May 25, 2014 - Absolutely immaculate color, dark but not black, and still with hints of purple. The nose was juicy Napa blackberry all the way, full, rich, and sweet, but very primary. Fortunately, the palate had a little more development and a lot less sweet. Not that there wasn't a healthy dose of Napa Cabernet blackberry and cassis goodness, because there certainly was that, but the wine was very dry, even slightly astringent. The tannins, though, were smooth and refined and extremely well integrated. There was plenty of acidity to balance the astringency, and lot of good chocolate, tobacco, and coffee flavors to balance the fruit. The finish was very long and extremely well-balanced. I'm sorry this was a one-off, because this could go another 15 years easily. A top-notch wine that managed to justify it's $60+ all-in purchase price.
June 14, 2013 - What you come to expect for a napa cab. Opened up nicely after a 1hr decant. Well integrated current and blackberry notes. Drinking well right now.
August 18, 2012 - Drank two bottles with grilled filet and sides, then also with the cheese course and dessert. The first bottle was open for about an hour prior to drinking but not decanted. The second bottle we just opened and poured. In retrospect, should have figured out we would drink two bottles and opened both ahead of time. Nice cabernet aroma but not intense or long, a little disappointing but not bad. The wine had great mouth feel with balanced acid and tannins and the finish was the highlight. The finish goes on and on and on. I almost didn't want to take a bite of food for a while after drinking. The wine is a nice Napa cab that is not too heavy and has a nice fruit expression to it. Overall for the $50/bottle I paid five years ago for it, it was a great bottle. I'm really enjoying most Napa vintages at the 7-10 year range, with the better wines going strong at 15.
July 4, 2012 - A really beautiful now fully mature Napa cab enjoyed last night with a dinner of grilled tenderloin outside on the back deck with our pastor and his wife. I highly recommend this wine and at around the $50 / bottle price point this wine has a decent QPR. Big but softening, great mouthfeel, full bodied, lovely lingering aftertaste and very well balanced at this point but with enough tannins still present for 3-5 additional years of cellaring. Not formally decanted but opened to aerate for a couple hours prior to consumption and in retrospect I would definitely decant this wine. Nose somewhat muted and softer then expected with dark fruit, cassis and smoke with primary flavors of well balanced oak, dark fruit, leather and loam. Very good wine.
May 6, 2011 - Beautiful blue fruit with coffee and firm tannins. Nice balance
February 6, 2011 - Dark and full in the mouth; cherry and earth tastes; long finish
January 1, 2011 - Big red...great bottle for New years...Luscious deep red fruit....nice balance...will last for years
November 26, 2010 - Drank with gillespie's night before brenda's b'day
May 13, 2010 - 92-93 - great fruit, nice - medium tannins
November 22, 2009 - Well made cab. Probably better at 30-40 price point