December 17, 2021 - This bottle was singing. Sour cherries, pepper. Medium long finish.
October 9, 2020 - Licorice
June 14, 2018 - It had a rich, powerful bouquet of black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, licorice, pepper and spice aromas. The palate was rich, powerful and jammy with flavors of black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, licorice, spice and minerals.
June 9, 2017 - Nice nose - bit tight, drink up.
February 28, 2017 - Opaque purple in color. 13.7% ABV which is somewhat surprising given the era and the producer. Brambly nose of red and blue fruits, anise and creosote. Medium body with medium acidity. A different beast if Turley Zin is your benchmark but compelling nonetheless. Blueberries, cherries, black tea and earth on the palate. The finish is long and lush with fine grained tannins. For $25 or so this is hard to beat. Drink over the next 1-3 years.
November 29, 2016 - Nice smoke notes in the nez, with flavors that are strappy and lean, mouth cleansing acid and cracked pepper with cranberry and wet wool notes (brett?). Not unpleasant but a food wine for sure.
May 5, 2016 - A charbono that tastes and smells like a zin, except with brighter acidity, a bit less pepper, and much lower alcohol.
Tasty, not terribly complex, but very easy drinking. Decidedly less good on the 2nd day (with a vacuum), so drink up once you open it.
February 28, 2016 - Tasted blind would have guessed something Italian like a Barbera. Darker purple/black coloring but thinner/lighter mouthfeel than the color makes you think is coming. Paired with pot roast, since that's what you're supposed to do. Fresh wine, easy drinker. Not one that needs contemplation.
January 17, 2016 - Tasted over 2 days. Definitely settled down after opening for several days. Tart dark berries, medium acidity. Diminished mid, not much finish. Interesting wine, something different.
November 26, 2015 - Good break from big wine, cherry, acid leather notes.