3/22/2024 - jmrife wrote:

I'm feeling like the 18's are loosing their punch. Same Kosta flavor profile but somewhat flat - could be substandard storage on my part.

9/8/2022 - jmrife Likes this wine:

I have had KB wines since 2014. Several Gap's Crown. This is different, and not in a bad way. Less sweetness. Needs more air on opening then I normally would do. Decant maybe for an hour or two. More subtle and dare I say Burgundian than "normal" KB's. If you are one of those who complain about KB being fruit bombs, this one is for you. Assuming this was not an atypical bottle.

2/19/2021 - jmrife wrote:

I'm normally a Pinot drinker, so this is a different wine for me. I was very surprised. It's extremely drinkable right now but it does seem to have the depth and body to age. I'm impressed. Everything seems integrated - tannins and acidity and flavor profile all work amazingly well for a wine priced in the $20s.

8/25/2020 - jmrife Likes this wine:

Tart at open - 30 minutes helps a lot. Mid-weight, floral and quite lovely. Not the "heavy fruit bomb" Kosta you sometimes get. Very drinkable, not sure it would hold up to steak. Almost 4 years in cellar - seems about right, but not sure it would last more than 1-2 more years before fading. Already 2 mm of clarity at edges.
Reading other reviews - "elegant" is right on track. Elegant but not a show-off.

1/16/2020 - jmrife Likes this wine:

Down from last posting by 2 points - it's at or slightly past its prime. Still very nice, but lacking the POP that was present 2 years ago. Still delicious and well structured. Consumed with grilled fish and it's an excellent pairing. Still feel the profile matches Burgundy - still fair bit of mineral but quite mellowed from 2018 if memory serves.

Does not need more than 15 minutes to breath before serving IMO.

6/18/2018 - jmrife wrote:

Bumping my rating by 2 points.

This time consumed w/ home-made Fish Tacos and Salsa.
$10 meal, $100 wine - perfect.

Extremely Burgundian. Better than the 2005 Girardin Corton-Charlemagne I had last summer. No sweetness - mineral and lemon/fruit. There could be specks of limestone floating on the surface.

Very Very lovely. No sign of fading. 2 more years of premium drinking at least. Probably more

3/20/2018 - jmrife Likes this wine:

1st bottle in 2015 seemed to open up on the second day - this bottle was the opposite. Very nice after about an hour - dense fruit but pretty good balance. Second day was like sucking on an oak branch. Not sure if more time will help. Smooth texture and flavor are vary appealing, but I think if you open it you drink it all. Seems like it might be ready to start drinking these, I have 7 left.

3/14/2018 - jmrife wrote:

Second bottle - first opened Nov2016 might have been flawed. Nothing wrong with this - lovely. Nicely smoothed out, would not think it's good for more than 1-2 more years. WS put window ending in 2020 - seems right.

Has lost the over-extracted sweetness you get from some of the KB which is nice. Drink it now - very enjoyable. No decant or very short decant.

3/3/2018 - jmrife wrote:

2nd bottle - Outstanding. Quick Taste on opening promises excellence. Deep full flavors with not the slightest flaw or harshness. As it spends time in the glass - is fullness settles so I'd say your near the optimal drinking window. Wish I'd bought a case instead of 2.

OK - I lied - its got more distance - second day has not lost a step. window runs to at least 2023. Color is burgundy w/ orange shades in the light - color extends close to edge.

1/25/2018 - jmrife Likes this wine:

Obviously young - score may increase. Interesting that with Lando having history with Kosta Browne - no similarity at all. Dark fruit - full - but seems almost burgundian in character. Not over extracted - could become quite elegant with some time.

6/18/2017 - jmrife Likes this wine:

1 hour decant - good fruit and controlled tannins. Very rich - lovely. Ready now. The combination of sangiovese and claret works really well.

12/25/2016 - jmrife Likes this wine:

Lovely - last bottle. Developed over 3 hours. Lots of floral notes - better with food, but really excellent. One point better than first bottle. Not a lot further to go I would guess. After airing out, it has a very light, but well developed body. Almost burgundian. If my nose was better I could identify the floral elements - but they are really nice. Lavender ?

9/27/2016 - jmrife Likes this wine:

3rd bottle of 1/2 case. Could be bottle variation, but it seems MUCH sweeter than my memory of previous bottle. Still HUGE. Still moderated tannins. Still needs hour or two decant. Clear ring is a full millimeter now - very distinct and color is trending brown from burgundy.

Very drinkable, but still could age without loss IMO.

Why oh why did I buy a 1/2 case.
Because it was $82 a bottle of course.

2/10/2016 - jmrife Likes this wine:

30 minute decant at Morgan's Steakhouse with non-wine-nerd audience. Wowed the group. Very drinkable - certainly appears to be age-worthy. Full nose and body but not overwhelming in any area - seemed surprising balanced to me for only about 15 months in bottle.

7/27/2015 - jmrife Likes this wine:

Half hour decant in glass before any nose appears. 2 hour decant in glass – dense flavor profile, but not a lot of fruit. Seems closed. Extremely long finish. Seems like it could stand another few years aging.
After 24 hours – the second half of the bottle seems to be expressing more fruit. A better overall taste profile. I think I’ll wait a couple of years before opening the next.

7/3/2015 - jmrife Likes this wine:

Consumed after 1 hour decant at Charleston Grill with Black Sea Bass (me) and Scallops (wife). Very Lovely. The sommelier agreed it was very similar to a Puligny or Meursault - a REALLY good one. Slightly fuller than the 12 La Source Chard. I'm glad I have 3 more, it's not clear if holding them will help a lot - they are very smooth right now.

6/19/2015 - jmrife Likes this wine:

2 hour decant. Moderate depth of flavor, moderate tannins. Slight heat.
I like the flavor profile, but it's not quite at the $100 level at this point. Perhaps more aging. I'm surprised how different it is from KB Sonoma and also that there's a lot of clarity at the edges for being so young.

5/24/2015 - jmrife Likes this wine:

Initial tasting, no decant: medium nose, good depth. Tastes almost more like Oregon than Russian River to me. Slightly sweet like Kosta wines. Lovely violet burgundy color. Nothing "off" in the flavor but slightly hot at this point.

4/12/2015 - jmrife wrote:

Would have guessed white burgundy in blind test. Agree with previous review - very soft and very fine. Medium depth - not a lot of aging potential. Would guess that it will fade within 2-3 years.

3/23/2015 - jmrife wrote:

Bumped up one point to 92. If you were teaching a class and wanted to explain Meursault - this would be a great wine to use. If you have this - drink it now, it's perfect at this moment. 30 minute decant helps - but not longer - even 3-4 hours later it was fading.

2/2/2015 - jmrife Likes this wine:

PnP - Deep Burgundy w/ touch of rust - clear edges. No nose yet and no heat or tannins. Depth of flavor very good - solid finish.

1 1/2 hours decant - WOW - don't think about drinking this without decant. Totally different wine. Extremely deep flavor profile - a sweet component to the flavor. I understand the comparison to Pinot.
Still no heat or tannin - seems very well integrated.

3 hour decant - ready - full nose - full flavor depth - huge finish.
This is a wine you can get drunk on FAST - extremely drinkable.
With full decant drinkable now - certainly can hold for 2-4 years at least.

1/4/2015 - jmrife Likes this wine:

I think the ratings and comments here are right. No decant. Light and soft Pinot with medium body. Nothing unpleasant on the taste profile. A pretty good effort compared to other $20-$25 pinots. No reason I see to hold these.

12/7/2014 - jmrife Likes this wine:

I don't think this is drinking as well as the Sonoma 11 right now - but the potential is there - or better. I'm holding till 2016. Agree with other reviews - very typical of KB style - very enjoyable.

12/6/2014 - jmrife Likes this wine:

OMG ! Served after super-tuscan and Italian dinner for dessert. served with Gorgonzola, Goat Cheese, and a Gouda. If you've not had sauterne with a salty cheese like Gorg., bleu cheese, or goat cheese - you should.
The wine itself is phenomenal. Depth and mouth feel are great, and the botrytis balances the sugar. First taste without cheese is that it's TOO SWEET.
I only bought 2 - wish I had 11 more.
Plenty of time if you want to hold them.

12/6/2014 - jmrife Likes this wine:

Ready now - clear border on deep garnet core. Not a great drinking wine.
Served with Grilled steak and zucchini, and a garlic pasta - really shines. This seems like a wine for food - a really good one. Great depth - but limited nose. Drinks well now, but I don't think there is a hurry to open them - clearly one or two years more if you wait - not 5 though.

11/30/2014 - jmrife Likes this wine:

Fantastic value for under $20 / bottle. I've had them in cellar for 32 months.
Recommend decant for at least an hour - I think they have only perhaps 18-24 months of window before they fade. Good now with decant - moderate flavor profile 48 hours later.
They seen pretty type specific (St. Estephe) to me - typical bordeaux. Not similar to Cal. wine at all - subdued fruit, good body.
I wish I had bought 12 instead of 6 !
I don't see these lasting beyond 2016 - time to serve them with a good grilled something.

11/28/2014 - jmrife wrote:

Purchased at Pierre Andre Caveau and carried back to U.S.
Very tart on open. After 1/2 hour in bottle - decided to decant.
Decanted for 2 hours.
Still quite tart and very light body (per the other comment).
Very hard to enjoy if you are used to american Pinot.
I kept waiting for the tartness to give way to some depth - but never got there.

9/2/2014 - jmrife wrote:

I have not opened my 2010's - have only tasted 2011 RR and Sonoma before now. They were very smooth - this 2012 RR not so much. Not bad - but it feels like it needs time to integrate and smooth out. I'm going to wait 12-18 months before opening #2.
Second day - remaining 1/2 bottle was NOT better.

6/17/2014 - jmrife Likes this wine:

Filtered and Decanted 2 hours - medium sediment. Deep garnet extended to edges - no clearing at the edges detected. Still, I agree with those who think it might start to fade in 2-3 years. My first bottle. I have 2 more and expect to drink them before 2017.

My wife is strict about not drinking reds young, and found this level of aging "just right". Very much in the bordeaux style, but the flavor profile is different, I assume that is the carmenere.

As others have noted, this stuff KILLS a medium rare T-bone.

6/17/2014 - jmrife Likes this wine:

Minerals, light fruit, medium depth - very Meursault. PnP and consumed with fish. As usual, good with food. Just about right for a $42 premier cru. Might improve over the next 2 years.

6/3/2014 - jmrife wrote:

First taste (pop&pour): light nose/expected. Red fruit and sweetness. No harshness at all - tannins very subdued. Second taste (1 hour decant in glass): expanded nose, broader flavor profile.

How can anyone not love this wine ?

Update - second day. I was disappointed in the flavor profile after leaving 1/2 bottle overnight. It seemed to develop a distinctly bitter element.

4/28/2014 - jmrife Likes this wine:

If you have $18 and 6 years to invest - it would be hard to do better. Better after an hour in glass or decanted. Dark Garnet in glass and very viscous - no harshness in the tannins at all at this point. Drink them now - no benefit to waiting.

4/24/2014 - jmrife wrote:

Not what I expected. If you are a fan of buttery Cal. Chard. - this is NOT it. Lightness and mouth feel seemed more sauv. blanc than chardonnay. Not much nose - even after an hour of air. Nothing bad about the flavor or blend - just very airy. My first taste of KB Chard - only Pinot allocation til now. Perhaps 6 - 12 months in bottle will fill it out ???
It's only been in the bottle for 20 weeks.