June 23, 2020 - 26 years. Won’t get any better but good fruit, blackberry, plum, some leather and herbs. Drying tannins on the finish not noticeable when having with food. Did not consume whole bottle first night and second night wine had really opened up with bold fruit aromas and flavors which subdued mild astringency - lovely. By third night more faded and more steamy tannins. In testing experiment.
July 29, 2018 - Garent color with good saturation to the rim. Nose of dark fruit, graphite, and cigar box. Definitely a bit herbal, but not green. Med palate with good acidity and some tannin left. In a leaner style -- more European than Napa. Not bad, but not great.
July 4, 2018 - Similar to my 11/2017 note. Though showing some real barnyard here.
January 11, 2017 - Completely resolved tannins, deep and plush black fruit: cassis and dark plums, with a menthol tar-like accent. Inthe mouth the wine is velvety smooth, flavors of graphite, sweet earth, and cassis are woven seamlessly with each other with a long finish that evolves in the mouth. I'd put this against any $50-100.00 1994 Napa Valley cab. or Bordeaux. Such a well done wine- rather, it scratches all my itches for either.
July 26, 2016 - Decanted for about 20 minutes to service. A well matured cabernet, the wine poured garnet in color, good transparency and moderate bricking. Notes of dried herbs, fermented tobacco, and currant. on the nose. In the mouth the wine is explosive on the palate, there is still a vibrant fruit acidity in the wine, which echoes all of the flavors found in the nose as well as one particular flavor of star anise. The wine is still drinking very well, but I'd think that it's best to drink 'em up now.
October 25, 2015 - Sadly corked
September 27, 2015 - W duck leg ragout on polenta. Yummy! Did not expect much from the wine at 21 yrs but it was great, drank like an aged bordeaux with good life left. Nose was elegant, color was wonderrfully young still, it showed age but mostly young. On palate good fruit although after two hors it started to fade. Good finish but no signs of over the hill. Probable wont last another 5 years. Great experience though!!
January 11, 2014 - Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Tasted double blind. Very interesting aromatic start with good spice well balanced with mature black fruit. Far less interesting flavors. Very short, very simple. 87-88 point nose. 82-83 point palate.
July 23, 2011 - 4th Saturday Group brown bagger (Our house): Garnet core, lighter edge. Notes of tobacco, beef bouillon and dark fruit. Medium-bodied and well-balanced, with flavors of dark fruit, tobacco and herbs. 92-93 pts. Guessed Napa Cab.
October 29, 2010 - this was actually still pretty good. for our anniversary 16!!! with steak in rhinebeck. good fruit good finish wine with good memories for many years.