4/22/2022 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Deep ruby, opaque

Nose: Huge sagebrush, black cherry, and liquid vanilla notes jump out of the glass, hint of charcoal on the back end.

Mouth: Leads off on a saline edge, with the sagebrush right behind, as sappy melted bing cherry, and blackberry pates des fruit follow up after. A bramble note takes over from there ahead of the finish, which is shorter than expected.

Overall: Jumbled and a bit backwards at this time, this holds good tertiary qualities within it but is missing some of the stuffing to really go the distance. Needs time at least to iron itself out. Drink 2024 - 2030.

91.

4/10/2022 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Deep ruby

Nose: Dried black cherry, light leather.

Mouth: Juicy blackberry, black currant and cherry notes come through on a svelte, lightly cashmere frame. Stays friendly and open knit throughout, with a tinge of leather and iron checking in on the easy finish.

Overall: A crowdpleasing style, if not overly complex. Svelte, balanced, lightly lush in mouthfeel, this tics all of the supertuscan boxes without ever really going all in on any of them. Both pleasurable and forgettable. Drink now - 2026

90.

4/2/2022 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale gold

Nose: Salted butter, green apple skin, crushed seashell, orange merangue, a bit of petrol.

Mouth: Fleshy, vivid white peach leads off, tinged with green apple and orange blossom that swells on a creamy edge. A spark of lemon acid announced the finish, which cleans up nicely on a note of crushed seashell as the creme pushes through. Finish is a bit shorter than you'd like to see, but certain elements linger for good measure anyway.

Overall: Sculpted and well formed, this takes a Burgundian ethos and adds a bit of fun to it while ensuring elegance throughout. There's a push-pull to the palate action, as the acid and creme notes jostle against each other. In all, really lovely, and worth the price of admission. Drink now.

94.

3/22/2022 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Deep purple.

Nose: Garrigue, black cherry, candy shop, orange peel, white spice.

Mouth: An elegant wash of deep raspberry, black cherry and cassis come through melted, as a seamless melange of flavors laced through with ribbons of vivid black tea, dried orange peel, and very faint vanilla creme, all on a remarkable carpet of silken oak. A deep graphite and white pepper edge cuts through, announcing the finish and underpinning the fruit as it sails endlessly into the distance. Candied in feel, but harnessed beautifully without somehow ever becoming decadent.

Overall: One for the ages, this is enormously vivid and developed at this time, with ample pleasure to be had for now, and probably 30 years of possible age within it. Supple and round, deep but always buoyant and the gloss from the oak is in itself as a texture something to marvel at. A complete triumph. Drink now - 2041.

98.

2/27/2022 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale gold

Nose: Light lemon creme, crushed seashell, saltwater

Mouth: Creamed lemon leads off again here with a streak of dried herb that immediately gives it tension. A wave of lemon juice surges into the midpalate, as light slate streak shows at the very end.

Overall: Very direct and linear, in spite of its fleshier opening. This has nice tension within it, but the strict marriage to only the lemon flavors here makes this a bit one dimensional, and it's shorter overall than I would have thought. Relatively forgettable.

90.

2/25/2022 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale ruby.

Nose: vanilla, iron, baked cherries, kirsch, eucalyptus

Fleshy, pure black cherry holds center court here, flanked by a hefty note of vanilla, rose, fine grained white spice that weaves around, turning into a bit of bitter iron toward the end. Brick dust leads in with burly tannins that ring out with a lightly herbal edge on the endless finish.

Overall: This is rowdy at this time, but the fruit quality is gorgeous and everything is layered and expressive. Mouthfeel is a bit chunky, and the tannins amplify this, but this is built for the long haul with more than enough stuffing to run. Drink 2026-2044.

95

2/18/2022 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Deep gold

Nose: White flower, buttercreme, crushed seashell, hint of salted caramel.

Mouth:Upfront yellow peach and a tinge of lemon curd hits ahead of a lightly watery fruit core that's rescued by touches of seashell, and buttersalt. Finishes longer than expected, but feels like it was all a hurry to get here to the end.

Overall: Fluid and pretty, this keeps good motion on the palate as it slides along, never becoming cloying or heavy. In spite of good overall balance, this begs a bit more more fruit weight for what it's trying to be, in all the bottom drops out in the middle where it should be the fullest, making this a bit hollow in the end. Drink now - 2023.

89.

2/3/2022 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale ruby

Nose: Deep worn leather and dried red cherry, hint of eucalyptus and black pepper.

Mouth: Shows beautifully pure, ripe bing cherry that rides in on a glossy sheen of oak, tinged with vanilla, firms up from there, adding notes of leather, dust, and a tinge of iron, lingering long.

Overall: Very supple in profile, showing full, pillowy fruit with sleepy tannins that give a bit of firmness to the edges and check in to keep everything honest. Drink now - 2036

93.

1/21/2022 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Deep purple

Nose: Smoked coffee, bay leaf, crushed black pepper, cherry pit. Dense and layered

Mouth: A deep, elegantly rendered pool of huckleberry, blackberry and bitter cherry come in bolted onto a rowdy spine of acid and cast iron as notes of espresso, bay leaf, and crushed pepper mingle around. Ends on a bitter cherry note again, adding a tinge of fruit to all the torque.

Overall: Considerably more open knit than expected, this shows fresh fruit up front and a deeply structured back end that feels like it would go better with a bit more of blackened fruit core. A bit of a paradox in terms of ageability as the fruit is just about ready and the tannins drawn back while the structure wants a few more decades to settle. Pick your poison I guess about when to pop. Drink now - 2038.

94

1/16/2022 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale gold

Nose: white flower, crushed slate, peach, light butter tones.

Mouth: Silken white peach, golden apple, are given a touch of honey and elderflower as they glide through together. The oak is polished to a sheen, giving a frictionless frame to the overall package. Finish dries out and lengthens everything just a bit, introducing some light crushed seashell and liquid butter tinges to close out.

Overall: Weighty, but never overladen, this shows finesse via seamless, silken palate action. Harmonious, and dynamic, with elegant little flourishes that introduce themselves over time. A balanced overall package. Drink now - 2025.

91.

1/4/2022 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Deep garnet, hazy

Nose: Cassis, singed applewood, warmed chestnut, liquid violet, tar.

Mouth: A lovely core of cassis, warmed fig, and black cherry sit atop a rigid carpet of graphite, applewood, and tar that take over into the midpalate/finish, enveloping the fruit and closing in on it, locking it down for now. A warmed chestnut note also runs throughout, which is noted on the nose upfront, and carries through to the extended finish where just a touch of bitter baking chocolate rings out at the very end.

Overall: A high-torque version, inlaid with ample structure that still commands the fruit completely for now. Burlier than I expected for both St. Emilion and for the property, this is a fine effort, but requires additional integration to allow the beautiful fruit to be able to hold center stage in the end. Shows ample character in the warmed fig and chestnut notes that are worth developing further. Drink 2024 - 2036.

95.

12/26/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Medium ruby

Nose: Light blueberry, melted licorice, light camphor, faint bacon fat.

Mouth: Supple, layered notes of blackberry, sour cherry, and blueberry tea glide through as licorice root, anise, and green peppercorn swell toward the end. Finish is tinged with light mineral note, as it cleans up on the backside.

Overall: This is hallmarked by beautiful palate action and polish as silken fruit seamlessly gives way to tertiary notes that give additional tension to the overall package. Those notes will have detractors, but in all this is very finessed for $45. Drink now - 2032.

94.

12/16/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Deep ruby

Nose: Bit of reduction on first pop, blows off after about 30 minutes and becomes macerated cherry, warmed vanilla and alder.

Mouth: A finessed showing of macerated red currant, bing cherry, and raspberry pates des fruit takes on a viscous edge as it rides a saline line into a finish of rooibos tea, white pepper, and crushed granite as the fruit drips around. A hint of bay leaf checks in at the very end of the finish, lingering longest.

Overall: This is a bit heady, running the more linear, elegant side of the ledger, but with more than enough generosity in the fruit to keep this fun. The fruit is lightly cloying in feel but the little saline, mineral, and spice details etch themselves into the fruit, giving this really nice palate action as it glides through. Everything glides through on a paper thin sheen of oak, giving this an overall touch of light luxury. A beautifully crafted wine. Drink 2023 - 2036.

95.

12/14/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Opaque maroon, very viscous.

Nose: Small berries, baking chocolate, warmed vanilla, baked earth.

Mouth: Big, smooth notes of black cherry sauce and tart blackberry are allied to a central spine of light sage, tar, and baked loam that keeps firing through the finish. Notably loses a bit of focus in the fruit which remains chunky and pureed in feel throughout. Goes the route of more is more, but at the cost of any finesse.

Overall: A mouthfilling wine, with ample torque still left within its parts after 6 years. However, this is fundamentally missing the purity and focus that you would expect to see at a bare minimum for $150 retail. A bit of a disappointment in this regard, since mountain fruit on a stellar vintage should be able to show these qualities adequately. These are still on the shelves in 2022 for a reason it seems. Drink now - 2037.

92.

12/8/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale ruby

Nose: Cherry, light cranberry and rose notes.

Mouth: Supple, velveteen notes of black cherry and light blueberry fan out across the palete, picking up steam as notes of rose stem and light mineral take over. Finish is resonant, with the rose notes lingering longest. Drink now - 2026

Overall: Velvety and ripe, this has a lot of the right things in place and shows surprisingly long length. The focus in the fruit definitely needs to come up to push it into becoming a real winner. A fine effort all in all however.

91.

12/3/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Deep ruby.

Nose: Fruitcake, melted baking chocolate, pencil lead, cool crushed black cherry. Really complete aromatics.

Mouth: Fabulously concentrated: flavors of black currant and black cherry come across focused, on a velveteen frame, just before fanning out into fleshier acai berry and blackberry compote notes. Light alder, black loam and tar kick in from this point on, giving this serious spine as manicured tannins check in.

The fruit is really vivid here, and shows prodigious depth, with beautiful rendering that keeps driving on while staying plush throughout. Also of note is the freshness that undergirds the opulence here, the acidity is lively, giving a solid spine that melds wonderfully into the more rigid parts of the finish. A winner. Drink 2024 - 2041.

98.

11/19/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale ruby.

Nose: raspberry pates des fruits, rhubarb, light white spice, cherry melange.

Mouth: Silken notes of lifted sweet cherry and black raspberry align themselves to a torrent of kirsch that rings out like a bell, studded with rose petal notes. Finishes endlessly on that ribbon of kirsch, lingering as tones of cherry jolly rancher, light nutmeg, and saline mineral check in.

Overall: Very red in profile, and slightly candied in feel, this is both a crowdpleaser and a bit of a showstopper at $30. Length is here, but complexity is missing somewhat. Leans heavily on a lot of very similar flavors, but the mouthfeel is fabulous and punches far above its price point. Drink now - 2028.

93.

11/5/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Medium ruby.

Nose: Sweet cherry, macerated boysenberrry, cola, crushed anise, caramel, hot stone.

Mouth: A hefty thread of liquid lavender leads off here, winding its way around a juicy, focused core of boysenberry, light blueberry, and creamed cherry. Midpalate opens wide into a zesty, rippling black tea, studded with white pepper, bramble and crushed anise notes as chalk and granite add spine to the waves of fruit that ripple through the finish. Fruit weight is gorgeous, ripe and full without being cloying, but still sweet enough to stay approachable and elegant. Completely stunning.

Overall: The fruit quality is nothing short of arresting for Gigondas, and everything in spite of its size and richness holds proportion throughout. Shows enormous polish, and considerable handling of its elevated alcohols. This is a bit restless in its youth, as shown in the rambunctiousness in the midpalate, but truly every part is in place to mature wonderfully for the next 15 years or so.

Drink 2023- 2035.

97.

10/30/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Medium garnet

Nose: dried blackberry, cast iron, a hint of brett and garrigue.

Mouth: Juicy puréed blackberry and light peach notes are streaked with light licorice notes and light anise notes ahead of light tar and roasted thyme notes that peek through on the finish. Has excellent fruit weight, and is quite user friendly for Crozes-Hermitage.

A bit of a paradox, this is juicy and generous, but still linear and direct. This is relatively open and ready to go now, the biggest question is if time will allow the flavors to fan out further. Drink now - 2028.

91.

10/27/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

​Pale Ruby

Nose: Cool crushed blueberry, sweet nutmeg, cherry puree, crushed rock.

Mouth: Lightly savory blueberry and cherry flavors are pure and driven on a silken frame as dark nutmeg, bitter wet leaves, and rose stem add a streak of tension through the midpalate. Ends on a decidedly mineral note, as crushed granite takes the finish and light echoes of the fruit bounce along after.

Mouth: One of the most best things about Evening Land is that they consistently make wines that scale on the palate over time: building up layers of flavor on a supple frame as they interact with each other. This is a brilliant example, showing Burgundian palate action with An Oregonian flavor profile. A wine of contemplation. Drink now - 2028.

95.

10/20/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Light platinum.

Orange blossom, cut tarragon, lime squeeze, lemongrass.

Mouth: Direct notes of meyer lemon and white peach hold court as a wash of mandarin orange fills in, finish is marked by light tarragon, and fleur de del notes, interestingly with the fleur de sel lingering longest.

Overall: Tasted blind this feels more like a northern Italian pinot grigio than a New Zealand Sauvignon. Sculpted white fruits, with light tropical edges give this a hint of Napa as well. Don't let it's lightness fool you: this is a nice balance between a clean flavor profile and a generous fruit core with the drive to match. Drink now.

91.

10/19/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Medium ruby.

Nose: Jellied blackberry, singed dried wood, bramble.

Mouth: An open swath of pureed blackberry and and bing cherry give way quickly to rugged flavors of bramble, toasted spices that still have more than expected tug on the palate. Broad streak of bitter tar kicks in at the end of the finish, lingering longest.

Overall: Hefty back end here, this is a bit brutish overall, with the finish showing a bit of aggression. It's hard to know what to do with this: not quite a cocktail wine, not quite a food wine. The fruit doesn't have too much more in the tank - Drink now - 2023.

86

10/2/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale ruby

Rose petal, wet loam, lavender. Nicely floral with garden tones.

Mouth: Fleshy raspberry runs the core here, driving through on a svelte frame, coupled with threads of rose petal and green/lemon tea that flank the fruit throughout, as a healthy dose of sous bois kicks in on the finish. Ends with just a touch of minerality at the very end. Finish is really lovely.

Overall: Well integrated and harmonious, with the quality fruit taking point as everything weaves around. Very new world in feel, but good drive gives this a bit of ageability, and it will be nice to see additional knit on a package that is already well put together. Drink now - 2028.

92.

9/25/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Medium garnet, hazy.

Nose: A heady mix of juiced blackberry, bramble, candied orange peel, espresso, and cocoa dust. Billowing, fragrant, borne along by high alcohols.

Mouth: An incredibly smooth swath of melted bitter chocolate leads off, studded with elements of bramble and dried thyme, as juiced blackberry, dark fig fruit, and light candied orange notes rush to catch up. Finish kicks off on a cloud of powdered espresso which keeps pulling everything along, lingering on the back end longest with a hint of thyme for good measure. Very very long overall.

Overall: Dense and loaded, with darker, packed in flavors that give this a rich, showy, elegant feel. Not 'pure' by any stretch of the imagination, but the quality of the fruit is supremely high. This shows the heat of the vintage cloaked in opulence. A distinctive, fabulous version. Drink now - 2038.

97.

9/11/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Medium ruby

Nose: Huge iron, cherry pit, massive metallic notes.

Mouth: Bitter cherry pit and supple raspberry notes are packed in here, offering light tinges of peach before giving way to a rush of brisk acidity, white pepper, and bay. Iron comes back at the end giving this twang at the finish.

Overall: Energetic and a bit wound up at this time, the quality here is overall quite good, but it's difficult to see what this will become in the end based on how highly toned it is at the moment. Needs time to stretch out regardless. Drink 2024 - 2033.

92.

7/24/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Deep ruby, opaque.

Nose: Lavender, cast iron, asian five spice. Muted.

Supple, dense notes of steeped blackberry, black cherry, and acai have full reign throughout the mouth: cruising through with authority as cherry pit, earl grey, asian five spice and bitter chocolate fill in around. Not huge in body, but mouth filling in flavor, leaving a resinous, teeth staining coating in leaving. Chewy tannins swell at the end, keeping everything from becoming cloying. Excellent length in all.

Overall: Takes the richer side of the ledger, but keeps good drive throughout, and the tannins on the finish are a welcome touch. Layered and complex, with beautiful touches in the complex mix of flavor. Very strong overall. Drink now - 2036.

95.

7/23/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Medium garnet.

Nose: Metallic in profile, shows hefty iron and tin notes together with dried cherry and a hint of rose oil.

Mouth: A deep pool of ripe black cherry and cassis glide through ahead of interspersed red florals, balsamic, cast iron and a bevy of tannins that clip the fruit for now. Acidity as well is a rush to the finish line, but everything stays intact throughout. Very, very long in the mouth, with huge amounts of drive.

Overall: Still very young and astringent, but has excellent potential in the fabulous purity of the fruit and the acidic back end. Some tertiary notes show already, which will continue to develop beautifully over the next 20 years. Drink 2025 - 2038.

95.

7/18/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale garnet.

Nose: Dried cherry, light potpourri, red tea, leather. Elegantly perfumed

Mouth: Dried bing cherry and strawberry notes lead a lightly electric midpalate of worn leather and iron black pepper that tingle as they pass through. Laid back in feel and lightly succulent, with a tannic tinge on the finish for a hint of structure. Drink now - 2026.

91.

7/17/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Medium ruby.

Nose: Light baking chocolate, spicebox, hint of paprika.

Mouth: A core of polished black cherry and black plum are threaded through with light notes of coffee bean, baking chocolate, crushed clove, bitter tar, and graphite. Finish is lighter than expected for all of the upfront heft, but keeps elegantly clean by the end, with notes of dried forest berry and graphite lingering.

Overall: A showstopper effort out of this cuvee. Other years have been fabulous, this one is utterly stellar. Drinks a bit like quality Left Bank in it's handling and finesse, with some of the flavor profile to match. Shows structure and density in spades. Lovely now, but deserves more than a couple years in bottle to begin to unfurl adequately. Drink 2024 - 2037.

95.

7/6/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale copper

Nose: Light strawberry fruit, citrus peel, white flower.

Mouth: Creamed strawberry notes and just a hint of pineapple come through together with meyer lemon ahead of an easy green strawberry finish. Not hugely complex or long, but the mouthfeel is excellent and the flavors harmonious. Drink now.

90.

7/6/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale Ruby

Nose: Huge, billowing kirsch, sandalwood, potpourri, myrrh. Gorgeous.

Mouth: Polished pomegranate, strawberry, and blood orange flavors glide through pulling in kirsch, spice box, and white pepper notes that announce the lip smacking finish. Sails on and on as the fruit fades on the lingering white pepper.

Overall: Supple and generous and still complex with excellent focus. A little bit of time here would be helpful, to let everything settle down, but ready to drink young if preferred. Drink now - 2028.

95.

7/6/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

​Deep ruby, hazy

Nose: Rose tea, tar, melted raisin.

A smooth, deep pool of dried black cherry holds center court, adjoined to a high torque mid palate of black raisin, crushed anise, baking chocolate and black tea. Finish shows a very light hint of tar as it falls off. The lovely fruit comes through in layers here, if ending out shorter in the mouth overall.

Overall: Chewy and rustic, but with fabulous fruit. Distinctive and rich in its own way. A winner. Drink now- 2030.

91

7/1/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Medium ruby.

Nose: Red currant, cedar note that rings clear as a bell, graphite.

Mouth: Warmed red currants are met simultaneously by pureed black cherry, cut cedar, dried tobacco, and a kiss of vanilla, as a splash of orange juice announces the slowly fading finish. Just a bit grainy at the end, but overall shows all the right pieces in the right places.

Overall: Not profound, but solid, with good length, and a fair amount of meld at this point. Drink now - 2029.

90.

6/30/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale ruby

Nose: Powdered matcha, cola, sous bois, light reduction/rubber balloon.

Mouth: Lightly supple black cherry and light raspberry and cola, notes show against a taught line of matcha, potting soil, and rose hip. Finish is garden green, with rose stem notes showing toward the end.

Overall: A direct, classical take, polished and lightly finessed and with good typicity for the region. Drink now- 2025

90.

6/29/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

​​Pale ruby, garnet rim. Hazy

Nose: Deep cola notes, raspberry liqueur.

Mouth: Creamed black cherry and raspberry compote flavors hold center stage together just before a wave of spiced sarsaparilla and licorice root come crashing through. Ends on a lightly bitter note of loam and black tea, with a tinge of citrus swirling through at the end. Midpalate comes through in light waves as everything ripples along.

Overall: A big, mouthfilling wine for Oregon pinot. Blacker and richer than I anticipated, this is sleek, with beautifully supple tiers of flavor that show graceful, polished palate action.

93.

6/28/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale straw.

Nose: Wet slate, lemon verbena.

Mouth: Elegant, juicy gooseberry and lime notes are joined with just a hint of creamed pear in this generous version, ahead of a midpalate/finish of lemongrass and slate. Cleans up along a perfect, crystalline spine as the fruit comes back lightly for an encore. Really lovely palate action.

Overall: Sleek, and even with a bit of power to the different flavors on view. Much longer than I anticipated, with excellent drive. Drink now - 2024

91.

6/28/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

​Pale gold, touches of green.

Nose: Cool vanilla creme, light white flower, touches of butter.

Mouth: Honeydew melon and green almond come through just ahead of light poached pear notes on a glassy sheen of oak, as elegant washes of lime zest, white pepper, and triple sec fill in. Juicy and clean overall, with a lightly steely edge on the finish, this has excellent character and nuance to the layers of flavors within it. Drink now - 2026.

92.

6/23/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale gold

Nose: Light white florals, some peach.

Mouth: Glazed white peach and light green apple notes come through on a slightly creamy frame, streaked with tarragon overtones ahead of a finish of light baking spice. Finish pops on the tarragon, holding that note.

Overall: Lightly sculpted, with good accents. This has just a bit of a watery core, but a good personality throughout. Drink now.

90.

6/15/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Deep ruby

Nose: Red flower, smashed black cherry, black pepper.

Mouth: Juicy cassis and black cherry glide through on a lightly glossy frame, introducing threads of rooibos tea, liquid violet, and a hefty dose of cracked pepper and loam toward the end of the midpalate. Finish holds that note, as the fruit comes back for a light encore and the bitter black tea pops at the end.

Overall: Midpalate feels a little hollow for what I expected here, but the overall quality is good. Keeps excellent freshness and drive throughout, and the tannins are nice and tame even now. Drink 2023 - 2035.

92.

6/13/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Deep ruby

Nose: Forest berries, mesquite, violet, iron, light smoke.

Mouth: A broad cassis core, tinged with light mesquite notes has center stage, leading a lighter midpalate of sweet black cherry, plum paste, black tea, anise and dried black tobacco. Fruit is weightless in the mouth, just floating across, as a mineral ending to the midpalate allows the fruit to return just briefly before fading.

Overall: Svelte, generous and still balanced, this is lightly lush in feel with velveteen palate action, showing understated luxury in its overall feel. Really finessed. Drink 2022 - 2037.

96.

6/8/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale ruby

Nose: Light strawberry, rose oil, muted.

Mouth: Steeped raspberry fruit leads off here, accented nicely by flashes of dried strawberry and tart cranberry as a huge bolt of bitter rose stem and light loam notes hold court over the midpalate and finish. A bit bitter and black in the end, but unique in what it offers as a profile.

Overall: Level of polish here is pretty high, and this leans heavily on finesse in the mouthfeel and the segue between its flavors. The midpalate of garden flavors has a lot of sway over everything right now, and the sleek fruit is left by the wayside for now. Drink 2022 - 2026.

88.

6/6/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale ruby, hazy.

Nose: Gorgeous rose petal, powdered matcha, orange rind.

Mouth: Juicy pomegranate has full reign of the palate, as light accents of raspberry jolly rancher, green tea, orange juice, and sandalwood are embedded within. Ends on a decidedly mineral note, which give a clean finale to the overall package, with light echoes of green tea lingering longest on the finish.

Overall: A fun, lip smacking wine with nice accents studding the fruit throughout. Has a lightly refreshing quality about it, but still very polished and serious about its quality, making it a lovely summer wine with a chill. Drink now - 2028.

93.

5/30/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Medium ruby, garnet edge.

Nose: Wood chest, garrigue, black cherry, brick dust.

Mouth: A deep supple well of steeped black cherry shows fabulous purity and a hint of sweetness as it leads flavors of balsamic, black loam, cedar, and grilled thyme. Ends on a nicely earthen note, as the loam is really allowed to sing in the end. Ends clean however, with sweet tannins and a touch of brick dust.

Overall: Nicely balanced, with beautifully supple fruit up front and a backend of complimentary earth tones that takes center stage in equal measure. Very primary still at this time. Some development on this will really push it into something remarkable. Drink 2022 - 2038

95.

5/29/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Deep ruby.

Nose: Stunning, vividly rendered notes of cherry pates des fruits, crushed loganberry, smoking candle wick, blackberry preserve, Indian spice, crushed vanilla bean, pencil lead.

Mouth: Various glossy mixed fruits gush out of the gate: cassis, raspberry, blackberry puree, dark cherry, dripping down the palate as vanilla bean, light alder, and anise notes swell up around. The finish is sleek and delicate, showing powdered chalk that keeps this grounded in St. Emilion and extends everything nicely as the fruit keeps running.

Overall: Probably one of the most generous versions out of this site, (and for some it may be too ripe), but my god is the fruit gorgeous. The aromatics of the nose alone are something to behold, which set you up for a mirror image of fruit in the mouth while the finish keeps everything honest in the end. Has enormous range after decanting, with the fruit continuing to have full reign as flashes of spice and vanilla dance around. Very difficult to put down. Drink now until 2035.

97.

5/29/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Medium Ruby

Nose: Grilled thyme, spiced cherry, powdered granite.

Mouth: Grilled red plum and raspberry compote mingle gently with cherry sauce flavors as threads of grilled thyme and red flower fall in line behind. Finish ends on a light sheen, picking up flavors of powdered granite as lovely tannins surface on the edges of the palate.

Overall: Polished and still with good drive, this is a nice sleek package overall. A beautiful, finessed counterpoint to the powerful 2016 version. Drink now - 2036.

93.

5/27/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale garnet

Nose: potpourri, rose petal, potting soil.

Juicy black cherry and dried raspberry flavors come through met with rooobos tea notes and a long line of bitter rose stem. Ends up feeling taught overall, but with excellent tension in the end.

Overall: Both juicy and drawn at the same time, this is resonant and has good character, and the finish is much much longer than expected. Distinctive and well crafted. Drink now - 2028.

91.

5/24/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Medium ruby

Nose: Warmed cast iron, brett, roasted thyme, cut salumi.

Mouth: Zesty dried cherry flavor is laced with a saline edge, as it comes through pure and punctuated by meaty salami and black pepper notes. Finish is announced by a cloud of brick dust and dried thyme on the way in. Everything lingers long as a bolt of iron shows up, holding that note to the very end.

Overall: A fabulous food wine (and that's not to sell it short), this has enormous synergistic potential with a wide variety of the regional cuisine. Stands up very well on its own, but its profile is so fitting with food that it feels a bit like a waste to keep it on its own. A bit of a rarity in that regard, but of excellent stand-alone quality. Drink now - 2038.

94.

5/22/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale ruby.

Nose: Cherry blow pop, green almond, potpourri, white pepper.

Mouth: Pure flavors of pomegranate, raspberry, and blood orange, glide through, supple and lightly sweet, before pulling in threads of cinnamon, dried orange peel, kirsch, tarragon, and bitter almond on the extended midpalate. These undergird the fruit and keep firing into a long, long finish tinged with a hit of white pepper for good measure.

Overall: From a technical perspective, practically everything is here - shows absolutely gorgeous purity of fruit and complexity of character throughout. Palate action is also fabulous, with a seamless segue from upfront fruit to more structured elements in the middle, before everything echoes wonderfully on the endless finish. A bit of an atypical style for pinot noir, (and the flavors aren't always entirely complimentary) but this qualifies as a showstopper. Drink now - 2033.

96.

5/19/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Pale straw

Nose: Lemon creme, white flower.

Mouth: White peach and lemon flavors show with a light tarragon streak ahead of a finish of crushed mineral and lemon pith. Nicely sculpted for what it is. Not super long, but has decent drive behind it. Drink now.

89.

5/10/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote:

Deep ruby.

Nose: Huge wood panelling, dried thyme, with kirsch overtones.

Mouth: Pure bing cherry shows judicious, beautifully integrated oak as it glides through on a light sheen, leading slow waves of raspberry puree and bitter currant paste. Everything fans out on the palate before a panopoly of sagebrush, juniper, cedar, brown sugar, and tar notes skitter around on the long finish.

Overall: An old school style, this has good complexity to go with the structured palate action, with emphasis especially on the woodsy midpalate. A bit more linear and drawn for Napa but is well balanced and pure, and paradoxically, not restrained in spite of being more drawn in. Drink now - 2038.

93.