4/15/2015 - mikecoxtx Does not like this wine:

This was the second bottle I opened of this wine. The first was clearly flawed. This has an un characteristically musty nose for an Arista and a flat body but is drinkable. I hope this was just a slightly flawed bottle but it leaves me thinking that I will avoid the Toboni vineyard in the future.

2/24/2015 - mikecoxtx Does not like this wine:

This was really just a flat lackluster wine. There was nothing terrible about it, but nothing inspiring either. It was fairly bland and without finish. Very reserved nose and over just lacking in presence or excitement.

2/23/2015 - mikecoxtx Does not like this wine:

This came as part of a mixed case and was my first experience with the wine. I may have simply been drinking a wine that needs bottle age too young, but I didn't see the characteristics of wine that would age well and didn't enjoy it at the time I opened it. It had very rough green tannins and lacked a finish. The mouthfeel wasn't bad, but neither the nose nor the taste was inspiring.

2/16/2015 - mikecoxtx Likes this wine:

This bottle was definitely past its prime, but still drinkable. But it won huge points for nostalgia.

11/30/2014 - mikecoxtx Likes this wine:

This is the right time to drink this wine. Great nose and wonderful body. Showing really well.

11/17/2014 - mikecoxtx Likes this wine:

This was an amazing balanced wine. We drank it young as this was a new winery for us and it was clear that despite not needing age to break down the tannins (which were already soft, but constructive), the nuances of the wine need some bottle time to release. It already shows some wonderful red fruit characteristics and great drinkability. I'm hoping to get my hands on some more!

10/24/2014 - mikecoxtx Likes this wine:

This might be the last possible day to drink this wine. It's still decent but I definitely waited too long on it.

3/18/2013 - mikecoxtx wrote:

I quickly came to the conclusion that this wine wasn't one you can pull from the crib and have overperform. I definitely expect it to get better with some bottle age but I'm not sure how much better. Still it was fairly reasonable and played well with the food so all was not lost.

3/6/2013 - mikecoxtx Does not like this wine:

I think I may have waited too long on this bottle or just gotten a bad bottle. It was very flat for me with an uncharacteristically bitter finish.

3/24/2012 - mikecoxtx Does not like this wine:

The wine was definitely past its prime. There were hints of it being the delicious wine I remember from a time before I forgot this bottle was lingering in the cellar, but at this point those had faded and given way to a dull, overly acidic wine.

12/9/2011 - mikecoxtx Likes this wine:

Though young, this is a fantastic wine to drink. Over the course of an hour (post 30 minutes of decanting), you could have thought your consumed four different wines. Early spice evolved into an elegant, complex wine with finesse. It exhibited great balance throughout. The complexity might get lost a little with food, but on it's own it was extremely enjoyable.

11/27/2011 - mikecoxtx Likes this wine:

This wine really showed well. I think it was the right time to drink it as it was clearly showing all of its cards so I won't be waiting long to finish my other bottles.

It showed four distinct characters over the time we drank it. Initially it was a bit shy, but by the time dinner was served it was begining to show some interesting spices and loads of complexity. Midway through the dinner it was the bold, powerful pinot that wants to be a cab that I expect from Seasmoke. After dinner, what was left had softened and was very elegant albeit a little simpler.

All in all, it was an excellent time to drink a fantastic wine.

11/24/2011 - mikecoxtx wrote:

Let it go a little too long in the cellar but still pleasant. No tannic structure whatsoever at this point though.

10/27/2011 - mikecoxtx Likes this wine:

It was an excellent show, though undoubtedly young. We drank it at a BYOB restaurant (don't worry, it is a place with excellent cuisine deserving of the wine), but they did not have an available decanter so we were drinking the wine with only the benefit of an aerator. Still, it showed well initially and developed quickly. After half an hour it showed a great balance of dark red fruit and young, but not intrusive tannins. I expect that this wine will cellar well, though probably shouldn't be waited on for too long. I would be less afraid to drink this one young and more afraid to hold it too long. At least you probably have a minimum of 5-10 years before having to make a tough decision. We absolutely enjoyed it.

10/30/2011 - mikecoxtx wrote:

Waited too long. When I had it, it was way too late.

2/1/2011 - mikecoxtx Likes this wine:

We ran it through a finer and gentle aerator and the wine showed beautifully. It was just mature enough to show a full palette without uncovering everything all at once. The finish was elegant and the fruit was really stunning (the typical Merus body showed through well). It will probably get better for another 3-5 years, but I didn't regret opening it now. I would still decant it or aerate it, but there's no need to be harsh with the wine to get it open.

10/30/2010 - mikecoxtx wrote:

Nice food wine at this point. The finish was a little weak but the wine had matured nicely.

10/30/2010 - mikecoxtx wrote:

Definitely drank it when it was too young. With some decanting it may have been better. As we drank it, the wine was very fruity without enough acid for balance

9/22/2010 - mikecoxtx wrote:

Tasted a bit like it was in a dormant phase. The nose was heavy brown sugar. It was reserved on the palette for a Merus, but still pretty awesome!

5/11/2010 - mikecoxtx wrote:

Very soft elegant wine. Definitely tastes like a valley floor cab.

4/3/2010 - mikecoxtx wrote:

This wine has amazing fruit and it completely worthy of being drunk naked. It has almost no tannins present ont he palette, yet has good structure. Great wine!

4/3/2010 - mikecoxtx wrote:

Wine was very refreshing, but not worthy of being drunk naked