February 21, 2024 - Opened and crushed the cork, so had to decant through coffee filter. Was accessible within 20-min. Dark garnet color with an orange-brown hue. Intense nose brings cherry blossoms, eucalyptus, spearmint, dark chocolate, coffee, pipe tobacco, dried leather, and forest floor. The palate is large, round, and textured, bringing a nice core of blueberries, blackberries, and high-toned raspberries followed by pronounced sweet and savory tertiary notes of milk chocolate, caramel, soy, olives, and wild herbs into a smooth, 60-sec+ finish. I was nervous about this purchase due to price point and age, but this is drinking at peak and would have guessed it to be 10 years younger. Drink 2024-2026. Technical score: 93. Enjoyment score: 93
October 24, 2023 - Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish/ brick rim.
Beautiful nose of black fruits, cedar, chocolates, herbs, tobacco leaf and cola.
Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, mint, vanilla, spices, licorice, espresso, cola, light herbs, eucalyptus, light earth, tobacco leaf, dark chocolates and peppercorn.
Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.
This 20 year old Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley is drinking beautifully now. Showing a gorgeous nose, that I kept on smelling for a while.
Feels much younger than it actually is, complex and well balanced.
Good right out of the bottle with grippy tannins, and better after a couple of hours in the decanter.
Peaking now and good by itself or with food. Will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 years.
A gorgeous wine. I love these older Napa Bordeaux blends.
A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. Aged in new American oak barrels for 22 months. Unfiltered and unfined.
13.8% alcohol by volume.
94 points.
$225.
October 29, 2022 - Wow, did not expect this wine to have so much life. While tertiary flavors dominate the palate, beautiful hints of fruit balance out the experience.
October 9, 2019 - Similar to last bottle - fresh, with bright red and black fruit. Medium tannin. Some bitterness on the back of the palate on day two - probably better paired with food. 91-ish.
September 29, 2019 - Decanted about an hour. Fresher than past bottles. Red fruit, good acid, herbs.
May 2, 2019 - Definitely shows better with some air. A little green to start. Similar score to last bottle
January 21, 2019 - Still lively, with some celar funk and a touch of mocha flavor in addition to the other elements mentioned in my 2012 note. Would prefer less rustic, charred oak flavor.
May 5, 2018 - From memory. Stood up for 2 days and decanted for 1h and then back into bottle for dinner with Joshi, Dave, and Wei. Interesting that there wasn't that much sediment. Shy aromas of tart blackberries, cassis, herbs and earth. Palate added blueberry fruit to the blackberries, some cassis, and accents of earth, herbs and leather with moderate tannins on the mid-palate. Still tasted of primary fruit and surprised that it has not evolved much even after 15 years. Still tasty though.
June 8, 2017 - Upon first opening was concerned it might be past peak, as flavors were somewhat muted. But it opened up nicely with air. Definitely has many years left. Next time, need to decant. 90-91.
July 19, 2015 - Pretty much popped and poured and drank over about four hours. Last glass was the best. Too hold. Shows some really dark fruit, probably not to hold that much longer. Meaning I think the drink window is starting soon.