4/12/2024 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

A very tasty Napa Valley Cabernet ready for imbibing! Plenty of delicious black raspberry and purple plum fruit flavors. Acidity and tannins are quite nicely balanced at this point. Very enjoyable and would pair quite well with this summer's barbecue fare. It's interesting that I and others had thought that this wine had peaked or was at near-peak over 2 years ago. As fans of Penn and Teller would note, this tasty CS had "Fooled Us"!

4/4/2024 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Wow! A full throttle Cabernet with the taste of Merlot-like fruitiness. This is a joy to drink now, and has the tannins and stuffing to age for many years to come. Black berry fruit with tar, meat and smoke notes.

3/23/2024 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Medium bodied red wine delivering Montmorency and sour cherry flavors. A nicely balanced and now fully mature Washington state Cab. Time to drink this one up!

3/16/2024 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Has tamed down a bit since last tasted over 2 years ago. Still delivering solid and tasty Cabernet fruit, with tannins a tad more under control. Quite enjoyable at this time.

3/16/2024 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Still drinking very nicely. First bottle opened in 3 years. This very well made Cab appears to be at its peak or slightly over it. Time to drink this up while it's still quite enjoyable. It continues to deliver tasty mature blackberry fruit.

2/20/2024 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

A very tasty full flavored cab! Soft tannins with blackberry and lingonberry fruit tasting notes, and very nicely balanced. Ready to drink now, and may improve a bit in the coming year.

2/16/2024 - NutmegNative wrote:

Last tasted 5 years ago. Has not noticeably improved. Still tastes hot from the alcohol. Blackberry and vanilla taste notes.

2/12/2024 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

This just keeps getting better with age. Full on chardonnay flavor notes of lemon and muted butterscotch. It tastes more like a classical Meursault at this time. Wish that l had bought more!

2/10/2024 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Definitely the best of the Irish Cream Liquors. First tried this 5 years ago, purchased in the duty free store in the Dublin Airport. Refreshing, sweet coffee, toffee and cream flavors. If you like Baileys, you'll love this!

1/28/2024 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

No noticeable change since last tasted a year ago. Black tea, plum and tobacco flavor notes. Very well balanced and drinking quite nicely.

1/26/2024 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

This Washington State Cab has mellowed out considerably in the seven years since last tasted. The fruit and acid backbone are now well integrated. It is ready to drink up, with dark cherry and blackberry fruit flavor notes, and a hint of licorice and vanilla.

1/23/2024 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

A superb Cabernet. Gobs of berry fruit with soft tannins and a depth of flavor. Very enjoyable now, and will likely continue to soften and improve in the next 5 years or so. If you have a few of these, recommend drinking one now to see where it is on the aging spectrum, and decide for yourself when to open the remaining bottles.

1/16/2024 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

A great wine, sure to improve with further aging. Cassis, mint, meat, smoke and tar flavor notes. Structured for the long haul, but rewarding to drink now with a few hours aeration. Very enjoyable!

1/5/2024 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

A monster in the glass! The endless flavors deliver on and on. Soft tannins but with a depth of intense black fruit. Cherry brandy aromas with exotic spices in the nose. Have long enjoyed Clarendon Hills Syrahs, but this Astralis is in its own category. A must try for anyone who enjoys Syrahs.

12/30/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

A massive wine. Unctuous silky fruit with gentle herbal undertones. Jeff Leve's review is spot-on in discerning the many flavors in this multi-layered monster. A tad heavy on the oak notes initially, that blended in well after 2 days under vacuvin and refrigeration. With another decade or so of aging, this will likely be less pronounced.

12/21/2023 - NutmegNative wrote:

Losing much of the floral characteristics from the last bottle opened 4 years ago. Leaning towards burnt toffee flavors with treacle and burnt orange in the background. Drinkable, but not especially enjoyable. This from a 375 ml (half) bottle), likely that a full (750 ml) bottle would be in better condition.

10/22/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Continues to improve with age. Chock full of dark berry fruit with tobacco, licorice and smoke flavor notes. Another great WTSO find.

10/6/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

A tasty dry Brunello. Burnt cherry flavors with earthiness, mushroom and forest floor notes. A nice value from WTSO.

7/2/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Last bottle of this superb Chardonnay. Still delivering plenty of flavor. Tastes of butterscotch, citrus, hay and treacle. Tastes great with fresh July 4th lobster dinner.

6/24/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Aging very nicely. This zinfandel remains chock full of blackberry and bramble fruits, with some vanilla, smoke and tar notes. A perfect wine to serve with summer barbecue fare.

6/12/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Still drinking very well after a decade in my cellar. Blackberry and black raspberry flavors, tar, tobacco and spice. This wines fruitiness belies its age.

5/5/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Last tasted over 5 years ago. Now fully mature and ready to drink. Very pleasant Cabernet flavors, including blackberry, black cherry, tar and tobacco notes.

4/28/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

A very tasty Rutherford Cabernet. Deep dark BlackBerry flavors. Some spice and tar on the palate. Drank with a meal of braised beef short ribs; a perfect meal accompaniment.

4/22/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Last tasted 8 years ago. A massive wine that continues to satisfy. Burnt cherries, oak, tar, black raspberry flavor notes.

4/15/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Big bold fruit flavors with a port-like intensity. Dark plum and cherry cough syrup predominant. Very nicely balanced. $60 btl from WTSO, purchased 5 years ago. QPR is spot on.

4/5/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Large changes in flavor profile since the last bottle was opened 3 years ago. Dark plum, beef bullion, and black tea notes. Very smooth and enjoyable to drink, and the alcohol hotness is no longer present.

3/29/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Nice Rhone blend red from Bonny Doon. Tobacco, black tea and red plum flavors. Very nice smooth mouthfeel with a perfect tannin balance. Drinking at it's peak now.

3/20/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

PnP. Bracing fruit, tar and tobacco notes. High acidity promoting some off flavors, perhaps an oxidized bottle. Initial score = 80.
Day 2 - stored in refrigerator with vacuvin. Flavors melded together nicely. Fruit, tar, beef bullion and tobacco are there, but complement each other. Bumping up overhaul score to 86.

2/18/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Dark raspberry and blackberry flavors with a good tannin backbone and solid mouthfeel. Agree with earlier comments, $60 paid for a $30 wine.

2/10/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Pop and pour. Nice hearty Cabernet. Oodles of blackcurrant flavors, notes of tar and tobacco. Stood up well to our pasta dinner.

1/28/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Rich, muscular merlot tasting notes. Dark cherry cough syrup, blackberry, tobacco, black tea flavors.

1/26/2023 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

100% tempranillo. A pleasant and smooth red wine. Tastes of dark blackberry and smoke undertones. Ready to drink and enjoy!

12/26/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Very nice Cabernet drinking well. Overall has Merlot characteristics of smooth tasting dark berry fruit, with mild acidity. Is in a great drinking window now.

11/5/2022 - NutmegNative wrote:

This superbly made Cabernet continues to age well and expresses fine wine characteristics, belying it's age at 14 years. Well balanced cassis, tar and dark cherry notes. A joy to drink by itself or paired with food.

10/19/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Creamy mouthfeel. Definitely sweet, but well balanced with acidity. Light strawberry and kiwi flavor notes. A solid WTSO bargain at $20/btl.

9/8/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

This superb wine continues to evolve. Tastes of pineapple, lychee, and lemon grass, coupled with bracing acidity. My personal favorite in a comparison with the 2014 and 2015.

8/28/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

A tasty zinfandel. BlackBerry and black mulberry notes. Very petite syrah-like in flavor and mouthfeel.

8/25/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Found this at Costco for $12 a bottle. Read the CT reviews and decided to give it a try. Sure glad that l did! Brioche, citrus, yeast and toast flavor notes. A real surprise, this sparkler punches far above it's price point. As good or better than $30/btl sparkling wines.

8/22/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Uncomplicated and easy-to-drink pinot gris. Nice acid balance with lychee and pear flavors.

7/11/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Coming together nicely from the last bottle opened, almost 3 years ago. Grapefruit and Meyer lemon tasting notes. The acidity remains, but has toned down a bit and contributed well to the overall profile. The first pour from this bottle has some very small bubbles in the bottom of the glass, indicating a small amount of bottle fermentation.

7/9/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

This wine has nicely matured in the 2 years since last sampled. A great mouthfeel with Meyer lemon, lemon curd, and a perfect acid-sugar balance. A top shelf Chardonnay.

7/3/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Intense Semillion and Sauvignon Blanc flavors. Honey, gooseberries, grapefruit and lemons. A tad hot from the alcohol. Hopefully that will tone down in a year or two.

5/29/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

This wine keeps improving, so am bumping up the score from the last time opened, about 1 1/2 years ago. Sure glad l held on to a few bottles until now. A nicely balanced chardonnay with lemon and butterscotch flavors balanced with bracing acidity. Head and shoulders better than so many other California chardonnays. Fairly priced at $30/btl at WTSO.

3/31/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

PnP. Massive blackberry flavors dominate, oak flavors in the background. Hints of leather and tobacco notes. Appears to have plenty of potential remaining.

3/23/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Still drinking very well. A full throttle syrah. The fruit has toned down since the last bottle was opened ~3 1/2 years ago. Beef bullion, leather, black cherry, cola, smoke, and some spice. Exotic nose includes plum tomato and rosemary. It will likely continue to hold well for a few more years. Handily among the best American Syrah!

1/15/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Tar, smoke and dark plum flavors. Not overly complex, but a heavy red that could stand up to most anything. Likely will pair very well with grilled meats.

1/1/2022 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Creamy with tastes of brioche and a kiss of lemon. A solid champagne, but hard to justify the QPR on this bubbly.

12/16/2021 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Very nice Cab ready to drink. Slightly sweet and chock full of blackberry fruit. Not complex, but quite pleasant.

11/25/2021 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

A massive red, with multiple layers of black currant and blackberry. Some peppery spice and herbs add to the complex flavors. This needs a few more years to smooth out a bit more, as is evident even after 3-4 hours post-pour. According to the winery website, this wine will continue to mature from 2026-2036.

11/14/2021 - NutmegNative Likes this wine:

Leather, berry and dust aroma. Nicely balanced berry flavors with mouth-puckering dryness. A very solid Rhone red from Bonny Doon.