Pnp; chemical nose was very distracting. Mid palate was soft and with an abundance of dark fruit. Recorked and the next day the unpleasant nose smell has disappeared. Round tannins and enjoyable. 89-93. Past prime for sure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark fruited wine that after decanting became smooth with nice cocoa, pencil lead and earthy notes on the finish. Not quite a blockbuster but a very high quality experience.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cassis and some sweet menthol on the finish. This has sweet, ripe fruit, with pillowy tannins on the finish. Very lovely, one of the better 2008 California Cabs we've tasted.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I must state, I am completely perplexed by this wine. It is billed as a Cabernet. There are no flaws. No sediment. No rim variation. The cork appears as if it were bottled yesterday. Have the feeling I opened a child. Color is cabernet. Nose is burgundy. Taste is Pinot/Burgundy. Low acid/Low Tannin. So musky. So dirty. So earthy. very, very European. Taste eludes me. I think it is bordeaux revisited. So ready to drink, but, wonder, if this doesn't need about 10 more years in the bottle for me a mere moral to define what it is. Beautiful. Beautiful. Kudos to Aaron.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Supple, smooth, lush fruit flavor. The tannins are nearly completely integrated. Not sure if this has much remaining underlying structure to reward future aging. Nice now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine, Browns and my 55th Birthday (My Home): I brought this out to celebrate the Brown victory over Minnesota and the Indians victory of Houston! It was gone quite quickly. Still quite young and tannic, but great cassis fruit. Depth and tightly layered. Delicious wine that need 5 to 7 years IMO to hit peak (or close to it).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
bright red fruits and cinnamon on the nose. bright and medium weight palate with ripe rasberries and even some juicy cherry notes. a bit of grit on the texture. good juice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Undrinkable. Does The wine make own a concentrator or just rent one? Honestly, why does a napa cab ever need to be abused like this? very sad. napa cab does not need to be this made. if you have good frui please leave it alone. How much over ripe, over. ( and I mean way over Oaked wood chipped extra staved) oaken wine do you need? Maybe at 35 a bottle, but 125 really? Please let your fruit drive you not the oak....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
West Coast Wines On The East Coast (Sonata BYO (Philadelphia)): Real wow offering. Deep dark color. Chocolate, pepper and darker fruit on the nose. Big and oaky right now, with terrific underlying structure. Brooding in a way, but had a lot to offer right now. Fine tannins suggest a nice development curve. Very nice long lingering finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine had very nice dark fruit flavors with the Rutherford dust coming through very clear. It was very accessible and had a great mouthfeel and long finish. This was WOTN for me in a lineup that included a Realm Absurd, Rudius Cab, Cayuse Widowmaker, Corliss Red Wine, and a Pride Cab. I've had other wines that Aaron Pott made from St. Clement, Seven Stones, and Pott Wine, but the 08 Aresenal was my favorite wine of his that I have tasted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2008 Pott Wines (Quixote Winery with Aaron Pott): This was actually softer than most of the wines and seemed more accesible. Still some tannins, but lots of fruit and complexity. I would drink this now to 15 years at least.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2/5/2024 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 91 Points
High-toned, with bright red fruit and a lifted feel, but marred by a streak of VA I found distracting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/18/2023 - Elkcims wrote: 92 Points
Pnp; chemical nose was very distracting. Mid palate was soft and with an abundance of dark fruit. Recorked and the next day the unpleasant nose smell has disappeared. Round tannins and enjoyable. 89-93. Past prime for sure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2019 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark fruited wine that after decanting became smooth with nice cocoa, pencil lead and earthy notes on the finish. Not quite a blockbuster but a very high quality experience.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2017 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 93 Points
Cassis and some sweet menthol on the finish. This has sweet, ripe fruit, with pillowy tannins on the finish. Very lovely, one of the better 2008 California Cabs we've tasted.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/15/2017 - Mark H. LeQuire wrote: 95 Points
I must state, I am completely perplexed by this wine. It is billed as a Cabernet. There are no flaws. No sediment. No rim variation. The cork appears as if it were bottled yesterday. Have the feeling I opened a child. Color is cabernet. Nose is burgundy. Taste is Pinot/Burgundy. Low acid/Low Tannin. So musky. So dirty. So earthy. very, very European. Taste eludes me. I think it is bordeaux revisited. So ready to drink, but, wonder, if this doesn't need about 10 more years in the bottle for me a mere moral to define what it is. Beautiful. Beautiful. Kudos to Aaron.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/21/2016 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 91 Points
Supple, smooth, lush fruit flavor. The tannins are nearly completely integrated. Not sure if this has much remaining underlying structure to reward future aging. Nice now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2013 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
Wine, Browns and my 55th Birthday (My Home): I brought this out to celebrate the Brown victory over Minnesota and the Indians victory of Houston! It was gone quite quickly. Still quite young and tannic, but great cassis fruit. Depth and tightly layered. Delicious wine that need 5 to 7 years IMO to hit peak (or close to it).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2012 - elamasters wrote: 96 Points
Outstanding wine. Incredibly expressive nose. Red fruited and very complex on the palate with a mouthfeel like pure silk.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2011 - shadow wrote: 94 Points
cool refreshing fermented juice, just a touch of tannin on the finish, perfect fruit, meaning you taste it, but its subtle
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/11/2011 - Uglypinga wrote:
bright red fruits and cinnamon on the nose. bright and medium weight palate with ripe rasberries and even some juicy cherry notes. a bit of grit on the texture. good juice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/26/2011 - GCru wrote: 74 Points
Undrinkable. Does The wine make own a concentrator or just rent one? Honestly, why does a napa cab ever need to be abused like this? very sad. napa cab does not need to be this made. if you have good frui please leave it alone. How much over ripe, over. ( and I mean way over Oaked wood chipped extra staved) oaken wine do you need? Maybe at 35 a bottle, but 125 really? Please let your fruit drive you not the oak....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/25/2011 - ews3 wrote: 95 Points
dark chocolate, black currant, and loads of other black fruit. dense tannins. nice peppery finish lasts. will age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/25/2011 - jrobs7777 wrote: 95 Points
West Coast Wines On The East Coast (Sonata BYO (Philadelphia)): Real wow offering. Deep dark color. Chocolate, pepper and darker fruit on the nose. Big and oaky right now, with terrific underlying structure. Brooding in a way, but had a lot to offer right now. Fine tannins suggest a nice development curve. Very nice long lingering finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/24/2011 - last chance wrote: 95 Points
This wine had very nice dark fruit flavors with the Rutherford dust coming through very clear. It was very accessible and had a great mouthfeel and long finish. This was WOTN for me in a lineup that included a Realm Absurd, Rudius Cab, Cayuse Widowmaker, Corliss Red Wine, and a Pride Cab. I've had other wines that Aaron Pott made from St. Clement, Seven Stones, and Pott Wine, but the 08 Aresenal was my favorite wine of his that I have tasted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2010 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
2008 Pott Wines (Quixote Winery with Aaron Pott): This was actually softer than most of the wines and seemed more accesible. Still some tannins, but lots of fruit and complexity. I would drink this now to 15 years at least.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment