2/22/2017 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This is in a really good place right now. Still some good brightness and red fruit but it has settled down a little.

2/16/2017 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This is so good right now, just starting to turn to secondary notes but still has good dark fruit notes as well. Don't be shy about drinking now though no hurry

2/1/2017 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

I don't drink a lot of Aussie shiraz, but this was really good. Big but not over the top, deep fruit. I think it's in a really good place right now but you don't have to be in a hurry to open.

1/10/2017 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Wow this was a big pinot, extracted, dark (color and on the palate). Lasted a long time. I think this can be drunk now, but will be interesting to see how it evolves, will wait a few years until my 2nd bottle.

1/3/2017 - ruchottalex wrote:

Lots of acidity and apple notes up front, ended up drinking this with a vegetable lasagna that paired pretty well with it.

1/3/2017 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Very good, in a great place now.

12/14/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This was pretty good but I think needed to be drunk sooner, didn't have a ton of fruit or freshness at this point

12/15/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

I thought this was quite good at 20 years old - really reached a good point here, decent depth, cherry, and rhubarb, with some secondary notes. Long lasting.

11/30/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

A good if light bodied CdP. Had this at a tasting room in CdP and it was pitched as a lighter bodied wine - this bottle was in line. Floral notes some minerals and decent acidity.

11/26/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Better than I expected. Solidly dark and powerful, dark fruits with and some smoke/mushroom secondary characteristics. Maturing pretty well - good to drink now and I think this will improve a little more with some more time.

11/5/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Secondary notes just coming around, good wine, pretty big.

10/18/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

I think this needs more time - bright red fruits, cherry, decent acidic backbone, modest tannin, a little spiciness/pepper at the finish. Enjoyable but I think there's more to come as this develops - definitely giving my remaining bottles a few more years

10/16/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

I think this is ready to drink now - solid right bank wine, tannins have taken a back seat so much more approachable. Pretty lush, nice red fruit.

10/14/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

In a really good spot now. Could see this lasting another 5-10 years and have tertiary traits come out. Cherry, a little dusty, nice acidic backbone and resolved tannins.

10/12/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This was very good, right in a great spot now. Great fruit up front, cherry, some herbal notes, bright acidity, low tannin, lighter than expected but great. Looking forward to next bottle in a couple years...

9/23/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Great wine for the price, wow. Had this alongside a Bordeaux and it's obvious how much darker this is relative to the French one. Dark fruits, almost a note of chocolate. Finish is quite long. can definitely drink this now though no real rush. Looking forward to seeing how my other bottles develop.

9/5/2016 - ruchottalex wrote:

Oxidized

9/3/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Quite interesting, it's Scholium after all - and quite good. First time I've had what I'd characterize as a rose pinot gris. A little funky on the open but dissipated, but up front apples on the nose, followed by cherry. Good acidic backdrop and lingered.

8/24/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Good wine, just getting into a nice drinking window now. It does have a sensation of cherry, red fruits, very long, a little sensation of sweetness. Evolved well after 3 hours - would decant. It didn't not come across as having a lot of tannin and there are just some hints of developing earthier flavors - I think this will drink best within the next 5 years.

7/15/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This was quite good, pretty lean with good acidity, crisp is a great term. Some fruit came out as it warmed up a bit. It really shone with food - a great summer wine

6/28/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This was good, mature, decent balance of oak and acidity and a rind mouth feel. Good to drink now.

6/28/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This is totally ready to drink but no hurry. Drank over 2 days. Really good, great balance, not excessive in any particular way - good acidity balancing tannins that are mature, dark elements offset by fruit, etc.

5/14/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This was a lot better than I was expecting - good vineyard, tough year. Tannins pretty well resolved. You've still got this green character and not a ton of fruit but it worked really well with food.

5/3/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Similar as last - ready to drink, I think it has become more balanced today vs being so fruit forward in early periods

4/26/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Had this along with a Ceritas Escarpa from the same year. This feels closer to maturity and I would say fuller fruit and more tannin than the Ceritas, which was more elegant and had a bit more acidity.

4/25/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Similar to the last bottle, this is getting mature but still may have a little more time. Decent acidity on the backbone, light floral and fruit. Good finish.

4/22/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This is ready to drink, the merlot showing really well right now, in good balance, and I think this is a really good value for the price

4/7/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

this is in a good place now, getting those nice mature nebbiolo notes. Perhaps not as full as a barolo but a great wat to get a sense of how good they can be once mature.

4/1/2016 - ruchottalex wrote:

Dark is what immediately came to mind on opening and trying this massive wine out. Dark blue fruits, cedar. Big - but totally delicious. Lasts forever. Decanted over the course of the night, tannins calmed down over time. Tells me this needs another few years to develop more - the complexity is definitely there. This is the earliest I'd drink it - I'll be waiting a few more years before opening the next one.

3/31/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This grew on me - pop and pour, lots of cherry and acid, it mellowed out after an hour and was a lot more complex, great bottle, looking forward to this with more age.

3/29/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This was great - prototypcial syrah, nice spice a little black olive, dark. Not too much oak, and good acid. Really great for the price. Give more time.

3/25/2016 - ruchottalex wrote:

Agree with the comments in the tartness. It's pleasant though not necessarily all that complex, won't benefit from any more aging.

3/20/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This was good - definitely takes on the "natural" characteristics, a little rustic but great dark fruit and some funkiness that's a plus. Maybe a little light on the mid palate but this is a wine I wish I had more of...

2/26/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Thought this was really good. Really well balanced floral and chard-peach aromas, nice amount of oak and a touch of acidity. Silky smooth on the midpalate, good body. Finishes decently long. Ready now.

2/25/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Delicious. A bit more powerful and darker than anthill typically is to me.. But I like it.

2/13/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This was really good. Very young though, a lot of oak on the nose says this needs some more time. But tannins ok and there is a lot of fruit. Very delicious, just decant for an hour or so.

2/5/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This was a pretty good village wine. No slouch, has the power of a 2005, decent acidity - this is ready to drink now. Only complaint is not as much length as I'd hope.

1/21/2016 - ruchottalex wrote:

A great value and it's drinking really well right now. Has the dustiness of sangiovese and backbone of the cab

1/20/2016 - ruchottalex wrote:

I think last one I had was about 4 years ago. Quite good - I'd agree that this needs a bit of time on open or decant it. On the open there's a lot of jammy fruit, perhaps bordering on syrupy. However after it was open for a bit the depth started to emerge and the fruit came into balance - I'd say that this has a lot more life to it. Check back in a couple more years, I bet this gets a higher score then.

1/21/2016 - ruchottalex wrote:

This was good - last bottle I had was maybe 3 years ago - i thought there was more fruit then, but this is well balanced, easy to drink. Not necessarily profound but a good example of 2005

1/17/2016 - ruchottalex wrote:

This was pretty good, though I thought it was a little too much on the green/herbaceous side. Still, very much looking forward the Togni 2012 will show - if a bit more focused, would be great.

1/4/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This is absolutely delicious today - great balance of deeper flavors along with some spice and brightness. Tannins in great shape now too - too tempting to drink right out of the bottle. Got better after decanting a couple hours. Got 2 more of these - next one not being opened before 2017.

1/3/2016 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This was pretty good- still amazing that this relatively inexpensive bottle is still drinking good. Cherry up front, a little dust, good acidic backbone.

12/7/2015 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Took a solid 3-4 hours to open up and by then tannins smoothed out and was in great balance with reasonable acid and still a bit of fruit. Really good to drink now.

11/29/2015 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This is really good, so unique, so much minerality, decent heft in the mid palate, drinking so well right now.

11/27/2015 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

This is quite solid for the price and getting into the zone. Open for an hour and then resolved into dark fruits, mushrooms and licorice, a little menthol. Tannins suggest it could go another few years - will try last bottle in a couple years.

10/25/2015 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Delicious- definite pepper note up front, black fruit, a little smoke. Good balance now, but certainly has more time.

10/18/2015 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Good bottle ready to drink now - cherry, kirsch but getting well into the secondary, tertiary characteristics. Great value.

10/9/2015 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

My first Saxum... wow. Deep red fruit, a little liquorice and smoke, still a lot of acid and some tannin, not overly oaked, finish just goes on and on, whew.

10/3/2015 - ruchottalex Likes this wine:

Thought this was a good villages level wine, really solid and good example of a 2005... Finally ready. Took an hour to open up dark and fairly powerful, a little tar too. Liked it.