A beautiful wine that is just at the very beginning of its drinking window. I gave this 4.5 hours of air and it continues to drink well throughout the night, becoming more interesting as time went by. There are still significant dusty tannins behind the dark red and black fruit; I suspect the best is yet to come. If I had other bottles, I’d check in on this again in 2-3 years.
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opened for 5 hours initial tannins settled down fresh vibrant blue and dark fruits length goes on forever early in it's drinking window liked by all wont by some at pixca
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2014 is kind of a forgotten vintage in Cali. On the heels of the epic 2012/2013 double and right in front of the fabulous 2015/2016 combo, it is easy for 2014 to get lost. This is a fabulous wine, entering its drinking window. Black and blue fruits, somewhat reticent on the nose. Find your favorite cheeseburger and have at it!
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Decided to try this bottle again with a five hour decant. I thought it might loosen up. The nose was clean, but tight. This transferred to the wine and even after a five hour decant and three hours in the glass at dinner it did not fully open up. Blue and black fruit with a medium plus weight. I found the wine had a steel like texture and structure. There was no giving in so you might have to give this a 24 hour decant. I do believe the wine making style is classic. It is certainly not fruit forward. The quality is there, but the bottle is closed. Give it a couple of years.
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Very solid Napa cab. Nose of black currants and hint of blackberry. Flavors of cedar and plums. The oak/fruit balance is near perfect. Tannins are fairly resolved. This is a very good wine. Still on the young side. I would guess primary window still 3 years away.
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I thought the wine stood up nicely in the group with the 2018 Carter O.G. at a higher level. The Greer was solid from start to finish. I do believe it needs food to bring out it full character. This is a full bodied cab and built in the old style and for the long haul. It is open now and I suspect will be up another point next year as it ages and takes on some more weight and secondary notes.
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My very first Greer. Brought by JimAronson to tonight's tasting. 1/2 hour slow ox followed by a 1 hour decant, then enjoyed over 2-3 hours through the evening. Jimbo tastes a bit of a flaw, like nail polish but I don't. Doesn't mean it isn't there. It's all what we are sensitive, to. This has clean red/black fruit, medium + weight....it's very nice and may get better with time, but in the end, I feel as though it's somewhat generic. It's good, no doubt, but at the same time, maybe a touch unremarkable? Hard to make that comment with a 95 pt wine, but it's just how it comes across to me. I don't think I would pay the tariff for this one, personally......but still a very good score, ty for bringing tonight, James!
Drank as a PnP on 3 different occasions over a week while storing on nitrogen. It was superb each time, thus the high score. Gave it 30 mins in the fridg upon opening and that was perfect. Had the first of three in Sept 2018 and it was a tad drying on the palate. Three years of additional ageing has worked wonders. Today it hits you with a wildly aromatic nose. On the palate it's super smooth and elegant with a silky viscosity without being syrupy. There's red fruit, some smoke, tobacco, cocoa, all with a lingering after-taste. Very little sediment in the last glass. Zero sharp edges. Believe this is at peak. It should hold for a while but I'll be drinking my last bottle within the next two years. Absolutely dee-lish!
My first 2014 and it’s a very impressive package. Wide open ripping nose jammed with cherry, cassis, dark fruited for days. Very rich silky palate with good density and long rich finish. Smooth and highly enjoyable. In a good place now and doesn’t have the structure to be a super long aging wine, but certainly will be excellent for a decade. At the rich side of well balanced Napa Cab but not overblown.
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24 Napa Reds: All tasted double blind. Brief impressions. My first encounter with a wine of this winery. Medium- expressive nose an palate with relatively fresh dark and dark red berries, lots of minerality and slightly earthy notes. The soft and airy structure is a highlight here but I didn’t found it as complex and harmonious as the best wines. All in all, certainly a good wine.
Group score (23 participants): 94.5 Group rank: 10 out of 24 wines
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Napa battle (Napa Grill, Zurich): Tasted blind, double-decanted. Intense and perfumed nose with tons of ripe berry fruit, dried fig, sweet spices and hints of wet earth. Surprisingly weightless structure, firm tannic backbone but with a light fruit. I was allowed a glimpse into the 2016 earlier this year which was also strong. Probably worth spending a bit more time with a bottle of Greer.
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Such a good wine, but still too young for my liking. Tannins gripped the finish, but the wine still showed incredible depth and balance, with vivid dark fruits. Hoping this evolves as others think it will. If so, it might be the best Greer yet.
Decanted an hour initially but found it really needed 4 hours. Drank half of the bottle the next day and it was even better. Rich and juicy, full bodied and silky. Blueberry, plum, graphite, and a nice wood spice. This combo of texture and flavor is what I look for in a Napa Cab.
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Same note as before with 3-4 hour decant but just further along. Cherry chapstick, tobacco, dusty earth and cassis. Surprisingly I get the feeling this is unmunipulated and a nice expression of Rutherford. Has plenty of time left but smooth right now.
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A lovely claret color marks the 2014 next to the much darker 2013 and 2015 wines. This wine is immediately appealing, with a nose that overlays a whole range of intriguing aromas on a core of black cherry and plum fruit. Beyond that fruit you find the barest notes of sweet pipe tobacco, sage, mushroom. Riper and sweeter than the 2013, the 2014 also is a notch less severe: the acidity here is good but not dominating, and the tannins seem more supple and round. Drinking very well tonight!
Treatment: I opened these six hours early but they seemed tight as dinner approached. So I double decanted to a clean decanter and then back into the bottle about two hours before dinner. This worked well for the 2014-2016, although the 2013 didn’t really unwind until the next day.
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Deep ruby red in appearance. A bit tight on the nose that took some time to open up with some anise, baking spices, purplish flowers, blackberries and cassis. Heavy tannins (7/10) with a finish that keeps lengthening. Full body that keeps gaining depth and complexity with air. Layered with dark spices, blackberries, cocoa and a bit floral. Long and lingering finish. Drink till 2039.
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Braxton Cellars Cellar Raid (Libertyville, IL): Very well made wine especially for this style of Cabernet. Big and plump - super rich. Lots of dark dense fruit - cassis, blackberries, chocolate smoke and anise. Long finish. Some plummy elements. This needs some time in the bottle to mellow out but it was very enjoyable nonetheless.
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Decanted for 2 hours. Medium plus bodied and high acid (very big Bordeaux like). Cherry chapstick, sandalwood, chalky cassis, plums, and dusty earth. Tannins grip hard and even harder with time open. The high acid negates any positivity on the finish. Needs 7 years for more upside potential. This did start to open up and display its depth towards hour 5 in the decanter.
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I echo the note by J_SMALLWOOD generally and two points specifically. The "...price creep..." is killing me. I get that it's a business, but when wines go from $125 to $150 to $175 over the course of a few years, I start to think twice about them...perspective and expectations change. If I were running that business that would worry me. Hard to know how far you can push your customer before you lose them. Leaving the editorial page, back to the review. Second point is the drying tannins. After about an hour my mouth felt like I was inhaling dust. That said, this is really nice presently. Dark fruit, bright flavor, excellent aromas. In the interest of science, I experimented with multiple hours of aeration and PnP. After many hours of air it seemed a tad muted. Where it showed best for me was on PnP. There it was bright with lots of verve and just delicious. Also, it was best around 60 degrees. When it got above 65 or so it was a bit warm. This will last many years or, if you have many, you can enjoy one today guilt-free! Serve on PnP and keep it cool.
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Definitely needs time but was quite enjoyable at such a young age - much better than the 12 or 13 were at this age. The one thing I love about Greer wines are that they are truly distinctive. Even tasting Pott’s Arsenal when the Greer vineyard grapes weren’t combined, blinded I would choose Greer almost 9 times out of 10. Dark sour cherry pie fading into wet leaves and savory herbs on the finish, with full round tannins that turn quite dusty on the finish and are somewhat drying. I’ll continue to buy these wines, but the price creep in Napa almost year in and year out puts this one closer and closer to the cusp. Still a great wine and am very glad to have them in my cellar.
Drank side by side with '15 Scarecrow. 6 hour slow ox but this was drinking well at pnp. This is a big wine that delivers rich and plush flavors of red and blue fruit. It was a close call for WOTN, Scarecrow edged in out 3-2. Very happy with the wine and looking forward to opening another bottle in 6-9 months. I didn't find any of the dust that others have referred to.
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Really nice wine on pop and pour. More red fruited and really nicely balance. No cloying elements or overtly harsh oak tones. A little lighter in mouthfeel than other vintages. Very pleasant wine.
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6 hour slow O prior to consumption. This is really performing well tonight. Great nose, great palate, not too sweet. Feels a bit more elegant than other Greer's I have had over the years. Maybe vintage? Maybe because this is the first time all of Greer fruit is represented in this bottling, versus being shared with Pott's Arsenal.
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Pop and pour. Took to a small gathering and thought it showed well. Certainly disappeared quickly. Probably need to try another one soon in isolation to see what it's really about.
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Same as all previous notes. Performed quite well, with a notable accessibility and plushness that is indicative of the vintage. A wild, dusty blueberry note added an elevated interest. Drink now with some air, or hold another year+ to see how it evolves in bottle with some short term aging. 94-95+ points.
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I went for another small pour from the Coravin on this wine. It had some time to open up with air, which was a good thing. I'm starting to understand this wine a little more. Even with the plushness of the 2014 vintage, I feel as though there are some cloaked nuances that still have yet to emerge. I'll continue to follow closely over time, but I'm optimistic that the best is yet to come here. Some interesting deeply pitched blueberry, wild blackberry and black raspberry, and dust notes emerged that began to elevate this wine a little more than I had initially experienced. It's good now, but time is certainly on its side (I think/hope).
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Similar to previous notes. Last minute pull. From Coravin. Notes of black cherry, black raspberry, cassis, purple plum, and faint hints of salami and dust (maybe the dust thing is just in my head - I never know if I'm now programmed to look for this "flavor"). Easily accessible and even a tad soft on the back end. With more air it became a little flat and linear, almost shutting down.
Still, it pushed on and delivered some nice flavors. I need to listen to my own advice and wait another year or two minimum on this wine. It is drinking more than "fine" now, but my hope is it will drink like a top tier wine in a number of years. If Pott's Arsenal wines are any indication of this wine, then this won't come to full fruition until after 2022+. 94+ points for now, with upside in a few years.
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My first experience with a Greer cab and I was deeply impressed. Popped and poured, nose was a bit shy early but this wine was singing from the start on the palate. Great density of cabernet fruit and perfectly balanced acidity giving an exciting tension to the feel of the wine. Then the nose came to the front with the signature Rutherford dust you only seem to get from this place.
Given how open it was, maybe this won't be a long ager. It sure is a mind blowing young wine right now! 98 pts today.
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I think some 2014's are in a sleepy stage of their development. A year ago, many of the better '14's were showing very well PnP. This example was closer to my previous experiences and quite enjoyable. Red fruits, sweet tannin, new oak vanilla. Hard to say when this will peak, maybe check in again in 2 years.
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Hazy ruby/purple color, black cherry, blueberry, kirsch liquor, vanilla and cinnamon on the nose. Palate is much more red fruit driven like every other Greer I've had, cherry, raspberry, pomegranate, Rutherford Dust definitely makes an appearance on the mid palate on, fine chewy tannins, medium acidity, round supple texture. It should get better with 3-5 years. It's an excellent wine, but not worth the price tag this year IMO.
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Though I just tried this wine on 10/4/2017, I wanted to give it a whirl at home where I could watch its evolution throughout the course of an evening from PnP through a few hours of air. Much like many 2014 Napa Cabernets, this wine was readily accessible upon opening. It started out a little straightforward initially, with purple berry and some deep red and black raspberry notes, with a slow burning attack and soft edges. The finish was decent, with a rolling thunder style about it that displayed both concentration and finesse. It was a softer wine that I had anticipated.
Throughout the course of about 2+ hours, it gained some weight and depth. Some licorice and dusty rock notes emerged, adding interest. Purity of fruit was evident for sure, with a silky mouthfeel and not a hard or astringent edge to be found. Classy in every sense of the word. At the end of it all, this was a very fine wine. It's not a karate kick to the throat, but more Tai Chi in its graceful but focused and deliberate style.
94+ points for now; I'll hold remaining bottles for another year before I plan to experiment again. Quality juice in finessed frame.
This was served alongside a 2007 Larkmead "The Lark." The Greer had a much more sophisticated, stylish profile. The Larkmead exhibited elevated power and more strapping flavors, but appeared to lack a little grace when next to the Greer. Both wines were very good for different reasons.
As CSIMM1161 states in his note, Rob Greer was nice enough to bring this to lunch and share with us. The fact that it had been open for two days prior was likely very influential in the overall impression. When I first had it, there was still a little verve left, with well integrated flavors for such a young vintage. As usual for Aaron Pott made wines, it was nicely balanced, had good levels of concentration but in no way was sweet. It was quite enjoyable if a bit reserved. By the end of lunch, it had turned pretty flat.
Not sure a rating here will be very accurate, but certainly at least a 93-94 pt wine, and likely much better.
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Rob Greer took the time to meet up with us at lunch and bring a bottle of this 2014 Greer. An amazingly giving gesture indeed and a wine with a lot of potential ahead of it.
Not surprisingly, this reminded me a bit of a 2012 Pott Arsenal, with its red and purple core fruit and notable "Rutherford dust" component. This Greer had more voluptuousness to it, with a round, giving profile that delivered easy-drinking over the course of an hour. More air seemed to flatten out the back end a bit; apparently this particular bottle had been open for a couple of days, so that was certainly a contributing factor in my opinion. I look forward to opening one of my bottles as a PnP and following it over a period of time. I think this wine will be accessible early on, but (like nearly all of the wines Pott makes - especially his previous Arsenal wines) this 2014 Greer will have a long life ahead of it. Many of these wines have a slow burn about them. And when they blossom into their full potentials, look out!
I'll hold my next bottle until 2018+, but in the name of science I may have to crack the cork on one to see what's going on under the hood. 93-94++ points at the moment, with absolute upside in the coming years.
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7/15/2023 - EMTAME wrote: 93 Points
A beautiful wine that is just at the very beginning of its drinking window. I gave this 4.5 hours of air and it continues to drink well throughout the night, becoming more interesting as time went by. There are still significant dusty tannins behind the dark red and black fruit; I suspect the best is yet to come. If I had other bottles, I’d check in on this again in 2-3 years.
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7/4/2023 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 94 Points
opened for 5 hours
initial tannins settled down
fresh vibrant blue and dark fruits
length goes on forever
early in it's drinking window
liked by all
wont by some at pixca
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1/25/2023 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautifully rich with lots of smoky cassis and dark cherry. Very nice but just a bit hot on entry.
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1/9/2023 - fisk15 wrote: 96 Points
Plenty of time left on this, but definitely in early drinking window. Drank with Christmas dinner.
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10/31/2022 - jaylew1 wrote: 95 Points
2014 is kind of a forgotten vintage in Cali. On the heels of the epic 2012/2013 double and right in front of the fabulous 2015/2016 combo, it is easy for 2014 to get lost. This is a fabulous wine, entering its drinking window. Black and blue fruits, somewhat reticent on the nose. Find your favorite cheeseburger and have at it!
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8/20/2022 - Beezc Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark berries, chocolate and maybe a little menthol. Continued to develop as we consumed over a couple of hours. Delicious!
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4/19/2022 - Jimaronson wrote: 92 Points
Decided to try this bottle again with a five hour decant. I thought it might loosen up. The nose was clean, but tight. This transferred to the wine and even after a five hour decant and three hours in the glass at dinner it did not fully open up. Blue and black fruit with a medium plus weight. I found the wine had a steel like texture and structure. There was no giving in so you might have to give this a 24 hour decant. I do believe the wine making style is classic. It is certainly not fruit forward. The quality is there, but the bottle is closed. Give it a couple of years.
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3/18/2022 - cab blends Likes this wine: 96 Points
Full bodied and rich. Rounded and fruity.
Hl 2. Fd 2. Pnp. Lengthy finish and many years to come
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3/11/2022 - MuddyBear Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very solid Napa cab. Nose of black currants and hint of blackberry. Flavors of cedar and plums. The oak/fruit balance is near perfect. Tannins are fairly resolved. This is a very good wine. Still on the young side. I would guess primary window still 3 years away.
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2/12/2022 - Jimaronson wrote: 96 Points
I thought the wine stood up nicely in the group with the 2018 Carter O.G. at a higher level. The Greer was solid from start to finish. I do believe it needs food to bring out it full character. This is a full bodied cab and built in the old style and for the long haul. It is open now and I suspect will be up another point next year as it ages and takes on some more weight and secondary notes.
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2/11/2022 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
My very first Greer. Brought by JimAronson to tonight's tasting. 1/2 hour slow ox followed by a 1 hour decant, then enjoyed over 2-3 hours through the evening. Jimbo tastes a bit of a flaw, like nail polish but I don't. Doesn't mean it isn't there. It's all what we are sensitive, to. This has clean red/black fruit, medium + weight....it's very nice and may get better with time, but in the end, I feel as though it's somewhat generic. It's good, no doubt, but at the same time, maybe a touch unremarkable? Hard to make that comment with a 95 pt wine, but it's just how it comes across to me. I don't think I would pay the tariff for this one, personally......but still a very good score, ty for bringing tonight, James!
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11/7/2021 - eschuldt wrote: 95 Points
PnP, at a really nice integrated point
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11/2/2021 - ozziewine Likes this wine: 98 Points
Drank as a PnP on 3 different occasions over a week while storing on nitrogen. It was superb each time, thus the high score.
Gave it 30 mins in the fridg upon opening and that was perfect. Had the first of three in Sept 2018 and it was a tad drying on the palate. Three years of additional ageing has worked wonders.
Today it hits you with a wildly aromatic nose. On the palate it's super smooth and elegant with a silky viscosity without being syrupy.
There's red fruit, some smoke, tobacco, cocoa, all with a lingering after-taste.
Very little sediment in the last glass. Zero sharp edges. Believe this is at peak. It should hold for a while but I'll be drinking my last bottle within the next two years.
Absolutely dee-lish!
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4/7/2021 - pkouchu Likes this wine: 96 Points
blackberries, cocoa, baking spice, spiced plum, pencil shavings, sweet tobacco, loam, blue florals, and cassis
took a while to come into form but when it did, really good. Rich but balanced, lots of structure and elegance. Love all of Aaron Potts wines
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2/28/2021 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 93 Points
My first 2014 and it’s a very impressive package. Wide open ripping nose jammed with cherry, cassis, dark fruited for days. Very rich silky palate with good density and long rich finish. Smooth and highly enjoyable. In a good place now and doesn’t have the structure to be a super long aging wine, but certainly will be excellent for a decade. At the rich side of well balanced Napa Cab but not overblown.
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11/30/2020 - ageverett Likes this wine: 96 Points
Really damn good. Needed to breathe a bit, but then was just singing. Preferred this over 2014 Maiden that was also open.
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11/4/2020 - sqn19 Likes this wine: 96 Points
A fantastic Greer - fresh black fruits, with that appealing dusty note on the finish. Great now with decant, but should continue to develop.
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10/14/2020 - Cailles wrote: 92 Points
24 Napa Reds: All tasted double blind. Brief impressions. My first encounter with a wine of this winery. Medium- expressive nose an palate with relatively fresh dark and dark red berries, lots of minerality and slightly earthy notes. The soft and airy structure is a highlight here but I didn’t found it as complex and harmonious as the best wines. All in all, certainly a good wine.
Group score (23 participants): 94.5
Group rank: 10 out of 24 wines
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10/1/2020 - sirpat00 wrote: 95 Points
Napa battle (Napa Grill, Zurich): Tasted blind, double-decanted. Intense and perfumed nose with tons of ripe berry fruit, dried fig, sweet spices and hints of wet earth. Surprisingly weightless structure, firm tannic backbone but with a light fruit. I was allowed a glimpse into the 2016 earlier this year which was also strong. Probably worth spending a bit more time with a bottle of Greer.
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8/27/2020 - Cali Fan Likes this wine: 95 Points
Brooding and dark but also opening up after a few hours. Will save some for tomorrow. Dark fruits, voluptuous and engaging - glad I have 5 more.
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5/29/2020 - Cow Town Likes this wine: 94 Points
Such a good wine, but still too young for my liking. Tannins gripped the finish, but the wine still showed incredible depth and balance, with vivid dark fruits. Hoping this evolves as others think it will. If so, it might be the best Greer yet.
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4/3/2020 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted an hour initially but found it really needed 4 hours. Drank half of the bottle the next day and it was even better. Rich and juicy, full bodied and silky. Blueberry, plum, graphite, and a nice wood spice. This combo of texture and flavor is what I look for in a Napa Cab.
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3/14/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 97 Points
Same note as before with 3-4 hour decant but just further along. Cherry chapstick, tobacco, dusty earth and cassis. Surprisingly I get the feeling this is unmunipulated and a nice expression of Rutherford. Has plenty of time left but smooth right now.
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11/28/2019 - KPB wrote: 94 Points
A lovely claret color marks the 2014 next to the much darker 2013 and 2015 wines. This wine is immediately appealing, with a nose that overlays a whole range of intriguing aromas on a core of black cherry and plum fruit. Beyond that fruit you find the barest notes of sweet pipe tobacco, sage, mushroom. Riper and sweeter than the 2013, the 2014 also is a notch less severe: the acidity here is good but not dominating, and the tannins seem more supple and round. Drinking very well tonight!
Treatment: I opened these six hours early but they seemed tight as dinner approached. So I double decanted to a clean decanter and then back into the bottle about two hours before dinner. This worked well for the 2014-2016, although the 2013 didn’t really unwind until the next day.
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8/15/2019 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 96 Points
Deep ruby red in appearance. A bit tight on the nose that took some time to open up with some anise, baking spices, purplish flowers, blackberries and cassis. Heavy tannins (7/10) with a finish that keeps lengthening. Full body that keeps gaining depth and complexity with air. Layered with dark spices, blackberries, cocoa and a bit floral. Long and lingering finish. Drink till 2039.
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3/3/2019 - beezer6 wrote: 93 Points
Braxton Cellars Cellar Raid (Libertyville, IL): Very well made wine especially for this style of Cabernet. Big and plump - super rich.
Lots of dark dense fruit - cassis, blackberries, chocolate smoke and anise.
Long finish. Some plummy elements.
This needs some time in the bottle to mellow out but it was very enjoyable nonetheless.
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3/3/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Raid the Braxton Cellar (Braxton Cellar - Libertyville IL): Small glass, brief note from memory. Another example of a well made wine, but not close to what I like in Cabernet.
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1/26/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 96 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Medium plus bodied and high acid (very big Bordeaux like). Cherry chapstick, sandalwood, chalky cassis, plums, and dusty earth. Tannins grip hard and even harder with time open. The high acid negates any positivity on the finish. Needs 7 years for more upside potential. This did start to open up and display its depth towards hour 5 in the decanter.
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9/24/2018 - ozziewine Likes this wine: 94 Points
I echo the note by J_SMALLWOOD generally and two points specifically. The "...price creep..." is killing me. I get that it's a business, but when wines go from $125 to $150 to $175 over the course of a few years, I start to think twice about them...perspective and expectations change. If I were running that business that would worry me. Hard to know how far you can push your customer before you lose them.
Leaving the editorial page, back to the review. Second point is the drying tannins. After about an hour my mouth felt like I was inhaling dust.
That said, this is really nice presently. Dark fruit, bright flavor, excellent aromas.
In the interest of science, I experimented with multiple hours of aeration and PnP. After many hours of air it seemed a tad muted. Where it showed best for me was on PnP. There it was bright with lots of verve and just delicious. Also, it was best around 60 degrees. When it got above 65 or so it was a bit warm.
This will last many years or, if you have many, you can enjoy one today guilt-free!
Serve on PnP and keep it cool.
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9/16/2018 - J_Smallwood Likes this wine: 95 Points
Definitely needs time but was quite enjoyable at such a young age - much better than the 12 or 13 were at this age. The one thing I love about Greer wines are that they are truly distinctive. Even tasting Pott’s Arsenal when the Greer vineyard grapes weren’t combined, blinded I would choose Greer almost 9 times out of 10. Dark sour cherry pie fading into wet leaves and savory herbs on the finish, with full round tannins that turn quite dusty on the finish and are somewhat drying. I’ll continue to buy these wines, but the price creep in Napa almost year in and year out puts this one closer and closer to the cusp. Still a great wine and am very glad to have them in my cellar.
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9/10/2018 - jaxpaj wrote: 96 Points
Drank side by side with '15 Scarecrow. 6 hour slow ox but this was drinking well at pnp. This is a big wine that delivers rich and plush flavors of red and blue fruit. It was a close call for WOTN, Scarecrow edged in out 3-2. Very happy with the wine and looking forward to opening another bottle in 6-9 months. I didn't find any of the dust that others have referred to.
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9/9/2018 - pakabear Likes this wine: 95 Points
Again it’s red fruit dominant, dark cherry, plum, loads of baking spices, very good balance with a terrific purity of fruit and freshness. Excellent
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8/16/2018 - Lateva wrote: 93 Points
Really nice wine on pop and pour. More red fruited and really nicely balance. No cloying elements or overtly harsh oak tones. A little lighter in mouthfeel than other vintages. Very pleasant wine.
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6/10/2018 - Lateva wrote: 95 Points
6 hour slow O prior to consumption. This is really performing well tonight. Great nose, great palate, not too sweet. Feels a bit more elegant than other Greer's I have had over the years. Maybe vintage? Maybe because this is the first time all of Greer fruit is represented in this bottling, versus being shared with Pott's Arsenal.
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4/13/2018 - ageverett Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pop and pour. Took to a small gathering and thought it showed well. Certainly disappeared quickly. Probably need to try another one soon in isolation to see what it's really about.
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2/5/2018 - csimm wrote: 95 Points
Same as all previous notes. Performed quite well, with a notable accessibility and plushness that is indicative of the vintage. A wild, dusty blueberry note added an elevated interest. Drink now with some air, or hold another year+ to see how it evolves in bottle with some short term aging. 94-95+ points.
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1/30/2018 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
I went for another small pour from the Coravin on this wine. It had some time to open up with air, which was a good thing. I'm starting to understand this wine a little more. Even with the plushness of the 2014 vintage, I feel as though there are some cloaked nuances that still have yet to emerge. I'll continue to follow closely over time, but I'm optimistic that the best is yet to come here. Some interesting deeply pitched blueberry, wild blackberry and black raspberry, and dust notes emerged that began to elevate this wine a little more than I had initially experienced. It's good now, but time is certainly on its side (I think/hope).
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1/21/2018 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
Similar to previous notes. Last minute pull. From Coravin. Notes of black cherry, black raspberry, cassis, purple plum, and faint hints of salami and dust (maybe the dust thing is just in my head - I never know if I'm now programmed to look for this "flavor"). Easily accessible and even a tad soft on the back end. With more air it became a little flat and linear, almost shutting down.
Still, it pushed on and delivered some nice flavors. I need to listen to my own advice and wait another year or two minimum on this wine. It is drinking more than "fine" now, but my hope is it will drink like a top tier wine in a number of years. If Pott's Arsenal wines are any indication of this wine, then this won't come to full fruition until after 2022+. 94+ points for now, with upside in a few years.
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1/17/2018 - olm2000 Likes this wine: 98 Points
My first experience with a Greer cab and I was deeply impressed. Popped and poured, nose was a bit shy early but this wine was singing from the start on the palate. Great density of cabernet fruit and perfectly balanced acidity giving an exciting tension to the feel of the wine. Then the nose came to the front with the signature Rutherford dust you only seem to get from this place.
Given how open it was, maybe this won't be a long ager. It sure is a mind blowing young wine right now! 98 pts today.
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12/30/2017 - fisk15 wrote: 93 Points
I think some 2014's are in a sleepy stage of their development. A year ago, many of the better '14's were showing very well PnP. This example was closer to my previous experiences and quite enjoyable. Red fruits, sweet tannin, new oak vanilla. Hard to say when this will peak, maybe check in again in 2 years.
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12/2/2017 - pakabear Likes this wine: 95 Points
Hazy ruby/purple color, black cherry, blueberry, kirsch liquor, vanilla and cinnamon on the nose. Palate is much more red fruit driven like every other Greer I've had, cherry, raspberry, pomegranate, Rutherford Dust definitely makes an appearance on the mid palate on, fine chewy tannins, medium acidity, round supple texture. It should get better with 3-5 years. It's an excellent wine, but not worth the price tag this year IMO.
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10/16/2017 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
Though I just tried this wine on 10/4/2017, I wanted to give it a whirl at home where I could watch its evolution throughout the course of an evening from PnP through a few hours of air. Much like many 2014 Napa Cabernets, this wine was readily accessible upon opening. It started out a little straightforward initially, with purple berry and some deep red and black raspberry notes, with a slow burning attack and soft edges. The finish was decent, with a rolling thunder style about it that displayed both concentration and finesse. It was a softer wine that I had anticipated.
Throughout the course of about 2+ hours, it gained some weight and depth. Some licorice and dusty rock notes emerged, adding interest. Purity of fruit was evident for sure, with a silky mouthfeel and not a hard or astringent edge to be found. Classy in every sense of the word. At the end of it all, this was a very fine wine. It's not a karate kick to the throat, but more Tai Chi in its graceful but focused and deliberate style.
94+ points for now; I'll hold remaining bottles for another year before I plan to experiment again. Quality juice in finessed frame.
This was served alongside a 2007 Larkmead "The Lark." The Greer had a much more sophisticated, stylish profile. The Larkmead exhibited elevated power and more strapping flavors, but appeared to lack a little grace when next to the Greer. Both wines were very good for different reasons.
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10/8/2017 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 94 Points
As CSIMM1161 states in his note, Rob Greer was nice enough to bring this to lunch and share with us. The fact that it had been open for two days prior was likely very influential in the overall impression. When I first had it, there was still a little verve left, with well integrated flavors for such a young vintage. As usual for Aaron Pott made wines, it was nicely balanced, had good levels of concentration but in no way was sweet. It was quite enjoyable if a bit reserved. By the end of lunch, it had turned pretty flat.
Not sure a rating here will be very accurate, but certainly at least a 93-94 pt wine, and likely much better.
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10/4/2017 - csimm wrote: 94 Points
Rob Greer took the time to meet up with us at lunch and bring a bottle of this 2014 Greer. An amazingly giving gesture indeed and a wine with a lot of potential ahead of it.
Not surprisingly, this reminded me a bit of a 2012 Pott Arsenal, with its red and purple core fruit and notable "Rutherford dust" component. This Greer had more voluptuousness to it, with a round, giving profile that delivered easy-drinking over the course of an hour. More air seemed to flatten out the back end a bit; apparently this particular bottle had been open for a couple of days, so that was certainly a contributing factor in my opinion. I look forward to opening one of my bottles as a PnP and following it over a period of time. I think this wine will be accessible early on, but (like nearly all of the wines Pott makes - especially his previous Arsenal wines) this 2014 Greer will have a long life ahead of it. Many of these wines have a slow burn about them. And when they blossom into their full potentials, look out!
I'll hold my next bottle until 2018+, but in the name of science I may have to crack the cork on one to see what's going on under the hood. 93-94++ points at the moment, with absolute upside in the coming years.
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