10/11/2019 - Vinacull wrote:

Tasted twice with consistent impression, note from memory. Aromas and flavors of rich, opulent black and tangy red fruits of excellent depth, spices, dark chocolate and potting soil, with medium-full intensity polished tannins that give this a firm structure. Long and layered finish of fruit extract, earth, refreshing bitters. High deliciousness factor and surprisingly accessible now makes this hard to keep hands off, but likely better in a few years when it relaxes.

3/5/2019 - Vinacull wrote:

Cellared from purchase. Aerate to decanter. At least two teaspoons of caked sediment on the side of the bottle. Color is full intensity garnet with lots of dark hues making this quite dark in the glass, opaque at center, some bricking evident throughout, distinct watery edge, full+ body, long thin slow legs. Nose is full intensity and somewhat port-like with deeply ripe black cherries baked in a light coat of brown sugar, a more savory twangy bass note of raw molasses, baking spices including cinnamon and anise, and underneath, loads of dark moist earth. Overall a decadently ripe nose but interesting in the way it is supported with earthy and savory elements. 16.5 abv and none of it showing, which is an achievement in itself. On taste we have full intensity rich ripe dark cherries - some fresh and some dried - covered in milk and dark chocolate, leather, and layers of earth that just keep unfurling in perfect counterbalance to the sweet attack. Not a lot of different flavors by name, but there is myriad subtlety that makes this quite complex on the palate. Medium acid, full tannins are present but fully integrated giving this a soft and velvety but still-firm finish. The finish might be the best part, stretching out in waves that turn from chocolate cherries to many shades of moist dark earth that grows in intensity and dryness from the tannins. This is a long, succulent and sensual dance. Still tasting remnants of earth minutes later. I see nothing here not to love. Can probably go another ten years but glad I opened it now to enjoy the current level of freshness in the fruit. 95 conservative.

11/14/2018 - Vinacull wrote:

From 57 degree cellar to splash decanter and gone in less than two hours, we consumed too fast. Color is garnet deeply pitched with black hues, opaque with zero lightening to rim, FB+ inky and stains the glass. Fresh and very deep stinky nose with a note of gorgonzola in the foreground, concentrated ripe black cherries and bubbling plum sauce that sings Amarone-like, hoisin, iron shavings, campfire smoke, and waves of damp black soil. Very complex bouquet and suggestions there are nuances to explore if given more air and time. Flavors of ripe black and red pit fruits densely mixed with earth, camphor, bittersweet dark chocolate and tobacco. High acid seems shrouded by the density of fruit and earth. High tannins are primary but polished, dry and lightly bitter. Very long finish of succulent black fruits, forest floor, black tea and drying herbs. Captivating now, yet still has a long life and upside ahead.

10/19/2018 - Vinacull wrote:

Cork saturated to tip so I used Ah-So puller. P&P through screen to taster glass. Unbelievably youthful on both the nose and taste so I aerated to decanter and let sit an hour. Color is full/deep garnet , opaque at center, lightening to medium garnet with some bricking at rim, clear edge indicating glycerin, full body. Wide open classic aged Rhone aromas soar out of the glass from feet away, with grilled meat, leather, turned forest floor with funk of leaves, intense kirsch and sun-baked blackberries, an occasional iron note, olive, black pepper, and layers of earth. A knockout bouquet that makes your mouth water with the complex combo of fruit and savories. Nose is matched with full intensity flavors of baked plums, mashed blackberries, grilled meat, black olive, licorice, black pepper, leather, garrigue, earth. Medium level of acids still giving this freshness and high level of tannins that are largely integrated giving this a smooth and velvety feel throughout. Long finish of black fruits, meat, garrigue, and leather. Hard to imagine this bottle drinking better, and held together very well over 5 hours of following it. I think this could go another 20 years if stored with care. One to go.

3/15/2018 - Vinacull wrote:

Cellared from purchase and this was my last bottle. P&P given this is outside the specified drinking window. Quite a different wine from my last note five years ago. Color showed no detectable signs of bricking. Very dark red with purple and black hues, virtually opaque to the rim, M-F body, perhaps a teaspoon of sediment left in the bottle when finished. Bouquet is dense and loaded with blackness - sun-baked black plums, blackberry sauce, scorched earth, a feral note of animale, black pepper and incense that I did not detect in its younger days. On the palate we have very rich and ripe black plums, prunes, blackberries, and some blueberries all mashed together and turning over in the midpalate to reveal lots of black olive, licorice, tar and hoison sauce. Acid is low, lots of soft chewy sweet tannins giving this a velvety texture, and a very rich finish of black pit fruits and herbs with extended notes of licorice and black olive that has me craving a glass of water. Overall tasty and I would have scored higher, but there were some prune-y oxidized notes creeping in on the nose and flavors suggesting this wine is approaching the end of its life. Like Scotty in Star Trek, this wine is presently "giv'n it all she's got Cap'n!" so drink up.

8/11/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Coming on the last day of our wino beach week after drinking an incredible lineup that included Sassicaia, Amon Ra, Pahlmeyer, La Sirena, and other bigs, and yet this towered above them all. Aerated to decanter and let sit a couple hours before trying. Color is an extraordinarily dark red verging on blackness, opaque, FB++ with unbelievable inky concentration and glycerin that clings and stains the glass of the decanter like I have never seen. Pungent, penetrating aromas that stun your primal senses with Gorgonzola cheese, highly concentrated morello cherries, blackberry sauce, farm earth with whiffs of animale in the distance as well as bits of dried flowers. This takes you there with love, and does not let go. Nor did it move one iota over three hours of consumption and its tightly wound complexity suggested there is so much more to be revealed. The word titanic comes to mind for the palate. Very pure and concentrated red and black seed fruits lifted by perfumed violets, bittersweet chocolate, and drying shades of earth and black tea. I suspect the acid is high but masked by the wealth of ripe fruit. This coats the mouth with tannins that kick in right after the attack, and yet despite their grip they are sweet and velvety in a way that this is drinkable now even in its embryonic state. The finish is easily ninety seconds and the staining aftertaste of fruit remnants and tannin has me smacking my lips for minutes after each sip. I very rarely give a score this high. Amazing and seductive with signposts of how it will become even better. Wish I could try it again in 50 years if I live that long.

8/10/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Not at all surprised by the high variability in scores on this one. If you understand from the get-go this is built to be huge, jammy, and port-like with 17.1ABV and the additional intent of showing bourbon barrel influence, then you will enjoy this wine for the sweet hedonistic fruit bomb that it is. Having had this back in February, we opened it at the end of the night after cocktails and several great reds, so it worked perfectly. The first comment was "Does anyone have any vanilla ice cream? I'd like to make a float". You get the picture. Color is deep purple overloaded with black hues, inky and heavy with glycerin, full++ body. Bouquet is over the top with heady and fat aromas of blackberry and blueberry cobbler, black pepper and other spices hiding behind madagascar vanilla extract complete with distinct bourbon notes in the foreground. Fairly smooth entry of deep ripe black and blue fruits blended into a thick vanilla bourbon milkshake. Despite the wealth of jammy fruit, the alcohol level is rearing in different places. Difficult to score because it does not play by regular red wine rules, and that's the whole idea. I could see this being cloying even for those who love fruit bombs, so enter at your own risk.

8/9/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter, color is dark red with purple and black hues, still no sign of age. Big beautiful aromas of ripe bing cherries, red plums, some blackberries, baking spice, and milk chocolate. Flavors of rich dark cherries, plums, baking spices, tar and leather. Refreshing level of acid and plush tannins not fully integrated still suggest this has years of life to go, but why wait. Finish was lengthy and redolent with concentrated cherries and spice but some alcohol showing gave it a medicinal quality. Overall excellent but not as good as my experience three years ago and also suffered in direct comparison to the '06 La Sirena Barrett Vineyard Syrah.

8/10/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate through screen to decanter, mild sediment, went to dinner. Color deep red replete with black hues, opaque, full body. Initial bouquet was restrained if not brooding. Returning 2.5 hours later, fairly expressive aromas of black truffle, volcanic soil, cardamom, white pepper and cinnamon/cedar with dark fruits of ripe cassis, black plum, and some blackberries swirling in the background. Overall a great bouquet but the group agreed this was easily the most earthy of the 5 Barrett reds consumed in the last two days, seemed reminiscent of Right Bank Bordeaux. The same was true on taste, fairly smooth entry, some telltale Barrett layers, foreground shades of rich earth, high grade chocolate, dark drying spice, and graphite with rich cassis, black plums and blackberries percolating underneath. Feeling a twinge of harshness in the midpalate. Medium acid and polished sweet tannins add both firmness and in this case and impression of sweetness to a decidedly drier profile. A very long 1 minute plus finish with an extraordinary aftertaste of earthy goodness that carries on for minutes and leaves you salivating for steak. We drank this alongside the '09 Le Bearitage over a four hour period, and both were outstanding throughout. The difference with this Cab was that it just seemed to be getting better and better with more air, and to my surprise seemed to be revealing more fruit toward the end of the night than the beginning. Perhaps in peak now and will easily go another dozen years, but I wonder how prominently the fruit will show by then.

8/10/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate through filter to decanter and then went to dinner. Color is dark ruby with plenty of black hues, opaque, full body. Returning to our glasses 2.5 hours later, the bouquet is more open than the initial pour. Expressive aromas of ripe blackberries, black plums, licorice, figs, black pepper, and potting soil. Having drank the '06 Barrett vineyard Syrah the night before, the bouquet here is not quite as deep or complex, but still wonderful and pays proper homage to Rhone. Smooth intense flavors of ripe blackberries, lightly roasted black plums, brightening inflections of red cherries, licorice, a bit of baking spice, dark chocolate, and evident earthiness. This has a sporting volley of rich dark fruit and soil that speaks to the single vineyard Syrah, but again in comparison to the '06 I was not getting as much layered complexity in the mouth. Medium-plus acid, tannins are plush, velvety and noticeable suggesting this can perhaps go another ten years. As we consumed this over the next three hours it remained expressive and outstanding, as was the '09 Barrett & Barrett Cabernet. Perhaps it's just my preference but I really appreciate Heidi's original thought in capturing the extraordinary terroir of the single vineyard with 100% Syrah for the first three years.

8/9/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate through screen to decanter, waited about 90 minutes. Color is deep red with purple and black hues, inky, full body. Gorgeous and effusive nose of deep ripe blackberries, black cherries, and brighter inflections of red plums densely intermixed with what seemed like several shades of dark soil, licorice plus some notes of hardwood smoked meat and fat looming in the background along with some oak. Overall a big bouquet with serious depth that marries generous Napa fruit with characteristics of Syrah and earth the latter of which remind me of an Hermitage. Very smooth and incredibly layered on the palate in true Heidi style, with copious blackberries and cherries that are perfectly ripe, fig sauce, dark chocolate, licorice, and mounds of mineral-laden dark rich soil scattered throughout. Medium-plus acid, plush velvety tannins, and a long 45 second finish that continues the interplay of dark fruit and earth. Followed this for about four hours and it was captivating the whole way. Drank alongside the '06 La Sirena Cab and the '12 La Sirena Grenache, this was my favorite because of its fruit/earth balance and nuanced texture.

8/9/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter, let sit for 30 minutes. Color is medium ruby with some dark hues, medium body, translucent to the middle. Bouquet is effusive with bright cherries, wild strawberries, raspberry pastilles, mild baking spices, oak and a touch of heat that went away after an hour. On the palate we have big smooth juicy cherries, red plum, moderate sweet spices. Medium acid, tannins are modest while adding a nice firmness on the back end. Medium finish of cherries, cranberries, spice and tea notes. Overall a highly enjoyable grenache that is not terribly complex but is playfully sexy with its fruity flavors. Drink in the next 3-4 years.

8/9/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate through screen to decanter. Color is deep red with lots of dark hues, full body. We sampled this on opening, at hour 1, 2, and 3, and although it was great from the get-go it really did not hit full stride until after three hours. The description from Beezer6 below is right on point. Deeply expressive and complex nose of ripe cassis, black cherries, plum sauce, chocolate, wildflowers, graphite, and elegant oak. In true Heidi style this is multi-layered and multi-dimensional on the palate, with an amazing balance of ultra-smooth dark ripe fruits and rich mineral-laden black soil that expands and turns over in the mid-palate through a long finish of black cherries, cassis, earth, graphite, spice and oak. Medium plus acid, full tannins that are moderately sweet and burnished smooth with some degree of integration. Outstanding, memorable and very different from the '06 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red we drank last night. "Night of Heidi", we drank this alongside the '12 La Sirena Grenache and the '06 La Sirena Syrah, which were also outstanding in their own ways.

8/9/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate through filter to decanter, let sit for 30 minutes. Color is deeply pitched dark red, full body. Well this is just awesome sauce right out of the gate, with a very deep knockout nose of blackberry preserves, ripe cassis, graphite, high grade chocolate, camphor, potting soil and sweet spices. On the palate very deep black fruits, perfumed violets, tar, rich black soil, and spices, all gliding across the entire palate in a smooth and polished presentation. Medium-plus acid, loads of sweet velvety tannins and a one minute harmonious finish of dark fruits, earth, and vanilla complete the impression of a premium Napa blend built solidly and elegantly for long term enjoyment. Bordering on extraordinary, this is not to be denied. Drank next to an '08 Sassacaia and an '07 Anderson Conn Valley Estate Cab, both of which were worlds different.

8/9/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Considerable variability in the notes on this one. I'll say at the outset I'm an ACV fan and my bottles have been well-cellared since purchase. Aerate through screen to decanter, perhaps a teaspoon of sediment, let sit an hour. Color is deep dark red with hints of bricking at the edge, medium-full body. Open-knit and expressive bouquet that is also evolved, with ripe cassis and red currants, leather, mushrooms, dried flowers, tobacco, and vanilla. Overall beautiful and complex but I'm missing the darker fruit aromas and graphite I enjoy in ACV wines. On the palate we have a balanced mix of cassis, leather, herbs, coffee, vanilla, and earth. Mid-palate is lacking some energy. Medium-plus acid. tannins are polished and largely integrated, and moderate finish. Consumed over the course of three hours total, it seemed like the fruit was beginning to fade at the end. Overall impression is this well made, squarely in peak but showing more signs of age than I expected. Admittedly this may have suffered by comparison to the '08 Sassacaia and '06 Pahlmeyer we drank alongside. Will drink the next within five years.

8/8/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Color golden yellow with some brightening green inflections, medium body. Moderate bouquet of fresh cut pears, lemons, spring flowers, riverbed stone. Smooth texture and focused flavors of Asian pear, white peach, yellow delicious apple, and lemons more in the background. Medium oak treatment comes through in the mid-palate and lingers in a lengthy finish. Elegant and well made.

8/7/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter. Color is a beautiful dark garnet, clear, full body. This was not giving up much on the nose or palate upon opening, so we let it sit a couple hours. Coming back to it we have modest aromas of black plums, cassis, flowery notes, tobacco and twinges of bay leaf, and some heat showing. Powerful and smooth on the palate, with black and blue fruits, hints of violets, black pepper, soil tones, and licorice. Medium-plus acid and tannins are firm but highly polished, so this is approachable. Overall excellent, but our group was in agreement that this was restrained, not giving the full monty. Not much change at hour 4 and 5, so I poured it back in the bottle and capped. 24 hours later this is much better, more wide open and feeling the Cabs with cassis, blackberry, flowery notes, hints of green veggie, potting soil.

8/7/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

6th wine of the night. Aerate to decanter and serve. Color is an inky dark purple, opaque, full body. Generous aromas and flavors of ripe blackberries, cassis, fig, cigar, black pepper, licorice and spice. Smooth and bold mouthfeel, moderate acid and full velvety tannins give you some sticky gums feel, and a medium finish of black fruits and spice. Delicious and easy drinking.

8/7/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

5th bottle of the night. Aerate to decanter, color is dense inky dark red that clings to the glass, full+ body. Jiminy Cricket on a cracker this might be the most reduced bouquet I've ever smelled. It's like taking a bunch of cherry, boysenberry, and raspberry fruit roll-ups and throwing them in a pot and melting them down, then adding some acetone, madagascar vanilla, and allspice. Not a fan. On the palate this is bulging like it's on steroids, slapping the palate with intensely concentrated sour cherries and punishingly dry green herbs. Mid-palate is locked up tight with tannins while the sour cherry concentrate carries into a long, bitter finish. This was not even close to yielding after an hour in the decanter. I poured it back in the bottle and capped. Day 2 this has hardly calmed down. I do not understand either the pro score of 95 or the claim that it is a superb example of the varietal. Feels un-natural and is a challenge to drink. Not flawed so I'm scoring it for what it is. One bottle to go.

8/8/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Turning to our fourth bottle of the night, spouses were not digging the '04 Milziade Colleallodole Sagrantino and the '08 Sassacaia was not opening up for business as expected, so it was time to do the Monty Python and open something completely different. Enter the unapologetic hedonistic Pessimist, with its inky purplish-black color, stacked and packed body oozing with rich blackberry, boysenberry and blueberry preserves, black pepper, dark chocolate, licorice, and baking spices. A fair amount of acid keeps this shy of cloying, though some might disagree and this is not for everybody. There's a noticeable level of tannin here, perhaps owed to the Petite Syrah and Tannat in the blend, but they are obscured by the wealth of fruit. No need to ponder. Enjoy the swagger.

8/7/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter, let sit for maybe an hour. Color is medium ruby with some dark hues, slight bricking at the edge, clear, medium body. Bouquet is a pungent display of morello cherries, cherry pits, rooibos tea leaves, white pepper, blue flowery notes, and crushed rock, along with some evolved scents of leather suggesting moderate evolution. On the palate there is a flood of juicy red fruits, including tangy cherries, pomegranate seeds, and fragrant wild strawberries along with herbs and deep threads of minerality that give this both spine and samba. Medium high acid and the tannins are still relatively firm and drying. Lengthy diminuendo finish of red seed fruits, tomato, tea, herbs and earth. A joy to drink and distinctive for its tension and sheer energy between the fruit and the unique volcanic soil and minerals. This started to change and fall apart at the three hour mark. Will do the last bottle in the next two years, as this is drinking so well and seems unlikely to get better than where it is.

8/7/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Note to self I need to check the humidity on my cellar because this is the 3rd cork in three days busted in half. Aerate to decanter through filter. Color is deep garnet with black hues and bricking at the edge, cloudy, about 3 tablespoons of sediment, full body. You can smell this from across the room. Deep complex aromas of sun-baked mix of plum, black cherry, and blackberry preserves, heavy spices, horse manure, scorched earth, and cedar. Tastes of blackness abound, with prune, black cherries, black currants, black pepper, hardwood smoked beef jerky, but also brightening aspects of perfumed floral and clay. Reminds me so much of the family-owned wineries of Paolo Bea and Castello di Ama --- a fascinating wine of place that loads the palate with rich dark juicy fruits on entry and then follows with so many shades of earth in the mid-palate into a lengthy finish along with formidable tannins that are a nice mix of smoothly polished and rustic. This could probably go another ten years, but it really depends on how much more earthy rusticity you want to experience. Production of this is very small but I would definitely seek it out and buy again.

8/6/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter, let sit one hour. Color medium red with lots of purple hues, full body. Bouquet came out to play the further we got into the bottle after a couple hours, with dark plum sauce, Kirsch, blackberries, herbs de provence, lavender and licorice. Beautiful smooth entry of generous black raspberries, red plum, garrigue, lifting notes of lavender, and shades of earth. Enlivening acidity and youthful tannins testify this has a long life ahead and upside potential given it is still somewhat primary. Nevertheless approachable now with sufficient decant, delicious, hard to keep hands off. Outstanding.

8/6/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

On removing the capsule the cork appeared fine, but broke in half on removal. Aerate through screen to decanter because this had major sediment, and let sit for an hour. Color is very dark red with significant bricking at the edges, cloudy, full body. Boggling fully mature aromas of Kirsch, macerated blackberries, dried bouquet of flowers, saddle leather, baking spices, forest floor and cedar. On the palate this eclectic blend of Grenache, Cab, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Mouvedre comes at you in as many directions, mixing plums, black and tart cherries, tar, perfumed Indian spices, licorice, umami mushrooms, clay tones, cocoa powder and cedar. Medium-plus acidity and what was once marked tannins are nearly fully resolved in velvety texture. Big wine with a long finish that ends with brighter red fruits, tomato, leather and earth. This held together for the three hours it was in the decanter, but I would not wait any longer. Outstanding.

8/6/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter. Color is a darker side of ruby and medium-bodied. Bouquet of black cherries, crushed currants, touches of violets, spices and earth. Envelopes the palate with ripe pit fruits of dark cherry and plum flavors along with spice and earth. Medium acid and medium tannins suggest this can still hold a couple more years. A very good effort.

8/6/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Pink salmon in color with nice density. Subtle bouquet of watermelon, flowers, cherries. Fresh and finessed on the palate with strawberries, cherries, touches of citrus, and minerality. A lovely balance of fruit and acidity that keeps this dry. Medium finish. Recommend watching the temperature of serving carefully or it is easy to miss the nuances.

8/5/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

This is my 7th or 8th time with this wine and it is always consistently excellent. Aerate to decanter, color dark red with black and purple hues, largely opaque, full body. Bouquet of dark ripe plums, black cherries as well as some brighter red seed fruit notes that perhaps give away this is a blend of Corvina, Primitivo, and Nero D'avola. In addition aromas of spices, oak, tobacco and a little road tar. Big on the palate there with black plums, blackberries, brightening red cherries, tobacco, black pepper, drying herbs and licorice. Medium-high acid and the tannins are still noticeably grippy, so this cries out for food. Lengthy finish of dark fruits, spice and coffee. Excellent value at 25.

8/5/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Gift from friends so cannot speak to storage history. Removing the capsule I could see the cork was fully saturated, evidence of leakage. Cork broke in half on removal. Filter screen to decanter, color shows clear signs of bricking, cloudy, medium body. To my surprise this was immediately open for business, with evolved aromas of cassis, sour cherries, leather, earthy mushrooms, tobacco, and hints of green veggie. Mature palate of red seed fruits including tomato, sour cherries, leather, lots of earthy goodness, cedar. Medium-plus acidity is still holding this in the realm of freshness, and tannins are fully resolved and hardly noticeable. Medium finish. Overall this drank beautifully, though it seemed lighter than I expected for an '89. Glad I opened it now, but it probably still has a few years left in the tank.

8/5/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter, let sit 60 minutes. Color is pitched a very dark red, inky, opaque, FB+. Bouquet is on the road to crazy-town and calls port to mind, with explosive aromas of reduced black cherry and blackberry pie, Funny Bone's spicy barbecue sauce complete with cracked black pepper, hints of maple smoked bacon, baking spices including cinnamon, and some heat coming through. Broad and layered on the palate with blackberry, black cherry sauce, hoisin, black pepper, spices, and black tea. Medium acid, medium-plus velvety tannins emerging in a long finish give this some structure. To be honest this was a bit of a challenge to drink early on, but eventually calmed down and smoothed out after an hour of sipping. Not for everyone given the style and proportion, but certainly rates high on the delicious scale.

8/5/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Pushed cork, leaky bottle. Cork fully saturated and broke in half. Filter to decanter, let sit 90 min. Color is bricked but still retaining medium cherry hues, transparent. I poured it back into bottle. Initially disjointed and spirity, this came together remarkably after a few hours - a testament to the rigor of port. Beautiful mature aromas of dried cherries, marzipan, graham cracker, spices and cedar. Flavors of dried black and red cherries, black mission figs, spices, brown sugar. Lovely acidity still keeping this balanced and gives an uplifting tang through a long, voluptuous finish. Great stuff.

8/6/2017 - Vinacull wrote:

Moderate chill, gentle pour to decanter, serve. Color is dense luminescent golden yellow, nominal mousse. Very complex and distinct funky nose of Gouda, mushrooms, gentle note of thyme , ocean mist, fresh cut lemons and limes, telltale petrol topnote. On the palate this wine is extraordinarily fine, entering with intense citrus and notes of ripe pineapple that approaches lush and rounded but then quickly morphs into a creature of almost mythical vibrant acidity and filigreed precision that invigorates the entire palate. Very long finish of citrus, saline and minerals, savory drying herbs, a bit of smoke, and a little petrol. More than just a great wine, this is an education. I followed it in the glass for four hours and the bouquet just kept changing. By the end of the night there were fascinating aromas of crystallized ginger and more tropical fruity and savory notes accompanying the earth and mushrooms in the foreground. The value of what you pay relative to the labor of love that goes into creating this wine really cannot be overstated. Very special and unforgettable. Looking forward to drinking the '91.

11/23/2016 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter. Deep red with black hues and inky, making this opaque, full body. Even after about an hour of air, reticent bouquet of dark cherries and blackberries with brighter notes of red berries, bits of leather and earth. Teeth and palate-staining flavors of fresh and dried blackberries and cherries, cedar, thyme, and drying walnut skin. This is big and concentrated, settling into the tongue with flavors of dried cherry roll up, minerals, cedar and earth. Medium-plus acid and tannins are fairly fine-grained but plentiful and youthful so this will benefit from 2-3 years sideways. Overall a big tasty merlot that needs at least a couple hours of air to relax and show its stuffing. Looking forward to seeing how it develops. Outstanding value at 19.

4/25/2016 - Vinacull wrote:

Respi-aerate to decanter, serve. Color garnet with lots of black hues, opaque, full-bodied, with perhaps a half teaspoon of sediment. Organic viticulture with 95 year old vines in poor calcareous soils is fully realized in a deep complex bouquet of densely packed black plums, mashed dark ripe cherries, loamy soil, expresso roasted coffee bean, black licorice, and at times hints of animal. On the palate there is fresh and baked black plum, walnut, violets, spades of rich earth, licorice, and minerals. Moderate acid and this is quite structured in the mouth from attack to finish with firm tannins that linger and dry the medium finish. Overall this is outstanding grenache with apparent old vines character that is well made and built to cellar perhaps 10 years. My only bottle, this was an outstanding value at 15.

5/24/2015 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter, serve. Color beautiful garnet, clear, medium-full body. Elegant bouquet of black and red seed fruits, dried flowers, garrigue, and earth. On the palate a lovely mix of black and red cherries, currants, coffee bean, touches of dark chocolate and herbs, with stony minerality and black tea coming through in the finish. Still fresh at nine years, with polished tannins adding some firmness. Nicely balanced and well made, an excellent value if you can find it for 20-25.

4/25/2015 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter, serve. Color not noted. A rather nondescript muted bouquet of dark fruit and garrigue. On the palate there are dark fruits, some herbs and earth. Overall OK but not showing anything in particular from the varietals in the blend, largely forgettable and nowhere near the WS92. Two bottles in two months with consistent impression. Disappointing even at the clearance price of 19.

1/10/2015 - Vinacull wrote:

Color not noted. Bouquet of strawberry, pomegranate, earth and remnants of forest floor. A touch of green up front amid strawberry and clean cherry tones with touches of minerality. Not a lot of depth but at least fresh and fairly well composed. Certainly worth the 14 paid.

4/2/2016 - Vinacull wrote:

This bottle showed a bit more oomph in the bouquet and freshness of fruit than the one two days ago. Very good but still not nearly as expressive and interesting as my first experiences in 2014. Will consume the next and last bottle soon.

3/30/2016 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter. No detected change in color from my last note. Bouquet is muted, with ripe black fruits, coffee bean, licorice, and earth. On the palate there is ripe black plum that is more prune-like, coffee bean, licorice, and earth. Overall this is somewhat disjointed, showing some alcohol and lacking the freshness of fruit and nuances of earlier days. Still very good, but not as interesting. Time to drink the remaining bottles.

5/30/2014 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter, serve at party and it was gone in 10 min. Color very dark red with deep purple and magenta highlights, opaque, medium-full body. Knockout nose of ripe black plums, smokey hoisin sauce, violets, chocolate, licorice, slate, and gamey notes that come and go. Whoever Kaya is, I could smell her all day. Inky purple-fruited carignan stains the teeth with layers of rich black pit fruits, kirsch, coffee, black pepper, licorice, and earth. Medium acid and medium-plus tannins that are a bit rough but add a rustic charm. A lengthy dry finish of black and red fruits that fade to reveal the earth and minerals. Overall a big wine with interesting complexity. Excellent value at typical price of around 21, and even better at clearance for 14.

12/31/2015 - Vinacull wrote:

Color medium straw, very good saturation, some fine bubbles. This had been cellared for three or so years from purchase, so it was expressive with more yeasty warm bread notes than expected, in addition to flowers, lemons and yellow delicious apple. Focused citrus flavors buoyed by minerals and saline with very good persistence. Outstanding pairing with NYE caviar on blinis with creme fraiche. Excellent value at 35

8/25/2015 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter, serve. Color deep red loaded with black hues, full body. A voluptuous bouquet that earns the name, with sweet ripe blackberry and plum sauce, melted dark chocolate, baking spices, tar, and vanilla. Fruit-forward on the palate but interestingly more restrained than the nose, with rich blackberries and red grapes and some brighter red cherries mixed with some earth, spice, and vanilla. Low acidity, a good amount of soft velvety tannins, low complexity, medium finish. Overall tasty, gone quickly, and popular with the ladies of our group who love the occasional fruit bomb. At 23, worth trying at least once for the novelty and the story behind it.

4/1/2016 - Vinacull wrote:

Color golden yellow, medium saturation, clear. Tropical bouquet including notes of pineapple, apricot, and guava, with beeswax and almonds. On the palate there are honeyed tropical fruits slightly oxidized, with nut oil and some minerals. Nice complexity, creamy midpalate and round finish, so much so that I'm wishing for more acidity. It did not pair that well with clam spaghetti. This had more energy a year ago. Drink up.

4/1/2016 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter, serve. Color dark red, clear, medium-full body. Bouquet of cinnamon, toasted oak, cassis, and plum. Flavors of cinnamon, earthy plum watery blackberries, toasted oak, and green herbs. Fairly low acid, medium tannins, short finish of plum, bell pepper, and oak stretching into an extended aftertaste of wood. I haven't had a cab this oaky in quite some time. Pass.

1/23/2016 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter and serve. Color deep cherry red with black hues, clear, medium to full body, tiny bit of sediment. Lovely open bouquet of cherries, currants, tomato paste, tobacco, spice, and earth. On the palate there is excellent density of fruit, with baking spice and sweet pipe tobacco intermixed with cassis, red cherries, and coffee stretching into currants tinged with minerals, earth and leather. Medium acid, medium plus tannins providing some grip and drying effect in the finish. Overall this was really tasty and an excellent pairing with braised lamb shank in a savory tomato rosemary sauce over creamy grits with roasted brussel sprouts. Price I paid was 25, which was an outstanding value for what this delivers. Wish I had bought six more.

1/14/2016 - Vinacull wrote:

Pop and vinturi aerate to glass. Dark red-black hues with very slight bricking at the rim, opaque, perhaps a tablespoon of sediment in the bottle. On the nose deep warm blackberry sauce, ripe black plums and bits of prune, tar, baking spice, leather, and touches of animal. The palate is more savory than expected based on the bouquet, where blackberries, plums, prune and some raisins are mixed equally with damp earth, black tea, tar, and allspice that extends into a lengthy finish. Having consumed numerous different offerings from Clarendon Hills over the years, I can tell that this was just past its peak, where some of the fruit has dropped out, and there are apparent signs of evolution. Acid is moderately low, tannins are still showing some grip, but largely velvety soft. Overall this is still an outstanding Shiraz, with delicious flavors and excellent complexity, but I recommend drinking them if you have them and I would not decant.

12/18/2015 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter and immediate serve. Light garnet in the glass, transparent and brilliant, deceptive medium-light body. A beguiling and penetrating bouquet of dried rose petals, sour cherries, sweet cherries, leather, at times notes of sage sausage, earth, and balsam. Beautiful and complex flavors of sweet and sour cherries, tar, thyme, and earth stretching into a long finish of red seed fruits, rooibos tea, lively minerals, and earth. Like so many of the world's greatest wines this has so much power but is so light on its feet that it stuns you into a trance with its ethereal quality, and you wish that the bottle was bottomless. Structured and firm with tannins, but they are polished so not so noticeable to get in the way. Indeed the best Brunello I've ever had and showing more development than the outstanding '06 Soldera we had at a Brunello tasting in NYC two weeks earlier. I can't imagine what it will be like in 10 years. Thank you to my friend Dan for opening it.

12/25/2015 - Vinacull wrote:

P&P. Dark red and black in the glass, full body, perhaps a teaspoon of sediment. Expansive wide open bouquet of ripe blackberries, tar, baking spice, coffee, and earth. On the palate deep rich black fruits with tar, spices, leather and earth. Modest acid, tannins fully integrated giving this a soft velvety mouthfeel. Excellent balance and a 30-plus second finish. Outstanding pairing with roasted beef tenderloin with veal demi-glas, scalloped potatoes, and stovetop-sauteed brussel sprouts. Overall it is still an elegant outstanding well-made shiraz reflecting an excellent vintage that is drinking at its peak right now. Last bottle and no regrets, as I only see the fruit fading with time. No decant needed.

12/24/2015 - Vinacull wrote:

Golden straw color with impressive saturation. Intense bouquet of citrus with a core of pineapple, butterscotch, minerals, and fine oak. Firm and structured in the mouth with flavors of lemons, pineapple, pear, and minerals adding complexity. Excellent acidity and balance, with a medium-plus finish. Outstanding pairing with steamed lobster and drawn butter for Christmas eve. Excellent value at 27 and would buy again.

8/24/2015 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter, let sit 45 min. Color dark red verging on black, full body, inky. A soaring Languedoc bouquet of rich ripe blackberries, mashed black cherries, baking spices, pie crust, and road tar. Dense and powerful black fruits mixed with sweet baking spices extending into a lengthy finish of fresh-brewed coffee, cherries, and earthy goodness. Acid is relatively low and there are substantial tannins but they are fairly well integrated from the modest age. This was dynamite and a great after-dinner wine. I prefer this to Saint-Roch's Chimeres of the same vintage. Fantastic value at 18. Will drink next and last within 3 years.

8/24/2015 - Vinacull wrote:

Aerate to decanter. Color garnet with some dark hues, medium body, clear. Lovely fresh nose of sour cherries, red plums, violets, earth and tobacco notes. Lively mix of juicy sour cherries, ripe red seed fruits raspberries and strawberries with some earth, thyme and oregano. The acid is high but does not get in the way of enjoyment, and the tannins are noticeable but supple. Well balanced and medium finish. Excellent pairing with grilled chicken souvlaki. Excellent Chianti and value at 18. Wish I could buy more, but sold out.