4/9/2017 - Timikeb81 wrote:

Tasted over 3 days. It does need to open. It's the lower rank of Cain but I find it interesting. Savory, old world character. Time increased it's finish.

4/7/2017 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

A slight 30 min decant and first glass showed smooth tannins, deep garnet color and a savory taste profile in my non trained terms. Hoping my case of 2011 performs as well if not better.

4/2/2017 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

92 out of the bottle and then just kept improving. Dark, some fruit forward notes, moderate acidity, smooth tannins.

3/24/2017 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

I agree not as fresh but still a delightful wine for a warm day, paraphrasing what someone else said - picture a terrace or an outside restaurant in Italy and that's how it tastes.

3/17/2017 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

First of two I've stored. First impressions - smooth now, deep aspects of dark fruit like dark cherry and chocolate. Wish I had a case.

3/3/2017 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

First bottle opened and glad I waited. Drinking well now. Smooth, balanced, some fruit, seemingly sweet tannins. Initial taste on pour and improving as evening progresses.

3/1/2017 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Young. Move back to storage unit.

12/2/2016 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

The blending shows so well, a solid example of all that's great with a Neuf. Simply decanted and paired tonight with a Rack of Lamb and Dauphinois Potatoes. Fits well with the rich meal.

6/22/2016 - Timikeb81 wrote:

Decanted a 375ml. Still young but solid Cain character. Agree age more.

5/21/2016 - Timikeb81 wrote:

Confused on my expectations for this Cab. Cellaring has made it better than a 16 months ago. Still very fruit forward. Initial bite with almost lifeless notes dominated the tasting pour. After 10 pitcher to pitcher swaps the bite disappeared with fruit dissipating a bit to the background yielding to more expected cab notes. Will give my stock another year. Should last longer than 2020 though?

3/30/2016 - Timikeb81 wrote:

Has aged nicely, very fruit forward, lighter body now.

2/27/2016 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Very Cain Five which means very old world to me. Bretty in the best way. Continues to open. Perfect with aged beef. For those disappointed by the bretty aspect maybe understand the winemakers goal before you buy. From their website:
"There are those, well-trained in identifying a litany of flaws to which a wine might be subject, who are able to identify the unmistakable signature of the yeast Brettanomyces, affectionately called “Brett,” usually thought to be a flaw. If a wine were only about Brett, that would be a problem, especially if it were pure barnyard. But for us, it isn’t—we find much more than any single element to define this wine. To those who simply can’t abide any hint of Brettanomyces, we respect your opinion.

To our way of thinking, the presence or absence of Brett is not a flaw per se—rather, it’s an attribute. Just as with perceptible oak, oxidation, or volatile acidity—all possible elements in a wine—we believe that nothing should stick out, and no one thing should be the defining trait. It is all about balance and harmony."

Full link:
https://www.cainfive.com/dossier/index.cfm?cat_id=1&entry_id=13

1/15/2016 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

I bought this 2003 in 2015 from the wine makers storage as part of a three year flight - 2003, 2004 and 2005. Decanted for an hour after pouring back and forth between pitchers six times. Soft tannins, dark ruby color, light velvet mouth feel. French aspects. I'm starting the Whole 30 day program Monday so this wine paired perfectly with a ribeye and Julia Child's Pommes de Terre Dauphinois recipe as I start to say goodbye to dairy, legumes, sugar and alcohol for a month.

1/9/2016 - Timikeb81 wrote:

Over
? I would have said no tannins, mellow and not sure its done. A great french style. I just received this as part of a vertical Cain 5 tasting and opened due to comments Perhaps Howell should cellar. Congrats. i look forward to the rest of the vertical.

12/7/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Very developed. A relaxed tannin very beautiful wine. Fruit on opening evolving to less dominant fruit with more pencil, smoke,leather tomes as it opened up. As other reviewers have said it may not be improving much more with additional cellar time but won't be going bad either.

11/20/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Easily. Six pours between decanters and a day. Just so good. Full bodied, relaxed, taste of berry but not a fruit overload. Looking forward to my inventory.

11/14/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Smoky some cigar, deep brown red, dark fruit and smooth. I used the pour back and forth 6 times trick but it still needed an hour to open more.

11/4/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

I think my second should cellar for a bit longer. This first bottle was intriguing. Light gold. Poached pear, smoky, mineralality. Syrupy yet dry. Some pith. Not sure what to pair with.

10/24/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

A nice dining Rose. Dry with nice fruit, some mineral.

10/9/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Just arrived. I had to try my half bottle. Poured 6 times back and forth between decanters. Another beautiful wine by Howell. So smooth with such maturity already. I say 93 today heading to more with cellaring. Had a glass with an aged rib-eye. Will try the next glass in a day or two. More european style than Californian. Can not wait for the Cain 5 release.

9/23/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Still one of my favorites

9/18/2015 - Timikeb81 wrote:

Dark, fruit with tastes of leather. Decanted for a day. Good initial tasting. A day later it's like a favorite suit. I think it has more life but its my last.

9/16/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Nice flavorful take on rose, great with halibut cheeks tonight

9/15/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

11 bucks - first of my four I have tried. Glad I waited based on earlier comments. Now rounded, just a good drinker.

9/13/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

One more left yeah. Smoky look, so smooth with low tanins. I got my $32 many times over and several years it stored in my lower bath tub. But really a favorable environment.

9/9/2015 - Timikeb81 wrote:

We drank the 2005 along with an early tasting of 2012. The 2005 of course showed more depth, I felt it had a great balance of fruit and smooth tannins. It was still an interesting comparison of the impact of aging. 2012 definitely not yielding it's strengths yet.

9/9/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Early tasting of a 2012. We drank with the 2005. The 2005 of course showed more depth. 2012 will mature well but even with decanting and time this specimen was tight and unyielding. Looking forward to the case I have in future years.

9/6/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

As a young wine this one shocked me when it was the first non-sweet wine one of my nieces (Sweet wine Angie I was calling her) tried and loved. It was ok but I was surprised she liked it. Now Angie is a great red wine lover and this puppy has matured nicely but needs some decant time to lessen alcohol burn. It will always hold a special place in our relationship. When I inventoried with Cellartracker and told her I found more the rest is on hold for a future dinner together.

9/4/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Beautiful example of cabernet. Aged very well. Sadly my last one.

9/3/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Solid cab very fruit forward though and high alcohol burn at the beginning which lessened after an hour in decanter. Has mellowed a bit in a year of storage.

9/1/2015 - Timikeb81 wrote:

Good. New to tracker so the brother/sisterhood bottles were long gone. Doing inventory I found this. Found this in my emails from Vin's description -
"Let me start by saying that this isn't Tomboy. The Newsman might be from the same stock, but this is bird of a different feather. If Tomboy is the rough and tumble girl that never left the ranch, The Newsman is her witty and cultured brother who's been making his way out East. Scents of grilled ripe peach, paper whites, nutmeg and white pepper open to a spring fresh palate of asian pear, clementine and lemongrass with a crisp acid driven finish. (Enjoy now or cellar up to 3 years)" - Russell P. From. Its past 3 years but I'd say still spot on. The last was still fine!

8/31/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Solid fruit with a little bite due to the alcohol but I have 5 more and will consider it as an everyday zin when one is needed. I don't see the high rating though or cellaring long.

8/30/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Recent convert to Cell tracker. Now finding these wines I've had. Probably towards the end of it's life but opened nicely, had a solid clean cork, fruit forward flavors immediately, smooth as can be with no alcohol burn mentioned earlier. Great with garlic/peppercorn rubbed ribeye. One bottle left, I'm glad.

8/29/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Took it to a higher end mexican cuisine BYOB. Little alcohol taste on opening but quickly faded to easy drinking. Nice 10 buck wine for easy drinking.

8/25/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Just a great basic house tuscan style wine and at 10 bucks a deal. As Vin Chicago said "With classic flavors of wild strawberry, dried flowers, wet leaves and cigar wrapper; medium-plus acidity; great length and wonderful freshness, this is a perfect all-occasion red tuscan style." They said 90 - I say strong 88.

8/23/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

My last bottle. Cork dissolved but still a lovely, background tannins and luscious. The group drank it quickly.

8/22/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Had a bottle early in its life and liked it but it was very fruity and young. Kept this. Wish I had kept more. With maturity the fruit evolved to smooth old world style depth. Can't wait for more time to open if it lasts in the decanter.

8/20/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

Crystals on cork concerned me at first. Dark ruby color, agree on maturity but not overly mature. Nice balance to my palate. Great example of what I expect from a Quintessa. One more bottle I'll probably open this year rather than later.

7/20/2015 - Timikeb81 wrote:

Elegant Pinot from Chile, strong aromas, deep color, smooth finish. Bargain looking forward to the last one aging more.

7/1/2015 - Timikeb81 Likes this wine:

First bottle to try. The body is light/medium. Spicey but was nice to drink on a suddenly slightly chill evening outside.