2/11/2024 - MDRwinos wrote:

Ready for prime time. Easy drinking, fruit forward cab.

2/11/2024 - MDRwinos wrote:

Easy drinking pinot. Good to go.

11/23/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Fan favorite. Happily surprised the Merlot was not as dominant as expected. This is good juice. Drink now or thru 2024

11/23/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Could have used more time. A bit more tannic than expected based on previous experiences. 2nd day much better.

11/23/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Bold, fruit-forward but not overly so. Some woodsy hints. Peaking through early '25

11/23/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Winner, winner. Nicely integrated. Red fruit and some tannins. Drink now or within a year

11/18/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

:30 decant. Dry, limited fruit yet a crowd favorite for those who enjoy this style.

11/18/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Winner, winner, chicken dinner :-30 minute decant, then it sang a lovely tune.

11/18/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

PnP. Still vibrant. No need to hold any longer. Use an ah-so to remove the cork

9/15/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

PnP. Medium body. Mixed berries. Limited tannins. Drinking well now.

8/18/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

After my 2019 review, was hesitant to go down the rabbit hole again...this time it was worth it. :15 decant and this wine was singing a lovely song. Syrah grape was prevalent but the uniqueness came from the Cab and Petit Verdot grapes. it was a long, but worthwhile wait.

8/18/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Yummm...

7/25/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Black fruits, some tannins present. Benovia always produces pinots with substance. Not heavy but with a presence. This is no exception.

7/25/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Red fruit, no tannins. A lighter, fruity summer. Fan favorite.

7/4/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

party favorite. Nicely evolved. Ready to drink

7/4/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Light, fruity, nothing special

4/12/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Very light and fruity (red fruit). Popular among the group.

4/5/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Robust, fruit forward, some tannins present. Could evolve a bit more….or not.

4/5/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Light, fruity, easy drinker.

4/5/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

PnP. Dry, earthy. Limited fruit. Yummy if you like this style.

4/5/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Excellent bottle. PnP. Fruit forward. Crowd fav.

4/1/2023 - MDRwinos Likes this wine:

PnP. Yummy. Fruit forward. Full body but not overwhelming. No reason to hold any longer.

3/14/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Surprisingly good. Fruit forward. mostly black fruit. Tannins blew off within 5 minutes. No reason to hold any longer.

2/24/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Most interesting blend. Not nearly as hefty as others in the genre. Yes, still quite satisfying. No reason to hold longer. Good bottle of juice.

2/3/2023 - MDRwinos wrote:

Surprisingly good. Has the spicy characteristic of many riojas. Fruit is present but not prominent. No reason tp hold any longer.

12/31/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Like others, we did not expect a 2018 Atlas Peak wine to be accessible so soon. After a 1:30 decant, it was. Be patient little grasshopper and you will be rewarded. This is fine juice at a premium cost. If you're willing to shell out the $$, it's a rewarding experience. That said, there are others in the market at a more reasonable QPR.

12/31/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Shared with friends who are big Cab Franc fans. Needed :60 decant to start singing and sing it did. Still some tannins to blow off.

12/31/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

We've held this intentionally for a while. Now is the time. Don't wait. It's still a pretty vibrant wine with typical Syrah notes. No reason to wait any longer.

12/25/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

A somewhat milder cab than expected. Then again, it's Paso not Napa. Darker fruit. Good. solid drinker. for the QPR. Just nothing outstanding.

12/25/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Turley never ceases to impress. Cobb vineyard is no exception. Has the typical Turley fruit forward with a bit of spice kick. Not likely to evolve much further so drink up.

12/24/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

:45 needed to become more fully integrated. There was a bit of heat on the initial open. Evolved into a fine drinker. Fruit was present but not overpowering.

12/10/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Fan favorite at holiday party

12/10/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Quite popular at holiday party among Pinot drinkers.

12/10/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Light, sweet, crowd pleaser

11/24/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Crowd favorite for Thanksgiving. Decanted for 1:30 which softened the tannins. Some see this as the masculine counterpart to Cain Five. It's more like a close cousin. Still has some elegance with a bit more heft. In a good window now.

11/24/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Clear glass bottle is deceptive to the uninformed given it reveals a lighter color than one would normally see. However, wine has some interesting notes of cherry that make it a bit more complex than expected.

11/24/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

PnP. Rioja is a different offering for Thanksgiving. Some liked the spiciness, others not so much. Good QPR for a decent drinker.

11/24/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Disappointing. had purchased at a wine auction several years ago with high expectations. Others have used the word "flabby" which is apt. Tannins present even after decanting but no fruit of note. Just kind of sat there.

11/12/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Med body pinot. PnP. Goes down easy. Good to have around.

11/12/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Somewhat tannic at open. Resolved into a solid good (not great) drinking experience.

11/11/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Reliable, easy drinker. Good to have for every use and non-discerning gests

8/5/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

PnP. Black fruits, some spice. well integrated. Worth drinking now.

7/30/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Very good bottle. Not a great bottle. Minimal fruit present. A bit of dust which adds character. Definitely on the dry side.

7/30/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

PnP. Nice balance. Cherrys and some spice (pepper perhaps). Quality drinker. No need to wait longer.

7/23/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

1:00 open + 2:00 decant. This is a wonderful bottle. The Syrah is dominant but the Mourvedre brings a distinctive. Dark fruit predominates yet does not overpower. Tannins are present in a limited way. Everything is integrated so well. Drinking extremely well now and probably for the next 12-18 months.

7/3/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Consistent, reliable, good value.

7/3/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

PnP. Softened further after :10. Med body pinot. Has some substance, Good drinker. No reason to wait any longer.

6/30/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

PnP. Another winner from Merry Edwards. This pinot has character. Medium body. Balanced. A bit less fruit-forward than other M.E. bottles like Meredith Vineyards (our fave) but still a quite satisfying experience.

6/30/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Opened a bit tannic and dusty. Mostly red fruit. Within :30 settled down to a solid drinking experience.

6/12/2022 - MDRwinos wrote:

Excellent juice. Raspberries and a few woodsy notes. Well integrated. Optimal drinking now.