December 1, 2017 - On the way down
January 20, 2013 - 89 with great hesitancy. Because this wine is sweet and cloying and oaky, kind of like an Australian. It does have nice fruit and a little complexity, but really heavy handed, syrupy, oaky, nothing I look for in a wine. So an 89 for effort. Consumed over 4 days (didn't taste the 3rd day) and it never moved. There's also a green streak through it, which honestly I like because it adds some herbality to counter the jammyness. I guess $35 is a fair price of admission for this one, but I don't need to buy another one.
January 10, 2009 - From magnum, good bright fruit, red and sour cherry, depth and balance were good. Very enjoyable with steak dinner extremely solid cabernet.
December 4, 2008 - Great intensity while remaining balanced. Rich, dark fruit balanced by fine tannins.
August 23, 2008 - Cali Winemakers Offline - Barrett, Browne, Kurtzman, Melka and Masyczek (Brentwood, CA): Rich yet balanced with notes of cassis, cedar, sweet tobacco, and dried herbs. For my tastes, this wine is just starting to enter its ideal drinking window right now, with a 70/30 ratio of primary and secondary characteristics -- just enough to give interest and complexity to the wine, but not so much as to take away from the primary fruit. 91-92 points.
December 3, 2007 - Very deep and hearty. deep purple in color. More earthy than I remembered it - not quite as good as past bottles
hint of bark, woody finish.
May 7, 2006 - Classic nose, excellent flavor, and the smooth, unpretentious finish that defines a Rocca wine. I've had this wine 3 times now and it's always delivered the goods.