3/29/2009 - Oski98 wrote:

Really just an exceptional bottle for the price. Coco and strawberries on the nose. Chocolate persists with hints of bacon and maple on the palate. Finish is a bit less pronounced compared to prior tastings. I have scored this as high as 92 and as low as 90. Anyway you slice it this wine is a great price performer.

1/30/2009 - Oski98 wrote:

1/30/09: Not very pleasant. Probably would rate 3 + 11 + 14 + 3 / 81. Juice has clarity, but no depth. Musty smell with a bit of leather. No finish, a bit tart on the palate. Best to roll out later in the evening, or, at $4.99, serviceable as a party table wine.

1/24/2009 - Oski98 wrote:

Brought two bottles to a wine tasting sponsored by friends. Excluding high and low, average score was 89.8. Wine opened up well as the evening progressed. Definitely a fan favorite.

1/18/2009 - Oski98 wrote:

Tasted over two days. Inky purple, yet still lucid. Leather and iron dust on the nose. Ethanol was more prevalent on day one, but never overpowering. Leather, earth and iron carry through to the palate, with the addition of mocha. The structure of the wine supports a nice long finish. Wine is sure to benefit from cellaring. The second day showed much more lush dark fruit. One of CH's better offerings. This bottle is wonderfully complex and a real challenge to describe. Would look to the tasting note by "smgood1" for more color.

1/16/2009 - Oski98 wrote:

Popped and poured. Have had this several times at the suggestion of my local wine guy, yet these are the first detailed notes I've taken. Deep, yet translucent crimson. Candied floral nose with some earthy undertones -- 14% shows through a bit, but not much. Suggest serving at cellar temperature. Cherry flavors from front to back with some vanilla and a touch of oak on the finish. Wonderful wine for the price point (one of my highest rated values).

1/15/2009 - Oski98 wrote:

Color is essentially white with a tinge of gold. Very crisp, with a nice tartness to the finish, which I find appealing. Grapefruit and freshly cut grass comes to mind (seems in line with other reviews). This wine appears to be holding up well, so I think the suggested CT drinking window (2007 to 2008) may be a bit narrow. I would think if this is stored properly it would hold up through 2009 (though I can't imagine my supply lasting past this summer).

1/14/2009 - Oski98 wrote:

Tasted at a friend's home. Will need another bottle for a more precise evaluation, but will jot down my impressions. Nose was absolutely wonderful, which I find usually distinguishes a wine from the other rabble. Enjoyed the front and mid-palette, but wasn't necessarily blown away by the finish as I recall. For the $35+ retail price tag this wine seems fairly priced and not necessarily an eyebrow raising deal; so what, it tasted really good. I look forward to trying this again.

1/3/2009 - Oski98 wrote:

In fairness this wine was purchased at a fire-sale price at Costco - - sometimes you get what you pay for. Opened the bottle and immediately decide to decant for any hope of improving the aroma and taste. After several hours of decanting the harshness of the finish has mellowed, but I would still call this a subpar effort. Color is a translucent brownish red, not what I would expect for a Cabernet. Aroma is musty, almost like a wet sock with some earthy components. Perhaps this wine was "overbarrelled" because it appears completely unbalanced with the aftertaste being much too astringent (again, too much oak?). Does not appear to offer any upside from further aging. I'll stick with listening to Fleetwood Mac but use my remaining Fleetwood wine bottles as fill-ins for decoration purposes in the wine rack. Definitely a pass even with the low price of admission.

12/30/2008 - Oski98 wrote:

Opened and poured a glass with the remainder distributed to a decanter (room temp 67 F). The juice offers a deep ruby color, with a rose rim. Interesting nose. I'm getting a bit of spice, maybe some raspberry components, and upon further reflection, hints of the smoke suggested by CH. Lot 93 is definitely pleasant with no overpowering alcohol smell, which more often than not appears to be present in CH offerings (this Tempranillo weighs in at 13.5%; I may be wrong, but I have the impression that CH wines often are in the 14.0%+ area). I am a bit disappointed with the flavor and finish relative to other reviews . . . and decide to let this open up a bit . . . "Disappointed" is a bit much, but so was CH’s use of the words "massively structured" (kudos to neurovino for pointing out CH "hyperbole"). That threw me, an admitted novice, off a bit. I would say that all the suggested flavors (chocolates, leather, smoke, earthy fruit) are present, but in a much more subtle capacity. That said, this wine is wonderfully complex and interesting and I look forward to evaluating it's evolution (though I'm not sure it would hold up until 2024 . . . how about 2014?). I will be buying more since my math suggests this is a great value even at $21.

11/29/2008 - Oski98 wrote:

Purchased at Costco. Color is translucent purple with a clear rim. Very jammy smell, with strawberries and red fruit dominating. Almost candy/gum like in smell. A bit artificial. This is a pleasant red table wine that won't offend the palate, but doesn't provide fireworks either and is a bit hallow on the backend delivery. Although CH suggests the wine will improve with age, I don't see how this wine doesn't peak before 2010. That said, for $7.99 can't really complain. I won't be stocking up on this Lot, but wouldn't avoid using for entertaining a larger group.

8/29/2008 - Oski98 wrote:

Color is ruby with a clear rim. Huge whiff of condensed strawberry right off the bat. Pretty cool for the first sniff. Wine is very interesting on the front and mid palate (cherries and spice?) but the finish is definitely "tight" and dry. Appears to have the structure to benefit from aging and is definitely on the higher end of the CH offerings (both in price and taste/quality). Vis a Vis other reviews, not sure what fruit is the right call, but what is more than apparent is the aroma is intriguing and definitely worth appreciating. Lot 84's taste suggests this is a quality selection, but I'm having trouble putting this wine in the 90+ point category at this time.

8/28/2008 - Oski98 wrote:

Interesting color. Deep burgundy with hints of brown and hints of cloudiness. The coco elements of this wine are undeniable on the first sniff. Perhaps some hints of fruit. Pretty intriguing aroma. This wine has chocolate bar written all over it (going to the write up now for suggestions of other flavors smells . . . ). I can sense the leather components but no green peppers as suggested by the previous review. For the amount of heat (15%) I can't say the alcohol is overpowering, which is surprising. Overall a very good bottle now, but appears a bit one dimensional with the complexities only starting to reveal themselves. I'll have to trust CH that the wine will evolve more over time. Sure seems like it could. Scored (4+13+16+7 / 90).