10/26/2015 - JK wrote:

Tannins fully resolved and I think this might be at its apogee. It did gain flesh in the decanter but I don't think additional bottle age will bring further complexity. Very serviceable at present I just wish it was a little more charming.

9/5/2015 - JK Likes this wine:

Very lactic/creamy a half hour open. Lovely if slighty gamey with some almost Beaune-like raspberry fruit but with the structure of the CdN. Drink now or give another 1 to 2 years.

9/4/2015 - JK wrote:

Drank at Scribe with Burgers with Mike from Hawks.

12/7/2012 - JK Likes this wine:

My last bottle and sorry to see it go...all 6 were delicious with the last still showing great. I served the wine blind and someone at the table guessed Arcadian Chardonnay. Makes you wonder if the best sites in Sta Rita Hills shouldn't all be planted to Pinot Noir. Limestone and Chardonnay works...

2/19/2012 - JK wrote:

In a real solid drinking window right now. Deeply fruited with broad texture. Should continue positive development in the short term.

1/7/2012 - JK wrote:

Decanted 3 hours. Fairly ripe style with violet notes keeping it fresh. They are still layers here yet to unfold. Crowd pleaser but I would have liked more acidity.

10/25/2011 - JK wrote:

Clean and accessible. Red fruits with spice/earth notes. Wait until this puts on flesh/weight.

6/29/2011 - JK Likes this wine:

Nose is coming together - floral with violet. Mid palate lush and concentrated. The back end could shed some muscle. Check back in year.

2/12/2011 - JK wrote:

Coming together, showing velvet. Blue notes, washed slate notes, cinnamon spice. Vosne comes to mind. Extremely appealing. Decanted 2 hours.

8/21/2010 - JK wrote:

Aromatics are open and complex. Loads of silky red fruits finessed around a lithe frame. The power comes more from the length then stuffing. Delicious and giving pleasure.

2/11/2007 - JK wrote:

A liquor quality to the cherry fruit with notes of anise and caramel. In the mouth seemless and long. Showing well.

2/7/2007 - JK wrote:

Blueberry, dried herb and cinnamon spice on the nose. In the mouth lush and layered. Finish slowly unfolds. Delicious bottle of pinot. Distinctly Sonoma Coast.

1/30/2007 - JK wrote:

This could compete with the '99 for longevity. Definitely decant. A blast of blackberry and white pepper on the nose. In the mouth some initial chocolate tannins eventually fade to smoothness. Would be interesting to taste against the '03 that saw more oak and the addition of Viognier.

1/30/2007 - JK wrote:

Red fruits with a note of violet and oak spice on the nose. This site did well in a ripe vintage. Very suave in the mouth. Nice balance.

11/8/2006 - JK wrote:

Considering the open stance on the non-Califa bottling I was surprised to see how much room this one has to run. Good range on the nose with a nice caramel spice. The palate is starting to show some velvet. Great pinot. Hold.

11/8/2006 - JK wrote:

Nose is nuanced and layered. In the mouth more delicate then the nose lets on. Lovely strawberry fruit peaks thru a layer of creme de cassis. Tannins melt away and the fruit perfumes and lingers. Very St. Julien in style. Ready for business but I can see this developing more over the next year.

10/21/2006 - JK wrote:

Coming together. Raspberry and herbs. Very appealing texture. Open another with lamb next Spring.

10/5/2006 - JK wrote:

Starting to reveal it's bones but still balanced and tasty. This didn't necessarily "evolve" but it aged well. Washed down prosciutto-wrapped figs just fine.

9/29/2006 - JK wrote:

Nicely extracted. Wild blackberry fruit with a floral quality. Check back in Spring '07.

9/29/2006 - JK wrote:

Very interesting development. Night one it was the antithesis of refreshing showing no life on the back. Two days later it starts to reveal a floral quality on the nose and the texture unwinds a little. Definitely improved but in the end my least favorite of the Pax wines so far. Too extracted for me tastes.

9/29/2006 - JK wrote:

A little clumsy today. Check in next year.

9/29/2006 - JK wrote:

Highly quaffable. Neat finish - creamy and lingering. Listed at 13.0% alc. Tasty stuff.

9/12/2006 - JK wrote:

Showing well. Good range to the raspberry fruit. Nice acidity.

9/10/2006 - JK wrote:

Showing well. Cool climate fruit profile with notes of coffee. Don't know if I will be able to keep my hands off remaining two.

9/6/2006 - JK wrote:

Textbook NZ sauvignon blanc. No brainer for the price. Like the screw top - came in handy at BYOB spot.

9/6/2006 - JK wrote:

Stewed fruit with herbal nuance on the nose. The mouth is all velvet. Nose is not as fragrance as a previous bottle. This will be long-lived. I would give it another year or two and check back. Tasty and distinct pinot. Drank with Niman pork roast larded with dried fruit compote.

9/6/2006 - JK wrote:

This bottling shows that candied or crystalline quality to the berry fruit that I also tasted in the '03 and the '04. Not in the same tier as these two recent vintages but with adequate stuffing no doubt. Loads of flavor today but I think this still wants to figure itself out in the bottle.

9/6/2006 - JK wrote:

Some brett but adds doesn't distract. Better with decanting. Good texture. Thought this would last longer but it is ready to drink.

9/6/2006 - JK wrote:

Obviously some bottle variance here. Underwhelmed. Nice looking bottle though.

9/6/2006 - JK wrote:

Old vine character comes thru on the nose. Raspberries and spice. Wears it's alcohol well but nonetheless at 15.9% trend lightly.

9/6/2006 - JK wrote:

Not as good as the '03. Clean fruit. Nice acidity. Very nice.

8/14/2006 - JK wrote:

Reminds me of Bouchard Pere & Fils' 'Vigne de L'Enfant Jesus' with its violet-tinged, black truffle nose and round attack. More developed then I would like to see at this stage of the game but maybe thats just the product of a very ripe vintage. This earth-driven pinot is a contrast to so many of the fruit-driven pinots today. Will be interesting to follow its development.

8/14/2006 - JK wrote:

Cabernet dominates on the nose with creme de cassis and hints of mint and green tobacco. In the mouth seems more Syrah in structure. Plenty of fruit, plenty of structure and only 13.3%. I wish more wineries would aim for lower alc. In good drinking window. Should improve for 1 to 3 years.

8/12/2006 - JK wrote:

Starting to throw that lovely RRV pinot perfume. Hints of spice and black truffle. In the mouth a velvet mouthfeel. Good energy to the fruit. Still improving.

8/12/2006 - JK wrote:

This could be mistaken for a pinot on the nose, showing red fruits like pomegranate and raspberry. Not amazingly expressive but showing good balance and easy to drink.

7/18/2006 - JK wrote:

Their best Estate effort to date. Showing well today.

5/12/2006 - JK wrote:

Briary raspberry fruit with hints of lavender. Great purity to the fruit. Smooth up front but slightly disjointed on the back. Don't know how it will age.

5/12/2006 - JK wrote:

Nose full of blackberries, roses and tar. In the mouth the fruit is layered and nuance with flavors of tobacco and minerals. Can't ask for more out of a $15 bottle of 6 year old zinfandel.

5/12/2006 - JK wrote:

Finish filled with fruit but a little firm. Wait on remaining bottles.

5/9/2006 - JK wrote:

Ready to go. Great foil to crab and artichoke dip.

5/4/2006 - JK wrote:

Nose is a little restrained, offering up dried pear and honeycomb flavors. In the mouth the wine is rich but silky and light with no gaps. Received a few comments from the room.

5/4/2006 - JK wrote:

On the nose dark cherry and blueberry fruit with notes of brulee and cocoa. In the mouth brawny and rich. Lots of material here with room to grow.

4/30/2006 - JK wrote:

After a brief decant showing red currant and iodine on the nose with a peppery spice. In the mouth big fruit wrapped around a firming spine. Perks up with food. This will age famously.

4/29/2006 - JK wrote:

Poured from magnum. Delicious cab with flavors of cherries and cassis and hints of coffee. No hard edges. Some tannins creep up at the end but not so much as to discourage drinking today. Flavor persists on the finish.

4/17/2006 - JK wrote:

Agree with speedmac below - this wine is in transition. Tasty after decanting but I would let it sit. I attended a component tasting of this wine early this year and today I could really pick out the counoise.

3/25/2006 - JK wrote:

Dense and monolithic night one. Night two big nose of creme de cassis. In the mouth this really saturates the palate cascading off the back. No sign of heat but not a bottle for quaffing at 15.8%. Hold or decant.

3/25/2006 - JK wrote:

On the nose cherry and red currant with vanilla bean. In the mouth smooth cherry fruit and melt away tannins. Very drinkable today.

3/20/2006 - JK wrote:

Decanted for an hour. Red and blue fruits on the nose with notes of mint and hard spices. Very lush in the mouth. The texture is fat but at the same time juicy. Very merlot driven with the other varietals giving structure. As tasty as it is today I'd like to give it a few years in the bottle before checking back in.

3/6/2006 - JK wrote:

Blackberry and cassis on the nose with spice. In the mouth the fruit is deep and convincing with an almost liquer like quality to the flavor. Long fruit-filled finish. No signs of fading. Will improve with time.

3/3/2006 - JK wrote:

Finally showing a more open stance. Stone fruits and red berries. Not your typical zinfandel. Savoy fruit-filled finish. Wish I didn't drink the others so soon.