12/12/2018 - DiveAlaska Likes this wine:

From a magnum. A really excellent wine just (barely) past it's peak. Really love a good/great Napa Cab from the 90s before they turned the knob to "11" on virtually everything.

1/23/2018 - DiveAlaska Likes this wine:

Sort of an aperitif at Rick's before dinner with Yumiko, Rick and Debbie at Canlis. We were on a bit of a short timeline so probably didn't receive quite the requisite amount of air. Still pretty darn delicious. Typical Cayuse funk wrapped in a polished frame. I love Cayuse with a decade of age, especially the Frog and the Armada. The wines just seem to find another 'gear' as it were. I'm lucky if I can get five years out of their siblings. But to my mind the rest don't seem to benefit quite as much from the additional ageing. Of course that all might be rationalization on my part..........

1/21/2018 - DiveAlaska Likes this wine:

Dinner at Canlis with Yumiko, Rick and Debbie. Gawd I love Krug. Had this from a 375. Paired brilliantly with rabbit fazzolette. Was well on the way to WTON until the 96 HSS made an appearance. Fantastic night.

1/21/2018 - DiveAlaska wrote:

Dinner at Canlis with Yumiko, Rick, and Debbie. Roughly 2 hour decant. From the first whiff one can tell that this is a great wine in it's 'happy place'. Fully integrated/mature, but no signs of fading. Fairly typical HSS profile. Pretty restrained by Cali Cab standards, but still much more fruit driven than its French cousins. Paired superbly with Miyazaki beef loin. My favorite wine of the night that included a 2007 Bionic Frog, 2007 Marcassin Three Sisters Chard, a 375 of Krug Grande Cuvee and a 85 Graham's. All in all a fantastic night with great, great friends....

1/21/2018 - DiveAlaska Likes this wine:

Dinner at Canlis with Yumiko, Rick and Debbie. I have to start by saying that Cali chards aren't normally in my wheelhouse. Give ma a good Grand Cru Chablis any day. Having said that, this was delicious. Complex, even subtle with fantastic depth. Still a tad rich (for me) but an extremely well made wine. Paired well with geoduck miso soup

2/14/2016 - DiveAlaska Likes this wine:

Valentine dinner with Yumiko at 53 by the Sea. Add me to the list that wishes Quilceda still made this. Complex, structured Washington Merlot. Decanted. Continued to improve as the night progressed.

12/27/2014 - DiveAlaska Likes this wine:

Totally agree with Dr Scott. Great wine in the perfect place. Good color, with very little bricking. Gotta love a good Cali Cab with some age. Especially the 94s and 95s.

12/27/2014 - DiveAlaska Likes this wine:

Might be a bit over the hill, but it's a helluva hill. If I had to find fault with anything, it would be that it could use a touch more acidity. But paired with an apple tart.

4/28/2008 - DiveAlaska wrote:

Best bottle of wine I've ever had. Not from a knee-buckling OMG standpoint, but WOW what a wine. Complexity layered upon complexity. Had to force myself to pull my nose out of the glass to actually drink the wine.........

4/28/2008 - DiveAlaska wrote:

Two hour decant. Nice wine. Suffered horribly from following a 82 Pichon Lalande consumed the previous day. Still somewhat primary, with not too much in the way of complexity/ secondary flavors. Still and all a "correct" Pauillac profile and quite enjoyable. Last bottle, wish I had a couple more to track it over the next few years.............

2/3/2008 - DiveAlaska wrote:

Have to agree with Grossie on the Pinfandel comment. It was a pop and pour affair though, so I'll withhold rating/judgement for my next (decanted) bottle.

2/1/2008 - DiveAlaska wrote:

Excellent QPR. Thanks Jon

1/8/2008 - DiveAlaska wrote:

Very nice sparkler. Fuller and less angular than the regular Brut but lighter and maybe a bit more subtle than the extended tirage. Excellent stuff.

11/14/2007 - DiveAlaska wrote:

Classic mature Bordeaux. Nothing earth shattering, just a really nice claret.

11/7/2007 - DiveAlaska wrote:

Decent nose. On the palate green apples with nice, clean acidity. Finishes a little short but with a strong mineral streak. Not bad

11/6/2007 - DiveAlaska wrote:

Wonderful juxtaposition of old and new. Decanted 1/2 hour. Earthy nose, far more so than most WA (or CA) syrah I've had. Dark berries and a slight hint of 'cerise' on the palate with the aforementioned streak of mineral on the finish. Excellent balance and a great compliment to stuffed flank steak.

10/22/2007 - DiveAlaska wrote:

Have had a couple now. Not as big as the 03. Get the feeling that it's not showing all its got. Nice,sleek if somewhat subdued pinot.

9/19/2007 - DiveAlaska wrote:

Wanted to decant for an hour. Made it about half that before the guests were asking. Nice, bright fruit. Tannins present but not intrusive. Finishes with decent length. All about the fruit at this stage. Most popular pour of the evening. A significant step up from the regular bottling.

9/18/2007 - DiveAlaska wrote:

Agree with others; somewhat thin with a short finish. Not unpleasant, just nothing memorable. Will drink the balance sooner rather than later.

9/14/2007 - DiveAlaska wrote:

A bit too round with no real delineation. Not pouring out the rest, but I had expected more..........

7/19/2007 - DiveAlaska wrote:

Windward Winos Burgundy Tasting; Good, not great. A little too "California" in style.