10/17/2022 - mikevince Likes this wine:

I agree with Mark1NPT across the board. We had waited a few years since we had this same vintage and we were rewarded for the patience. This wine is fantastic right now. Decanted for about an hour before drinking and it was singing. Classic Anderson with dark fruit on the nose, very rich wine but not over the top. Still plenty of structure left, but tannins are mellow and beautifully smooth, with some 'chewiness' remaining and a finish that lingers for some time.

9/10/2022 - mikevince Likes this wine:

Opened for our anniversary last night as we do every year (married in '06!). This wine never disappoints. Still some chewiness 16 years in and plenty of dark rich fruit left. Fills the senses on the nose - classically Heitz. Not going to get any better at this point, but this has plenty of life left.

5/29/2021 - mikevince Likes this wine:

We drank one of these about 5 years ago and one 3 years ago. They were a little too fruity with some minor heat on the finish. Enjoyable but still tasted like a work in progress. The bottle last week was outstanding. Rich fruit but still fresh. Reminded us of Firebelle. Smooth but with enough tannins and structure for a long finish. Looking forward to the few I have left.

3/23/2021 - mikevince wrote:

This was on the thin side for a cab. I prefer my cali cabs with richer dark fruit but this lacks punch. More raspberry than dark cherry or blackberry. Slight alcohol finish. Might mellow out a little further with a couple more years in bottle but this is best as a weekday dinner pairing. Decent but wouldn't buy again if I had the choice.

12/22/2020 - mikevince Does not like this wine:

Drank this tonight both on it’s own and with dinner. My wife and I agreed it was a no character fruit bomb and nearly undrinkable. May use it to cook. Giving it some air and will seal and try again tomorrow, but the wine had little structure. I’ve been disappointed on the last several Tensley wines we’ve tasted including other Colton syrahs, the fundamental and others and not sure what everyone is seeing in these wines. Perhaps the wines we received from wine access several years ago were bad but we have the 2011/12/13, detente and others. Consistently underwhelming. They have been well stored in our cellar. I’ll try an ‘11 soon and hope the accolades hold true.

11/7/2020 - mikevince Likes this wine:

Enjoyed with pasta and meatballs. Nice nose. Some dustiness and very rich. Tannins are smoothed out but there is still a little chewiness on the finish. Dark fruits. Delicious. This has plenty of time left but is ready now.

10/30/2020 - mikevince Likes this wine:

We had this last night with pasta/red sauce/meat balls. It would have been fantastic with or without the food. Rich, inky purple in the glass. Had a nose like a Heitz cab with similar structure. Very smooth at this point, dark fruit, some chewiness still present. This feels like it can continue to age well, but no need to wait if you're looking to open a rich red. We loved it. A couple bottles left and looking forward to trying the 2013 next year.

9/23/2020 - mikevince Likes this wine:

This was fantastic with grilled steak and has enough punch to continue improving. Dark fruit on the nose and coats the mouth. Already very smooth. Classic rich Napa cab. Looking forward to another in a year or two, but this is plenty ready to drink right now.

2/27/2020 - mikevince wrote:

Impressive. We typically drink the CSM chards or Indian Wells cabs as easy going party wine or mid weeker. They're typically easy drinkers and enjoyable. This was much more impressive. Some layers to the flavor and very smooth. Perhaps a little light on the nose, but this wine is a good pickup and excellent value if you're looking for a cab to satisfy dinner guests without breaking the bank.

8/22/2019 - mikevince Does not like this wine:

We did not expect this to be so sweet. We've tried 3 different bottles over the last couple years and it's just a very disappointing. Almost Riesling like. Slightly effervescent and sweet. We unfortunately have 3 left. Maybe we can use them for cooking.

6/23/2019 - mikevince Likes this wine:

We opened one of our bottles a couple years ago and were not fans at all. Pretty heavy alcohol that overwhelmed everything else. Decided it was time to try again this weekend and was pleasantly surprised. This has really evolved. Has some richness but was more akin to a Brunello than a Napa cab. Good depth, some chewiness, smooth finish and moderate fruit. Will give the last two bottles another year and try again. Enjoyable.

12/1/2018 - mikevince Likes this wine:

This wine was fantastic. Enjoyed it last night with pasta and red sauce and it was rich and incredibly smooth. Was fine on its own after the meal as well. Terrific nose, reminded me of Larkmead Firebelle in that regard - bright berries. Tannins are very smooth and a great finish. Ordered some more afterwards. (Found it at Invino for $30!)

8/19/2018 - mikevince Likes this wine:

We really enjoyed this. Very bright fruit nose reminded us of Larkmead Firebelle. Plenty of fruit left, clearly Merlot in the blend. Tannins are very integrated at this point. Soft mouth feel and no alcohol bite. Good stuff.

1/13/2018 - mikevince wrote:

I agree with the last review. This was not what I've come to expect from Anderson - wine was too light and didn't have the backbone of other Anderson cabs I've had. 2011 was not a great napa cab year, so this wine may simply reflect the vintage. Not a bad wine, but falls well short of the 2010 and 2013.

1/13/2018 - mikevince Does not like this wine:

I've had some other Carl Roys that were meaningfully better. Fruit is already fading. Tasted more like an Italian blend than a Napa cab blend. Not terrible, but have enjoyed the 2009 and 2013 East Sides much more than the 2012, a year that was generally good for early consumption.

1/13/2018 - mikevince Does not like this wine:

I was surprised how unenjoyable this wine was. It should have enough years under it to have evolved, but neither my wife nor I like this much at all. Modest fruit, tinge of alcohol on finish, tannins were integrated fairly well, just not much character at all. If it was a cheaper wine, I may have just dumped it and opened something else. Two more in storage, but I don't have much hope this will get any better in the next couple years.

7/8/2017 - mikevince wrote:

We've had a couple of the Anonyme (2009 and 2010) the last few weeks including a 2010 this evening. The nose is clean but with some alcohol (poured with Vinturi and sat 10 minutes). Smooth with subtle fruit initially, but the finish is not appealing. That has been the case on the last few bottles we have consumed. Had a couple of these two years ago and we enjoyed them more then. Not sure what the issue is, but the finish is off-putting and it makes the wine unenjoyable. We have 10 more 9s and 10s left and I'm not looking forward to them, which is disappointing to say the least. I'll give this one a little more air and come back to this review if it gets any better.
UPDATE: I left the remainder of the bottle in the decanter overnight and drank it on day 2. Was markedly better on the finish than Day 1, so it appears that extended air make a big difference. Up score from 87 to 89. Not a great wine, but enjoyable at least. I think I'll sit on these for another 2-3 years before popping another.

3/10/2017 - mikevince Likes this wine:

Incredibly smooth. Classic nose and plenty of fruit left. Direct from the winery and perfectly preserved.

4/7/2017 - mikevince wrote:

Wine was over the top fruity and not at all what I have experienced with other bottles of Anonyme. Dumped out half the bottle after letting it sit for 24 hours. Never evolved and had no subtlety or structure. It was smooth, but that's the best thing I can say about it. Have a couple others and some 2010s and hopefully those will be be better.

2/14/2017 - mikevince Likes this wine:

My wife and I loved this over a steak dinner. Great nose of classic Cab fruit. Very smooth but with a lot of tannic structure brought on by the Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. This is in a great drinking window now but has plenty of life left, so I'll leave my other two bottles for a couple years down the road.

11/20/2016 - mikevince Likes this wine:

We had this with pasta and tomato sauce and it was fantastic. Right in the drinking window with moderate raspberry and other similar flavors and some tannins on the finish. Good stuff.

11/20/2016 - mikevince wrote:

Drank this after a 2010 Lirac and it disappointed. Smooth on the finish, but all black licorice and fruit without much else. Hopefully this is just one of the 2013's that will settle down after a few more years in the cellar. I'll try again in a couple years.

4/15/2016 - mikevince Likes this wine:

We've had several bottles of this over the last few years and it keeps getting better. Plenty of fruit left but not overwhelming. A bit earthy and a smooth finish with moderate tannins.

1/15/2016 - mikevince Likes this wine:

Good fresh fruit. Light and not overwhelming on the fruit attack. Smooth finish for such a young wine. We let it breath for a bit and we really enjoyed it.

6/15/2015 - mikevince Likes this wine:

This was just a sensational wine. Held off on it for a few years and glad we did. Great right out of the bottle. Rich flavor and great nose. Classic big cab and smoothed out a little more after about 45 minutes of air. Enjoyed with ribeye and was the perfect compliment. Will try another in a year or two, but the perfect special event wine!

6/8/2013 - mikevince Likes this wine:

My favorite of the Barlow cabs I've owned (03, 04, 06, 07). Rich dark fruit and smooth, lingering finish. Give it 30 minutes to open up.

1/2/2014 - mikevince wrote:

Bought several of these a few years ago hoping to get a decent any night drinker in a good Napa year. First bottle was completely disjointed a couple years ago and I kept hoping things might get better with age. Unfortunately, all 4 bottles we've tried over 3 years have been garbage. Last couple will either be used for cooking or to clean the kitchen drain!

1/27/2013 - mikevince Likes this wine:

Had this last night with Indian cuisine and it was better than I remembered our last bottle being. Good rich fruit, but not overwhelming. Smooth finish with almost no bite. Really enjoyable, and was our last bottle.

10/25/2012 - mikevince wrote:

Beautiful crimson on the pour. A little tight out of the gate, even after the vinturi. But smoothed out beautifully with a rich nose of dark fruit and flavor to match. Not a fruit bomb, but plenty left on this one. Smooth finish. Enjoyed both with dinner and afterwards.

10/25/2012 - mikevince wrote:

We bought 4 of these about 3 years ago, based on the WA and Tanzer ratings. I kept hoping I just got a bad bottle or it needed a little aging, but all 3 we have consumed have been the same. Poor. Decent nose, but no fruit to back it up. Tasted watered down and to some degree sour, and it was the same disappointment for all three we have tried over the last 2 years. Might use the last for cooking, but I'm holding no hopes it will be enjoyable on its own.

9/19/2012 - mikevince wrote:

Same commentary as others regarding the unique nose - as best I can describe it is like wet grass that's been sitting in a compost pile for a week. Threw me at first, but my nose has adjusted and the wine is velvety smooth and has mild fruit and smokiness that we really enjoyed. Didn't need food - pleasurable on its own.

6/1/2012 - mikevince wrote:

Rich cali cab. Opened up after about 30 minutes. Enjoyed.

8/20/2012 - mikevince wrote:

Very rich and fairly complex. Loads of dark fruit dominate. Having consumed three bottles over the last year, my wife and I agree this is best with food but a decent wine any time.

8/20/2012 - mikevince wrote:

Black licorice and some tobacco. Pretty smooth with some aeration. Costco special, and one I will go back for. $10 makes it a great every day drinker.

8/5/2012 - mikevince wrote:

Past its prime, so the fruit was disappearing. Still, very smooth as would be expected (hoped for?) from something this age. Don't let this one air too long - it was at its best right after opening!

8/1/2012 - mikevince wrote:

Young wine, so it took some time to open up. Good underlying fruit and some smokiness. First sip after opening was a little hot, but smoothed out nicely with a little air and some nice tobacco came forward. Enjoyed it - good with rich food.

8/20/2012 - mikevince wrote:

Great summer wine. Not overly complex, but bright fruit with some tartness and a very smooth finish. Cuts through spicy food beautifully. This has become a perfect compliment for dinner at home, and for about $10 a bottle.

6/21/2012 - mikevince wrote:

Rich, almost overripe fruit. Blackberries dominate. Very smooth. Some acidity makes it crisper than most dark reds. When first opened, actually got a very subtle effervescence. Really a delicious wine. First night on its own. Second night, enjoyed with ribs and it was a great compliment. Might smooth out modestly over the next year or two, but tastes like it was made to drink young. A winner.

6/21/2012 - mikevince wrote:

Hadn't opened one of these for a year and was pleasantly surprised. Still plenty of ripe red fruit, but has become more subtle. Some pepper on the finish, but overall very smooth. Enjoyed it on its own.

5/10/2012 - mikevince wrote:

Rich nose, but this wine remains harsh. WA gave this a 91, but this either isn't ready to be consumed or that was a poor review. Have had two bottles, and wine has been disjointed, tannic and hot on the finish both times. Going to wait another year or two and try another bottle.

4/2/2012 - mikevince wrote:

Been sitting on this a couple years and was worth the wait. Enjoyed on its own, post dinner and it was wonderful. Aerated in glass for a few minutes, but was pleasantly surprised by the smoothness without having given it much air. Rich and plenty of dark fruit. This was a great bottle.

1/13/2012 - mikevince wrote:

Light, fruity bouquet. Plenty of flavor but lighter like a pinot noir. A bit of acidity on the finish, but very smooth overall. Didn't need a lot of time to breath, but did get a little better as it aerated. Enjoyed with thai chicken and sushi. Both my wife and I really enjoyed this, and can't beat it for the price (we paid $12).

9/5/2011 - mikevince wrote:

I agree with the comments that this one needs a little air time to show its true colors. Nice deep fruit upon opening but firm tannins on the first taste. Aerated and then left in a decanter for another hour before drinking and it made a huge difference. Good complexity and depth made it seem like a more expensive wine. Really enjoyed it - paired with barbecued pork ribs and grilled potatoes.

8/17/2011 - mikevince wrote:

We loved this wine. Enjoyed with some Thai food. Plenty of fruit but not overwhelming. No bite on the finish. This was our last bottle. Too bad for us!

8/17/2011 - mikevince wrote:

PNP with friends, no food. Aerated during the pour, but didn't give it much time. For such a young wine, we were pleasantly surprised that it didn't need much time. Black licorice and some smokiness, but with enough fruit to balance it. Nice finish. Probably could use another year in the bottle or some more time out of the bottle, but we really enjoyed this one as it was.

7/21/2011 - mikevince wrote:

Pretty consistent with the '04, but not as quite refined. Still an easy drinker after some aeration. If you like rich, fruit forward zins with a good backbone, you'll probably like this.

7/21/2011 - mikevince wrote:

This has been one of our mid-range zins over the past couple years that we really enjoy. Lots of rich fruit and needs a little time to open up, but smoothes out nicely after about 30 min.

7/17/2011 - mikevince wrote:

This was fantastic right out of the bottle. Bold but smooth, great finish. Dark cherry was the flavor that jumped out. Gave it a 30 minute decant and it didn't need any more than that. Drank right after a 98 St Emilion and it more than held its own. This one is ready to drink now!

7/17/2011 - mikevince wrote:

Black licorice and dark chocolate on the nose. Very appealing aromas right after bottle opening.Regarding the taste however, this one definitely needed time to open up. Decanted for 30 minutes, but it still had a tart, unappealing finish. Then used the vinturi and decanted another 30 after that and it finally smoothed out and became rich on the finish. Nice wine and good flavor, but it needs time once it's opened.

6/11/2011 - mikevince wrote:

Enjoyed with a group after a mix of different wines and this held its own nicely. Drank after meal and after decanting for about 30 min. Noticeably milder than the Cali's we had earlier (as expected) and already soft on the finish. Thumbs up from the four of us who shared it.