August 9, 2022 - I’ll be honest. I’m a newbie when it comes to making notes on wine. This is amazing and the notes I’ve read below describe it better than I could. This has been cellared properly and we only decanted about 10m. The bottle was a gift from a friend and no I feel indebted.
July 5, 2021 - In OCNJ with family, this one with a few of the red wine drinkers.... Last bottle from this batch, bought at auction several years back. Prior tasting in 2019. Slow oxed for about 45 minutes prior to drinking
From prior notes: "Deep garnet color, no real sign of age. Expressive nose of savory meats, plums, tobacco. Ripe palate of tart blueberry, preserved plum, cedar. Nuanced flavors and violet/floral notes through mid plate. Plush texture, medium body and long and layered finish..."
Really great showing again, this may have been better and I gave the last bottle a 96...:)The plush Merlot texture and expressive palate were a real hit with everyone. Elegant and well made wine, this is what Merlot can do in CA when its made like this. My WOTN 96+
January 8, 2021 - Taken to our monthly CWG. Opened at noon, left inside the cellar until 5pm, then double decanted for 30 min and taken to the restaurant for consumption around 7pm. This full body and multidimensional Merlot is at a great stage right now and should stay like this fir a few more years based on the balance between acidity, tannins, fruit and alcohol. The wine is a compound of berries, chocolate and a touch of earth/minerals. The finish is super long and persistent.
I was expecting my friends to confused it with a Bordeaux but they all said Napa Cabernet. But the possibility of been French crossed some of their minds.
I believe by the slow and prolong aeration process it opened up nicely and had no grass or green pepper notes coming from the Cabernet Franc.
Good way to start 2021! My wine of the year so far. LOL.
February 14, 2020 - Decanted for 1hr. Extremely hot to the point that my wife actually had a hard time drinking it. The heat did slowly die off over the course of another hour plus. After that the dark fruits, lead pencil, oak, and cedar really started to show. This is in a great place if you can get past the heat.
August 23, 2019 - 2nd bottle of the '07, better than I remembered from the first. Decanted but didn't need to, consistent from first sip to last. Hints of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, blah, blah, blah, I just know it was smooth and delicious. The good wife loved it, so I'll be seeking out some more, may try a more recent vintage as this was probably nearing the end of its prime
July 5, 2019 - In OCNJ with Valerie and extended family. Nice excuse to check in on this wine again...mixing up the lineup with a Merlot driven wine. Second red of the evening. Decanted for about 2.5 hours prior to serving, drank over 90 minutes.
Deep garnet color, no real sign of age. Expressive nose of savory meats, plums, tobacco. Ripe palate of tart blueberry, preserved plum, cedar. Nuanced flavors and violet/floral notes through mid plate. Plush texture, medium body and long and layered finish..
This wine absolutely killed on this night. Crowd loved it, should have brought 2 bottles..I remember liking it a few years ago on last tasting, it was up a notch or 2 on this tasting. Decadent and really expressive, seems right in its zone. The decant may have made the difference here...
June 27, 2017 - At Vic's NYC with Alastair and Ellie. Checking in on this at 10 years, followed a 2007 Kistler Cuvee Catherine Pinot. Blend of Merlot and Cab Franc consistent with the CA "no Cab" theme for the evening.Decanted at the restaurant for about 90 minutes prior to drinking. Clean cork, no sediment.
Deep ruby red color. Perfumed nose of red berries, floral/rose. Juicy palate of cherry, plums, currant, chocolate/mocha. Rich through the mid palate, long and nuanced finish. Nicely aged, great balance of power and elegance...
This wine can generate some controversy, in my experience. Overpriced on release I look for it in the secondary market so my QPR may be different than others...this was outstanding on this evening. This wine is right in its zone now, well stored bottles should continue to drink at this level for 3-5 more years (best guess)
March 2, 2015 - Interesting blend, probably needed to open up more than I let it.
November 16, 2014 - Beautiful. No flaws. No sediment. Dark garnet ruby color. Floral, fruity nose. No tannin. No acid. Very, very smooth and silky. Medium alcohol. Medium finish. Ready to drink. Exceptional.
November 2, 2014 - It was almost unanimously the wine of the night, against a 2001 Paolo Asavino Carobric Barolo, a 2003 Chateau Malescot, a 2007 Kistler Cuvee Katherine, and a 1997 Pahlmeyer, all of which were drinking very well. Beautifully integrated and restrained, this is a great Napa example of a right bank wine.