3/17/2024 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:

PnP, consumed over three days. Definitely more savory, earth, and spice notes than fruit. A lot of depth to this wine, it was equally good with food (filet mignon) and by itself with plenty to contemplate. No hint of fading, or even peaking. This stayed the course through the several days it sat opened under cork on my kitchen counter.

12/23/2023 - jonnysandwich Likes this wine:

I've only had the 2016, but this was possibly my favorite of Cayuse's off-Rhone wines; that succulent merlot really shines.

For the first hour this barely tasted like wine at all. Sweet grassy funk flavors balanced with olive, heavy salt, and a gorgeous bouquet of herbs de Provence.

After about an hour, the meat kicked in (with some fruit right behind it), along with a teasing medicinal note I couldn't quite place. (Best I can do is fennel slathered with tart compote.) A piquant combination to be sure—I kept emptying my glass to try to identify the flavor!

If you're a fan of La Rata (or Priorat in general) I suspect you'd really like this. Layers of fruit and herbs wrapped up in light Christophe-style umami funk. It's just a little airborne—it's still good!

3/10/2024 - jdinkin1 wrote:

What a wonderful match for pasta puttanesca with sardines. Fruity but with substance. 5 yums.

1/28/2024 - JRockEsq wrote:

Method: pop and pour; cellar temp; white wine glass

Look: light+ straw

Nose: yeasty funk, pear, fermented lemon, asparagus

Palate: asparagus, lemon, lemon pith, lemon-lime, dry herbs; finish of dry herbs; dry; light+ body; strong, very fine bubbles; medium+ acidity; low- tannin

The more time passed, the more prominent the asparagus became

Overall thoughts: This started out surprising and interesting, but I liked it less and less as time went on. Ultimately, the asparagus note became very distinct and prominent (and drew a lot of reaction from around the table). The structure and mouthfeel were wonderful, as is expected from Ultramarine. Definitely didn't expect to dump about half a bottle between 8+ people tasting it, but here we are. Mediocre wine.

Also, I emailed Ultramarine to see if they thought this was an off bottle or if this is consistent with how the wine would show for this vintage. I never received a response.

3/2/2024 - pbaek wrote:

Wow, this opens up with a nose of stones, flowers, earth, dark cherry fruit. Beautiful, understated palate with marks of cherries, stone, lavender and thyme, liquid spices from Provence in a glass. Complete wine, balance and harmony, grand vin indeed. First bottle from a case of twelve. Chez Finn and Pernille.

3/1/2024 - Biskuit Likes this wine:

Didn't have time to let this sit before drinking, and it's a bit disjointed. Feels both slightly over the hill and not quite ready at the same time if that makes sense. I'll try to save a bit for a few hours from now...

Update: Back a few hours later and it has indeed come together, especially alongside a dry aged NY strip steak from Flannery. Very happy. Lesson learned - open this well in advance of drinking!

1/31/2024 - ChrisinCowiche wrote:

Starting to fade, muted fruit, secondary character. Still pleasant but not the power I remembered.

1/15/2024 - Charlie Carnes Likes this wine:

These are so satisfying. Time to re-up BerserkerDay!!!!

1/16/2024 - mkribar wrote:

On pop and pour, the nose is surprisingly open. Cassis, graphite, thyme. Just a hint of fig/fig jam. Overall smells like this wine is just barely out of its baby phase. Still heavy, coating tannins and medium plus acid--the wine is punishing to drink on its own right now. But the potential is clear: a classic cabernet with the right amount of greenery for a cigar box note in the future.

On day two, now this smells like a nice, classically proportioned cabernet. Dark cocoa, cassis, black cherry, mint, thyme. Tannins are still very much present, but not all consuming. Acid is good. Palate is a nice blend of fruit and savory notes.

On day three, this has really unfurled. Rose, cassis, bing cherry, cocoa dust, clove, rosehip. Tannins still a medium, but not overwhelming, good acid. On the palate: very fruity Ethiopian or Rwandan coffee, cassis, more rosehip, and clove. Some greenness barely poking through. An excellent and classically made cabernet.

1/13/2024 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:

From 375. Even from the half bottle format, this felt like baby killing. Prominent, bold, grippy tannins. Primary fruit, graphite and wet granite. PnP, consumed over three hours, the last glass was definitely the best. Truly excellent now, but patience will definitely be rewarded. Paired with Flannery hanger steak, which helped with those tannins. Delicious.

12/31/2023 - bottles.and.bites Does not like this wine:

color is nearly orange, golden with red hues. Orange peel, mint, savory. Some how tastes overly heavy in mouth feel, yet still somewhat underrripe or astringent on the fruit. Bubbles felt like they dissipate rather quickly, frothy on the pour and then immediately flat. As a wine, it’s tasty. As a sparkling wine, I’m confused by the color and the lack of bubbles. As an ultramarine I’m fairly disappointed for our New Year’s Eve pop. Maybe popped too early or flawed?

Updated to drop score and mark as flawed based on what I’ve been reading for other 2018s

12/19/2023 - seekingbalance Likes this wine:

First, this wine is, IMO, both better and more approachable early than the 2020 Psi which i gave notes for as well.

This is beautiful wine in nearly every way.

Dark color, purple/ruby, with translucent edge and LONG legs. Very little sediment.

While this is a young wine, it was more immediately approach able than the 2020, and opened relatively quickly (in a big decanter the be fair). About 30 minutes in it was drinking great and very much more open than initially.

I felt it was best at around 60 degrees. Warmer made it "hot" = alcohol and added just a touch of funk, plus detracted from the acidity. Too cold and it just closed up.

The nose is very pure, with violets, wood, some spice notes, a balance of red and dark fruits, tar/tobacco, pepper and as i wrote about the 2020: "if Spain has garrigue, something like it"

The body/palate is NOT heavy or thick. Excellent. A nice wine with power and flavor, but not over the top, no sweetness. Paired very well with food, which in this case was a sweet&savory braised pork shoulder. Yum. Served over risotto, also yum.

The finish was medium long, and there were no unpleasant surprises.

Acid and mineral balance is very good.

I suspect this wine can last for decades (properly stored) and will evolve. OTOH, its not strictly necessary. There are no green tannins or obnoxious tannins here. Its silky, but structured. OTOH i have had so many Ribera's really develop complex earthiness as they pass 10 years. All i can say is that i look forward to trying this periodically over the next 15 years, or more.

I really like this wine.

12/13/2023 - DevenStephens Likes this wine:

Grenache blind tasting of the world! Comparing Grenache from Australia, France, USA and Spain.
Order served blind was:
#1 Ochota Barrels Grenache The Fugazi 2021 (90pts)
#2 Domaine Giraud Grenache de Pierre 2019 (94pts)
#3 Cayuse God Only Knows Grenache 2019 (93pts)
#4 Alto Moncayo Garnacha 2020 (92pts)
Also included my points for each so you know where I ranked them.

Here are my notes for the Cayuse God Only Knows:
Light red color. Nose is incredible, if you've had Cayuse before you'd recognize it immediately. That barnyard funk, dry aged meat and canned mushrooms (my sister found this note and its undeniably that). Palate was a tad bitter at first and needed a couple hours to smooth out the rough edges. Still incredibly funky and extremely unique. Barnyard, meaty, mushrooms and forest floor. This was better with food honestly and the only thing showing that this is grenache is the light red fruits hidden under all the weird but interesting notes. As unique as this was, I can't give it that high a score. It's good but tries to impress by being the weird one and comes off as pretentious. I'd be really curious on trying this one with some age.

11/5/2023 - CondorKhan wrote:

Found a bottle at Safeway, of all places, nearly 10 years after I drank my last one...

Don't know if it's a library release or if it's been at Safeway for 10 years.. the lady at the wine section didn't know.

But I can say that it's just as good, if not better than 10 years ago.

Reading my notes, and remembering my experience, this is quite similar... Maraschino cherries, blueberries... gives the feeling of warm berry compote. Tannins are resolved, soft and silky. Body is medium, acidity present but quite soft. This is elegant, refined, with no sharp edges. Just a stunning example of a classic wine.

"Bad" years separate the wheat from the chaff, and it's evident that you need someone like Paul Draper to craft something so special and elegant in a year like 2011.

9/12/2023 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine:

At home, with Chicken Provencal. A perfect wine, perfectly ready! Garnet, slightly translucent, hint of amber edge. Decanted two hours. Powerful, complex, unmistakable Bordeaux aromas of cassis, cedar, leather, tobacco. High glycerin, very viscous. Full-bodied but also round and smooth, with soft tannin. The flavors match the aroma and increase on the palate, with an extremely long aftertaste. This will easily last many more years but it can't get any better than perfection!
Ric

2/26/2023 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine:

This is pretty excellent right now but I would give it another year or so to settle down. Deep delicious fruit, some chocolate. Drank quickly and with non-winos (mistake) after a 2 hour decant. Never had time to really talk about it and reflect and then it was gone before I put away 4 oz for day 2 oops.

8/25/2023 - Fugu Me wrote:

3.0l boxed wine. Secondary fermentation.

7/24/2023 - thesternowl wrote:

Served to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep ruby color with a slightly orange rim. Medium+ viscosity and some moderate staining of the tears. There appears to be some sign of sediment as well. On the nose, the wine was intense with notes of dark cherries, a mix of red and black bramble fruits, licorice, some leather and dried gravelly earth. I don’t detect any use of barrique but maybe some large format oak. This has an old world nose to it that was really lovely. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose and while the fruit had some power, it came in a body that was pretty fit and tidy. Alcohol is medium+. The finish is long and had some stoney minerals too. I called Brunello di Montalcino from a warmer vintage like 2009. Whoa…2007 Beaucastel! Damn, they hit so different than most other CdP’s. So much more restrained! But now that it has been revealed and I’ve allowed more time for it to breathe in my glass, I totally get its sense of place. One of my big takeaways is that I need more experience with these wines, particularly with age because that’s when they become more interesting to me. This is drinking well now but I expect it will continue to do so through 2032 with ease.

6/23/2023 - BRR Likes this wine:

Ron's note nails it in that the wine's structure is starting to fade a bit. I think this has begun its decline and those with bottles should drink them soon. Lots of dark fruit and a nice subtle leather note underneath, but the fruit is starting to take on a slightly flabby and prune-like edge, and this is most noticeable on the nose. It's enjoyable still, but I think the weaker vintage is starting to show itself.

4/3/2023 - arthur05 Likes this wine:

LOVE THIS 2012! Loaded with intense black fruit and great tannin. With much discipline, I look forward to trying it again in 5 years.

2/28/2023 - thesternowl wrote:

Popped and poured, consumed over three days. Consistent throughout. The 2007 “Pagliaro” pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core and a slightly watery rim. There appears to be a slight sign of sediment. High viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is high intensity and is absolutely mesmerizing with notes of ripe dark brambly fruit, desiccated black cherry, beef broth, exotic spices, blood sausage, pipe tobacco, well oiled leather, red flowers and ferrous minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the fruit and non-fruit characteristics. The finish is medium+. This baby is so grippy! An absolutely stellar bottle of Pagliaro that is strutting right now provided it gets some air and then after that, take your time. This has some real staying power. Drink now and through 2035. Bottle No. 5278/14100.

2/20/2023 - csimm wrote:

Still holding on to your precious 2017 Fingers Crossed white (yes, singular 'white,' since most of you only have one)? Life too scary out there and ya just can't bring yourself to crack the 2018? Still waiting for that perfect eharmony experience before busting out the 2019? Wouldn't dare touch your newly arrived 2020's until your newborn goes to college and then disappoints you with a career in Macy's retail? No worries my friends. I'm here for you...

Youthfully primary (shocker, right?!), a bit straight-laced on the front end (familiar lemon and pear notes), with a push of heft and traction as it digs in mid-palate, the 2020 Fingers Crossed white is a sizeable mouthful at first pass, but surprisingly is able to find a sense of balance and polish despite its enormity and juvenility. There is an angularity that creeps up on the finish, but is tempered by subtle waves of succulence that round-out the tail enough that it never presents as blocky or stubborn. At moments it is a bit foursquare in mouthfeel, but then it unlocks its little box of mysteries and a few gems sneak out to assist in elevating its vibrancy and complexity. This is clearly in transition, but the stuffing is all about classy-compelling juice. Everything is properly poised for its supernova; just be patient young Jedi.

Looking vertically at the '17, '18, '19, and now '20 Fingers Crossed whites, there are sibling similarities and contrasts that seem to carry throughout their respective profiles (at least, currently). As often is the case with first-borns, the 2017 is the responsible and most even-keeled of the bunch, with a demeanor that speaks to a "very mature for his age," Texas A&M Law School-bound kid, but who also might moonlight as a stand-up comic to pay for tuition. The 2018's successes will be straight off of scholarship (and not necessarily for being President of the Mathletes); it may also be an Aggie like its brother, but wholly because of his offensive tackle prowess. Growing up, the 2018 used to pummel bullies at school for picking on his older (but littler) brother. The 2019 will be Supreme Highness of the United Federation of the New World Order and save us from intergalactic nuclear war against the evil Mangalores.

The 2020's path isn't as carved-out as its kin. Determination and subsequent success are givens, but the manifestation of that could swing to celebrity Bryan Cranston (you know him; he's famous, but you have to Google-image him to remember who he is), or rather a tech start-up type who wears boardshorts and Converse to work, looks like Johnny Depp's second cousin, mints money like every ex-husband Zsa Zsa Gabor ever had, and flips companies like they are million dollar flapjacks.

My recent CT scores (for those who care at all about numerics) have been/are:
2017: 95
2018: 97-99+
2019: 98-100
2020: 96-97+

The 2020 is a broad-shouldered effort whose contours are shaped by clubbable style and panache, but also with a clear flex that adds a weighty measure to the execution. There was some palate fatigue going on with my chintzy chompers about halfway through consumption. It's a big wine - less so in a powerful way a-la the 2018, but more in a strapping way. This will ease with time without question. So, do what I never do, and hold for at least a few years before destroying one of your dearly safeguarded bottles. Time aside, this 2020 is a worthy addition to the already successful trifecta '17-'19 renditions that are some of the most compelling domestic (US) Rhone whites out there.

1/29/2023 - akinisky Does not like this wine:

The funk on this wine is unique and hard to overcome. I didn't like it after P&P through a venturi into a decanter and then pouring into a glass. In fact, I poured it back into the decanter. I came back to it a couple of hours later and it had softened, but the funk was still in the background. I really hope every Horsepower wine doesn't smell/taste like that.

11/12/2022 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:

PnP, clear ruby color, this had nice, balanced fruit and acidity. Easy to drink on its own, also went just fine with some roasted salmon and veggies with chimichurri. Had some leftover for a second night and it was still drinking well, so no hurry on drinking these. Will easily hold for another 5-7 years.

11/4/2022 - thesternowl wrote:

Tonight, this bottle of 2010 Fenocchio Barolo “Villero” gave a masterclass on the character and virtues of the Villero MGA. I have always felt that massive patience would be required for the 2010 vintage since the wines are so structured. However, the Villero fruit, as it so often does, showed through with aplomb. The most prized parcels are located in the upper portions of the vineyard and this is where Giacomo Fenocchio’s holdings reside.

Opened and simply allowed to breathe for about an hour before dinner. In the glass, the wine pours a luminous ruby color with a transparent core. No staining of the tears. Medium+ viscosity. On the nose, the wine is expressive with notes of dark cherries, sandalwood, anise, fresh red roses and tar. On the palate, the wine is bone dry and the structure, in typical 2010 fashion, remains monumental…even at 12 years of age. In fact, the tannin seemed to build as the hours went by. That being said, the fruit was still abundant and full of class: cherries, forest strawberries, dry earth, spiced meat and minerals. Juicy and textured at the same time and the finish was hedonistic. While this is already drinking so well, this will have a long life. Drink now with patience and through 2040.

7/20/2022 - forceberry wrote:

A blend of Tempranillo (80%) from 30-yo vines and Garnacha (20%) from La Pedriza vineyard planted at high altitude in La Rioja Baja, all picked in mid-October. This is the third vintage that was made completely from fruit sourced from estate vineyards (traditionally at least a part of Garnacha has been purchased). Fermented and macerated in stainless steel, aged in stainless steel tanks until March 2011. The Tempranillo wines were aged for 36 months in American oak barriques averaging 4 years old and the Garnacha wines were aged for 30 months in 2nd and 3rd use American oak barrels. Blended and bottled in May 2015. 13,5% alcohol, 6,01 g/l acidity and pH 3,56. Total production 50,000 cases. Tasted blind.

Moderately translucent and very slightly evolved black cherry color with a pale rim. Very big and sweet-toned nose dominated by classic Rioja aromas of vanilla and wizened figs, some leathery tones, a little bit of ripe red cherry, light toasty notes of mocha, a hint of redcurrant jam and a touch of cloves. The wine is dry, firm and surprisingly fresh on the palate with a medium body and rather oak-driven flavors of vanilla and toasty oak spice and with notes of fresh redcurrants and wild strawberries, some tart lingonberries, a little bit of clove, light sweeter notes of dried figs, a funky hint of sweaty leather saddle and a nice bitter touch of sour cherry. The structure relies mostly on the rather high acidity and somewhat noticeable bitterness, as the ripe and quite gentle tannins mainly contribute to the silky texture of the wine, rather than to the structure. The finish is rich, long and gently grippy with layered flavors of vanilla oak and clove-driven spice, some toasty oak tones, a little bit of dried figs, light red-tone notes of redcurrants and wild strawberries, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of old leather.

I honestly thought of La Rioja Alta from the first sniff and with the first taste I thought this must be either Ardanza or Arana, from a relatively recent vintage. Close enough - right with the first guess. However, although very recognizable for the house style, the wine still felt a bit unbalanced: first off, the nose was not only bursting with vanilla notes, but also showing quite a bit of toasty mocha oak character, which felt a bit out of place for a LRA wine. Furthermore, the wine otherwise came across as a bit more evolved than I anticipated for a 2010 and only from the quite unresolved structure and still very prominent oak tones I guessed that this must be a relatively recent vintage - otherwise I would've went with a vintage 10 years older! Nevertheless, I'd say that the wine might be just lacking in age; it might now feel a bit awkward, but there seems to be good promise for future evolution (even if the tannic structure was surprisingly soft and mellow for a 2010 LRA!). The wine really could use some additional aging and I guess it needs another 10 years or so before it really starts to come together. What I've learned from drinking young and old Ardanza is that these wines really can take on some aging and they really benefit from it.

1/9/2022 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:

Consumed over 1+ weeks, with the last glass being the best. Really zippy acidity begs for food. Successfully paired with Indian, Mexican and Thai. Lots going on with this wine, with citrus and grilled pineapple, with other notes intermingled. Would be fascinating to follow this over the years that this has ahead of it. Thank you, Slye, for generously sharing a bottle from your stash!

7/24/2022 - Eric wrote:

Quite light in color, almost reminiscent of a Pinot Noir.

The nose is earthy, brambly, celery seed, super nice funk, a little bit of a lifted/VA note, subtle, not overdone.

Palate is deep, sour cherry, raspberry, savory, mineral, with nice acidity. Deeply sweet and sour, light but well balanced.

Very enjoyable!

7/14/2022 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine:

This has been open 5 days or so. At first it struck me as decent but fairly generic soft Napa/Sonoma Cab, and it stayed that way for 3-4 days, but now it’s improved significantly. Nose of dark fruits like black currant, along with a nice raw meat and blood note, some herbal aspects that approach mint but don’t quite get there, and some soil. The wine has built grip on the palate and finish as well. It does have silky aspects but it’s also got some oomph and structure. Medium weight with nice dark fruits and blood and some minerality. The finish is good and bodes well for the future. A very good Cab for the $ that doesn’t fall into the overdone nonsense common for the region today. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 17/20.

Another taste shows some more reddish fruits - raspberry and some dark cherry. There is a liveliness and a spiciness - dark and baking spices. A hint of sweetness from oak. The palate shows lively with tiny berry fruit - focused and crisp with the good red and dark fruits and the spiciness. All this carries well through to the finish.

6/6/2022 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:

Baby killing. This has the makings of something really good, but the tannins are currently overly assertive and only calm down a little bit overnight. I think these need another 2-3 years to begin to be approachable.

9/22/2019 - peternelson wrote:

Very dark, quite viscous, big rich chewy high alcohol Sagrantino. Notes of charred meat, licorice, black berries, prune, ash, and a dose of amaro. Too much for the red sauced spaghetti alla chittara, but the pork ragu almost stood up to this monster. I liked this a lot more when tasted (and purchased) at the estate. I used to be a big fan of Sangrantino, but now I find it just overdone and a bit overwhelming. Consumed at Union in Pasadena.

4/9/2022 - mflesh wrote:

Got to sit down with the new G2 Andremily Syrah from Paso Robles Willow Creek AVA. The vineyard on Las Tablas Willow Creek Rd produces some powerful fruit! This is a blend of 88% Syrah and 12% Mourvedre. This one was decanted for 0 minutes and 0 seconds and I don't think it detracted from the experience in any way. Pours inky purple to the glass with a perfumed nose of roasted plums, black fruit, baking spices. Palate is youthful, sweet purple and black fruits, boysenberry, a hint of vanilla, spice cake. Finishes with a lot of blackberry spice and toasted yet very refined and silky cedar tannin finish. Definitely not a colossal mess in any way, but needs time to integrate and develop for sure!!

4/2/2022 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:

Dark, brooding, rich and decadent. Quite stunning as a youngster. Wouldn't normally open something this young, but as my first vintage of purchasing the Mourvèdre, I wanted to check in on it. Wow. This has tremendous depth already. Excited to see how this will evolve.

12/24/2021 - Michael T. Zoppo Likes this wine:

Incredibly youthful, you can't believe the label says 1955. And the dark color confuses you even more. Bright fruit on the red/dark red side of things, tons of soil character, floral notes, bright acidity, and an epically long finish. I don't usually go for wines this old, but this was truly an enjoyable bottle and worth the tariff if you can find it.

1/11/2022 - ledocq Likes this wine:

My first Huet of any sort. Oh. My. God. The QPR is so good the retail price seems like some kind of trick. And you guys say this stuff ages into...something even BETTER? The rest of 2022 might be hell, but this and the kitten I just adopted are simply adorable.

12/25/2021 - ChrisinCowiche wrote:

24 slow ox decant. Room temp. Attack is warm cherry, cassis, blackberry, midpalate thyme, silk, warm silk, mint, tannins that are like silk (in case you missed that) with deep cocoa spice finish. Extreme length. Still a baby, but highest I've ever scored a wine.

Served with prime rib, cheese soufflé, prosciutto green beans.

12/9/2021 - mark2eye Likes this wine:

Prosciutto and watermelon in a glass.

11/29/2021 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine:

Coravin pour—pnp and then consumed over 90 min. Bursting with flavor and layers of complexity even at this young age. Unbelievable.

10/25/2021 - Oliverl1 Likes this wine:

This is the second time I have tried this vintage in the past few months and the second time I was disappointed. The first time I thought I did not decant for long enough, so on the second time I decanted for 4 hours and I really cannot say too much about this one. It is rather one-dimensional and uneventful. Am I missing something or is it just way too young?

9/27/2021 - grafstrb wrote:

-- decanted approx. 1.25 hrs. prior to initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind for 2.5 hours after the decant period --
-- 375 mL --

NOSE: ripe, dark red and purple fruits; not funky; no pencil shavings; a touch fumey; not complex, as it shows today.

BODY: dark violet-garnet color of great depth; sediment present; no bricking; medium to medium-full body.

TASTE: dark fruited; medium-low to medium acidity; cedar/oak; floral hint; concentrated dark cherry; very fine tannins -- tannins are mostly resolved; labelled at 13.5% alc., and it's a bit noticeable in the form of a warming sensation in the belly -- I wouldn't be surprised to find this is closer to 14.5% than it is 13.5%; it's a big, albeit not gloppy, wine; still young, even from this 375mL; a touch bitter; not nearly as thrilling as the barrel sample I tasted many years ago. It will be interesting to see how this ages: I am a bit concerned, on account of the low-ish acidity, and the lack of much behind the fruit, the alcohol, and bitter nature of the fruit. GPL is one of my pet favorite producers, so this was a rather surprising, and disappointing, experience. Hopefully things rebound with time.

50, 5, 11, 15, 7 = 88

10/13/2021 - Robert Pavlovich Likes this wine:

I liked this four summers ago, when it was just trying to turn secondary, but now we are definitely there. The palate is very open and giving, yet retaining a slight sense of firmness and backbone, making for excellent balance. The red fruit is very fresh and elegant, with the herbal element that was so harsh in its youth, now fully integrated. Some floral and white spice character add complexity. Not as cloyingly sweet, and overtly strawberry as the 06’ had a few years back, this is showing a good savory streak to balance its sweetness. It finishes good and medium, with fine tannins, though the real joy here is on the palate, having a weightlessness that’s unique in Barolo. An excellent and classic Monvigliero, those who know this wine should be happy when they open their bottles.

10/17/2021 - Ianttuck Likes this wine:

The fact that Reynvaan isn't mentioned in every conversation about the best American producers is a near tragedy. This wine is a perfect example of the absolute best in Washington state syrah. It's almost unfair that a wine can be this powerful yet still so elegant. Beautiful sweet dark fruit mixed with lavender enveloping smoky meaty unctuosness.

10/9/2021 - AllRed wrote:

Decanted. Very meaty, with loads of black fruit underneath. Full-bodied with firm, fine tannins and flavors of game, black fruit and peppery spice. Lingering finish. 93+ pts. (tlv)

10/15/2021 - JonnyG wrote:

A disappointing bottle, dirty to the point of being unenjoyable. I won't deem this flawed as that seems to me to be exonerating the winery. It was just poorly made, sorry.

10/9/2021 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:

Decanted for an hour, then poured back into bottle to take to a restaurant. The aroma of the wine while pouring into the decanter was amazing. The wine was absolutely gorgeous. Incredible purity. Still plenty of fruit, strawberries with damp earth and a bit of truffle, but also beginning to hint at tertiary development. Wonderful.

Had with lamb ossobucco and filet mignon ravioli with porcinis. The wine was perfect with the food.

9/23/2021 - Gunakadeit Likes this wine:

Contrary to some other notes, I don’t think the tannins are that bad at this point, and I think the montepulciano in the blend is fairly prominent—it’s clear there is sagrantino, but I don’t think it dominates. Drank this over 6 hours (decant) but I don’t know that it fundamentally changed it, and it may have been best on opening.

9/6/2021 - casjf Likes this wine:

My last bottle of Justin Isosceles from the old owners. I was afraid it would be past it’s prime, but it was absolutely stunning. Great pairing with standing rib roast. Flavors of black currant, green pepper, cloves, raspberry & smoke.

9/2/2021 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine:

First of this vintage we've tried, just curious how a very young one would taste; also opened a 2010 Cailloux to compare. Two totally different wines. This was an opaque garnet-purple, the 2010 a slightly translucent dark ruby with slight brown edges. This had a fresh, fruity aroma of strawberries-raspberries, some "grapey" qualities, seemed similar to a young zin. The 2010 was more of a typical Cayuse, with its smoke and roasted meat aromas. On the palate this had lots of fresh fruit, nice acidity, but tannin well in the background, remarkably drinkable for such a young wine. The 2010 had softer, round, more elegant and complex flavors, now fully mature. A fascinating comparison of the same wine eight years apart. Both very enjoyable, very drinkable now.
Ric

9/1/2021 - guillermo- Likes this wine:

Rarely have I tasted a wine that all concerned were wowed by. This is one of them. “Buy more of this,” I was told by someone whose first love is Riesling.

This wine is not about complexity. It is about purity. It’s linear, yes. But it is like drinking pureness. Acidity is very well balanced by fruit. No hard edges. No off notes. Everything as it should be.

After the first glass, the rest served as accompaniment to a pasta dish in which goat cheese featured prominently. In that role, it did the job well. Not surprising, since goat cheese is a classic pairing. The dish also had asparagus which is notoriously hard to pair, so I won’t ditch any point for not standing up to it. Still very good.

I have a few more bottles and I’m getting more if I can find them.

Edit: I should have noted, I splash-decanted the wine about 2 hours before serving, poured it back into the bottle, recorked and put it back in the fridge until the time came.

8/31/2021 - PDX-S wrote:

Zalto Burgundy glass over two days- recorked without gas.
This wine is at the tail end of its primary window and just starting to gain some nice tertiary aromas and flavors.
Day one and the wine was plenty fresh and primary, though today on day two and the primary notes start to be subsumed by the tertiary characteristics.
Aromas of tarragon and tomatoes lay over plums and blackberries.
The palate is rich and spicy, with dark fruits, tarragon and spice coming through, though it finishes savory with reduced tomatoes and balsamic umami notes.
There is plenty of acid lingering around both in the body of the wine and on the edges of the tongue. The tannins themselves are completely integrated, showing up only as a mild drying tea sensation on the finish.
Drink now if you’d like the last of the primary fruit characteristics, or hold if you prefer the savory tertiary development. The acid and structure will go at least another 5 years.