4/20/2024 - vinojones wrote:

High VA, sour, undrinkable

3/27/2024 - vinojones wrote:

Medium Garnet; light fruity{ mostly berry) nose; still lots of tannin but starting to mellow, nice finish; good for 5-10 yrs

3/25/2024 - vinojones wrote:

Opened 30 min; light ruby red;; black plums and cherry nose;still fruity but more savory on the palate, cardamom, light allspice, maybe a touch of licorice on the finish??; full bodied but not assertive, smooth long finish; can't imagine it getting any better.
I miss them.........

3/15/2024 - vinojones wrote:

opened 30 minutes: Dark ruby red; initial nose of coconut, followed by strong black berry and other berry notes; first tasting strongly of Macadamia nuts( maybe the coconuts of the first aroma?); full bodied, fills the mouth and palate very smoothly;alc shows up as a lingering warmth in the mouth- like after eating peppers but not a hotness;finish is long, blending into dark chocolate(semi sweet).
Would be perfect with a BBQ Tri tip

3/2/2024 - vinojones wrote:

Pale yellow almost clear; nose of brioche, cardamon, hint of citrus; given it's age still very crisp, citrus flavors, medium full bodied, sl sweet, long finish; very stylish given it's age

3/2/2024 - vinojones wrote:

Pale yellow; nose of flowers,mild spices; good acidity, less than a young SB but similar profile; finish on palate milder than a new world SB, medium length;good warm weather aperitif wine.

2/28/2024 - vinojones wrote:

Light gold: mild roasted nuts; fairly closed slight floral notes; smooth palate, no real sherry notes but a rich, smooth flow across the palate; finish returns to lightly roasted nuts; not at sherry levels but headed in that direction

2/16/2024 - vinojones wrote:

opened 1 hr; Dark ruby red; nose is restrained tending toward mineral(iron), and a little very dark chocolate; body is balanced, good fruit to tannin ratio; tannins are soft for PS, red berry fruits, black plums;
med long finish with berry, pomegranate flavors. This wine has no "peak" in sight, just evolution into a soft rich, complex wine some day.

1/29/2024 - vinojones wrote:

Medium ruby red; mild nose of red fruits and a little herbal note; tart cherry,gooseberry, plum flavors; very light on the palate probably due to acidity, elegant impression; a refreshing light red that would be good with fish as well as quiche or other lunch like meal

1/29/2024 - vinojones wrote:

Medium ruby red;nose is closed, slight mineral character;red raspberry and red pie cherry fruitiness; full bodied, very balanced, heavier on the palate than other PG blocks; medium long finish.
Overall I'd call this a robust Pinot, not on the elegant or floral spectrum.

1/24/2024 - vinojones wrote:

Pale yellow; mild nose of pears, citrus fruits and subtle honeydew melon; well balanced,light on the palate,acidity prominent, a Chablis like style of Chard;interesting to see how it ages, right now I say 5-10 yrs

1/19/2024 - vinojones wrote:

Dark Ruby: agree with saxman1984 comment, strong new leather/baseball (oiled) glove nose which blows off fairly quickly. and leaves cherry impression;medium body with prominent, but soft tannin, mid palate flavors area little vegetal and green; finish is fast leaving a vegetal rather than fruity finish

1/11/2024 - vinojones wrote:

light gold, a few tartaric acid crystals on the cork; peach & melon nose with subtle brioche underlying it,some might call it oak; full bodied,balanced weight on the palate,acid balance keeps it from being "Cali fat"; mild hazelnut flavors in the finish which is medium long. Beautiful wine

1/6/2024 - vinojones wrote:

Pale ruby red; marzipan, red current, maraschino cherry nose; full body maraschino taste but not cloying or unbalanced; with time became richer, heavier on the palate but not unbalanced. Lacks only a little complexity on the finish to get a perfect score.
( But I'll settle for this anytime)

1/6/2024 - vinojones wrote:

Pale yellow,green edges;savory herbal nose,camomile, a little minty;lively palate,mild lemon rind at first, morphing into cardamom and mild spice mix; crisp acidity, with very mild brioche flavor on the finish.
Overall impression is of a wine 1/2 it's age.
With air over time, it put on some weight on the finish, with light honey flavor adding to the brioche

1/1/2024 - vinojones wrote:

Pale Gold;nose of peaches, subtle pine needle scent; at this age the sweetness has receded but still very fruity,peaches and melon; the mid palate weight is impressive; great acid-fruit balance on the finish, would be a great wine with rich food like sausages, pork chops, even ribs; nice crisp finish with lingering aftertaste

12/30/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Clear, garnet red;nose of wet metal-iron,damp vegetation, after decant Bell pepper notes which persist throughout the meal; mid palate is thin, herbal, a little dill; fast finish leaving a waxy feel although that does not last long. Overall impression is of under-ripe fruit.

12/14/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Dark garnet; nose is nice combination of blackberry, dark plum and mildly stewed cherries; medium body, tannin shows but is not overpowering, light crisp body with fairly long dry finish

12/14/2023 - vinojones wrote:

pale yellow;nose more herbal than floral, mild vanilla too; balanced palate with pear, stone fruits, honeydew melon, and mild green cardamon notes.Medium body, good acidity, clearing the palate with a medium long finish.

12/12/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Garnet color with light brown edge: persistent metallic nose from opening to 2 hrs later, more iron than steely; cranberry and under ripe plum and berry notes developed later; tannic and astringent mid palate; riper berry fruit on the finish but little signs of this wine having a enjoyable old age

12/5/2023 - vinojones wrote:

light red; nose of strawberries with mild VA which grew stronger during 2 hr decant, eventually overwhelming the fruity tones;light weight on the palate, very tart with little to no fruit detected; fast citrus flavored finish.
Could not finish a glass with my paella.

11/27/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Medium gold;surprising lack of oxidized nose, mild cardamom and later a mild rusty iron scent; poached pear flavor, very balanced rich feeling on the palate;med finish, no oxidative flavors, acidity good enough for cream chicken of fish dish.

could have scored higher, but then you wouldn't believe me at all!
Wish I had another bottle.

11/3/2023 - vinojones wrote:

pale yellow; pear, lime, herbal nose; citrus, early yeasty/oxidized flavor very mild; high acidity on the palate,medium long finish; ageing but would be nice with a buttery pasta dish or cheese

10/25/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Inky dark red, lingers on the glass it's so dark; strong nose of raspberries;on the palate dark chocolate, prune undertone; heavy(rich) palate feel, soft but noticeable tannic finish, not as long as I would expect given the concentration.
A good example of the "Cabernet as Port" Napa phase in the early part of this century

10/16/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Dark ruby red; nose of menthol/wet iron, metallic character, not very strong,gives the impression of a much younger wine; fruit very tart, cranberry, unripe cherry like; finish is totally tannin, strong black tea.
Too Bad.

10/11/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Garnet red;herbal, spicy notes on the nose; sour cherry, coffee/oaky palate; wine is at, or slightly past prime; very nice PN with a savory style as opposed to fruit

10/1/2023 - vinojones wrote:

30 min airing-Dark ruby; complex nose of dried cherries,plums and herbs; full bodied palate, tannins soft but very prominent, almost like chocolate coating the palate; slight metallic/medicinal finish, medium long, leaving a mildly stewed fruit impression.

9/28/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Ruby red, no browning on the edge; subtle nose of black berries, a little allspice; very balanced, smooth on the palate, couldn't be better, nice mid palate weight, fruity beginning holds through the middle; more berries on the finish, not harsh.
Wish I had more than a\case back in the day and drank slower...

9/23/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Ruby red; 30min decant; mild vegetal nose with mineral(iron) undertones; nice ripe cherry flavor with smooth palate leading to a nice blackberry like finish which doesn't linger very long.
No notes for a long time, all gone?

9/13/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Very dark, Ruby red; opened 1 hr; big nail polish nose, tart cherry in the background;not much to the mid palate except tannin;no charm in this bottle; tannin overpowers the finish; not a Sangiovese to my liking,seems more like a new world wine.

9/9/2023 - vinojones wrote:

ADDENDUM approx 30 min after first note, in a more typical cab glass the wine showed medicinal character, less sweetness and more tannic finish

9/9/2023 - vinojones wrote:

2 hr Decant: dark Ruby red, no bricking; nose is primal, soil based, a little black olive note, balanced, mild herbal smell and taste; early impression is to go with a steak or savory dish. Very balanced wine mid way between fruity youth and mature integrated older Cabernet. Soft but tannic finish calls for assertive cheese course or rich meaty dish to finish.
A good example of aged California wines

9/9/2023 - vinojones wrote:

2 hrs decant:dark red; fruity notes of Bing cherry, plum, nose has dark chocolate and a little chemical/polish like finish. The fruit in the body is soft, complex and carries the wine across the palate to the medium long finish.

9/5/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Discovered on a search for something else.Pale green/gold; Bouquet begins with brioche richness and lime nose; high acid taste,very crisp, continues the lime flavor, tart finish seems younger than 13 yrs, probably has 5-10 yrs to show a mature flavor profile. Medium length. Going hunting

8/26/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Garnet red; at first pour(no decant) complex,shifting, nose of tart cherries, balsamic, roses, cardamom; after 1 hr a little smokey note developed on the finish; med body, very balanced on the palate;med long finish,smooth.

8/14/2023 - vinojones wrote:

pale yellow;closed, mild floral/herbal notes; acidic palate but finish is smooth. Would be a good seafood, lite summer dish

8/14/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Pale yellow; mild nose of pears, herbal notes ? anise,very subtle; nice balance on the palate, light weight; crisp finish, mild fruits. A summer white for light food or aperitif

7/29/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Pale yellow gold; mild grapefruit juice on the nose, evolving into pungent non specific eastern spices; tart citrus on the palate, ideal for raw seafood dish; high acid(for me with acid sensitivity) finish on the palate; stayed balanced, refreshing through out the 5oz pour

7/25/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Dark garnet;very light bouquet tending to vegetal and mild spices rather than fruit; balanced palate, dark plums and cherries are there but not very assertive; at the finish there is more interest, cardamom and very light allspice leaves a pleasant memory, tannins very soft and smooth.
Still a nice experience at 30 yrs but no reason to go further

6/7/2023 - vinojones wrote:

dark gold; surprisingly light nose of mango,peach,; and hazelnuts; good acidity with medium body,no heavy occidative character; medium long crisp finish

5/8/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Gold; mild Fino sherry nose; ripe pear, cardamom flavors; well balanced body on mid palate tending to slightly buttery finish; obviously in early stages of oxidation but a pleasant wine with food if you don't want to go full-out Fino sherry.

2/27/2023 - vinojones wrote:

45 min decant; dark Garnet red; nose of white pepper, complex garrigue scents of herbs with lavender/rosemary undertones; tart red cherry mid palate fruit;full bodied mid palate, nice fruit mix; med long finish, sl tannic finish.

2/16/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Garnet red;complex nose with surprising green stem,like a barrel sample, also has some cinnamon/spice notes; palate continues the green stem note, full bodied, some red current tartness, smooth finish.
Interesting that rather than tasting "old" as it could, it presents more like a young barrel sample.

2/9/2023 - vinojones wrote:

2/9/2023 - I wrote: (Edit) 90 Points

pnp; Dark ruby red;dark cherry blackberry, nose, a little cardamom; smooth transition across the palate with mild tannins; balanced finish, medium length; probably at peak, several years left if you like tertiary character.

2/9/2023 - vinojones wrote:

pnp; Dark ruby red;dark cherry blackberry, nose, a little cardamom; smooth transition across the palate with mild tannins; balanced finish, medium length; probably at peak, several years left if you like tertiary character.

2/8/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Ruby red; nose of red berries, pomegranates; palate the same, light bodied but not feeling thin, enough fruit and tannin to hold up to a spicy pizza; a wine to enjoy with a meal, not an end in itself.

1/28/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Dark ruby red; P&P over an hour; nose brought tart red cherries, green cardamom and a little pepper finish; with a little time the nose develops a mild turpentine, wood spirits note.
Very pleasant in a Asian( Indian) food profile, less so with French Cuisine

1/21/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Decanted 1.5 hr; Ruby red; Soft, smooth tannins; cherry/berry oriented; finish was clearly more fruity/simplistic, but also more youthful/ refreshing than a 2000 Bdx served along side, finish began to dry after 3+ hrs.
Lovely but would not look for further development

1/21/2023 - vinojones wrote:

Decanted 1.5 hr
Garnet red;initially red berry,cherry fruit, later more iron, mineral notes with great balance to a med rare steak; early on tasted more lean vs.vs an 7 yr older Napa cab faster finish; but after 1+hr developed a longer complex finish

12/26/2022 - vinojones wrote:

Decanted and tasted after 20 min aeration.
Garnet with brick edge,as it opened there were faint spice/pipe smoke notes, later vegetal nose developed, metallic note on the palate, at 1 hr it had put on weight, showed dried red cherry flavor.
Another hr, the wine continued to open up smooth,soft palate red fruits and subtle spices- no rough sensations at all. I adjusted my score upward.
End result is I was happy to watch it open up over a 2-3 hr period. First impressions not always the best, lesson learned.