Wild and Crazy Memorial Weekend - Sunday (Chris' Castle aka Melissa's Manor): A very nice Colgin, and provides some insight as to how these age. This is in a pretty good place right now for my palate....not sure if it is the style, winemaking or vineyard. Always a treat to taste Colgin as I don't own many (at this price range, you need to pick and choose, and I chose Harlan wines, i.e., Harlan, Promontory and Bond...yes, I know a couple of those are more expensive than Colgin). Anyway, this was delicious and in a much better place than its siblings (Cariad and IX) even though those will likely be better wines with more age....Ironically, the 2005 IX seemed way WAY younger than this wine, despite only being a year apart.
2004 Colgin Hertb Lamb - plenty of red fruit and black raspberry couples with some earthy notes, forest floor, pencil lead and leather notes. Very elegant....this wine is not about power, but elegance, which it pulls off effortlessly. In a great spot now! 94 and should hold for another year or so.
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Best of the World Wine Night (ex-Italy) (The csimm_M Estate): Briefer note than the other Colgins, both because I had only one taste, midway through, and I’m getting fatigued with writing these notes, still not finished, now more than 10 days after. This was a bit lighter and browner, solid on the palate and nose with black and red cherries, plums and currants, forest floor, wet earth and mixed ground spice. What’s most notable here is the contrast with the 2 Cariads and the CIX, not so much in quality, which was extremely high for all bottles, but in overall affect, as pointed out by WBW and BS. This is immediately accessible, beautifully balanced and gentle, with none of the sense of the molten core of the other 3 bottles. As I’ve not had this before and don’t know this particular bottle’s history, I’m not sure how much of that is winemaking style, bottle storage or individual bottle variation (or Dave’s aeration ablutions, for that matter), this presents as a drink now/soon wine, vs. the others, including the CIX, a mere year younger, which, despite already being exquisite, present the possibility of still better days to come. Not in the top group, but solid in the group just behind them, which wasn’t a bad place to be. 95-96+
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Memorial Madness at Case de Chris y Melissa - Day 2 of 2: Such a shame that they do not produce wine from Herb Lamb. This wine was very good. Less opulent than the Cariad or IX and more restrained for me, showing a bit less fruit and more secondary notes of herbs, spices and mushrooms. I am imagining a super ripe plum being reduced in a stainless pot with some herbs. If I have to imagine, I would have preferred this a few years younger but for the person who loves slightly older aged Napa, this is going to be your jam for sure.
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Memorial Day Weekend, Day 2: The Great Gatsby: Nose of intense but nicely integrated dark red fruits, deep earth and gentle note of spiced used for cooking (I couldn't tell you what for the life of me).
Flavors dark powdered graphite, similarly intense fruits from the nose with a brooding aspect.
I'm happy to see this is holding up well.. hoping that it is demonstrating quality and life of their wines. I do get a sense of wavering on the body and mouthfeel though but hard to say since that should be expected with a wine with age.
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Dark brooding character, big and brambly with rich dark red fruit, great body and texture, good lift. Lengthy and youthful, even better in the future if it relaxes. Not my stylistic choice but a pristine california cab for those that like it.
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WOTN for me amidst a great lineup. Absolutely magnificent complexity including cedar, smoke, liqueur. Love the balance of primary and secondary flavors right now. Terrific drinking moment for this wine.
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This wine was the last of the night in the CWG tasting but good enough to still remember it clearly. Full body, lots of tannins and herbs and leafs. Hint of dark cocoa and dirt. Great finish!
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Pretty huge wine. Tasty. Big dark fruit, with cocoa, licorice and minerality. Actually pretty good acidity to give it some good balance. Still young, though always wonder exactly where this type of wine is heading.
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Decanted and drank a over 1 hour. Dark, brooding. Needs time to resolve. Lots in inky, dense, graphite qualities and minerals. Fruit to match, but this is more about the dense dark core. First time with wine, but would guess this needs another 5-10 years or a long decant.
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very dark fruit, took about 3 hours to open up (not decanted); still plenty of fruit, but not a fruit bomb. Very complex with a great long & big finish. Probably still has another 8 great years ahead, so don't drink it all now.
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Very elegant nose, jammy with some cherry and raspberry notes. Great balance to this wine, fruity on the attack with good grip on the mid-palate and an elegant finish. This was terrific!
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5/28/2023 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wild and Crazy Memorial Weekend - Sunday (Chris' Castle aka Melissa's Manor): A very nice Colgin, and provides some insight as to how these age. This is in a pretty good place right now for my palate....not sure if it is the style, winemaking or vineyard. Always a treat to taste Colgin as I don't own many (at this price range, you need to pick and choose, and I chose Harlan wines, i.e., Harlan, Promontory and Bond...yes, I know a couple of those are more expensive than Colgin). Anyway, this was delicious and in a much better place than its siblings (Cariad and IX) even though those will likely be better wines with more age....Ironically, the 2005 IX seemed way WAY younger than this wine, despite only being a year apart.
2004 Colgin Hertb Lamb - plenty of red fruit and black raspberry couples with some earthy notes, forest floor, pencil lead and leather notes. Very elegant....this wine is not about power, but elegance, which it pulls off effortlessly. In a great spot now! 94 and should hold for another year or so.
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5/28/2023 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Best of the World Wine Night (ex-Italy) (The csimm_M Estate): Briefer note than the other Colgins, both because I had only one taste, midway through, and I’m getting fatigued with writing these notes, still not finished, now more than 10 days after. This was a bit lighter and browner, solid on the palate and nose with black and red cherries, plums and currants, forest floor, wet earth and mixed ground spice. What’s most notable here is the contrast with the 2 Cariads and the CIX, not so much in quality, which was extremely high for all bottles, but in overall affect, as pointed out by WBW and BS. This is immediately accessible, beautifully balanced and gentle, with none of the sense of the molten core of the other 3 bottles. As I’ve not had this before and don’t know this particular bottle’s history, I’m not sure how much of that is winemaking style, bottle storage or individual bottle variation (or Dave’s aeration ablutions, for that matter), this presents as a drink now/soon wine, vs. the others, including the CIX, a mere year younger, which, despite already being exquisite, present the possibility of still better days to come. Not in the top group, but solid in the group just behind them, which wasn’t a bad place to be. 95-96+
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5/28/2023 - bsumoba Likes this wine: 95 Points
Memorial Madness at Case de Chris y Melissa - Day 2 of 2: Such a shame that they do not produce wine from Herb Lamb. This wine was very good. Less opulent than the Cariad or IX and more restrained for me, showing a bit less fruit and more secondary notes of herbs, spices and mushrooms. I am imagining a super ripe plum being reduced in a stainless pot with some herbs. If I have to imagine, I would have preferred this a few years younger but for the person who loves slightly older aged Napa, this is going to be your jam for sure.
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5/28/2023 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 95 Points
Memorial Day Weekend, Day 2: The Great Gatsby: Nose of intense but nicely integrated dark red fruits, deep earth and gentle note of spiced used for cooking (I couldn't tell you what for the life of me).
Flavors dark powdered graphite, similarly intense fruits from the nose with a brooding aspect.
I'm happy to see this is holding up well.. hoping that it is demonstrating quality and life of their wines. I do get a sense of wavering on the body and mouthfeel though but hard to say since that should be expected with a wine with age.
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5/4/2023 - mchern02 wrote: 95 Points
Double Decant for two hours
Dark brooding character, big and brambly with rich dark red fruit, great body and texture, good lift. Lengthy and youthful, even better in the future if it relaxes. Not my stylistic choice but a pristine california cab for those that like it.
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8/30/2022 - dkentaustin wrote: 94 Points
Deep garnet almost onyx color. Aged fruit, red raspberry and lead pencil shavings with minerality, fig and herbs.
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4/17/2021 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Similar to prior notes after a 2 hour double decan; outstanding, drink or hold
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11/27/2020 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 98 Points
WOTN for me amidst a great lineup. Absolutely magnificent complexity including cedar, smoke, liqueur. Love the balance of primary and secondary flavors right now. Terrific drinking moment for this wine.
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9/4/2020 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Double decanted for 2.5 hrs, deep ruby, black cherry, med. tannins, long finish; outstanding, drink or hold
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6/7/2019 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine was the last of the night in the CWG tasting but good enough to still remember it clearly. Full body, lots of tannins and herbs and leafs. Hint of dark cocoa and dirt. Great finish!
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6/7/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Similar to prior note but a little more tannic; needs a little more time/decant to peak
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8/3/2018 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Decanted for an hour then back in the bottle, deep ruby, blue & blackberry with some chocolate, med. tannins, long finish; outstanding, drink or hold
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7/27/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
(Mostly) Cali Cab Dinner (RPM Steak - Chicago IL): Black currant, black plum and cassis aromas. Similar flavors with rich spice, slightly sweet. Very powerful, while also impressively balanced.
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4/9/2017 - cadamson Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pretty huge wine. Tasty. Big dark fruit, with cocoa, licorice and minerality. Actually pretty good acidity to give it some good balance. Still young, though always wonder exactly where this type of wine is heading.
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12/3/2016 - lolo66 wrote:
Decanted and drank a over 1 hour. Dark, brooding. Needs time to resolve. Lots in inky, dense, graphite qualities and minerals. Fruit to match, but this is more about the dense dark core. First time with wine, but would guess this needs another 5-10 years or a long decant.
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1/15/2015 - stconner Likes this wine: 97 Points
very dark fruit, took about 3 hours to open up (not decanted); still plenty of fruit, but not a fruit bomb. Very complex with a great long & big finish. Probably still has another 8 great years ahead, so don't drink it all now.
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4/13/2014 - B Paul wrote: 96 Points
Needed a bit of air to open up, but this was outstanding. Drink now or over next 10 years.
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10/14/2013 - ecola Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark fruit with great structure and dry gripping tannins. Medium to full body. Decanted for an hour. Balanced acidity.
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12/25/2012 - Sam@weimail.com wrote: flawed
Corked
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11/11/2011 - sjdcellar wrote: 98 Points
we had this at Quince - decanted for a bit but this was great right away - rich and delicious smooth tannins, very long finish. fantastic wine
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6/18/2011 - sjdcellar wrote: 96 Points
As good as advertised - smooth, silky, rich and full of cassis, flowers, and long finish
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5/19/2008 - pakabear wrote: 96 Points
Very elegant nose, jammy with some cherry and raspberry notes. Great balance to this wine, fruity on the attack with good grip on the mid-palate and an elegant finish. This was terrific!
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