4/6/2024 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Floral nose, maybe violet, alcohol, some berry but overall restrained aromas. Tastes of blackberry, blueberry, barely ripe plum. Firm, somewhat grippy tannins and some of that floral character as well. Complex, interesting and definitely young. Will sit on remaining two bottles for a few more years.

3/31/2024 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Still has many years left, wish I waited. Restrained compared to the ‘05 we had a few months ago. Going to sit on our remaining bottle.

2/16/2024 - Glenn228 Does not like this wine:

Daily drinker gamble from central market

2/13/2024 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Nice- a little young

2/11/2024 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Superb wine. Much benefit from a multi hour decant, which integrates the alcohol and brings the fruit out. Savory, rich but balanced. Long finish. My first taste of the 07 yet will not wait too long to open our remaining bottles.

12/10/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Vanilla, spice, strawberry preserves and a little pickle on the nose. Fruity - sour cherry, cranberry. Medium bodied with a cola taste and mouthfeel. Tannins are light, acid is medium. Satisfying, if not complex.

12/10/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

After our first of two bottles we recently purchased was found to be corked, I opened the second. Savory stewed fruit and tertiary notes on both nose and palate. It reminded me of an Amarone, though my wife disagreed. Tannins well-integrated and mostly gone. Finish was shorter than hoped. Drink now.

12/10/2023 - Glenn228 wrote:

Badly corked. Wet newspaper.

11/19/2023 - Glenn228 Does not like this wine:

As SawgrassSteve indicated, very heavy fruit that’s hard to get past if you’re not a fan of that style.

11/14/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Medium purple, black fruit/blueberry, a little dill and cinnamon. Rich fruit and creamy on the front and mid palate, backed up by balanced and quite present tannins. Pleasing finish with a little tart cherry. Enjoyable and drinkable. Sip on it or drink with hearty food. Great value.

11/6/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Cedar, blackberry, cherry, leather and some herbaceous aromatics. Tastes of black cherry, blackberry, dark chocolate, olive. Very savory and well integrated. Tannins are pleasantly present and fine grained. This is an outstanding wine. Guessing a few more years at peak and many more years of enjoyment.

10/22/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Deep ruby and opaque. Obviously still young, evidenced by a restrained nose but atypically savory notes as well as blackberry. Really have to go hunting for the aromas even after a four hour decant. Taste shows a quality wine that is subtle in its presentation and still needs a few years to come into its own. Tannins are pronounced, and combined with the alcohol provide a finish that gets your attention but one you wish was more elegant and enduring. Hold 2-3 more years.

10/22/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

This different Sauvignon Blanc shows pale straw; aromas are melon - honeydew and hints of cantaloupe. Apricot and a little sourdough. Palate: nice acid; a unique blend of that melon and apricot, but something more - cream and dried, candied pineapple. Really like it. A lot of complexity and not like most SBs.

10/21/2023 - Glenn228 wrote:

I have to concur with those that find this vintage a bit disappointing. Not sure where all the 96's and 97's from the pro reviewers come from. Great aromas - cedar, dark fruit, earth. Fruity on mid-palate and then still high, grainy tannins. I'd like it to be more integrated. Will hold our others and watch the comments over time.

10/17/2023 - Glenn228 wrote:

Cedar, tobacco, black cherry on the nose. Cherry and blackberry, medium-high acids. Pronounced but not overpowering fine grained tannins. Good finish. Very good wine. Still tasting young, many years left.

10/8/2023 - Glenn228 wrote:

1 hr open bottle then 30 min decant. Deep ruby. Cedar, olive, candy aromas. Sour cherry, boysenberry. Tannins still prominent and grainy. Not as integrated as I thought this ten year old wine would be. I’d hold longer if I had another bottle. Like other wines from this winery, falling just a bit short of the expectation relative to price point.

9/7/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Herbs, olive aromas. Blackberry, dark cherry on the palate. Medium-light tannins. I really like this wine and it’s a great bargain. Hope Mike makes more.

4/14/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Best wine I’ve had this year. All the pieces are there and working together - fruit, acid, tannins. Drank at a byob wine dinner and was wine of the night.

4/18/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Cherry, licorice, cassis aromas which follow through to the palate. Med-hi acids and supple tannins. Sweet in the right places. A New World sensibility. Enjoyable and a good value.

4/9/2023 - Glenn228 wrote:

Pleasing aromas of pineapple and pear. Buttery and a little oaky which I don’t mind - wine fell off into sourness a bit quick, this mellowed with about an hour of air time.

4/9/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Deep purple and opaque. Blueberry and mango (!) aromas, along with dill and baking spices. Black cherry sweetness on the tip of the tongue, medium-plus acid, surprisingly - for the age - integrated tannins and not excessive heat on the back of the throat.

Drank over two days and for an ‘18 more approachable than the ‘18s we’ve tried in the last six months. Day 2 a very drinkable and enjoyable wine but day 1 was no slouch. Have two more bottles and will hold because I want to see where this goes in the next five years.

3/25/2023 - Glenn228 wrote:

3 hr open bottle & 3 hr decant. Shut down on the nose - sense of aluminum can. Sone red fruit on front palate, high, grippy tannins, high acid. Short, flat finish. Let sit for a few more hours, same result except for a bit more red fruit on the tongue. Put cork in half-full bottle and back into 55 deg overnight

Day 2: 30 mins in glass at room temp. Smell of dust. More pronounced and pleasant black cherry and raspberry notes which do not develop into anything more. Still grippy, med+ tannins, med+ acid. Not well-integrated. Slightly longer finish with a little sourness at the end.

I’m not sure why Heidi said this is a PnP wine at this point in its maturity. We still have the same issue with the ‘09 of needing multiple days to come into its own. Whether a 14 year old wine or this 7 year old wine, it’s simply impractical for us to open a bottle days before we want to drink. Maybe these flourish with 20 plus years and I need to change my drinking windows, but that doesn’t bear out with other reviews or the winemaker’s statements. Overall, frustrating.

3/5/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Medium-plus garnet in color if not tawny, which surprised me. Black fruit and cedar aromas. Ripe dark fruit taste, bold tannins, a good amount of alcohol heat on the back side and a rather abrupt finish. Overall, surprisingly good as we haven’t had a lot of success from out DD collection.

2/25/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Opened one of our six to see how it was developing. Deep purple color. Aromas of cedar, leather, dark fruit. Rather reluctant on the nose. Black cherry tastes which endures for 15-20 seconds. Medium acid. Day one saw almost grippy tannins which mellowed day two. Overall, still very primary, not surprised. Still very enjoyable young but we’ll not open another for a few years.

2/25/2023 - Glenn228 wrote:

Pleasant red fruit on the front palate which transition to slightly grippy tannins. Medium bodied. Flat finish. “Slender” is a good word Galloni used. Not much complexity and somewhat unremarkable.

2/19/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

A year after my first and disappointing tasting, a far better experience. Garnet color indicates it’s 11 years. Aromas of baking spices, earth and pickle. Savory ripened black and red fruit, cigar. Medium acid, mild tannins which a a bit grainy. Much better and longer finish than the 2022 tasting. Enjoyable and I look forward to the final two bottles.

2/4/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Deep garnet in the light. Aromas of olive, green vegetables. Herbaceous. Black cherry on the palate, and hard to identify secondary or tertiary notes. Medium acid, medium tannins and high alcohol. Finish was medium length with little unpleasant bitterness. This wine is flavorful, pleasant yet not very complex. The heat from the alcohol was a distraction and while more age may tame the alcohol the tannins, acid and fruit flavors don’t foretell a decades-long drinking window. Enjoyable but at $295 for a library release at the winery, better value can be found elsewhere.

1/27/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

A lovely wine. We finished today after five days being open (with vacuvin). Smell: raspberry, spice, a little floral, dried strawberry. Taste: fresh, dry, with medium-plus acidity. High alcohol but it doesn’t come through as really hot. Red fruit, smoke. Youthful. Grew more savory with each day. Good now and will age. Bummed we only have one more bottle.

1/21/2023 - Glenn228 wrote:

Aromas of toasted nut. An immensely smooth Cabernet Franc. Ripe Plum, blackberry. Medium to strong tannins on the back palate with some heat from the 14.4% alcohol. Lots of life left left in this wine. Loved it.

1/21/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

After a 7 hour decant, luscious. Slight green pepper on the nose. Smooth, very well-integrated with a medium-long experience. Hard to get better than this with a Napa Cab. It feels very much like drink now, or in the next few years. Glad I opened it and glad we have two more.

1/14/2023 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

BAM! Bevan is not timid! Enjoyable but I’d like the big, bold fruit to mellow and integrate more over time. Still a fan.

1/3/2023 - Glenn228 wrote:

Nice, balanced. Still young and with prominent tannins. Though youthful, I'm not sure I smelled or tasted the makings of a wine that would earn a higher score in the future with greater complexity. Also not sure I'd pay the $165 we did again.

12/30/2022 - Glenn228 wrote:

A friend PnP’d this late after a champagne-themed tasting night, probably not the best situation to evaluate. Though we’re big fans and supporters of the winery, this was very disappointing. I can’t attribute the sour and bitter impressions, austerity and something off on the nose to any wine faults and can only recommend as others have to give this wine some time with our atmosphere. A less than stellar vintage probably didn’t help. One other observation is people tend to confuse this wine with the Grand Vin. They could not be more different.

12/10/2022 - Glenn228 wrote:

Such a nice wine. Wonderful bouquet of black fruit and spice. Luscious, bright fruit, nicely layered. Peppery, yet soft. Tangy finish without being bitter. Outstanding value.

12/4/2022 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Black cherry, olive, concrete aromas. Tastes of plum, crème de cassis. Fine-grained tannins, Fruit, acids and tannins are well integrated for such a young wine. Excellent wine and looking forward to holding our remaining bottles a bit to see what it becomes.

12/2/2022 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Olive, blackberry, vanilla aromas. Good acid and integrated tannins. Nice, subtle fruit. Enjoyable. Filter for sediment.

11/30/2022 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Nose: fig, olive, leather
Med-hi acid, fine grained tannins, well integrated. Blackberry, sour cherry. Full bodied, medium long finish, young, good structure and complexity. I like this wine very much at this price point. The bottles I still have I’ll hold. Definitely not an 84 ;).

11/10/2022 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

15 min decant. Medium purple. Blackberry, plum, white pepper, gravel aromas. Cherry and plum on the front of the tongue, light acids followed by plush tannins. Medium to full bodied, very drinkable like all Levos. Not super complex but flavorful and satisfying.

10/29/2022 - Glenn228 wrote:

Disappointing. Suppressed on the nose and palate. Saved some to try the next day. Will update.

Day 2: Improved, but still could have the tannins mellow and fruit emerge. Maybe another day would have helped but I don’t want to wait 3 days for a wine to be drinkable. Going to shift the drinking window +2 or 3 years and sit on the remaining bottles.

9/4/2022 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Pleasant aroma of wood kindling and menthol. Tongue is greeted with plum, pepper. Gives way to finely-grained tannins. Finish is short-lived. Overall, a medium-bodied, pleasant, drinkable cab franc.

9/4/2022 - Glenn228 wrote:

Took >1 hour to open up. Still, suble nose. Cherry on the palate. Quite fruity/sweet. Sweetness gives way to the 15.6% alcohol. Mild tannins. Casual drinker, crowd-pleaser with not a lot of complexity.

8/28/2022 - Glenn228 wrote:

This is a hard one. One of DD’s better wines. 3.5 hr decant - closed down. Let sit for 2 more hours, seemed to slightly emerge. Vacu-vinned and put in fridge for 2 days. Opened, decanted and essentially the same thing. Opened a $40 bottle to substitute and it tasted much better. No signs of flaws or defects. Going through a phase?

8/19/2022 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

5 hour decant. Smoke, pepper and plum aromas. Wonderful red and dark fruit taste - strawberry, plum. Tannins, which were much more pronounced upon opening, are well-integrated. Very enjoyable and I look forward to opening the others after waiting a bit.

7/30/2022 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Friend pulled it from his cellar for my birthday and it delivered right after popping. Bold and rich. I don’t have Bookers back this far and am looking forward to what my more recent vintages will have in a few years.

7/29/2022 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Even after a 2 hour decant, too young to fully enjoy. Fruit aromas subdued, alcohol dominates on both the nose and palate. Pronounced tannins. Tried in order to evaluate additional offer from the winery but hard to tell what this wine will become. Holding our remaining bottle.

7/5/2022 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Really enjoyed this wine. Bold, rich aroma of dark fruit matched the taste. Only the finish wants me to hold the other bottles longer.

6/30/2022 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

Purchased at LAVO NYC last night. Great right out of the bottle. Luscious. Very well balanced, delicious dark fruit, light tannins. We have newer vintages at home we’ve yet to touch but I need to go find some of this ‘14.

5/8/2022 - Glenn228 wrote:

On opening, aromas of vanilla pudding, bubblegum, plum. More plum and black cherry on palate. Acidic yet some sweetness. Tannins dry out the tongue a bit as the alcohol warms it up. I like it and will let it decant for a few hours to see what changes.

5/3/2022 - Glenn228 wrote:

Dark, almost only appearance. Subtle aromas of sweet red fruit are eclipsed by the alcohol. Sweet taste echoing those red fruits, grippy tannins and acid on the back end. Overall, pleasant and enjoyable and a good value at $30.

3/31/2022 - Glenn228 Likes this wine:

A very good $30 bottle of wine. Aromas of dark fruit, cut cedar. Satisfying fruit on the palate, balanced acid and tannins. A little hot on the back of the throat. A little bitter at the end but good value and good with food.