March 8, 2024 - On the nose the age is evident… with tertiary characteristics of earth, tobacco & almost a garrigue note.
Dark cherry & some green pepper from the Cab Franc. (damn you, IBMP!)
Lots of complexity here - surprisingly high acidity, too - makes me think there's still more years ahead for this vintage.
January 17, 2024 - Over a few days. Not so much green as others have found, but a bit too fruit forward for my taste, best on day three maybe. Think i will wait and hope things find a new balance.
March 1, 2023 - Absolutely amazing right now! Well balanced. Hints of dark fruit, soft tannins and a wonderful finish. Need to find more!!
November 26, 2022 - Much better the second day, on opening there is a strong blackberry aftertaste, similar to the 15.
October 29, 2022 - A bit green, as noted by other reviewers, but not overly so, IMO.
September 23, 2022 - There is a greenness to this wine that is just not going away. It hasn’t come together the way I would imagine the winemaker would have likely hoped - either a fruit issue or a technical winemaking issue as the weather in 2016 should have resulted in a full and vibrant Nota Bene.
April 26, 2022 - Molto Bene Nota Bene! (Vino Loco & Lolo's Seaside Tasting Lodge): Part of an eight vintage vertical tasting. Oh boy, not good. Pyrazines through the roof on the nose. Vegetal green bell pepper and pickled green bean. For the record, 2016 was a long warm growing year. A very good vintage for the books. Pyrazines typically suggest that the core fruit was underripe. And underripe in your flagship blend?! This is perplexing and somewhat disappointing. The atypical low alcohol (13.5%) may be a clue to underripe fruit. The 2016 Black Hills Syrah has also been a disapointment. Underripe fruit is a vineyard issue and possibly a "too early" call on the winemaker's part. Very little can be done to correct this in the winery. And additional time in the cellar is not going to remedy the condition. There was a decent wine under this "green cloak" but hard to enjoy. This was the group's least preferred wine.
February 12, 2022 - Really good.
July 5, 2021 - This wine is finally starting to come together and the restraint on the alcohol is allowing the fruits to shine through. Dark cherries and pomegranate. Lovely mouthfeel. If this wine can maintain its integrity it will be something to hold on to. The bottle variation is quite something though, so have measured expectations!
July 2, 2021 - There is a delicate complexity to this wine and it's particularly enjoyable to have a Bordeaux blend at only 13.5% ABV. Interesting floral notes, red berry fruit, and notes of cedar. Delicious.