9/10/2023 - pjbeans wrote:

In a great spot right now. Silky tannins

7/20/2023 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Decanted ~60 minutes. Bright cherry, flowers and leather/ tobacco on the nose. Acid has mellowed but still some tannic grip after the hour decant. Dark cherry and fruit with some funk on the palate. Drinking really well!

11/7/2022 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Drinking very well now on the young side/ just entering window. Drink or hold

8/10/2022 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Decided on opening a 2010 Alter Ego to pair with lamb loin chops. Classic Marguax nose with a little funk, tobacco and dark fruit. On the palate this is a treat - dark cherry/ black currant/ pencil lead/ integrated tannins. Special wine, great stuff. Drink or hold

4/19/2022 - pjbeans wrote:

Medium high acid, blueberries, cherry. The acid suggests this will age gracefully for a few more years but has a very nice zip to it now. Drinking well after a 30 minute decant.

6/26/2021 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Big, dark, rich Barolo. Decanted around an hour and needed more time. Started out very tight and opened up nicely over a couple hours. Great Barolo given the warm vintage. Hold for a couple years or give a 2 hour decant

1/2/2021 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Restrained elegant nose of black currant, baking spices, graphite. Classic Napa Cab flavor profile. Structured tannis (needs a decant for my preference), medium high acid and long finish. This is a well made wine

9/23/2020 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

This is singing - stunning Syrah. Dark fruit. Nice acid and mineral/ flint backbone

9/20/2020 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Tons of potential but too young. Hold onto this. Decanted for 3 hours and was still tannic and wound up. I would revisit in 5 years

7/19/2020 - pjbeans wrote:

Not ready yet. Closed down phase

6/1/2020 - pjbeans wrote:

Lots of potential here but too early to drink. Drinks hot, need time to integrate and calm down. Right now this is an in your face massive wine so drinking well for those that want something big. Tightly wound with a big tannins and dark fruit.

Drank alongside a Saxum James Berry 2010 which clocks in at 1% high abv but drinks lower

1/25/2020 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Really good work. Dark cherry, leather, tobacco and tannins. Lighter expression for barolo

12/2/2019 - pjbeans wrote:

Nice easy drinking sparkling wine a touch on the sweeter side. Not "sweet" by any means but not the bone dry style I prefer. Loads of carbonation as well. Decent acid and good flavor overall. I'd recommend as an aperitif or as a stand alone drinker

10/23/2019 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Really solid syrah. Graphite, plum, muted dark fruits. Drinking well now. Better on 2nd day!

9/9/2019 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Muted nose with leather and pencil shavings more evident over some fruit notes. Green strawberry and a bunch of acid on the palate. Let it breathe a bit before drinking. On the lighter side for Brunello but enjoyable for sure

7/8/2019 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Slight bricking color. Earth on the nose, tart cherry and orange peel on palate. Light style (reminds me of a pinot). Drinking well now

6/29/2019 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Much more integrated this time around. Drinking well and open for business. Dark fruit and pepper

6/7/2019 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Dark fruit, leather, meat on the nose. What a difference a few years make. This wine has integrated and no longer tastes overoaked like a pencil. Ready for business. Rustic on the palate with dark fruit, graphite, meat. Fantastic with food - I went lamb chops.

6/1/2019 - pjbeans wrote:

This wine was not my favorite Booker - hopefully .or time calms it down. I got a lot of alcohol on the nose and again on the palate. Decanted for an hour and still persistent. Tannins are smooth, nice core of fruit but couldn't get over the heat...

5/15/2019 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Wow, drinking beautifully. Core of red fruit, earth, acid. In a great place but would recommend pairing with food

5/4/2019 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Bought on release and cellared. Slight bricking in color, red fruit on the nose. Decanted 2 hours. Definitely a lighter bodied but very elegant Brunello. Medium acid, integrated tannins. Sour cherry, leather on the palate and this is a flat out gorgeous wine right now. 30 second finish and wine comes together nicely.

3/31/2019 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

This is drinking great right now and will only improve for the foreseeable future. Bright acidity and fruit with medium grip tannins, very approachable as a young example of Brunello. Not yet developed secondary flavor profile

3/12/2019 - pjbeans wrote:

Drinking great, dark opaque mountain fruit. Ready to go

3/1/2019 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Had last night with a multi-course seafood focused meal. Nose had green apple, melon, toasted bread. Fairly high acidity balanced out by rich creamy mouthfeel and brioche. I was impressed by the versatility across courses (was killer as we moved from seafood to pork and truffle pasta) Excellent champagne, juice inside holds up to the beautiful bottle.

1/1/2019 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

This needs time to breathe before expressing itself. Was muted and tight for an hour. With air, rounded out and put on weight and complexity. Started lean with lemon rind and green apple and picked up marzipan, almond, brioche notes with time. Great champagne (and obviously a bit overpriced).

10/4/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Looks almost like an orange wine. Nice crisp, refreshing "white". Richer/ fuller body than I expected based on comments (still light in style).

9/27/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Hold on to this wine for a couple year unless you want to open this up and let it decent for a few hours. On the nose red fruit. Once you take
a sip it's a big Brunello, tannic, with great core of fruit.

9/18/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Wine has put on weight with age. Mineral driven, viscous mouthfeel, drinks like a white burgundy

Drinking beautifully right now, wish I had more

7/3/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Agree with others this is young. But it is enjoyable now with a quick decant if you like your reds with a tannic backbone and a little tight. Flavor notes of violet, pencil lead, and black cherry

6/18/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Wow. Drinking really nice. Thought I may have waited too long (10 years) for a Russian River pinot. Great dark fruit with lots of earth and a bit of funk. Let it breathe for ~30 minutes after pouring to let it open up as wine really begins to shine in the glass with a little air.

5/13/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Drink or hold (2-5 more years). Drinking very well now after 1 hour decent. On the lighter side for Brunello

3/24/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Light, bright, delightful pinot. Definitely lighter in style then I generally prefer but solid acidic backbone to keep this in balance

3/8/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Dark purple. Dark fruit on the nose (plum and cassis). Medium acid. Not much tannin but rich viscous wine. Bold rich Merlot on the palate. The other flavors that jump out are eucalyptus and anise

3/4/2018 - pjbeans wrote:

Aromas of baking spices and cherry. On the palate some cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and bright cherry. Almost terrific balance with a little too much oak coming through in the form of chewing on a pencil...

Overall nice wine that can be drunk over the next few years

3/2/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Brought and drank at Entente in Chicago. Decanter for 60 minutes. Dark purple, little signs of aging. Classic Rioja with a slightly modern flavor profile. Dark fruit, little oak influence, no citrus/ orange peel yet. Still a baby with years of life left but delicious now.

2/15/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Golden color. Muted aromatics, little bit floral, some citrus notes. This really shines on the palate. Big, and full with minerality, strong acidity. One of the bigger Gruners I have had

2/11/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Great for what it is/ what I expected at $27 price point. Richa and juicy grenache with enough acidic backbone and savory notes (I want to say essence of bbq meats) to keep it in balance. Rich red and black fruits on the nose and palate

2/10/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Dark purple and opaque, can sense this wine is deep and concentrated. Lives up to expectations. At 11 years old tannins starting to soften but still has stuffing left.

Dark cherry, dark chocolate, vanilla, a touch of menthol.

Great juice.

2/5/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

A touch green or would have scored higher. Still an absolute pleasure to drink. Big, bold mountain fruit shines through. Minimal oak influence. So sad no more of this wine is being made...

2/2/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Pop and pour. A little tight upon opening with tart cherry (acid) fairly pronounced. After 45 minutes this was really singing. Tart cherry mellowed out into smooth dark fruit perfectly in balanced with medium acid and integrated tannins. This is really good now and probably gets better over the next 2 years

1/21/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Slow ox'f for 2 hours. Dark, opaque purple. Intense dark fruit and spices on the nose. Huge wine for a Syrah and stood up nicely with ribeye and new york strip. Plenty of tannins and acid to hold this for another few years.

1/1/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Excellent white burg drinking very well after one hour slow ox. Big wine with loads of minerality

1/1/2018 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Rich and opulent yet very light on it's feet. Brioche and yeast with some citrus and mineral elements to balance out. Lean for a Grande Dame

12/26/2017 - pjbeans wrote:

Consistent with last note

12/9/2017 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Very nice but needs a couple hours to open up. Initially tight with muted fruit and green undertone. Opened up after 2 hour decant into beautiful brunello

12/1/2017 - pjbeans wrote:

Let this open up for an hour. Still youthful, lots of oak, red fruit, orange peel on the nose. Sour cherry, oak vanilla on the palate. 89 and not higher because there is a greenish undertone that I can't shake

11/25/2017 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Today's rating actually an 89 but splitting the difference between now and future. Young, tight and need time. Decant for a couple hours if you dare open this early. Tobacco and forest floor on the nose so thought we were good to go. On the palate, tannins and sour cherry. Also some savory herb notes

11/18/2017 - pjbeans wrote:

Really nice Syrah. Red fruits, pepper, but a bit heavy on the raw wood flavor for my palate.

11/16/2017 - pjbeans Likes this wine:

Could easily mistake for Northern Rhone blind. Very little dark red fruit on the nose with pencil lead and spices. Some white pepper and dark red fruit on the palate with raw wood. Great balance and acidity

11/10/2017 - pjbeans wrote:

Bright red fruits and floral nose. Medium high acid, no tannins. Red fruits on the palate Very elegant Pinot Noir. This is drinking very well. Acid will probably allow further aging if you like.