September 8, 2023 - very nice wine. drinking beautiful.
the nose black current and berries , a hint of saddle leather and forest floor on the palate rich cherries , very smooth with a long finish
September 3, 2022 - Napa Cab Afternoon (DV Central): Part of a Napa Cabs tasting double-decanted and blind.
Inky purple black. Intense nose that almost made one think this was a Cote Rotie with the macerated berries, roasted meat and florals. But any similarity to Syrah was quickly eradicated on the palate. This was squarely premium Cabernet with black currants, amarena cherries, baking spice (mace and vanilla?), rosemary and mint. Fullest body of any of the wines poured. 30sec+ finish. Well made. Thanks CW. Three way tie for WOTN.
March 23, 2022 - Very nice cab that was building body and intensity with air. Probably drank too quickly otherwise might have added a point or two if it had time to fully blossom. Regardless, it had nice balance, flavor and glided over the palate. Agree with Jeb's "silky" descriptor. A 2017 Daou Mayote also enjoyed that night may have hurt this a bit as it was more dynamic.
February 6, 2022 - Gifted by MichiganDogs from our tasting a few weeks ago. Decanted 2 hours but really needed another 2 in order to bring its best to the dance......at that point this is every bit of a 94 and may have improved further but I finished it right at I was wrapping up getting my ass kicked at dominoes by Mrs. HMC. (I think she cheats.....or she's a savant). Nice weight by then in the mouth and the fruit really blossomed with blended tannins and matching acidity. Great balance. Thanks for the nice bottle Mdogs!
September 12, 2021 - 3 years since my last bottle. Still really nice wine, hint of age on it. No formal notes as I had with wings and pizza after the Eagles game.
February 14, 2021 - Two hour decant. Very deep magenta color. Ripe blackberry and raspberry, brownie, walnut, spearmint, and subtle vanilla buttercream frosting on the dusty, fruit forward nose. Smooth, dry palate, with chalky acidity. Firm, tannins on the long finish.
Terrific drinker, but could use more depth/dimension, especially on the palate. It’s just a touch predictable.
February 16, 2020 - Decanted and drank over 3 hours. This is a big wine. Black cherry, milk chocolate, silky smooth mouthfeel. Well done, but I question the Community Drink Dates in Cellartracker. This wine is heavy on the fruit, but it might outlast the structure. Certainly there are many many years ahead, but 2044 seems extreme.
July 31, 2019 - Very nice, rich and opulent cab. Tannins are well integrated and are very focused on the finish. I think there may be some room for improvement over the next 2-3 years, but I think this is drinking very well today.
November 9, 2018 - This rich and powerful Cabernet is a lot of fun to drink. Maybe it wouldn't withstand close scrutiny, but - damn - it's tasty. Ruby red in color and full in body, the wine has aromas of cherry pie and red licorice, with hints of menthol and fresh herbs. Tastes of blueberry tart, boysenberry, anise, and vanilla, with a sweet and lingering finish. 15.7% alcohol.
I'm a fan of big CA Cabernet, but this pushes the edge of ripeness: this wine is fleshy, heady, and ripe, ripe, ripe. There is oak and there is fruit, so avoid this wine if you fear either in excess. Still, it avoids the typical extremes of a wine of this type - i.e., one that is syrupy, hot, and juicy. This holds it together in a way that, even if it's a bit of a spectacle, is still delicious.
October 14, 2018 - Perfect Sunday night bottle. Decanted this for about 6 hours and drank over next 3.
Blueberries, beautiful nose, cola, dark cherry, vanilla, cocoa. Superb wine.