March 15, 2024 - Drank from a magnum. 2-3 hour decant. Drank fine, but very tight and tasted as young as a 2018 I sampled last fall. Hold this one another 3-5 years, folks, it needs more time. Especially in large format. It will be worth the wait. I was so stupid to open it when I did.
March 3, 2024 - 3.5 hours decant. Beautiful nose with black fruit, cigar wrapper and a little licorice. Smooth with silky tannins and a long finish. Really hitting is stride. Glad I have two more as this one has years to go.
July 28, 2023 - Wow, fantastic wine! Drinking great now, but has many years left if you want to hold on to it. Drank over a couple of hours and improved in the decanter.
July 1, 2023 - Purple/magenta, going strong 3.5 hours in a Zalto. Intoxicating notes of toasted black fruits, blackberry liqueur, scorched cedar, spices, cigar wrapper, freshly roasted coffee beans , crushed pavement and smoke. Very tightly knit, so well put together, ripe tannins on long finish.
Paired with chicken, naan and first born’s 10th birthday weekend (July 3, 2013) 🍷
April 10, 2023 - Dinner with Jim Walters at S&S
April 9, 2023 - Enjoyed w/ Easter dinner after a 3+ hour decant. May still improve with time…but why wait???
April 9, 2023 - Decanted for 5 hours and we were lucky we let it sit for that long because this thing was wound up until hour 5. The tannins were huge and then integrated with the dark fruits as the night went on. The 13s are still very tight which means I won't pop my next 2013 Cardinale for a couple more years.
February 9, 2023 - A vertical with 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2013. This showed the most potential. Was the most polished and well rounded. Still needs at least 3 hours in the decanter. Still a few years out from peak and will drink well for 2 decades.
October 1, 2022 - After a three hour decant, the 2013 Cardinale was mostly—but not fully—open, and still a little tannic on the finish. Blackberry, citrus oil, charcoal, Chile pepper, and for several sips, a woman’s perfume (without a perfumed woman standing near). I look forward to another bottle or two, but several years from now.
December 4, 2021 - Three-hour decant. Drinking well now - still youthful, soft tannins, good acidity so eat with food that pairs well (I had w steak), good dark fruit with floral overtones. Medium finish. QPR win? Not really but a solid offering and delicious Napa cab.