoot wrote:

Wow - drank a half bottle and a 750ml within a week, and both were similar. Excellent young champagne - the acidity is more focused and sharper than I have experienced with vintage Krug, but that is probably because of the age vs the style. Really easy to drink, and really easy to enjoy.

7/2/2017 - runandshoot wrote:

No need to decant this time around. Abundant black fruits and characteristic California cabernet aromas. Really singing in the glass, and amazingly long, complex finish. Excellent, well-structured wine.

2/21/2017 - runandshoot wrote:

Maybe it gets better than this, but I'm not sure how. Tiny bubbles, crisp, clear, fresh and delicious. Lots of layers of complexity, and all of them were amazing.

2/21/2017 - runandshoot wrote:

First tasted nine years ago - decanted to remove the sediment from 18 years of aging. Now exhibits characteristic cabernet dark fruits on the nose, and a hint of savoriness. Still has legs - inky black with no bricking. First taste is a mixture of dark fruits and a hint of cab sweetness that gives way to more complex tertiary flavors. A mixture of fruits, spices, and light earthy notes flood the mid-pallatte, and the finish is long and smooth. No noticable alcohol and the oak has subsided. Outstanding!

1/1/2017 - runandshoot wrote:

Really nice bottle - good dark fruits which carries through to the finish. Not terribly complex, but a solid value, and very enjoyable.

1/1/2017 - runandshoot wrote:

Really amazing crisp, citrus sharpness. Tight, tiny bubbles in the glass, and a amazing bouquet of citrus and floral on the nose. Still a little tight, but incredibly enjoyable even now. Could probably last another decade or two in the cellar, if desired, to develop secondary flavors.

9/27/2015 - runandshoot wrote:

Delicious! Lost a lot of the baby fat it has at release. Tight bubbles, crisp and creamy texture and a nice slightly acidic attack on the palate as the bubbles do their thing. Some yeast and floral notes as the finish dissipates and I reach for the bottle for more...

11/30/2015 - runandshoot wrote:

Consumed at a party with no decant - pop and pour. Very fruit forward and tannic, pretty one-note with no air...but that note is pretty good!

4/6/2015 - runandshoot wrote:

Still tannic and young - double decanted and poured back into the bottle, which opened up the nose and teased out the layers from behind the tannins. Definitely the favorite of the night.

10/2/2015 - runandshoot wrote:

interesting how there are 74 bottles in stock and 51 consumed, considering there were only 60 total bottles made.

12/29/2013 - runandshoot wrote:

Dark fruits and no noticeable oak - some sediment required a decant of each glass. Seemed to need a little more time or a longer decant. Tasty anyway!

11/18/2013 - runandshoot wrote:

Definitely better on the nose than on the palate at this point. Wine has great acidity and minerality, but the alcohol is very evident at this point and overshadows the lemon and citrus. This would be better with a decant or some bottle age. Tasted over two weeks, using a coravin. Last glass tasted much like the first one.

10/20/2013 - runandshoot wrote:

Decent amount of sediment kicked off for a 2007, which is a little unusual, but there is nothing unusual about this bottle otherwise. Perfumed on the nose and inky dark purple, this was open and ready for business. The tannins were integrated and the wine was smooth and delicious!

9/7/2013 - runandshoot wrote:

Just wow. Splash decanted - needs about a 2-hour decant to really get going. Inky dark purple in the glass, great aromas of roses, blackberries, and a little graphite that filled the room. On the palate, full complement of berry flavors, along with a floral element that adds secondary nuance. Just a stunning wine that flows on the mid-palate and finishs with some great minerality. One of the best wines of the night for me...great representation of California fruit!

9/7/2013 - runandshoot wrote:

Good bouquet of blue and black fruits on the nose, inky dark purple in the glass. Really nice pop and pour with a little bit of heat on the finish, but definitely much nicer after about an hour of slow-ox. No noticable oak, no heat, and great dark fruit, blackberry and rasberry with full mid-palate and a long, lingering finish. Really strong showing by this one today!

8/15/2013 - runandshoot wrote:

Crumbly cork, wine badly oxidized.

6/27/2013 - runandshoot wrote:

Corked!

3/13/2013 - runandshoot wrote:

Still has life left - most of the heat has dissipated, leaving complex secondary flavors of smoky butterscotch and tropical fruits. The oak is almost nonexistent, but the finish is long and still buttery apple. The deep golden hue in the glass and the caramel nose round out the experience. Great bottle!

11/30/2012 - runandshoot wrote:

Needs time to decant, a little heat on the finish. More details to come...

7/4/2012 - runandshoot wrote:

On the dowside of it's life - a little bit of fruit left with secondary funkiness dominating this one. Hurry up and drink up!

6/26/2012 - runandshoot wrote:

Cork was stuck in the bottle and attempts to remove it resulted in the neck of the bottle breaking and glass everywhere. Fun!
**UPDATE** Was able to remove the cork very carefully from the half-bottle and slow ox-ed in the cellar for eight hours. Carefully as not to get glass bits into the bottle, poured two glasses with dinner. Opaque in the glass (very very dark), the nose was slightly muted but still displayed a bouquet of dark fruits and a little baking spice. On the palate, still very primary with black cherry and sweet oak as well and firm tannins, with a hint of spicyness and floral overtones. A little heat at the end of the long finish. Put the rest of the bottle back in the cellar to try on day two.
Day 2 notes: Much more expressive on the nose - ample fruits, cassis, a hint of baking spice. On the palate, sweet oak has mellowed with much more expressive dark fruits with a more pronounced floral sweetness, but the tannins are definitely still there. Excellent integration with no heat on the extremely long finish. Recommend a long slow-ox or extended decant, or burying this in your cellar for a few more years.

2/23/2012 - runandshoot wrote:

Definitely something wrong with this one, which is a shame. It looks like the culprit was VA in this one, as the fruits were muted and the middle palate was almost chemical/plasticized. Was looking forward to this one. Left it in the glass throughout dinner and it did not improve over time.

6/21/2012 - runandshoot wrote:

I've come to realize that I just don't like zinfandel in general.

6/14/2012 - runandshoot wrote:

Splash decanted and paired with a New York Strip, garlic mashed potatoes and steamed spinich. On the nose, a fragrant bouquet of dark fruits, sweet red fruits, cherry notes and cassis. The tannins have mellowed and integrated, leaving a mix of blueberry, blackberry, mineral, black cherry, with a hint of tobacco, leather and baking spice. The finish was long and revealed a slight hint of sweetness, without a hint of the alcohol beneath. What an exceptional bottle of wine - well-integrated and open for business! Bravo!

6/11/2012 - runandshoot wrote:

**UPDATE** SO I didn't give up on this wine. Day three of slow-ox in my fridge, and the funk has blown off and it turns out that this is actually pretty tasty. It looks like it just needed an extended decant to fully open up. Dark fruits and cherry on the palate, with sweet vanilla and a little heat on the finish. Overall, on day three, it's where I expected it to be. Score upgraded from 82 to 90! ** I'm still trying to figure this one out. I am pretty sure this bottle wasn't flawed, but it was definitely not a style that I enjoyed very much. Popped and poured, on the nose, the wine has a funky, earthy smell that dominates the hint of fruit underneath. The funk never really blew off and the palate was dominated by a musty, spicy dark fruit/gamey flavor. The alcohol was evident on the finish and was actuallya welcome change. Had one glass and left the rest to try on day 2. On day 2: still dominated by the funk, but a little more fruit is showing today. Alcohol is better integrated, but I'm disappointed in this one. Will cellar the rest for a few years before I try it again.

2/23/2012 - runandshoot wrote:

This one was open for business. Tell-tale California Cabernet nose of dark and red fruits, as well as a hint of olive and spices. On the palate, the tannins are fully integrated with black cherry and dark fruit flavors dominating the mid-palate with a peppery finish. A little hint of alcohol at the end prevents a higher score, but doesn't greatly detract from the wine.

2/20/2012 - runandshoot wrote:

Incredibly tight and tannic as a pop and pour. Nose expanded over the course of the next three hours, and the incredibly dark, inky purple wine shed it's alcohol to reveal sweet tannins, ample black fruits and cassis, intermixed with pepper and spices. A great bottle that appears to need a few more years in cellar to hit it's peak.

2/20/2012 - runandshoot wrote:

Drank this with a few friends over President's Day weekend. Pop and poured and consumed over a couple of hours. Big, meaty, expansive nose of gamey meats and dark fruits. Initial heat on the first sip, but over time in the glass, the alcohol receded into the background and the flavors came out to play. Plenty of dark fruits mixed with peppers and ample spices. Big winner of the night!

12/1/2011 - runandshoot wrote:

Seems to need a serious decant to coax out the fruit over the oak. Did not enjoy this one nearly as much as the last bottle, mainly because the primary fruits seems to overwhelmed by the oakiness. Saved about half the bottle and let it slow-ox overnight. Second day, the alcohol and oak seemed to be better integrated and cherry flavors intermixed with spices emerged. Definite improvement, but still lacked the secondary nuances I noticed last time.

6/14/2011 - runandshoot wrote:

Crisp acidity and ample fruits. Easy to drink and a delicious wine to pair with lighter fare during the warmer months. Enjoyed this and wish I had more!

2/7/2011 - runandshoot wrote:

Not as integrated as the last bottle I had about a year ago. A little more heat on the finish and a little less fruit in the mid-palate, but still a solid bottle of wine. Hopefully the last three I have are more like the first bottle and less like this one.

11/14/2010 - runandshoot wrote:

Not sure what happened to this one. The Hell Hole Cuvee was pretty delicious and was not at all what I expected. The Gnarly Stump was not at all what I expected, but not in a good way. The wine was light red and almost transparent in the glass, and the nose was cigar box and earthy spice - I could not taste any fruit. In fact, that is all I could smell/taste in the glass - the overpowering earthy cigar smell permeated the entire palate, from start to painfully long finish. I could not even take a fourth sip. Either I had a bad bottle, or it's definitely past it's prime. Either way, a disappointment considering I enjoyed the Hell Hole Cuvee previously.

11/11/2010 - runandshoot wrote:

Pop and pour, this time at a local steakhouse. Dark purple and opaque in the glass, with great dark fruit aromas (black cherries, blueberries and blackberries) on the nose. Was amazed at how balanced this was right out of the gate, but the flavors were definitely more primary (sweet cherries, vanilla and a touch of oak) at the beginning. After several minutes in the glass, the flavors became a litle more complex and the oak less prominent. The tannins were evident, but were slightly sweet. Overall, very tasty and paired well with the dry-aged bone-in ribeye with red wine reduction sauce. Will have to try to find a few more bottles for aging as this was my last one!

10/15/2010 - runandshoot wrote:

Absoltuely delicious. Lots of sweet cherries, blackberries and some vanilla. The flavor definitely evolved in the glass as the flavors took turns emerging as the wine opened up. Very smooth tannins and acid is carried by the fruit. Fantastic!

10/25/2010 - runandshoot wrote:

Heavy dark chocolate, black cherry, espresso, and oak notes on the nose and on the palate. Smooth mouthfeel as the tannins are soft and mouthcoating A sledgehammer of a wine - overpowers most anything you try to pair with it, so it might be best alone. Good for what it is, but not something I think I would drink everyday.

11/6/2010 - runandshoot wrote:

Classic dark fruits and inky dark purple in the glass. Nose is fruity, blueberries and cherries and a little oak. Tannins are evident but not overpowering, and the slightly sweet fruit carries the medium acidity through the medium-long finish. Splash decanted two hours and served with grilled burgers with pepperjack, sherry and cognac sauteed mushrooms, bacon, lettuce and tomato. Delicious!