11/9/2016 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Nose is rich, dark raspberry. Color is deep garnet with a mahogany edge. Initial tasting is a big, complex, somewhat acidic dark red fruit. No layers of flavor yet. Bit of slate and tannin evident on the short to medium finish. After 3 hours of air, no emergence of the fruit, still compacted.

5/12/2014 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Deep blueberry color. Bigger, darker, sweeter red fruit showing some cedar and pepper spice, healthy tannins but still quite smooth.

5/12/2014 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Blue-purple in color with a deep resonant nose of dark red fruit. Lots of fruit -- black cherries, blackberry -- without the sweeter, lighter highlights of red cherry and raspberry. Little graphite and cedar but a very full mouthfeel and more rounded, less elegant, than the 2011. Bit of grit on the very long finish. This is drinkable now with a bit (1 or 2 hours) of air, and will present beautifully for 10 years, at least.

1/12/2014 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Deep ruby color with a muted, mixed, red fruit nose. Layered cherries, some vanilla, cedar and coffee with a moderate tanin and structure. I remember this wine being a bit bigger and more resonant with black fruit than were the current two. It could probably improve with a couple of years cellaring, but I wouldn't wait beyond 2015 to try it again.

12/27/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Dark purple color with a tight, deep black fruit nose. Black cherries with some red raspberry highlights, anise, and cedar. Big mouthfeel and long finish.

12/25/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Light yellow color, thin viscosity with an ascetic, lemony, sweet nose. Baked apple and pear with medium body and depth. Some acid in the finish.

12/25/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Deep garnet color with a nose of sweet dark fruit. Black cherries, anise with a full mouthfeel and a medium finish. Big difference in smoothing out the young berries after 45 minutes of a decant.

12/24/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Deep purple color with a heavy nose of sweet dark fruit. Heavy robe of mixed black fruit. Needs a few years for the favors to resolve.

12/19/2013 - vine20 Does not like this wine:

Slight purplish color with strong sweet, medicinal nose. Tons of black, undifferentiated fruit overcome by the syrupy, medicinal taste.

5/21/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Notes consistent with 11-23-12, yet this wine continues to evolve into a more elegant whole with nice minerality and modest acidity surrounding a lush baked apple and pear center.

5/18/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Deep garnet - blue with a muted, sweet red fruit nose. Black cherries initially surrounded by some lighter sweet red cherry and raspberry highlights along with some cedar, black pepper and anise. The tannins are much more tame now and the flavors are robust and full, lingering. This wine has improved quite a bit over the past year.

5/13/2013 - vine20 wrote:

Light yellow with a subtle citrus nose. Lemon, green apple, some grapefruit in an elegant balanced whole, topped by a slight taste of honey and stone.

4/30/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Bright, deep garnet color with a charcoal and young deep red fruit nose. Dark cherries, with some sweet red cherry and raspberry highlights, some cedar and anise, tons of tannin and a bit out of balance. Seems it's young and will smooth out in a year or two. This has real potential and a high QPR.

4/28/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Notes consistent with 7/15/12.

4/28/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Light yellow color with a soft citrus nose. Some lemon and honey with minerality and a brace of acidity.

4/22/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Bright garnet/purple in color with a nose of dark red fruit and a harsh openendedness. This bottle is too young to drink now though it shows very nice potential. Dark red fruit bramble, cedar and chocloate with a lot of tannin and grit. Pumped and stoppered overnight. On day 2, it showed a more balanced whole and gave hints what this wine might taste like in a couple more years.

4/20/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Medium yellow with a bit of green hue in color and a nose of sharp, thin citrus, mostly grapefruit and lemon. Predominantly sharp, dry lemon with some honey and tons of minerality. Above average acidity provides a clean, easy drinking wine. This has gained weight and depth over the past 2 years.

4/1/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Mid yellow color with a thin, citrus nose. Lemon predominates a dry citrus. This wine has good acidity but is missing the robust fruit and honeyed finish it should have.

3/29/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Ruby color with a muted, sweet red fruit nose. Black cherries with some red cherry highlights, forest floor, cedar and firm tannins.

3/27/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Medium ruby color with some bricking and a sweet, mature, muted nose. Some cherries and barnyard after a funk blew off in 30 minutes. Fruit is past its prime but the balance was terrific with low tannins and the wine was still very enjoyable.

3/27/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Red bricking with a muted, mature, sweet nose. Black cherries, cassis, cedar, barnyard with low tannins, little distinct fruit left, but an enjoyable, well-balanced wine.

3/27/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Deep ruby with some mahogany throughout and a sweet, mature nose. Black cherries, cassis, cedar, barnyard in a balanced, silky whole. Fruit past its prime, tannins light.

3/22/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Brick red solid color with some browning throughout. Nose of mature, sweet dark red fruit and some barnyard. Low neck fill; brittle, dry cork needed to be filtered -- removed substantial amount of sediment. Served in open decanter over 90 minutes. Muted fruit is past its prime, but is elegantly integrated with a modest tannin to present a silky, robust wine. Somewhat dry like an aged bordeaux. Showing black cherries, cassis, cedar, anise and barnyard. Medium length.

3/2/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Low neck fill, cork crumbled and needed to filter the wine, pouring off leaving tons of sediment. Garnet color with some bricking on the edge and a nose of mature, complex dark red wine. Immediately on opening I feared this was too far past it's prime as the fruit was much diminished and it had a slight edge that I thought might be the front end of this going bad. It turned out to be a bit of acid that balanced the fruit as it began to open. Black cherries, cola, cassis, tobacco and leather with some spice, barnyard, and some light tannins. Elegant, mature, very much like an older Bordeaux. Drank over 4 hours and it stabilized as a delightful mature and layered wine.

2/27/2013 - vine20 wrote:

Deep ruby color with a mild, sweet red fruit nose. Mixed cherries with some layerings of flavor but not much, some chocolate and spice, moderate tannins. Much better on the second day.

2/21/2013 - vine20 wrote:

Dark Garnet, purple edge. Double decant, 1 hour wait. Sweet, black cherry, blackberry, jammy fruit up front, cassis, some chocolate. It's a bit of a jumble right now without the layers of complexity that will take some time. Overall effect is rough fruit and a bit harsh. This is just too young. Tannins are moderate.

2/18/2013 - vine20 wrote:

Dark garnet color with a softened nose of creamy black fruit. No decant. Some black cherry, but not overwhelming: also some blueberry and cranberries. Plenty of black pepper spice, as well as anise, cassis, cedar and tobacco. This wine was ready to drink on opening, although it opens and shows more complexity at about 60-90 minutes. Tannins were still prominent and very well balanced. Long finish. Solid QPR @ $30.

2/18/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Dark ruby color with a nose of elegant, sweet dark red fruit. It needs about 30 minutes to open and is a bit steely and tight at first. After opening, this wine presents a big dose of black cherry background with many complicated layers of bright, contrasting highlights: sweet red cherry, red raspberry, some tart cherries and strawberries. It is accentuated with black pepper spice, cola and candied fruit. Tannins are still moderate giving a nice balance and a big structure to the mouth feel. Long finish.

2/14/2013 - vine20 wrote:

Medium ruby color. Dark cherries underlie highlights of sweet red cherry and red raspberry with some spice, mushroom and forest floor. Medium tannins give a firm structure. Medium finish.

2/10/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Deep purple and a large, initial shock of black raspberry with some black cherry, anise, cola, moderate tannins. Not very layered or complex, but still very young.

1/30/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Deep ruby color with a sweet, dark red fruit nose. Blackberry, tart cherry with some black cherry, cedar, spice, low tannins and a hint of a metallic taste.

1/21/2013 - vine20 wrote:

Medium purple with a nose of sweet red fruit and spices. Double decanted and poured 2 hours later. Still too young. Black cherry, blackberry, cola, anise, chocolate and spice with high tannins. This needs another couple or more years in the cellar.

1/21/2013 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Purple, opaque with a sweet red fruit nose. Highly extracted fruit needs time to resolve. Black cherries, cola, spice, high tannins.

1/1/2013 - vine20 wrote:

Pale yellow with a greenish hue and a closed, steely nose. Lemon flavors are somewhat astringent reminding one of a chablis. Lots of minerality.

12/28/2012 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Deep garnet color with a closed nose of red fruit. Black cherries with highlights of red raspberry and sweet red cherry, cedar, tobacco, chocolate. Initially, quite closed, then after 30 minutes it opened dramatically and showed a creamier, softer side. Medium, well-integrated tannins and a medium finish.

12/24/2012 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Dark ruby with a moderate sweet black fruit nose. Dark cherries with some lighter sweet red highlights, tobacco, cedar, menthol, spice. This wine is huge right now. Ordered in a restaurant and only had 20 minutes to let it breathe. It needs much more time, another 2-3 years in the cellar, and then will probably last until 2025.

12/24/2012 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Solid purple color with a sweet, jammy nose. Blackberries, black cherries, cedar and clove, but without any lighter red fruit highlights, a bit of a uniform taste without differentiation or complexity. Full mouthfeel and medium finish.

12/20/2012 - vine20 wrote:

Thin ruby color with a light raspberry nose. Light sweet red cherry with some darker highlights. Not very robust, little tannin.

12/2/2012 - vine20 Likes this wine:

Dark, inky purple with a resonant nose of cedar and hibiscus. Needs a couple of hours to open and presents a full rounded and deep black fruit with cedar, menthol and forest floor. Modest tannins, medium finish.

11/25/2012 - vine20 wrote:

Dark ruby with a nose of sweet dark red berry. Red and black cherry, lots of pepper and spice. Minor tannins, great balance, high QPR.

11/23/2012 - vine20 wrote:

Medium yellow with a soft, rose and pear-scented nose. Subtle pear and baked apple with modest acidity, moderate minerality and a medium finish.

11/21/2012 - vine20 wrote:

Ruby color with barnyard on the nose. Deep black raspberry, chocolate with outsized tannin initially. After 30 minutes the tannins softened producing a much better balance, though the fruit is reserved and the body is substantial. High QPR.

11/15/2012 - vine20 wrote:

Muddled fruit, minor tannins. Not very exciting.

11/12/2012 - vine20 wrote:

Ruby color with a nose of flat red fruit. Very young and closed. Initially the fruit was almost nonexistent, but some very nice sweet red cherry emerged after 30 minutes. Unfortunately, it was gone 30 minutes later and entirely absent on the 2d day. The tannin was intense, dry and grainy -- overpowering everything else.

11/8/2012 - vine20 wrote:

Cherry red color with a subtle red fruit nose. Opened and poured right away -- afraid this would be too fragile to last. Initially, this was well worth it. Dark red cherry highlights with some cassis and spice. Tannins were prominent and out of balance. After 30 minutes the tannic edge was a bit too strong, and the fruit began to fade right out. Not fair to grade it given its age, but this was enjoyable for a bit and must have been a terrific bottle 10 years ago.

11/1/2012 - vine20 wrote:

Deep garnet with a distinct nose of blackberry and forest floor. Dark cherries and blackberries with spices in a mix, not very distinct, and high tannins with a dry, grainy texture. Big wine, needs a couple more years.

10/29/2012 - vine20 wrote:

Dark ruby color and a nose of sweet red fruit. Dark cherries with sweet red cherry and red raspberry highlights. Some clove, honey, caramel -- a bigger, rounder, more complex and interesting wine than I expected.

10/15/2012 - vine20 wrote:

Deep garnet color with a closed, light dusty nose. 1 hour decant. This rating might be unfair for the potential of this wine because there are tons of fruit, minerals and tannins here. But it is a fair rating today. The wine is much too closed, too tannic, too dry and dusty to allow the fruit, which is too muddled, any expression. I just can't see my way clear to what this wine will taste like in a few years. I'm marking mine to wait at least until 2015 before I try to open another -- and that one will be decanted 2 hours.

10/15/2012 - vine20 wrote:

Deep ruby color with a sweet, red fruit nose. No decant. Sweet red cherry and red raspberry with some white pepper and moderate spices. Full, yet moderate, body with modest tannins and a moderate finish. High alcohol (14.8%). Terrific with some spicy pizza.

10/2/2012 - vine20 wrote:

Dark garnet color with a muted, sweet sweet red fruit nose. Black cherries, some cassis, highlights of red raspberry and sweet red cherry. Full-bodied fruit, moderate tannins and a long finish.