9/3/2020 - csimm wrote:

2 of 2:

Specific tasting note aside, I offer a “short” epilogue sparked from this particular wine (well, short by my standards at least – so those who know me can bank on it being a stretched novella), as the Hated Hunter and some of the other comments here on Cellar Tracker caused me to ponder a bit about the SQN marvel – This is around the time I should just stop typing, but alas, here we go; so, proceed at your own risk:

For those wondering if the touting of all things SQN is worthy of the constant cult applause and if such broad acclaim actually translates into a product worth seeking out, my (emphasis on “my” and not “the”) simple answer is, “Yes.” (Some may stop reading now simply because their answer may be, “No,” or, “It depends,” or, “…But their prices keep going up!” or, “Allocation lists are for chumps.”). I certainly don’t fancy myself some blind cult follower who needs to have every goofy labeled wine from across the globe in my cellar just for the sake of collecting (for me, I drink my wine; so, ideally I only buy wine I actually like, not ones I think will gain me wine geek friends or I can flip for some pocket-lint-full of loose change). There’s nothing wrong with a cool factor or the pride in popping the cork on a rare wine in the company of friends and those who appreciate such things, but in the end, the product better deliver and just plain ‘ol taste good – otherwise, why bother?!

So then, like anything, I think it is important to keep contextual grounding when attempting to equitably gauge one’s personal desire in acquiring and coveting these wines (and you can insert any of the Harlan, Screaming Eagle, DRC, whatevers of the world that you consider some sort of trophy wine that you are willing and able to get your paws on – I get that total “worth” is entirely relative). Having been fortunate enough to sample much of Krankl’s creations since SQN’s inception (initially and primarily because of dear friends who have been gracious enough to share them with me – so full disclosure there), I’ve found that one thing is ever-present in these wines: Quality. There is an attention to detail that always seems to translate in the juice itself. We can debate the “worth” of the wine and question inflated QPR (cuz let’s be honest, prices can get wacky), or if there is an actual emotional response you did or didn’t have from the wine; these are often worthy and necessary discussions. But within the style and milieu of California domestic red Rhone, I’m hard-pressed to find much in competition with SQN, at least consistently. And yes, I know others will disagree and can spout their favorites that they believe are cheaper and deliver better for them personally. I know SQN has had misses in the past, so folks can reference those as well I suppose. And reasonably there are certainly those direct comparisons that make sense at the moment – Alban, Saxum, Andremily, and further north to Kongsgaard, Colgin, and a handful of others. Everyone has their favorites of course. “But wait, you left out Tynan.” “But wait, I like Lewis.” “But wait, you can’t talk about SQN without talking about Lato.” “But wait, haven’t you had XYZ Syrah? That blows the doors off any wine you’ve ever tried you over-extracted SQN fanboy!” Yes, I hear you…

Trends come and go oftentimes as much as one’s palate-preferences, and as quantifiers such as DTC release prices start to level-out with auction and secondary market prices and availability, “cult” interest can sometimes become watered down. But for me it’s like this… If it tastes great to you and you’re willing to cough-up the cash and internally validate your purchase by way of whatever about wine makes you smile, then it’s a win.

Some folks I know are constantly pissed-off about buying certain wines every year just to stay on an allocation list either because of some status symbolism or because they are waiting for some 100 point unicorn to pop that will somehow be better than the 98 point wine they don’t want to buy. That seems to me to be a tiresome effort full of chasing shadows (and relying too much on pro scoring – which is a WHOLE other topic). But I understand the pull to play the allocation game and recognizing that scarcity and pro reviews can conjointly drive the market. And if you’re buying SQN you’re likely not just your soccer mom or dad grocery store connoisseur picking up a bottle on your way home from work. You already know a little something about next-level collecting, or at least about what this all-consuming hobby can do to a person’s wine psyche and his or her pocketbook. So, I’m one person who likes SQN as a whole, not because they are SQN but because the wine is friggin good…to me.

As for the Hated Hunter, it’s exactly what one would expect from this house. If it’s not for you, you’re in luck! There are THOUSANDS of wineries out there to check out. Go forth and conquer! (And this is the moment where you ask yourself, “What in the heck was that rant? I’ll never get that five minutes [ten if you’re a slow reader] of my life back after reading this!”). Yes, my friend, you’re correct. Now let’s hope you at least had a decent stem in your fist while you were enduring the likes of my train wreck thoughts. Cheers! (…cuz “Cheers” is what you’re supposed to say when flipping up your salmon-colored Izod collar, giving the two-pistoled thumb and index finger salute, and sashaying off to the valet to grab your turquoise-striped Mini Cooper)…

4/19/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote:

Mugneret-Gibourg Chambolle-Musigny les Feusselottes Dinner (The Bristol - Chicago IL): Somewhere between oxidized and madeirized. Unpleasant. This was at least 5+ years old in market given the distributor strip.

10/19/2022 - lvjohn Likes this wine:

What can I add in describing this beautiful wine that others recently haven't said. It's great! It still tastes very fresh and shows no sign of getting old.

12/25/2017 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Opened in bottle for 2 hours. Both opulent and effervescent with nice acidity. Well structured body with hefty amounts of butterscotch, honey dew, and brioche. Gentle salty salinity throughout keeps it extremely fresh. Only downside is the long and lingering finish gets slightly cut short by its youth. This will be even better in 2-3 years.

2/17/2024 - buckeye76 Likes this wine:

We've always enjoyed the Pinots from Steve Kistler's own vineyards by what is now his Occidental winery. The 2013 Kistler Vineyard did not disappoint. It is drinking beautifully now and though the "experts" said drink by 2025, we thought this wine still has several years in it. Still deep red in color. Lots of black and red fruits in the nose with a savory element plus hints of licorice, spice and floral. Raspberries and plums in the flavor with a slight note of herbalness. An elegant Pinot Noir with nice depth and complexity. Medium bodied, well balanced and a medium to long finish.

11/25/2021 - bestdamncab Likes this wine:

Hint of butter on the nose, surprising but not overwhelming, lemon, sliced apple, and dry gravel, same on the palate, medium/big body, almost elegant, very tasty, at peak-time to enjoy is now, mouth filling fruit, long finish, photo uploaded.

3/2/2022 - JohnMcIlwain Likes this wine:

I think in my mind I have this picture or pictures of Chianti Classico, which are filtered through both village and producer. Monte Bernardi in Panzano is lifted and precise—nervy and taut with a pungent mineral core, that leads with elegant, pure fruit fanning out from the structure. Montesecondo in San Casciano boasts ripe red fruits and florals with deceptive structure lurking within and just enough iron and forest floor emerging from within to reveal the classic Chianti character that comes with time in the bottle. And perhaps one of my favorite expressions of Chianti Classico is the vibrant and wild Caparsa in Radda in Chianti. Especially the Caparsina Riserva, which far from exhibiting spoofiness or overt polish, seems to joyfully embrace its sauvage, wooded glen, bumptious nature. Does this display the wild/Morello cherry, forest floor, ferruginous/bloody character of Radda? Enthusiastically. But it also seems to dance to the wild song of Pan with abandon and seem assured in its lack of overt polish or worse: deracinated civility. Sure, this will shine with bistecca at a shiny trattoria, but perhaps this will be more confident on a rough-hewn farmhouse table with a ragu of freshly gathered wild mushrooms with polenta or grilled sausage fashioned from that pesky wild boar that has been devouring the precious grapes from the vines since veraison. And lest I relegate this to the rustic country cousin to so many more polished wines, one would be hard-pressed to find a more honest, forthright, soulful wine from the region. And based on prior vintages, it’s hard to imagine a contemporary Chianti that will blossom more with age, if one is patient to sock away a couple (or dozen) bottles. Re-buy? I question if the 12 bottle purchase was sufficient. Highly recommended.

4/25/2023 - N.Bonaparte wrote:

30 min in the glass helped open this up. Unmistakably new world but with very nice balance. This may have a Montrachet clone but no one in their right mind is guessing white burg here. This is in its prime but will drink well for at least another 5-7 years. No rush here.

5/25/2023 - VinDeVie_1 Likes this wine:

1995 Calon Ségur, wow. This is a classic example of a 1995 that has started to come out of its shell. I have seen many reviews where individuals bottles fall on either side of the ready not ready line, but this one certainly was. In fact, I would say this bottle reminded me why I love Bordeaux so much after several so-so showing of late this truly had the richness and the power to be a classic.

One knock here was an intial funkiness and out of balance greeness that subsided in about 15 minutes, I actually was afraid it was corked on first blush.

Nose:
-Leather
-Tobacco
-Touch of secondary/tertiary earth
-Black and red cherries and plums

Palate
-Juicy plum and cherry notes
- deep round richness
- well integrated tannins and oak
- touch of agedness

Given the initial funk and an 8/10 on the complexity front, this wine gets a solid 96.

Well worth checking your bottles now, but definently good in 3-5 years based on all indicators.

10/29/2023 - Julien D Likes this wine:

This is a very good wine but I have to admit I am a bit disappointed given the price tag. Or maybe the wine is in a weird phase or it’s just a bad bottle… nose is expressive with notes of butterscotch, lemon, vanilla, starfruit, lemon zest. Mouth is leaner than expected, with shape and zesty acidity. Not much complexity. Notes of lemon are overwhelming and finish is short to medium. I was expecting more given the pedigree but it could be a bottle effect

7/16/2021 - Burgundy Al wrote:

DC/Chicago Wine Dinner Extravaganza (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): In Aubert 2014 horizontal. New oak still protrudes a bit aromatically, but overall richness is charming. Powerful, fleshy and ripe, but with enough structure and brightness to hold everything together well enough... even if the fat dominates.

7/16/2021 - dcwino wrote:

Annual gathering with Chicago winos in Chicago (Smyth and The Loyalist - Chicago IL): A bit cloudy as usual. Medium expressive nose displaying very ripe yellow fruit, lemon curd, pineapple, sweet spices, a hint of flint, crème brulee, noticeable oak/vanilla, sweet spices and limestone. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated yellow fruit, rich and opulent, bright acidity, medium mineral, and a long ripe yellow fruit driven finish with crème brulle and oak at the end. This shows the most oak. This seems to gain weight and developed more yellow fruit. Although enjoyable, my least favorite of the flight.

4/5/2020 - Sanlucar Does not like this wine:

In a state of rapid decline! Fruit flavors are present but quickly fading and the high alcohol (14.9%) is beginning to take over the whole show. The essence of Pinot Noir is no longer identifiable; it's just a puddle of muddy red fruits, mild oak, and alcohol. Being just 8 years old, I expected more life and some balance, but it's nearly dead & almost completely gone.

4/1/2023 - jshufelt wrote:

Very high alcohol and almost no aromatics to speak of, along with a bit of strange funk - this reads so differently from every other Paderewski I've had that I'm assuming something is just off here.

6/19/2023 - rustyRudy Likes this wine:

Andrew recommended this, bought in DC, light yellow. Very pleasant well balanced Chardonnay, no noticeable oak, nice presence of apple and citrus fruit with a clean and tart finish

11/23/2016 - csimm wrote:

PnP was an immediate clash between jammy blackberry and a tannic slap in the face. The finish fell apart almost immediately. DECANT!

Decanted for approximately one hour in a large-bottomed decanter at 54 degrees. Much improved with some air. Notes of ripe blackberry, black raspberry liqueur, black currant, and some hints of dark chocolate. A little tar on the back end, but faded quickly. After approximately three hours of air, this started to slowly fade to the point that it appeared to be shutting down.

My best guess is that this still needs time to work itself out a bit. Give it another 12-18 months to settle in. This was a tad confusing given that I was just coming off my high after having been thoroughly impressed with the 2014 Outpost Cabernets. In the end, the 2012 is a good wine; it seems to be in one of those proverbial "awkward" phases. For those holding bottles, I'd suggest holding a little longer in hopes it will better integrate in bottle.

92-93 points from me. My girl thought it was a 95, primarily due to its apparently well-crafted overall profile. Seemingly quality juice; just not showing its true potential yet. Hold for now and hope for the best.

5/24/2016 - BuzzzzOff Likes this wine:

Sipped a generous glass via Coravin. Magic! When you are two people, who have finished a bubble and are still awaiting your Barolo to arrive (properly breathed), Coravin offers a perfect glass of Chardonnay to bridge...because we cannot handle three bottles any longer :-(

What can we say? Fairly dark yellow with a hint of green. We still have several more bottles, and we look forward to seeing her dress become more amber/gold/straw. Bouquet is fresh lemon, green apples, nuttiness and toasty-oak. Luvly, but we look forward to the freshness mellowing with the nuttiness and toast...we feel a different wine will blossom in a few years. So much going on! The palate is a fantabulous blend of lemon, green apple, brioche, walnuts, broad-shouldered, full-bodied...well, you get the picture. This lady is stunning now, but will be breath-taking by 2018.

10/8/2020 - dcwino wrote:

Jailbreak Wine Dinner - Krug 168, Ultramarine, MacDonald and etc. (Jailbreak Brewery, Laurel, MD): Youthful clean nose displaying ripe white fruit, white peach, golden delicious, lemon curd, lanoline, spicy spices and limestone. Excellent concentration, nicely layered ripe white and yellow fruit, rich and ripe yet also clean and precise, medium acidity, strong limestone mineral, and a long ripe white and yellow fruit driven finish with a hint of limestone and spicy spices at the end. Although big and concentrated, this is a nicely balance and precise domestic Chardonnay. It appears that there has been a slight change in wine making style since 2013 at Aubert which I prefer. Drinking nicely.

10/29/2021 - SouthernStateofMind wrote:

Five (5) years removed from last visit. Similar to prior observations. Display's rich combination of tropical/stone fruit flavors on mineral backbone. Harmonious balance with not a sharp edge to be found. Fruit, alcohol and acidity are perfectly measured providing round supple presence on the palate that leads to amazingly long lip-smacking finish. Remarkable Chardonnay.

7/22/2018 - csimm wrote:

Two years ago since I last had this wine. PnP kicked out some off-putting spritz that threw the flavors all out of whack. It tasted like a Sauvignon Blanc had a love child with a super dry Riesling...with bubbles from a zero dosage Champagne. Super weird.

Decanted for an hour and ultimately served at around 50 degrees. Much of an improvement. Yellow citrus fruit core. Some white melon and white and yellow peach notes as well. Balanced and flavorful, but not operating at the elevated level I’d expect from this producer. CIX is often one of my favorite Auberts. This time it was just a good bottle of Chardonnay. Hold for another year if you have a bottle. I wanted a little more weight here. Still good, just not all that attention-grabbing overall. 94 solid points. No more; no less.

11/21/2022 - rustyRudy Likes this wine:

Really bright cherry, candy apple, cinnamon, with a tart finish.

7/17/2021 - lvjohn Likes this wine:

Easily one of the top five Chardonnays we've ever tasted and they are almost all Aubert. We decanted it for about 30 minutes and it might have deserved more. It was an amazing taste experience with loads of sweet citrus and white fruits with some tropical flavors thrown in for good measure. It seems almost like a french Sauternes without the sweetness. There was a creaminess to the flavors such as I've never tasted previously. Great mouthfeel and aftertaste without a hint of anything out of place. Drink it now.

10/4/2018 - csimm wrote:

Inviting and agreeable, with a moderate sex appeal and soft porn-esque delivery. Overall, fairly smooth; less glycol after 2+ hours in the decanter. Notes of lemon curd, lemon verbena, vanilla, and clarified butter (in a good way - not buttery or over oaked).

Richer than Eastside, not as sexy as Lauren or CIX; somewhat straightforward, but tasty for sure. Round and plump without being fat or sluggish. Enough energy to push through the flavors across the entire front-to-back attack. Medium mid-palate weight. Medium complexity. A very well done wine, if not just a bit less concentrated or intense as its other siblings.

Drink now and over the next couple of years.

2/10/2022 - msuwine wrote:

Some very smart people revere aged Chardonnay, but I am not among them (in intellect, inclination, or many other ways!). Aside perhaps from a few examples from the Old World, I count myself among the skeptics, who - and pick your adjectives - prefer youth over maturity, energy over nuance, citrus over nuts. That said, I figured it was time to test this prejudice through the lens of what I think is the pinnacle of CA Chardonnay - Aubert’s Lauren. What was the result?

I enjoyed the wine, but I did not love it. Do the fans of maturity have a point? Yes, the wine changes over a decade's time, adding depth and character in surprising ways (read: if you like to parse the flavors of nuts - e.g., almond, praline - this is your jam). Do I want to age my Aubert wines for a decade to be at their best? Nope, not even close: I love the tension and freshness of the younger wines (i.e., the 4-5 year mark is probably my sweet spot, but to each his own). Bottom line: this wine didn’t fall apart at the decade mark, but it didn’t take flight, either.

Light yellow in color and full in body, the wine offers notes of honeycomb (read: sweet, wild, a little crunchy), along with almond, creme brûlée, and lemongrass. The flavors are integrated and fulsome, with notes of brioche, beeswax, and baked pineapple, followed by a lively but somewhat milky finish. This has far more energy than a 2013 Marcassin I had a few weeks ago (so perhaps the apprentice have overtaken the master!), though both share a nutty viscosity and open-knit profile. 15% alcohol. Decant about an hour. 92-93 at the moment, but no further aging is required: if you have a palate like mine (immaturity and all), drink soon.

10/28/2021 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine:

Delicious, took a minute to open up. Blackberry central with raspberry undertones, light on the pepper more fruit driven. Delicious with chili

12/2/2017 - csimm wrote:

It's been a year since I last had this wine. PnP and consumed over two+ hours. Still in that 91-92/93 point realm for me. It kicked out some nice notes of raspberry, strawberry, cola, and hints of earth. Medium-ish bodied with a bit of a boozy bite on the back end, clipping the fruit from actually enveloping the palate the way I'd like.

So, in the end, it was good; it was fine; it was a passersby type of wine...a "nothing to see here, please keep moving," kind of wine...a glance at a pretty girl in the grocery store...nothing more. The affective reactions of "compelling," "amazing," and "memorable," unfortunately still don't live here. In reality, you could've named any local producer and I would've believed they made this Pinot. Pretty run-of-the-mill with just a tick of fleeting interest and a whisper of personality.

I'd hold until 2019 in hopes that bite on the finish tapers off and maybe the flavors mature. However, I'll be crossing my fingers the fruit and the drive don't taper off too much over the coming year in-bottle. 91-92+? points if I'm being "objective."

9/19/2021 - rustyRudy Likes this wine:

Dark purple, big nose yet refined and balanced. Had with ravioli and red sauce.

8/8/2021 - rustyRudy Likes this wine:

Went neck and neck with the Elizabeth. Very similar, for me not quite the pizazz,

7/8/2021 - buckeye76 Likes this wine:

Still a pretty big pinot with lots of black cherry in the nose and flavor and hints of chocolate and licorice, Well balanced, long finish, nice complexity. Drink over the next 2-3 years

12/1/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote:

Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind alongside the Kistler 2010 Pinot Noir Cuvée "Natalie Silver Belt." While I haven't had an Aubert Pinot Noir in several years, it was relatively easy to identify this wine based on prior experiences in earlier vintages. Fat and lush with lots of blackberry and plum. Lots of good spice, but clearly lots of new oak protruding as well. Certainly a well made wine in its style, it's just not my preferred style of Pinot Noir. Others liked this far more than I did today.

12/31/2020 - canan wrote:

It seems to have reached its peak and the wine is showing a somewhat surprising balance. Still packed with fruit but it is backed up with a solid and piercing acidity.
It should still be considered a young wine but it seems like the balance doesn't get much better than what it is currently. Wonderful intensity but it is certainly a special style of Pinot which is not for everyone :-)

6/6/2021 - rwerner Likes this wine:

My opinion is not to wait to drink. Thought the body was lighter and finish shorter than I expected as if it was over the hill.

5/25/2021 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine:

Monthly Men's Wine Dinner (2120 Restaurant, Seattle): Just a beautiful, well-integrated, aged Napa Cab with mocha, black and red currant, mature tannins, and a touch of spice. Drinking at peak. My #3 of 6 and the group's #2.

11/14/2020 - BHRH Likes this wine:

We are serious Carlisle fans, but were flummoxed with this wine. Had a porty/pruniness (that I have grown tired with a la Turley), even after a one hour decant. Wasn't until 2+ hours (or the 15.3% ABV :) ) that the real Zin character overcame the ripeness. I don't know what to think - whether these should be drunk younger, or decanted longer...
Anyhow, still a lovely Zin once it settles out. (and yes, these had pristine storage)

10/30/2020 - rustyRudy Likes this wine:

Purple. Nice combination of fruit, savory, earth and balanced oak, tannins and acidity.

8/13/2020 - dcwino wrote:

A small gathering at Jailbreak Brewing Co. (Jailbreak Brewery, Laurel, MD): Nicely integrated medium expressive nose displaying rich yellow fruit, yellow and white peach, backed apple, oyster shell, light caramel, crackerjack, spicy spices, and limestone. There is a hint of heat/alcohol at the end. Excellent concentration, finely layered ripe yellow fruit, rich yet fluid, medium acidity, strong mineral and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with caramel and oyster shell at the end. Although there is noticeable heat, it shows a good balance. Drinking beautifully and no need to wait.

10/28/2020 - DWStyle Likes this wine:

Had to try a bottle, young but very pleasant: not much of a nose, considering its age that’s not a surprise... or am I getting Covid-19!! After some oxygen ( the wine that is ) I received a scent of ripe, freshly sliced D'Anjou pear and a bit of the proverbial white flowers. Wow, what a powerful yet fine Chardonnay, delicious fruit with precise crisp acidity, medium weight, more pear and some citrusy flavors on the pallet and a harmonious finish. Should age well in my opinion but mine never will!

6/12/2014 - bonedoc wrote:

This wine was a bit of a hot mess tonight. Chocolate Liquor, Viscous mouthfeel, lack of acidity, too much heat with the slightly bitter finish, basically out of balance. Just popped and drank - would recommend w food to hopefully hide imbalance.

9/14/2019 - sfbikeguy Likes this wine:

Drank two bottles in one night. Very nice wine. Held up great, but time to drink.

5/2/2020 - gbbwino wrote:

Disappointing, but not the wine’s fault....just waited too long to drink this. Great flavors, but muted & somewhat flat. One more bottle, which I’ll open tonight for a back-to-back tasting to see if there is bottle variation but I suspect it is just past it’s prime.

12/5/2018 - Primordialsoup Likes this wine:

Really gorgeous. I was worried about it since it was several years past it's 2015 "Drink Latest" date here on CT, but decided to open and pair with grilled swordfish and a garlic-butter sauce. The Ramey Hyde Vineyard is one of my favorite Chards- right there with Leeuwin Art Series, for my tastes. Deftly made with great fruit, tonight's wine managed to blend a beautiful lemony acidity with a pleasant oily mouthfeel. So well balanced and delicious from nose to finish. I think there are a few more years left for this vintage. Currently, cellars are showing only a 64/36% consumed rate, so why not enjoy one soon if you have multiples.

8/14/2018 - csimm wrote:

PnP was a bombastic booze blast of red and black raspberry liqueur, cassis, kirsch, cherry syrup, vanilla, and limestone. A massive attack, striking aggressively with big fruit and big alcohol. A couple of hours in the decanter helped deepen the mid-palate, but otherwise the hooch wouldn’t let up with its numbing pummeling that washed over the flavors and made for a bruising experience overall. Seemingly quality fruit, but its adolescence is really at the forefront currently.

Looks like Saxums are really needing at least 8-10 years from vintage to really become more agreeable. I’d hold this wine until at least 2021/2022. I’m confident it’ll chill out once it finishes puberty.

8/23/2019 - mflesh wrote:

Compared to 2011 Stone Flat, this McCrea had a long overly lemon tart finish that was out of balance with the more delicate front and middle. Honeyed cashew, honeydew and melon front and middle that was actually the most pleasant with a nice acidity. Entry was a bit delicate. The finish kind of made this one not as enjoyable as the Stone Flat, but both of them took a solid backseat to a 15 Aubert Sugar Shack, 12 Marcassin Marcassin, and 13 Pahlmeyer Savoir Faire.

4/6/2009 - Burgundy Al wrote:

Meo-Camuzet dinner with Jean-Nicolas Méo (Knightsbridge - Northbrook IL): Good red cherry start-to-finish. Soft and simple, but very good balance and length for its appellation and level. Good for right now.

4/25/2020 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine:

Touch sweeter than your average champagne, but still has tear your face off acidity. Citrus, cream, almond, toast. Pear, apple, peach, lemon, grapefruit, honeysuckle. Toasty and brioche central. Love it. Really opened up. Amazing.

4/25/2020 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine:

Dark raspberry and cherry, touch of orange, rose, dried herb big time, truffle, mushroom, dried leaves and tobacco.

Nose is ethereal. Transcending. Exit let’s forever, at perfect drinking peak.

It can be done differently, but not better.

2020-2025+

6/3/2017 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine:

Almost over the top red fruit, cranberries, raspberries, touch of chocolate and vanilla. Hyper modern borderline fruit bomb but great for summer.

1/24/2020 - GA_Seattle Likes this wine:

Very earthy, musty notes initially, but funk dissipated after breathing for a couple hours. Medium red color. Luscious blue fruit coats and envelops the palate in rare fashion, amazingly elegant, refined texture. Soft, round tannins, medium acid. Wine is absolutely singing right now, best wine we've had in a few months. Recommend decanting 2+ hours. Drink within 2-3 years.

5/26/2019 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine:

Fully mature and slightly oxidized. Big oak, vanilla bomb, large wine. Loved it. At peak

4/3/2016 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Melon, crisp citrus, stones, and creamy oak. Straightforward and simple done impeccably well. Probably not going to improve a lot with time.