November 20, 2020 - Weird and unenjoyable at first but finally smoothed out and was good after 3+ hours of being open in the bottle. I should have poured it into a decanter to speed things up. Overall, I think this is best enjoyed much younger after tasting many bottles both young and with bottle age.
October 8, 2020 - Pleasant but undistinguished cab. A little beyond peak?
September 30, 2020 - Dark fruits and pepper play on the nose. The wine is medium+ bodied, beautifully balanced, and dry. The palate features notes of blackberry, dark cherry, black currant, pencil shaving, oak, and tobacco. Hints of herbs on the long finish.
Still drinking well but I wouldn't wait much longer.
August 10, 2020 - Opened to cook with but after being open for a while it was drinkable.
February 16, 2020 - Médium body and good price. Solid but definetly not super exciting.
September 13, 2019 - Better
August 28, 2019 - Fruits noirs, cassis et mures avec
de l'eucalyptus mais pas dominant.
Tanins charnus et finale longue
avec un peu de chauffe.
August 11, 2019 - Hits the QPR value button with nice dark cassis and berry fruits and decent balance, with just enough mint, mocha and tobacco notes to make it interesting, punches above average.
June 28, 2019 - Thin body, slightly "green" tasting
April 5, 2019 - Private Preserve after Day 1
C.S. 85% & Merlot 15% "...planted on soils derived from granite in different degrees of decomposition with extensive areas of moderate depths of red clay & little organic matter. 45% of the wine was aged in 1st-use FR oak barrels for 8 mos." 13.5% ABV, 4.50 g/L R.S., 3.45 g/L T.A., & 3.48 pH; 50,000 cases imported.
N: Vanilla slightly atop cherries with undertones of dill? Earth (poss) & leather with swirling/addt'l air
P: LM body; NICE, almost swtish frt met by some astringent pucker which loses the BULK of its bite by the fairly LONG, VERY slightly bitterish, very, VERY slightly tangy finish to the firming, very, VERY fine tannins. // Day 2: Held BETTER than expected! :) Drink now, but I'm guessing with sufficient stuffing to last into EARLY '22, should you so choose. My EXC- given the QPR of this. 90 pts WS & #42/Top 100 for '16 @ $13, 88 pts Good Cheap Vino, 86 Vinous (Raynolds), & 85 WA. [Early Aug 2019's wine-searcher still shows this various places from $9.90-$12.54.]
Note: Also tasted 7/3, 9/8, & 12/13/17, + 4/22/2018