Slight funk on opening which blew off rapidly. Good fruit and mild complexity, medium to full bodied. Moderately long finish. Not as impressive as I anticipated.
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Pleasing flavors of dark berry and plum with mocha and Asian spice. Lush and rich as one would expect, but credit must be given for the polish and balance.
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Still a bit dusty, but the blue grape concentration was terrific. Full bodied and balanced throughout. Drinking right on now with no sign of bricking. Opened and allowed to slow ox for 4 hours after pouring off a small amount in the neck. I would guess that the wine will remain in its prime for at least 3 years.
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Dusty cedar, earth, wild purple plum, red cherry, and black currant notes. Beautiful weight distribution on the front end push, with a solid mid-palate drop that settles in nicely before it moves on to the back end in proper cadence.
The flavor components are injected a little heavy on the dusty tannins side of the house, encircling the core fruit and making for a slightly furry mouthfeel. At times, the impression of earthy dry dirt/dust seemed to elevate the profile, but at other times distracted from the otherwise notable purity of fruit. Finishes dusty and finely grained.
Holding another year or two might be the best advice at this juncture. Try again after 2021+.
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This second bottle was without technical issues. Red and purple berry core. Signature Pott black cherry fruitiness and some dusty dry earth to frame it all out. More medium in its delivery this time.
This has mellowed out a bit since I last recall... though I’ve been admittedly slaloming between flawed versions of this wine over the last year, so maybe that’s made me a bit of a grumpy bumpkin. In any event, drinking fine on PnP. A couple of hours of air helped it fan out its flavors nicely. Decent frame and grip, with energy that kept it pumping out fruit throughout consumption.
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Another flawed bottle of the Arsenal. Wet newspaper and dog-left-out-in-the-rain mustiness. Fruit was blown and flat, with a bitter, astringent delivery overall.
I tell ya boys and girls, this provenance thing is a real deal. This was yet another bottle I gleefully swept up at a would-be reputable auction (K&L), only to end up with a $150 drain cleaner. Always a not-cool experience. I opened a second bottle (bought from the winery direct) and no issues at all.
Decanted for 6 hours. Great wine! Love the fruit and the oak interplay on the nose. Palate was rich and full, strutting across your palate, with great length. Well done.
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Two days ago I had a bottle of this wine and it was flawed. It showed some VA funk and heavy wet mulch notes. I HAD to open another bottle to see if I was in for a string of disappointments. Not so!
This bottle was just how I remember this wine from over a year ago. Previous notes apply. A complete and utterly captivating wine through and through. The awesome purple and ripe red berry core fruit was perfectly balanced and seamless. A frame of Rutherford dust and wonderfully sweet tannins held everything in place. An expensive tasting wine to be sure.
I'll hold remaining bottles for another year just to see where it goes, but this wine is drinking great as a PnP. I didn't decant; it didn't really need it. Yet I think this stands to fill out even more after mid-2018/2019. One of the best Pott wines to date. Too bad Greer isn't under Pott's namesake label anymore. 98++ points this go-around, with a potential perfect score in a year or two.
Unfortunately this had some VA funk and wet earth notes that made their way in front of the core fruit flavors almost immediately. With more air, the damp mulch and mushroom notes became more prevalent. Flawed.
I rated this 99 points last year, so I'm hoping this is just an outlier and the defect isn't a component of a series of these. This was a K&L auction purchase (not winery direct), so caution for others on that. I have a number of other winery direct bottles of the 2013 Arsenal; I'm cautiously optimistic there will be no issues with those.
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Nose is grapey chocolate, very big nose. First sip, stout like frame dripping juice. Black tea with chocolate and residue from burnt toast. Long finish, taste like big money.
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Shared last night among four of us. The night before we had a 2013 Carter OG, so it was a tough act to follow. After a 2hr decant the tannins are still heavy. Loads of fruit with lovely notes of dark red fruit, chocolate and spices. A few years should help the finish which was wound up. We can all tell the potential is there for a higher scoring in the future. Glad i still have mag, will try to save it until 2025.
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Had this right after a 2012 Cliff Lede Beautiful Generation and they are both so fantastic, I can't decide which is better. This is a SENSATIONAL wine. Mostly black and blue fruit, with small hints of red. Notes of blueberry pie, chocolate and licorice, combined with mineral driven stone and wet earth scents. This is a very powerful concentrated wine on the pallet, yet amazingly balanced, nuanced and complex. Full bodied with lots of energy mid pallet, this hits another level as it ramps up for the finish. I agree with CSIMM1161 that this is probably the best Pott wine I've ever had, and that's saying something. Simply fantastic.
This is a stunner. Inky in color, dense, fat and rich, with layers of sweet, black fruits, ripe tannins, licorice and just a hint of coffee and chocolate to round things out. This is so good now and my instincts tell me, this will get even better in a few years. From 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this must be from a fabulous source, as this consistently such a good wine.
Slow ox for about an hour. Then another hour or so in the decanter. Drank over next 2 hours.
Really echo a lot of what CSIMM said in his note. This has the "wow" factor. Nose seemed to reveal different notes at every turn. This wine literally makes your palate shudder with satisfaction.
So well composed. Had a 2013 M Etain the previous night. While that one didn't get quite as much air, it was certainly more tight and tough to penetrate. The Arsenal is a better wine right now.
Stood up well to Wagyu strips, but frankly enjoyed this more in isolation (before and after dinner).
A stunning wine. 98 easy points right now, pushing 99.
Holy bajeezus! What an amazing ride of a wine. PnP with tight and slightly chalky notes of black and purple berry fruit, slate, granite, asphalt, road tar, dust, bramble, and a hint of black coffee bean. Hits the palate the same way your favorite song from high school hits your ears when you haven't heard it in years (not sure if that's a good metaphor, but I'm going with it anyway!). Very first sip had my full attention.
Decanted for a total of nearly four hours. This developed wonderful dark chocolate, blueberry compote, and black pen ink notes. Perfectly balanced, with multifaceted flavors that kept pushing out and enveloping the palate. Acidity was perfect. The flavors glided mid-palate all the way into the minute-long finish. Not overbearing, thick, or heavy in the slightest, but packed with flavors that somehow also had absolute finesse.
This is the best Pott Cabernet I have ever had. The fact that it is so young is astounding. Though drinking superbly now with a few hours in the decanter, I would give this a couple of years in the bottle to come together even more. A 100 point wine in a few years in my humble opinion. This is the last of Pott's Arsenal, as 2013 was the final vintage of Pott using the Greer vineyard under his namesake label. Glad I went deep on the 2013 Arsenal! My mags will rest for just a little while longer for now.
I rarely give 98-100 point scores because a wine really has to reach a viscerally elevated level for me. Well, this did exactly that. Hit every register I could want in a wine.
My girl thought this was a 97-98+ point wine, citing that eye-popping "wow" factor that can take over your taste buds and grab your attention with every taste. I found myself staring at the glass every time I took a sip. Cerebral and fun at the same time.
3/22/2024 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
A nose that just wraps around you as soon as it’s opened. Great structure but tannins well integrated. Just a complete wine from start to finish
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9/8/2023 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 95 Points
1 hour decant, drank over 2 days. Rich, plush, black cherry, dust and cassis; round sweet tannins, 30 second finish.
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5/8/2023 - travelme Likes this wine: 96 Points
This bottle was terrific with length, depth, and complexity Dark fruit and a baby relatively speaking. My lone bottle.
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6/18/2022 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 95 Points
From magnum. Such structure and amazing length. Still just a baby but one of the best wines I've had from Aaron.
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4/1/2022 - Geoff Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slight funk on opening which blew off rapidly. Good fruit and mild complexity, medium to full bodied. Moderately long finish. Not as impressive as I anticipated.
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3/31/2022 - SilverSavvy wrote: 99 Points
Sooooo good. chocolate, herbaceous, really smooth with a great steak
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12/11/2021 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pleasing flavors of dark berry and plum with mocha and Asian spice. Lush and rich as one would expect, but credit must be given for the polish and balance.
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9/27/2021 - Jimaronson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still a bit dusty, but the blue grape concentration was terrific. Full bodied and balanced throughout. Drinking right on now with no sign of bricking. Opened and allowed to slow ox for 4 hours after pouring off a small amount in the neck. I would guess that the wine will remain in its prime for at least 3 years.
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2/16/2021 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 94 Points
In a really good place right now. Drank over 2 hours. Consistent the whole time. Not really improvement over time.
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9/6/2020 - Lateva Does not like this wine: 65 Points
Corked! I’m sorry. I like Aaron but the most Cork-affected wines I’ve had in 3 years belong to Pott. Makes me wonder....
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8/7/2020 - ageverett Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow, this is greatness. Also opened a 2013 M. Etain and a 2013 Pott Western, all from Rutherford.
This was the winner. The M. Etain had plenty of pop, but this wine had another level of depth to it. Stunning; wish I had a lot more of these.
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2/26/2019 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
Dusty cedar, earth, wild purple plum, red cherry, and black currant notes. Beautiful weight distribution on the front end push, with a solid mid-palate drop that settles in nicely before it moves on to the back end in proper cadence.
The flavor components are injected a little heavy on the dusty tannins side of the house, encircling the core fruit and making for a slightly furry mouthfeel. At times, the impression of earthy dry dirt/dust seemed to elevate the profile, but at other times distracted from the otherwise notable purity of fruit. Finishes dusty and finely grained.
Holding another year or two might be the best advice at this juncture. Try again after 2021+.
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1/1/2019 - emf Likes this wine:
Delicious!!!
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11/25/2018 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
First bottle was a wet dog flawed mess.
This second bottle was without technical issues. Red and purple berry core. Signature Pott black cherry fruitiness and some dusty dry earth to frame it all out. More medium in its delivery this time.
This has mellowed out a bit since I last recall... though I’ve been admittedly slaloming between flawed versions of this wine over the last year, so maybe that’s made me a bit of a grumpy bumpkin. In any event, drinking fine on PnP. A couple of hours of air helped it fan out its flavors nicely. Decent frame and grip, with energy that kept it pumping out fruit throughout consumption.
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11/25/2018 - csimm wrote: flawed
Another flawed bottle of the Arsenal. Wet newspaper and dog-left-out-in-the-rain mustiness. Fruit was blown and flat, with a bitter, astringent delivery overall.
I tell ya boys and girls, this provenance thing is a real deal. This was yet another bottle I gleefully swept up at a would-be reputable auction (K&L), only to end up with a $150 drain cleaner. Always a not-cool experience. I opened a second bottle (bought from the winery direct) and no issues at all.
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10/31/2018 - Siebs Cellar wrote: 95 Points
Good fruit. Solid structure; firm feel in the mouth. Nice finish.
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9/15/2018 - Siebs Cellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
A bit young. Needed more air or more bottle time.
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5/20/2018 - Lateva wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 6 hours. Great wine! Love the fruit and the oak interplay on the nose. Palate was rich and full, strutting across your palate, with great length. Well done.
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7/18/2017 - csimm wrote: 98 Points
Two days ago I had a bottle of this wine and it was flawed. It showed some VA funk and heavy wet mulch notes. I HAD to open another bottle to see if I was in for a string of disappointments. Not so!
This bottle was just how I remember this wine from over a year ago. Previous notes apply. A complete and utterly captivating wine through and through. The awesome purple and ripe red berry core fruit was perfectly balanced and seamless. A frame of Rutherford dust and wonderfully sweet tannins held everything in place. An expensive tasting wine to be sure.
I'll hold remaining bottles for another year just to see where it goes, but this wine is drinking great as a PnP. I didn't decant; it didn't really need it. Yet I think this stands to fill out even more after mid-2018/2019. One of the best Pott wines to date. Too bad Greer isn't under Pott's namesake label anymore. 98++ points this go-around, with a potential perfect score in a year or two.
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7/16/2017 - csimm wrote: flawed
Unfortunately this had some VA funk and wet earth notes that made their way in front of the core fruit flavors almost immediately. With more air, the damp mulch and mushroom notes became more prevalent. Flawed.
I rated this 99 points last year, so I'm hoping this is just an outlier and the defect isn't a component of a series of these. This was a K&L auction purchase (not winery direct), so caution for others on that. I have a number of other winery direct bottles of the 2013 Arsenal; I'm cautiously optimistic there will be no issues with those.
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3/11/2017 - shadow wrote: 95 Points
Nose is grapey chocolate, very big nose.
First sip, stout like frame dripping juice.
Black tea with chocolate and residue from burnt toast.
Long finish, taste like big money.
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1/24/2017 - JEP007 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Shared last night among four of us. The night before we had a 2013 Carter OG, so it was a tough act to follow. After a 2hr decant the tannins are still heavy. Loads of fruit with lovely notes of dark red fruit, chocolate and spices. A few years should help the finish which was wound up. We can all tell the potential is there for a higher scoring in the future. Glad i still have mag, will try to save it until 2025.
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11/18/2016 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Had this right after a 2012 Cliff Lede Beautiful Generation and they are both so fantastic, I can't decide which is better. This is a SENSATIONAL wine. Mostly black and blue fruit, with small hints of red. Notes of blueberry pie, chocolate and licorice, combined with mineral driven stone and wet earth scents. This is a very powerful concentrated wine on the pallet, yet amazingly balanced, nuanced and complex. Full bodied with lots of energy mid pallet, this hits another level as it ramps up for the finish. I agree with CSIMM1161 that this is probably the best Pott wine I've ever had, and that's saying something. Simply fantastic.
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9/19/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
This is a stunner. Inky in color, dense, fat and rich, with layers of sweet, black fruits, ripe tannins, licorice and just a hint of coffee and chocolate to round things out. This is so good now and my instincts tell me, this will get even better in a few years. From 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this must be from a fabulous source, as this consistently such a good wine.
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8/22/2016 - ageverett Likes this wine: 98 Points
Slow ox for about an hour. Then another hour or so in the decanter. Drank over next 2 hours.
Really echo a lot of what CSIMM said in his note. This has the "wow" factor. Nose seemed to reveal different notes at every turn. This wine literally makes your palate shudder with satisfaction.
So well composed. Had a 2013 M Etain the previous night. While that one didn't get quite as much air, it was certainly more tight and tough to penetrate. The Arsenal is a better wine right now.
Stood up well to Wagyu strips, but frankly enjoyed this more in isolation (before and after dinner).
A stunning wine. 98 easy points right now, pushing 99.
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5/13/2016 - csimm wrote: 99 Points
Holy bajeezus! What an amazing ride of a wine. PnP with tight and slightly chalky notes of black and purple berry fruit, slate, granite, asphalt, road tar, dust, bramble, and a hint of black coffee bean. Hits the palate the same way your favorite song from high school hits your ears when you haven't heard it in years (not sure if that's a good metaphor, but I'm going with it anyway!). Very first sip had my full attention.
Decanted for a total of nearly four hours. This developed wonderful dark chocolate, blueberry compote, and black pen ink notes. Perfectly balanced, with multifaceted flavors that kept pushing out and enveloping the palate. Acidity was perfect. The flavors glided mid-palate all the way into the minute-long finish. Not overbearing, thick, or heavy in the slightest, but packed with flavors that somehow also had absolute finesse.
This is the best Pott Cabernet I have ever had. The fact that it is so young is astounding. Though drinking superbly now with a few hours in the decanter, I would give this a couple of years in the bottle to come together even more. A 100 point wine in a few years in my humble opinion. This is the last of Pott's Arsenal, as 2013 was the final vintage of Pott using the Greer vineyard under his namesake label. Glad I went deep on the 2013 Arsenal! My mags will rest for just a little while longer for now.
I rarely give 98-100 point scores because a wine really has to reach a viscerally elevated level for me. Well, this did exactly that. Hit every register I could want in a wine.
My girl thought this was a 97-98+ point wine, citing that eye-popping "wow" factor that can take over your taste buds and grab your attention with every taste. I found myself staring at the glass every time I took a sip. Cerebral and fun at the same time.
99-100 points for me. I'll try again in 2017.
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