December 12, 2022 - Excellent out of the bottle, but splash decanted for posterity. Fantastic from start to finish. Absolutely ready to go. Would drink now or in the next 2 -5 years
April 17, 2021 - Man, some of y’all are splitting hairs. Not a great QPR but a darn good Cab...
February 11, 2020 - Blind Bordeaux vs Cali Cab (Bobby Van's): kind of flabby at this stage. Very ripened fruit. tough to show well with an evening of stellar wines.
February 11, 2020 - Feels young. No development. Black fruit. Fresh. Some herbaceousness on finish.
It was fine on own but isn’t a standout in comparison to other Cabs of the evening.
I’m not sure you are seeing development at this stage. Thouh the fruit is still there. Black berry fruit.
November 1, 2019 - What am I waiting for I asked myself this evening and after reading the last person’s review.
Cork came out with hardly any wine on it. Just the flat bottom with tinge if purple stain and lots of dried tartaric acid. Almost looks like a layer of sand with slight purple coloration. Has been stored on side for many years.
Appearance - beautiful vibrant deep ruby. Clear. Tartrate particles left as residue in glass after you finish it.
Nose - (I have decanted now but out of bottle it was very vibrant)
Medium plus, black fruit. Very ripe. Some spearmint. Brambly fruit. Getting alcohol. Youthful. Getting some wet leaves. Blueberry. Jammy. Sweet. Alcohol on nose. The burn.
Palate - youthful, very vibrant, tannins are very alive..inside gums. Fruit is medium plus, it really opens up on mid palate. Bitterness from stems and the tannins. Tea bag. Alcohol feels medium. Acidity medium. Finish is medium plus. Body is medium.
Will be interesting to see how it develops with air. Not to be confused with anything old world. It’s fresh ripe fruit. Feels balanced. Not getting much development at this stage. Nothing that screams anything “terroir” to me. With air the nose is really getting fragrant. Medium plus or more. I do think air is needed for this wine. Getting baking spices. It’s a big wine in terms of ripeness notes with medium body. So maybe that is where it falls short. Do the bones support the eventual fading fruit (not at this moment but perhaps longer aging) and are you left with something flat? Stay tuned for any updates....
October 25, 2019 - Fading fast. No tannins left. Fruit is dimming.
February 3, 2019 - Needed 1-2 hours in decanter. Rich nose that developed over that time. Complex on palate.
May 26, 2018 - Decanted 2 hours. Awesome.
July 6, 2017 - Drinks like a Napa cab, very rich and full mouthfeel. Classic Napa cab type notes with some oak presence. Paired well with smoked ribs.
March 18, 2017 - Needed to open up for about 2 hours to fully enjoy. Was perfect with steaks. It is big with notes of dark/black fruit.