4/20/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

This had nice body, balance and typical 2016 dust upon opening. Went through a closed phase at about 2 hours and re-emerged at about 4 hours with added depth, complexity and brighter finish. Really liked this bottle.

4/20/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

This bottle drank very young and took a solid 6 hours in the decanter and glass to start to really blossom. It is full of mostly deep red fruit with tons of brightness, fine tannins and energy. subtle complexity was overwhelmed most of the night by its energy and fruit. Really interesting bottle with the potential for more with age.

4/12/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Agree totally with golf hawk's notes on this wine. A really wonderfully aged pinot that shows both excitement and restraint. Wish I had more!

4/12/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Really singing despite no aeration. Nice energy, layers of flavor and long finish. Liked it a lot. It really outshone a 2016 Parallel Limelight that was drunk beside it.

4/12/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Many nice things about this wine but also lacked pizazz! The dark fruit, glassy/weightless mouthfeel, smoothness and balance were all good. But the complexity and energy were somewhat lacking. It was not memorable.

4/7/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Still going strong! Rich with oak notes in a velvety package. Good backbone of tannins and acidity on the finish. Consistently good.

3/31/2024 - iamandyc wrote:

This bottle was clearly past its prime. Certainly drinkable but a bit flat.

3/20/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Only had a sip or two so not rating. Was very smooth with good lively structure supporting it. Dark fruited.

3/15/2024 - iamandyc Does not like this wine:

Mediocre bottle that was thin, without any depth and lacking structure. Nice dark fruit but that was about it. Quaffable. Could have found better wine for 25% of the cost of this bottle. Normally a big fan of Hall but this was very disappointing, especially for the price.

2/24/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Nice Zin dominated blend that was easy to drink, flavorful and had decent structure supporting the fruit.

2/22/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Excellent again if you are looking for a big, rich Cali cab that is practically overflowing with everything. Consistent with my last bottle from 2022 - Agree totally with Jeb D's description of this wine -- although I noted more layers of flavor (including chocolate) than Jeb noted. Awesome body and mouthfeel with long, balanced and tasty finish. Pleasure all the way through." It has also developed coffee notes as well. It struck me as a bit sweeter than last time so I lowered the score slightly. Again, this ain't for those looking for sophistication or Bordeaux style and completely understand many would find it over the top :)

2/22/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

This is such a nice Sonoma pinot that by controlling serving temperature and exposure to air can run the gamut of style. With air and at ~70 degree serving temperature, it is rich dry black cherry dominated with medium body, silky mouthfeel and ample acidity to lengthen and lightly energize the spicy finish. At PnP and cooler temperature, it is more Burgundian in nature. Lots of life left. IMHO, awesome.

2/22/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Wine has a lot of bright, lush, red fruit upfront and backs it up with solid structure and a spicy finish. With air, some of the sweetness does fade, which is a good thing. Solid CDP and if served via PnP, would be a quaffing party wine (probably scores 90-91 IMHO). With air it gains sophistication and worthy to me of 92-93 points.

2/11/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Agree 100% with the Galloni and Jeb reviews on this really sophisticated, smooth, balanced, velvety, flavorful Napa cab. Needs about 1-2 hours to come together -- kept improving in the glass. Not as "exciting" as the B Cellars St. Helena which was also consumed that night but was its equal in its pleasure delivered in its smooth jazz style. This winery is still flying under the radar delivering nice appellation and single vineyard wines as a great QPR (especially at auction pricing).

2/11/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Continuing to improve and is drinking really really well with about 1.5-2 hours in the decanter. There is a lot going on in every facet of this wine. The primarily dark fruit is strong but dry --no confectionary notes. This has nice body/viscosity without being plodding or heavy due to the freshness from its acidity and fine tannins (which yield some minerality). Dark chocolate, leather and earthy notes abound and follow through on a long lively finish. Decent balance but all the parts are playing loudly. I think more years in the cellar will harmonize it all nicely.

1/7/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Very consistent with my prior notes. Awesome QPR. Sad it's my last bottle.

1/6/2024 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Improved a touch since my last bottle over a year ago. A really solid QPR. This bottle seemed more classic in structure and body -- not as big and rich as more modern Napa style.

12/26/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

A beautiful Christmas wine that was singing with a two hour decant. These O'Shaughnessy wines are so consistently good vintage after vintage and have a nice QPR given the market for Napa wines these days. The mouthfeel, energy, multi toned fruit and finish are wonderful. Really good food wine as well. Aging beautifully. Lots of life left.

12/26/2023 - iamandyc wrote:

A beautiful Christmas wine that was singing with a two hour decant. These O'Shaughnessy wines are so consistently good vintage after vintage and have a nice QPR given the market for Napa wines these days. The mouthfeel, energy, multi toned fruit and finish are wonderful. Really good food wine as well.

12/26/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

In a Christmas Eve cab lineup which included 2004 Rocca Yountville, 2016 Carter The O.G. and 2012 VHR. All these wines were so different but each amazing in their own way -- all required 2-8 hours of double decanting to reach their max potential on this night.
A stunning complete wine and the best of this lineup. Needed the longest decant (8 hours - no slow ox) to open up and integrate its components. This had the best nose of the bunch. it had tremendous energy on the palate and on the very very long finish. Depth of dark fruit was awesome. I believe that with age this could approach perfection with some additional complexity (there are earthy notes as well as bitter chocolate) and some additional harmonization of the energy the wine emits at this stage.

12/26/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

In a Christmas Eve cab lineup which included 2004 Rocca Yountville, 2012 VHR. and 2018 Memento Mori Dr. Crane. All these wines were so different but each amazing in their own way -- all required 2-8 hours of double decanting to reach their max potential on this night.
The Carter The OG is the ultimate Napa pleasure bomb (for what I can afford to buy). Blows me away with endless layers and depth of favor, mouthfeel that is dense yet glides over the palate, dusty fine tannins, minerality and long smooth complex finish with chocolate, espresso, tobacco and so may other notes. Hits the right notes for me when a special occasion calls for such a guilty pleasure!

12/26/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

In a Christmas Eve cab lineup which included 2012 VHR, 2016 Carter The O.G. and 2018 Memento Mori Dr. Crane. All these wines were so different but each amazing in their own way -- all required 2-8 hours of double decanting to reach their max potential on this night.
This has aged really well as this was bottle 14 of my 15 bottles I've drank of this wine since its initial release. This 2004 was initially a flavor bomb (like Carter The O.G.) but has become more refined with age. This bottle was a bit flabby upon opening but with 2 hours of air (in a smaller narrow decanter) its fine tannin and some acidity stepped forward to support the "juicy" fruit and layers of flavor and elevate the finish. I'd drink up if you have them because I'm worried whether how much longer the tannins and acidity will survive.

12/26/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

In a Christmas Eve cab lineup which included 2004 Rocca Yountville, 2016 Carter The O.G. and 2018 Memento Mori Dr. Crane. All these wines were so different but each amazing in their own way -- all required 2-8 hours of double decanting to reach their max potential on this night.
The VHR was initially thinner than hoped, red fruited and acid dominated on the finish (was a bit worried!). After about 4 hours it really blossomed and continued to improve in our glasses. It became wonderfully balanced, fruit darkened/deepened, built body and the finish became long, lively but smooth. Really tastefully sexy wine that has aged so well -- not sure that it can get much better for my taste, but I'll never know since it's my last bottle of it!!

12/22/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Performed really well again. Wish I had bought more. Drinks well without any decant but continues to evolve with air. Agree with JD's description in his review but thought the fruit leaned more in the red spectrum. All smooth jazz to be easily enjoyed.

12/22/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Agree wholeheartedly with FB's tasting notes on this wine. This is a big boy and not for the faint of heart. My bottle did require over four hours of a combo of decanting and slow ox to fully come together and integrate the fruit, minerality, structure, and dark earthy notes into a velvety package. Still evolving in the glass down to the last sip more hours later. Great QPR.

12/11/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Lots of potential here but appears to be way too young at this point. Gave it over 3 hours and tried over another 3 hours and never really came together on Day #1. The dark fruit, body, mouthfeel were all pretty good but the wine had a rough acidic note on the finish that never dissipated. On day #2, the finish improved greatly and showed nice smooth, fine, dusty tannins. On Day 3, some energy returned to the finish (a nice combo of days 1 & 2). I can see potential for a 93-94+ score in the future.

12/10/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Just a wonderful bottle of Napa cab. Agree wholeheartedly with Jeb's description of the wine but not prepared to give 98+ points. It benefits from decanting as it integrates, deepens and its finish lengthens with air. I agree with Marshmallowman that drinking it confirms that I'm a "very lucky guy". Classic Venge style in winemaking. Wish I had more!

12/9/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Another stellar bottle of this wine. I'd say to drink this up now as it's lost a touch of body since my last bottle 2 years ago (I'd call it silky now). So smooth and seamless though. A great QPR.

11/17/2023 - iamandyc Does not like this wine:

Unlike any other Ferren chards that I've had, this one had a bitter oaky finish that I couldn't get past. This bottle was not enjoyable.

11/12/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Improved over 4 hours with air -- getting deeper and developing good flavors and balance. Overall an easygoing but well made wine for its type.

11/5/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Really smooth from the get-go with nice spicy bright finish. Improved with air as it all balanced out well in about 2 hours. Awesome QPR for a Napa red. Glad I have one left to let age further.

10/30/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Such a solid QPR at $60 in the retail market. I think this is aging really well and getting more sophisticated with age. Needs a 2 hour decant to fill out and build body. Glides over the palate with dark fruit with some red notes. Chocolate, tobacco, and woody notes show up over time. Nice finish.

10/25/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

I have become a big fan of Morlet Family Vineyard wines. This did not disappoint as it was a pleasure to drink and had a lot going on in a medium bodied package. Really nice structure supporting the red fruited wine. Nice minerality, fine tannins and a very lively long finish. Especially good with food. Improved with a 2 hour decant and held up well over 2 days (think I liked the package a little better on day #1). Drinking like a young wine and has lots of time to further develop and soften.

10/25/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

An excellent bottle that has aged well. Started very dark and earthy and over the course of the evening developed more red fruited notes and softened considerably. It is a deep wine with nice body and many layers. There is still considerable fine tannins and acidity which keeps the finish lively. Lots of life left.

10/21/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

A really delicious appellation Cali chardonnay for my palate. Rich, flavorful with enough acidity and balance to not be overblown. A really good value in their line of chards. Definitely easy to identify the Aubert style.

10/19/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Agree wholwheartedly with YankeeRobio's notes. This wine is drinking like it's young and needs a big decant to fully open and soften. Regardless, it is a beautiful wine that has notable power yet is not a monster or overblown. Great structure that follows through the finish. The mouthfeel is pure and glides over the palate. Many layers to it that build with air. Serious wine! Great QPR.

10/19/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

A really nice pinot with good energy, balance and rich flavor. Cherry fruited with some blood orange citrus notes. There is a nice spice event that carries through to the finish. Pleasantly dry without overt sweetness or heaviness. Sad Mike and Mark had to part ways and blow up this project.

10/6/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

This is a beautiful wine that is drinking very well right now. It has nice viscosity without being heavy on the palate. Nice deep fruit that leans purple and dark red. Glides to a rich finish. It is balanced. Only complaint is that the wine lacks layers of complexity. Suave and nuanced but not thought provoking. Glad I got to try one!!

10/6/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

This bottle was singing for a 22 year old bottle with little signs of slowing down. Darker and more fruit forward than I expected for a mature Caymus made before the overblown milkshake era took over at this winery over the past 8-10 years. nice backbone of tannins and acid. Some spiciness and oak on the finish. Held up well over 2+ days.

10/4/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Awesome once again. This is a brilliant wine. Agree wholeheartedly with Jeb's review. For Napa, not overdone but full of pleasure and a long, smooth, layered finish. Has gotten a touch darker since my last bottle. So sad that I had only bought 2 of them.

10/2/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

With about 60 minutes of air, turned into a very nice lush cab with good structure supporting the dark fruit. An excellent QPR.

9/13/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Really reminds me of northern Rhone syrah. It is so balanced and deep blue/black fruit without being sweet. Floats over the palate. Aging really wel with no end in sight.

9/8/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Such a great QPR. Such a consistent winner in each vintage. Really good on day #1 with a couple hour decant and amazing on day #2. Such a powerhouse of dense dark fruit, earthy notes, rounded tannins, and long finish. This has a long life ahead. On the second day everything softens perfectly and integrates without losing its energy or long finish. Such a treat.

9/5/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Probably would have scored higher with more air as it was getting plusher and integrating it all. Blueberry and red notes in a dense package. Flavorful finish. Slightly herbal but in a good way. Ed's wines have always been a great value.

9/5/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

Awesome pinot that drank beautifully over 2 days. Loaded with layers of flavor but seemingly weightless as it glides over your palate. Just a pleasure to enjoy.

9/4/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

This was singing right out of the bottle but got deeper and more complex with air. A great QPR. Long rich finish with good energy.Big thumbs up!

9/4/2023 - iamandyc wrote:

A decent bottle of cab but suffered in comparison to a really nice 2013 Frias SMD. The body was a bit thin and very little complexity behind the fruit. Decent.

8/28/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

A very nice version of pinot from this vineyard. Drank beautifully with a short decant.

8/22/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

This was an awesome bottle that needed a 3 hour decant to fully blossom and integrate. This was really singing -- beautiful red and blue fruit, weightless mouthfeel, layers of flavor and depth, and long energetic finish. Loved it.

8/21/2023 - iamandyc Likes this wine:

A beautiful bend that has great body, mouthfeel, wonderful flavor palate and nice finish. Really successful without needing much decanting as a sipper or with spiced pork tenderloin. Another superb Carter wine despite the vintage challenges!