4/15/2024 - WineCPA wrote:

Really good if you like that upfront ripe fruit style. Thick and mouth coating. Red fruit and some spice. Supple tannins. Drink now and enjoy.

3/27/2024 - WineCPA wrote:

Nicely balanced mountain cab. Blueberry and black cherry on the palate. Medium finish. Moderate tannins. Black fruit on the finish with little else. Solid wine but one dimensional.

3/24/2024 - WineCPA wrote:

This is superb now. Definitely at its peak. We'll balanced but errs on the side of fruit still. Smooth tannins. Shows ripe blackberry and blueberry. Long finish with graphite and gravel. Fantastic.

3/4/2024 - WineCPA wrote:

Drinks really nice now. Has room to evolve. Red fruit and moderate tannins. Nice acidity.

3/2/2024 - WineCPA wrote:

At its peak for sure. Smooth tannins. Black and blue fruit. Full bodied. The alcohol shows a bit. Very tasty. Drink now.

2/25/2024 - WineCPA wrote:

Fantastic St Julien. A bare hint of funk at the open - faintly discernable. And then it blew off. Opens slowly. Decant this. Medium bodied. No signs of bricking. Still showed firm tannins but they loosen nicely as it evolved in the glass. Graphite, cassis, tobacco. Medium-long finish. Extremely well balanced. This still has plenty of time but it's certainly ready now.

2/13/2024 - WineCPA wrote:

Really smooth. Like velvet. Full bodied. Rich black fruit coating the palate. Tannins seem fully integrated. Drink now lest it turn flabby. Fantastic example of great Petit Verdot.

1/28/2024 - WineCPA wrote:

Really good and ready to go. Smoke, graphite and leather wrapped around a core of blackberry, cassis and cherry. Great effort. Aged really well.

1/13/2024 - WineCPA wrote:

This is still great. Not over the hill at all. Medium-full bodied. Medium-low acidity. Just enough to hold things together. Dark black cherry and chocolate coat the palate. Hint of mushroom on the nose and a long finish. It's bigger than you'd expect at 14 years old. Still holding. Not bricking. Can't believe the life this still has. Last one in 2025-2027. Or do I wait longer to see.....

1/7/2024 - WineCPA wrote:

Drinks beautiful now. Good value here. Lots of bold blackberry along with leather and graphite. Medium-full bodied. Has a good bit of life but probably close to peak. Drink now-2026

1/7/2024 - WineCPA wrote:

This is a solid wine, and had it been a little less expensive, I'd have scored it higher by 2-3 points. But at over $100 this is a hard sell. Ripe fruit is there in this difficult vintage. Hint of earth. Medium bodied. Medium acidity.

1/6/2024 - WineCPA wrote:

This is probably just past peak. It's definitely a mature wine at this point. This bottle was recorked by the Château in 2011. No decant. Opened for 4 hours with cork in at 60 degrees. This opens and develops significantly in the glass over a 10 minute period. Initial impression is mature dried fruit and mushroom. But once the air mixes in you get leather, smoked meat and a hint of earth. Lots going on here. It's still alive and well but I would drink now as I can't imagine it getting better and only losing the fruit it still has. Still shows moderate tannins. Medium-full bodied. Ahhh.... The days of 12.5% alcohol. So easy to drink.

1/5/2024 - WineCPA wrote:

Really good this year. Savory notes on the finish preceeded by ripe cherry and strawberry. Drink now-2027. Medium-plus acidity.

12/25/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Boom! This is a phenomenal wine. Long finish that shows vanilla, cinnamon stick, and brown butter. The oak is heavy here but for those that indulge as I do, you will love this.

12/25/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Medium bodied and a bit steely. Not my favorite but still quite good. Strong citrus flavors.

12/4/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Still showing big red fruit. Smooth tannins. Beautiful now. Drink and enjoy. Long finish of black cherry, cassis, smoke and leather.

11/19/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Still has big ripe fruit on the palate and can go longer. But definitely starting to peak. Loads of cassis and blackberry. Hints of graphite on the finish along with crushed stone. Moderate tannins hold it together nicely. Drink now-2025.

11/14/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Great Sonoma Coast Pinot. Medium bodied. Medium plus acidity. Mouthwatering cherry and raspberry. Medium-long finish. Quite good and I liked it more than other years. Definitely needs some air.

11/4/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Very smooth like most of my 14's. Ripe fruit that goes medium-long on the finish. Medium-full bodied. A really good effort at a reasonable price for Oakville Cabernet. Black cherry and blackberry fruit is prevalent.

10/26/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Full bodied. Thick black and red fruits. Integrating tannins. Has life left but feels like it's drinking at its peak. Great wine.

10/25/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Solid wine, but still a bit expensive for what it is. Still shows gobs of fruit and the tannins are mellowing nicely. Drink now-2025.

10/15/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Drinking at its peak. Integrated tannins. Raspberry, blueberry and cherry across the full palate. Medium bodied. Medium plus acidity. Fantastic at 6 years old. Drink now-2025.

10/14/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Thinking this needs time to still evolve. Hints of mushroom and earth on the palate mix with red fruit. Nose is a bit muted but shows some cherry. Medium plus acidity. Medium bodied. Quite good but the price is getting a bit unsustainable at the level of this vintage.

10/13/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Full bodied and entering its window. Firm tannins at first but opens nicely with air. I gave it 2 hours in a decanter to see significant improvement. Black and red fruit upfront on the palate. Hints of smoke on the finish complicate the tannic structure nicely. Drink now-2027 as I'm afraid this will turn flabby without the tannins. There's no finesse on this one. As with most AO's I've had, it's a really big wine and lacks the nuance you'd want for a very long term ager.

9/21/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Outstanding! Very well balanced. Medium-full bodied. Medium tannins that are integrating. Black and red fruit but not jammy in the least. Graphite, leather and rose petal on the nose. Can go much longer but beautiful now.

9/17/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Fantastic wine for the price. Drinking really nice now with a decant. Right at first but opens nicely to black and red fruit. Medium tannins. Can go longer but drinking perfectly now.

8/13/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

This is at its peak right now. Loads of black and red fruit covered with chocolate. Integrated tannins. Didn't last on day two- became flabby and fell apart. Drink now.

8/8/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Gorgeous. Medium bodied. Stone fruit with apricot on the body. Floral on the nose. Mouth coating. Long finish.

7/26/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

This is just so perfect right now. Haven't had in a few years. Medium-firm tannins at the open. The mellow with air. But I love the moderate structure this provides as a backbone for the ripe, black and blue mountain fruit. This can obviously go much longer but wow is it delicious right now. Getting way more tannins than on my note in 2019.

7/5/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Consistent with my prior note from 2 years ago. Still beautiful and has plenty of life. But great now to enjoy the fruit.

6/28/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Opened a half bottle. Thin at first. An hour later it's a different story. Great wine. Medium-full bodied. Cherry, cedar, tobacco.

6/24/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

In a great spot right now with some air or a decant. Tannins suggest more evolution is still possible. Black and red fruit on the palate and nose. Black pepper and a hint of tobacco on the finish. Next in 2-3 years.

6/22/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Nose is full of grapefruit that carries forward to the palate. Medium plus acidity that really keeps your mouth watering. Shows salinity on the palate as well. Definitely not an oak bomb. Long finish but I think this needs time for the acidity to mellow out a bit.

6/13/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Boom! Luscious mountain fruit all over the palate. But even before you get there you'll find graphite and iron on the nose. The palate follows through with the graphite and adds in the black and red fruit. Tannins are integrating nicely. This can go longer. But my vote is to drink now thru 2028. Enjoy the fruit. Decant. And enjoy the evolution.

6/9/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Coming along nicely. Needed just a few minutes of air to fill out. Medium plus acidity and medium body. Deep clack cherry fruit, hints of oak, Medium finish. Excellent wine. Drink now-2026.

5/28/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

My last bottle was better. The fruit is just starting to fade a bit. It's still gorgeous and has plenty to enjoy. But it's time to start drinking these if you have them. Drink now-2026.

5/28/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Still have significant structure and the fruit is still present. But this is definitely fading. From a magnum.

5/14/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Solid effort. Moderate tannins. Dried black cherry. Drinking well now.

5/14/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

I didn't like this at all. Sour cherry. Tart finish that is unfortunately quite long.

4/30/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Lacks some of the interesting secondary flavors of other vintages. Perhaps time would help this one. Still a great wine but hard to justify the price. Run of the mill cherry, cola, and medium plus acidity.

4/29/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Fantastic value. Deep dark fruit. Blackberry, black cherry, hints of dark chocolate. Ready to drink but will still go several more years. Medium tannins.

4/27/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Not as powerful as my last bottle. Significant sediment. Still going strong but time to drink this over the next few years.

4/23/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Four years later and consistent with my prior note. Needs air to sing. But wow does it sing. Red cherry fruit. Medium long finish.

4/5/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Solid effort even if a bit one dimensional. Blue and red mountain fruit. Medium bodied. Medium finish. Tannins integrated.

3/31/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Smooth and mellow. Full of black and red mountain berries. Full bodied, tannins have mostly have integrated. Not boozy- alcohol is in check. Quite good and ready to go.

3/26/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

A big smooth beast. Gobs of dark mountain fruit. Not sweet or cloying. Tannins are mostly integrated but this hasn't turned flabby yet. Raspberries, black cherry, and even blueberry show through on the palate. Light spice notes one the finish. Drink now-2024.

3/25/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

This wine went from a 91 to a 95 inside of four hours. Wow. Firm tannins air out nicely and integrate. Back cherry cola at first. Little orange peel on the nose too. Then the graphite and cassis comes out. Really excellent now if you decant or areate. Has life. Drink now-2030. No green notes at all.

3/25/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Firm tannins, medium bodied. A good bit of green bell pepper and olives as is typical for this vintage. Fruit still there. Drink now.

3/16/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

As expected this is still pretty big. Firm tannins starting to mellow with some air. Dip a feather in it and you could write a letter. But if you weren't expecting that you should probably stick to generic retail reds. Black and red fruit thickly coat the palate. Long finish shows blackberry and cassis. No tertiary flavors whatsoever. This is all about the big fruit. Enjoy it for what it is. Go big or go home.

3/5/2023 - WineCPA wrote:

Rather one dimensional. Straightforward fruit and no tertiary flavors. Not a bad wine but lacks character for the price.