January 24, 2021 - The wood is largely integrated now and this is more typical with notes of cedar, tobacco, dark fruit. It’s a bit dry on the palate, which is slightly worrisome because this wine is not fully developed yet in terms of tertiary notes. Much better than my last bottle in 2011 but still unexciting.
May 12, 2018 - Initially very closed and disappointing. However, the next day it had come to life and turned out to be a pleasant, full-bodied wine with mellowed tanins. I probably wouldn’t buy it again, but it had been sitting in my cellar for 14 years and had to be drunk. Turned out better than I had anticipated after reading other reviews.
October 30, 2016 - I posted a min-rant on this wine in late 2006 or early 2007. I recall feeling this was an affront to St. Emilion, Bordeaux, wine and civilization as we know it. Back then, it had garish levels of new oak - a pet peeve of mine to be sure - but also uber-rounded tannins, waves of cloying fruit, and a Rollandized international anonymity. It did not taste the way young Right Bankers used to. I did not like it. It was pour-down-the-drain bad.
Well, here we are 9 or 10 years later and I found a lone bottle hiding the cellar. Boy, has this wine pulled together... Sexy, spicy bouquet, with some licorice and tar and leafy notes. The attack is surprisingly bright with the fruit in a supporting role, with a bit of tannin lingering on the finish. You can sense, but not taste, a slightly elevated alcohol, but nothing over the top. The texture is smooth but correct. The style is still semi-reminiscent of California, but again, only a bit. This is satisfying and good and it has rewarded a decade of cellar time. I paid $19, but that was back when car's didn't drive themselves and wine was cheap.
January 7, 2015 - Initially this was a little weedy but blew off & opened nicely for NYE dinner 2014. The turn around on this was impressive.
May 26, 2014 - From magnum, popped & poured. Black currant, cassis, incense, cinnamon red hot candies and clay aromas. Medium-bodied with medium tannins and flavors of dark fruit, plum and incense. Has an earthy undertone. Nice finish. Could use a few years yet in this format. 89-90 pts.
December 26, 2011 - Not enough fruit here to cope with the attack of new wood. Cedar notes, maybe a hint of chocolate, maybe even chocolate milk. On a few occasions I even thought there was some fruit underneath. I bought a case of this on sale years ago when I was young(er) and naive. There is absolutely nothing here to be even remotely excited about unless, that is, you like wood splinters in your mouth. Should be discontinued. There is no justification for this wine to be around.
June 20, 2010 - this is already slightly over it's top, so don't wait any longer to drink this if you have bottles in your cellar, I find this too expensive for the quality that is offered
June 11, 2010 - Dark, ruby red color. Black cherry, leather, mint and raw meat on the nose. Palate leans a bit more toward red fruits, with cranberry complimenting the black cherry & woody spice. Good acidity helps balance out the still ample green tannins. Drinking well now, but could still age for at least another 5 years.
October 16, 2009 - Tight, astringent odor. Weedy, green, vegetal notes: asparagus (not in a good way). We could not finish the bottle and opened a 2003 instead, which was luscious in comparison.
September 19, 2009 - Light to medium body. ARomas of black cherry and licorice. Taste of a bit of plum, a very short finish. Drink now.