9/3/2012 - bweimer wrote:

Fully mature bottle. Tertiary aromas of tobacco and leather. Mature fruit flavors of dark cherry, cedar, minerals and earth. Some acid lift on the finish but probably not going to get better from here. Mouthfeel is smooth and silky. Pretty nice bottle to drink now.

8/2/2012 - bweimer wrote:

Pop and pour. Initially nose is expressive tart cherry fruit with some florals. Started a bit austere with noticeable dry tannin but fleshed out rather quickly. Once some food arrived the wine started to show its stuff (this wine begs for food). It became richer, more complex and just a nice compliment to the spinach and ricotta crepes and roasted peppers with Italian sausage main course. Drinking near peak but still has enough stuffing for at least 5-10 years.

6/12/2012 - bweimer wrote:

Liquid orange marmalade.

4/14/2012 - bweimer wrote:

Pop and pour. Color is a deep, dark purple core to a red rim defying its age. Nose is powerful and expressive with plum and dark cherry fruit with a mix of smoke and pine. Initially a slight bit austere the wine comes fully alive after 30 minutes to reveal classic Napa Cabernet flavors of dark cherry and plum, with additional hint of green pepper. The wine is very fresh and has a nice concentration without being heavy in the mouth. The finish has a nice lift of acid to keep it enjoyable to drink over the course of the meal. I wish they still made them like this! Paired brilliantly with Prime short rib of beef.

1/25/2012 - bweimer wrote:

Deep dark color, looks like Syrah not Pinot Noir. Smell of stewed cherry fruit and alcohol. Similar on the palate, hot alcoholic finish. Says 15.4% on the label but probably higher. Disappointing purchase - other 2 bottles were consistent. Oh well...sometimes you lose. Avoid due to lack of varietal character and poorly made.

3/21/2011 - bweimer wrote:

White flowers and tropical fruit nose. Tropical flavors continue on the palate with medium body and nice acid lift on the finish. Good length on the palate. Good with food and nicely balanced wine that is drinking great right now.

3/14/2011 - bweimer wrote:

Auction bottle from well stored cellar. 1 hr decant. Classic Napa cab flavors of dark fruits, plum, cassis, and moderate oak. Tannins are present but fine and chalky. Finishes clean with just enough acid. A well made bottle of wine drinking well now. I'm not sure why other reviewers thought so poorly of this wine.

8/30/2010 - bweimer wrote:

Green apple on the nose and palate with nice minerality. Medium body. Not too complex. Drinks well now.

6/18/2010 - bweimer wrote:

Nose of bright right red fruit with some spice. Medium body and nice mouth feel with good flavors. Nice finish. Well made, balanced wine. Drinks well now but will hold and see where this goes in a few years.

6/19/2010 - bweimer wrote:

Burgundian style. Red fruits with high acidity. Somewhat tart finish but good flavor overall. For fans of the style.

6/7/2010 - bweimer wrote:

Bright fruit and alcohol is apparent (16.5% on the label!). A tasty wine in which fruit turned darker with time in the glass. I preferred it in the first hour. For fans of this style only.

6/8/2010 - bweimer wrote:

Poured through a Vinturi into a decanter and left for 1 hour. Dark berry fruit very sweet nose. Creamy on the palate with blackberry and oak flavor. Big wine with chalky tannins. Plenty of life left. Check back in a number of years.

6/2/2010 - bweimer wrote:

Decanted for 1 hour. Mix of red raspberry and blackberry fruit with hints of meat and smoke. Nice balance and good acidity. A good wine that drinks well now that's only slight flaw is a bit of a hot (alcoholic) finish.

4/5/2010 - bweimer wrote:

Opened and put through a Vinturi and back in the bottle. Nose of strawberry and cherry with great purity. Light body with fine tannin. Light and delicious and good with food (pork tenderloin).

3/29/2010 - bweimer wrote:

Fruity with nice earthiness. Still some dry tannins on the finish. Very good food wine.

12/2/2009 - bweimer wrote:

My last bottle and the best so far. Really drinking well now. Old school styled Bordeaux. Slightly funky/barnyard nose but not off-putting. Black fruit, cassis, leather, and tobacco on the palate.

12/6/2009 - bweimer wrote:

Have liked this wine in the past but this bottle was showing little on the nose but high alcohol. Palate was the same. Full bodied for Pinot Noir and still dark in color. A little fruit on the nose when first opened but quickly turned to an alcoholic mess. Withholding rating.

12/9/2009 - bweimer wrote:

Amazing QPR. Light/med body but very flavorful Rhone white. Stoney fruit with nice minerality and acid. Balanced and delicious.

12/17/2009 - bweimer wrote:

Decanted this wine but probably shouldn't have. The first taste was very typical sangiovese. Red fruit/med body/high acid. After 1hr in the decanter the wine softens a lot and the acidity seems to diminish. The wine puts on weight but looses the typical flavor profile. I liked the first glass so I should have popped and poured. Second glass was less to my liking.

12/19/2009 - bweimer wrote:

Have tried three bottles of this with consistent notes. Great mouthfeel after 2 hour decant. Tannins present but soft and silky. Dark fruit and cassis flavor profile with noticable amount of oak (but not overwhelming like the Miner Cabernet). One extra point for deliciousness.

12/19/2009 - bweimer wrote:

Like drinking crushed rocks. Fine bubbles. Well made and enjoyable with appetizers. Great QPR bubbly.

11/14/2009 - bweimer wrote:

Bright cherry and earth. Nice balance of fruit and earth. Nice acid and a bit of minerality. Great food wine and QPR.

11/6/2009 - bweimer wrote:

Green mint/eucalyptus on the nose and palate. Medium minus body. Low tannin. Not a big fruit lovers wine. Decent but not great.

9/28/2009 - bweimer wrote:

corked

2/15/2009 - bweimer wrote:

A bit simple, not very complex, but it has a nice flavor profile and good balance. Drink in the next 5 years.

11/23/2008 - bweimer wrote:

Decanted 1 hour. Raisin and cherry nose. Overripe, baked cherry and tea flavored. Medium weight and tannin. Not really my style. Others my prefer it better.

11/17/2008 - bweimer wrote:

Pop-and-pour. Dark fruits and smokey nose with a hint of eucalyptus. Smooth mouthfeel, very smoky and earthy flavors. Tannins are nearly resolved. Drink up.

11/15/2008 - bweimer wrote:

Decanted 2 hrs. Bordeaux-like nose, dark fruit, smoke, tar. Smooth entry and mouthfeel, nice silky fruit, medium body. Finish is acidic and minerally. Nice wine.

11/1/2008 - bweimer wrote:

Two hours decant to open up. Good fruit and structure. Dry and slightly bitter tannins on finish. Check again in 5 yrs.

12/26/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Cherry and strawberry nose, smooth tannins and deep, dark fruit on the palate, medium length finish. Great balance of fruit and acidity.

12/26/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Hints of rose petals and strawberry on the nose with a slightly sweet palate leading to a smooth candied finish with medium length.

12/26/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Knockout nose of raspberries and cherries, beautiful pure fruit that builds in intensity on the palate and lasts through the finish. Awesome balance, delicious wine.

12/26/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Great nose of subdued cherry and sweet earth, smooth tannins with beautiful purity of fruit, medium length and amazing balance. I think it will age nicely. Wow!

12/26/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Very fine nose of raspberries and cherry fruit but subdued compared to Koplen and 4-Barrel. No heat on the nose. Palate shows intense red and black fruits with fullest body of all. Sweet tannins and awesome balance. Finish is long and powerful.

12/26/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Cherry and cola nose with a bit of heat, medium bodied with fine, sweet tannins, powerful fruit and a medium finish.

12/26/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Cherry and cranberry nose, light body with sweet tannin, but pure intense fruit on the palate with medium length.

12/26/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Even better on the nose than the Koplen, just so intensly fine! A slight bit of heat. Full bodied, with intense fruit coming alive in the mouth, finish is long and powerful. Amazing balance.

12/26/2007 - bweimer wrote:

This was picked as the best California Cabernet of the year by a local wine shop (Hi-Time Wine Cellars, Costa Mesa, CA). They purchased all of the only 120 bottles produced by the winery at the Premier Napa Valley Wine Auction. It was included in a tasting I attended there on Saturday of the Top California Cabs of the year. It was the last bottle of the tasting. After going through wines from such top cab producers as Lewis, Joseph Phelps, Roy, Spottswoode, Larkmead, Mondavi, Montelena, and Rudd, this wine stood out among them all. The nose was incredible - it smelled like banana(!!!), the well ripened soft fleshy fruit of a banana. It was the most distinctive aroma I have ever gotten from a wine, especially a Cabernet. Just simply amazing. The wine was smooth on entry and they filled up the palate revealing blackberry fruit with sweet oak. The tannins were nicely integrated and balanced. It ranks up there with the best wines I have ever tasted. I wish I could buy at the offering price of $195.00

12/5/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Nose is leather and barnyard, definitely old world wine. Surprised by this as it is a 2003 and supposedly ripe fruit year. Bitter finish. Could this get better with age? Not enough experience to tell.

12/3/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Lovely wine, black fruits and spice. Well integrated tannin and oak. Drinking nicely now but some age left.

12/1/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Excellently balanced fruit and acid. Drinking nicely now, but at it's peak, I think.

12/10/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Fresh fruit without any oakiness. A bit more tart than the 2005, but plenty flavorful. Excellent value at $8. Great summer sipper.

12/17/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Bright cherry fruit. Tasty but one-dimensional. Lacks structure but easily to drink.

12/21/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Bright red and black fruits and earth. Nice balance, tasty wine. Good value.

4/14/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Medium body and sweetness. Slightly sour lemon taste that I did not expect from Y'quem.
Long 30-40 second finish. Apricot and honey nose. Lacks a bit of acidity.

4/18/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Medium body and sweetness. Nice 20 second finish.

4/18/2007 - bweimer wrote:

Tannic, needs more time in bottle. Dark blackberry fruit.