4/22/2024 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Pleasantly surprised for how this wine has held up over the past 15 years. (And I've owned it since release...) Still quite a lot of depth and concentration of dark berry fruit, black currant, eucalyptus, vanilla and leather. A lot of complexity here. Drank half at dinner and then finished it the next afternoon and it really held up well overnight. Tannins are lush, but very smooth and broad at this stage of development. I would feel comfortable with another 5-7 years in the cellar, but it's drinking beautifully right now.

3/27/2024 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Excellent wine that held up well after 20 years...although I may have done well to drink this 2-3 years ago. Still, nice moderate, but firm tannins, elegant red fruit of cherries and well developed characters of leather, butcher shop meat, herb and tea. Had to finish the bottle several hours after we started...there was no letting this sit for a second night.

1/14/2024 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Drinking VERY well...I was pleased with this bottle. Tannins round and velvety. Fruit still dark and luscious...blackberry, cassis, currant. Oak very well integrated and alcohol, as always with Trefethen, moderate and well-balanced. I wish I had more!

1/7/2024 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Nice wine. Held up very nicely. Still has fresh acidity with finely-grained, velvety tannins. Dark fruit of blackberry, black currant and cherry with very nice minerality and a touch of peppermint candy. Medium finish, but overall, easy drinking. I was impressed with this after all these years.

12/11/2023 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

It is not often I would give a 100 point rating to a wine, but this wine was absolutely stellar and flawless. I brought it to s restaurant for dinner and the server broke the cork, so it was not a propitious start, but he was able to get the rest out clean with a durand. We did not decant, but poured out glasses and ordered a white wine to start while the Eisele had a little time to open up. It was like velvet in the mouth. The tannins were silky and the alcohols quite moderate from this vintage. The tannin integration is superb and the wine is displaying great complexity and length on the palate. Again, we thoroughly enjoyed this and I am certainly happy I have another bottle.

12/3/2023 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

I may have held onto this a tad too long. Popped and poured. Medium garnet color. Medium bodied with medium-minus acidity, but very nicely textured silky tannins. Alcohol is a bit warming, so it was good I poped this around 60F. Primary fruit a bit lacking. Some dried cranberry and red plum. Secondary notes of cedar with a touch of wet stone and herbs. Overall, complexity is lacking and finish is short, but it is quaffable.

11/8/2023 - bordeaux4wino wrote:

Been cleaning out the cellar and this was a bit of a gem. Very impressed for what it was. The color was still deep garnet and the wine did throw some sediment. The nose was actually quite complex with notes of dried black plum, pomegranate and dark chocolate. The palate was impressively rich with good intensity left in this one. Notes of dark cherry, plum and dried fruits along with a kernel notes and a touch of earth. The tannin was medium at this point, but quite plush and with medium+ body and warming alcohol. Acidity still quite fresh though to balance out. Medium finish on this, but couldn't ask more from a wine I bought quite a while ago for around $20.

11/5/2023 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

In really good shape. Cleaning through the collection and found this and figured I was past peak, but the color was still deep ruby and the nose had plenty of primary fruits left of black and red currant and dark cherry along with note of graphite, dried florals and cedar. Still plenty left in the palate as well with medium tannins and medium plus, robust body. This was my only bottle, but if I had more, I would feel comfortable drinking this over the next few years.

11/3/2023 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

I was pleasantly surprised by this bottle. Kind of got forgotten about in my cellar and I rediscovered it when doing some inventory.
Bought in '09 for $20, I was expecting to maybe use for cooking, but I knew immediately it had a chance from the still medium-deep ruby color and nose of graphite, cedar and potpourri. For sure, the primary fruit was taking a back seat to notes of earth and dried herb, but the palate was impressive in retaining medium tannin, bright acidity and pleasant, medium body. To be sure, the back palate was short and the wine was losing steam after 30 min or so, but it went quite well with a asian-marinated grilled pork tenderloin. Again, for $20 almost 15 years ago? It's a steal.

10/18/2015 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

A delicious Zin that shows Turley-like aging ability. At 5 years out, this wine was similar to an older Amarone. It gained some weight and the fruit took on sweeter, more dried notes, along with decadent chocolate and compote characters.

8/4/2015 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

The wine is unmistakably Aussie, with its big fruit profile and jammy nature, but it is also more driven by its structure and chewy mouth feel. The lack of heavy filtration really lends some great texture. The wine is drinking really well right now. Dry, medium acidity, medium+ body and alcohol and medium velvety tannins that travel right across the mid palate. The fruit is dark and brooding with notes of blueberry compote, blackberry and black cherry.

8/3/2015 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Very good wine. Dark and black fruit with notes of compote, blueberry, smoke and mineral. Firm tannins balanced by medium acidity and medium+ body. The finish is a bit simple, but overall a well made wine and very enjoyable.

7/31/2015 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Good wine, but lacking complexity. The wine is from McLaren Vale as well, not Clare, but I put it in under this listing.
Great big, rich, dark red and black fruits upfront....cherries, blackberries, blueberries....compote and jammy notes with a touch of vanilla and spice. The back palate drops off a bit, with not much of a finish, and the wine lacks a bit of balance between the alcohol and acidity (which tastes like acidification was used.) Still, a solid and enjoyable wine for the price point.

6/29/2015 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

This held up nicely. A good vintage for LI provides some structure to the wine. It is certainly red-fruited and medium in body, but it shows balance and elegance. Some of the fruit has faded to the point where vanillin and coconut from the oak are becoming more prevalent, but not offensively so. Nevertheless, I notice I have 1 more bottle in there and I think I will drink that sooner rather than later.

5/11/2015 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

This wine is drinking really nicely right now. A plush, rice mouthfeel, with prune, blackberries, cassis, dried flowers, soft, finely-grained tannins, nice acidity and a long, lingering finish with a touch of tar and spices.

3/30/2015 - bordeaux4wino Does not like this wine:

Maybe just too old or maybe this wasn't stored properly. ..this was given to me...but this wine was dead as can be.

2/9/2015 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Very good wine. Not as baked and alcoholic as some from the region can be. This was a well-made, well-balanced wine. Still clearly CA Pinot with Med+ Alcohol and Body, Med Tannins and Acidity and lots of ripe red fruit with exotic spices on the nose. The finish is Med+ and overall, there was enough acidity and fruit expression to carry the robust alcohol and body.

1/13/2015 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

I acquired this bottle within the last year and I wasn't sure about the provenance. It ended up being in perfect condition and it still had a lot of life to go. Dry, Full bodied, Med+ Alcohol, soft Med- Tannins and Med- Acidity. Notes of bitter chocolate, umami character like soy, balsamic, dried plums and black cherries and tobacco. These aromas carried through to the palate, which was full, soft and round, making it quite chewy in fact. The alcohol was very well integrated, even though there's not a whole lot of acidity to balance it out. The wine carries through the mid-palate, but the finish drops off a bit suddenly. Very well done. Enjoyed with beef stew and then finished the bottle through the evening. Drinking well right now but can easily go another 5-7years.

1/5/2015 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Beautiful balance in this wine. A nose of roses, sweet apple, honeysuckle and petrol. Slightly sweet on the palate with notes of peaches, asian pear and flint. Med+ finish with mouthwatering acidity.

1/5/2015 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Very good bottle. Big, lush wine with dark and black fruits of cassis, black raspberries, compote with a tough of leather and smoke.

1/5/2015 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

This wine is drinking very well. Nose of dried fruits, lemon cream and hyacinth. Big and lush on the palate with notes of dried apricot, peach skin, golden pear and butterscotch on the finish.

1/5/2015 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Great bottle of wine. I wish I had more than 1 bottle of this, but as I bought this in Italy, I doubt I'll find more of the 07. Incredibly fragrant with notes of menthol, tar, leather and black fruit. Rich and full on the palate, but very well balanced with black currants, plums, spice and brown sugar. Long finish.

1/4/2015 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

As good as ever. I've had this wine a few times now, though this was my last bottle. Deep, dark fruit with sweet notes and broad, lush mouth feel. Drinking very well right now.

12/18/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

A good wine. Medium+ body and alcohol with Medium- acidity and medium tannins. Fairly fruit forward on the front of the palate, with black and dark fruits of blackberry and boysenberry. A touch of mineral and smoke underneath, but the back palate drops away quickly. Drinking well now.

12/9/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

This is drinking well. I have 2 bottles and I thought I'd see where it was at this point. The wine was a bit closed at first....a lot of wood and alcohol with no much fruit. With some air though....30 minutes or so...it seemed to round out. Med+ body and tannins, High Alcohol and Med acidity, the wine has a ton of dark and black fruit notes up front with blackberry, cassis and dark cherry. Still plenty of fruit left here. Notes of char, bitter chocolate and tobacco rounded out the flavors. The finish was Medium in length. Overall a good to very good wine. Still, I'm not sure the QPR is there on this one. If I blinded this, I'd expect to pay maybe $40.

12/3/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Good, fruity wine that is a bit on the simple, easy-drinking side, but does deliver on it's red-fruited, spiced profile with soft, supple tannins. It also held up nicely to the age, as I was half expecting this to be a dried up prune. However, I don't think the QPR holds up, when you consider that I would expect this wine to cost around $20-$24.

11/24/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Nice wine with very good QPR. Medium acidity, medium+ body and alcohol, and soft, medium tannins on this wine. It is big and juicy with lots of black fruits and compote note. Very simple, but very enjoyable at the same time in a straight-forward way. An excellent example of McLaren Vale shiraz.

11/24/2014 - bordeaux4wino wrote:

I won't rate this, as I think I forgot this bottle and just sat on it too long. Not enough fruit left here. It tasted like bourbon....alcohol and sweet oak with harsh tannins on the front palate. Unfortunate.

10/30/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

A very good, if typical wine. Lots of fruit in the glass, even 6 years out, with fresh red fruits of cherry, cranberry and raspberry with a hint of cola and spice. Overall, a quaffable and enjoyable wine, but not very complex.

10/30/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

I would score this right in the range of where the other scores are and it is drinking really well right now. Dark, dried fruits of cherries, raspberries, blackberries and fruitcake with notes of kirsh, dried tobacco, spice and vanilla. Medium finish with layered complexity.

10/17/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Very nice wine, but not really as good as it was when I had it at the winery....which happens a lot. Med+ Alcohol and Body, Med Tannin and Med Acidity. Flavor profile was a bit moderate and not as rich as one might expect. Dark and Black fruits with a high toned note of Pomegranate and Raspberry along with Blackberries and notes of cocoa, vanilla and spices. The wine falls a bit flat through the mid-palate and the finish fades quickly. I'd be interested to try this wine in a warmer vintage...maybe I'll come back to it with the 2012.

10/15/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

This wine is really drinking well right now and could easily age another 5-10 years more. Big wine, with Med+ body and high alcohol, but it holds it well. Med Tannins balanced with brilliant Med+ acidity. The fruit profile is very dark--blackberries, cassis, black raspberries--with notes of bramble, spice, slate, vanilla and smoke. The flavors are intense and the finish long. Very enjoyable. I wish I had more.

10/13/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

This bottle ended up being pretty decent, especially for a tough vintage for the Veneto. Med+ body and alcohol, Med- acidity, Med tannins. The fruit profile is bright for a big wine--dried raspberries and cherries covered in chocolate with note of spice, tar and dried tobacco leaf. The back palate filled out more with air. I opened this in the afternoon and sipped on all evening and I was surprised how well it really held up.

10/3/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Medium-bodied, red-fruited wine with notes of dried cherry and berry with tobacco leaf, and spice on the finish. I was a little disappointed in that I felt like the wine drank older than it should've. The fruit was fading at this point and a little bit of astringent tannin was coming through as a result and the finish was shorter than expected. However, it was still a good wine and this could be bottle variation.

9/28/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Pretty nice Merlot that is hanging on for a while. Medium bodied, medium acidity, soft tannins, with some wood tannins, but it's well-integrated. Dried red fruits, like cherry and raspberry with a touch of tobacco leaf. Fruit is fading, but it's still there. I'm glad this was my last bottle though. Easy drinker and food friendly.

9/27/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Drank another one of these and it is aging well, although still a beast of a wine. I have one more and I'll wait a bit longer to see how that develops. Huge black fruits, cassis, dried prunes, tar and balsamic. Very full-bodied with intense finish.

9/16/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

I wish I had more of this. This is in a very good place right now. The tannins have softened just enough to be velvety, but the power and balance of the fruit still carries the wine through. Deep, dark wine with notes of black current, cherry, tobacco leaf, cedar and char with a touch of gravel.

9/16/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

This wine is drinking very well right now. The fruit is lush and dense, loaded with black raspberry and cherry along with notes of bitter chocolate. The mouthfeel is full, but elegant at the same time and the finish shows a touch of tobacco.

9/15/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Good wine, but I probably let this sit around too long. The wood tannins have taken over as the fruit has faded. Still has a dark fruit profile with medium acidity and notes of tobacco, green bell pepper and pine needles. Drink it up though.

9/12/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Fantastic wine and it's drinking wonderfully. Excellent combo of fruit, bramble, tar, sour cherry that's is mouth-filling at the same time with beautiful acidity and structure.

9/12/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Had this a few nights ago. Excellent wine from a ripe vintage. It is drinking beautifully right now with fresh, ripe red fruit and brilliant acidity. Very well balanced wine.

8/29/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Excellent Brunello. Dried fruit, compote, black raspberry, leather, a touch of tar. Carries through the mid-palate very solidly. Long finish.

8/29/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

I won't rate this wine because I drank it with a good friend in honor of my father who had just passed and I will always remember it as a 100 point wine. Period. But, I wouldn't want my score to skew the average.

7/23/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Big wine. Intense notes of black cherry, boysenberry jam, bramble, blueberry, vanilla and smoke. On the palate, it comes off shiraz-like with it's power. Again, black fruit, smoke and sweet spice. I drank this over two days and it did benefit with a little time, but still a big wine.

5/9/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Deep, dark rich, with dried red and black fruit. Velvety tannins and full body. Lingers on the palate. Rich food wine.

5/5/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Surprisingly ripe wine with bright cherry, raspberry and cedar notes. Had a density and concentration of fruit that makes one think of older vines.

5/4/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Was afraid this would have been over the hill, but not at all. Deep, dark, dried fruits. Excellent acidity with medium body and herbal finish.

5/4/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Rich, complex, fabulous! Not over-extracted juice. Expertly balanced.

3/10/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Found this among my wines when I was trying to ID things that HAD to be consumed soon. It was doing surprisingly well. Medium-bodied, soft tannins, medium acid, and very red-fruited--notes of cherry mostly--with big notes of mineral, graphite and tar. None of this was unexpected, so I would say it delivered well for what it is. It broke down fast once opened, but I got a few good pours out of it.

2/11/2014 - bordeaux4wino Likes this wine:

Finally drank the last bottle of the 07. This vintage has really held up well for the 3 Graces. I decanted this for about 30 minutes and then drank it with red wine braised venison. The wine is still very dark in the fruit profile on both the palate and nose, with spice and dried roses. Medium+ in body and tannin balanced by medium acidity and reserved, medium alcohol. A lush, velvety mouthfeel and a long finish with notes of cedar and anise. I think now is the perfect time to drink this. Wish I had more.....Well, I do, but not of the 07!