12/27/2019 - wallstreet wrote:

This is an amazing wine ! Decanted for 3 hours and it was glorious. Silky smooth, nice weight to the body and a great finish. I am just sad this is my last bottle . Worth the price of admission.

12/27/2019 - wallstreet wrote:

This wine is drinking well, it has plenty of life left ! If you drink this now, give it at least 3-5 hours of decant time (2019-2020). Otherwise give it another 5-7 years in the cellar and it will reward !

9/23/2017 - wallstreet wrote:

WOTY for me ! almost perfect . Considerably better than the 2006. loved this wine!

3/30/2016 - wallstreet wrote:

Wine has the stuffing to provide more. I don't think this wine is ready to drink. It appeared a bit disjointed. Youthfulness was ever present. My first bottle since release. I will wait another 5 years before taking it out for a test drive. The Caymus 07 after this wine was head and shoulders a better wine.

3/30/2016 - wallstreet wrote:

Great bottle of wine.

3/28/2016 - wallstreet Does not like this wine:

Still a major fruit bomb, very alcoholic. Tasted better on day two. Not a big fan, but I could see how many people could enjoy this. I prefer Kobalt. Same grapes, same winemaker back then, not sure why such a difference in the wine.

3/23/2016 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

That familiar nose............it really did have the typical aroma of the vineyeard next door :) Unmistakable Pauillac. 3 hour decant and it was sublime. Plenty of life left. It will outlive me.

3/23/2016 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

barnyard and morning dew on the nose. cedar, cigarbox, its all there. 3 hour decant, last bottle loved it. Had it with a three cheese ravioli dish at La Cigale, Delray Beach, Fl.

3/22/2016 - wallstreet wrote:

Had this side by side with the 05. Most preferred the 07. It is nicely integrated and more elegant than the 05. This is a great bottle of wine ready to drink. It has a long life and it was an excellent cab. I don't think it's a fruit bomb and went well with my duck at La Cigale in Delray Beach, Fl.

3/22/2016 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

i was completely amazed at how this wine has developed . It was not a fruit bomb, still a bit fleshy but everything was integrated and it went beautiful with my duck and sweatbreads at La Cigale . Had it side by side with an 07 Mt. Veeder. The rest preferred the 07, I liked the 05 better. One of the better cabs I have had in a long time. I have more !! I can now say it is def. worth the extra $20 over their Howell Mt. cab. I love them both, but Mt. Veeder shines much brighter in my opinion. what a difference since 2009 when I first tasted it.

3/22/2016 - wallstreet wrote:

Decanted for 2 hours. Not as much of a fruit bomb as it was upon release. Truly enjoyed this wine. Long finish. Went with rack of lamb.

4/30/2015 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

It always happens like this. Finally the wine has truly come into it's own. The tannic monster that was before , is no longer. A very good wine finally emerges...and of course, its my last bottle. 1 hour decant and got even better in the glass over time.

4/2/2015 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

I would say similar profile to my tasting in Jan 2014. Wine is still big, young with plenty of time left to age and improve. This is one of the bigger brunello's I have had . Enjoyable but price is still a bit steep.

1/9/2015 - wallstreet wrote:

Tasting notes similar to my 2013 tasting. No real improvement . Maybe in 5 more years. I have 1 left, will put it away and see if it improves down the road. Still feel not worth the cost unfortunately. No where near level of 07 and 08 Grand Vin

12/25/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

Big Pinot, after a good amount of air, wine opened up . Not ready yet, I would give it a few years in the bottle.

11/7/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

A holy sh*t wine. It was a great cab, not a fruit bomb, well made, splendid. For Napa cab, doesn't get much better than this bottle of wine. I loved it from first sight and years later, still love it.

11/7/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

A great Tignanello, ready for business but will continue to improve and last and last. Wonderful. We had a 2006 as well , just as wonderful! 5 years since my last bottle and it improved and still has a ways to go. I hope I can hold these and not drink them for another few years.

11/7/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

Very good wine. Enjoyed it.

11/7/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

I loved it, one of the longest finishes of a Brunello ever for me. Sublime , much better experience than I remember from previous times I have had this wine.

10/17/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

never disappoints. Wine is ready for prime time and doesn't appear tired in any way.

10/16/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

Aged very nicely, quite happy, not a fruit bomb

9/28/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

Wine is aging nicely, no fireworks. Not worth the $80 I spent on it upon release.

9/25/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

Bought this while at the winery many moons ago. Glad a bought a bunch of wine from this producer. Excellent ! A+++

9/21/2014 - wallstreet wrote:

This wine has vastly improved with age. This particular bottle was paired with duck ravioli and it worked very well together. I was surprised and pleased how much I enjoyed this wine. Not for Fruit Bomb lovers. This wine has mellowed and will continue to improve.

9/14/2014 - wallstreet wrote:

A dark bold wine that has tamed over the years, these Mark Herold wines need every bit of 10 years to mature and mellow out, still plenty of life left, can age another 5 to 10 years easy. This isn't going anywhere anytime soon. At least its not the big fruit bomb it was in its youth. Definitely decant for an hour at least beforehand IMHO, had to open up and when it did, it rewarded. No addtional fireworks, just a well made big bold Napa Cab. Insert usual descriptors etc .

9/5/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

Excellent Wine, perfectly mature . My last bottle. I nice mountain fruit wine, not a fruit bomb . Still has time on its size. I would consume in the next 5-7 years. I don't think it will improve much , but it will hold for a while.

7/7/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

Not typical of Mark Herold Fruit Bombs. Very good wine ! Stood up to Chinese Duck pretty good. Great wine from Sonoma. Highly Recommended.

7/6/2014 - wallstreet wrote:

Not my favoriate RM

7/6/2014 - wallstreet Does not like this wine:

not a good Ducru, I would not buy this again, weak vintage . it was just ok at best.

4/18/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

Yet another great Sav. Blanc from Arkenstone. similar to the 2008 to me. Loved it.

3/22/2014 - wallstreet wrote:

enjoyable

3/20/2014 - wallstreet wrote:

flawed wine, D.O.A. very disappointed.

3/19/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

I really enjoyed this wine, ready for business and still has plenty of time left. I paid $150 on release, but today's prices at $200, I would take a pass. If you love Opus, this will not disappoint.

3/11/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

A nice Brunello, with about 30 min of air , it opened up very nicely. No major fireworks, but a solid effort and will still improve with age.

2/24/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

A solid wine, didn't appear as young as my last bottle a # of years ago. This is a long lived wine. Not over the top . Not a fruit bomb. Very satisfying.

2/22/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

A fine wine, fleshy, fruity, typical 05 bigness... but I like it with the right meal. Had it next to an Opus One 04. The Opus won out.

2/22/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

Coming along very nicely. Better than it was 2 years ago. Doesn't have the fruit bomb profile and thats a very good thing.

1/14/2014 - wallstreet wrote:

Wine much improved over the last time. Gave it about an hour of air and the wine delivered a nice experience. Still not sure its worth the cost though. But it is getting better and still can improve over the next 5 years. Probably last at least another 10 years.

1/8/2014 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

Wine needed time to open up, I would suggest a decant of at least a couple of hours . It needs it. There was no fireworks, decent lower end Bordeaux. Pair with duck or veal.

1/1/2014 - wallstreet wrote:

This bottle is slightly over the hill. Not sure if the bottle was flawed, but not as wonderful as the one I had three years ago. I was expecting more.

12/31/2013 - wallstreet wrote:

A very good wine, no real fireworks, but very pleasant, not a big fruit bomb. worth north of $100? I would say this wine is slightly better than Caymus. Should continue to improve.

11/6/2013 - wallstreet wrote:

Wine definitely has smoothed out since my last tasting. This was very good. Too bad it is my last bottle.

10/22/2013 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

I disagree with a previous poster that this wine is not ready. To our group, this was absolutely ready for business after a brief 1 hour decant. This wine has been improving with age and has a long life ahead. Nicely balanced, floral nose, medium finish. A wine that is worth the price of admission given its pedigree.

8/19/2013 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

Another very good bottle. Needs a good amount of air to open up and once it does, it rewards. I wouldn't wait much longer, It appears past its prime, but it was very enjoyable, The wife hated it, said it tasted like she was in a barn.... EXACTLY !!!!!

7/30/2013 - wallstreet wrote:

Ready for business :) 1 hour of decant time and it was singing. Wine is being tamed compared to a few years ago...integrating nicely, should be a long lived wine.

7/31/2013 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

A perfectly mature Bordeaux. Doesn't have the complexity of the top bottlings from that vintage. but definitely a pleaser.

7/25/2013 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

Nice wine, but no fireworks. solid wine for the money.

6/24/2013 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

Nice Cab, fruit bomb characteristics fading...this is a good thing :) Perfect compliment to a nice steak

6/23/2013 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

very nice wine. Not the fruit bomb I was expecting. Did Mark Herold make this? I thought he did, but this is not typical of his style. Wine is nicely integrating and it is ready for business. Finish wasn't terribly long. I enjoyed this with duck ravioli

6/18/2013 - wallstreet Likes this wine:

For an Italian Merlot , this is very good. Still could use a few more years on it's side. Very nice.