7/14/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Second bottle of this delicious wine. This IS the benchmark for perfection in my book....it has everything I could ask for in a Cabernet...a perfect balance of fruit, tertiary flavors, acidity and tannins, which all come together so harmoniously! The nose is sweet and perfumed and evolves in the glass with dark fruit, red berries and some bramble, with hints of dark chocolate and sweet vanilla oak. On the palate, the wine has an integrated sweetness that attacks so softly, but has you longing for more, with an array of cassis, plum and chocolate, then earthiness, gravel and a leathery sweetness, culminating in a long finish that coats the tongue with chocolate and just the right amount of oak. Not sure if it is the terroir, the fruit, the winemaking or the age (I suspect a combination of all three), but this is definitely a special wine worth its hefty price tag, even on the secondary market. A special wine to help me celebrate a special birthday with some special friends!

2/23/2020 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Cult Wines (Jason's House): The night ended with a wine I was definitely looking forward to tasting....the 2001 Yquem. I have had several vintages of Yquem, and I have also had several stellar 2001 Sauternes/Barsacs, including Climens, Rieussec, and Suduiraut. So needless to say, my expectations were sky high for my first 2001 Yquem. Sad to say I was disappointed (I know, disappointed in a 99 point wine, right??). I was expecting a new benchmark for Sauternes....now it could be my extraordinary high expectations, or it could be it wasn't the bottle, or could just be the wine was over-hyped....regardless, it was a damn good wine! Like all Yquems, it strikes that perfect balance sweetness and acidity, and between power and elegance...the perfect blend. On the nose, you get honeysuckle, poached pear, apricot preserves, lemon creme pie, and a whiff of petrol. On the palate you get layers of creamy cheesecake, pot de creme, stone fruits, pear, melon, Meyers lemon, butterscotch, vanilla and sweet oak, and, as other reviewers have stated, a finish that goes on and on! For comparison, I thought this was better than any of the other 2001 mentioned and was probably only bested by a magnificent 2009 Yquem, which I expect may change with another bottle or more time! We will see...for now, it is close, but not quite, perfect, which was a disappointment.

2/23/2020 - For the Love of Wine wrote:

Cult Wines (Jason's House): This wine was part of a trio of cult wines served in a flight (along with 07 Dana Lotus and 08 Schrader Beckstoffer To-Kalon). For me, this was the most surprising of the three wines, not only because I was not familiar with MacDonald wines (I know...shame on me!), but because of its youthfulness. This wine was a 2014, and Joe (who brought the wine) smartly decanted for 8+ hours (all three wines had at least a 2-3 hour decant). This wine was singing immediately! Tannins were well integrated and fruit and some tertiary flavors were present. The wine spent time in oak, but it was far from oaky. The nose was blackberries, cassis and currant, with echos of leather, lead and forest, followed by hints of chocolate and vanilla. I ranked the nose between the Schrader and the Dana. Of the three, I liked this one on the palate the best (at least for that night). It was delightful, with creamy black and red fruits, complimenting earth and lead, with chocolate lurking in the background. The finish was decent (medium +). I could drink this wine now with ease, but I believe it will still get even better. Time will tell! It sure seemed to have the fruit and tannins to age (but tannins were much smoother than the Schrader, which I attribute in part to the long decant). Hopefully, I will get a chance to taste this again down the road! 95 today, with some upside potential!

2/23/2020 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Cult Wines (Jason's House): This was part of a flight of a trio of cult wines, which also included 07 Dana Lotus and 14 MacDonald. In contrast to the Dana, this wine was all about power. The most fruit-forward of the trio, but no heat. It was a pleasure to drink young, but you could taste the potential as much and the wine. Where I am more unsure about how the Dana will evolve, there is no doubt this wine will improve with additional time in the cellar (I only have 14's in my cellar, and I dreading the wait!). This had plenty of red and black fruit on the nose and palate. The tannins were less resolved in this wine than the other two, but none-the-less not as grippy as I would have expected. I believe the fruit balanced out the tannins, and helped make this very enjoyable. I also thought this wine complimented the food (tenderloin) the best of the three. Although this was my least favorite of the three tonight (even though I did I like it quite a bit!), I also would be most comfortable saying this wine will improve with aging. It has the tannins and fruit for the long haul, IMO. 95 today, but huge upside down the road. If you open a bottle today, you will enjoy the wine, but if you can afford to cellar for 5-10 more years, I think it pay dividends!

2/23/2020 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Cult Wines (Jason's House): This wine suffered a little from being served after a 1994 Angelus (Merlot and Cab Franc). Of course the nose suffered by comparison, but once I remembered it was a Cali Cab, I got back on track. This was part of trio flight, that included an 08 Schrader Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard and a 14 Macdonald. All three wines still seemed young. The Dana was the most integrated of the three, showed fruit and tertiary flavors and had no heat. I was expecting a hard-hitting wine, but was surprised when this wine showed much more finesse than power. The nose was slightly lacking, but there were aromas of black fruit, blue fruit, chocolate and coffee, with a hint of old leather. On the palate, the tannins were silky smooth and integrated into the wine. The palate did show complexity, with black and blue fruit dominating, then morphing into plum cobler, then dirt and leather, and finishing with a medium-long finish of chocolate covered coffee beans and a slightly, but sweet oakiness. I know this review sounds glowing, but it did not come close to a 96 Harlan Estate, which is my idea of a perfect Cab. I guess at this price point, I was expecting something that could compete with Harlan, and this was lacking. I am hoping it is because of age, and I will save my other bottle for another few years to see if the wine reaches that final level! Still a very good wine, but not yet worth the price. I am hoping it is still evolving, rather than on the decline! 95-96 but closer to 95.

2/23/2020 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Cult Wines (Jason's House): This was the consensus WOTN...but how can you go wrong with an aged Bordeaux from such a prestigious chateau? This was my first Angelus, and I was pleasantly surprised. Although I had high expectations, the wine was coming from a less heralded vintage, so my expectations were somewhat tempered. This wine did not disappoint!

The perfumed nose was something I could enjoy all night, and even commented that I understand why the nose on a wine contributes to the overall score. The perfume from the Cab Franc was sweet, intoxicating and was a perfect reminder Springtime, with Lavender, wild-flowers, red fruit and forest coming to mind while enjoying the aromas.On the palate, the wine was balanced and the tannins smooth as silk, there was a nice compliment of fruit (red current and cassis) to complete tertiary flavors of leather, lead and wood. The finish was medium (a longer one would have lifted this wine to perfection - or nearer to perfection!) with notes of stewed plum, prunes and a hint of sweet oak. A pleasure to drink...thank you Kevin!

2/23/2020 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Cult Wines (Jason's House): What can I say...I love Aubert Chardonnays...I love them young, I love the old, I love them warm, I love them cold! I don't think I have ever had a "bad" Aubert! This wine was no different. It was singing in the glass, and every sip drew you in for another! Although it paired well with an Ahi Tuna Salad, it clearly would have been fine on its own. The nose was complex with the smell of wet stone, stone fruits, and perfumed flowers, which gave way to sandalwood and applewood. On the palate, pear and melon were at the forefront with hints of citrus, peach and cream, and finishing with notes of honey, vanilla and a hint of oak and butterscotch. In a word...Delicious!

2/23/2020 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Cult Wines (Jason's House): A very nice, reasonably priced Chardonnay. The wine was singing in the glass with hints of flint and seashell assaulting the nose coupled with sweet oak, and honey lurking in the background. For my palate, this was Burgundian in style, with a nice balance between the fruit and acidity sharing a symbiotic relationship, both complimenting each other. On the palate, notes of crisp green apple, vanilla and a touch of pear, all balanced out by sweet toasted oak. A delight to drink! Went well with the Ahi tuna salad. Drinking well now, and should keep for another 3-5 years.

2/23/2020 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Cult Wines (Jason's House): This wine showed well. It is easy to see why everyone loves the 2008 vintage Champagnes! This is drinking extremely young, but still very enjoyable. The nose showed red berries with a slight hint of lilac. On the palate, the wine was crisp, but the fruit balanced out the acidity. Red berries, toast and a hint of cherry were at the forefront, with some minerality and wet stone lurking in the background. This wine should improve and age effortlessly for 5-10 years, and keep for another 10-20 years after that...a medium priced Champagne built for the long haul! Enjoy now or later.

2/23/2020 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Cult Wines (Jason's House): This wine demonstrated why 2002 was a great vintage. The wine was still youthful and crisp, with bread, elderflower and baked apple coming through on the nose, and citrus, yeasty bread and pear dominating the palate. Tiny bubbles were a pleasure to watch and this was an excellent start to an excellent tasting!

While I do not see this wine improving much, I also do not see any reason to rush to drink it! It still has lots of life left in it!

7/15/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Not only was this unbelievably delicious, but I cannot even imagine a wine getting any better than this....if this is not perfection, I am not sure what is. This 2009 Yquem struck the perfect balance between sweetness and acidity, between fruit and minerality, and with just the right amount of oakiness to give the wine character, while lurking in the background. The wine showed no heat, and it was forever changing in the glass. I could easily sit with a bottle of this and enjoy it on a long evening while contemplating how good life can be! I had a three ounce pour (maybe closer to 4 because it was my birthday) and wish I could have taken more time to see how it evolves, but it was just too damn good!

7/14/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

This wine was singing tonight, and was the best red Bordeaux of the night, which included a 1993 Margaux and 1986 Rausan-Segla. It is easy to see why Pavie ranks as one of the top Chateaus in Bordeaux. The nose was seductive with sweet blue and black fruits, wild flowers, and a woodsy scent that was intoxicating. The palate followed suit with silky tannins and a medley of flavors dancing on the palate, including plums, fig, blackberries, cassis and milk chocolate, with toasty oak and asian spices floating in the background. Drank with a 1996 Harlan, and this wine held its own (which is saying a lot!) Drinking wonderfully right now, but still has plenty of life. I would not be in a hurry to open a bottle, but if the opportunity presented itself, I wouldn't hesitate. This wine is definitely worth the money.

7/14/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

My favorite Chateau in Bordeaux. I really wanted to be able to score this wine higher, and thought it was on track with that fantastic Margaux nose, but this bottle fell slightly short in the palate. Still smooth and delicious, but showed signs of its age at times. Still a very elegant wine, and was drinking well. However, if this bottle is representative of this estate's bottling for 1993, I would drink sooner rather than later. It definitely has the stuffing to keep for a while longer, but I don't see it improving. Nose was classic perfumed violets and lavender, with sweet black and red fruit. Wine was medium to full bodied with silky tannins and well integrated fruit (currant, plum and blackberries) with charcoal, lead, and hints of dark chocolate. A great effort and wine, but not as good as some of their other vintages. Also, this wine had some very stiff competition tonight.

7/12/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

WOW! This wine rocked! I expected a tannic monster with very little fruit, but this wine was just the opposite. There was plenty of black fruit (and some red currant) and the tannins were smooth as could be and did not detract from the wine at all. This wine evolved with time in the glass and became even more flavorful. However, it was the nose on the wine that fully assaulted the senses (in a good way!) The wine had a very nice fragrant nose with scents of lavender, berries, saline and herbs. The bouquet was constantly changing with different scents taking the forefront. Absolutely fantastic nose and a very good palate. Definitely a wine to be reckoned with....thank you James!

7/12/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

This wine is a show stopper/rock star! It says "Here I am!" and drops the mike! This everything right about California Chardonnay. I love these wines, and the 2010 is the best Marcassin I have tasted. I just wish I could get off the waitlist and onto their mailing list, but thankfully I know someone who is on the list and he has been kind enough to share on several occasions (Thank you Dan!). This is a full bodied Chardonnay that just explodes with flavors, including peach cobbler, fresh pear, baked brioche, lemon, limestone, butterscotch, and just the right amount of toasted oak. I can't imagine a wine being any better, but I left a point on the table, just to be safe! By far the best Chardonnay I have ever had!

7/12/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

This bottle was singing tonight! As much as bad experiences at the winery have soured me, they do make some great wines. Recolte is their best Chardonnay, IMO, and this bottle shows why I buy their wines. The nose was slightly perfumed with hints of pear, stone fruit and citrus, but it is the palate that really shines. It is an elegant Chardonnay with just the right mix of oak and fruit, acidity and minerals that makes you want to keep sipping this wine. It has a medium finish, and reminds me of a nice Chablis, but with gravel rather than sea shells. Unfortunately, as outstanding as it was, it was overshadowed by the other whites in the group, which included a 2010 Marcassin, a 2006 Taittinger Comte's, and a 2009 Yquem.

7/12/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

This Champagne never disappoints. This bottle was drinking excellent. The nose shows fragrance of April rain, citrus, toast and Meyer's lemon. On the palate, the Champagne is creamy with flavors of poached pear, buttered bread, some citrus and a hint of sea shell. The finish is elegant and long with perfect bubbles tingling the senses. An excellent Champagne worth every penny!

6/6/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Wines that "wow" you (Jason's House): This was my first 2001 Climens, drank as a PNP from a .375 bottle. I had high expectations for this wine, because Climens is one of my favorite Barsac/Sauternes and 2001 was such a stellar vintage. Also, I have been impressed with the 2001 Rieussec and 2001 Suduiraut (have not had the pleasure of trying the 2001 Yquem yet). Even with such lofty expectations, and all the hype of the vintage, this wine managed to exceed my expectations! The nose was divine, with aromas of peach nectar, orange peel, Meyers lemon, vanilla cream and honeysuckle all took turns seducing the nose. On the palate, you were rewarded with Crème Brule, with smooth, tropical and stone fruits, with hints of rich vanilla caramel. This is a sophisticated wine that seduces, rather than assaults the palate, leaving you longing for more! This wine paired extremely well with the pear mousse with a drizzle of caramel sauce and some raspberries on top. Absolutely loved this wine! 99+

6/6/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Wines that "wow" you (Jason's House): I typically adore Caymus SS, especially the 2012 vintage. It is typically a velvet glove of hedonistic fruit and chocolate (and, despite how polarizing Caymus wines are in here, who doesn't like chocolate covered fruit?!). Of course, my name may also give away my feelings toward this wine. On this occasion, the wine received a six hour decant. I am not sure if it was the long decant, or bottle variation, but this wine, while good, did not show as well as previous bottles. It was way outclassed by all the other Cabernets tonight, including the Outpost True Vineyard it was paired against. The wine still showed big fruit and chocolate, but the tannins, although fine, were not as smooth and polished, and the fruit actually felt like it was over-ripe and slightly fading. I hope that it was bottle variation, as I still have a few cases of this in my cellar. I think I will PNP my next bottle and let it evolve in the glass. So far, that strategy has worked well. I will note, that this wine never went through a dumb or sleepy phase, and it is possible it is just starting to enter that phase now. As a side note, there was a little wine left over (maybe a 1 oz pour) the next day, and it seemed the fruit had vanished. 1. Bottle variation? 2. Dumb phase? 3. Heading downhill? Not sure, although based on past experience with Caymus SS, I suspect 1 or 2. Stay tuned! (I will also be reading notes from others, to see their experience with this wine now).

6/6/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Wines that "wow" you (Jason's House): This wine was part of the last flight at our tasting, and was paired with a 2012 Caymus SS. Normally, the 2012 Caymus SS is a star, but tonight, this bottle of Outpost TV was the better wine. This is a very hedonistic wine, even at 10 years old. The fruit was singing, but it also had layers of black forest cake, toasted oak and a touch a vanilla. The wine actually evolve in your mouth, as you could feel it changing from dark fruit to red fruit, to chocolate to mushrooms....this wine was a pleasure to drink! I think it is hitting its stride now, but has the fruit, tannins and acidity to stay here for a few more years. I wouldn't be in a hurry to open a bottle, but I also would not hesitate to open one either! This wine paired very well with the Beef Wellington!

6/6/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Wines that "wow" you (Jason's House): This was another wow'er of a wine in the lineup. An excellent bottle of that had an hour decant and a couple of additional hours being slowly oxidized in the bottle. This HM was singing tonight. Typical Heitz nose of eucalyptus, earth, and leather, but also additional complexity of spice, herbs and a touch of honeysuckle sweetness. On the palate, this wine really showed its character! Very balanced and well integrated notes of black current, blackberries and all the elements on the nose. The tannins were velvety and the finish was nice and long, but left you wanting another sip to savor. The groups WOTN, my #2. Can't imagine this drinking much better!

6/6/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Wines that "wow" you (Jason's House): This wine rocked! It was truly a "wow" wine! This was my first Araujo, and my expectations were high. I am please to say this wine still managed to exceed my expectations. This was probably one of the best examples of perfectly balanced, and integrated wines I have experienced. The fruit, acid and tannins were unbelievably well integrated, where you could tell all were present, but nothing stood out. The fruit and secondary flavors played off each other. Even at the current prices, I would say this wine represents a good value! Nose showed red and black fruit, leather, and cigar, with dusty earth looming in the background. The palate was sophisticated, with red and black currents, some spice, pencil shavings and a hint of toasted oak, all seamlessly integrated and evolving in rich flavors that coat the tongue and leaving you wanting more. This is an addictive wine that went will with beef, but could easily stand on its own. One of the best California Cabs I have had, and could easily be mistaken as Bordeaux in a blind tasting. My WOTN, group's #2.

6/6/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Wines that "wow" you (Jason's House): Drank this right after the 2003 Monogram, and "wow!" This was singing tonight (unfortunately, my only bottle). The nose was perfumed with the scent of lilacs, cherries, violets, and sweet honeysuckle. The palate was amazing, with fresh red, black and blue fruits. The flavors were bright and crisp, but well integrated. This was truly one of the better Pinots from anywhere (at least for my palate). If you admire wine with plenty of integrated fruit, this wine will disappoint you! As expensive as Monogram is, this wine is worth the money, IMO. I am looking forward to trying their 2012 in the future! Drink or hold, but in a damn good place right now!

6/6/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Wines that "wow" you (Jason's House): I am amazed every time I drink this wine at the fruit still present for such an old Oregon wine! This bottle was not as good as previous bottles, but still delicious! Some thought this wine was showing its age, as fruit had faded and some heat was present. I really did not notice the heat on the wine, but the acidity was still there and the wine, while very fruit forward, still showed signs of some fading fruit. Myself, I am not sure if this was due to bottle age or bottle variation. I think this signature wine at Domaine Serene, shows why the winery has had so much success, in spite of the spotty manner in which they treat visitors of their winery. This wine displayed cherries and bright red fruit on the nose, with hints of blueberry and violets. On the palate, baked cherries and blueberry pie dominated with some Asian spice and a touch of citrus. I have one bottle left, and will likely open it sooner than later. A delicious wine, and one of the pinnacle wines in Oregon (although, I would say a little overpriced, but if money is no object!)

6/6/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Wines that "wow" you (Jason's House): I love Aubert Chardonnays, and this bottle was no exception. I think they make some of the best Chardonnays in the world....yes, they are pricey, but this is one wine that is worth every penny (at least for my palate!). The nose is dominated by pear, melon, and toasted oak, with bread, yeast and baking spices in the background. As good as the nose is, it is the palate that makes this a "wow" wine! This wine assaults the palate with baked pear, apple pie, French toast, gravel and sweet oaky vanilla. The wine is perfectly balanced with acidity and a creamy mouth fill that lingers through a long finish. This is a wine to savor, and obviously built for the long haul. Drink young or hold, you will enjoy this wine either way! This wine also went well with the Tuna Carpaccio, but it would be no less enjoyable on its own!

6/6/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Wines that "wow" you (Jason's House): I love this producer's Chablis.....I think they offer an outstanding value, and this bottle was no exception. The nose was outstanding and dominated by minerals, stone and seashells, with a hint of honeysuckle lurking in the background. The wine did not disappoint on the palate either. I actually thought that as good as this was, it still showed signs of further improving with a little more bottle age. This wine paired well with tuna carpaccio. For those who have this wine, I wouldn't worry about holding on to it for a few more years, but also note that you will not be disappointed if you open one sooner, rather than later.

6/6/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Wines that "wow" you (Jason's House): Very nice Rosé Champagne, with layers of strawberry, cherry and raspberry, creamy mousse and good acidity. This paired very nicely with spicy gravlax and mango sauce.

4/14/2019 - For the Love of Wine wrote:

This wine does not rock my wheelhouse, but I am sure some in here will thoroughly enjoy it! I am not a huge fan of citrusy wines. This wine has an excellent blend of citrus and other flavors, but the citrus was too dominating for my palate (which I readily admit, I am more sensitive than most to this, e.g., I cannot stand NZ Sauvignon Blancs due to the heavy grapefruit flavor that dominate many of their white wines). Having said that, I can appreciate where many would find this wine more than satisfying. In addition to the citrus flavors, this wine did possess flavors of toast, apple, and pear, and a touch of oak. A very good wine that I would drink, but likely never purchase.

4/14/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Another excellent sparkling wine, and one of the better ones from the USA. Another excellent value from Roederer Estates! The wine is crisp and lively with excellent bubbles. On the nose, I get fresh baked bread, vanilla, toasty oak and a hint of apple blossoms. On the palate, a combination of yeast, peaches and cream, some creamy pear, and some nectarine, followed by buttered toast and a hint of butterscotch. An excellent example of a USA Sparkling wine, which I would compare favorably to Argyle's Extended Triage, at twice the price.

4/14/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Great QPR, IMO. This wine is a little on the sweet side, but not annoyingly sweet. I think it is a crowd pleaser; non-wine drinkers will like it, and wine drinkers will find it more than palatable! The sparking wine has a nice pink color with decent bubbles. On the nose, you get red fruits, a little honeysuckle and brioche. The palate has a few layers, starting with strawberry and toast...then a decent finish with some raspberries and cream flavors. All in all, a decent sparkling wine at a very good price.

1/15/2019 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Tasted at a Merlot tasting. This, and a 2013 Duckhorn Three Palms were my favorites. Slo O'd for 2+ hours. This wine provided the most bang for your buck, IMO. Tells me that I should make sure all my Long Shadows wines have significant bottle age. One of the wines we tasted was the 2014 Pedestal, and there was no comparison, this one blew the '14 out of the water! The wine showed flowers, cherries and leather on the nose, with a hint of sweet vanilla. On the palate, the wine was silky smooth with no heat or harshness, and was dominated by stewed cherries, pie crust, and a hint of vanilla toast, with waves of dark red fruit intermittently dancing across the palate. Finally, it finished with sweet, toasty oak and dark cherry jam, that lingered for about 20 seconds. This was a treat, and I would guess at it peak right now. I would not hesitate opening a bottle of this special juice! An excellent value, if you can hold it for this length of time! IT may improve, but if I had any of this, I can guarantee I wouldn't find out, as I would open it sooner than later because it is so good now!

1/15/2019 - For the Love of Wine wrote:

Decanted for 2+ hours. This wine showed very well. Sweet red fruit, vanilla, violets and hints of beef jerky on the nose. With dark cherries, a touch of vanilla and toasty oak dominating the palate, followed by hints of red currant, plum and leather in the mid-palate. The finish was back to cherry and hints of toasted oak, and lasted quite a while. This merlot is worth the money, IMO. My favorite of the night, along with a 2005 Pedestal.

12/7/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Very nice Aussie Chardonnay with excellent QPR. Too bad they do not import this wine in the USA. I tasted it at the winery and bought some to bring back. Many winemakers in Margret River compared this favorably with Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay. While I believe Leeuwin is still the class of Australia, especially tasting the two side by side, this wine held its own, and in fact paired better with citrus flavored food (lime fish sandwich). It is more buttery and oaky than Leeuwin, and reminds me of a cross between a California buttery Chardonnay and a Chablis. It has layers of fruit and a nice long finish. I will still buy the Leeuwin Art series, but will likely score more of this on my next trip down under, as it is a great everyday wine and I am sure a crowd pleaser.

11/25/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Part of a mini vertical that included the 2009 and 2012. For me, this wine rocked as usual, but of the three, it was least favorite at the start, but won me over as the it got more air and the night progressed. It was even better the following day. The wine initially received a one hour decant, which did not do it justice. On its own, it would have fared better, but compared to the other vintages, this one had fight to get a second place from me. I will say that this wine may end up being best in a few years, and I will likely hold most (if not all) my remaining bottles for a few more years before revisiting this wine. It has gobs of red and black fruit, but the tannins are a little harsher (although they smoothed out as the night progressed and were silky the following day). The finish was long and tasty, and I enjoyed this bottle very much. Obviously, I like Caymus SS, and this wine did nothing to dissuade me. As previously stated, it started out number three, but worked its way to number 2, in my book. If you are going to drink this wine, I would recommend a 3-hour decant. If you are in no hurry, I think this wine will definitely improve with additional bottle age. I could see it continually improving for at least another 5 years. If you can't wait, I believe you, and any of your guests, will find it quite enjoyable.

11/25/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

A mini-vertical that included the 2009, and the 2013. This is still my favorite vintage of Caymus SS. decanted for an hour and drank over the next 2 hours. I love this wine for the purity of its fruit, the unique taste, the silky tannins, the toasted oak and chocolate flavors and the long finish that has you craving another taste before it is over. Initially, I liked the 2009 a touch better tonight, but with a little extra air, this wine settled in and gained a couple points, while the 2009 lost a few due to fading fruit. For those who focus and get more enjoyment out of tertiary flavors, you will enjoy the 2009 more, even as some of the fruit fades. For me, I place fruit above secondary flavors (although some of both makes a wine best). This wine never lost its fruit and gained some secondary flavors with time in the glass. It is no longer a hedonistic fruit and chocolate bomb, although both are unquestionable present; but also has developed some complexity. It has also retained the velvety tannins and shows no sign of heat or alcohol. In addition, the finish is long and delicious. Red and black fruits, along with chocolate, toasted oak, leather and earth dominate the palate and nose. I love this wine, and am glad I have plenty! This wine truly rocks! (At least it rocks my wine world!). Always a crowd pleaser. The group was divided between this and the 2009 as wine of the night. For me, this was number 1. Still showing it has plenty of life in it....I would be in no hurry to open a bottle, and I think it will gain complexity, while retaining fruit for quite a few more years!

11/25/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

A mini-vertical that included a 2012 and a 2013. This wine was decanted for about an hour and drank over the following 3 hours. Initially, this wine was awesome, showing nice fruit and also tertiary flavors of earth, leather, chocolate and a touch of oak. The wine had silky smooth tannins and no sign of heat. All and all a pleasure to drink! My only complaint would be the fruit started to dissipate toward the end, which allowed the tertiary flavors to shine a little more. My personal preference is purity of fruit over tertiary qualities, although, like most, a balance is perfect. However, I lean more toward the fruit, and do not appreciate a wine as much as the fruit starts to lose its presence. If the fruit would have remained strong, this would have been my number 1 of the three, but as others gained points from me with time, this one lost a few. Initially, I would rate this 98, but it fell to 95 and stood there the rest of the night.

Like many others, I do not see this wine improving, but I feel it still has a couple years left in its excellent drinking window, if someone is saving it for a special occasion. If not, I would recommend drinking up! I would probably also forgo the decant, unless you are pressed for time. I think you would get more pleasure out it evolution. For those who are huge fans of tertiary flavors and have no issue sacrificing fruit for those flavors, this wine probably has a much longer life, perhaps another 5-7 years, and a decant will likely be beneficial for you.

For now, no matter where your palate lies, this wine is enjoyable.

11/22/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Mini vertical of Futo wines (06, 07 and 09). All wines were slow oxidized (cork removed for 2-3 hours) and the 07 and 09 received an additional couple hours in a decanter, with the 06 receiving around 30 minutes prior to the initial pour. Some in the group thought this wine was corked. My palate is not as sensitive to slight cork as others, and I would have said this wine was not corked at all. I did not get anything indicating cork on the nose, nor on the palate. Having said that though, this was my least favorite of the three. The fruit seemed faded and continued to fade throughout the night. While the wine showed integration and arguably secondary or tertiary notes, I need a healthy dose of primary notes and flavors to truly enjoy a wine. This wine was perhaps the most complex, in terms of bouquet and flavor, but for me, the lack of fruit or primary flavor takes this wine down a notch. With more fruit, this wine would have shown much better (maybe the lack of fruit was due to slight corking, or due to the age-ability of the wine. Whatever the reason, I found this enjoyable, but a distant third in the flight. Like the other wines, it lacked QPR (even more so than the other vintages). A good, solid wine, but my least favorite of the three.

11/22/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Part of a mini Futo flight (06, 07 and 09....07 and 09 had a 2 hour decant, 06 had a 1 hour decant....all wines were slow oxidized [cork removed] for an additional 2 hours). Initially, this wine showed the best out of the gate, but was eventually overcome by the 07, at least for me. This wine had tones of black and blue fruit, a nice nose and was inky purple/black. A hedonistic wine for sure. It had a nice finish and everything was integrated and balanced. While, for me, it did not end up showing as well as the 07, it still maintained its elegance throughout the night. Overall, a very nice wine, but as several others noted, not a great QPR.

11/22/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Did a mini-flight of Futo wines, which included 2006, 2007 and 2009. Of the three, this ended up being my favorite, despite initial heat from the alcohol, which dissipated with additional time in the glass (after a 2+ hour decant). The wine had an abundance of fruit and silky tannins, with some integrated oak. It is what I look for in a California wine, and the wine was done very well. However, it is also a pricy wine, and when price is taken into the equation, I thin k there are other wines out there that give you more bang for your buck, or an equal amount of bang for a a cheaper price. The value, takes nothing away from an excellent California cabernet, that still has some years left and is quite enjoyable to drink. Drink or hold. I do not this wine will show any better, but will become more approachable with less decant time. For me, this is a wine that really has not flaws, tastes great, but lacks that "wow" factor. It could just be that expectations are very high when dealing with this price point in a wine.

7/9/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

I am a big fan of this wine. By far my favorite white from Australia (not that I have had that many though!). It is a big fruit-forward Chardonnay with creamy, buttery oak, and pear that competes with tart apple, honeydew and a touch of vanilla. For those who like big wines with some complexity, you will like this wine. I also find it very user friendly, and most people will enjoy it, although it is at a price-point where you may want to pick your occasion to serve it.

7/9/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

I think this wine was a little young and could have used a little more bottle age. In addition, it was served slightly warmed (it did not spend enough time being chilled because it was one of the first wines we drank (we only had two whites). It had a nice flowered nose, but the palate was slightly out of balance with a touch too much acidity. I typically like my whites closer to room temperature anyway, but this one would have likely benefitted with a little more chill. I'd like to try this again in a year or two.

7/2/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Decanted for 2 hours. I took a sniff and a taste when I decanted and the decant allowed some of the alcohol on the nose and palate to blow away. In general, Caymus makes polarizing wines, and this one is no exception. The vast majority of people either love or hate this wine, not many are in the middle. Those who love the wine appreciate the integration of jammy fruit and oak, both of which seem to dominate Caymus cabernets (whether this wine or Special Selection). Those who dislike this wine, do so for the same reason, often pointing to its lack of complexity and chewy fruit, as well as the oak component. I am part of the former camp who believes Caymus wines rock!

While I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I certainly have a different palate than many when it comes to certain wines, I don't appreciate people who advise others not to buy a wine based on the reviewer's palate. Nor would I advise anyone to buy this wine based on my palate. With that in mind, I would like to note the following based on my palate and experience: First, I disagree with some who claim Caymus wines lack complexity. While I admit, I can see where some people would appreciate a wine with layers of complex flavors, I would also submit that sometimes there are complex flavors that are akin to cooking, i.e., a number of ingredients put together in the right proportion, and cooked for the right time, and then sitting for the right amount of time that allows a uniquely complex flavor that cannot be duplicated any other way. I submit, in part, that Caymus fits at least partially in this category, in the sense that no other wines are built the same way or have the same flavor profile as Caymus. As to whether you will enjoy that taste, that is up to each individual palate. I can say it has been my experience that more people love it than hate it, and that it is typically a very friendly consumer wine, even for non-connoisseurs.

As for this particular wine, I find it a couple notches below the Special Selection and a notch above the normal Caymus Cabernet bottling. I am not sure if that is attributable to the vintage, or if Caymus used some of their better barrels that would have normally gone into Special Selection in their 40th Anniversary bottling. The nose is perfumed, with hints of violets, lavender and chocolate, as well as blackberry and cassis. On the palate, their are jammy fruits of blackberry, current and sweet plum, as well as dark chocolate and sweet oak. I would like to say it has a long finish, but I always find myself taking another sip before I let the finish end (for me, the wine is that good!). It is a full bodied wine with velvety tannins (not as velvety as Special Selection, but not too far off). As I said before, you should try this wine yourself to see if it is in your wheelhouse. For those who love big fruit-forward wines with chocolate and sweet oak, they will love this wine (and Special Selection even more). This wine goes well with meat or on its own! Cheers!

6/22/2018 - For the Love of Wine wrote:

I tried this at a wine tasting and bought 2 bottles. This was the first bottle. I was a little disappointed, but it was still interesting to try. This wine is very dry, as virtually no sugar whatsoever. It had an interesting nose, reminding me of lemon verbena and baking spices, as well as some burnt toast. Unfortunately, on the palate, it was highly acidic, so much so that I think it was masking the fruit. It was not too difficult to see why this mostly used as a blending grape.

I wonder if the acids will mellow out enough to allow the fruit to shine through? The lack of sugar does not bother me, but I felt this was too over the top with acidity. If the acidity calms down and the fruit shows through more, I can see this wine easily rating 90-93 points. I only have one more bottle, but I will not even consider opening it for at least 5 years (possibly longer).

6/11/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

I love Kistler wines, especially with some bottle age. This wine is still young, but it is starting to come into its own. The nose brings to mind a Spring breeze with essence of honeysuckle and citrus fruit, especially lemon. There is also the faint smell of buttered toast. On the palate, it tastes like a toned down CA Chardonnay, with a nice balance of fruit, minerals and acidity. It is rich, buttery and oaky, but in an elegant way. The flavors are there, but they do not scream out at you. This is much more reserved than many CA Chardonnays. While I enjoy big, in your face fruity, buttery and oaky Chardonnays, I found this one, that while reserved, no less enjoyable. I think this is a Chardonnay that will be enjoyed by Burgundians, as well as CA wine lovers. It certainly should not offend anyone, and is definitely a crowd pleaser. I think this wine has a lot of life ahead of it, and I will likely wait another year or two before popping open another bottle, but those with less patience, or a stronger desire to drink one sooner than later, will not be disappointed!

6/11/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

This Chardonnay and a 2010 Ramey Hyde both tied for number two in my book (2011 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos was my number 1 with my score of 96).

The Ridge was a contrast to the Ramey. Where the Ramey hit you with big fruit and buttery oak in a nice balanced attack, the Ridge was more sophisticated and subtle, but just as effective. The nose was more repressed, but exhibited some sweet jasmine, lemon pie, and a hint of orange peel, with a slight hint of baking spice, with a little coaxing. On the palate, it was somewhat restrained, but also complex, with layers of flavors, first fresh baked bread and toast with butter and a little lemon marmalade, then some stone fruit and Meyers lemon, and then a nice creamy vanilla and oak finish. I think this will only get better with time, and would hold on to a couple bottles if I had these, although no one will be disappointed drinking them now!

6/11/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

Nice, full bodied CA Chardonnay. The nose shows wildflower, lemon and vanilla. The palate is filled with rich buttery oak, plenty of fruit and a silky texture that keeps you sipping this wine! The acids, tannins and fruit are all nicely balanced, and there is plenty here to believe this wine will keep for a few more years with no problem. Will it get better? I don't know, but even if it doesn't, it is darn good now!

6/10/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

This wine was hitting on all cylinders! My WOTN (group did not vote). This embodies everything you would expect from an excellent Grand Cru Chablis! It was a medium-full bodied Chardonnay, with the perfect balance between acid and tannin, as well as between fruit and minerality. The nose exhibited ocean air, flowers and tart fruits, but it was the palate that really made this wine shine. It had layers of tart apples and poached pear, lemon and lemon peel, oyster and seaweed, and finished with hints of mild, buttery oak. This wine was totally in my wheelhouse! I think for the price, anyone would be hard pressed to find a better value for Chardonnay!

6/10/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine:

This was an excellent Chablis! Unfortunately, it suffered by being paired with a 2011 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos. The Les Clos was much better, and took away from what would have otherwise been an excellent wine.

The wine had a nice floral nose that reminded one of a sea breeze. On the palate, you could taste oysters, lemon curd, saline, and tart pear and green apple. The wine was certainly complex and showed well, with a long finish that showed minerals and a slight edge of oak in the background. It is easy to understand why this is a Grand Cru. It certainly has lots of life left in it, and will likely further improve with some bottle age....drink or hold.

6/10/2018 - For the Love of Wine wrote:

Not a big fan of Rose. However, as far as Rose goes, this seems to have a nice balance between fruit and acidity. I did feel that it may get better with some bottle age. This wine exhibited peach, red current, oyster and sour lemon on the palate with a nice long finish. I understand this is one of the best Rose out there, so for me, it confirms that Rose is just not in my wheelhouse. If it is in yours, I am sure you find this Rose excellent. It was definitely the most complex and layered Rose we tasted.

6/10/2018 - For the Love of Wine wrote:

Not a big fan of Rose. I know CT notes indicate this wine is past its prime, my experience with the bottle differs. I don't know if it was bottle age or the winemaker, but I thought this was one of the better Rose for the afternoon. It had present, but integrated acidity, and sweet fruits that balanced out the wine. Most predominant were strawberries, apple, lemon and cream. The wine also had a substantial finish for a Rose. I would say this wine will likely not get better, but still has a little life left in it. It is certainly in a good place now, at least for my palate.