September 15, 2023 - Friday Night Uptown Brown Bagger (R&D's): Double blind. Garnet core with a lighter meniscus. Opens with a lovely herbal quality followed by red and black fruits, earth and perfumey floral elements. Full-bodied with softened tannin and flavors of mixed fruit. Absolutely lovely. (J&J)
May 10, 2023 - Dark fruits, dark chocolate, green peppers on the nose. Alcohol seems high, despite 13.5% printed on the bottle. Nice vanilla and dark fruits hit the palate, then come the bitter dark chocolate and sweet tannins with a medium-long finish. I think the alcohol, sweetness, tannins and finish masks the touch emptiness of the mid-palate. Lovely wine, and it’s not their Grand Vin.
51% CS, 40% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. 1,700 cases produced.
Not sure why the drinking window ends on 2020, but I think no problem for it to go another 5 to 10 years, or even longer; the acidity, alcohol and tannins will keep it alive.
January 12, 2023 - My first and only bottle. Sadly.
Cedar. Tobacco, tar, graphite, sage notes hit balanced and strong. A touch of bret at the end. Muscular beauty of weight. No fruit evident at this time. Could be a 1986 paulliac first or second growth. .
It was a great wine to pair with Mediterranean ground beef with cherry tomatoes and French green beans with cumin, cayenne, oregano sage, tarragon....
Got lucky.
August 21, 2020 - This last bottle was best. No need for decant, seemed deeper and flashier than last time. Elegant, rich, Bordeaux style; still has vibrant acid and soft tannins to spare so 5 years+ left. Berries, chocolate cake, tobacco, saddle leather, cassis and oak. Very strong wine for second (or third) wine from Lou. Cheers
July 29, 2020 - terrific. been in my cellar for many years and finally having it for the first time. a very enjoyable baby Kapscandy. blackberry, raspberry, some dark chocolate, tobacco. very grippy tannins but enjoyable. perfume is a bit more muted and contrasts with the mouthful which is bursting with great flavor. the acidity profile is strong and balanced and makes this more Bordeaux like to me. at 13.5% alcohol, no overt heat. this tasted borderline young bordeaux with a more fruit forward profile. yum!
May 31, 2020 - My last bottle, almost three years ago, was quite muted and austere. I don’t know if bottle variation or time accounts for tonight’s outstanding showing. Rich black currant and black cherry notes, in deep and intense layers, slightly exotic. I nabbed these for $80, still a good qpr despite the prior disappointment, given how lovely this is. Should hold for 5+ years.
April 3, 2020 - Good wine, not so good QPR. Light weight, soft, leather and more red fruit than black, which is nice, but just not that interesting for the price.
January 31, 2020 - Lots of black fruits. Blackberries, black currants, and black cherries in the nose with leather, earthiness, tobacco, and hints of spice. The flavor was similar to the nose with hints of chocolate as well. Medium to full bodied with nice balance and a medium to long finish
September 6, 2019 - Very solid wine. Bought this at the winery during long tasting afternoon years ago. Berries, tobacco leaf, tea, licorice, med plus finish. Was softer, more lush texturally in mouth on day 2. Some astringency but that’s Lou’s goal - old world wines from Napa fruit. Quite enjoyable bottle.
April 21, 2019 - Pnp
Nose was a little muted but showed some decent fruit
Palate was ok, not a great wine but certainly a well made wine.
Finish was medium length.
An inoffensive wine that would disappear fast at a social gathering.
The QPR doesn't inspire a buy again rating, though at a lower price I would buy it again.