November 23, 2022 - Tasted double blind. This was very overripe, alcoholic, too oxidative. This drank like a badly made port wine. Others liked it a bit more and it was for sure still drinkable. 80pts for the quite complex aroma profile?
November 12, 2022 - During a blind tasting dinner. This bottle unfortunately had oxidative notes of Maggy beef stock, so I won't be rating it.
November 11, 2022 - Tasted blind. Not decanted. Ripe and concentrated fruit of blackberry, fig and plum along with Christmas spice, cedar wood, oak and hazelnut. Electric tension and long finish adding leather and tobacco. Alas, this couldn’t mask beef juice notes popping up and felt already pretty aged on the palate. Definitely later part of the drinking window and past its prime.
October 4, 2016 - Wine is in a real nice place. Pop & Pour and it showed well right out of the gate. Wonderful nose with solid fruit on the palate. I'm not sure this improves with more time but seems to be holding strong for now.
January 1, 2014 - This bottle is slightly over the hill. Not sure if the bottle was flawed, but not as wonderful as the one I had three years ago. I was expecting more.
June 25, 2013 - We only decanted this wine for 30 minutes and found it needed more then that brief time.
July 18, 2010 - An absolutely excellent bottle of wine. Decanted for 5 hours and the wine was a perfect match to T-bone steak. Nose had hints of cherry and old leather. Tasted like it is about 2-3 years from entering it's prime.
October 17, 2009 - Everything you'd expect in a Cali Cab. Impressive structure, cassis and black fruit, still very young with many years ahead.
December 19, 2008 - Had this with a stellar lineup consisting of the 2001 Ramey Jericho Canyon, 1999 Verite La Muse, and 1995 Seavey Cabernet. All very different. Of the 4, this one was the most structured. Nearly blue in color, darker than the Ramey, though less giving on the nose. Just seamless on the palate, silky, but silky on steroids since there was nothing pretty or delicate about this wine. It attacks and coats the palate, fine midpalate, blue fruits throughout, and a long finish. 3 hours in the decanter and this one still was evolving/opening in the glass. I wish I had another one of these to try in 5 years, but by no means regret opening it now. Fabulous wine.
December 19, 2008 - HUMONGOUS! I'm hesitant to even write about this wine, as I recently discovered this producer and I don't want anyone else to know about them! Having had an '04 Howell Mtn recently and being floored, this was not only a step up but further reinforcement that this winemaker's a superstar; all their fruit is of meteoric quality; or both (which is my guess!). Where the H.M. was round, rich, full, integrated and so, ready, this Mt. Veeder has the stuffing to be so much more of the same, yet on a level so far beyond what can even be imagined at this stage. Inky purple...almost blue. Tons of fruit and sweet, structured tannin with the acidity to carry this one well into the future (like, 7-10 years...easy!). All that, yet with only a couple hours in the decanter, drinking it now was far from premature.