5/11/2024 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Drinking extremely well right now, just needed a couple years to settle down and come into balance.

5/6/2024 - pakabear Likes this wine:

This needs a couple years. Dark red and black fruits, baking spices, milk chocolate, chewy tannins that are a bit pervasive right now. There is upside here after some time.

5/3/2024 - pakabear Likes this wine:

I know it's too early, but I just had to try it! I opened about 4 hours before I intended to consume it knowing it would need some air. Initial pour confirmed my thoughts as the tannins are were pretty strong in the fine grained, silky way. After 4 hours in a wide based decanter it calmed down a bit but still could use more air so I won't be touching the remaining bottles for a few years.

Red fruit dominant, cherry, raspberry, plum skins, dried roses, lead pencil, clove and cinnamon. Great balance and a really classic cabernet profile. This is well made and I will be a buyer for a long time. Too young to rate, 94 now if I had to give a score in my notes, but huge upside.

4/27/2024 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Consumed after being open for a few hours in bottle. Bright red cherry, pomegranate, red apple skins, red plum, dried roses and violets, cinnamon and clove with a lifted finish. The body is a bit flat with a hole in the mid-palate at this point. I’ll leave my final bottles for a few years to see if it gets better. Overall the components are there, has the intensity of other Carters but I’m not in love with the blend.

12/20/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Great opportunity to try this with Alex, although obviously very young this showed amazingly well (after a long decant). Great purity of fruit, black and blue fruits, silky tannins and a long finish with the perfect balance you'd expect. This will get better with age, but it was irresistible today! Thank you Alex for sharing.

4/17/2024 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Drank well right now as a PnP, the tannins were more resolve than I would have thought at this age, drink over the next 3 years IMO.

4/11/2024 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Initially a bit thin but gains weight after a few hours in a decanter. I'd give this a few years.

4/3/2024 - pakabear wrote:

Very new world style, citrus, buttery, creamy, lychee, initially a bit hot but that blew off with some air. Day 3 in the fridge was at its best, some minerality came through that was not noticeable on the first day.

3/3/2024 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Took a while to open up, a good 4 hours in bottle. Dark red and black fruit, exotic baking spices, dried violets, roasted meat, cocoa powder and an amazing intensity with a perfect balance. Great right now but will get better in 3-5 years.

2/20/2024 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Drank as a PnP, citrus, butter, cream, brioche, white flowers, good mouthfeel and balance. It's missing the crispness I'd expect for great Chardonnay, but it's quite good and very new world in style.

2/16/2024 - pakabear Likes this wine:

This was better than my previous bottle, it was explosive right from the get go with no decant however still improved in bottle over a few hours. It has that hard to find intensity paired with elegance and with perfect balance. Great wine.

2/8/2024 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Initially the nose was consumed with pine needles and juniper, over the day this began to blow off, cherry, strawberry, roasted meat, good acidity and balance. I’ll leave my remaining bottles for a couple years.

1/27/2024 - pakabear wrote:

Corked…

1/15/2024 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Crazy good but needed 6 hours in a wide base decanter to open up. Give it 5 years or plenty of air upon opening.

1/14/2024 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Drinking very well right now, good as a PnP, but gained some complexity over an hour in bottle. Drink over the next 3 years.

12/30/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Had this first at the winery which is a great experience if anyone is visiting the valley. Needs a couple hours at this point to open in bottle, loads of mostly red fruits with some blueberry mixed in, roses, anise, cinnamon, clove, vanilla, with velvety texture and polished tannins. Bright acidity keeps you wanting another sip. Great wine. It's a 95 now, but could go up with time.

12/29/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Really nice example of a Napa cab made with mountain fruit, beautiful purity, cassis, raspberry and boysenberry, dried rose petals, vanilla, cinnamon and clove. Still very young and medium+ tannins although velvety and smooth persist through the finish. This was a PnP for me, however it was consumed over 5 hours which gave it some time to soften. I’d still give this wine another 3 years in bottle and then give it a 1-2 hour decant before consuming.

12/26/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

This was fantastic but needed a good 3 hours in a decanter to help soften the tannins before it really hit its stride. Great stuff!

12/11/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Much rounder in profile than most of Mike's Zins, great red and blue fruits, raspberry, cherry injected with vanilla, clove, toasted oak with great balance and medium+ finish. Very nice and I'm happy to have a few more bottles. This was a pop and pour and ready to go out of the gate.

12/6/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Classic profile from the more recent style of Lewelling, loads of blue and black fruits, camphor, cinnamon and vanilla, great round texture and purity. Upon opening the finish was a bit short, however with a couple hours of air in bottle the length was much better. Drink now with some air or hold for a year or two.

11/28/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Getting even better with some age. This hit its stride after being open for 2 hours in bottle. Dark cherry, raspberry, boysenberry and the classic Rosella's vineyard orange rind come through clearly. Roasted meats, dried rose petals and some slight cocoa powder on the finish with sweet tannins. Great wine, especially considering the vintage challenges.

11/23/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Checking in again after a couple years, it still needs time with loads of find grain sweet tannins. After slow-ox of 5 hours this was really good but needs probably 5 years before it begins to hit its stride. Great wine and well made, one of the top wines of 2017 in Napa.

11/14/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Great example of a very ripe style Merlot, not all that complex with massive blue and black fruits, well integrated oak influences and milk chocolate finish.

11/12/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Not as good as the ‘73, but really nice as a PnP but better balance with an hour of air. Cherry, rhubarb, clove, stewed fruit, saw dust, medium tannin and acidity, very good balance. This is at or slightly past it’s peak at this point.

11/12/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Absolutely read to go right now, what a pleasure to drink.

10/26/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Holy black licorice batman! Intense black fruits that are over-powered by licorice, anise, vanilla and eucalyptus. With some air more black and red fruits emerge as well as some bacon and ham juices. This is velvety smooth and very hedonistic. Great value but if you are not a new world fan… stay away.

10/24/2023 - pakabear wrote:

Corked unfortunately

10/10/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Drinks well as a PnP, gained some weight after an hour of air.

9/6/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Looking back at my previous notes, I have to admit I was wrong. This is getting better and better every year. It still does have some sour fruit making me think the vinetage was not completely ripe, however it has come into much better balance with time. The tannins are still very much there, so it could still use 3-5 years to get into a better state. However this was extremely enjoyable as a PnP and got better with a couple hours in bottle. A note, the cork was almost completely soiled, nothing of concern but I’m curious how my other bottles are doing.

9/4/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Like my previous bottles, this needs some time to open or years in bottle. Dark red and black fruits, raspberry, boysenberry, pomegranite with a background of dried rose petals and chocolate. Big wine that expands through the palate with fine grain tannins. The raspberry/pomegranite is prevelant throughout the ‘19 Andremily range with a red sour fruit lingering through the finish. I assume with a few years this will come into balance a bit more.

9/2/2023 - pakabear wrote:

Dark red fruit, anise, vanilla, initially a bit medicinal which blew off after a couple hours of air. There is a distinct campfire like taste on the finish with an austere lift at the very end. Not the best vintage I’ve had if Padrewski.

8/12/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Initially tasted as. PnP and it was quite approachable, however it opened up nicely after 2-3 hours in a decanter. Dark red and black fruits with incredible purity and an intense tobacco note throughout. An imaginary blend of new and old world that I find common with Dominus, this wine is on another level than most other vintages. Silky profile and texture, medium + tannins that are balanced well with the intense fruit but will balance even more after 5 years in bottle. Excellent wine.

8/10/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Great fruit, lemonade, powdered sugar, plus acidity, amazing freshness and purity. Great Chardonnay.

8/10/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Drink up, it’s at a perfect place with some secondary characteristics coming into play. I don’t see this lasting more than 3-4 years in optimal conditions.

8/9/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Still drinking very well at this stage. I’d drink over the next few years.

6/28/2023 - pakabear Does not like this wine:

No nose as a PnP, however did manage to garner up some classic cassis after an hour in the decanter. The palate however never got better, very light in body and structure, mostly plum, cherry and oak profile with no complexity and a sour cherry finish. I could not drink this.

6/17/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

PnP, initially this was massively tannic, great nose however, classic black fruit, violets and chocolate. A couple hours of air this starts to calm down a bit but I’d give this 5 years, it’s not in it’s prime drinking window but shows massive promise.

6/2/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Cirtus, orange peel, honeysuckle, good balance overall but I thought it was missing complexity, at least for what I expected from this producer.

5/30/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

My notes are the same from previous bottles, the tannins are now fairly resolved with great fruit to oak balance. Lacks complexity but wow this is enjoyable.

5/25/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Similar to previous note, great drinking right now but also a bit primary. Very good now, should be great later.

5/16/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

This bottle was not as good as some of the bottles I’ve had previously, classic Napa cab notes, cherry, cassis, spice box, but the oak was a bit higher than I found it earlier just after release. It didn’ throw off the balance however and it’s still silky smith.

5/14/2023 - pakabear wrote:

Corked unfortunately.

5/11/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Starting to enter its drinking window. This was a PnP but did get better after a couple hours in bottle. Classic Napa Cab, red fruit dominant with well integrated oak, dusty tannins and a long finish. Excellent.

5/10/2023 - pakabear wrote:

Really nice flavor profile but falls apart on the mid palate and lacks the body needed for a Cab.

5/3/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Just came in a couple days ago and I couldn’t wait to try what could be one of the best QPRs in my cellar. This was great as a PnP but really improved with a few hours in the decanter. Dark blue and black fruits, blackberry, blueberry, cassis, chocolate covered coffee beans, pencil shavings, great purity and a silky mouthfeel. Initially there was a little heat on the finish (15%) but this vanished after some time in the decanter. Great wine, I may be looking for some more…

5/1/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

So I bit the bullet and I’m glad I did. Drank as a PnP, immediately the nose jumps out of the glass, dark blue and black fruits, sweet baking spices, anise, licorice and bacon fat. The palate confirms the nose but adds some iodine, violets, roasted meats a striking minerality through the midpalate and an amazing velvety mouthfeel with a finish that lasts about 40 seconds. This was much better than expected and I expected a lot given the producer… This should last 10 years but it’s great now and if I had more than one bottle I’m sure I would not be able to hold off drinking it for even another few months…

4/25/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Drinks well as a PnP but no need to be in a hurry. Dark black fruits, licorice, anise, baking spices and roasted meats dominate at this point. Very good balance even at these alcohol levels and youth, but as all Herman Story wines, they are in your face from the start and 100% new world.

4/22/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Loads of blackberry, blueberry, asphalt, licorice, milk chocolate with some mixed in cherries, camphor, cedar, great silky profile and a perfect balance. This is very good now as a PnP, but got better after a couple hours of air. Wish I had more.

4/20/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Ripe cherry, blackberry, rhubarb, camphor, cinnamon, menthol, cedar, soft velvety tannins, nice balance with some heat at the end. Great value at the 30 dollar price tag, wish I had bought more. This was a PnP and drank well out of the gate.

4/17/2023 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Nose has an intoxicating blend of dark red and black fruits with an enormous amount of bacon and ham. Great concentration, a velvety mouthfeel and a balanced finish with no real sign of the heat brewing underneath. Drank well now as a PnP, drink over the next 3-5 years.