2/14/2024 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Close to a year since my last bottle, and it is getting better, though it still needs at least a couple hours to air out before serving. It is now velvety smooth and well balanced

2/14/2024 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

As this vintage has aged, I would say, if anything, the Cab Franc has gotten more pronounced. For me personally, I am not a fan of wines that are solely Cab Franc, though, clearly, they are popular. Hence, my opinion of the 2014 is biased.
We opened up four hours before we actually served the wine. It is an extremely big and bold wine, especially for a Right Bank. It certainly became more drinkable after a couple hours, but did not really change from the second to fourth hour, so I served it. The guests started pouring it just before but primarily during dinner, so it was served with food. And the bottle was promptly finished. The wine is quite drinkable. But I did not hear anyone compliment the wine.

2/10/2024 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Drank from a magnum at a restaurant.
We know that this wine needs air, which is really difficult at a restaurant, but, sometimes, magnums are more ready to drink than 750ml bottles. The wine did not really come into its own until about 2 hours after opening. At which point most of the bottle was gone. But the other 3 people at the table liked it, and the magnum was easily finished.

1/6/2024 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

On the evening, we served two different wines--one before we went to dinner, and then the Pritchard Hill with dinner. I asked a participant which wine they liked better, and they replied that they really liked both, what was the difference. My spontaneous answer? About $125, $150.
Without question, a good $75 or $100 bottle will have structure and elegance. But the top bottles from the very good wineries simply take it a step beyond, and we have an opportunity to more fully appreciate the winery's and the wine maker's craft.
We buy the Pritchard Hill 6 bottles at a time. Early on in our collecting, one of the more arrogant winery owners at another winery facetiously answered a question about when a wine was ready to drink with the reply that we should buy several bottles. That way, we can open them gradually over the years and decide.
Hate to give that winery owner any credit, but there is a whole lot of credence to their advice.
Is the 2015 ready to drink?
No. But it was still spectacular.
Decanted and let it sit for a bit over an hour. The wine evolved. It probably should have had closer to a 2 hour decant.
The bottom line, and the moral to the story, is that, unlike the under $100 bottles that we drink any old time, we are intrigued how this 2015 will age. We are very appreciative that we have several more bottles of this vintage, and look forward to revisiting them every 2-3 years.

12/30/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Poured into a decanter before dinner, but drank a different wine with appetizers. So was probably decanted for 2 hours before we started serving.
We generally prefer to age the Montelena's longer--8 years is definitely on the younger side. We also prefer to serve with steaks--another thing which we did not do.
Lesson learned. It was not bad. But, especially for the price, we think the wine is a hold for probably another 5 years. And, by all means, next time we will serve with steaks

12/27/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Drank at a restaurant. Simply opened the bottle and let it sit for a half hour. Would have much preferred to pour into a decanter and let sit for closer to an hour. It is a spectacular wine (especially if properly served). In this case, it started to open up after pouring into everyone's glasses.
Very well made, smooth and balanced. Very nice finish.

12/23/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

It has been quite awhile since we had a Ted's Blend, but we were reminded what a relatively hidden gem this is. Its price point has never been inexpensive, but, given the vineyards from which the wine is coming, it is a relative bargain. We drank it at 10 years old, decanted, and started pouring after perhaps an hour or so. The decanter did not make it to the 2nd day, so can't comment on how a longer airing out affects the wine. But, while very good after an hour, it did continue to balance and smooth out.
The wine was made to age, and certainly could age a while longer, but it is drinking very well right now.

11/23/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

A good, very drinkable bottle of zinfandel.
A bit on the fruitier side, but in a good way.
Did not need to decant or air out.
Was able to serve within minutes of opening.

11/23/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Served at Thanksgiving table when sat down for the actual dinner. We know from experience that Pinot Noir is a good pairing for Thanksgiving. But, that also has its downside. I did not even get a taste, as I started with a glass of Cabernet, and the Phelps pinot was gone by the time I finished that glass. So it was clearly a hit.

11/23/2023 - jzebrack wrote:

Served before Thanksgiving dinner, and bottle was still around for dinner as it was not a hit.
The Syrah is without doubt our least favorite wine from Phelps.

11/23/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Still drinking very well.
Much better than normal Sauv Blanc from Phelps

11/23/2023 - jzebrack Does not like this wine:

Horrible purchase from the Chicago Wine Company.
Had previously purchased the Forge Railroad Seneca Lake, and that bottle was good. But this Caywood East was not something I would even feel comfortable serving to guests. Further, after purchasing from TCWC, found the same wine, same vintage at less than half the price.

11/11/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

We still love this wine, but, over the years of aging, there has been a slight change. This was a 2011 vintage that always drank just fine.
Several years ago, we could open the bottle and serve right away.
Now, it needs a little while to open up. Did not decant. Just opened the bottle and poured a small amount into the glass to periodically taste. A bit of a warning. It was not tasting all that good straight out of the bottle. But it evolved after about a half hour. And, as always, a simply wonderful, extremely drinkable wine.

10/22/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Absolutely delightful the reaction of reaction of everyone who has never had Winter before. Because one cannot get more bottles, we have been hoarding what is left, and we were wondering if we might be pushing beyond the line of when the 2010 is drinkable. But we still got the same reaction. People who are not wine drinkers have a taste, and they want more.

10/21/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Really marvelous.
Silky smooth, but balanced and distinctive.
Basically all the benefits of single vineyard, along with the smoothness and balance of a blend.
Opened the bottle, and was able to drink almost immediately.

10/21/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Was able to drink without decanting.
Very smooth, and a good finish.
I have not had much experience with the Stags Leap district, but this bottle is cause to change that.
There were 5 people, so even though it drank well immediately after opening, it did not last long enough to see how it evolved.
So it is difficult to gauge to see if this vintage should age more years. But it is certainly ready to drink now.

9/16/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

We have found the regular old Phelps cab's to age wonderfully. Doesn't matter what vintage. They easily age at least 10 years, and drink silky smooth.

9/16/2023 - jzebrack wrote:

Perhaps it is because we generally like drinking our White's when they are younger, or maybe because the wine is in a dead period, but I sure remember this tasting better.

9/9/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Certainly drinking well now.
Did not give it a full decant. Opened the bottle, and started drinking maybe a half hour later.
We have always found that Freemark Abbey wines, even their mid-range priced wines, age quite well

9/1/2023 - jzebrack wrote:

Did not decant, which may have been a mistake.
Opened up the bottle at the restaurant, and let the bottle stay open for a half hour before pouring.
Had a bottle a year prior, and was pleasantly surprised. But this bottle was completely ordinary. A couple people at the table did not even bother to finish their glass. Not bad. Not corked. Just absolutely nothing special. Have more bottles, and next time will be sure to properly decant, and see if that might make a difference.

6/25/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Probably too early to drink, and did not have enough time to decant (was toward the end of the evening, and did not expect to be opening another bottle of red wine).
Even still, it was balanced, and did not have a huge amount of tannins. So it was absolutely fine, but one could tell that this will further develop with further aging.

6/17/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

My last bottle of the 2011.
When it was first released close to 10 years ago, it was not very good. But we re-visited it in 2021, and what a difference 10 years made.
I have had a couple more bottles since then, and it continues to drink wonderfully.
We did not have to decant. It was ready to drink immediately after opening

6/17/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Drank at a restaurant, and was decanted for around an hour.
As basically every other review states, it goes down so smooth.
My wife does not like some highly rated Napa cab's as she says they are too strong. But she likes Winter.

3/9/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Ready to drink immediately after opening.
Wonderful wine. Smooth and balanced, and has a nice finish

3/8/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Was able to pop and pour.
Very easy, drinking. Smooth and balanced.
Can enjoy without food.
So, a great opening bottle to serve before dinner.

3/8/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Drinking very well.
Did not decant, and does not need to.
But would recommend to let the bottle sit for a few minutes.
No particular need to drink up remaining bottles.

3/8/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

We drank the 2013 alongside a 2014.
They were actually incredibly similar.

This is certainly a very good wine.
The bottle needs to air out, either with a VSpin for a full 5 minutes, or decant for a couple hours.
It also drinks much better with food.
It is a very robust wine, and does not do nearly so well as a sipping wine with appetizers.
But, at dinner, it is drinking well, and will still last several years longer in the cellar.

3/8/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

This is certainly a very good wine.
That said, we have not been members of Whitehall Lane for several years, and drinking this bottle, at Whitehall's current price points, does not make us miss being members.
The bottle needs to air out, either with a VSpin for a full 5 minutes, or decant for a couple hours.
It also drinks much better with food.
It is a very robust wine, and does not do nearly so well as a sipping wine with appetizers.
But, at dinner, it is drinking well, and will still last several years longer in the cellar.

2/25/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

The Montelena Estate Cab's do need to be aired out before drinking, even this 2005.
Also, the Montelena's really need to be drank with food. Much more than other wines we drink, the Montelena's taste dramatically better with food. It is is not a wine to drink on its on, or with light hors d'oeuvres.
The 2005, after decanting (which we did for 5 minutes with the VSpin) is marvelous right now. An absolute treat.

2/25/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Did not need to decant. It was ready to drink within a couple minutes of opening the bottle.
As we have consistently seen with the 2011's from Napa, once they hit 10 years old, they are tasting wonderful.
It is absolutely ready to drink right now, and do not see any benefit to further aging.

2/11/2023 - jzebrack Does not like this wine:

corked

2/10/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Still drinking very well.
Ready to drink immediately upon opening.
Very balanced, extremely drinkable with basically any food.
Do not see a benefit to further aging.

2/11/2023 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Drank from a magnum at a birthday dinner, and must have been pretty good as 4 people finished it off.
Certainly not vegetal. We have found that the 2011's from Napa Valley started to hit their stride after 10 years, or, in this case, 12 years.
I do agree with an other review that suggests that there is no particular benefit to further aging.

11/12/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Definitely not a pop and pour bottle.
Straight out of the bottle, it was harsh.
We first aerated it with the V Spin, and even then it continued to evolve from the decanter over the next couple hours.
Which is a bit of a paradox for a Whitehall wine, because when we first got introduced to Whitehall many years ago, they were still using the plastic corks. And the thing that was so wonderfully different about those plastic cork bottles is that one could open it up and drink right away.
Anyhow, their MM vineyard wines age well, and are terrific wines. Very smooth and elegant. Just don't pop and pour

10/22/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

We have a lot of bottles of the 2016, had been drinking it fairly regularly, and then took a break for 3 or 4 months.
This time, we were at a house, and were able to aerate for 5 minutes. That made a difference.
With that break, with the proper preparation of the wine, we were once more able to appreciate what a marvelous wine this is. The Prominence shows well against other, more expensive wine. It's a gem.

10/22/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Opened at a restaurant, and let it sit in the bottle for a half hour.
My first comment is that we have really, really, really been getting spoiled by our V-Spin. Where we can open a bottle, taste it, and pour it into the V-Spin for 5 minutes to compare.
A half hour in a bottle, not even in a decanter, was a dis-service to the wine. But, even so, one could tell that this was a very well made wine. Everyone at the table, all experience fine wine drinkers, liked it. But no one raved about it. Not necessarily a great value compared to other $100 bottles, but a very safe bottle to serve

10/14/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Was drinkable immediately after opening.
Did not evolve over the next hour.
It is not a stunning wine, but it was enjoyable.

9/10/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Don't know why, but I was not expecting much from this bottle. I was pleasantly surprised. We did not decant. We opened up the bottle at the restaurant when we sat down, but did not pour for probably close to 45 minutes.
It was smooth, and very, very fruity. I would not call it distinctive or elegant. But I am intrigued enough to open up another bottle and do a V-Spin to properly open it up.

8/13/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

We are members of Spottswoode, and love their wines.
Our relatively low rating has to do with whether this wine is ready to drink. Also, it is influenced by our tastes in red wine. We tend to appreciate aged wines vs. young wines, but sometimes a younger wine pleasantly surprises us.
Having several bottles, we enjoy periodically drinking bottles to see how the wine changes. We decanted for approx an hour. I took a small taste a few minutes after opening, and did not detect a huge difference when we poured into our glasses an hour later.
More important, I did not hear any raves from the other folks at the table. I see all the tasting notes, and have to wonder if folks are overly influenced by the 100 point ratings and price point. At this stage, the 2016 is respectable, but, at least in our opinion, not yet a wine that deserves such raves. However, we certainly look forward to opening another bottle in a couple years.

8/13/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

aerated in a V-spin decanter. Straight out of the bottle was tight and very vegetal. But after the Vspin, it was excellent. It was our last bottle, and I am not sure if further aging will be helpful. It is drinking well now.

8/6/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

We did not decant or otherwise air out.
I think it would have helped, as the last glass an hour in was much more satisfying.
However, first impressions are what counts, and our guests were not impressed as normal when we serve a bottle of Prominence.

8/5/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

Ironically, while I thought that the wine was ready to drink last year, and did not appear to need further aging, this bottle just might have been a bit better.
There was sediment in this bottle, so it was necessary to decant.
But the wine did not need to air out in the decanter. It was ready to drink within 15 minutes of opening.

6/25/2022 - jzebrack wrote:

Reading the reviews, maybe we should have decanted. Or, maybe should have drunk while it was younger.
Was not bad. Just simply was not exceptional.
And price does enter into the rating.
In our opinion, absolutely not worth the price

6/25/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

We opened and decanted in a VSpin, and then poured back into the bottle and took to the restaurant.
So, with just 10 or 15 minutes preparation, at the restaurant, it was ready to drink.
But, I took a taste after I opened the bottle and before I poured into the VSpin. This is not a pop and pour wine.
Completely smooth and balanced, and, for our tastes, as a blend, very tasty. The first bottle of Josephine that we have opened, and very disappointed that we did not purchase more.

6/19/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

We generally always like to drink California white wines at a young age as we find the mellower taste of the aged whites is not usually a good thing. We had several bottles of the 2015 Moone Tsai Charles Heintz, and decided to age one. Upon opening this bottle and being disappointed, I poured some of the bottle into our VSpin (the spinning device in a decanter that aerates wines for 5 minutes). We have never before done that with a white wine, but it made a huge difference. To be honest, for our tastes, we still liked it better 5 years ago, but, after the 5 minute spin, it was certainly serve-able to our guests.

6/10/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

No decant. Smooth and balanced. In a nice place and ready to drink

4/15/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

This bottle aged well--it is not past its drinking window. It has retained its structure. The only issue is that we did not particularly enjoy that structure. I understand that heavy red wines taste better with food. But, with several minutes between bites, or after the main meal, the wine still tastes fine. This particular wine needs the food with every sip.

4/14/2022 - jzebrack wrote:

beyond it's drinking window.

5/13/2022 - jzebrack wrote:

It was drinkable, but, especially for the price, that is about the best we can say. We almost always like to age our Cabernet's from Napa, but this wine tasted better when it was just bottled.
We have seen the phrase used where people call wines from Napa "jammy" and "fruit bombs". I never knew what that meant. Until now. Completely without merit on day one, and even "jammier" and more of a fruit bomb on day 2.

5/13/2022 - jzebrack Likes this wine:

The Bougetz wines age remarkably well.
I read one of my prior tasting notes that it tasted better on the 2nd day. This bottle did not make it to the 2nd day.