August 31, 2018 - Les Deux 2018 (Chez Gill): This bottle was drinking very well right now, with loads of nice secondary on the nose: loads of spice, cigar and black raspberry. On the palate, a little less interesting, and definitely showing heat, with some slightly rough tannin on the finish. Nevertheless pretty good.
September 6, 2017 - last bottle, past it's drinking window
January 23, 2016 - Last bottle. What a fantastic wine and vintage. Soft, but still showing great fruit. Would recommend drinking now.
May 1, 2015 - Still high alcohol. Smooth tannins and cherry on the mid palate. Lost some complexity. Short finish
July 12, 2014 - Drinking extremely smooth, probably at its peak. A little tobacco and leather combo with that typical Napa cab character. Time to drink. Very enjoyable with a nice grilled steak.
May 19, 2014 - An odd melding of greenery, vanilla oak and some bell pepper (would have pegged as a modernist cab franc blind). Not showing much age given it's tenure but surprised at the unripe notes. Not my first bottle of this wine, but it has been a good 5yrs since my last and don't recall experiencing this in the past...
March 19, 2014 - Howell Mountain Spring Wine Tasting. Nose of dust, heat, dark fruit, and licorice, more of the same on the palate, needs time to eliminate the heat but the fruit is light for Howell Mountain, medium body, medium/long finish.
September 16, 2013 - Beautiful nose, cassis and dark fruit on the palate, nicely integrated and a long finish. Impressive.
April 9, 2012 - Originally thought the nose had some cherry, but after being decanted for a couple of hours we have dark fruit and earth. Complex layering of flavors. There is some black fruit, some red fruit, still a little cherry (less than an hour ago) earth, a little tobacco. Not lots of tannins, but big flavors and a very long finish. This wine has opened up and changed to an excellent wine. Wish we had more.
January 1, 2012 - Velvety soft with a ton of complexity. Dusty dark stone fruits with a kiss of candied cherry on the finish.