2/2/2024 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

This wine was in a line up of another dozen large formats including a 2015 Quilceda Creek, 2010 Janasse CDP, a couple of Reserve Prides and it was voted wine of the evening by all in attendance. Tasted the next day and was drinking even better after being opened for 36 hours.

12/15/2023 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Light in color (almost pinot like), candied red fruits on the palate with a silky long finish.

11/24/2023 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

My last bottle and I thought it was still showing well, showing toasted creme de casis on a long finish with our Thanksgiving dinner!

11/6/2023 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

This wine seems to be in a sweet spot right now. I think it likely has a few more years but not sure it gets better from here. I'm some red berry and bacon on the nose and red berries and smoke on a medium length finish on the palate.

11/6/2023 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

I might have missed the drinking window on this one by a year or two, but alas it is my last bottle. Color still seemed fine all the way to the edge with no apparent bricking. However, started to get a little prune along with strawberry on the nose. Also picked up a little prune along with sweet red berry on the finish.

11/4/2023 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

I thought this wine is still holding strong but will probably drink my remaining bottles over the next year or so. Dark purple color with a nose of blueberry and briary blackberry and cocoa on a long finish.

11/4/2023 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

I thought this wine is still drinking great and probably had 3-5 years left of evolution. If this was in a line up of blind wines it may be mistaken for a pinot based on color and the nose. Light ruby red in color with ripe raspberry and strawberry on the nose and the long finish. Wish I had more than 1 bottle to drink!

9/26/2023 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

This wine is still going strong in my opinion. Savory bell pepper and red fruit on the nose and palate. Well balanced with a slightly spicy and very long finish.

4/15/2023 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

I pulled this wine out of storage after a decade and it is drinking great! Popped and poured...the cork was in amazing shape, zero bricking and consistent color to the edge. Strawberry and red fruit on the nose and very well balanced acidity and alcohol. Ripe cherry on the palate with a long 60 second finish. I think this wine could easily go another 3-5 years and potentially a decade if stored correctly!

6/11/2021 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

So my experience was different than the last few reviewers. Opened two bottles at a dinner party and this wine was a huge hit and both bottles were very consistent. They both have been in long term storage at 57 degrees, so perhaps that made a difference. Decanted about 15 minutes before serving. Slight bricking on the edge, but wine still has vibrant red fruit with hint of mocha on the finish that lingers for 45 seconds or more.

3/11/2020 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

This wine was drinking great. Beautiful bright ruby color with red fruits on the palate with a long clean finish.

10/2/2019 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

This wine seems to be improving with age. Dark berry, mocha and vanilla on a long 45-60 second finish. The tannin seem much more resolved than the bottle i had a few years ago and I believe the wine could be cellared for another 5 years.

7/7/2019 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Lighter in color and style than the typical Martinelli pinot but I thought it was drinking great now.

11/10/2018 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

This was an epic wine and I made a huge mistake. Was moving my cellar and noticed some seepage around the foil. Was concerned the wine had spoiled so immediately uncorked to taste/drink it. The cork had allowed some minor seepage but the wine was phenomenal. My mistake was I should have used my Coravin to taste a small sample instead of immediately uncorking. Now I was committed, bottle was a magnum so drank over 2 days. Deep purple in color, creme de cassis, ripe blueberries, smoky roasted beef (think steaks on a Green Egg). It continued to improve over the 2 days. I can't say enough about this wine, one of the most memorable i have ever drunk!

2/16/2019 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Decanted from magnum about 4 hours before wine tasting/dinner. Deep purple in color, floral blueberry on the nose, dark fruit, coffee, mocha on an almost minute long finish.

2/16/2019 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Decanted for about 4 hours before a wine tasting/dinner party. Voted the showcase of the dinner by most present. Dark in color, dark fruit, cocoa, licorice, slight eucalyptus with well integrated tannin and layers of complexity with a long finish.

3/18/2019 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Decanted from magnum for about 4 hours before a wine dinner. Dark in color, espresso, licorice, dark chocolate on a soft but long finish. Drinking great now but may last as long as another decade.

2/16/2019 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Great wine, Zin based blend, Dark briary fruit with tannin that seem very integrated.

2/16/2019 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Decanted, from Magnum, about 4 hours before a wine dinner. Dark fruit, pepper with a long, soft finish. Drinking great now!

12/19/2018 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

My last '01 Vieux CDP and last of 3 bottles consumed over past week or so. This bottle did show better than last two consumed (one was corked). Slight Ruby Red in glass (very little bricking) red fruit, especially red cherry kirsch on a short finish. The pros give a drinking window to 2026...Based on my inconsistent experience on last 3 bottles i would keep a close eye on any remaining bottles in your cellar.

12/21/2018 - Mscruggs wrote:

This wine seemed to have a slight TCA taint

12/17/2018 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Wine is continuing to drink great imo, but I do like older CDP. Very slight bricking on the edge dried beef, currant with a hint of pepper in the finish.

12/13/2018 - Mscruggs wrote:

Drank this wine most recently back in February 2018, but this bottle was much different. Agree with Chasse, this wine just seemed flat or off. Very little fruit came thru, significant bricking on the edge, concerned about my last 2 bottles. I typically like old CDP but this one didn't live up to my expectations.

12/1/2018 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Popped and poured was pretty tightly wound initially (almost as if a slight spritz) but began to open up after about 30 minutes in the glass.

9/22/2018 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

I believe this wine is continuing to show well. Still deep purple color in glass with no appearance of bricking on the edges. Nose of dark cherry and mocha with dark fruit and currant on a long finish. I think this wine will continue to show well for another year or two but not sure it will improve further so drink up! Alas my last bottle.

9/1/2018 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Wine continues to show and drink well, still plenty of dark fruit with mocha on the finish.

6/30/2018 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Another great mature B&H! Decanted for over 2 hours and the wine continued to open up in the glass. Dark ruby in color with blue and black fruits on a very long finish. Was sad to see the last glass!

6/30/2018 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Ruby in color with no apparent bricking at this point. Has an almost sweet edge to the blue and black fruits coming through on the palate. Wine was decanted for almost 2 hours and was still holding strong!

2/3/2018 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

What a fabulous wine that is still drinking great after a decade and half! Lined up after a '99 Dom and '01 Viex and everyone agreed was the wine of the night. Blueberry compote with a deep rich long finish! I believe this wine still has a few years to go but alas this was my last bottle!

2/3/2018 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

This wine is still drinking great in my opinion. Red fruit, raspberry chambord on a very long finish!

1/16/2018 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

CT window shows drink by 2015 but this wine is still going strong in my opinion. Dark briary fruit and road tar on a long finish. This wine needs a rack of smoky baby backs for pairing!!

1/5/2018 - Mscruggs Does not like this wine:

I waited way to long to drink this wine. Heavy on the rim with most of the fruit long gone. CT window was to 2013, I should have heeded that closer.

12/16/2017 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Last bottle seemed over the hill so revisited a difference bottle the next evening and much better, so I think that was an anomaly. Having said that I don't think this wine will further improve with age so I plan to drink up my remaining bottles soon!

12/15/2017 - Mscruggs wrote:

Not going to rate this bottle, afraid i may have waited to long to drink it as i'm getting some heavy prune notes on the nose and finish. Drank out of a 375ml but afraid this wine may be over the hill. Will revisit one of the three 750s i have soon.

10/26/2017 - Mscruggs wrote:

I think this 6 pack shipment was cooked. This is 4 of 6 bottles that are obviously off and they don't appear to have TCA so i'm guessing they got cooked on their trip to FL.

9/10/2017 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Great hurricane party wine during Irma, popped and poured with Turkey burgers, the wine was definitely the highlight of the meal.

9/3/2017 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

This wine continues to improve and open up with additional bottle age!

8/28/2017 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

This wine continues to show well and I think the drinking window is still another couple of years.

8/15/2017 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

This wine is still showing great in my opinion. CT drinking window closes at 2014 but I believe this wine could continue to hold its own for another couple of years!

8/14/2017 - Mscruggs wrote:

This is the 3rd wine i have had from this 6 pack. The first 2 i listed as spoiled, this one also seemed off. I get a little tart cherry but with almost an astringent quality with a very short finish. I'm wondering if this 6 pack may have some heat damage during shipping. 3 more bottles to test that theory.

8/13/2017 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

This wine is showing extremely well right now. Deep ruby color with very well integrated tannin on a 60 second finish.

7/27/2017 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

The color on this almost 10 year old wine is amazing, bright ruby red with no sign of bricking. Ripe red fruits on the nose with a finish i find between a Framboise Lambic and Chambord leaning more towards the liqueur. The finish is a long 45 seconds or more and I think this wine could hold for another 1-2 years.

7/24/2017 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

My last bottle of this wine and I have to agree with 1961Vintage as this wine seems to continue to improve with age. The last bottle I drank was in Dec of 2015 and I rated it much lower. This bottle shows typical power of Napa mountain fruit, deep purple in color, dark fruit on the nose with a sweet cassis and mocha on a minute long finish with smooth but almost dusty tannin I usually associate with wines off the Silverado Trail.

5/19/2017 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Hints of briary black fruits, mocha and a little smoke on a very long finish.

5/19/2017 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Butterscotch with a hint of toasty oak

5/6/2017 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

I agree with MAIKRANZ I was at first concerned that this wine was past its prime with CT drinking window ending in 2015....However I thought this wine was drinking great now and also gave it 92 points. A little bricking on the edge but the wine has a wonderful ripe strawberry nose with red fruits on a long 45-60 second finish.

4/14/2017 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Wine seems to have lost a little fruit, may be past it's prime.

4/7/2017 - Mscruggs wrote:

This bottle was corked and had a slight spritz or effervescence.

3/3/2017 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

Great example of RRV Chardonnay.

3/4/2017 - Mscruggs Likes this wine:

This is a really nice Napa red wine, I'm guessing Cabernet plays a key role in the blend, drinking really well and should hold for another decade in my opinion. Dusty, briary black and red fruit on the nose and palate with a long minute or so finish.