March 3, 2024 - Wow - this wine is still drinking incredibly well and showed no signs of being shut down. Popped and poured, it immediately still gave off the same ripe intensity that was pointed out by previous reviewers, but still that same lifted elegance that we have come to love with BTK bottlings. Not a surprise I guess, but notes of cassis, plum, and mocha, and the tannins are very well integrated - silky smooth. This bottle could honestly probably keep going for a while given how much fruitiness is left.
October 29, 2023 - Double decant and drank over 2 days. Best during the first 2 hours. Black cherry, dark fruit, no plum, spice, mild soft tannins. Not as good as it was 5 years ago when I lat had this vintage. The enjoyment level also influenced a bit by the 09 Pontet Canet we enjoyed that night...clearly the best of the two.
February 5, 2022 - The second bottle of the night celebrating a birthday dinner. The first was a 2007 M from Michael Mondavi.
During the dinner, we just kept smiling at how good both wines were- but different.
The 2005 TOR is in a great drinking window now, but I think the remaining window is tight- maybe by early 2024 it will be closed. Medium ruby color, also has the beautiful aromas of a great Napa cab. Less robust in all facets than the Slightly younger Mondavi, muted black and blue fruits, soft vanilla, incredibly smooth with a long finish. Tannins were well in the background.
December 5, 2021 - Decanted for 90 minutes. Dark purple color, bouquet of dark fruit, a little alcohol and cedar. The wine has tons of upfront fruit (despite 16 years of bottle age), with oak and cedar along with some refined and relatively smooth tannins and a long delicious finish. Still fresh and lots of life left…glad I have another bottle, which I won’t drink until 2025 at the earliest.
October 16, 2021 - Big, rich ripe fruit, quite oaky but integrated producing a blackberry, raspberry pie crust thing, oozes quality but a bit over done, which is typical from the era. Still, in great shape, did well with Rib Eye, had fun with the Bro's! Palm Desert surf 'n turf.
June 19, 2021 - A big, explosive, fruit bomb. Jammy blueberry and black raspberry compote. Dark cherry, saddle leather and a hint of oak on the palate. Tannins are nicely integrated but this will still last. Full bodied with a lingering finish.
March 21, 2021 - Sweet, oaky, over-extracted gooey syrup, moderate structure. Dal Rae dinner
March 6, 2021 - Dark fading purple, opaque; this is a monster, with over the top fruit concentrate, over extracted, too much vanilla oak, sweet on the attack, a big hot mess. Was not pleased although some liked it. Probably one of the most over done wines Ive had in a long while. Still, nothing wrong with this at all, if you enjoy that burly concentrated style.
December 3, 2020 - Similar note to previous. Popped and let air for 30 minutes in the glass. A stunning wine, and getting better each time I open a bottle. Still a lot of life left in this extremely well-made wine.
May 26, 2020 - A real beauty.. sexy, silky, long finish. sad i have only one bottle left