July 21, 2023 - PnP for the lack of a decanter and I’m glad we did. Just letting it open up in the glass while having a picnic with a river in front of us in Tennesee was quite an experience. The body is medium plus, with a black fruit, moca, tabacco and a French feeling. Great palate and long lingering finish.
This should drink great for the next 8-10 years.
July 23, 2022 - So elegant, with lots of blue fruit and hints of secondary flavors. Still singing on day 2.
March 8, 2021 - Washington State Blind Tasting (Grapes & Grains, Temecula, CA): Tasted blind. Incorrectly identified as Cabernet Franc.
The person who brought this was very disappointed that this showed much more unripe, green pepper pyrazine character than he expected. I embraced it but after reading others' reviews, I do wonder if our bottle had good provenance.
December 23, 2020 - Aged very well with soft tannins but great structure. Earthy with black cassis, cherry. Very rich and full bodied.
December 18, 2019 - Way too young to drink now. Not sure how everyone is ranking this vintage so highly
November 14, 2019 - Double blind Cab based wine tasting (Eddie V's - Tysons Corner, VA): Expressive nose displaying sweet red, blue and black fruit, cherry pie, blackberry, black cherry, lead pencil, incense, sweet spices and earth. Medium concentration, ripe red and blue fruit, silky and polished, good acidity and mineral and a medium to long ripe red fruit driven finish with lead pencil and sweet spices at the end. This taste like a $30-40 Modern Bordeaux that is very ripe and trying too hard.
November 14, 2019 - Dark sweet red and black fruits, wet earth, clove, smoked tobacco, spice box, great balance, tasted double blind in a flight with 2 bordeaux's which this wine stood right with. It lacked some mid-palate but overall was very good and is drinking well with 30 min of air.
January 27, 2019 - 5 hours in decanter plus took another 2 in glass to truly open up to potential. Drinking wonderfully if you have this kind of patience. Almost cab franc like with blue fruits and richness. Cedar and menthol. Tar. Vanilla. A little hot with alcohol. Not jammy or over extracted like modern wines can be. Drinking nicely. Long finish, almost meaty. I had the 2012 as well and would rate it slightly higher, at least for right now.
April 9, 2018 - Wow! A fully bodied wine that still gives complex palate with silky, smooth and extremely long finishing.
December 17, 2017 - Much more open than expected, cassis, red currants, cherry, cinnamon, amazing purity of fruit, silky mouthfeel and a finish that goes on for 45 seconds.