March 1, 2024 - served about 2 hours after decanting. There was more green capsicum on the nose than I had expected, but otherwise the nose was very smoky. There was still some ripe fruit here but no longer front-and-center, while black peppercorns were now more obvious. The wine was showing pretty elegantly after about 2½ hours in the decanter, about the same time that my last bottle reached its peak.
September 15, 2023 - Friday Night Uptown Brown Bagger (R&D's): Deep color, showing much younger than it actually is. Opens with aromas of cedar, black currant, dusty earth and plum. Again, nicely balanced and integrated. Flavors of black fruit dominate the palate, with subtle earth, leather and tobacco qualities mixed in. Finishes with good length. WOTF for a couple of tasters.
This had been quickly double decanted about 2.5 hours before the flight was poured and remained under cork until just before service. An hour in the decanter certainly would not have hurt, hindsight being 20/20. Sadly, our only bottle, as there's at least a few years left at a very high level, if this was a representative bottle.
June 30, 2023 - I have had this btl since release. All CT scores looked great. No this btl. I am selling the other soon.
January 27, 2023 - drank 1½ hours after decanting. Pretty open and fragrant, smoky, with some green pepper, grilled meats, graphite, and also sweet fruit. Soft tannins. Really nice after 2 hours in the decanter, with a little savory minerals, and very complex now. Really opened up after 2½ hours in the decanter and much more oaky.
December 16, 2022 - Corked
September 25, 2022 - A pure joy to drink !!! Wonderful cali red !! No hurry
March 13, 2022 - Classic old school Napa. Really in a nice place. Currant,plums and perfectly integrated oak. I doubt this is going to get any better, no where need going downhill, still has 10 years left I guess, but fully evoled and showing very well. what a treat to drink this
October 15, 2021 - This was such a treat!! As many have experessed, the cork did have a problem and broke on opening, but with a 25 year old bottle, not unexpected.
On initial pour from decant, had a bit of age apparent on both the first taste as well as on the nose, but that blew off after about 30 minute in decanter.
The wine was still a nice purple hue, and started out with flavors of red fruit, black cherry and tart raspberry, with a small amount mint / eucalyptus, black olive, and almost a cedar-like woodsy finish. After about an hour, this really opened up and the red fruit tamed down and black fruit with maybe some stewed plums began to take over and dominate with a subtle oak integration with a bit of vanilla and maybe even a molasses.
Wish this could had lasted longer, as the last sip was the best yet.
Was only bottle, wish I had a couple more to try, but dont think holding longer will benefit, but surely has a number of years left of excellent drinking. Fabulous bottle!
October 10, 2021 - So fresh, good acid backbone, minty and herbal, not so fruity but rather earthy, long finish. Wonderful wine after a 3 h decant. Lovely
July 26, 2021 - blind
Eukalyptus, black currant, reaching his peak. Ripe tannins and a refreshing acidity. 95