2/12/2024 - tim m wrote:

Not sure what anyone could want more in a Napa cab. Beautiful, long, so expressive.

1/28/2024 - tim m wrote:

This one needs time. Better on day 3 than day 1 or 2. If you open it now, air it for hours.

4/22/2023 - tim m wrote:

Flawed.

5/14/2022 - tim m wrote:

So good, and so sad guilliams is no more. Thanks John and Shawn. Enjoyed my last bottle tonight and loved it.

10/19/2021 - tim m wrote:

This was fantastic. Certainly could cellar for more years. Really nice balance of red fruit turning earthy. Long long finish.

10/9/2021 - tim m wrote:

Time to drink this one. It's turned to earthy, still a nice long finish, tannins are gone. Nice wine, but certainly past it's peak.

7/6/2021 - tim m wrote:

This is so good. I'm so sad John and Shawn are no longer making this wine. One more bottle after this one. I'll say there's a lot of legs left in this. No hints of fruit disappearing. Drinking wonderfully right now.

4/30/2021 - tim m wrote:

So this was outstanding. Still red fruit, fine tannin, hasn't transitioned to earthy tones yet. Wonderful. Not sure for what more you could ask.

4/20/2021 - tim m wrote:

Wow, what a great merlot. Incredible qpr.

4/12/2021 - tim m wrote:

So this one needs a lot of air. Much better on day two. I would suggest to decant for several hours to fully enjoy. Once open it's wonderful, beforehand it's not balanced, acid is too in your face and fruit hasn't come out.

4/4/2021 - tim m wrote:

Needs air to open up, at least two hours. Dark fruit, earthy wonderfully balanced and long.

4/2/2021 - tim m wrote:

So.big. not a food wine.

3/26/2021 - tim m wrote:

Let it air. Fantastic wine.

3/21/2021 - tim m wrote:

This is finally in it's drinking window in my opinion. Showing very nice.

1/20/2021 - tim m wrote:

So much better after a few years in the bottle. The acid has tamed down a lot, nice balance, nice finish. This needs air, like several hours to really open up.

1/19/2021 - tim m wrote:

This is as good as it gets for pinot in the us. Outstanding.

1/19/2021 - tim m wrote:

So good. The mouthfeel, finish and balance is awesome.

1/16/2021 - tim m wrote:

So this is drinking wonderfully right now. Still red fruit, fine tannin, long finish. I would expect it has 5 years to go.

1/13/2021 - tim m wrote:

This wine is so big it's not a good food wine. For late at night, last glass I get it. And it's well made just not my style. If you're into really big overpowering napa cabs, this is your wine.

1/11/2021 - tim m wrote:

A nice wine, but not my style. The malolactic fermentation has driven the butter forward. The wine is well made, nice long finish, overall balanced but you have to like that american style.

1/6/2021 - tim m wrote:

This really is a great qpr. I don't drink merlot that often, but you have to try this one. Really nice wine.

1/3/2021 - tim m wrote:

This is drinking perfectly right now. I wouldn't wait much longer as the fruit is fading just a bit and the earth notes coming a bit forward. Color also slightly faded from garnet to a bit more brown. Drink now, tipping point coming.

10/18/2020 - tim m wrote:

This is truly drinking perfect right now. Doesn't need much air. Still very red fruit, not earthy. Lots of years to go. Beautiful brunello.

10/18/2020 - tim m wrote:

This one needs air to dust off the earthy notes. Day two much better.

10/15/2020 - tim m wrote:

The cvr has to be one of the best qpr's in the us. It is always balanced, long, fine tannin, red fruit. Not sure what more you could want for less than. $50.

9/29/2020 - tim m wrote:

Outstanding. Better after about two hours of air. Continued to improve all night. Maybe the best flaccianello I've ever had.

9/27/2020 - tim m wrote:

Wow, what a brunello. Best I've ever had. I thought it was great after two hours of air, but at four hours it was unbelievable. I can't imagine anything better.

9/25/2020 - tim m wrote:

Wow. What a wonderful wine. You'd swear it's from the left bank. Really nice fruit, fine tannin and super long finish. So nice.

9/23/2020 - tim m wrote:

This was excellent. Not much left in it thought so if you have some, drink it now. A little earthy, tannin is mostly gone but the finish is great. Nice wine. Drink now.

9/15/2020 - tim m wrote:

So this was outstanding. Still has lots of fruit, tannin, acid, long finish, so in balance. Wonderful wine. Doesn't need much air, I poured and drank. Wonderful wine right now.

9/4/2020 - tim m wrote:

Wow,
what a wine. Red fruit, nice tannin still very fine, super long finish. This still has years to go. Wonderful.

8/28/2020 - tim m wrote:

Very nice wine, drinking very well right now. Balanced, not too big, nice tannin, long finish, red fruit. Really enjoyed.

8/19/2020 - tim m wrote:

This was past it's prime tonight. No tannin left, earthy, a bit disappointing.

8/15/2020 - tim m wrote:

This is a big tannic acidic wine. Could still use a few years to settle down, like another 5-10.

7/9/2020 - tim m wrote:

This was drinking wonderfully. PNP, nice red fruit, silky tannin, long finish. Nice.

6/22/2020 - tim m wrote:

Contrary to my last bottle, this one was not past it's prime. Lots of fruit left here. Drinking really nice, loved it.

6/19/2020 - tim m wrote:

Having recently drank a couple bottles of the 2006, which were showing their age with not much left, I was interested in how this vintage is fairing. This was ruby red, lots of fruit ageing very nicely. No signd of deteriorating. Super fine tannin, long finish. Great time to drink this.

6/11/2020 - tim m wrote:

Couldn't wait until this weekend to try another bottle so unopened a second one tonight. This was much better. I'd say it's time to drink this. I wouldn't wait a lot longer. Already showing some signs of reduced fruit, more earth.

6/11/2020 - tim m wrote:

Ok, so my experience with this wine is radically different than the other recent notes I read here. My bottle was past it's prime. Clearly lost its fruit, more brown than purple, tasted jammy or like stewed fruit, lots of sediment throughout. I have three more bottles and will open another this weekend to see if they are all like this or I just had a bad bottle.

5/6/2020 - tim m wrote:

Low on acid, very sweet.

2/20/2020 - tim m wrote:

This is best right after opened. Not as good day two or three.

2/6/2020 - tim m wrote:

Needs 3-4 hours of air to really open up. Be patient.

11/22/2019 - tim m wrote:

Wow. Still needs 3-4 hours to open completely up.

11/10/2019 - tim m wrote:

This wine still has structure to it, nice tannin, nice fruit. Amazing longevity. Could go another 5 years easy.

11/1/2019 - tim m wrote:

Wow, what a great wine right now. Ready to drink, great red fruit, fine tannin, very long finish.

10/20/2019 - tim m wrote:

This needs to be decanted for 3-4 hours to really open up, but once it does, wow, what a wine. Not sure what more you could want unless you're looking for a different style.

9/29/2019 - tim m wrote:

Wow, what a surprise. Red fruit, super fine tannin, long finish. Excellent.

6/30/2019 - tim m wrote:

This is past it's prime, jammy.

4/10/2019 - tim m wrote:

It took four bottles to get one with no cork taint. If they were all like this, I'd buy again. Nicely balanced, not over oaked or too much butter.

4/6/2019 - tim m wrote:

Every bottle I have opened has what I can only describe as cork taint / barnyard floor on the palette and nose when you open it. It does dissipate over time, but the funk ruins the wine for me.