3/31/2013 - Pierre Lim Likes this wine:

Barnyard nose and lots of earthy components. POP - on the palate its got dominant licorice and blueberry and good balance of integrating the tannins here. Nice structure with a succulent silky smooth finish. Very well made wine and a great value... This is very good! Decanted the rest of the wine...will post second tasting note if there are any significant changes. Planning on decanting for about 3 - 4 hrs.

3/31/2013 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Decanted for two hours and the wine seems disjointed a bit. Two things jumped right off the bat on this wine - acidity level and sourness on the finish dominated this wine. I rated this initially an 87 pt wine... Wine from decanter was put back in the bottle and day 2 tasting was better. The nose was just all red fruit and cherries. Very sweet on the front palate and sour cherries coat the mid palate and finishes off with a nice tannic structure that will soften up over time. Note that on day one there was a spicy/heat component on the finish that is no longer apparent on day 2. I think this is where you lay down for at least another 5 yrs to see how interesting this wine develops. Opened this bottle bc I wanted to see if it was worth buying a case...not sure yet and will hold off to taste other 09 Bordeaux before I take the plunge. In the meantime I have 2 more bottles and and a 3 L in my cellar.

3/10/2013 - Pierre Lim Likes this wine:

Purple red. Nose of cherries, raspberries, and strawberries. Lots of red fruit and sweet on the front palate and transitions to mid palate by showing a structure of tannins and a smooth long finish with a touch of spiciness. This wine is very fruit forward but love the balance of acidity and alcohol which gives it a succulent finish. Excellent and should be good for at least another 10 - 15 years easily.

2/23/2013 - Pierre Lim Likes this wine:

Pitch dark - almost black in color. Blackberries and cherries, wonderful bouquet. Sour cherries on front palate with a beautiful long silky smooth finish. Very balanced and could easily cellar for another 15 years. I wish I bought more...excellent bottle!

2/19/2013 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Dark cherry red. Raspberry and cherries on the nose. Red fruit hits the front palate and lots of tart almost like cherry skins from the mid palate to the finish, which was decent. One dimensional and nothing special but would consider this a good QPR. A wine that would pair nicely with a casual dinner such as burgers and pizza. Definitely peaking and would drink this now to within a year. Rating this higher than my last bottle which was in the last 18 months.

2/17/2013 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Cherries on the nose. Strawberry on the front palate and black cherries on the mid palate, however the fruit is under ripe and has a short finish. Was hoping for a good QPR wine but disappointed overall. Seems like the grape has past its prime...

12/23/2012 - Pierre Lim Likes this wine:

Raspberry and cherries - lots of red fruit on the nose. Very solid wine and it is coming on its own. Had this 3 yrs ago and the tannins weren't as smooth. Sour cherries on the front palate and a nice transition to the mid palate. The finish coats your mouth and lasts about 45 sec to a minute with cherry and blueberry residuals. I rated this about an 88 pt wine 3 yrs ago and would now rate it 91+ pts. This wine is definitely peaking now and would say to drink within 2 yrs...

2/24/2012 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Pitch dark purple. Dark cherries, boysenberry and maple syrup on the nose. Sour cherries and blackberries are very dominant which coated my entire mouth. Sweetness on the front palate but tannic structure takes over, however, it is well integrated with the fruit so the finish is very smooth and balanced. Make no mistake - this is a BIG wine! Could easily cellar for another 10 to 12 yrs and will be interesting to taste my other bottle in 4 to 5 yrs. Excellent - 94 pt wine. I have tasted other Shafer's and Relentless is my favorite due to the fruit and complexity of the wine.

2/24/2012 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Purple. Cassis, spicy and dark berry fruits on the nose. Very well balanced fruit and tannin both on the front and mid palate with and a silky long finish. Can be paired with a great quality steak or can be enjoyed on its own. It's drinking well now but could easily age another 5 to 10 yrs. Also have noticed a good amount of residual sugar... I would rate this a 94+ to 95 pts - my opinion of course.

1/20/2011 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Had tremendous structure for an 11 yr old Pinot. Fruit was still intact - lots of character - very well made. 92 pts.

3/5/2011 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Bought this bottle at Ovid winery and took to dinner at Salt House in San Fran. Wine was decanted and explosive aromatic nose right off the bat - blueberry and raspberry so prominent. It was a bit tight in the beginning but opened up nicely within the next 30 - 45 mins. Lots of black/dark fruit (blend was predominantly cab franc with a little petite verdot and cab sauv) but very well balanced. Nice tannin structure and could easily be cellared for at least another 5 - 8 yrs. This winery is next to Harlan and Screaming Eagle and would recommend to visit this impressive winery! Very well made wine!

10/29/2010 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Elegant and very long finish. This wine is still young but is slowly coming together. Can't wait to drink this in the next 5 - 6 years.

11/6/2010 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Nice bouquet. Very balanced with great fruit and nice long finish.

11/6/2010 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Nice mid palate and long silky smooth finish.

10/17/2010 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Very well balanced wine. Great QPR.

2/12/2010 - Pierre Lim Likes this wine:

WOTN at my wine party. Complex and silky smooth on the finish. Very well made wine. A wine that you could enjoy by itself or pair with a great steak. Wish I had bought more bottles.

1/28/2010 - Pierre Lim wrote:

New world - lots of fruit flavors. Good bouquet with great complexity and a nice long finish. This is a well made wine.

12/20/2009 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Fruit forward and food friendly. Lots of red cherries, strawberries with a nice long finish. Enjoyed drinking this Pinot.This is a good QPR.

11/26/2009 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Nose of chocolate, tobacco and dark fruit. Flavors of casis, lots of cocoa, with a long smooth mouth feel finish. Very balanced and youthful and will get better with age. Had this wine with our Thanksgiving dinner, but I think the wine is better as a stand-alone.

11/26/2009 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Outstanding nose and not too over the top on the sweetnesst- this is very well balanced. I wish it went longer on the finish or otherwise it would have been perfect. Purchased three yrs ago on futures and wish I had bought more...

5/1/2009 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Bought in 2005 and cellared for 4 yrs. Disappointed after opening. One dimensional and it seemed that wine had more alcohol content than stated in bottle. Kept for 2nd day and did not get any better.

6/6/2009 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Big wine and full bodied. Loaded with blackberries, cherries, lots of fruit - new world. Great tannin structure and long finish. Very young wine that needs at least a couple of yrs to mature. This is a well made wine that will hold its own vs other high end Australian cabs.

1/18/2008 - Pierre Lim wrote:

This was great. Blackberries and Cherries just coated my palate! New world and refreshing for a change. Very well made and would highly recommend.

12/13/2007 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Outstanding. Dark purple color. Mocha, cherries, and licorice on the nose. Dry but explosive fruit that coats all over your mouth - blackberries are prominent. Very complex and a long finish. This would pair well with an excellent steak. I wish I bought more. Enjoying this bottle in my NYC apartment.

1/19/2007 - Pierre Lim wrote:

pale yellow. peach and honey on the nose. creamy sweet vanilla syrup with a little bit of spice. short to medium finish. this has a lot of acidity. this is an excellent sauternes.

1/6/2007 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Nose of Cherries and Strawberries. Black cherry on the palate with very good complexity. Medium finish. I bought 8 bottles last year after trying it and I am still impressed. This is a classic tale of a great vintage (2000) having tremendous impact on a lesser known Chateau. I will be doing this with the 05 bordeaux's, I think the vintage will also influence a lot of the lesser Chateaus.

12/22/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Out of this world fruit with great complexity. I normally don't drink a lot of Shiraz but so far the best Shiraz I've tasted. Did not decant but bottle was opened around 2 hours before I tasted. Looking forward to trying out other '04 Australian Shiraz from the McLaren Vale appellation.

12/22/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Dark purple color. Aromas/flavors of leather, earth, wood, dark fruit, and chocolate on the palate. Very bold and masculine wine. Medium finish. This was the second wine tasted at Rod's X'mas party on Dec 22nd.

12/22/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Decanted for an hour. Aromas/flavors of blackberry, cigar box, and cedar. Nice tannic structure. However, this wine was in a dumb stage - not much complexity and somewhat light. I think it needs at least another 5+ years. Definitely has long term potential written all over it. Tasted at Rod's Christmas party with colleagues including JoAnn.

12/1/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Blackberries and cassis bouquet. Cherry, chewy, elegant, complex, dry, and a long finish . Spectacular flavors - I envisioned a great steak to be paired with this. Worth every penny that I paid for this wine. Decanted less than an hour at my party - glad to share with my friends as some had tasted this wine for the very first time - it was a great intro to Silver Oak.

12/1/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Very elegant wine. Sweet tobacco, black cherry, and velvety tannins. Was not able to decant - everyone thought it was very smooth, so this vintage is drinking very well right now considering it is such a young wine. Served at my party and consumed within half an hour.

11/27/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Great bouquet - peach and tropical fruits on the nose. Had this at Emeril's and was paired with salad - throughly enjoyed it. Was skeptical at first b/c of the diff grape variety but am glad we tried it - this is what makes wine and food tasting fun.

11/9/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Cherry and Strawberry on the nose - very pleasant bouquet. Medium body with tons of fruit but nicely balanced. This wine paired well with pizza and chicken. I was surprised by the quality of this wine - I enjoyed it.

11/2/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Purple red color. Blackberries, sweet oak, and hints of chocolate on the long finish - very smooth. Did not decant but would suggest doing so the next time. This wine will benefit by aging at least another 5 - 6 yrs. Caymus is very consistent with their quality year after year, especially their Special Selection - another excellent wine by the Wagner's. Opened on 11/2/06 - brought bottle from my cellar during my vacation in Vegas.

10/13/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Wonderful reisling. I thoroughly enjoyed this wine. Great with sweet and spicy foods - and can also be enjoyed by itself or as a desert wine. I will buy more of this. It's fun to discover these type of wines!

10/13/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Light body, no complexity, easy to drink, not bad.

9/30/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Surprisingly a rich and heavy wine with hints of leather and spice. I think this has a higher alcohol content level than the stated 14.5% on the bottle. Paired with food but did not go well. This tasted better the next day. I prefer the Vega Sindoa El Chapparal - Grenache over this wine.

9/21/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Excellent wine. Ordered bottle at Bluepointe restaurant. The wine complemented the food and did not over power the flavors of the dish. Medium body with sweet tannins and a hint of spice on the finish. Delicious wine.

9/18/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Good everyday cab.

9/16/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Great value wine. Crisp tropical fruits and vanilla make this wine an ideal accompaniment to any chicken or fish dish. Also a nice refreshing wine especially during summer. I really enjoyed this - it has a similar structure to a $40 chardonnay that I tasted last year. Bought a case after tasting one bottle.

9/9/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Good value wine ($13) - I will purchase again.

9/8/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Good value for an $8 bottle. Easy to drink - soft tannins with a little hint of spice. However, it has a weak nose and short finish. It's an ok bottle for under $10.

8/24/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

No boquet or complexity. Less than mediocre.

8/10/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

It was good but nothing special - I expect more out of a $100 bottle of wine - to me this was more of a $30 - 50 bottle. Still too young. Oak and Tannins dominated the wine. I received two bottles as a gift and I would wait at least 5 + years before I open my other bottle.

8/4/2006 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Very smooth and balanced. Opened it at my party and it was everyone's favorite. Although it does need a few more years - at least 3 - 8 yrs and it should be at its peak.

7/15/2005 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Had this wine on my B-day. Celebrated with family in GA. Overall was a good and elegant wine. Rated it a 90. Has a nice structure but was a bit tannic. I think it needs 2-4 + more years.

6/13/2004 - Pierre Lim wrote:

Tasted in New Orleans "Once upon a Vine" event on June 13, 2004. Very smooth and well balanced. Excellent fruit. It was in a class by itself during the entire event that featured many respected labels.