3/17/2024 - Yack Man Likes this wine:

So unfortunate that Mike is no longer making this wine anymore, it’s so good.🍷

3/15/2024 - Yack Man wrote:

This vintage has the desired components/ building block necessary to be a really good wine but it's way too young right now. The color is a captivatingly deep rich purple color with a delightful nose. On the palate elegant dark fruit extraction, dark blue and blackberry fruits that demand time to mature, dry dark currants and lean concentration. Very tight and not revealing on day 1 day. Day 2, showing a little more, but still not what it should or is destine to be in my opinion. A hold for now but if you must try one remember, curiosity killed the cat. For now if forced to give it a point score, I’d say high 80’s - low 90s conservatively speaking.

4/1/2024 - davidandrose Likes this wine:

PnP, about an hour after pulling the cork. Dark coloring w a nice grip on the stems. Nose shows dark fruit with earthy notes and a pleasing purity.

The heavy Merlot component (51%)) makes this imminently approachable, with enough tannins to provide layering and a good 20+ second finish.

We paid eiither $17 or $21 for this, an absolute screaming deal. Buy more on next visit to Spire.

3/30/2024 - davidandrose Likes this wine:

When I pulled the cork bright blue fruit raced out of the bottle. After three hours slow ox blu fruit remains on the nose along with graphite, tight wood, some heat and clay.

Nicely balanced but fruit is more prominent with the structure a bit light, offering 10-15 sec finish. Blueberries continue to dominate along with watery blackberry and well-integrated tannins. 15 1/2% listed alcohol seems close but maybe a bit light.

I have two more bottles which I'll drink in the next three years. Disappointing QPR, would rather have two bottles of Quilceda Creek for each of these.

3/17/2024 - davidandrose wrote:

This moved with us multiple times cross-country and sadly had very little fruit evident. Both Bordeaux and burgundy sommelier stems showed more tannic depth than std cab stems, but neither could breathe more life into this tired lady. NR

9/23/1991 - bestdamncab Likes this wine:

Nice, concentrated, wood and cherries on the nose, submerged underneath the tannins, very intense tannins.
I apologize as my arthritis and my hunt and peck typing produced an incorrect Tasting Note. Thank you GAET for letting me know so i can correct both the Tasting note and the score. The score is now corrected from 80 to 90.

3/15/2024 - AGELVIS Likes this wine:

Two hour double decant. Deep dark magenta color. Dark chocolate brownie, anise, plum, cassis, and subtle hot pavement. Smooth, dry palate, with vibrant acidity. Firm, medium intensity tannins on the longish finish.

This is built like a good Napa CS. Turnbull is one of the best Merlot makers in Napa IMHO. It was WOTN for several of us at our monthly supper club.

3/3/2024 - tadams66 Likes this wine:

This is finally getting to the right place. It is earthy and integrated. The fruit is soft but delicious. I would give this, at least a tour decant before drinking. It is refined and wonderful, but don’t pair with a large steak. Instead, a nice pork or chicken would be a much better pairing

5/22/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:

6 months since my last review....prep time very similar. Posting these notes so that if you have them, you'll know how to get the most out of them!

Popped the cork the night before, poured off a small glass to get some air space in the bottle down to mid shoulder, left the cork out for 1-2 hours. Enjoyed that small glass, again noting very blackish fruit, but excellent overall, probably a 94. Put the cork back in half way and left at room temp for the next night.

Visited friends and removed the cork for about a 30 min slow ox at their place. Started drinking after that and enjoyed for another 3-4 hours. It needed that first hour to fully deal with the air and come together. It's both decadent and extremely well balanced. At that point this is an absolutely beautiful bottle once again, an easy 96.

3/2/2024 - davidandrose Likes this wine:

Coravin'd a glass of this earlier in the week but it was notably better tonight right out of the bottle. Strawberry, red cherry, and a slight mushroom funk on the nose. Tannins were seamlessly integrated with darker red fruit across the palate, showing sufficient structure to last for several years.

Just an amazing value for $21.

2/24/2024 - Quiller wrote:

Same routine as last week's (2/17) bottle and pretty much the same result. Maybe not quite as heavy/syrupy or quite the sense of alcohol ass last week, but still enough of both to get the same score.

2/24/2024 - oldwines Likes this wine:

In my cellar since release. Decanted at 4pm (a little later than I had planned due to a delay in my daughter’s soccer/“football” game) and tasted from 6-11pm. 14.3% ABV (high for Montelena of old). This wine is shockingly youthful, opaque dark garnet with a bright crimson meniscus and zero bricking. The nose exhibits some new oak derived scents of vanilla, tobacco, cedar, also quite spicy along both the sweet and picante spectrums. Tannins are still there but more than half integrated. Bright natural acidity. Fruit is complex…cassis, black raspberry, plum, blackberry and lots of underpinning minerals and floral elements like violets. Complex, layered, long on the finish and balanced. Classic old-school Napa Cab, NOT over-ripe, over-extracted or over-oaked. As always with Montelena Estate Cab, this needs a long decant. Gorgeous with grilled steaks. I would say this could age nicely for another decade or two effortlessly in a cool cellar.

2/17/2024 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:

About 10 months since the last bottle.....given a 60-90 minute decant before taking it to the restaurant with Kala and Andrew.
Dark garnet in the glass......nose of graphite and blackberry. Palate is soft with dark red/black fruit, more graphite, and a little caramel/vanilla on the ending which is perfectly balanced with acidity and soft, round tannins. This is so nice....a gentle forest floor component as well. This is my 4th-5th bottle since release and it just sings so beautifully and consistent, just softer now. This borders on a 95 for me tonight.

Addendum: so 60-90 min decant before dinner, bottle open slow oxing for almost 2 hours during dinner, bottle taken home under stopper with 8 oz left, so a 4oz glass for both Andrew and I that we nursed for maybe another 1-2 hours at home til gone. Total airtime at the end, about 3+ hours full decant + 90 min of slow ox. The wine was def even softer and deeper in layers by that time....the '19s can be more approachable for sure, but man.....air really seems to help them along, too. Def a 95 at the end, some may lean toward a 96 at that point. I'm changing my score above to a 95.

2/17/2024 - bestdamncab Likes this wine:

Nose of black berry, black cherry, and earth, more of the same on the palate, big body, elegant, mouth filling fruit, at peak or slightly past, rich fruit, lovely with meaty pizza, long, flavorful finish and lovely aftertaste.

2/17/2024 - davidandrose Likes this wine:

75 min decant. Restrained earth, faint dark fruit and muted wood on the nose. Fine grained tannins, mature dark fruit and crushed stone most prominent, but this needs more time to open up; wine is hiding something and there's gotta be more around the corner.

At the 3hr mark while the nose is unchanged the wine has opened up nicely; fine tannins are still evident but almost fully integrated. It's developed the Bordeaux--like profile noted when I last opened a bottle of this, exactly a year ago tonight.

At 3.5 hrs the fruit is opening up to better reflect the balance I love in D-P, with vibrant, pure blue and dark fruit in wrapped in European packaging.

Mrs Davidandrose noted her appreciation and respect for Lisa (whom we first met through husband Les) and Francoise, who established a label when Parker was in his heyday yet crafted a wine to suit their liking rather than create a score-chasing fruit-bomb.

Always great stuff, we forward to their forthcoming release. Bumping to 94 and can see room to grow with more age or air

1/27/2024 - davidandrose Likes this wine:

First glass from the bottle was screaming blueberries. After 2 1/2 hours in the decanter this remained exceptionally dark in the glass, quickly dripping down the inside of the stems.

Nose is a blend of blackberries and raspberries, picking up coffee and caramel as well. Berries drive the flavor profile, and while my earlier tastes had some alcohol burn towards my stomach, that dissipated with time in the decanter.

As found in my last sampling this is lighter across the palate than I'd suspect. The finish lasts a bit longer than my experience 2 1/2 years ago but im still looking for more.

Solid wine, though at least for this vintage I want more depth, structure and layering at this price point. I have had a more rewarding experience with other vintages. Drink up with minimal decant time

UPDATE: i reserved 1/4 of the wine in the bottle rather than decanting; while the finish still isn't as long as I'd want, the wine is darker, more primal and more enjoyable from the bottle 3.5 hrs after opening than the deacnt

1/25/2024 - Nedder_travels_the_world Likes this wine:

Drink up - it's at its peak. I love the CVR blend for the value but Ive experienced that they fall apart if you age them beyond 10 years. Flavor profile consistent with prior note. good but not great.

1/21/2024 - Badmonkey wrote:

Dark ruby fruit - currants, blackberry, and dark cherry. Smooth mid-palate with a nice purity but a lighter profile than expected after recently having the 2021 vintage - medium body. Like the 2021 vintage, fruit forward and fairly rich but I found it easier to drink due to the lighter profile. Nice rich flavors of cassis, some spice, and a little graphite component. Fairly long finish with just a touch of tartness - some bing cherry. Decanted for two hours and drank over a couple more. Improved a little with time. Revisited on day two and I thought it was better as it softened/settled down a little more. 93 on day two. 100% cab.

1/13/2024 - davidandrose Likes this wine:

Pulled the cork on this last night and gassed off the bottom half for today. 40% Malbec / 32% Merlot/ 14% CS/ 10% CF / 4% Petite Verdot, supposedly all from Sonoma.

Solid if not quite as enjoyable as their Cabernet, this initially comes across as jammy before becoming more approachable. Dark nose seems like Mountain fruit. this has been well served by its overnight air and is really easy to drink. I can see where this could be a real crowd pleaser. An easy 91 they could score higher if there were a QPR multiplier.

1/10/2024 - alanmspieg Likes this wine:

This is truly a breautiful wine. I have verticals going back to 2006 and I am beginning to drink them. We had this two nights ago with a bourbon-marinated tri-tip and it was perfect. The wine has a beautiful dark color. I decanted for an hour and it was just about right. Still continued to open up as we drank it with dinner. It is a great drinking wine - very approachable and not over the top tannins. It feels like it is at it’s peak - if you have any in your cellar, I would suggest drinking it over the next 6-12 months, as I don’t feel it will improve any more.

1/12/2024 - Vino-guy68 Likes this wine:

10 years from vintage date seems to be the sweet spot for the Mascot. It’s really hitting its stride now with a full 45 second finish. Great wine!

4/7/2023 - csimm wrote:

A few days in Napa with fellow CT'r Cristal2000: Arguably the best wine in the lineup (though the 2016 Quintvs was stylistically more in my wheelhouse), the 2016 Adamvs is a stallion of a wine. Massive dark berry and meaty flavors are interplay with earthy and mulch notes. This is a huge wine, and it takes the stage amongst its peers as soon as it hits the palate. Chewy and rich, the yum factor is turned up to 11 here.

This was sampled during the tasting and again (different bottle) a couple of days later. Both times, this wine consistently captivated the crowd, even amongst some other heavy hitters on the second go-around. Just know that it is a big boy, so if that’s your jam, open now and party on bro. If not, either veer toward the 2016 Quintvs, and/or hold the 2016 Adamvs for 5+ years longer to give it a chance to settle down – and by settle down, I mean just be a hurricane of a wine and not the Sharknado it is now.

A kick you in the pants kind of wine indeed. I can see why folks would consider this a perfect Howell Mountain wine. 97-98 points.

12/7/2023 - davidandrose Likes this wine:

Coravin'd 2 glasses last night and pulled the cork at home to follow dinner out.

Nose is more floral after pulling the cork versus the Coravan samples, with lavender, ripe blueberry And cardamom on the nose.

Fruit driven across the pallet with just enough structure for interest, much smoother and easier to drink than last night sample. Not overly complex but an enjoyable quaff if you can stomach the ownership.

10/25/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:

End of the night bottle for the two of us who are still drinking....HMC, you know who you are.......a nice, approachable '21 but give it 2 hours of air and it's even better. Juicy red fruit to start, just short of jammy. Gains weight and depth of fruit over 2 hours and drinks extremely well given the price point. Warning: if you give it too much air, it turns a good bit blacker in its fruit profile at the end as young wines will do. Great qpr with this one so long as you're not looking for a $150 bottle. I paid $50 and it drinks like $65-75, fwiw.

11/20/2023 - RLRGladstein wrote:

Celebrated Kirby & Nic’s engagement with this delightful bottle!

11/19/2023 - Serge Birbrair wrote:

It is ready, nose is excellent but...don't wait for too long. It won't get any better and it hit the peak.

4/2/2023 - Pdamarillas Does not like this wine:

Bought two 1L bottles upon release and have been reading all the reviews so I decided to open one to see for myself. Might I add I’ve been drinking Caymus for almost 20 years…this was terrible. Nothing like what it used to be. Zero secondary flavors no depth or concentration. Doesn’t even taste like a Cab from Napa. I definitely wouldn’t pair this wine with a steak. It tasted like a 15$ bottle of wine that definitely doesn’t have decades of history. I won’t be purchasing any Caymus anytime soon which disappoints me. I will be donating the second bottle to my kids school auction. Hopefully the Wagner family can turn this around and bring it back to the iconic wine it used to be instead of worrying about how many bottles they can produce.

11/15/2023 - Zoso Likes this wine:

This is meant to add a bit more to my earlier note. New bottle opened nearly 48 hours ago had 1/2 gone on the first night, then simply corked back up and 24 hours later another glass or two and with little more than 1/4 bottle left corked back up. By the way no down turn what so ever. Glass and a half left 42nd hour after opening...rocking. If anything it put on weight, became more harmonious(rounder if you will) and makes me think if I didn't know it was CVR I may have rated it higher. I know, how could this be it's QC's cheapie. All I can say is with all the advancements they have made at QC over the years I won't be surprised if this becomes a top tier level wine from them, joining the rest of the high scoring team. Downside-price will go up. If I had a wine publication that assessed quality and made recommendations, I would tell you to seek this out since it is sold out at the winery, and buy as much as you can before a real critic rates this. Where can you buy a 95-97 point wine for under a 100? If I'm right...you heard it here first. Lastly I would love to see someone put this in a line up blind, Cal Cab or WA Cab it matters not, I believe it will shock and awe! and I'm just a regular guy on wine, Cheers!

9/25/2023 - beatles wrote:

Creamy, round, sweet, charming, sexy stuff, here, very juicy indeed. Open for business.
#MASH

11/3/2023 - davidandrose Likes this wine:

2nd time I've coravin'd a glass from this bottle, and while I enjoy the wine, I don't enjoy it as much as other vintages. I find it exceptionally jammy, with less tannin and structure than usual.

As I write this, I realize that I didn't fully rinse the Hickingbotham Merlot I had immediately prior, which may impact my sentiment. I'll repost later this weekend when I kill the bottle.

UPDATE: after coravin'ing 2 glasses out of this over the last 10 days I pulled the cork tonight. After two hours in the bottle the nose remains jammy but less than yesterday, with eucalyptus and cherry-flavored tobacco also evident.

While balanced the wine remains sweeter across the palate than I expect, and lacks the tannic backbone to age as long or pair with a great steak as well as older vintages. Don't get me wrong, it's still an enjoyable wine on its own or with food, just different from what I've long considered the "house style. " Bumping a point as a result but tightening the far end of the drinking window to 2027

10/30/2023 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine:

From a magnum personally purchased upon release and cellared under ideal conditions, this wine was decanted off its sediment and allowed five hours in carafe prior to sampling. Comprised of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that was aged for 32 months in new French oak, it is opaque garnet in color, without any hint of bricking. Aromatically effusive of dark plums, cassis, bittersweet chocolate, spice cake, licorice and bark, it is a full-bodied, fresh red with well-woven alcohol (listed as 13.8%) and flavors that mirror the nose. The plentiful fine-grained tannins are still integrating, which is also true for the wine's oak. Dense and layered on the mid-palate, it concludes with a lengthy, albeit grippy finish. Last tasted from a 750 cc bottle four years ago, this magnum is clearly a step backward in time with respect to maturity. Comparably cellared magnums will benefit from more time in the cellar, and should last substantially longer than bottles in 750 cc format. Drink 2028-2043.

9/11/2023 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine:

Decanted 2 1/2 hours and drank over the next hour. Wine is too young still. Give it another 18-24 months. Black color. Still tight as tannins are still dominating the fruit. That being said this isn’t ever going to be a 94 point plus wine. Light/medium mouthfeel lacking structure and intensity. For $100 plus the QPR is poor. I’ve been drinking this wine for 25 plus year and it’s never been amazing. Good yes. Great maybe. Outstanding never. Not in the same league as Beringer Reserve, BV PR, Mondavi Reserves or other top Napa Cabs. Its middle of the pack.

10/28/2023 - davidandrose Likes this wine:

3.5 hrs slow ox. Earthy nose is reminiscent of bdx with earth, mushroom, muted red fruit. Surprisingly tannic but still well-balanced. Quite dry mid palate leads to a lengthy finish, this was extraordinary with Rose's homemade pasta ans meatballs but theres tons of sediment even in the middle of the bottle

10/26/2023 - Ben Christiansen wrote:

Whew, that has allot of RS to it. Put it on your morning toast.

10/25/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:

Yet another bottle of Outpost Zin that can easily be mistaken for a Napa cab. Enjoyed with HMC the 2nd night after being coravined the first night. Dense, heavy, dark red and black fruited. Big weight in the mouth, again very cab like.....better with an hour or two of air. But I can't score it higher because it's more indicative of cab than zin.....maybe too strong a year for Outpost and their zin?

11/25/2021 - Peech Likes this wine:

decanted 2 hours after opening, and served 2½ hours after decanting. Smoky, but definitely sweeter both on the nose and the palate. Ripe fruit on the palate with more plummy notes. Showed some coconut notes 6½ hours after opening.

10/22/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:

First bottle of this recent auction purchase. Decanted for 2 hours then back into the bottle to take to HMCs for dinner.

This one needed every bit of 4+ hours to shine. Before that it was a tad tannic/closed still. At various times this one exhibited blue, red and black fruit. Tannic at 2 hours but gains weight, fluidity, smoothness and depth of fruit as it gains air. Floral, spicy, herbal at the outset and it all comes together at 4-5 hours of air. Glad to have more of this in the cellar for the next few years.....not anywhere near its potential/apex yet.

10/17/2023 - stschutz Likes this wine:

Extraordinary earthy tones on the nose and initial palate. Heart, big mouthfeel, gorgeous blood red color and long legs in the glass. Cork looked like it was born yesterday. I bought this on 8-8-17 and was stored in 60-66 degree natural mid-western Ohio cellar temperature since. Katie compared this to a beautiful girl coming straight out of the shower, wet, natural, if you can handle me then meet me there; you gotta know what you're looking for and want with me.! As compared to the gorgeous 2010 Opus we had alongside it that is more akin to the made up and beautiful model along the runway that is more open to a greater audience. These two wines are completely different wines.

10/19/2023 - Genghis88 wrote:

Dark burgundy, full bodied. Three hour decant.
Faint nose. Some dark fruit and leather but faint.
Sips..this is where the magic happens.
Still holding on to some youth. Some dark fruit residual notes, but mostly tertiary. Leather, baking spice, some oak, super smooth. Tannin has disappeared. Medium plus finish. Just an amazing wine. In it's zone right now. Drink or hold for two years. LOVE this wine.

Pizza and ribs by Britt....

10/15/2023 - ziavino wrote:

This is at least a few years away from entering its window, and even a long decant won't quite get you there. Decanted for 6 hours, and still ungiving. Notes of tart blackberry and black currant are overrun by a herd of grippy tannins, with tar and faint herbal notes lingering on the puckery finish. All that's to say the potential is here.

10/15/2023 - TJ1967 Likes this wine:

Entry level Carter, akin to an entry level Ferrari. enough said.

10/14/2023 - SMHalps Likes this wine:

Part of a super premium night with my wine group. The 2012 Shafer Hillside Select and the 2013 Hundred Acre Few and Far Between. They were both opened and decanted for about 90 minutes before pouring. Sometimes I'm hesitant to bring such wines to a restaurant because I'm usually pop 'n pouring, but I was able to get there very early, and the restaurant supplied me with the 2 decanters, and that made a big difference. For me, it is also easy to be disappointed in such expensive and highly rated wines. I'm happy to report that both wines lived up to their reputations, and ratings. For me, the Shafer was a hair or two better than the Hundred Acre. It had a touch more structure. As well as an incredibly long finish and beautiful fruit both on the nose and palate. I think the Shafer has many years of life ahead of it. FWIW, we were 6 people and 5 of us had the Hillside as their favorite.

10/13/2023 - Franken Berry Likes this wine:

Out to dinner with The Cyclist and IAMANDYC. Drank this alongside the Covert cab franc. I thought both were similar in weight and tone. I gave this an hour in the decanter, then back into the bottle, so maybe open for about 90 minutes before first pour. Deep magenta color, bright blue fruits and violets on the nose. Rich, lush blueberry fruits, finishing with subtle oak, vanilla and cedar, which seems to be the signature style of Trespass. Dry palate, tightly integrated tannins. Nicely balanced.

10/6/2023 - Frank Murray III wrote:

My final bottle of the iconic 05 SR PS. I've had nearly a case of this wine since it came out, and it's on my very short list of wine from my journey that has always been close to my heart. It just seemed to be there when I was in a place to be moved by it, many times this happening across different settings and groups. I've hung onto this last bottle for a long time, waiting to share it with the right setting. Last night we had a 'bring a special bottle' to dinner, and this was clearly the outlier amongst Haut Brion, Leflaive, Guigal. We arrayed it to the end, where it could be enjoyed as the closing wine of the 7 bottles we all had shared. I had the bottle stood up for a few days to settle the sediment. I decanted it about 2 hours before the meal, rinsed the bottle of the sediment and took to dinner. What's here now after close to 2 decades? Brewed coffee, vanilla and some heat in the aroma. Coffee, toffee, dark chocolate and blackberry are the wine's core, with Dave at the table saying there was something tropical too, like a coconut or pineapple. Ultimately, the wine is showing no fade to me, as there remains good intensity and concentration, and I suspect it can go another decade. Goodbye my friend, and thank to Kelly Petersen for all the good memories that come from a wine like this one.

9/27/2023 - camdawg Likes this wine:

We're all just receiving our allocations of the 2020 Galitzine, and I know it's too early to have one, but......I couldn't help myself. I had to see what we're all in for.

And we're in for one heck of a wine, whenever we decide to open it.

The tannins are definitely big at this early stage, you'll need to have it with very hearty food. But, if you have the bottle open for two hours before serving, the tannins will become much more finely grained, and you'll be able to enjoy the wine.

Professional reviewers have mentioned the big, complex nose. And I'm not sure even they do it justice. You get very strong red, blue, and black fruit. And some pencil shavings and crushed wet rock. It's coming in a bit hot - wrapped in some alcohol and very elegant oak.

Given enough time after opening, this has elegance on the palate though. But, you have to be a fan of larger wines to open this now. That said, it's worth what I paid, and then some. I know I'll completely enjoy my other bottles in the years to come. The score of 96 is kinda for drinking now. I'm sure in several years, it will fully deserve the high 90's scores the pros are giving it.

9/22/2023 - AGELVIS Likes this wine:

This is 80% aged in amphora. It was a late night pull, so my notes are scant (but the score is legit). 30-minute decant. Lots of cassis and Black Forest cake on the nose. Dry palate and good tannic structure on the longish finish.

9/23/2023 - Scottlmatthews Likes this wine:

The nose is predominantly grape fruit-reserved and not expected. Has a purple popsicles smell, with herbs (thyme ) and violet flowers. The palate is minuscule fruit, acid with soft tannins. Decanted for three hours. This wine is in a dumb phase, and does not live up to it’s 98+ points Wine advocate rating. Hold off drinking my other ‘13 for another 5 years.

9/23/2023 - Islamabadbadbad Likes this wine:

What a delicious beast. Opened and poured a glass and decanted the remainder of the bottle. Initially very tight and closed off. Appearance was brick red with some subtle clearing at the edges. Nose had cherry, pomegranate, graphite, cinnamon, whiff of green bell pepper. Palate was high in acid with a delayed but strong grippy tannin finish. Long finish. Notes of cherry, black peoper, graphite, iron, cassis, raspberry, leather jacket, baking spices. Very complex and constantly changing over the 4 hours I drank it. For me, it seemed to really open up and peaked around 2 hours. At this point the tannins and acid seemed to integrate a bit more and the above flavors and scents became more pronounced. This wine was still so young and vibrant, there was some secondary and hunts of teriary flavors, but I think it might still evolve over the next ten years, and probably has at least 20 left in its drinkin window.

9/19/2023 - AGELVIS Likes this wine:

90-minute decant. Very very deep ruby magenta color (more ruby than magenta). Black cherry, plum, truffle-dusted chocolate, freeze-dried raspberry tea, delicate peony, and subtle butterscotch. Dry, plush palate, with velvety, mouth-filling acidity. Full, round tannins on the longish finish.

This has aged very nicely. It’s elegant and complex. It’s perhaps missing a “wow factor” that prevents an even higher score, but it’s amazing for this price point.

9/15/2023 - Elkcims Likes this wine:

Splash decant, very good fruit forward with silky tannins. Saved half for Day 2 - it went south; had a metallic taste that took 90 minutes to dissipate. 94/93