Aromas of lead pencil, blackberry, currant, iron and a mocha note. Flavors of blackberry, currant, black cherry, iron and touch of melted chocolate. Ends with a 45 second finish with currant and blackberry finish.
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Lush, velvety, christmas spice, cocoa, blackberry & black currant with some stone minerality and enough acid to hold it all together. Certainly on the plusher side but quite beautiful all the same. Very moorish.
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Decanted for 30 minutes. Nose of black raspberry, currant, mocha and baking spice. Black fruit, mocha, spice and crushed rock on the palate. Very long finish. Good depth. Full bodied. Served with reverse seared strip steaks and a brandy, mushroom cream sauce.
Sharp, dark nose. Nice dark fruit on the tongye--black currant, blackberry, maybe, even, blueberry. Nice lemony tartness on the edges of the tongue, Some leather or cigar box under the rear palate. Tannin is very settled. Excellent wine.
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Opened and decanted for 7 hours prior to first pour; big nose of creme de cassis, cigar box and leather; very inviting; the palate has great depth with a wonderful concentration of blackberry compote and blackcurrant up front with chocolate and tobacco notes mid-palate and a nice savoriness on the back end; so very smooth and mouth-coating; soft tannins without any graininess and enough acid to keep things interesting; very long finish.
This is drinking great now...probably 95-96 if I had to rate it.
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Wow. Big wine. But seamless, polished, and layered with lots of complexity. Fruit filled, almost sweet, with vanilla and “cake” notes. Tannins are big but in check. No heat at all despite the scale. Very well made.
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Nicely made and balanced. Slight acidity and noticeable tannins with many years ahead. Red-fruit driven cabernet - if that's your jam. Not overly complex or note worthy finish.
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Boom, what a wine! Decanted a half bottle and argon gassed the rest for the next night. The GIII had aromas of blue fruits, cedar and some slight saline which faded. Full bodied, coating the mouth with blackberry liqueur, cassis, some dustiness, and a long explosive finish. The 30-60 seconds on the finish was really amazing.
Drinking this and a '13 Rivers-Marie Panek Vineyard Cab the "We're not worthy!" scene from Wayne's World kept going through my head. How fortunate am I to drink these amazing wines and who am I to score them? Both were amazing. I gave a slight edge to the GIII due to the long explosive finish but the RM nose really opened up after an hour and Christine gave it the nod due to it's strong black cherry flavors.
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Decanted 2 hours before tasting. Served at 55 degrees. Cassis, blueberry preserves, cedar, loamy earth and asian spices on the nose. Dark fruit on the pallet that is pretty firm and a bit austere, with tannins and are still very present and wrap around the fruit with a strong hold. There's fruit behind there, but not much of it is making it out at this point. Medium to full bodied, this shows better balance than one might expect from a Mike Smith GIII at this age. Good structure, but not the layering I really enjoy from his best offerings. Finish is rather long and a little astringent. While I notice some recently feel this is a rich wine, I think that's relative. It's definitely not rich for Mike Smith.
Sadly, this has never even come remotely close to the amazing way it showed a month or two after shipping, but it's still a very nice wine that is not struggling to age properly. My recommendation with all Myriad GIII's is to drink them early, because they rock out of the chute and then transform into something good but not great.
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Just stunning. Fully integrated and ready to go with 30-60 minutes of air. Black fruit dominates, but some hints of chocolate and mocha. Finishes stretches close to a minute. If scoring, 94-96.
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My first big Mike Smith cab and this was excellent, dark fruits. It was decanted for 2 hours and got better as the night went on. I can see this ageing well.
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Decanted 1-2 hours...smooths this right out. Faintest of alcohol leaves, beautiful black and red fruit, sweet cassis and tannins, velour like texture after the decant. Beautifully tied together right now. Loads of chocolate, mocha and cherry. Certainly could go a lot longer but why? Great job, Mike Smith!
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Super smooth and balanced. I can’t tell you whether it will get better over time, but with an hour decant, it is absolute velvet right now. Wish I would have bought more!
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Had this alongside a Carter Weitz 2013 and the Carter was a Wow wine so this didn’t hold up. This has a lot of structure, tannin and minerals. the Carter just seemed silky smooth, rounded edges and a wonderful nose and finish. Had both while enjoying a grilled Filet.
This is what I am talking about. Pure class with velvety tannins and blue fruits abound with a hint of vanilla oak. Dense yet soft. Can’t wait to drink my remaining bottles with a good decant or a few more years to evolve
I have many notes on this wine which essentially still apply to my experience this time. PnP was just fine. A little acid, a little grip, but overall an expected rush of accessible, lush black cherry and red and black currant core fruit. Not a ton of nuance to be had here beyond the primary fruit flavors (suggesting it could use even more time in bottle?), but a very smooth ride from beginning to end.
The upfront power and concentration have leveled out considerably since I last had this wine the previous year; so it seemed like it was contemplating morphing into the next phase of its life. I'm anxious to see where it goes, but I imagine it will take a couple of years to get there. I'm now looking to see if/when it begins to show secondary and tertiary notes of earth and minerality. I'll try to hold remaining bottles until 2020. 94+ points at the moment.
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Pnp at a fav French restaurant with good friends and a '14 Amizetta cab along with a '13 David Arthur Old Vine Red....Mike Smith's Georges III was far and away the wotn. Beautiful dark fruit/cedar nose......smooth on the entry, so flavorful the concentrated fruit with cedar/tannins blending in very smoothly at this young age. This wine has everything you want...bouquet, flavor, depth, layers of complexity, refined power, all the while like drinking liquid velour. Not a harsh edge to be found anywhere....all 4 of us readily agreed on this one. Great with a charred filet mignon in a green/black peppercorn cream sauce......Parker hit this rating on the nose at 98......and still many years to go. But at this level of perfection, how can anyone wait? I shudder to think how this might have played out with any decant at all but it didn't make it longer than 30-40 min in our glasses, before they were empty for the night. The quality of this wine is quite simply, outstanding!
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When I first tried this one, it was a stunning beauty and it still is but, it does not reveal the intensity and power that was present in its youth. Currently, the wine shows some acidity still, very good. No doubt the acidity will tone down with some time on the side.
Sure, like others say, could be benefit from aging but like a Rookie of the year pitcher, already great. Black pepper, cassis nose. Great balance of tannin and weight. Super enjoyable wine tonight.
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Deep purplish ruby red. Definitely more complex on the nose, more than just fruits and baking spices. Started off with a kind of sweet bread and had some more savory undertones such as wood, herbs, and tobacco. A strong mid-nose with black currants, raspberries, baking spices and purple floral notes like lilac and lavender. Moderate tannins (6.5/10) and full bodied. Well balanced and great structure from the acidity. Layered palate with a bit of minerality in the attack before moving onto red berries, both bright and dark. A slight pinch in the long and lingering finish. Drink from 2017 till 2032.
When it came down to guessing straight away you could tell this was different than the first wine. More structure and complexity. Felt like it had a bit more age as well as less black and blue fruits. With the Georges III wines we have tried it has been pretty consistent that there is more red fruits and a bit of minerality like this one. So we decided on the 2013 Myriad Georges III.
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Clearly the most integrated of the bunch tonight. Initially 5 hours decanting - after 7 hours the fruit started to show on the nose. Light strawberries and blueberries. The longer decant is good for this wine.
Limited nose and dark chocolate/cocoa in the finish. Tobacco on the nose
While the Napa Myriad clearly showed fruit and less complexity this is rounded with less fruit.
A dryish finish Better with food than the other 2. The alcohol is a tough and a little too high. Maybe some more decanting will help - with less alcohol this wine is worth a few more points.
I will not drink for at least 3 to 4 years
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From its dark, brooding inkish appearance through its plush mouthfeel and extra long finish, this is a bold and fruit forward version from this great vineyard. Dark fruits such as black cherry and plum combined with notes of pencil shavings and sulfur on this nose. Sensuous on the palate with more red fruit in the forefront in a delightful mix of blackberry, plum and red cherry with notes of licorice and oak. Nicely balanced tannins where the acids are front and center upon opening and fade with air time. All combines to a super long, lush finish. Not overly structured or complex, fruit forward yet not overly extracted, just a nice wine to drink. I think this could use a couple of more years in the bottle to round off the tannins a bit, cool the acids and mellow the fruit. Aging potential.
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Incredibly complex nose. High toned notes of cassis, rich dark cherry, minerals and a touch of toast. IN the mouth, young tasting. Fruit, acid and tannins all in good proportion. Delicious wine!
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Decanted 2 hours. No noticeable sediment. Profoundly concentrated and juicy without going into the plum realm. Decidedly mixed fruited as I detect both red and blue/black flavors. Nice and long with a delicious, trailing bite of freshness. This has some decent acids to go well with food.
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Decanted for about an hour while we enjoyed some bubbles. My wife opened it before I arrived home and she said it was pretty tight so the decant was warranted.
Dark fruit, blueberry and casis. A well rounded wine but I think it could have benefitted with another two hours in the decanter or a few years in the bottle.
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Still noticeable acidity that did fade with some time and the taste on the palate it did improve considerably with time. The tasting notes are much like what I expressed in my previous notes.
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Interesting... I had this side-by-side with a day-two-in-bottle (gassed) 2013 Scarlett. Though I've had a number of bottles of the Myriad GIII (and previous specific notes still apply), this was the first time I noticed the fruit of the GIII really show all of its cards up front in one flash on the palate. It was fruit, fruit, and more fruit. Not a bad thing of course, but the McGah (Scarlett) fruit showed more intensity, structure, and layered complexities.
McGah trumps GIII?! Not something I expected. Both were very intriguing to me, especially by comparison. My 2 cents at this moment is this: Scarlett is ready now with a splash decant and over the next few years..maybe the next 3-5+ years. The Myriad GIII is even more open for business right now; no decant; drink now and over the next year or so (if you want that fruit intensity to maintain).
DAY 2: To no surprise, a little oxidized and bitter on the finish, but otherwise the core fruit held up surprisingly well. Rounder and a tad softer overall. The first day was certainly more intense. The fruit seemed more focused on day one, exhibitng that push that I like; that had subsided some on the second day. I still recommend an earlier drinking window on this wine
Black-fruited nose with a predominantly plummy fruit taste on the palate. Tannins are loose and soft. Drinking well now and though it could use a little more time in the bottle, I don't see this as one to lay down long. It doesn't strike me as a wine that will benefit from a lot more aging and would be best on the this side of 10 years.
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Still evolving and showing more acidity than it did in the beginning. I believe that the evolution of this wine will take it to a better palace with bottle age. It did show better as we drank it (without a decant). More to come.
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Decided to try two valley floor wines from two different killer winemakers. This was the first wine of the evening. Ruby red with purplish hues. Fruit forward nose with layers of dark raspberries, dark berries and plums. Moderate plus tannins (7.5/10) and full bodied. Lots of dark fruits and needs some time to open up a little more. Slightly lighter in style than the Riverain Cab but definitely more fruits. Long and lingering finish. Drink till 2030.
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Same as last month. No decant. Didn't need it. A bit of a chalky grip for the first 20-30 minutes, then it was smooth sailing from there. Thick, rich, and round on the finish. Drink now and over the next 3-5 years.
A definite crowd pleaser. Glad I have a case of the 2014 waiting to be picked up!
Very similar to my CT notes from 11/7/2015 except I do agree with others that the intensity has shifted a bit, but not much (in my opinion). I was still very much drawn to the core fruit and depth this wine had; there was a decent spine and verve to hold the flavors together nicely. I thought it had the energy to carry it through the three hours we were drinking it. I personally did not experience it as having lost significant or notable flavor. (I had the 2012 version recently, and it indeed had rounded-out quite a bit, losing just a bit of that wow factor for me).
Based on others' previous notes, I did not decant this 2013 GIII throughout the whole bottle. I was concerned that too much air might cause it to lose that "punch" too early. It was a PnP, small pours in the glass, and the remaining bottle was stored at 54 degrees in the interim as we sipped and refilled our glasses throughout the evening. This seemed to be a good form of service for this wine at present. It didn't get too much air all at once, but it was just enough in the glass to allow the fruit to emerge while still holding a good frame.
True to form, GIII fruit isn't exactly known for it's tightly knit, coiled-up profile. I frequently experience it as a more rounded, plush style in general (though Mike Smith really brings out some nice power that I don't always experience in GIII fruit). Roy Piper had recently mentioned to me that fruit from GIII can come off "structureless" (which is why he adds Moulds Vineyard to his wine to tighten it up). Anyway, I just thought that was interesting given the string of notes on this particular wine.
I actually think it is drinking really nicely now. Cruises in that 93-95 point range for my preference. For me, I'll be drinking these sooner than later (along with the 2013 Myraid standard Cabernet), while the Cranes and Twins rest for a bit.
Good stuff but wow, the depth and flavor intensity is not as it was with my last bottle. I hope that this Cab is still evolving and perhaps in transition (or a dumb phase), only time will tell. I agree with Bluegoose on this wine, it is not as intense as it was the last time around by my estimation. I am a pop and pour wine drinker especially with Myriad wines but this one may be different. I have some left over and I will see tonight.
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Popped and poured, but this wine is too special to rush, still a spectacular Cab. 96 Points on day 1 with no rough edges. This is a remarkable vintage, and tremendous wine! Dark purple and black fruit, sweet plum and raisin, black licorice/ anise sweet tannin, bright purity and length and depth. Just think, the 2014 vintage is around the corner. 2013 will be hard to top but I do look forward to it.
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Had a little left for the second night. It was incredible. Dark black and blue fruits came out with some milk chocolate and the sweetness overtone noted on the first night was gone.
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I am rating the wine as it is right now. I can see the 96+ potential, though. Out of the bottle, lots of sweet plum and raisin. It was open to slo ox and tried again at 1-2 hours. The sweet flavors faded and the was predominantly red fruit. I think that this will be spectacular in 2-3 years, and should be opened for 4-6 hours if it is to be consumed at this early age.
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Dark ruby robe, after a 2 hour decant nose of black cherry and maraschino cherry. Evolved over the night and ended with some blue and black fruits, blueberry preserve and baking spice. A bit lighter and much more integrated than the Three Kings. Very nice wine, ready to drink now but will improve with time.
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Slow ox for 5 hours, then another 4 hours in decanter.
Dark violet, nose of dark purple and black fruit, crushed rock and graphite. Big and layered on the palate - pretty amazing that this is 100% cab and not some blending grapes given the layers at this stage. Serious finish that lingers pleasantly.
Particularly impressed with the balance at this stage. Also worth mentioning that I found this even better with the food (braised short ribs and fontina grits); brought out some more character on the late palate and finish.
We finished this off pretty quickly (90 minutes); were almost fighting each other for what was left in decanter.
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Loads of wines held for weather coming in, so I had to break into something and saw all the good notes on this wine. Definite infanticide, but I poured it into the decanter through a vinturi. First impression, tremendous dark fruits on the nose, blackberry, cassis, pencil lead, licorice and pleasant toasty oak. Very complex nose, classy beckstofffer shining through. In the mouth, well structured slightly chalky but smooth tannins, wall off fruit bursting through, wonderfully long finish. This will improve lots with time in the bottle, 94 is for my initial thoughts, will watch this first glass evolve tonight and come back tomorrow to update.
Phenomenal. The other reviewers nailed it. Beautiful wine right out of the gate; gains complexity and depth as it airs over 45 minutes to an hour. Simply irresistible.
as with the Maybach's I had this at Cristal2000's house. Honestly, this was more of an afterthought at first (which is weird to say.) But after drinking those wines and a bottle of Sea Smoke, we were pretty much done. On a whim, we decided to open this and give it a whirl...
I mean...Listen, this wine is something else. Pop and pour and it was singing right out of the gate. The complexity on the nose cant even be described, though i'll try: Black Olive, a touch of oak, cassis, blackberries. Gorgeous on the palate. just beautiful in every way. Full bodied wine but not over-the-top whatsoever. Just amazing. Super long finish with ample backbone to it. I NEVER rate wines, but if I were - out of the gate - this would easily be 97-98. One of the best wines I've had this year and up there with some of the best I've ever had. In a few years.....watch out!!!
Wow. That's about all I can say about this wine. I opened a 2009 and 2012 Maybach Materium this evening and this destroyed them both as a PnP at the end of the evening. The nose is incredible and tasting experience is up there with the best I have ever had. What a WINE! The power is immense, the complexity is off the charts and finish lingers for over 60 secs. I have no doubt the is a 100pt wine with a little more time in the bottle. This wine is amazing, and for $95 represents possibly one of the best values in all of Napa. AMAZING!
Carter/Myriad Tasting with Mike Smith (Carter Cellars (Envy Wines) - Calistoga): I bumped this up a point to 95, as it presented amazingly this go-around, shadowed only barely by the 2013 Myriad Dr. Crane tasted next to it. The Myriads were also tasted alongside the 2013 Carter Fortuna, Weitz, and Hossfeld. The GIII was #2 out of all the others, inching-out the Carter Fortuna this tasting, as the GIII was really kicking out all sorts of layered flavors this time.
The GIII almost reminded me of a rounder version of the 2012 Carter OG, with beautifully dark berry and earthy nuances. The 2013 Myriad GIII glided across the palate with black and blue berry fruits, with ripe/dark raspberry, plum, and currant flavors coating the mid-palate. No hollowness here. Some faint earthy hints of forest floor and roasted coriander added even more interest.
When I tasted this back in August, it had a little more youthful restraint, holding back some of its hand. This tasting showed the GIII as a more accessible animal. A great grip is holding all the parts together at the moment. I would have normally recommended waiting a couple of years for the GIII, but it is going to be hard to keep my paws off of this wine through the holidays!
I would allow for at least a 30 minute decant if deciding to pop the cork within the next six months.
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After tasting the portfolio of 2013 Carter Cellars wines, We tasted the Mike Smith Myriad wines. I must say that by comparison, there was very little (if any) drop off especially with this George III Cabernet! This is a gorgeous one, and I agree with the assessment expeessed by Bluegoose. Absolutely delicious and hitting on all cylinders to be so young. Prediction: This will be a Grand Slam!
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Tasted at a private Carter Cellars 2013 Horizontal tasting, with additional 2013 Myriad wines for comparison.
Kept up quite well with the powerful Carter BTKs, but with a more earthy persona. Notes of dark red, black, and blue plum and berry fruits, blackcurrant, forest floor, and woodsmoke. A suave and smooth wine when compared to the massively concentrated and coiled-up Carter wines (at this stage).
Consistent with GIIIs of the past, with the 2013 showing a bit of its monolithic youthfulness. 94+ at the moment, with surely a higher rating in the coming handful of years with time in bottle.
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11/25/2023 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Aromas of lead pencil, blackberry, currant, iron and a mocha note. Flavors of blackberry, currant, black cherry, iron and touch of melted chocolate. Ends with a 45 second finish with currant and blackberry finish.
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1/26/2023 - JCMenendez Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a big full bodied cab. For my taste this needs about 6+ years to show its full potential.
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12/2/2022 - Rob_Sutherland Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lush, velvety, christmas spice, cocoa, blackberry & black currant with some stone minerality and enough acid to hold it all together. Certainly on the plusher side but quite beautiful all the same. Very moorish.
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8/16/2022 - Acohen Likes this wine: 95 Points
Delicious sweet current, plum and lush tannins
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10/10/2021 - KTelaak_Buffalo Likes this wine: 96 Points
Once again, more than a year later, magnificent!
Drinking beautifully!
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10/3/2021 - drinknick31 Does not like this wine: flawed
Sour on the front. Bought off auction. Frustrated as I have a bunch of 18 in the Celler and more 19 coming was wondering how it was. Oh well.
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7/25/2021 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes. Nose of black raspberry, currant, mocha and baking spice. Black fruit, mocha, spice and crushed rock on the palate. Very long finish. Good depth. Full bodied. Served with reverse seared strip steaks and a brandy, mushroom cream sauce.
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5/16/2021 - Acohen Likes this wine: 94 Points
Big dark sweet fruit with cassis, plum, blackberry, mocha and integrated long tannins
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4/19/2021 - EMark Likes this wine:
Sharp, dark nose. Nice dark fruit on the tongye--black currant, blackberry, maybe, even, blueberry. Nice lemony tartness on the edges of the tongue, Some leather or cigar box under the rear palate. Tannin is very settled. Excellent wine.
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2/21/2021 - agosain Likes this wine: 96 Points
Positively singing. Still very primary.
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2/6/2021 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 93 Points
consistent with notes of 7/14/2019 - excellent pairing with tomahawk ribeye prepared by Adam
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12/31/2020 - tcufletch Likes this wine:
Opened and decanted for 7 hours prior to first pour; big nose of creme de cassis, cigar box and leather; very inviting; the palate has great depth with a wonderful concentration of blackberry compote and blackcurrant up front with chocolate and tobacco notes mid-palate and a nice savoriness on the back end; so very smooth and mouth-coating; soft tannins without any graininess and enough acid to keep things interesting; very long finish.
This is drinking great now...probably 95-96 if I had to rate it.
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9/12/2020 - Jdwinedrinker wrote:
Love these wines but this one Corked :(
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9/5/2020 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow. Big wine. But seamless, polished, and layered with lots of complexity. Fruit filled, almost sweet, with vanilla and “cake” notes. Tannins are big but in check. No heat at all despite the scale. Very well made.
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7/31/2020 - KTelaak_Buffalo Likes this wine: 96 Points
Everything about this wine is spectacular. Perfect place. Perfect balance. I need to have more. So special.
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7/27/2019 - City Squirrel Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nicely made and balanced. Slight acidity and noticeable tannins with many years ahead. Red-fruit driven cabernet - if that's your jam. Not overly complex or note worthy finish.
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7/14/2019 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rich and full bodied, with mocha and blackberry notes. Drinking well now, this should be good for 10-12 more years.
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5/2/2019 - DrBad Likes this wine: 98 Points
Boom, what a wine! Decanted a half bottle and argon gassed the rest for the next night. The GIII had aromas of blue fruits, cedar and some slight saline which faded. Full bodied, coating the mouth with blackberry liqueur, cassis, some dustiness, and a long explosive finish. The 30-60 seconds on the finish was really amazing.
Drinking this and a '13 Rivers-Marie Panek Vineyard Cab the "We're not worthy!" scene from Wayne's World kept going through my head. How fortunate am I to drink these amazing wines and who am I to score them? Both were amazing. I gave a slight edge to the GIII due to the long explosive finish but the RM nose really opened up after an hour and Christine gave it the nod due to it's strong black cherry flavors.
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1/20/2019 - wendyinwlv wrote: 95 Points
Very good, a bit "dusty" but jammy.
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12/6/2018 - Justinwine wrote: 93 Points
Super, duper red fruits.
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11/5/2018 - Justinwine wrote: 94 Points
Delicious, integrated fruit, ripe. Red berries. I loved drinking this wine.
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10/21/2018 - mikemboutiquewines wrote: 96 Points
First bottle of the 6 pack I bought a few years ago. Fantastic! Reminds me of the great Maybach cabs! Real value for the price. Boom!
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8/18/2018 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 2 hours before tasting. Served at 55 degrees. Cassis, blueberry preserves, cedar, loamy earth and asian spices on the nose. Dark fruit on the pallet that is pretty firm and a bit austere, with tannins and are still very present and wrap around the fruit with a strong hold. There's fruit behind there, but not much of it is making it out at this point. Medium to full bodied, this shows better balance than one might expect from a Mike Smith GIII at this age. Good structure, but not the layering I really enjoy from his best offerings. Finish is rather long and a little astringent. While I notice some recently feel this is a rich wine, I think that's relative. It's definitely not rich for Mike Smith.
Sadly, this has never even come remotely close to the amazing way it showed a month or two after shipping, but it's still a very nice wine that is not struggling to age properly. My recommendation with all Myriad GIII's is to drink them early, because they rock out of the chute and then transform into something good but not great.
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8/6/2018 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 94 Points
2nd of 3 bottles, lives up to it's rec. Big, rich, long, great fruit flavors-I subtracted 1-2 pts as it is almost too rich, still a great bottle
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6/24/2018 - dontime wrote:
Just stunning. Fully integrated and ready to go with 30-60 minutes of air. Black fruit dominates, but some hints of chocolate and mocha. Finishes stretches close to a minute. If scoring, 94-96.
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4/15/2018 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 95 Points
My first big Mike Smith cab and this was excellent, dark fruits. It was decanted for 2 hours and got better as the night went on. I can see this ageing well.
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4/2/2018 - Justinwine wrote: 94 Points
Delicious
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1/25/2018 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 1-2 hours...smooths this right out. Faintest of alcohol leaves, beautiful black and red fruit, sweet cassis and tannins, velour like texture after the decant. Beautifully tied together right now. Loads of chocolate, mocha and cherry. Certainly could go a lot longer but why? Great job, Mike Smith!
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1/13/2018 - bubbachumps wrote: 95 Points
Consistent with my prior notes. Delicious bottle of wine.
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12/24/2017 - Deutsch Likes this wine: 95 Points
Super smooth and balanced. I can’t tell you whether it will get better over time, but with an hour decant, it is absolute velvet right now. Wish I would have bought more!
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12/19/2017 - WojoWineCave Likes this wine: 94 Points
Had this alongside a Carter Weitz 2013 and the Carter was a Wow wine so this didn’t hold up. This has a lot of structure, tannin and minerals. the Carter just seemed silky smooth, rounded edges and a wonderful nose and finish. Had both while enjoying a grilled Filet.
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10/16/2017 - Griffeyfan04 Likes this wine: 97 Points
This is what I am talking about. Pure class with velvety tannins and blue fruits abound with a hint of vanilla oak. Dense yet soft. Can’t wait to drink my remaining bottles with a good decant or a few more years to evolve
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8/9/2017 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
I have many notes on this wine which essentially still apply to my experience this time. PnP was just fine. A little acid, a little grip, but overall an expected rush of accessible, lush black cherry and red and black currant core fruit. Not a ton of nuance to be had here beyond the primary fruit flavors (suggesting it could use even more time in bottle?), but a very smooth ride from beginning to end.
The upfront power and concentration have leveled out considerably since I last had this wine the previous year; so it seemed like it was contemplating morphing into the next phase of its life. I'm anxious to see where it goes, but I imagine it will take a couple of years to get there. I'm now looking to see if/when it begins to show secondary and tertiary notes of earth and minerality. I'll try to hold remaining bottles until 2020. 94+ points at the moment.
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7/29/2017 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 98 Points
Pnp at a fav French restaurant with good friends and a '14 Amizetta cab along with a '13 David Arthur Old Vine Red....Mike Smith's Georges III was far and away the wotn. Beautiful dark fruit/cedar nose......smooth on the entry, so flavorful the concentrated fruit with cedar/tannins blending in very smoothly at this young age. This wine has everything you want...bouquet, flavor, depth, layers of complexity, refined power, all the while like drinking liquid velour. Not a harsh edge to be found anywhere....all 4 of us readily agreed on this one. Great with a charred filet mignon in a green/black peppercorn cream sauce......Parker hit this rating on the nose at 98......and still many years to go. But at this level of perfection, how can anyone wait? I shudder to think how this might have played out with any decant at all but it didn't make it longer than 30-40 min in our glasses, before they were empty for the night. The quality of this wine is quite simply, outstanding!
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3/19/2017 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 93 Points
When I first tried this one, it was a stunning beauty and it still is but, it does not reveal the intensity and power that was present in its youth. Currently, the wine shows some acidity still, very good. No doubt the acidity will tone down with some time on the side.
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12/30/2016 - kosdogger Likes this wine: 94 Points
Sure, like others say, could be benefit from aging but like a Rookie of the year pitcher, already great. Black pepper, cassis nose. Great balance of tannin and weight. Super enjoyable wine tonight.
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12/28/2016 - Millennial Drinkers Likes this wine: 94 Points
December Themed Tastings; 12/22/2016-12/29/2016 (At Home): Tasted blind and this was wine 2. This was given a four hour decant.
Deep purplish ruby red. Definitely more complex on the nose, more than just fruits and baking spices. Started off with a kind of sweet bread and had some more savory undertones such as wood, herbs, and tobacco. A strong mid-nose with black currants, raspberries, baking spices and purple floral notes like lilac and lavender. Moderate tannins (6.5/10) and full bodied. Well balanced and great structure from the acidity. Layered palate with a bit of minerality in the attack before moving onto red berries, both bright and dark. A slight pinch in the long and lingering finish. Drink from 2017 till 2032.
When it came down to guessing straight away you could tell this was different than the first wine. More structure and complexity. Felt like it had a bit more age as well as less black and blue fruits. With the Georges III wines we have tried it has been pretty consistent that there is more red fruits and a bit of minerality like this one. So we decided on the 2013 Myriad Georges III.
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12/28/2016 - cab blends wrote: 93 Points
Clearly the most integrated of the bunch tonight. Initially 5 hours decanting - after 7 hours the fruit started to show on the nose. Light strawberries and blueberries. The longer decant is good for this wine.
Limited nose and dark chocolate/cocoa in the finish. Tobacco on the nose
While the Napa Myriad clearly showed fruit and less complexity this is rounded with less fruit.
A dryish finish Better with food than the other 2. The alcohol is a tough and a little too high. Maybe some more decanting will help - with less alcohol this wine is worth a few more points.
I will not drink for at least 3 to 4 years
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11/26/2016 - MarkWhite Likes this wine: 93 Points
From its dark, brooding inkish appearance through its plush mouthfeel and extra long finish, this is a bold and fruit forward version from this great vineyard. Dark fruits such as black cherry and plum combined with notes of pencil shavings and sulfur on this nose. Sensuous on the palate with more red fruit in the forefront in a delightful mix of blackberry, plum and red cherry with notes of licorice and oak. Nicely balanced tannins where the acids are front and center upon opening and fade with air time. All combines to a super long, lush finish. Not overly structured or complex, fruit forward yet not overly extracted, just a nice wine to drink. I think this could use a couple of more years in the bottle to round off the tannins a bit, cool the acids and mellow the fruit. Aging potential.
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11/25/2016 - bubbachumps wrote: 95 Points
Incredibly complex nose. High toned notes of cassis, rich dark cherry, minerals and a touch of toast. IN the mouth, young tasting. Fruit, acid and tannins all in good proportion. Delicious wine!
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10/30/2016 - Mech-E wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 2 hours. No noticeable sediment. Profoundly concentrated and juicy without going into the plum realm. Decidedly mixed fruited as I detect both red and blue/black flavors. Nice and long with a delicious, trailing bite of freshness. This has some decent acids to go well with food.
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10/18/2016 - Mtpisgah Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for about an hour while we enjoyed some bubbles. My wife opened it before I arrived home and she said it was pretty tight so the decant was warranted.
Dark fruit, blueberry and casis. A well rounded wine but I think it could have benefitted with another two hours in the decanter or a few years in the bottle.
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9/1/2016 - Yack Man wrote: 93 Points
Still noticeable acidity that did fade with some time and the taste on the palate it did improve considerably with time. The tasting notes are much like what I expressed in my previous notes.
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8/30/2016 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
Interesting... I had this side-by-side with a day-two-in-bottle (gassed) 2013 Scarlett. Though I've had a number of bottles of the Myriad GIII (and previous specific notes still apply), this was the first time I noticed the fruit of the GIII really show all of its cards up front in one flash on the palate. It was fruit, fruit, and more fruit. Not a bad thing of course, but the McGah (Scarlett) fruit showed more intensity, structure, and layered complexities.
McGah trumps GIII?! Not something I expected. Both were very intriguing to me, especially by comparison. My 2 cents at this moment is this: Scarlett is ready now with a splash decant and over the next few years..maybe the next 3-5+ years. The Myriad GIII is even more open for business right now; no decant; drink now and over the next year or so (if you want that fruit intensity to maintain).
DAY 2: To no surprise, a little oxidized and bitter on the finish, but otherwise the core fruit held up surprisingly well. Rounder and a tad softer overall. The first day was certainly more intense. The fruit seemed more focused on day one, exhibitng that push that I like; that had subsided some on the second day. I still recommend an earlier drinking window on this wine
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7/18/2016 - SteveN100 wrote: 93 Points
Black-fruited nose with a predominantly plummy fruit taste on the palate. Tannins are loose and soft. Drinking well now and though it could use a little more time in the bottle, I don't see this as one to lay down long. It doesn't strike me as a wine that will benefit from a lot more aging and would be best on the this side of 10 years.
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7/3/2016 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still evolving and showing more acidity than it did in the beginning. I believe that the evolution of this wine will take it to a better palace with bottle age. It did show better as we drank it (without a decant). More to come.
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7/1/2016 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 93 Points
Decided to try two valley floor wines from two different killer winemakers. This was the first wine of the evening. Ruby red with purplish hues. Fruit forward nose with layers of dark raspberries, dark berries and plums. Moderate plus tannins (7.5/10) and full bodied. Lots of dark fruits and needs some time to open up a little more. Slightly lighter in style than the Riverain Cab but definitely more fruits. Long and lingering finish. Drink till 2030.
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7/1/2016 - cab blends Likes this wine: 94 Points
Not as stunning as I was expecting. Had this up against the Riverain 2013.
This was fruity and clearly valley floor.
Fruit red nose with light tobacco.
Tannins are lighter than the Riverain at 7/10
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6/28/2016 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
Same as last month. No decant. Didn't need it. A bit of a chalky grip for the first 20-30 minutes, then it was smooth sailing from there. Thick, rich, and round on the finish. Drink now and over the next 3-5 years.
A definite crowd pleaser. Glad I have a case of the 2014 waiting to be picked up!
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5/27/2016 - csimm wrote: 95 Points
Very similar to my CT notes from 11/7/2015 except I do agree with others that the intensity has shifted a bit, but not much (in my opinion). I was still very much drawn to the core fruit and depth this wine had; there was a decent spine and verve to hold the flavors together nicely. I thought it had the energy to carry it through the three hours we were drinking it. I personally did not experience it as having lost significant or notable flavor. (I had the 2012 version recently, and it indeed had rounded-out quite a bit, losing just a bit of that wow factor for me).
Based on others' previous notes, I did not decant this 2013 GIII throughout the whole bottle. I was concerned that too much air might cause it to lose that "punch" too early. It was a PnP, small pours in the glass, and the remaining bottle was stored at 54 degrees in the interim as we sipped and refilled our glasses throughout the evening. This seemed to be a good form of service for this wine at present. It didn't get too much air all at once, but it was just enough in the glass to allow the fruit to emerge while still holding a good frame.
True to form, GIII fruit isn't exactly known for it's tightly knit, coiled-up profile. I frequently experience it as a more rounded, plush style in general (though Mike Smith really brings out some nice power that I don't always experience in GIII fruit). Roy Piper had recently mentioned to me that fruit from GIII can come off "structureless" (which is why he adds Moulds Vineyard to his wine to tighten it up). Anyway, I just thought that was interesting given the string of notes on this particular wine.
I actually think it is drinking really nicely now. Cruises in that 93-95 point range for my preference. For me, I'll be drinking these sooner than later (along with the 2013 Myraid standard Cabernet), while the Cranes and Twins rest for a bit.
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5/23/2016 - Yack Man wrote: 93 Points
Good stuff but wow, the depth and flavor intensity is not as it was with my last bottle. I hope that this Cab is still evolving and perhaps in transition (or a dumb phase), only time will tell. I agree with Bluegoose on this wine, it is not as intense as it was the last time around by my estimation. I am a pop and pour wine drinker especially with Myriad wines but this one may be different. I have some left over and I will see tonight.
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4/15/2016 - Wineson wrote: 90 Points
Very sweet tasting, a little lacking in character. I was expecting too much probably. Easy drinking cab.
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4/8/2016 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
Not much has changed since my last tasting note. This really needs more time. A lot going on with this wine.
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1/27/2016 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 96 Points
Popped and poured, but this wine is too special to rush, still a spectacular Cab. 96 Points on day 1 with no rough edges. This is a
remarkable vintage, and tremendous wine! Dark purple and black fruit, sweet plum and raisin, black licorice/ anise sweet tannin, bright purity and length and depth. Just think, the 2014 vintage is around the corner. 2013 will be hard to top but I do look forward to it.
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12/27/2015 - newkid17 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Had a little left for the second night. It was incredible. Dark black and blue fruits came out with some milk chocolate and the sweetness overtone noted on the first night was gone.
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12/25/2015 - newkid17 Likes this wine: 93 Points
I am rating the wine as it is right now. I can see the 96+ potential, though. Out of the bottle, lots of sweet plum and raisin. It was open to slo ox and tried again at 1-2 hours. The sweet flavors faded and the was predominantly red fruit. I think that this will be spectacular in 2-3 years, and should be opened for 4-6 hours if it is to be consumed at this early age.
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12/21/2015 - Shaun Mondavi wrote: 94 Points
Dark ruby robe, after a 2 hour decant nose of black cherry and maraschino cherry. Evolved over the night and ended with some blue and black fruits, blueberry preserve and baking spice. A bit lighter and much more integrated than the Three Kings. Very nice wine, ready to drink now but will improve with time.
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12/13/2015 - ageverett Likes this wine: 96 Points
Slow ox for 5 hours, then another 4 hours in decanter.
Dark violet, nose of dark purple and black fruit, crushed rock and graphite. Big and layered on the palate - pretty amazing that this is 100% cab and not some blending grapes given the layers at this stage. Serious finish that lingers pleasantly.
Particularly impressed with the balance at this stage. Also worth mentioning that I found this even better with the food (braised short ribs and fontina grits); brought out some more character on the late palate and finish.
We finished this off pretty quickly (90 minutes); were almost fighting each other for what was left in decanter.
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12/10/2015 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
Loads of wines held for weather coming in, so I had to break into something and saw all the good notes on this wine. Definite infanticide, but I poured it into the decanter through a vinturi. First impression, tremendous dark fruits on the nose, blackberry, cassis, pencil lead, licorice and pleasant toasty oak. Very complex nose, classy beckstofffer shining through. In the mouth, well structured slightly chalky but smooth tannins, wall off fruit bursting through, wonderfully long finish. This will improve lots with time in the bottle, 94 is for my initial thoughts, will watch this first glass evolve tonight and come back tomorrow to update.
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12/3/2015 - Recoveringimporter wrote: 96 Points
Phenomenal. The other reviewers nailed it. Beautiful wine right out of the gate; gains complexity and depth as it airs over 45 minutes to an hour. Simply irresistible.
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11/30/2015 - yonster24 wrote:
as with the Maybach's I had this at Cristal2000's house. Honestly, this was more of an afterthought at first (which is weird to say.) But after drinking those wines and a bottle of Sea Smoke, we were pretty much done. On a whim, we decided to open this and give it a whirl...
I mean...Listen, this wine is something else. Pop and pour and it was singing right out of the gate. The complexity on the nose cant even be described, though i'll try: Black Olive, a touch of oak, cassis, blackberries. Gorgeous on the palate. just beautiful in every way. Full bodied wine but not over-the-top whatsoever. Just amazing. Super long finish with ample backbone to it. I NEVER rate wines, but if I were - out of the gate - this would easily be 97-98. One of the best wines I've had this year and up there with some of the best I've ever had. In a few years.....watch out!!!
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11/29/2015 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 99 Points
Wow. That's about all I can say about this wine. I opened a 2009 and 2012 Maybach Materium this evening and this destroyed them both as a PnP at the end of the evening. The nose is incredible and tasting experience is up there with the best I have ever had. What a WINE! The power is immense, the complexity is off the charts and finish lingers for over 60 secs. I have no doubt the is a 100pt wine with a little more time in the bottle. This wine is amazing, and for $95 represents possibly one of the best values in all of Napa. AMAZING!
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11/7/2015 - csimm wrote: 95 Points
Carter/Myriad Tasting with Mike Smith (Carter Cellars (Envy Wines) - Calistoga): I bumped this up a point to 95, as it presented amazingly this go-around, shadowed only barely by the 2013 Myriad Dr. Crane tasted next to it. The Myriads were also tasted alongside the 2013 Carter Fortuna, Weitz, and Hossfeld. The GIII was #2 out of all the others, inching-out the Carter Fortuna this tasting, as the GIII was really kicking out all sorts of layered flavors this time.
The GIII almost reminded me of a rounder version of the 2012 Carter OG, with beautifully dark berry and earthy nuances. The 2013 Myriad GIII glided across the palate with black and blue berry fruits, with ripe/dark raspberry, plum, and currant flavors coating the mid-palate. No hollowness here. Some faint earthy hints of forest floor and roasted coriander added even more interest.
When I tasted this back in August, it had a little more youthful restraint, holding back some of its hand. This tasting showed the GIII as a more accessible animal. A great grip is holding all the parts together at the moment. I would have normally recommended waiting a couple of years for the GIII, but it is going to be hard to keep my paws off of this wine through the holidays!
I would allow for at least a 30 minute decant if deciding to pop the cork within the next six months.
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8/29/2015 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 96 Points
After tasting the portfolio of 2013 Carter Cellars wines, We tasted the Mike Smith Myriad wines. I must say that by comparison, there was very little (if any) drop off especially with this George III Cabernet! This is a gorgeous one, and I agree with the assessment expeessed by Bluegoose. Absolutely delicious and hitting on all cylinders to be so young.
Prediction: This will be a Grand Slam!
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8/21/2015 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
Tasted at a private Carter Cellars 2013 Horizontal tasting, with additional 2013 Myriad wines for comparison.
Kept up quite well with the powerful Carter BTKs, but with a more earthy persona. Notes of dark red, black, and blue plum and berry fruits, blackcurrant, forest floor, and woodsmoke. A suave and smooth wine when compared to the massively concentrated and coiled-up Carter wines (at this stage).
Consistent with GIIIs of the past, with the 2013 showing a bit of its monolithic youthfulness. 94+ at the moment, with surely a higher rating in the coming handful of years with time in bottle.
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