February 10, 2024 - An absolute joy. Lowish alcohol, lovely acid and texture, phenomenal concentration of fruit.
October 21, 2023 - This wine is finally ready; delightfully so. Floral, spicy nose with, as my friend Mr. Cooper put it: "Great earthy berry fruit, cured meat, cola and currant. Dry dark berry fruit flavours and a nice balanced berry finish." He liked it berry much. :) Medium bodied in a good Northern Rhone kind of way.
October 20, 2023 - Clear medium purple, red. Great earthy berry fruit, cured meat,cola and currant. Dry dark berry fruit flavours and a nice balanced berry finish.
Unique wine. The weight of a traditional Northern Rhone.
May 22, 2023 - My bottle. Despite my pledge 11 months ago to wait two years before opening another, I took this to High Altitude wine tasting unable to resist the joke that though it hardly came from the Alps, it came from one of the highest vineyards in Sonoma, California. Glad I did actually, though it still has a long road ahead the things I and others who own it believed would eventually emerge are obviously there: among the sweet dark fruits are blood, wet horse, and a capricious herbal quality in the style of good Bandols. Great future ahead: will definitely reward further patience.
May 15, 2023 - Blind: it wasn't sure this was a Rhone or a Burgundy. I like it.
It does have a green streak running through it so be ready. I love the structure of this wine and the finesse combined with it angular shoulders. Spicy sandalwood and tart cranberry.
I have a bottle of this in the cellar I'm definitely going to let it sit for another 5 years.
May 13, 2023 - Blind Champagne at FMIII's: Tasted non-blind. As before, this wine overtly savory and delicious. Not-at-all your typical big burly Mourvedre, this is rather lithe and fresh. Deeply structured. This continued to improve through Day 5. Drinkable now (preferably with lots of air), but so much in reserve for the future. Hold.
May 13, 2023 - Decanted an hour or two prior to consumption. Herby, green notes among the red fruits on the nose. Nice structure yet reserved on the palate still. More green notes here too. Clearly not as effusive as the other vintages I've had. This might benefit from bottle time but that is uncertain. The more classic build is always more welcome of course.
April 30, 2023 - Medium bodied, traditional styling, good quality natural cork.
A bit "natty" tasting for the first 60 minutes, and then intensity and expansiveness ramp up: this is easily in the wheelhouse of classic CdP profile. Wide swath of red berries, wet brick clay, purple flowers, carbonic acid. Followed over 3 days, stayed fairly consistent. No rush to drink.
Perhaps my third favorite Halcon bottling, behind Elevacion and Alturas -- now wishing I had been stocking up on their Mourvèdre previously. 91-92
January 28, 2023 - 90 minutes decant. Nose of blueberry, violets, and potpourri. Warm plum-driven palate is light on its feet, adding cranberry and tart cherry. Strong cherry pie flavor on the finish with clay, light tannins, roses, and sweet red fruits. 92 points.
November 18, 2022 - This was great. Earthy, crunchy, mineral, and fruit. Opened up nicely over a couple hours also. As good as I'd hoped these would be.