March 30, 2024 - A bottle from the recent library release. Opened in the morning and recorked; poured ~10 hours later. This improved with time open. Bit of cool greenness on the nose that adds interest. Black cherry and coffee. Drank alongside the 2019 and while there was a clear lineage between the wines, this was much more savory and resolved. In a good spot to drink now.
February 12, 2024 - From the recent library release. This bottle was definitely alive, and improved with air. It had a quality of slightly underripe plum on the palate -- skin-y with a punch of acid -- which paired well with food. There are certainly some tertiary elements, but they add balance and have not yet overwhelmed the fresh fruit in this bottle.
August 5, 2022 - Past its prime. Sorry to find it here.
April 13, 2020 - Not much of a nose to it. Strong acidity, black cherry in background but lacking overall fruit. Unfocused without the layers and balance that one would hope for in this wine. Finish was acidic and unimpressive. I would try this again in 5 years if someone offered me a pour, but wonder where the velvety tannins are from others reviews... -Cincinnati, Ohio 4-13-20.
April 6, 2020 - Deep ruby red. A bit of damp earth on the nose with some perfumed herbs and black currants. Medium acidity (6/10) with a medium body. Rounded palate with earthiness, red currants, cherries and a bit of clay. Long finish. Drink till 2030.
September 19, 2019 - Had this blind - Guessed california, but didn't guess cab. brighter, floral, still young and had grapey elements of youth, but with a swirl was very nice. Primary, but like tghe profile here.
March 8, 2019 - Done in a very pure style, with exceptional balance and some serious capacity for aging. Just-ripe blackberry, sage, rosemary, black cherry, granite, very aromatic, acidity well balanced with velvety tannins. Finish unwinds and lengthens with air, 40ish sec. 92++. At Hall’s Chophouse in Columbia, SC
December 1, 2018 - Really good. Less fruit than I recall from a couple years ago. Beautifully aromatic - herbal, blackberry... Great balance. Perfect with northern Italian meal.
November 4, 2018 - Gave this 5h slow ox then 1 hour decant. It’s made in the “old” Cali style of the 70s/80s, or perhaps Mayacamas of today, or obviously Bdx. Low ripeness, low extraction, moderate oak. Shows beautiful freshness and clarity of terroir and fruit, with nice secondary notes. This is a little unfocused at the moment with the acid a touch too strong. But overall it’s a fantastic and refreshing bottle swimming amongst an ocean of oak and extraction. I will pop my other bottle in 5 years.
August 30, 2018 - Maybe the Burgundian bottle should have given me a clue that this was something different. It is a gorgeous, elegant Cabernet. Madly aromatic and mineraled, gentle and balanced on the palate. Cassis and tobacco, and a surprising red cherry. Energetic and fun, more acidic than tannic, heavenly not heavy.