8/28/2021 - JeffNy1 wrote:

Disappointing..

6/22/2021 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Paired with Seared Sea Scallops - we loved this wine. Its drinking perfectly right now!

6/22/2021 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Still to young. Lots of potential!

6/22/2021 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Drinking very nicely right now.

12/28/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Decanted for eight hours.. the wine needed every bit of it. Cherry, Mocha, Vanilla even a hint of mint. Well structured and delicious! Drank next to a 16 MacDonald (also well decanted and delicious)

12/19/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Decanted for two hours but the wine is still to young. Has tremendous upside however - give it a few more years. Cassis, dark cherry and lots of coco. Well concentrated just needs more time. Potential 95+

12/6/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

I liked it better the next day.

11/24/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

This wine is drinking really well right now but be sure to filter the wine first. Lots of sediment.

11/6/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Popped and poured = initially tight but quickly opened up. Very well structured, fruit forward with really well integrated tannins. Will drink well for many years...

7/27/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Better on the second day.

7/24/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Great every time!

7/18/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Very nice wine. Well structured and well balanced. Lots of cherry, tobacco and eucalyptus notes. Finishes with flavors of mint - reminded me of an Alexander Valley wine. In a good drink window right now.

7/15/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Very nice wine. Lots of strawberry notes.

6/6/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Decanted for three hours - drinking awesome right now. Beautiful perfumed nose, on the palate its full bodied, really well integrated - black cherry, chocolate, some graphite minerality, super long finish. Loved this wine. I wish I had more of this vintage.

4/26/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Delicious very floral!

4/10/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

I really wanted to love this wine. I opened it for my big 60 bday and tried to prep the wine for optimal performance. I started slow oxing the wine about 24 hours ahead of time. Opened and left the wine in my cellar over night. I did pour a small amount just to get an idea of the wine. About six hours before drinking poured into a regular decanter and left it in my cellar. Great fruit on the nose - it smelled delicious! On the first taste the night before the wine was overwhelmed with a smoky oak taste. I let the wine sit for an hour or so and the smoky taste blew off for the most part. The next day, even after a six hour decant the smoke was still there. The wine is well structured and complex. Good fruit flavors in the mouth and a good finish. Unfortunately I cant give this wine the 98 or 99 points the pros are giving - perhaps I'm drinking the wine to early. I have two more so time will tell. Right now this is just an above average wine and not great as the scores would indicate. We had this wine next to a 2015 Insignia and that wine out performed this wine in my groups opinion. Maybe next time!

3/22/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Great with Tri Tip!

3/21/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

I think this is the third or fourth time that I have tasted this wine. I thoroughly enjoyed the wine this time. Blackberry and chocolate notes. The texture is smooth and tannins are soft. Drink now and over the next two years.

2/16/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Drank with my friend Dave at Donavan's. Two hour decant while we drank a beautiful Lauren Aubert. On the nose the Carter was very muted. Don't let this deter you - on the palate this wine was stunning. Pure and silky - really well integrated with fine tannins and a beautiful long lasting fruit finish. Enjoy now, but will go for at least another 10 years.

1/12/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Very crisp and clean, citrusy - drank along side a 2012 Peter Michael Chard. Equally as good.

1/12/2020 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Loved it! Just like the first time that I drank this wine. Silky and delicious!

1/10/2020 - JeffNy1 wrote:

I'm an idiot and was cramming some wine in my cellar and this wine fell from the top rack. All I can say is it smelled great:(

12/8/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

I decanted this wine for over six hours before taking it to dinner with some wine buddies. A very big wine that will obviously age well. Dark fruit like black berry and cherry. Really well structured. My friends that like wine aged were not impressed. Those of us that still like fruit and tannins will like this wine a lot. In ten years this wine will be perfect.

11/10/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Opened this wine with the Wine Berserkers group in San Clemente. I really liked this wine. Really well integrated, lots of dark fruit flavors and super structure. We tasted some great wines including a 14 Macdonald that was decanted for six hours prior. The group consensus was the Carter was runner up to the MAC. I would agree. Still an awesome wine that should give for at least another 5-10 years.

11/9/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Beautiful nose, it took about an hour to open up. Very nice wine!

10/26/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Sheldon said to filter this wine before drinking and he was right. He was also right that the wine is drinking great right now. Beautiful Spring Mtn fruit, cherry, cassis and velvety tannins. Paloma had a big sale on this wine. I highly recommend picking some up!!

10/6/2019 - JeffNy1 wrote:

PnP at the wine shop. I wasn't impressed - sorry.

9/21/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

PNP at Sabicca dinner. NC friends group. Drank over several hours and at the end of the dinner this wine won red of the night in an informal voting. Classic Napa Cab. Really nice nose, cassis, cherry and a hint of green. Well concentrated and has several years of life left but I don't think it will get any better. Depends on the style you like.

9/28/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

This wine is hitting on all cylinders! Really well integrated. Stunning! This wine offered a perfumed nose with crushed berry, currants, and oak. Tannins were velvety and smooth. On the palate the fruit was bursting in the mouth with soft oak influence. I just wanted to keep pouring more - only one left:(

9/14/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

PnP at the wine shop last night. I thought the wine was in a really good place. First taste had some minty (eucalyptus) flavors. Expected from Alexander Valley. After an hour or so the wine really mellowed and was well integrated. Vanilla, soft cherry flavors and nice smooth tannins. Wish I had more.

9/7/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

A good wine but not great. Cherry coke as expected. Good fruit and the wine is well structured.

9/7/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

A nice wine but previous bottles showed better. This one had a bit of a dusty finish consistent over several hours. Flavors of pear, pineapple and oak.

9/1/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

My buddy Dave provided the wine. Every time I drink this wine I like it. It brings me right to Spring Mountain and tasting the wine with Sheldon or his mom. Velvety in the moth with nice cherry fruit. This wine is drinking great right now - have at it!

9/1/2019 - JeffNy1 wrote:

PnP at the wine shop. Initially dark fruits with minimal structure. Prominent oak however (expected from this winery). Over a period of two hours the wine became muted and lost what little complexity it had. I don't believe this wine will get better with more time. If you have some Drink up!

8/25/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

PnP / steak dinner with friends. I loved this wine. It's in a perfect place right now. Fruit and tannins all seamlessly entwined! Dark garnet color and fruit tasted delicious. Bummed that it was my last bottle from this vintage.

8/17/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

One of the things I keep noticing with the Larkmead wines is the up front presence of alcohol. PnP with friends at the wine shop and everyone in my group noticed this. The fruit was raspberry, chocolate and fine tannins. A good wine overall - it would be much better if the alcohol was not so present.

8/14/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

PnP at the wine shop. Good wine but I did expect it to be better. Good fruit with a dusty sort of finish. The wine continued to improve as it opened up. I'll give my remaining bottles a few more years to develop.

8/16/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Great wine. Brought this wine as a backup to a 92 Montelena. Opened after the 92 and wow! Great fruit, fine tannins and really well integrated. The wine will continue to improve over the next five years.

8/16/2019 - JeffNy1 wrote:

When opening the wine the cork was not in good condition. Odd since I purchased the wine direct from the winery about one year ago. The wine still had good fruit flavors intertwined with earthy notes. Definitely many years past its prime. Just an ok wine.

8/10/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. Well structured with good fruit. Could easily age for another fiver years.

7/27/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Direct from the winery. Popped and poured with seafood apps today. The wine is delicious. Really well integrated not over oaked at all (which is good for me). It is buttery with some tropical notes. Nectarine, pineapple and mango. Very nice!!

7/26/2019 - JeffNy1 Does not like this wine:

Popped and poured. Green notes on the nose and palate. Fruit and tannins are muted. Not enjoyable. I'll let it breath for a few hours and update my notes if the wine improves. Ok, it's been a few hours and the wine is getting better. The fruit is up front finally and all of the green notes have faded. My group says the wine is acidic in the current phase. I'll keep updating.

7/19/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Purchased direct from the winery. Opened with friends at the wine bar. The wine was very well structured with great fruit and tannins. Everyone liked the wine. Drink now or over the next five years.

7/17/2019 - JeffNy1 wrote:

Purchased direct from winery at release. Stored in my cellar since then. When first opened, wine had a wonderful nose - dark fruits etc. First few sips were nice. After about 1/2 hour the wine was declining quickly. Very subdued and muted. Even the nice fruit flavors were gone. Left open for another hour to see if the wine would come back around. No luck however. If you have this wine drink now - I don't see it improving with more time.

7/13/2019 - JeffNy1 Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. Clean and silky smooth. The wine improved as it opened thru the night. Last one I have of this vintage.