October 9, 2022 - On PnP, dark ruby, medium to full bodied, with quite sweet fruits and very little acid or prominent tannin. Dark fruits with some cassis but bordering on plummy. I suspect this would have been killer 10 years ago, but the va va voom has left the building. Nose consistent with the taste, with some earthy notes. Still tasty, with a decent finish.
Let's see what this is like in an hour. it could go either way, but I suspect it will become even more simple.
Update: 2 hours later, considerable improvements. Tannins and acid now more present, but still dominated by overly sweet fruits.
Next night update. Closed with plastic filter/pourer overnight. So here's all that acid that was AWOL last night, and the oversweet fruits have diminished, in favor of a thinner, more acid-dominant, mature California cab taste and nose. A bit sour on the finish. Overall a much better (but not great) wine than yesterday.
I'm normally not one to consume 2nd day wine, particularly one this old. But this improved it. Who knew?
November 30, 2019 - Drank as part of a post holiday event at the house. Great color. Awesome flavor. Held up well for the age.
August 15, 2019 - Napa with friends; 8/15/2019-8/18/2019 (Napa, CA): Fully mature and probably time to drink up. This is tasting very soft and accessible, red fruited with some earth and tea leaves - easy drinking. Not bad but not very complex. No need to wait on these.
April 2, 2015 - The nose presents with muted dried spearmint and bing cherry. The palette confirms the aromatics as the drying tannins provide a grippy finish. Drink now.
September 13, 2014 - Wow! Spicy up front with tons of dark fruit and hints of chocolate. Finish a little lacking, but otherwise delicious. Surely at the end of its window, but still worth it.
May 7, 2013 - Not thrilling, just deep, dark, complex, and gorgeous. Such simple quality. OK--different story day 2! Very dirty funky as some fruit dissipates to reveal the embers underneath. Wonder if that was there, unnoticed, that first night.
February 20, 2013 - Cool and settled, like a magical pool in a dark cave. Deep and dense with tobacco, black cherries, and cassis. Right out of 10 years in temperature controlled storage; did not decant; drank over a couple of hours; paired with ribeye.
December 7, 2012 - Too old - gone bad. Pored down the drain.
October 20, 2012 - Opens with a lot of cedar and tobacco. A lot of the cedar blew off to leave black cherry and ripe plums. Decanting recommended.
April 7, 2012 - Aromas of currant, blackberry & tobacco. Still nicely layered dark fruit, black currant and toast flavors with still prominent but nicely integrated tannins.