5/10/2024 - meniscus wrote:

I pretty much agree with the previous tasting notes. There's some nice complexity to this but the rather thin mouthfeel and somewhat short, bitter finish detract. But, for the $6 clearance price at K&L, I can't really complain...

1/13/2024 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Winebid purchase from 15 years ago so low expectations especially since no recent reviews of this wine.
Appearance: Very pretty ruby purple with nice sheen. Encouraging..
Nose: Stewed red and black fruits and mincemeat, leather and tobacco. Complex..
Palate: Lively and somewhat tart entry. Berries and plums. Fruit is still alive and some grippy tannins make their presence known on the finish.
Overall: This way exceeded expectations given it's age and the other reviews. Not great by any means but interesting and pleasantly drinkable.
Finish:

12/29/2023 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Color: Pale yellow/gold.
Nose: Pretty citrus and floral notes. Some coconut and petrol in the background.
Palate: Lively and zesty on the palate at first but falls off a bit on the finish. Lime candy flavors are less complex than the nose would suggest. Moderately sweet.
Overall: A very enjoyable and quaff-able wine that would go well with spicy food.

12/23/2023 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Wow! This just keeps getting better and better! 20+ years in the bottle has turned this into an elegant and harmonious claret with a really nice balance of plummy fruit and acid. Tannins are completely resolved but the wine has structure to hold and probably further evolve for another five to ten years.

I had an older vintage (a '67, I think) in the '80s from this estate and was very impressed. So, when I saw it at BevMo 20 years ago from a good vintage for $10/bottle, I bought a case. It wasn't that good when young but now...

12/12/2023 - meniscus Likes this wine:

My last bottle. 5 cm ullage. Cork saturated up to 1/8 inch to the top.
Color: Deep ruby with garnet rim. No browning.
Nose: Roasted meat. A bit of tar. Stewed fruit. Violets. Very interesting and quite nice.
Palate: Bright acidity and red fruit on the palate. Good length. A bit of bitterness at the back palate.
Overall: Amazing at 57 years old. Still vibrant and alive but past its peak by probably 15 - 20 years..

11/19/2023 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Almost six years since I last tasted this, I found another bottle in a mixed case in my cellar. Surprisingly good after more than 20 years in bottle for a wine bought at Trader Joe's for $6.

Color: Light ruby with garnet rim. Rather pretty.
Nose: Very appealing with light red fruit notes and herbs.
Palate: Very soft, smooth and balanced on the palate. Whatever tannins this might have once had are completely resolved. Flavors of light red fruits with a medium/short finish.

Again, a pretty good showing for a wine that, I'm sure was never intended to live this long.

5/18/2023 - meniscus wrote:

This is somewhat surprisingly not past its drinking window. Lots of rich black fruits on palate. The nose is a bit earthy. Unfortunately, this bottle is slightly corked so a musty bitter note mars the mid palate and finish. Still, not too bad with with a hearty chicken soup tonight. Would love to see what a good bottle of this would be like.

4/21/2023 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: Purchased from Winecommune/JJ Buckley almost 20 years ago. Top shoulder fill. Very slight signs of seepage. Label states grapes came from mountain vineyards in San Benito County.

Color: Deep ruby with garnet rim. Very pretty. No browning at all.

Nose: Interesting and complex nose of earth, mincemeat, dried cherries and violets.

Palate: Round and medium full on the palate. Sweet, earthy fruit with good length. A slight earthy bitterness on the finish somewhat detracts from what would be a quite good wine.

Overall: Quite pleasant to drink; definitely more than just interesting, although it certainly is. For being almost 63 years old, this is remarkable. A testament to the quality standards that Almaden had when it was the equal of Martini, Krug, BV, and Inglenook.

4/9/2023 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Perfectly mature and velvety Calif. Cab. Popped and poured tonight with roast lamb for Easter dinner. Table consensus was it was better than the 2014 Far Niente Cab that was also opened. In 5 to 10 years the FN will probably surpass it tho. If you have this one, drink it. It's at its peak, IMO.

4/4/2023 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Five and a half years after my last notes on this wine, I found another bottle in my cellar. Also from K&L so I guess I bought two..

Pretty much the same notes as in 2017 but this bottle seemed just a bit deeper and more complex. I don't remember the condition of the other bottle but this one was perfect. Bottom neck fill and cork came out cleanly only saturated 2/3s to the top.

Obviously past its prime but this wine show no sign of falling apart and I'm sure it has years left. But it won't get any better so drink up.

3/2/2023 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Color: Deep, inky, almost black with ruby rim

Nose: Tar, violets, plums, toast. Very nice.

Palate: Sweet red fruit flavors. Still quite tannic and feels a bit flat and hollow due to low(ish) acid.

Overall: This has opened up since my last bottle five years ago. I don't think this will ever become completely harmonious since the tannin seems to outweigh the fruit. That said, this would be great with a steak or pasta with rich red sauce. Drink now. No reason to hold.

1/11/2023 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Color: Very dark and youthful looking. Deep purple with ruby/garnet rim.

Nose: Quite interesting and inviting. Dark fruits with some savory and herbal notes.

Palate: Medium bodied and fairly dry with some unresolved tannins. The flavors echo the nose but the tannin is outliving the fruit on this one.

Overall: This was better than I expected but was probably better ten years ago. Not falling apart by any means but it isn't going to get any better. Better with food than on its own.

6/5/2022 - meniscus Does not like this wine:

Youthful appearance and mature nose with some funk. On the palate, the acidity is overwhelming. Like lemon juice. I think the winemaker acidified this wine in the cellar to make it more "balanced". Now that the fruit has faded, the acid dominates.

3/22/2022 - meniscus Likes this wine:

My second (and last) bottle of this. 2 1/2 years has further improved this wine. Still deep, dark ruby with garnet rim. Wonderful, complex nose of violets, plums, beef, minerals with some delicate vanilla oak. The iodine note is much less in this bottle. Long and broad on the palate with lingering finish that still has some tannic grip. But the tannins are less bitter now. Flavors echo the nose. This wine is so balanced and elegant. No heat or heaviness at all. Wonderful to drink right now so no point in waiting any longer on this one.

2/21/2022 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Found this in my cellar (aka my basement) in a long forgotten box. Bottle, fill and cork in perfect condition. Deep purple color with no bricking. Deep and complex nose of plums and leather. Tart and lively on the palate with some still unresolved tannins on the finish. Really nice weight and balance with obviously low abv per the era. I wish they still made wines like this...

2/20/2022 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Forgot I had this. Found it in my cellar where it's been for a dozen years or more. Very lively, sweet, fruity and youthful on the nose and palate. Not very complex. Red berries dominate. Nice acidity suggests this could go at least another decade and might develop some secondary or tertiary characteristics.

9/11/2021 - meniscus Likes this wine:

My second bottle of this 7 1/2 years later and this wine is classic Calif. Cab. Beautiful mature nose of cassis, herbs and spice. No earthiness at all. Silky and long on the palate with some fine tannins on the finish. I have one bottle left but I don't think I'm going to wait 7 years to try it.

7/8/2021 - meniscus Likes this wine:

My second to last bottle of this. Tasted again after nearly six years and 16 years in bottle. A little ragged when first opened but after 30 minutes of breathing it really opened up.

Color: Beautiful deep ruby/purple center with pink/ruby rim. No browning at all.
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Nose: Deep, rich nose of meat, stewed dark fruits, violet and vanilla.

Palate: Bright fruit flavors and silky tannins on the palate. Red fruits and good acidity keep everything in balance.

Overall: This keeps getting better with age. I'm going to try to wait another five years before opening my last bottle.

6/29/2021 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Very fresh and complex with flower and lemon notes on the nose and palate. Not a lot of acidity so the texture is somewhat creamy. That seems to be typical of the '03s, at least the few I've had. That said, this wine at nearly 18yo, shows no signs of falling apart and is quite delicious.

6/26/2021 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: Winecommune purchase 12 --15 years ago so low expectations. Good fill and no seepage. Cork crumbled even using an ah-so.

Color: Light garnet with just a bit of bricking at the rim. A bit dull and cloudy.

Nose: Rich and complex. Meat, berry/cherry preserves. Some herbs in the background. Very interesting and inviting.

Palate: Lively, but a bit thin. Lightweight on the palate. Bright red fruits with good acidity. Maybe some sour cherry candy? Fairly long finish.

Overall: For a 55 year old Beaujolais, this is remarkable. I expected this to be a drain pour but wound up liking it. I gave it a couple of extra points just for being still alive...

6/22/2021 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: Winebid purchase from ~12 years ago. Low shoulder fill so low expectations. 15% abv.
Color: Deep garnet with slight browning at the rim.
Nose: Deep nose of roast beef and cherry preserves. Some exotic spice element that I can't put my finger on. Very rich, complex and interesting. The high alcohol makes its presence known. Almost port like.
Palate: Sweet, jammy and lively on the palate. Very "late harvest" in character and somewhat hot which is not surprising given the high (especially for the day) abv. Deep fruit with spicy cola notes and a bit of tannin on the long, satisfying finish.
Overall: The back label states that the wine is from very young vines and the grapes were not harvested until November. Certainly not typical of wines of that era and remarkable that it is still drinking so well. A unique experience.

4/28/2021 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: This is the French Oak version that I bought at K&L. Perfect condition and fill.

Color: Like the American Oak, quite light in color, light garnet but really no brown.

Nose: More fruity and less complex than I remember the American Oak version. Strawberry and plum preserves. Just a hint of savory but no earthy funk. For 17+% abv, the alcohol is really in the background.

Palate: Matches the nose. Good acidity and some fine residual tannins suggest this could live for another decade. But, why wait?

Overall: I wish all zins could age this well. There's just something about a fine, mature zinfandel that is totally unique.

4/7/2021 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Purchased from K&L probably 12 or more years ago.

Good fill and cork with no signs of seepage. Fruit from Deaver and Ferrero vineyards. Very closed at first but opened up beautifully with some "air time".

Color: Light purple to garnet rim. Nice with no browning.

Nose: Meaty and complex. Dark preserved fruit and some floral notes. Very mature without being earthy at all.

Palate: So nicely balanced and lifted with great fruit and acidity. Tannins completely resolved. Flavors almost Pinot Noir like. Long, sweet finish with no bitter notes.

Overall: Bravo! This is a rare example of what Calif. zinfandel can be with great fruit and great winemaking.

4/1/2021 - meniscus Likes this wine:

I bought two bottles of this when it first came out and drank the first bottle about 5 or 6 years ago. It was terrible - hot and disjointed with little fruit.

Tonight, it's a different animal entirely. Deep, balanced and complex. Drinks very young. I wish I had a few more of these to see how it evolves.

3/20/2021 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: Purchased from K&L a dozen or more years ago. Top shoulder fill and noticeable signs of seepage so I was prepared for the worst.

Color: Beautiful deep ruby purple fading to ruby/garnet at the rim. No browning at all.

Nose: Deep and rich nose of red fruits, baking spice and dusty earth. An almost marzipan note is interesting in the background.

Palate: The fruit explodes on the palate without being fat or heavy. Juicy plums and other red fruits dominate but there are dusty tannins in the background that give it balance. Youthfulness and the complexity of age stand side by side.

Overall: Remarkable how this has held up and how delicious it is to drink. Not just good for its age - just delicious by any measure. I think this wine is about as good as it's going to get so if you have this, enjoy it now before the tannins overtake the fruit.

12/21/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: 6cm ullage. 12 1/5 abv. Very earthy at first but opened nicely after 30 - 45 minutes.

Color: Nice garnet color to pink rim. No browning at all.

Nose: Smoke, meat, red/purple fruits. Violets and some baking spice.

Palate: Light bodied but nicely balanced on the palate. Some fruit (blueberries) and cola notes with good length and clean finish. Not super complex.

Overall: Wow! 54 years old and still very much alive and enjoyable to drink. They don't make 'em like this anymore...

12/3/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

40 years on and this is still very much alive! Meaty, earthy, pinot nose that's quite complex. Lean and tart on the palate with nice fruit and a long finish. Remarkable!

11/29/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: Winebid purchase ~10yrs ago. Top shoulder fill with recessed cork. No seepage; cork 2/3s saturated.
Color: Deep ruby/purple with garnet rim. No browning at all.
Nose: Rich, mature and complex nose with chocolate, mince pie and pipe tobacco. Cherry preserves and baking spices in the background. No bottle funk at all. Very, very nice.
Palate: A bit thin and astringent on the palate with a short and slightly bitter finish. Muted flavors of cherries, berries and earth. This was not expected given the nose. Disappointing...
Overall: For a 50 year old wine, this could have been totally dead. So, while it didn't sing, I give it credit for being alive and drinkable and being enjoyable to nose.

11/22/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

bottle: Purchased a few of these at K&L a dozen or more years ago and discovered them tonight. Great fill but cork saturated all the way to the top.
color: Very youthful deep purple with no bricking at the rim whatsoever. Nice sheen and sparkle
Nose: Vanilla and cherry syrup. Very un-cabernet like. Cherry pie/cobbler too.
Palate: Fruity and delicious on the palate. Great balance of fruit, acid and resolved tannins. Youthful - you would never know this was a 40 year old wine. More complex than the nose but also very un-cabernet like. Long finish with no bitterness. Delicious! Also, for me, the 14% abv is not evident at all.
Overall: What a pleasant surprise. This way exceeded expectations! Glad I have two more. Probably won't get any better but no hurry to drink them.

10/3/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: perfect fill. perfect cork soaked 1/16th inch. Never see that on a wine this old.
Color: Beautiful deep purple to ruby rim. Nice sheen and sparkle.
Nose: Smoke, earth, tobacco, and herbs frame plums and cherries.
Palate: A bit thin but complex and well balanced with some residual tannin in the finish. Flavors echo the nose.
Overall: I was apprehensive about this after reading the other reviews but this one hit a triple. I got no bell pepper notes and the wine was superb with roast chicken.

7/23/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: Perfect fill and cork

Color: Very pretty ruby with garnet rim. Nice sheen and sparkle.

Nose: Wow! This is pretty interesting and complex for a CDR! Initial impression of plums and blackberries, there's subtle tar, violets and cinnamon spice underneath.

Palate: Very rounded, mouth filling and smooth on the palate. Sweet berry flavors dominate but the wine is completely dry. No alcohol heat either. Lots of life left but probably at or just past its peak.

Overall: This way exceeded expectations. I don't think they make CDRs like this anymore. Most I taste are fruit/alcohol bombs. Sad.

6/25/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: Bought from K&L 12 years ago when they were liquidating the Cronin library. Perfect condition
Color: Pale garnet. Very mature looking
Nose: Earthy, zesty, dried rose petals. Violets, smoke and strawberries. Very attractive.
Palate: Lively acidity attacks the palate with flavors echoing the nose. Firm structure, lots of depth and a fairly long finish. Somewhat lean and tart in overall impression but very enjoyable.
Overall: Very impressed for a bottle that I bought 12 years ago for $10. Quite unique...

6/24/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Wow! For an almost 30 year old Zin, this is amazingly fresh and vibrant. Fully resolved tannins but youthful color and fresh berry flavors make this a remarkable older Zin. Great now but this will drink well for another decade at least.

5/19/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: Winebid purchase 10-12 years ago. Bottom neck fill. Cork threatened to crumble but came out intact.
Color: Quite youthful. Deep purple to ruby rim. Very pretty.
Nose: Meat, cherries, lavender, herbs and a hint of earth. Nice.
Palate: Medium bodied and somewhat tannic with a slightly bitter finish. Earthy with muted fruit flavors. Very good with a rich dry aged ribeye but not as good on its own.
Overall: Not great but exceeded expectations.

5/19/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: Winebid purchase 10 years ago. Bottom neck fill. Cork 3/4 saturated. No seepage.
Color: Pretty ruby with garnet rim. Nice sparkle.
Nose: Muted nose of red berries, baking spices and rose petals. Hints of earth.
Palate: A bit thin and light bodied. Sweet cherries/berries/plums somewhat successfully fighting off some bitter, earthy tannins in the background.
Overall: Not great but still drinkable and remarkable for a nearly 50 year old Mendocino County Cab.

5/10/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: Winebid purchase with pushed up cork and mid shoulder fill so low expectations. I don't remember what I paid but I'm sure it wasn't much...
Color: Pretty ruby/garnet with no browning. A pleasant surprise.
Nose: Somewhat shy with strawberries, flowers, herbs and earth.
Palate: A bit thin and tart but still enjoyable. Flavors echo the nose with a long sweet finish that reveals some lingering tannins.
Overall: Amazing considering it's age and provenance.

5/10/2020 - meniscus wrote:

I bought two bottles for $13 ea. (marked down from $30) from K&L and, I have to say, this tastes like a $13 pinot noir. The nose is pleasant and so is the palate but there's very little real pinot character here.

Maybe I got a flawed bottle but it didn't taste corked or cooked, just meh.

4/29/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: bottom neck fill. perfect cork soaked 1/2 inch up.
Color: garnet with no browning. Slightly cloudy.
Nose: lovely mature zinfandel nose of blackberries, strawberries and violets.
Palate: lively and fresh on the palate with fully resolved tannins. flavors echo the nose. medium bodied and very well balanced. 14.6 abv but drinks like 13.
Overall: a wonderful, elegant old Calif. zin in a style you don't see much anymore.

4/16/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: Purchased from K&L 12 years ago for $20. Perfect fill. Perfect cork.
Color: Very pretty ruby with garnet rim. Nice sparkle and sheen.
Nose: Complex and mature. Roast beef. Stewed cherries. Slightly herbaceous.
Palate: Medium bodied with good acidity and red fruits. Some unresolved tannins in the finish slightly detract but have probably kept this alive.
Overall: Way exceeded expectations. A really nice, aged Calif. Cab.

4/14/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

I don't remember where I got this bottle but it's been in my cellar for at least 10 years.

Color: Nice mature pinot garnet. Pretty.
Nose: Really nice distincty pinot earthy bouquet. Hint of oak. Ripe and lush. This is what I seek in Pinot Noir.
Palate: Lively acidity dances across the palate and very nicely balances the lush fruit. Very complex and delicious with a long finish. Refreshingly no heat or over ripeness. There's a certain rusticity that keeps this from being great but, for what it is, it's very good.

4/13/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: Winebid purchase 10 years ago. Bottom neck fill. Cork only soaked half way up.

Color: Deep ruby garnet. Very pretty considering the age.

Nose: That great resinous nose that old Sebastiani wines sometimes have. Probably from fermenting or aging in redwood vats. Beyond that, dried rose petals, dried meat and cherry compote with a touch of earth. Very nice.

Palate: Light bodied and somewhat dry on the palate. Tart but lively red fruits with a medium finish.

Overall: This was probably much better ten or twenty years ago but it's still very much alive and enjoyable with pork saltimboco so that counts for something...

4/10/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Winebid purchase 10 years ago. Low shoulder fill with signs of seepage. Cork was completely saturated. Low expectations.

This was still surprisingly good, though. Nice color with no hint of browning. Nose and palate were solid with some nice fruit and complexity. A touch of earthy bitterness in the finish prevented this from being scored 90.

4/10/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

I was amazed at how youthful this wine is. Deep purple color with very fruity nose and palate. Resolved tannins but this is drinking quite well.

2/29/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: bottom neck fill and cork saturated 1/2 way up. Purchased from K&L about 10 years ago.

Color: very pretty ruby/garnet with very slight bricking at the rim. No browning at all.

Nose: tapenade, stewed cherries, vanilla.

Palate: light bodied but good length and balance. sweet entry. flavors of cherries and herbs. A bit of earthiness in the finish.

Overall: For a 39 year old wine, this is very impressive. It's not great and was probably at its peak 20 years ago. But, that it could drink this well is a testament to Martini's winemaking in this era.

2/27/2020 - meniscus Likes this wine:

This wine was surprising lively for a 23 yo CDR. Nice purple/garnet color. Mature syrah nose. Firm acidity and good fruit on the palate.

Interestingly, my bottle had white CDR Villages label affixed to the front but the correct label on the back. Photos of the front and back labels posted...

12/6/2019 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: I think I got this a dozen years ago from WineCommune for under $10 so low expectations. I thought I was getting a red and was surprised to see white wine on the label.

Color: Deep amber/gold. Like an aged Madeira with a slightly rosy tint. Rather pretty.

Nose: At first closed and somewhat funky. Second night, this has opened up wonderfully. Cross between a dry sherry and a Harbor Mission del Sol. Sherried notes of apple, pear, peach, with hints of smoke and oxidation. Very nice, though.

Palate: Semi sweet, rich and full bodied with lots of fruit and good length and acidity. Flavors echo the nose. A bit of bitterness in the finish prevents it from being outstanding.

Overall: I'm blown away by this 53 year old white Rhone! I thought it would be a drain pour but it's one of the most interesting and unique wines I've ever tasted.

10/17/2019 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Bottle: Purchased upon release for $13. Passive cooled storage since. Perfect fill and cork.
Color: Very deep purple with ruby rim. No browning at all.
Nose: Mineral/iodine notes that I typically get from York Creek. Deep and complex with cherries and dark fruits.
Palate: Rich and lively on the palate. Deep red fruits with a hint of bitterness on the finish that only slightly detracts.
Overall: A really balanced, medium weight and restrained cab. I wish they still mad them like this.

8/21/2019 - meniscus wrote:

Bottle: Purchased upon release. Stored in a passively cooled cellar. Mid neck fill. Cork saturated only 1/2 inch up.
Color: Nice purple color with ruby rim. No browning at all.
Nose: Lovely nose of baked red fruits. Plums, cherries, vanilla, and a touch of earth.
Palate: Soft and fruity with a slightly bitter edge. Almost flabby structure. Disappointing.

8/15/2019 - meniscus Likes this wine:

Wine: Recent Winebid purchase so curious...
Color: Youthful deep purple color. No signs of age whatsoever. Very pretty.
Nose: Mint, eucalyptus, deep cherry and a bit of earth. Blind would have guessed this as Martha's Vyd.
Palate: Flavors echo the nose. Nice light/medium bodied texture with a medium/short finish. Really nice mouthfeel. Fully resolved tannins.

A testament to Charles Myers' winemaking skills. One of the unheralded great California winemakers.

6/27/2019 - meniscus wrote:

Bottle: Purchased on release for $9. Stored in a passively cooled cellar. High shoulder fill, signs of seepage. Cork completely saturated.

Color: Deep inky purple/black with ruby rim. Nice sheen and sparkle.

Nose: Initially closed and hard. Notes after an hour of breathing. Deep and complex. Earth. Leather. Berry and plum preserves. Some pencil shavings and minerals.

Palate: Tart entry with drying tannins. Deep red and black fruits and an iodine quality I get in some Ridge Cabs, usually York Creek. The nose is way better than the palate.

Overall: Ok with a rich steak but not terribly pleasant to drink on its own. Interesting but a disappointment.

2nd day. Softened nicely. More approachable on the palate. Bumped the score up three.