3/12/2024 - papabluez wrote:

Thought this might have been flawed upon opening, even after 90 minute decant, so took to my local wineshop where awesome palates prevail. They said, perhaps imbalanced but nothing really wrong, so took home and double, triple, quadruple decanted for 3 more hours. Took to my blind tasting wine club, where it finished in the top 3 out of 12 super Tuscans!!
Folks these have to be heavily decanted.......even at 11 year old, and will obviously prevail years from now! Enjoy!!

12/15/2023 - papabluez wrote:

This wine is still capable of cellar rest for a few years which it needs unless you undertake a serious decanting process. Took to our Wine Club blind tasting of southern hemisphere cabernet last night after triple decanting for 3 hours plus and another 3 hours in bottle. It was a totally different wine when tasted, than it was when first opened--the tannins had softened, was much smoother and integrated with savory notes, & textured. It held its own and was among the leaders with wines like Don Melchor, Domus Aurea, VIK Millahue, Penfolds 407, Catena Alta, Hickenbothem Trueman, Penley Tolmer, and Two Hands Sexy Beast. Everyone was surprised at the quality of these wines. Most were from 2012 to 2020. There was very little of the South American green pepper or road tar influence--many would have been guessed blind as having been from North America. Tastings like this really do add perspective to one's wine knowledge journey.

12/6/2023 - papabluez wrote:

Bought this believing it was the 2018 RHF Cabernet, Rutherford--The wine was in Spectator Top 100. The winery told my retailer that the same juice is in both bottlings. Seems odd since the winery has been making the RHF since 2016 and Wine Advocate rated both 2018 wines differently with different tasting notes. Wonder what is going on here??

12/15/2022 - papabluez wrote:

Amazing wine! Perfect drinking window, but stil some structure left. Fruit and savory notes prominent. The Sangiovese is really nice in this blend.

11/14/2022 - papabluez wrote:

Amazing.....rich in full balance. Fruity & Savory!

10/24/2022 - papabluez wrote:

Still rich fruit and tertiary notes, but too much oxidation!

9/9/2022 - papabluez wrote:

This took a lot of work to get this ready for blind tasting, but it was well liked by the 12 folks in attendance. This is very tight yet. Upon opening, I found it very funky/oxidized, so decanted back and forth from one decanter to another for three hours. Upon opening at the tasting the funk had blown off, and it was rich with typical Brunello characteristics: dark cherry, leather, smoke, spice. It was velvety with texture. It was simply a much different and better wine after the three hours of work to get air to it!! Highly recommend, but be prepared for a long decant exercise if you want it at its best.

9/2/2022 - papabluez wrote:

Was worried this might be over the hill. Not so, but decant and air are needed. At first there is some oxidation & Brett on the nose, but also prominent black fruit. The funk blows off somewhat with air and the wine smoothes out into more balance. At first the acid was overly prominent.
Otherwise a nice Bordeaux blend. Big mouthful of dark cocoa, with some green stemmy note, dark fruit, with some tannic structure remaining. A nice surprise.

8/21/2022 - papabluez wrote:

I think these need 10 year aging. Or, long decant & better on day two--bitterness much reduced then and one can get the typical Cab Franc notes--actually a rather nice mouthfeel. Needs grilled meat or charcuterie.

6/26/2022 - papabluez wrote:

Based on comments, was expecting lots of alcohol. It was there, but not at all out of balance. The wine held the alcohol very well, after a triple decant and 4 hours! Very nice balance between dark brambly fruit and savory components (garrigue, etc.). Very dark for a 95% Grenache. Enjoyable!

6/24/2022 - papabluez wrote:

Absolutely amazing wine. Creamy cherry chocolate with nice secondary spice. Nice drinking window. Was in top three out of 8 blind tasted Merlot's and Sangioveses. All 8 were terrific, but the top 3 Merlots stood out: 2016 Three Palms Duckhorn, 2004 Petrolo Galatrona, & the Hourglass.

4/10/2022 - papabluez wrote:

3 hour decant. Lots of rich fruit yet here, with perhaps the mouvedre taking a nice center focus! Long nice finish with some tannic structure left. However the Rhone funk was prominent an did not blow off significantly. If one can get past the nose and an initial oxidative taste, it is in a really nice place. Paired nicely with pork chop with peach/bourbon glaze.

2/28/2022 - papabluez wrote:

This is an incredible wine from an outstanding vintage in the Tuscany region. It is the finest, and most accessible Sangiovese I've had in years. A perfect wine for someone waiting for their cellared Brunellos to come of age. It actually tastes like a cellared Brunello!! Rich, full, velvety with dark cherry, smoke, & earthy components. Find it if you can.

2/16/2022 - papabluez wrote:

This wine is in a great place right now. Tastes like a much more expensive bottle. Rich dark fruit, with some remaining structure. Tannins are soft and silky. Wish I had more!

12/3/2021 - papabluez wrote:

Drinking beautifully now after 3 hour double decant. Very balanced, with dark cherry, leather, dustiness, & spice. Very nice finish. Can go much longer, but quite accessible now!

11/14/2021 - papabluez wrote:

Perfect drinking window! Absolutely gorgeous right now, with abundant dark fruit and tons of savory components. Great on its own, even better with grilled, or smoked meat. Another example of how terrific many of these Paso wineries are.

6/29/2021 - papabluez wrote:

P&P.......Wow! A really big wine. Enters the mouth in a rather thin, unobtrusive way, then explodes on the mid palate. Didn't want to swallow as the mouthfeel was amazing. A little hot, so some decanting may have helped. Long savory finish with tannins fairly resolved, but given the acid, this should cellar for awhile yet. Perfect companion for grilled meat!

1/28/2021 - papabluez wrote:

Had two bottles, pulled the first and it was pretty badly corked.....down the kitchen drain.

1/22/2021 - papabluez Likes this wine:

Folks should have waited on this. Now in perfect drinking window with some structure remaining, but is very aromatic, smooth, with emerging secondary savory notes. Amazing QPR!

12/20/2020 - papabluez wrote:

Juar popped this wine, and just from nose and initial taste I was blown away. Terrific wine and in perfect drinking window.......smooth from beginning through finish! Beautiful dark maroon color with hints of blue fruit and black cherry. In addition: smokey forest floor, mushroom, black olive, & spice. Some green notes on background, but not a hinderance. It is a terrific QPR.

12/2/2020 - papabluez wrote:

Beyond a little heat, if I was tasting this blind, would have guessed a first class CDP. Grenache color, but surprisingly rich showing black raspberry, forest floor, clove, holiday spice, and a little white pepper.
Smooth and balanced with tons of fruit remaining. Tannins present but not overpowering. The presence of the fruit and tannin bodes well for another 3-5 years. Great job Helen!!

11/12/2020 - papabluez Likes this wine:

This was my only bottle of this wine. Had been saving for several years. Wish I had More!! What an amazing wine for $25. I would highly recommend at least a 3 hour decant, and save some for day 2 as well. Upon opening the wine is funky--lots of wood and a little Brett, but the majority of the funk disappeared through decanting and being in the glass for awhile. Taste included earthy big dark raspberry jam, especially on the mid-palate. As it opened up, it showed notes of stone, smoke, wood, leather, mocha, anise, etc. The mouth-feel matured as well & became rich & velvety. The wine featured a long finish with adequate tannin & acidity for further aging, however I'm not sure it would last until 2035 as Jay Miller of Wine Advocate originally predicted. There is no doubt that Artadi knows much about wine-making!

8/21/2020 - papabluez Likes this wine:

What a huge surprise! This is an amazing bottle of wine. My wine tasting group always tastes blind. They guessed this as a younger high end California cabernet!! You cannot find a better bottle of cabernet at this price. Wish I had several more. Superb and complex nose. Wonderful balance throughout with silky mouthfeel. Commpliments to Woodward Canyon.

8/16/2020 - papabluez wrote:

Shared this wine last night to rave reviews. It is drinking beautifully! Most of the experts who rated this wine early on did not see the drinking window going this long. They were wrong. It's amazing now and has plenty of life left. Silky mouth feel, with long finish.......plenty of fruit with enjoyable savory notes!. We should have tried the extended age along with the regular 010 for comparison. Might do that tonight!

5/21/2020 - papabluez wrote:

Perfect drinking window. Dark color with minimal fading. Dark fruit, green pepper, toast, spice. Should last a couple more years. Very Bordeaux like!
Considering the price point, this is a terrific Bordeaux blend!

5/20/2020 - papabluez wrote:

Now in perfect drinking window. Big dark cherry/raspberry fruit, damp earth, baking spice, and some tannic structure remaining. I was quite surprised--drinking like a much more expensive wine. Apparently a little higher amount of Mourvèdre than other CDPs, so darker with more structure. A little hot at 15% ALC, but overall a very enjoyable wine. Would work well with grilled meats and salmon.

4/6/2020 - papabluez wrote:

Defective bottle! Unpleasant volatile acidity. Sharp sour fruit like cranberry juice, with nail polish remover overtones. For a limited production, higher end wine, this was a disappointment.

3/23/2020 - papabluez wrote:

Wow, what a surprise! Based on my last bottle in 2014, I didn't have much hope for this, my last bottle the 2005 vintage. It is amazing. Still dark red/black with soft but very present tannin. I've had few wines that changed in the glass so quickly. The nose on this wine was fascinating. Early green, earthy notes typical of Chile, but as it evolved then came the dark fruit unfolding with major floral tones followed by coffee/chocolate, eucalyptus, apricot like stone fruit. This was by no means over the hill--it's in a perfect drinking window. Will definitely try to visit this place in Maipo on my trip there next year!

3/22/2020 - papabluez wrote:

Still drinking beautifully with little to no discoloration. Full fruit & spice with nice finish. Still in perfect drinking window.

12/13/2019 - papabluez wrote:

unfortunately the alcohol is the most prominent aspect of this wine right now. It really turned off our regular tasting group last evening. Some fruit and spice there, but hard to appreciate through the heat.

7/18/2019 - papabluez wrote:

Outstanding with three hour decant. Took second place among 8 really nice new and old world wines.

7/11/2019 - papabluez wrote:

A really nice surprise. Was thinking this would be past prime and thin......I was wrong. It's in a really nice place, but was better on day two and three, so be sure and decant several hours. Nice balance of fruit and tannin.....smooth. Oak, black fruit, forest floor, etc. Worth holding back for awhile.

6/22/2019 - papabluez wrote:

This has held up really well. Now very balanced with red to black fruit.....maintaining some structure. Nice surprise!

4/18/2019 - papabluez wrote:

Took as a surprise wine to a reserve tasting tonight. Everyone hated it. Obviously has not aged well. Very orange in color with a pickle juice smell. The fruit is beginning to fade. Actually it is rather delicate on the taste, but the nose is just too unpleasant to enjoy. Fun, but way past its time.

4/6/2019 - papabluez wrote:

Unfortunately, this wine was badly corked. Significant fruit under the taint, but was just too unpleasant. From a cellar that seldom has a cork or spoiled wine. Bummer!

1/16/2019 - papabluez wrote:

Wow! Just popped and poured......and tasted. A big ass tempranillo with huge fruit and plenty of acid to make for smooth ride in the mouth. Tannins are nicely resolved. Can't wait to try over the next couple of hours and tomorrow. This is a big surprise--was worried I had waited too long. Wish i had bought more! Perfect drinking window!

12/29/2018 - papabluez wrote:

Do not even think about drinking this wine without an extensive decant. I would even suggest 24 hours. We tried this after a few days of cabs and pinot noirs--needless to say this was quite different!! Upon popping the cork, the nose was rather off-putting. After a few hours the typical big petite sirah characteristics began to show through. Big black ink, spice, anise, minerals, etc. If you are a fan of big fruit, this isn't your wine--it is unique and has tons of savory and tertiary characteristics. I actually think this would age for several more years.

10/24/2018 - papabluez Does not like this wine:

Plenty of big prune like chocolate fruit left, but this bottle was corked......overly oxidized. a big disappointment!

8/24/2018 - papabluez wrote:

Number one wine of six syrahs at a blind high end tasting. Beautiful nose, taste, & finish. So smooth and velvety. Plenty of fruit with nicely resolved tannins & long finish. Black to red fruit, with forest floor, menthol, mocha, light pepper, etc. so glad I waited on this one!!

8/24/2018 - papabluez wrote:

This was one of six wines at a higher end blind Syrah tasting. I was surprised that it finished last among the wines (Clape Renaissance Cornas, Shafer Relentless, Cayuse Cailloux, Glaetzer Amon Ra, & mystery wine: 2005 Schild Barossa Shiraz. This wine had a beautiful nose and plenty of fruit on the entry--very pleasant, but then from there it was a bit disjointed as the alcohol, 14%, acid, etc. were out of balance. The finish was very stemmy & tannic. Hope some age helps this smooth out a bit. Not sure whether to drink the rest or wait.

8/16/2018 - papabluez wrote:

Took first place tonight in a club blind tasting of "best wines under $30," vibrant purple color with great fruit and complexity. Nice ballance throughout. Terrific QPR.

8/16/2018 - papabluez wrote:

Beyond its peak. Lacks complexity, but still has big jammy fruit. Tastes like a syrah that just can't quite get its balance right. Was disappointed given other notes. Drink up!

8/2/2018 - papabluez wrote:

In a great place right now. Not showing the nearly ten year age span.
Savory and fruity with tannic structure still present.

8/2/2018 - papabluez wrote:

Amazing Wine despite it being a 2006. Tasted blind with 7 other grenache based wines from Australia, Spain, & California. The laurel rated number one among the group. None guessed it at even close to that old. Simply is not showing much age, and still had substantial structure. Savory, yet fruit driven......black cherry with some forest floor. highly recommend!

6/25/2018 - papabluez wrote:

I generally try to wait 5-6 years on the Pinot's in my cellar. Do not wait that long on the Belle Glos wines!! This was ok, but way beyond peak, with limited nose, taste, & finish. Was hoping for more complexity. I really believe these wines are made to be consumed upon purchase and for two years beyond. My mistake.

6/25/2018 - papabluez wrote:

Took to my Thursday blind tasting group. Very disappointing......it finished toward the bottom. Non-descript. Not aging well. Limited nose, texture, & taste. Was expecting way more from this bottle especially at this price.

6/5/2018 - papabluez wrote:

Was very surprised with how this wine has matured. It is very smooth/silky/textured with nice balance. Tannins are there, but very well integrated. Dark fruit with smoke, toast, and spice. Would last a couple more years, but this is in a wonderful place right now.

5/10/2018 - papabluez wrote:

This has to be one of the finest cabs for the price ever produced. My last bottle. Still has tannins to carry it further. Aromatic, silky, nice balance.
Great wines age well......this is no exception.

4/12/2018 - papabluez wrote:

All the Pro's were wrong about the drinking window of this wine! This wine was one of the 2-3 favorites from 11 blind tasted reserve wines, including a CDP Beaucastel & Don Melchor!! It is aromatic and very smooth. It changed and improved continuously for four hours. Red to black fruits with spice, anise, and menthol notes. The tannins have softened, but it still has some shelf life. A wonderful dry red from Portugal. in 2005 it was #27 in the WS Top 100.

4/8/2018 - papabluez wrote:

Agree with many other recent reviews. Very silky & textured wine with superb balance. Purple to black fruits with appropriate oak influence. Mild tannins at this point, but enough acid to hold it for awhile longer. Highly recommend.