10/28/2014 - Nprzybylo Likes this wine:

One of my favorite Paso producers. This wine was a little too strong though, the combination of high alcohol and extended barrel aging had me at times thinking I was having a rum and coke. It's got a great concentration of vanilla and cola flavors mixed in with brooding fruit, but the heat and syrupy mouthfeel of the wine makes the octane a little too high for my tastes.

10/25/2014 - Nprzybylo Likes this wine:

A little unimpressed with this one, actually preferred the much cheaper 2011 Cask. I was expecting the bordeaux-like earthiness of the cask, but instead I experienced a straight-forward wine that had a good slice of acidity but not enough backbone to help balance. Maybe in a few years it'll round itself out.

10/24/2014 - Nprzybylo Likes this wine:

A great fall wine with mulled spices and deep concentration of colors and flavors.

10/11/2014 - Nprzybylo Likes this wine:

I was a bit unimpressed with the 2011 Optimus. Normally this is a great bargain that showcases the intensity of l'Aventure's wines. However I found this particular year/bottle to have too much smoke and sweetness for my taste. I recently had the (wonderful) estate cuvee, so it could be that I set my expectations too high. This is one of my top Paso Robles estates.

10/11/2014 - Nprzybylo Likes this wine:

If tasted blind I would have guessed this to be a classic bordeaux from an okay year. Smooth mouthfeel with, again, classic tastes of tobacco, earth, and cassis. Not very complex, but a solid offering from an estate that's on the rise. It does not have the fruit-forward, power and concentration of a lot of Napa cabs, which isn't a bad thing. I look forward to popping the same vintage of Rubicon in a few years.

10/7/2014 - Nprzybylo wrote:

A strong showing from this off-the-beaten path winery. Admittedly drunk young, this was very similar to a great Napa cab with tremendous concentration of fruit. I would not have guessed old-world, for better or worse.

10/7/2014 - Nprzybylo wrote:

This is fast becoming one of my top Napa cab picks. I don't have the willpower to pop their main label yet, but this was delicious on such short notice. You can really taste all the components of the winemaking - the earth, the grape, and the barrel. A dusty sangiovese-like texture really set this apart from other CA options.

10/7/2014 - Nprzybylo wrote:

I was actually unimpressed with this year's Matriarch, normally a solid cab option that doesn't require a credit advance from the bank. Hopefully will further mature for a couple of years, but these should be ready to drink young. Too tannic and acidic for my taste.

10/7/2014 - Nprzybylo Likes this wine:

Not as complex as Harlan's associated second-wines, but has tremendous concentration in flavor and jammy fruitiness. It seems to be meant to be drunk young (without the hit to the wallet of the others) and is a great youthful expression of what Harlan/Bond have to offer. Interested in trying the 2009 side-by-side with Maiden and Matriarch.

10/7/2014 - Nprzybylo Likes this wine:

I was a little under-whelmed from this bottle since its from an exceptional vintage. It was great, but wasn't head-and-shoulders above many other producers for the year.

10/7/2014 - Nprzybylo Likes this wine:

A strong contender for my favorite Napa winery, this is a wine with a rich history for those who want to track a living story of its evolution.

9/13/2014 - Nprzybylo Likes this wine:

Practically oozes out of the bottle. Can't see through the wine due to non-filtration, has gritty mouthfeel like turkish coffee. Rich and powerful flavors of tobacco and earth. A deep wine with a long finish. For the hedonist.

10/7/2014 - Nprzybylo Likes this wine:

Solid cab that outdoes itself - easily stands with bottles that are twice the price. I usually like these as they are normally heavily sourced (sometimes even moreso than the Reserve) from To Kalon, although one should always check since it changes from year to year.

6/21/2014 - Nprzybylo Likes this wine:

One of the best Napa Cabs I've ever tasted. Dark garnet in the glass, exhibited concentrated flavors of dark chocolate along with the fruit-earth-barrel notes in good harmony with velvety mouthfeel. Not sure why I was surprised since this already has an exceptional reputation but definitely over-delivered.

11/14/2011 - Nprzybylo wrote:

Tastes and smells of stewed asparagus. Suffice to say this is a hit or miss wine depending on the drinker.

10/6/2011 - Nprzybylo wrote:

Part of multiple bottle shipment, opened one right away. Nose of gummy candy (Dots to me) and deep ruby color with thick runny legs. Tastes of blackberries with a nice jamminess that I associate with rhone varietals. Even better the next day - the edge of sweetness toned down and smoky licorice flavors came forward. Interested in trying another bottle in a year or two.

9/26/2011 - Nprzybylo wrote:

Tastes similar to Carmenere, with a punchy lavender nose and lasting prickliness on the finish, but a little less tart/bite overall. This wine is asking for a BBQ, and would hold up well with one.

9/19/2011 - Nprzybylo wrote:

One of the biggest wines I've ever tasted. Aroma of chocolate shortly after opening, with tastes of coffee and leather. After being opened and paired with food, the fruit and aging came forward with notes of cherry and vanilla coming to the forefront. Ridiculously long finish. Throughout the meal, would get different tastes on different sips, ranging from bell peppers to raspberries.

9/6/2011 - Nprzybylo wrote:

Started off a bit tart with black pepper notes. After being out for an hour it really settled into a smooth drinking zin that retained it's spice but also picked up some vanilla flavors. Paired well with pasta with spicy sausage dish.

8/24/2011 - Nprzybylo wrote:

Very good table wine, deep and spicy, held up well when paired with Thai food.