November 3, 2017 - A terrific and well aged wine. I acquired directly from the vineyard in late 2015. I opened this one tonight and was delighted by the quality and freshness.
The wine starts with cherries and carries classic notes of graphite and cedar wood. The finish is entirely smooth with wood flavor at the core and a wonderful balance to it. Find some and try it.
February 17, 2016 - Amazing. Far exceeds expectations. Beautiful nose. Elegant and complex. Still plenty of life. Perfect balance. Long long finish.
December 31, 2013 - Still has life left in it. Drink by 2010? Yeah, not so much, but I didn't think much by the 100+ drinkability report. Beringer always has the gusto. Heck, the 1982's are still drinking well. This one was uncorked with the Code38 - not taking any chances, but the cork was still very sound and only with about 4mm of cork bleed all the way around. There was a nice amount of sediment on the neck, but none of it was in the bottle. This one was aged nicely in Beringer's cellar before it was bought by Cellar360. The wine poured a clear ruby red into the glass. The nose was cherry liqueur with age. The front of the experience was cherry, a little earthy, but incredibly soft and silky on the front with a nice beautiful beginning. The mid-palate turned a little darker, with some aged fig and even a slight amount of plum. I thought the finish kind of had some cedar spice- - there was a sweetness associated with it, with some earthy loam. The aftertaste was actually quite pleasant - more of an aged cherry liqueur aftertaste than a plum/fig/nastiness aftertaste. This wine still probably has 6-7 years left with good care, but I wouldn't say that it has much more. If you have over a half dozen of these, it's time to start drinking it. But done? Meh....drinkability report is just plain wrong here. This one isn't done until 2020.
June 22, 2013 - Beautiful, elegant, like a great Bordeaux.
November 13, 2012 - Recent purchase at the winery. This had a dark ruby color to the rim. Nose of black fruit, tar, earth, and cedar. Full bodied and a bit rustic on the palate w/ currant, plum, tar, stone/ earth notes. Seemed Old School, reminding me of 80's Cal Cabs. On plateau w/ a few years ahead.
November 4, 2011 - Only ok. Nice nose with some lavendar and currant. Taste is a bit acidic and bitter and only medium bodied. Long finish but not a balanced one, still has that bite.
April 25, 2010 - BLACK CHERRIES AND MINT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR WITH CURRANTS IN THE FLAVOR AS WELL. NICE COMPLEXITY AND A MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
April 2, 2010 - Sticky and i'm pretty sure mildly corked. Didn't improve much with some time.
March 13, 2009 - Old leather, tobacco and a little cedar maybe on the nose. Taste was tobacco and - the winemaker said black currant - but I did not get a distinctive fruit. This was like something old and dark you'd sip with a good cigar.
January 12, 2009 - must have drank