October 5, 2022 - After 9 years in the cellar this was just ok. Over ripe, dark and dank, with a hint of oxidation.
July 15, 2022 - Truly amazing! Dark purple/garnet hue; blackberries and damp forest on the nose; delightful soft tannins play with rich black fruit, currants, blackberries and cigar box. Excellent! Sad that I have only one more bottle!
June 13, 2022 - not sure what's going on here....this was really good and far exceeded my expectations. Soft crushed stones, dusty cherries, lavender, blueberries...long finish. softened tannins and full of flavor. dark purple and opened in 20 mins.
February 27, 2022 - Still drinking well, but not for much longer.
August 11, 2020 - caramel golden ruby color; sweet, cigar box crushed blackberry nose; Superbly enjoyable cassis, blackberry, blueberry crush with a port-like aftertaste. So delicious, most definitely peaking. I'm so glad I still have two more bottles to drink. I'll be sure to do so by the end of the year. Absolutely fabulous!
June 4, 2019 - My last one. Was a great run, showing absolutely perfect right now. No heat, just earthy ripeness and that grand Napa fruit.
May 3, 2019 - Same notes as before. This wine's singing right now and should hold through 2022 or better.
March 24, 2019 - Last public notes of 2017 (which I agreed with at the time) prove to have only documented a dumb stage in the wine's evolution, per a lively bottle we opened last night. Rich and warm with an iron-like minerality on lively but leathery black cherry and blackberry fruit, it's a beautifully aged old-school Cal Cab and it's not done yet. We drank one glass than finished the rest of the bottle a day later. Likely entering a peak phase but no rush.
October 16, 2017 - Good not great but enjoyable to drink. Not much depth at this point and the fruit has faded since last bottle, it’s definitely on its way down, but age keep up its interest.
August 11, 2017 - Easy drinking, mature CalCab.