March 6, 2017 - Seems like we missed the optimum drinking plateau. Nothing noteworthy to report about this last bottle from my cellar. Pleasant but not varietally meaningful or memorable.
Sorry, it was much better in its youth.
November 20, 2016 - A lazy sunday afternoon (Eric&Megan's): Nose: The nose is rich with black cherries, spices, vanilla notes, liqueur tones, black raspberries, and licorice.
Taste: Full bodied with medium tannins and medium- acidity. The feel is lush with the tannins playing a supporting role along with black cherries, vanilla, black raspberries, and licorice.
Overall: This is a very good Malbec blend that has some age on it. I don't think it's really gone anywhere of note, but it hasn't fallen off a cliff. It's more smooth around the edges with an upfront style.
November 20, 2016 - Still dark and intense with some oak tones, but the structure is nicely balanced at this point and while fruit forward, age has softened it to not be jammy. Showing a touch more vanilla than I might prefer, but the bit of graphite to it is nice. Tasty sipper. Drink in the next couple years.
January 12, 2014 - Wife liked it much more than I. Strong tannins
October 28, 2011 - Decanted for 1,5 hour.
Lots of cassis on the nose along with some vanilla and oak. Big, ripe, full bodied and oaky wine. It's also very astringent and alcoholic on both nose and palate...it seems to have more than 14,5% alcohol. A little unbalanced at this stage with harsh tannins. This is too concentrated, extracted and alcoholic. It might have its admirers bit it's not to my taste. Good, but not great.
July 12, 2011 - Inky purple and exploding with fruit. Yet not overwhelming. Good choice with barbecue or a hamburger. Perfect for those occasions when its more about the company than the wine. Not crazy about the QPR. Would not be at the top of my list at this price point, but I did enjoy the wine.
May 30, 2011 - Good smooth dark bitter chocolate wine. I like it.
July 16, 2010 - Reading winegr's note, I just say "ditto" to all of it. Not my type of wine to begin with, but it did grow on me a little bit, especially with time. Ditto hot. Ditto nice underlying fruit that pokes through at times. Ditto better second day. Just not my style.
June 8, 2010 - Ok, so the nose on this wine is massively oaky with gobs of sweet vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, mocha, blueberry pie, cedar; you name it, it's got it. Although the nose suggests an extremely modern overoaked and over-extracted wine, the wine enters surprisingly light (although by no means light, just lighter than expected) Not as syrupy thick as some other Argentinean hot messes. Black fruit, figs, plum, dusty chocolate notes, smoke, burnt toast. This is not a simple wine, what it lacks in refinement in balance, it more than makes up for in complexity and length. Not to mention a solid tannic structure with a...decent acidity that is quite hidden by the huge fruit and oak but still present. This will lay down for a decade, but a great wine in this modern style category. I think Argentinean grass fed beef would be too demure for this wine, a nice fatty grain fed cut of American beef like a ribeye or porterhouse is needed to not be completely overshadowed by the fruit, tannins, and oak that this wine showcases. Mmm, a black pepper crusted 20oz cowboy ribeye sounds good right about now.
June 8, 2010 - Night 1: 89-90. Too much oak and alcohol and not great upon open, but some nice underlying acidity and minerally undertones after a little air that are compelling. Not overly ripe, although it is ripe. Close to being a 90+ point wine if not for the Michel Rolland oak monster effect. Still quite nice. I would guess it may be better night 2.
Night 2: Yep, nice wine that just never quite comes together. Nice profile, a bit clipped on the finish. A bit too much oak and too much alcohol, but less night 2. 88-91. Slightly too monolithic. Seems like it should be 90+, but just doesn't quite make it.