6/11/2011 - Mike Bates Likes this wine:

Blackberry, plum and dark chocolate with a bit of a musky smell (not distracting at all) on the nose. Peppercorn and minerals in the mouth. Very robust and well balanced wine with good structure. Nice long finish.

4/30/2011 - Mike Bates Likes this wine:

A nice balance of toasted oak, dark chocolate, and black fruit on the nose. In the mouth you get some minerals and spice, mostly pepper. Very well balanced wine that has a fairly long finish. A great value!

2/19/2011 - Mike Bates wrote:

Old world style with a bit of barnyard funk to it. Not a bad wine.

1/4/2011 - Mike Bates Likes this wine:

Decanted for an hour. Dark chocolate, blackberry and pencil shavings on the nose. Full bodied with soft tannins in the mouth. A very well balanced wine that has a nice finish to it. Would certainly get this one again.

1/2/2011 - Mike Bates Does not like this wine:

Had a decent nose but this wine was nonexistent in the mouth. It seems watered down. There are better Shiraz's out there in the $10 range

1/1/2011 - Mike Bates wrote:

Raspberry with a bit of boysenberry on the nose. Lots of raspberry and somewhat jammy in the mouth. Medium body. Not much of a finish. Not a bad wine though i probably wouldn't buy it again.

7/19/2010 - Mike Bates Likes this wine:

It was interesting reading my tasting notes from 2 years ago when last I tasted this wine. The oak has mellowed out quite a bit and has evolved into what I can best describe as a vanilla latte aroma. Blueberry fruit but a bit subdued. It's a very will balanced wine with great structure and a long finish.

6/27/2010 - Mike Bates Likes this wine:

Dark purple almost black in color. Well balanced with cassis, blackberry and cigar box on the nose. Soft mouthfeel but has very good structure. Very long finish. Overall a very strong effort.

6/20/2010 - Mike Bates wrote:

Rather jammy with not much acidity to balance it out. Still a good value at $10

6/12/2010 - Mike Bates Likes this wine:

Dark purple color. Incredibly rich nose with dark chocolate, black cherry and cassis coming through beautifully. Well balanced with some nice minerality on the palate which adds complexity. Long finish A great example of Washington cabernet!

12/12/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Great fruit even after several years in the cellar! Cassis, lots of dark chocolate and black cherry on the nose. Fresh in the mouth with well rounded tannins. The finish lingers on for quite a while. This has quite a few more years in it, I'm glad I still have a bottle left...

3/25/2009 - Mike Bates wrote:

Blackberry, boysenberry, cream, leather, and rich dark chocolate all melding together seamlessly. Not overwhelming at all with soft tannins and nice rounded feel in the mouth. The finish goes on forever.

1/30/2009 - Mike Bates wrote:

Dark, full bodied with lots of blueberry and some cherry on the nose. Rich soft tannins with a bit of spice in the mouth. Surprisingly well balanced considering how much fruit was on the nose. Nice long finish. Excellent!

3/22/2009 - Mike Bates wrote:

Charcoal and a good bit of black fruit in the mix. Soft tannins in the mouth with a bit of green pepper coming through on the finish. Drinking nicely now but give this a couple of years in the bottle and it will be wonderful!

1/24/2009 - Mike Bates wrote:

Full bodied, concentrated wine with lots of charcoal with chocolate and cherry on the nose. In the mouth there is a bit of mint and pepper. Very well balanced. It's starting to drink well now and will improve over time. Incredibly good buy at $35!

10/31/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Nice Chablis. Green apple and honeydew on the nose, rather lacking on the mid palate, finishes with a good steely bite.

10/26/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Medium Body bordering on being to thin, well balanced, earth and mushrooms on the nose with a bit of blueberry.

10/26/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Pale Golden in color. Apricot, Peach and floral on the nose. Soft and creamy in the mouth with just a touch of acidity. Excellent for the price

9/20/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Been in my cellar for 3 years and doing great! Apricot, nuts, and honey on the nose. A bit buttery in the mouth with just a bit of acid to balance it out. Don't know if the acid will hold out much more so I'd drink it over the next year or so.

9/8/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Nice casual red wine. Fresh with nice fruit.

8/31/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Blueberry, red cherry, very well integrated tannins. Silky mouthfeel and a nice long finish. I'm glad I let this one sit in my cellar for two years, it has really mellowed out and come into its own since last I tried a bottle over a year ago.

7/24/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Golden honey color. Cheese, honeysuckle, wet stone on the nose. Rich and well balanced with a bit of grapefruit on the palate. Nice long finish.

7/23/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Inky dark color. Rich black fruit on the nose moving to wonderful pepper and spices on the palate. Very well balanced with a nice long finish. Very good value for $20.00, will get more!

7/19/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Pretty weak, diluted wine. There is hints of pinot characteristics if you really focus but not much more. Nothing on the palate and no finish to speak of. It doesn't taste bad, it just doesn't taste like much of anything.

7/12/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Inky almost black color, very rich for a Merlot. Blackberry, currents, black cherry and a bit of dark chocolate on the nose. Medium bodied with soft almost silky tannins on the palate. Moderate clean and juicy finish.

7/7/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Blackberry jam with a bit of strawberry for good measure. A touch of smoke on the nose. Basically lots of fruit on both the nose and the palate with a moderate finish. Pretty good for the price.

6/29/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Concentrated cassis, cherry, licorice, and dark chocolate on the nose. Good structure and balance that shows it will age nicely. Disappears on the mid-palate though. OK finish. Perhaps this needs some time in the bottle to evolve but overall I was disappointed after such a rich nose. Still a very nice wine.

6/28/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

This opened up nicely over the course of the evening into a wonderful wine. Chocolate, blackberry, tobacco, truffle on the nose. Well balanced and structured on the palate with soft herbs, spices and licorice emerging. Long finish.

6/28/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Fresh and lively with apricot and flowers on the nose. Classic chablis minerality on the palate. Fairly short flabby finish distracts from an otherwise very nice wine.

6/22/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Rich chocolate and blackberry nose with a hint of smoke. The fruit follows through in the mouth with cassis pushing through on the palate. Good structure and balance with a long finish.

6/21/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Earthy with mushrooms, truffle and strawberry on the nose. A bit thin in the mouth even for a Pinot. I don't particularly care for the after taste.

6/15/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Smokey cassis, red cherry, and a bit of spearmint on the nose. Well balanced acidity and fruit gives it good structure. Moderate finish.

6/15/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

I'm quite impressed by this wine especially at the price point. Lots of black cherry and dark chocolate on the nose. Reminds me of a dark Dove bar. Silky tannins and a moderate finish. Very well balanced alcohol, it doesn't come across hot at all. I'll buy it again!

6/7/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

A finish that goes on forever... Blackberry and cherry on the nose with a hint of black olives. Fine tannins with pepper, paprika and dark chocolate on the palate. I just can't get over then soft but long finish. Wonderful wine!

6/6/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Wonderful Pinot. Well balanced with lots of raspberry and a touch of rhubarb on the nose. In the mouth there's chocolate and spices. Soft tannins but with good structure and acidity to balance it out. I'm a big fan of Argyle and this is one of their better reserves. Love it!

6/3/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Loved it! Orange marmalade but with a bit of structure to keep it honest. Great dessert wine.

6/3/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Corked. Had a bad run on corked bottles of late...

6/3/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Poor balance, way too acidic and tart.

6/3/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

2 out of 3 were oxidized with obvious seepage around the cork.

6/3/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Oxidized

6/3/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Bright red fruit on the nose. Plum, red cherry, with a touch of tobacco and chocolate. Pretty tight still but showing well.

6/3/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Corked

5/23/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Very nice balance. Strawberry, red cherry, and honey on the nose. Soft tannins with a bit of caramel on the palate with moderate finish. I really like the way the oak has been utilized in this wine, just enough to give it some complexity and balance. Nice job!

5/22/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

This wine was just funky. Not good...I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and call it a flawed bottle.

5/12/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Apricot, Tropical fruit, a bit of green apple and vanilla on the nose. Nice balance with a bit of oak, though not overpowering. A very nice offering.

5/11/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Cherry, blackberry, and a bit of chocolate on the nose. The fruit really opens up in the mouth. Very soft and elegant in the mouth and a nice long finish. Very well balanced. Very nice wine.

5/9/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Rich cassis and blackberry on the nose with a touch of oak that has mellowed into a cigar box aroma. Very nice structure with chewy tannins that are at the same time softening. Well balanced with a nice long finish. Drinking well now and probably won't improve much over time. Outstanding!

5/1/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

In my cellar for 2 years. Leather, cassis, and dark chocolate on the nose. Soft tannins and even more chocolate on the palate. Moderate finish. Very nice...

4/26/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Golden in color. Mineral, apricot, tangerine, and a bit of honey on the nose. Creamy mouthfeel with just enough acidity to balance it off. A lush white burgundy with a nice long finish to it.

4/20/2008 - Mike Bates wrote:

Opened the bottle for 4 hours in the cellar first. Deep Purple and very rich smelling wine. Lot's of blackberry with a bit of salmon berry on the nose. Very soft tannins with a hint of smoke on the palate. Just enough acidity to balance it out. Very nice...