February 25, 2023 - A touch less fresh than the 6/18/22 bottle. Drink up!
August 5, 2022 - Still hanging on, but I would drink up. Despite it being 20 years old, meat is still very friendly with this lovely wine. Glad I opened this.
June 18, 2022 - Similar to the 5/7/21 bottle.
May 28, 2021 - Good out of the bottle on first night but a bit simple vs. my memory of this wine. Corked it and reopened 2 days later and it was singing! Deep, dark, layers of flavors and really good complexity. Smooth but complex finish. Earthy and dark chocolate notes. "plus" body and nice graininess to it (maybe more dusty).
May 7, 2021 - Deep red color. Aromas of black currants and cherries, herbs and wood spices. Ripe fully integrated fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and length. At the far end of its peak drinking period but still very fresh and intact.
November 13, 2019 - More evolved than the '01, and '00 even. More forward and ripe compared to the two vintages aforementioned. Serious Cab that is nice and softer in a good window. Can drink now - 3 years maybe. Seducutive style of wine.
April 20, 2019 - Obtained when first shipped from someone who bought mail order in trade for something I bought mail order, but I do not know what I traded. Double decanted at about 3 pm, recorked and brought to a Passover Seder. Drank it at about 6pm. Very nice California Cabernet with mostly resolved tannins but it was just barely taking on tertiary flavors. The age was what it lost - disjointed baby fat - not yet what it gained. Nice fruit and some earthy mix of mushrooms and herbs. There was acidity at the back end that meant the wine did not die a soft and undistinguished death, thus leading to a long finish. Maybe 5-8 more years until it peaks.
March 4, 2019 - WIML93
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately. Followed over two hours.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of lavender, cassis, boysenberry and plum. Flavors of boysenberry, raspberry and tart berries. Tangy acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink now.
December 4, 2017 - Basically the same experience as my last bottle about 18 months ago and this wine is still vibrant and has many years left at peak. The best thing about this awesome wine is the purity of the fruit - it comes at you like a beam of light. Nice acidity to lengthen and energize the finish. Fragrant nose. Gave a 2014 BV Cult and 2013 O'Brien Reserve a run for the money, just edged out by the Cult but depending on your style preferences, this could be #1 on this evening.
July 3, 2017 - Deep garnet color, full bodied. Decanted 2 hours and softened a bit. Still has nice tannins and fruit. Long finish.