March 28, 2024 - QPR off the charts if you bought at release.
45 min of air after a shake decant.
Smoke, Asian spice, black cherry, black raspberries, red raspberries, herbal and faint mineral backbone, tannins at bay, oak integrated. Fruit still at the forefront even at 12 yrs, this was awesome. Even Mrs Geaux gushed on this one, remarking that she now understands why we cellar this stuff. While there may be some bottle variation based on past notes, this was a lottery win! Best bottle to date!
September 13, 2023 - PnP and ready from the start, but hit peak drinking at 90 min. Hints of tertiary earthy notes starting to creep into a lovely floral perfume, black cherry, red raspberry, black raspberry, blackberry beauty. Faint notes of empty cigar box and saddle leather compliment. Oak and tannins integrated, plenty of acid to keep the fruit fresh for a couple more years. I plan to finish off my last three bottles by 2027 (1 x year). 94 to start, 96 at finish. This is a wine I wish I would hate, but love even more everytime I have it.
July 29, 2023 - Opened and into a decanter. A little worry that the cork crumbled, which required some surgery, but those worries were forgotten quickly. Threw off a lot of sediment. Deep black with red tinge, no signs of bricking. Nice glycerin feel across the palate.
Delicious from the get go. Intense aromas and flavors that really surprised us for a 10+ yr old wine. Florals, dried blueberries, macerated blueberries, plum, black cherry, mint chocolate, tilled soil, Asian spice. No hard edges and oak and tannins have integrated completely. This reminded me of my experiences with the ‘07s and their development.
Medium finish. I think this is definitely in the zone and maybe at or slightly past peak, but no rush to drink between now and 2027. Much better showing than my last bottle.
March 22, 2023 - PnP. Early notes of black olive and anise, along with some VA blew off within 15 min, leaving a nicely integrated beauty. Came across as elegant for a Buccella. Blackberry, black raspberry, red raspberry, hint of spice. Medium to long finish. In the zone, no need to hold, this bottle did not have the acid level I would expect, not sure if an off bottle or an indication the drinking window ends sooner rather than later. Guess I will have to pop another soon in the name of science.
December 27, 2022 - Purple power monster. Ready to drink NOW. This is not a Bordeaux and you dont buy this for tertiary flavors, you buy it because you like fruit, oak, alcohol, and power. Drink 2023-2025 and decant for a couple of hours. There is no way to dislike this wine if you want pure hedonism. Old world fans please stay 30 feet away from this wine !
October 28, 2022 - Out of a magnum. Deep purplish and ruby red. With just a little air this really starts singing. Layered with crushed dark chocolate, blackberries, cassis and a bit of baking spices. A gritty like texture on the palate with medium plus tannins (6.5/10) and medium plus to full bodied. Similar notes on the palate with some black cherries and graphite. Long finish. Drink till 2033.
September 14, 2022 - Mag. Outstanding. Decanted 2+ hours.
September 4, 2022 - PnP and ready from the start. Black and blue fruited beauty with no hard edges anywhere. Blackberry, black raspberry, black cherry, blueberry, hint of char and dark chocolate. This is now in the zone, no need to wait. Got better with air, but also went quick. I’ll start accelerating my way through the remaining six bottles.
January 6, 2022 - 5th bottle of a case purchased on release and now a little over two years since my last bottle. 2 hr decant and needed as this thing kicked off a ton of bottle dirt!
Oh Buccella how I missed thee! It has been way too long!
Initial nose- floral perfume, fresh crushed black cherries and black raspberries, hint of blueberries, dark chocolate -such a heavenly delight!
On the palate, similar reddish black fruit notes, good mid palate, long finish, but a distracting sour/tart note that acts as a speed bump along the way. Mrs Geaux noticed it too but we couldn’t figure it out. (Bitter chocolate was our eventual conclusion).
96 on the nose, 93 on the palate, maybe more air will smooth this out.
As we drink through the bottle over the course of two hours notes of cherry bubblegum appeared in the bitter chocolate noted above seem to dissipate the finish went on forever.
Oak and tannins integrated but plenty of acid and fruit says this has many years left. Not as many secondary or tertiary notes as I would have thought.
At the three hour mark this really hit a stride—the interrupted finish gone, everything is now integrated and marching in harmony. Last glass was the best (but full of dirt, I did a terrible decanting job).
I had wanted this to be the Buccella of yesteryear, and in the end it got pretty darn close. 97 points. I love it and can’t wait to see where this goes with a few more years.
August 19, 2021 - Double decanted and sat for an hour. Drank it side by side with a 2002 Buccella CS that was opened the night before.
A vibrant, dark purple color. Black plum, cherry and heavy black pepper jump out of the glass. The tannins are medium plus and typical for this vintage. I’m very optimistic about this wine and think it will age very well after drinking it with the 2002 (see my 2002 tasting note). Upgrading my 2002 rating from a 91 to a 93.