April 2, 2024 - Fifth time tasted since 2012. Some brown edges, more translucent than before. Prominent but soft cassis and lead pencil aromas, slightly herbal and mocha elements, complex. Very round, smooth and elegant flavors, not a powerful full-bodied wine, but nicely balanced sweet cassis fruit. Medium long aftertaste. By evening the fruit had mostly faded. It's past its prime. Drink up, no prior decanting needed, best to drink within 2-3 hours of opening.
Ric
January 27, 2024 - Decanted for 30 minutes. Loads of black fruit, mocha, and pencil lead. Easily good to go for another decade to 15 years. Really nice cab.
December 14, 2023 - Part of a steakhouse dinner. This was not decanted prior and was PnP at the table. There is a lot of sediment and this really needs a good 60-90min in the decanter to wake up. Note copied below. 15.4% ABV
"Relatively quiet nose. Palate is full bodied with dried cherry and some red clay earth. Finish is quite long and persistent. Wasn’t blown away by this prized bottle. Excellent quality but probably not for me. 94 quality"
April 4, 2021 - Wow! Much more rounded and complex than expected. Intense, dark fruit, a bit more oak than more recent vintages. Great!
February 27, 2021 - Opened and decanted for about 12 hours before rebottling and bringing to the wine event. I do love Jayson's work and no different here although to be fair this was prob a baby killing. Could certainly go for another 20+ years and I think might give it time to get more balance with the fruit and develop some more secondary. What I love about his wines is while they are big and powerful and plush there's just that right amount of acid that pulls them back from the brink. Enjoyable.
October 16, 2020 - . upon opening sweet cherries with a hint of tobacco , long legs . first sip besides cherries , hint of pear and rasberries in the words of my wife: "it doesnt get much better than this"
we dont have much experience with Cabs like this, but feel like it is in the perfect drinking window . Enjoy
July 24, 2020 - CT avg rating for this wine is 95 pts and that seem just about right to me Very well made. Might have been too big in its youth but now it is balanced and seductive while still showing some power. Fruit holds the tannins in check. Complex and nuanced for a cult cab. Would drink over the next 2-3 ears to see this at its best.
April 27, 2020 - Tasted with 1999 La Sirena and 2013 MDV from Dalla Velle. This was excellent but our least favorite. Slight browning at the edges, now a bit translucent. Dark, rich cassis aromas, moderately pronounced, overtones of oak. Still has full-bodied dark fruit flavors but a bit coarse and still moderate tannin, not as smooth as the other two wines. I don't think it will get any better but should last a few more years.
Ric
March 26, 2019 - Dark and opaque. Somewhat reserved aroma of dark fruits. Rich and full-bodied flavors, very long aftertaste. Excellent balance. Outstanding cabernet, at its peak, very long aftertaste. Should last many more years.
Ric
June 17, 2018 - Sweet, vanilla oak. Rich silky mouthfeel with a ripe raspberry, blackberry and cassis. Lengthy finish with beautiful grace but a hedonistic punch. Dances on the palate. Blackberry cobbler and vanilla ice cream. Lovely wine. Many years to go.