1/10/2016 - ZorroCT Likes this wine:

Better mouth feel than the Italian varietal. Approaching velvety. Similar flavor profile with red fruit and flowers. Also some vanilla. Red color, but darker than most Italian Nebbiolo. Almost like an Italian Nebbiolo with a little bit of Tempranillo. Worked for me.

3/30/2012 - ZorroCT wrote:

Dark dark color. Black cherries, tobacco, wood (maybe cedar) and a touch of vanilla. Nice mouth feel. Tannins actually picked up as the wine opened and wine became dry.

2/25/2012 - ZorroCT wrote:

An under rated wine. Great dark color and smooth body. Blackberry, cherry and slight vanilla. More going on here than the notes below led me to believe. The wife has a single test which made this wine the winner of the night -- "If it's good, it's gone." Was the first wine off the table...

2/4/2012 - ZorroCT wrote:

Big Barolo. Plenty of cherry and vanilla. Maybe some sweet almond. Licorice and tobacco too. Plenty of time left.

10/3/2011 - ZorroCT wrote:

Last one in my cellar and probably a good thing. I loved this wine in its early years (and even a year or two ago), but it has faded fast and is in the back end of its life. Very sour cherry and earth flavors with a bit of menthol on the nose. Had a small vindow where the flavors started to pop but that was shortlived. Generally flat and uninteresting.

9/24/2011 - ZorroCT wrote:

Menthol and anise on the nose. Cherry and licorice flavors and nice velvety mouth feel. A touch of bitter tannin. Great with food.

9/16/2011 - ZorroCT wrote:

Tannins were way too bitter for this point in this wine's life. Highly extracted but still not enough fruit to challenge the tannins. Tannins may fade, but so will the fruit. Don't see this ever being a great wine. A case of over-hyping.

9/6/2011 - ZorroCT wrote:

Disappointing. Falling apart. Got worse quickly when open. Ditched the bottle after 2 glasses...

9/6/2011 - ZorroCT wrote:

Over the hill. Not much fruit left at all. Meaty, earthy character with a touch of sour cherry.

8/22/2011 - ZorroCT wrote:

Light weight. Smells more like a zin than it tastes. Slightly alcoholic. Red fruits (strawberries and raspberries) on the nose and palate. Dried tobacco and something roasted. Dries up toward the end.

8/14/2011 - ZorroCT wrote:

Smells like mild eucalyptus rubbed on a leather belt. Also a little smoke. Tremendous silky mouthfeel. A little drying tannins on the end. Ripe, sweet fruit. Maybe plum. Fruit fades as the wine sits and it starts tasting "brown" instead of red. Won't last much longer. Had this at 93 points for the first hour and then downgraded it.

8/14/2011 - ZorroCT wrote:

Drank it a week ago and neglected to enter notes them. Memory is fading on details but I do remember the golden color. It was the best of three chards that night. Was surprised it still was drinking as well as it was.

8/8/2011 - ZorroCT wrote:

Great bottle. Currant, cherries, bell pepper, cedar and earth. Tannins faded. All flavor. Drinking well now.

8/7/2011 - ZorroCT wrote:

Unfair to assign a score. This wine is spent. If you have any left, open it now and immediately give everybody in the room a glass to enjoy. The first hour this wine was open, it was very good. After an hour, however, it completely fell apart. The air killed it making it very sour and brought out a vinegar component.

8/3/2011 - ZorroCT wrote:

Fun wine. Changes quickly in the glass. Starts off with earth and game and then bell pepper dominates the nose. Pepper and currant flavors on the palate with hints of tobacco and mint. Not a fruit bomb at all. Cabernet flavors win out. A little too much oak at times. Got a little sweet and raisiny at the end, almost maderized. Agree with last reviewer that it is time to drink up.

7/29/2011 - ZorroCT wrote:

Compared to the 1998 last week, this had much more power and tannin. Problem for me was that the fruit has started to fade and bitter tannins dominated. Some cherry, oak and tobacco flavors shined through and made the wine enjoyable. Disappointed as I don't think the tannins will resolve before the fruit expires.

7/27/2011 - ZorroCT wrote:

I didn't think that this was way over the hill already, but it has lost its umpf. Still had a bit of tannin when first opened -- which quickly faded. Cherry with slight notes of vanilla. Has not gained in complexity and was a little thin. Still a decent drink but pop it now.

7/13/2011 - ZorroCT wrote:

Raspberry and licorice on the nose with a touch of smoke. Spicy red fruit on the palate. Medium weight. Had some gripping tannins when first opened which quickly faded. Not over the hill but getting toward the end of its prime-drinking life. Not as vibrant as in the past, but still a good drink.