December 5, 2023 - Opened and decanted. Drank slowly over a few hours. Dark berries on the nose. The palate was blackberry, blueberry, plums, tree bark and a little spice. The finish was moderate to long and smooth.
December 31, 2022 - Lovely floral aromas. Dark burgundy nearly black in the glass. Tannins are still grippy with soft edges. Acidity is refreshing. Flavors of dark black fruit, blackberry and cassis. Finish is smooth and memorable.
December 26, 2021 - Served at a friend's family dinner, no formal notes.
Aromas of wet earth from a forest floor with dark, overripe strawberries and plums. It reminded me something like a fruit liqueur where there was a concentrated sweetness but it was a dull sweetness. There was also some damp oak, faded graphite and weathered stones.
Flavors of similar aged plums, already well integrated oak, dulled pencil lead and a smooth mineral finish. There is noticeable heat that picks up mid-palate.
This wine was thin on flavor and body, almost tastes and feels watered down.. sure, I picked out some flavors but there was nothing exciting about it. I wouldn't think a wine with 8 years of bottle age would already taste like it is past its peak. I was shocked and disappointed to hear the price tag on this, and seeing Dr. Crane on the bottle didn't help neither. Could be an off bottle though..
November 21, 2021 - By far the best of the 3 bottles.
March 14, 2020 - A nice bottle....$120 at auction. Don't think I'd pay more than that for this bottle. Nice red fruit, uplifting acidity. A tinge lighter weight in the mouth but it gets better with time in glass. Best at 1-2 hours of air. Solid wine, just nothing extra spectacular.
July 5, 2019 - Took over 3 hours to fully open up. On the palate blueberry, black plum, cassis , pencil lead, and minerals. This wine has at least 10 more years of great life in it.
November 4, 2018 - Pnp, drank over 5 hours. Tight for 1st hour, then chocolate covered dark berries, smooth tasting, yet still tight & youthful. Tasty now with a long decant, better to give it more time for richer rewards.
June 12, 2018 - PNP into big decanter, mild sediment. See my note about the MH bottling if this set. Going to put this back in the bottle for several days and rate again. On PNP though, this is already better then the MH and about equal to the To Kalon as I remember it. Tannins are a bit too astringent, but it’s got some body. I don’t think these are profound wines, but with some more bottle time they will be good wines. Poor QPR regardless.
Day 2: becoming more interesting, would elevate the rating a point. Saved a bit for day 3.
Day 3: while a bit better than day 2, this wine is still not too exciting. Bad QPR, but what can you do but try to enjoy once you’ve already bought it!
November 12, 2017 - pretty disappointing for price point. good wine, but faded on flavor/complexity/finish...some red pepper/black currant/cherry...but just not robust or overwhelming
September 8, 2017 - Sensuously textured, the wine offers tobacco, cigar wrapper, sweet, black cherries and hints of floral notes in the perfume. Opulent, refined and velvety, the fruit just feels like silk on your palate. With all the serious levels if intensity and concentration, everything runs smoothly as all is in perfect balance.