4/20/2024 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Still a noteworthy tannic backbone on this beauty. Decant for an hour+ if consuming now. In no hurry to consume my remaining two bottles.

3/27/2024 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Going to be a great wine, but still shut down at this point. Wait another 5+ years.

3/27/2024 - urban_dk wrote:

In an ideal drinking window. One of the best Côtes de Tablas I’ve had the privilege of tasting. Syrah adds some structure, and rivals with the best of what Côtes du Rhône can offer.

3/25/2024 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Fully mature at this point. Hint of sour cherry on the start, resolving to deep caramel flavor and a mark of acidity. Paired well with Iberico Pork paella.

2/29/2024 - urban_dk wrote:

Sampled over two nights. Drinkable, but displaying very few tertiary notes at this stage. Better years ahead for this release. I have one left and plan to keep it another 10 years, if not more.

11/24/2023 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Bit of a waste. Classic violet notes on the nose, but shuts down behind a wall of tannin on the palate. Needs 10+ years to open up, but will be a beautiful Barolo when it does.

10/15/2023 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Displays a bit more plummy fruit when compared to its Demi-Muid sibling. Tastes like a classic CdP. As with the Demi-Muid, drinking well now but could last for several years more…

10/15/2023 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Blinded, I would’ve guessed this came from one of the traditional CdP producers. Drinking well now, but could easily last another 5-7 years, if not more.

10/6/2023 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Finally getting into a nice drinking window after a few days under vacuum seal. Verdict: showing some age but nowhere near its ideal drinking window. Loads of unresolved tannin and very little sediment. Classic jus de viande and dried cherry flavors on the palate.

6/12/2023 - urban_dk wrote:

Don’t know what I was thinking by opening this so early. Still showing primary flavors and aromas galore. Will wait at least another decade before opening my last bottle.

5/9/2023 - urban_dk wrote:

In a good window now. Red fruit, bit of animale and balanced acidity. Thoroughly enjoyed it with a NY Strip.

12/3/2022 - urban_dk wrote:

Decent CdP in a meh vintage. In a passable drinking window, although no rush to drink now. Fruit-forward at this point and I doubt it will pick up prominent secondary/tertiary flavors/aromas of great Beaucastels.

10/20/2022 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Notable sediment, but this still casts an inky hue in the glass. Even with a couple of hours of air, this is not revealing its true character. Hint of lavender and dark berries, but mostly displays the promise of greater things to come. Might revisit my last bottle of this at the end of this decade…

10/14/2022 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

A hint of Kirsch and garrigue, but this is still a baby. Not close to its drinking window at this point. Shaping up to to be a great QPR performer when it reaches maturity.

3/8/2021 - urban_dk wrote:

Dense wine, garrigue notes taking a back seat to concentrated dark cherry and plum flavors. Quality CdP, no doubt, but needs time to see if the tertiary garrigue notes will become more prominent. Not sure if this vintage will enable a good expression of the balance between fruit and savory notes.

3/8/2021 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Expression is far younger than the last bottle, still displaying tart pomegranate/cranberry, but not much on tertiary notes. This bottle suggests at least another decade of potential before it hits its peak.

11/16/2020 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

In a clumsy phase right now. Shows the garrigue on the nose, but still coming together on the palate. Gave half the bottle some air and sampled a day later, and the cracked pepper/plum/black licorice flavors were more apparent, albeit with a brief, tannic finish. Save for at least 2-3 years.

11/8/2020 - urban_dk wrote:

Pretty classic Zin aromas and flavors, notably showcasing peach preserves with some dark berry fruit. Secondary notes of vanilla very apparent at this stage, with a slight peppery finish. An excellent accompaniment with pizza.

10/20/2020 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Earthy aromas suggest it has matured more than the palate suggests. Loads of tart pomegranate/cranberry and still some noteworthy acidity. One bottle left and I don’t plan to open it for at least another five years.

8/2/2020 - urban_dk wrote:

Corked. Bummer :(

7/18/2020 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

This bodes well for the 2017 vintage in Tuscany - ideal to drink now, but with stuffing to last several years. Racy, vegetal front palate with a bit of meat jus, resolving to bright marasca cherry on the finish.

4/25/2020 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Shedding a fair bit of tannin, but still a deep garnet color. Notes of dark plum and licorice, with a meaty, savory backbone. Nicely integrated now.

3/9/2020 - urban_dk wrote:

Second bottle, resolving now into a deep cherry with a bit of tobacco. Don't see it developing further, but it is a decent mid-priced Brunello. Pleasant wine that was enjoyed by a table of Brunello fans.

3/8/2020 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Loaded with dark berry fruit, hint of baking spice as well. Not overly complex but a crowd pleaser. Good to drink now.

3/8/2020 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Reinforces tasting notes from my last bottle, with even more tertiary savory flavors coming out. This is ideal to drink now and I am not sure how much improvement it will get with further cellaring.

3/7/2020 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Much bolder dark cherry and cassis profile with this bottle than the last. Started to fade a bit over the evening. Good to drink up now.

2/3/2020 - urban_dk wrote:

Decanted for an hour, which helped to open it up. Showing some tertiary tea-leaf and earthy notes, but primarily spicy raspberry with a hint of cranberry. Dusty tannins on the finish. Jury is out at this stage on how this will mature. Seems to have developed significantly since sampling the previous bottle. Drinking nicely now and a good pairing with sweet/savory pork or duck dishes.

11/12/2019 - urban_dk wrote:

I would dare to say this is in a dumb phase. Noteworthy acidity and muted fruit, not many tertiary notes at this point. Might hold my last bottle for quite a few years.

11/1/2019 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Truth in advertising. Intense plum and licorice flavors, acidity rounded out and tannins resolved enough to put it in an OK drinking window. That said, years ahead for this beast. Had it been a blind tasting, I would’ve guessed a top-tier Barossa Valley Shiraz. Recommend pairing with a hearty red meat dinner.

7/23/2019 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Strawberry Fields Forever. Lynmar took me there with this beauty.

7/5/2019 - urban_dk wrote:

Cedar and macerated berries on the nose. Still a firm tannic structure, many years ahead for this wine. Dark cherries, mocha and some savory bay leaf on the palate. Enjoyable wine.

11/17/2018 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Surprisingly fresh, with little noticeable bricking and virtually no sediment. People around the table thought it was decades younger. Slight note of sandalwood, prominent dill on the nose. Palate revealed smoke and light red berry, with a velvety finish. I think this could go at least a decade (or two) longer, if stored as well as this bottle.

10/1/2018 - urban_dk wrote:

The Tannat really shines in this blend. Drinks like a top-end CdR with a bolder, tannic layer, full of brambly dark fruit and a bit of licorice on the finish. I think this has the stuffing to develop further for at least a couple of additional years, but it is good to go now with an hour or two of decanting.

9/27/2018 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Mocha and dark berries at first, but shuts down pretty fast. Petite Sirah is flexing its muscle in this blend. Give it at least five years.

8/28/2018 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Given my experience with the producer, should’ve never even looked at this wine right now. Completely in a dumb phase right now, with one-dimensional berry flavors. Hints - and really only hints - of umami characteristics coming through. Good to wait another 5-10 years before consuming future bottles.

8/21/2018 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Loads of kirsch and macerated berries, as well as a healthy dose of dark chocolate. No sense in waiting with this one!

8/20/2018 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Truth in advertising. Hedonistic dark chocolate and berries galore, with a big dose of rare steak meat juice on the finish.

8/13/2018 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Tropical fruit, honey and a developing note of beeswax. Still has room to grow, but in a great drinking window now.

7/18/2018 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Quaffable wine that still displays some noteworthy structure, due to the high mix of Syrah. Spicy berry notes and a slight peppery finish. Made for a pleasant sipper by the river on a warm July day.

7/18/2018 - urban_dk wrote:

Has years ahead of it. Sampled over a week with a Coravin. Looks like squid ink in the glass, with blackberry/blueberry notes finally emerging on the nose. Fruit profile continues over in the palate, with a hint of baking spice and vanilla/mocha. Still really muted by a wall of tannin.

7/3/2018 - urban_dk wrote:

Gave it a 4-hour decant as i suspected it was being opened a bit early. Still had some tannic tightness, although it certainly did open to reveal some distinct black raspberry flavor. That said, this appears to be a rather one-dimensional, fruit-forward CdP.

5/28/2018 - urban_dk wrote:

Borderline taint on this one - enough to make me consider opening my other bottles very soon. Light tart cherry and solid umami notes at this point, but the taint on the nose is a bit of a downer.

4/1/2018 - urban_dk wrote:

Bright cherry fruit and big tobacco notes. Rounds out nicely on the palate with a 1-2 hour decant. Punching above its weight class for the 05 vintage.

3/7/2018 - urban_dk wrote:

My new fave California Chard. Full of the tropical fruit and Sandalwood scents I associate with premium Lynmar Chards, but this beauty veers more to classic old-world Chablis territory. Lemon-cream flavors up front, with an austere mineral finish.

2/19/2018 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Gave this bottle a bit of a longer decant. More tart ��, but overall notes consistent with last bottle.

2/17/2018 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Slight petrol, clover honey and tart stone fruit. Really enjoyable right now.

1/22/2018 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Drinking well now. Raspberries and underbrush on the nose. Dried cherry on the palate, with secondary notes of smoked meat and blood orange zest. Very pleased with the QPR on this Brunello.

1/14/2018 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Still needed about 2 hours decanting. Loads of dark berry fruit, some tobacco and cocoa nibs near the finish. If you are looking a big, bold Cali red, this would do the trick.

1/2/2018 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

I wouldn’t say it is in a dumb phase, but it is in an austere period. Fruit profile has diminished on the palate (less so on the nose), and there is a solid wall of tannin on the finish that suggests additional years of aging before the wine really reveals its secondary notes. Elements of smoke, leather and Herbs de Provence are starting to emerge. I’d wait a few years for this wine to develop further.

12/17/2017 - urban_dk Likes this wine:

Displays the dark-berry compote flavors of the earlier bottle, but has also picked up a noteworthy savory note. In an ideal drinking window.