4/8/2019 - Rthornton wrote:

Very fruity. May need some time to become less grapey

4/3/2017 - Rthornton Likes this wine:

Had this with a rib-eye cooked on the grill. This wine is so rich, deep and beefy, I didn't need the steak! Amazing that 10 years go by and this wine is better than ever. It is not a Bordeaux wine, but California at its best. Thank you!

3/11/2015 - Rthornton wrote:

Somewhat oxidized. Unfortunate - a very nice wine

2/28/2015 - Rthornton Likes this wine:

Wonderful bordeaux at a great price point. Very balanced berry flavors with that dark earthy texture on the nose. Went well with a lamb ragu and potato gnocchi.

2/28/2015 - Rthornton Likes this wine:

This was an amazing wine. Had some spicyness as you would expect from a zinfandel in the beginning, but after 30 minutes became completely balanced with that deep rich Merlot flavors you would expect from Bordeaux. This was preceded by a 1990 Chateau de la Sales and followed by a 2006 St. Estephe. Really a wonderful wine. I wish I had a case.

2/28/2015 - Rthornton Likes this wine:

This was a very balanced and enjoyable wine. Slightly acidic when first opened, but after 20 minutes all the berry flavors you would expect from a quality wine from Médoc came forward. Followed this with a 1989 Ridge Merlot and the two complemented each other beautifully.

11/16/2013 - Rthornton wrote:

deep dark fruit colours and flavors. very balanced finish tending slightly to big fruit flavor. Texture and balance held up well during the course of the evening and well through the second bottle. Tanins tended to be softer, but sufficient to balance the fruit. Overall a wonderful california cabernet.

4/1/2012 - Rthornton wrote:

purchased in a small shop in Millburn, NJ near Starbucks for a dinner in town. Great advice from owner. Wine not too assertive and very enjoyable for a low key dinner. A fair amount of fruit with low tannins, but not fruity. Would definitely drink again for another italian meal.

11/24/2011 - Rthornton wrote:

Drank this at a steak house sometime in September. Excellent color and wonderful nose. Very balanced with great depth. Everyone at the dinner thought it was awesome.

12/31/2010 - Rthornton wrote:

very light on the palate. A very nice sipping sparkling wine.

11/1/2010 - Rthornton wrote:

straight forward wine. Slight citrus tone, but very refined. Enjoyable to sip or drink with any food.

12/31/2010 - Rthornton wrote:

Lots of very ripe berry fruit. Had a hint of spice on the nose. Tannins are very soft and hope the fruit and tannins hold up over time.

4/18/2010 - Rthornton wrote:

We drank bottle no. 228654. We were a little concerned about opening this bottle after 23 years of age - especially since storage conditions in the early years were not optimal. The first pour showed a wine with a lot of brown coloring and a somewhat thin look to it. There wasn't a lot of flavor in the initial tasting of fruit, tannin or much of anything. Changes in the wine were very rapid over the next hour. Each tasting showed more structure. Color deepend to a soft garnet color and by the end of the hour, any hint of a brown color had dissipated. The structure and complexity of the wine improved to the point that after about 40 minutes, there was a fair amount of complexity and taste. Aroma was light throughout, but the flavor of dark berries, black currants and the like continued to expand. It was a perfect complement for the steak we had. There was virtually no sediment. An excellent wine and sorry that I had only one bottle.

4/10/2010 - Rthornton wrote:

This was a very pleasant surprise. Classic bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot. Dark rich color. Lots of fruit on the nose and overtones of black berry flavors throughout. Very drinkable now and for a while to come. I always wondered what Thomas Jefferson meant about wines in Virginia, this is an excellent example.