April 19, 2015 - Similar to my previous notes 2years ago, but this bottle showed a simpler palate and more drying tannins on the finish. Not bad, but not as interesting as the 1999.
October 18, 2013 - Red fruit, herbs, earth, tobacco. Medium body, with few tannins remaining. needed a few minutes to bloom but I was surprised how good this was for a 2000. Nice fusion of French and CA stylistically. A solid buy for a mature cab blend at current prices around $50.
October 1, 2013 - Dense ruby purple, urgent nose of blackberry and cedar, nice quality of fine tannins only a bit too much for the core.
October 2, 2011 - Completing the bottle I opened and opined on last PM I am finding more depth and liveliness than I expected. Usually an alcoholic fruitbomb fades to an ugly skeleton the following day but this wine retains fresh red fruit and now w/ some menthol and fine astringent tannins to carry it forward. I'll be in no rush to drink the rest.
October 1, 2011 - Dark ruby to the edge; fresh clean sweet effusive nose of fresh red and blue fruits w/ a wisp of floral aromas; alcohol at 14.1 buoys the aromas/flavors on the palate rather than tannic structure or crisp acidity. Drinking well right now but I perceive a short drinking plateau while the alcohol-drenched fruit remains fresh.
September 3, 2011 - If you want a Bordeaux from CA with a heavy dose of cab franc this is your wine. Not popular with my wife and family, they found it thin and lacking, but it wasn't that bad, just light and old world.
January 5, 2009 - This was, unfortunately, tired and tiring fast. Average nose and a relatively thin, short finish leads to an average bottle of wine. Obviously well made, but I have had other vintages that have just sang and this just wasn't that bottle.
February 8, 2005 - 2000 Cali Cab Dinner (Vancouver, BC Canada): My second worse wine of the night and a real light weight short finish wine. My notes read weedy, vegetal and stinky. A controversial wine as some had it as their top wine. Not sure what they were drinking, but they won't be invited back LOL.