June 2, 2022 - Great Wine. Soft and melted tannins. Sweet and balanced on the palate. Black cherries, red and black currant, tobacco. Very Bordeaux-like. Top drinking spot now.
June 28, 2020 - In vertical. Balanced black fruit with spice hints throughout. Very good balance, god enough depth.
February 29, 2020 - young deepish red color, on the nose cassis, blackberries, plums, bell pepper and spicy oak, on the palate smooth and balanced mid-weight Cabernet fruit nearing maturity, a very firm structure with a long finish, the oak a noticeable presence on the palate but not excessive, smooth and seamless fruit punctuated with spice notes, for all its sternness and understatement- I found this quite satisfying in its way, a wine not best suited for a tasting but rather for savoring over a hearty steak, a great CA Cabernet with time in hand.
****+, ready to drink with many years of life left
March 13, 2018 - Old Beaulieu Vineyard Wines (Cotroneo's, White Bear Lake, MN): Medium dark red color witha 2mm clear margin. Pop and immediate splash decant and pour. Drank 1 glass over 75 minutes. This was the hands down WOTN and just blew me away. A mesmerizing perfume emerges immediately and continues to crescendo over 15-20 minutes. Leather, violets, so pretty, charcoal, red berries, cassis, very lifted nose with plenty of delicious funkiness. The palate is medium bodied with layers of complexity, tons of leather and wet saddle, soft texture, funk, red berry fruit, so nicely textured with perfect integration. Very, very impressive. 94+ to 95pts.
January 19, 2018 - Man, this delivers so nicely for an 'off vintage'. Beautiful nose of aged plum, dried herbs, earth tones, cigar and light bell pepper. The palate has a roundness and plushness, while staying light footed and elegant throughout. Almost a Burgundian style. Good stuff.
April 10, 2017 - This is the California version of 1996 Sociando Mallet. I dare you to tell them apart blind.
May 15, 2016 - Seriously gorgeous and complex aromas of dried currants, cigar ash, tobacco leaf, bell pepper and spice. Mid-weight palate is oh so Claret like with supple fruit and fresh acidity. It's elegant and easy drinking, with weight that reflects the 'off' '98 vintage. Medium intensity, but long and flavorful finish. Quite enjoyable and likely in a long plateau of drinking well.
December 29, 2014 - Brettiness made it hard to find the nuanced wine underneath; dissapointing
August 10, 2013 - A lot going on (tea, wet leaves, currants, etc.), but light bodied, with a fairly short finish. Drink up!
August 4, 2013 - Bought direct from winery upon release, good storage, the fruit was full on cherry, spice,cedar, tobacco yum, what a drink, I would think my bottles will last another couple of years.