12/17/2022 - tarheel17 wrote:

Tired, “mostly dead” to quote a favorite movie. Tasted like cider, not bad cider, but definitely not good champagne. Cest la vie.

11/11/2022 - tarheel17 wrote:

Dynamite in a bottle. Well, smooth velvet dynamite . In a perfect , luscious place right now . Fruity without being in the least sweet . Ripe, soft tannin, perfect weight on the tongue . Really gorgeous .

8/22/2022 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:

This was amazing ! Perfectly delicious , heavy caramel and brioche to it. So glad I sat on it for 8+ years

6/19/2022 - tarheel17 wrote:

Amazing !!!

2/26/2022 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:

Possibly advanced , but delicious . Very rich yet elegant .

2/11/2022 - tarheel17 wrote:

Nose has depth, Cherry, some smoke.
Palate is soft but too sour. Tannin seems raw and unrefined. Either lacking fruit or too young, I’m not able to judge. Seems gangly and awkward, I’m not sure where this bottle came from; possibly an impulse purchase from Esquin?

1/31/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

At peak. Very caramelized, a little nutty. Acid was on point , but I’m glad we drank it when we did. Did not feel or taste immortal.

11/12/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

On the tail end of glory. Drink up

11/8/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

This was a lovely surprise . Chris told me he bought “mystery wine” from a wine text site for budget price ($16?) and to say I was skeptical would be an understatement. But when I tasted it I congratulated him on finding the absolute best $16 pinot in the world. Definitely California fruit, my notes are from day 3 since it held up well for 3 days (corked) on the sideboard. I agree with the $40+ price tag.
Nose: berry & spice
Palate: elegant yet hefty. Smooth, substantial tannin. A little darker and a little more burly than the average.

10/29/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

I didn’t want to open this but didn’t have a lot of say in the matter. Quite young , very spicy. Herbal /mint tones border dark fruit in an unusual and delicious combination. Long finish. Very interesting and not particularly subtle, I think with a few years this will be outstanding. Right now it is super interesting, but not quite delicious.

10/9/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

I feel this was definitely ready to drink . A lot of secondary flavors , yeasty, crusty bread, but not a whole lot of complexity . Enjoyed for sure.

9/13/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

Very Meh.

9/1/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

This was amazing! So creamy, so complex. Just dynamite in the mouth. Loved it, wish I had better notes. REALLY wish I had more bottles in the cellar…Best wine of the year so far!

7/26/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

Fabulous! Amazing bottle. Even more complex than 6 years ago, I actually smelled toasted coconut and vanilla meringue at one point. I do so love aged Bdb. Way more than young, anyway. Still very vibrant. What a wine!

6/17/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

I’m going to agree with the pleasantly surprised notes immediately below mine. This was poised and supple, with healthy pencil graphite as well as sweet blackberry. Really a nice wine, the acid/tannin balance was perfect. even my husband who “hates Bordeaux” enjoyed it. Amazingly it lasted almost 4 nights open in the fridge, too. I have high hopes for my second bottle (recently removed from cold storage, so on deck for soon this NC summer). A smart purchase years ago for $40.

6/12/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

Fantabulous. Perfect end to a global pandemic. Vibrant, yeasty, lip smacking. I was actually gulping it down at one point. In a perfect place now.

5/2/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

Dead. An alcoholic mess. Sad.

4/24/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

Nose: sweet fruit, dark blackberry jam
Palate: juicy and tannic, it definitely went down easy. Intrinsic sweetness kept it light, plenty of lively acid. Much better than that double lucky 8 business.

4/24/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

Funky on the nose. Simplistic, flat on the palate. Alcohol prominent. Fruit was missing or just too mute. Didn’t do it for me.

4/14/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

My first and probably only VVF. Rich, almost earthy in character, its presence was substantial. Caramel-like aromas increased as it warmed. Altogether an intoxicating experience, appreciated more for its history than its price, that is certain.

3/27/2021 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:

Perfect! Funky, but sweet. Green yet red-fruited. Dirty in the best way. Super long finish. This is why we buy and cellar Cayuse.

3/21/2021 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:

I was worried this might be over the hill. Not so! Lithe, supple, vibrant. Acidity is high, but sweet fruit backs it up. Long finish. Great tonight, I don’t feel a lot of tannin to keep it in balance for much longer.

3/20/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

Really lovely

2/26/2021 - tarheel17 Does not like this wine:

Nose: sweet, ripe
Palate: lacking structure, this was flat and blah. Tannin and acid both remarkably absent. The finish turned a bit pruney, definitely flabby. Discarded after first glass. Not for me.

2/11/2021 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:

Nose: earth, spice, wilderness, ripe fruit
Palate: cerebral yet delicious. The tannin was sweet throughout its length. Refined sweet plum fruit. Very happy with purchase. 91-92

1/16/2021 - tarheel17 wrote:

Pristine cork. Cellared since purchase.
Nose: licorice and black fruit
Palate: overpowering anise. Like, undrinkable. Neither of us could stand more than a sip. Anise flavor increased over the night. Sad, but a lesson in cellaring only what you love.

12/11/2020 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:

Very nice, more fruited than mineral. Clear and clean and taut.

11/28/2020 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:

Super amazing. As expected.

11/11/2020 - tarheel17 wrote:

As a rule, I do not like rose - it always seems insipid and watery to me. But this was a delight! Fruity, acidity was perfectly aligned with a light body and no weird aftertaste. Very enjoyable.

9/25/2020 - tarheel17 wrote:

Lovely sweet red fruit. Dynamic, yet sensuous mouthfeel. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and expanse of the palate. Excellent.

8/22/2020 - tarheel17 wrote:

Not amazing. A little flat and overripe for my taste.

8/1/2020 - tarheel17 wrote:

I would not have guessed Muscadet if served blind. Richer and heavier than typical muscadet, it was still pleasantly saline, and dominated by citrus. I’d buy it again.

7/25/2020 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:

Excellent for the price

7/19/2020 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:

Nose: lemon and stone
Palate: nice balance of sweet fruit and a little lemon pith. Medium heft, a little oily in a good way. Simple yet spot on summer wine. Winner.

6/22/2020 - tarheel17 wrote:

Really wonderful, with lithe, supple weight and Apple-lemon essence. A delight.

5/14/2020 - tarheel17 wrote:

Definitely not as good as single vineyard Loring. Passable.

5/1/2020 - tarheel17 wrote:

Blech. Basically undrinkable. Sour, bitter, old...the cork was soaked through to the top, so perhaps it’s storage is to blame. I have a second bottle I can only hope weathered time better than this. It tasted neither corked nor oxidated, just... yuck. Fingers crossed...

4/25/2020 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:

Fantastic. Went perfectly with Covid-19 induced lockdown.

3/21/2020 - tarheel17 wrote:

Pleasant and balanced, though veered toward the sweet side of the spectrum. Very clear, and tasty fruit.

11/28/2019 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:

Lovely bottle. Crisp, yet plump tree fruit. Well balanced.

11/28/2019 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:

wonderful rose. it was Thanksgiving, so I didn't take notes, but I would definitely have this again.

11/26/2019 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:

Nose: dusty berry, quite fresh
Palate: simply lovely, clear mouthfeel. Velvety fruit and tannin. Poised. Long finish.

11/10/2019 - tarheel17 Does not like this wine:

too dark and brambly for my liking. not a bad wine, just not the flavor profile I prefer.

11/4/2019 - tarheel17 Likes this wine:

very nice rose. no notes, but I recall a dry, bracing acidity with plenty of oomph.

10/12/2019 - tarheel17 wrote:

I wasn’t particularly enamored of this. Tasted a bit flat, ordinary, and bark-y. The nose had aromatic roasted strawberry intrigue, but the palate was sharp/sour and lacking in deliciousness. Mouthfeel was up to snuff, it was the flavor that disappointed.

9/21/2019 - tarheel17 wrote:

This was opened by mistake. Oops.
Anyway, the juicy fruit was definitely hidden behind a thick wall of tannin, but it still hummed with youth and vibrance on the tongue. While raw and astringent so early, it has a promising future, supple fruit and layered spice evident now. We shall have to hunt down a few replacement bottles.

8/30/2019 - tarheel17 wrote:

Upon opening, the alcohol felt very obvious and unbalanced. A few hours air time resolved it, but this feels too young to drink more of at the moment. Planning to sock the rest of the case away for another 6 months at least.

6/29/2019 - tarheel17 wrote:

Winner of the tasting, nothing else came close.

7/15/2019 - tarheel17 wrote:

Winner of the tasting, nothing else came close.

6/29/2019 - tarheel17 wrote:

This did not perform well against other Champagnes in the tasting. Way too tight, too young. Gave it several hours of air which allowed it to simply peak out of its shell, but not enough to get a real feel for it. Needs time- - no doubt.