7/25/2020 - grrrpor Likes this wine:

1/2 hour decant. With lunch. Delicious. Ruby red color all kinds of interesting and tasty notes.

12/18/2016 - grrrpor wrote:

Thought it would be dead but still pleasuarable.

8/12/2016 - grrrpor Likes this wine:

Pop and pour. Friday night cooking. Good wine. food wine. Light. Acidic. Dry.

7/14/2016 - grrrpor wrote:

Still lovely. And indulgent as hell for a Thursday.

5/15/2016 - grrrpor wrote:

Well stored - still delicious - balanced mellow and...,. Yum

4/27/2016 - grrrpor wrote:

thought this would be dead and gone and it's still very tasty. Balanced. Nice acid a little fruit left - but very balanced still. A reminder that while Chard gets such a bad rap - it's such a gorgeous lovely grape when treated right

4/25/2016 - grrrpor Likes this wine:

Opened this on a Monday as I was sure it would be long long past its prime- and you know what? Delicious. I guess proper cellaring really helps - no longer a blast to the senses but all that I like in a well
Made balanced CA chard

3/27/2016 - grrrpor Likes this wine:

Still nice - shockingly.

4/26/2015 - grrrpor Likes this wine:

Nicely mellowed. Calm. Used for Osso Bucco-beautiful color no browning at the edges- feels like everything is working together nicely in the glass. A very pleasant P&pour;

9/22/2012 - grrrpor wrote:

no notes - but quite tasty

7/6/2011 - grrrpor wrote:

you can say it isn't going to get better, but it's actually MUCH better than the last time I tried this a few years back.....smooth and mellow - and much of the heavy disjointedness gone. It's still thick and oily, but less than previously and the HEAVY viognier taste has mellowed greatly - I used to think this was a big wine that just wasn't my style, but now I love it all on its own

3/17/2011 - grrrpor wrote:

pop and pour another 375. pretty lovely straight from the bottle right now. initial prune blew off quickly to reveal a bit of vanilla and red vines - but very close to a "delicious" factor - straight out of the gate. 90ish.... see what it does over the evening

3/6/2011 - grrrpor wrote:

semi sweet cherry fruit, with a lot of underlying smoky menthol charred tire. the over the top fruitiness covers a bit of heat - there is some residual alcohol that settles in your chest - Vic's Vapor Rub? big and forward now as a pop and pour. will see how it progresses over the evening. think I will sit on my other bottles for a while - might be a bottle to let age a while.

1/24/2011 - grrrpor wrote:

@ Basso Cafe w/Laura and Andrew - same notes as previous - nice flexible wine with a variety of foods - slight dry sweetness

1/9/2011 - grrrpor wrote:

fantastic. wish we had been able to let it breathe a bit longer -

12/5/2010 - grrrpor wrote:

well, not particularly fair, as we had consumed a bottle of Clio before this, but from the glass I had - it tasted pretty much like a 12 dollar bottle of wine. will try again tonight, but don't seen the screaming bargain here.

11/21/2010 - grrrpor wrote:

holy Pinot Batman! Pop and Pour and POW! Extremely Floral - bright Plum - writing this note right at the top of the bottle - we'll see if it holds together - tastes like a baby. I wouldn't call it feminine - it's kind of Metrosexual. Masculine, yet in touch with the feminine..... reminds me why I enjoy Flowers.

4/12/2010 - grrrpor wrote:

always good. not a revelation this bottle. seemed almost a bit frizzante on opening... but enjoyed as always...

day 2 - better - though a distinct viognier taste today - but deeper and better today - still not really a crazy great bottle of wine -

2/22/2010 - grrrpor wrote:

same as the first - so immediately approachable - I get why there is a bit of a backlash against this by some people - it's just a very very nice balanced and fruit forward wine - - it doesn't ask you to think about whether you like it or not, or whether you should like it or not - it's just there to be enjoyed. No idea what this will do long term in the cellar - presently doesn't last long enough in the bottle to see if there's going to be more to it - but - it's a terrific wine to share and enjoy NOW>

12/17/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

wow. so tasty - straw and minerals - elegant and earthy all at once. this is a wine I would be thrilled to have anytime with pretty much anything..... couldn't agree more with those who tout the QPR here. would buy 4 cases of this if I could - would be the greatest all season house wine ever.....fantastic. score? who cares. taste + price + knockout ....

12/13/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

fading. want to serve this up at Christmas.....

11/9/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

still pretty decent. mellow and nice.

10/25/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

Fruit Loops on the nose..... which is pretty silly - but haters aside, this wine is pretty flavorful, fun and delightful.... and for sub 20 bucks a btl, can't say that I feel cheated for a second. Yes, I can imagine that there are cheaper CA cabs that are equally tasty or even better, but - and I always use this as a check in - it I could even REMOTELY find a sub 50 buck wine on a list somewhere that tasted just as good as this, out of the btl.... I would chase it.... but until then - all. is. good. with.. this. wine.

10/18/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

Black plums and licorice. Needed a couple of hours to open up but drinking well. Don't know if there's any reason to sit on these though

10/10/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

just really tasty - needs / wants an hour to open in bottle - and then delicious. makes me understand Zin much better....

10/4/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

love it love it love it. astonishing aroma popping and drinks well from the first pour, but about 30 minutes + and a slight bitterness blows off the taste. we LOVED how this was drinking tonight - felt like if we'd not been polite, we each would've snatched the bottle all for ourselves and consumed the whole thing....

10/4/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

oh, so far to grow. and quite honestly really really delightful.... big fruit, structure, and a strong tannic backbone - what's missing is a nose on this one - it has one, but it's a bit boring - at least 75 minutes in..... but this manages for me to be both light and ponderous. sounds like a contradiction but doesn't seem that way when drinking it..... if you've got a dozen of these... try one. if you've only got a couple... I'd wait a year or so....

10/3/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

Well I kinda enjoy it. Does seem like it might wake up in a few years as something really fun - or it could just fall apart. Don't think it is in it's prime right now but I wouldn't write it off

9/30/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

want to give it 90 points - because at the price - and for what it delivers in terms of an individual experience it's pretty fantastic.... gorgeous nose - smells like a sauterne - and yet the first sip is cool late summer straw with enough weight to support an early fall night..... mellow and kind of genius.... yes i'm gushing - but for 12 bucks? awesome!

9/25/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

This is drinking so beautifully right now - it's violet crumble and strawberries without being sweet. A bit of bakers chocolate on the nose as well - so relaxed and incredibly showy all at once. Maybe it's my mood but every tiny sip is a pleasure right now...

9/24/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

fine for a Thursday night... no real notes - I'd suggest letting it breathe for at least an hour and then consuming with food - really a very nice and pliable pizza, pasta, chicken - whatever wine - just not tons of distinctive character or it's own.

9/19/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

love this wine every single time we open one.... it's a singular and fun experience

9/19/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

pretty damn lovely.... toasty, calm, rich..... in a very nice place right now

9/3/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

i've been up and down on this wine, but last night the fruit and light vanilla were in perfect concert with dinner - grilled pumpkin swordfish with fruit salsa - think this wine is always about finding the right food to pair it with - on its own I think it's a bit flabby and obvious.

7/19/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

weren't thinking about ratings... just thought of how tasty it was. so it's the most unscientific rating of all time. well at least of the last 5 minutes.

7/14/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

needs a little bit of breath, and no specific notes other than to say - the perfect bottle to sip on Bastille Day.... so very much made me want to be back in CDP.... it's not trying to be anything other than delicious.... it's grapey and sophisticated, light AND deep - old world but modern - was nothing when we popped, but about an hour and a half later, it just gets tastier and tastier...there's no way my other 2 bottles will last in the cellar

6/30/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

pop and pour - a restrained new world delight - lovely round fruit with medium integrate tannins..... great with food and really swell on it's own... could and would have consumed it all night to see how and how long it progressed but sadly was just. too. tired

6/25/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

opened on Wednesday night - clearly needs some air. had a short taste - but pretty much decided to wait to see where it is on 2nd night.

6/23/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

Seems just waaaaaay too early. None of the disasterous problems that others have. Just feels like pout wants too age. Or maybe it's just not great. But I have hope forthis

6/20/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

well, after the 1955 it's a bit hard to follow, right? loved this. drank it over several nights with croissant bread pudding..... Perfect combo.

this seems like it could last for decades more.

6/19/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

Drank at Pajaro and gave the rest away. Delicious - would buy locally

6/19/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

Just a delicious smkoey treat - yet the fruit was absolutle intact. Perfect now but probably could last much longer... shared with the whole family at Pajaro. Totally lived up to what I wanted it to be

6/2/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

tuesday pop and pour. really tasty. I called it as vanilla malt on the nose. big initial syrah taste with a tad of underlying bitterness. lingering warmth in the mouth - alchohol, but not long lasting flavor. all this sounds like I'm not liking it, but I do - not profound - not precious, but a fun big burger, sparerib wine and happy to share with folks. If anyone served this to me, I'd be pleased, if not impressed

5/31/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

with Tom and Nancy....maybe I was a bit overboard last time with the 93, but we still loved this

5/16/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

don't know how to better express. I LOVE this. so very tasty and wonderful. NOT extracted - almost a watered down version of extracted Pinot - so read that as REAL but layered, and delicious..... moody, smoky-lite, and fruity.

enjoy enjoy enjoy.

5/5/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

very nice... easy drinker. wasn't anything particular that I noted, but thought it would be a GREAT party wine - not a crappy drop in the bottle. better the first night than the second..... needs about 30 minutes of air and then it's ready to go. and several years of life left in this, but not something that feels like you need to wait years and years to see where it goes.

4/29/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

drinking well now, though feels like it's still got a bit more developing to do...opened up well after about an hour or so

4/10/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

no score... opened one out of curiosity knowing that it's really too soon. very nice... drinkable and can't wait to see where this is in 2 years. at that point it may be time to drink UP since I have a bunch of them.... and it's lovely for right now (though I would decant for a minimum of 2 1/2 hours)....

4/9/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

spec-tac-u-lar. crazy nose of bandaids and Sea and Ski.... bright acid in the mouth and chunks of green bell pepper.... after a few hours - it warms and brings deep deep stone minerality to the mix. sounds like a mess, right? de-freakin-licious. yes, I know this is a totally weird set of notes... and yet.. I love this wine. wish I had a case not just one more bottle...

4/5/2009 - grrrpor wrote:

loved. loved... loved... like the most sophisticated Sauv Blanc - with a little more going on. really elegant and lovely. more celery than grapefruit... really delicious.