5/11/2024 - Empirate wrote:

Western cedar/Redwood sus boise. Great window.

5/9/2024 - Empirate wrote:

corked

3/1/2024 - Empirate wrote:

Checking in to see if this this (new to us producer) is a re-buy this year. Bottle open 2 h before serving with sweet/spicy glazed salmon over spinach with a baked sweet potato.

Concentrated but light on the palate raspberry, bright florals, balanced, structured/dusty tannin. Pretty delicious and food-friendly 92-93.

I'm no Nostradamus, but this bottle gave the sense that it is early days and has a few years to go before hitting its stride. I'll let my other bottle rest (same for the Apocrypha) and pick up a few more this year if offered.

2/21/2024 - Empirate wrote:

Darker fruit, med body. Strawberry compote, white pepper. Nice spot, no rush.

2/19/2024 - Empirate wrote:

In a great spot! Light in color, strawberry and other red fruit, balanced. Delicious.

2/16/2024 - Empirate wrote:

Premox

1/17/2024 - Empirate wrote:

Corked

1/6/2024 - Empirate wrote:

Open 1 hour before a meal of Chilean sea bass with paprika and sherry vinegar marinade over new potatoes.

Juicy dark fruit and great balance in the W-S fashion. Advancing somewhat on the palate with increased interest and length. Lovely, attention getting.

I'd expect the plateau for this bottle to last 1-2 years and would drink in that window to enjoy the remaining fruit.

1/4/2024 - Empirate wrote:

Decanted about an hour, consumed over 3h.
Blousy floral nose and deep with layers of dark fruit on the palate. Nice Napa Cab in a (relatively) reserved style. Well balance and medium finish. A decate or more in the tank (as demonstrated by the '94 we had along side it which outshone it in elegance only acquired with age).

1/4/2024 - Empirate wrote:

Slo ox x 4 h, consumed over 3 h.
Exuberant floral nose with hint of age in the dried florals. Surprising youthful in the glass with rim clearing but otherwise rich and deep color, no bricking. Nicely around the corner into tertiary territory on the palate with dried flowers, old leather, layers of still present but soft and mellow fruit. Tannins resolved (tho little sediment, actually).

This is why I like old Bordeaux varietals. Great showing. Will lokely have my last this year with friends who will appreciate it.

12/18/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Last of six, holding up well. Early tertiary changes but still some spine. Drying of the red fruit and leafy herbalness. No rush over next 1-3 years.

12/11/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Pleasant Monday night with roast red pepper pasta. Hanging in there. Nice for the price. One more will have in the drink now on Monday or Tuesday bin.

12/2/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Surprisingly youthful and fresh, if a little disjointed on opening. 2h later, the fruit had filled out in the mid palate and early tertiary cedar notes were present on the finish.

Overall old world sensibility and classic. Excellent pairing with strong flavors of grilled beef and salt stone veggies.

Second of 3. First was too young (2017). I doubt I'll roll the dice on the last making old bones. No rush, expect it will drink at this level for 3-5 years.

11/20/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Slo-ox x 4h. Paired with mild vegan chili.

Integrated though not advanced. Delicious dark (but not punchy) fruit profile with balanced mouth feel and medium+ length. Disappeared quickly.

No rush but in a nice window.

11/16/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Dark fruit profile holding up, still some structure. Opened up with a couple hours in a decanter.

Not sure there is pretty tertiary development in the future but not ruled out. With 2 more, likely will hold one for scientific purposes.

11/12/2023 - Empirate wrote:

3 in a row premoxed.

11/4/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Brought to a restaurant for pop and pour, consumed over 2 hours. Delicious tart cherry, orange peel, spice. Crunchy and energetic. Youthful but open for business. Drink now (decant would be better), or preferably hold.

11/4/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Auction purchase to get a sense for aging KF Chardonnay. Holy smokes! If representative, I'd say "very well" for this intermediate-term check-in.

Tasted on opening: Fresh citrus and apple with creamy barrel note in a supporting role. Incredible energy and balance.

No rush. It would be interesting IMO to see how this vintage performs over the next 3-10 years. I have one other bottle and doubt I'll have the restraint. Seeking more.

9/15/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Slow ox 2h, paired with grilled beef & portabella mushroom caps. Showed beautifully with still fresh dark fruit, stony minerality, leather, and early tertiary development. Great balance, Medium ++ length.
Holding well, no rush.

7/27/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Very pleasant. Tannins resolved, remaining fruit leathery and slightly dusty. Balance and mouth feel are on point. Medium finish with dried dark fruit and touch of cigar box. Well enjoyed with a NY Strip from the grill. For K, appreciated but more advanced than her preference. Best to drink in the near term.

7/27/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Corked

7/27/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Corked

5/6/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Slo ox'd 2 hours, decanted another 2 hours. It was another hour before it had filled out and drinking its best.

Dark berry and iodine, moderate concentration, nice balance with food-friendly acidity, medium + finish.

Well enjoyed by some (including me), controversial rock funk for others.

4/24/2023 - Empirate wrote:

1st of 4. Decanted x 2 h, paired with veggie stir fry. Wow embarrassingly high quality for Monday. Why not, though?

Sl clearing rim and I imagined a beginning of orange hue. Generous nose of ripe and mature red fruit with a touch of bramble. Palate follows as expected with great balance, moderate tannic structure and medium finish.

93-94 with likely upside next 3-10 years.

4/5/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Corked

4/5/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Corked

12/16/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Corked

2/16/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Excellent aged grower champer with plenty of life left. No rush.

2/16/2023 - Empirate wrote:

First of 3, open for 2 hours and served slightly chilled in warm humid weather.

Effusive nose with floral, forest floor, tree/bramble, and sour cherry notes. A bit more advanced than expected on the palate but developing in a positive way. Added fruit compote, spice, and tea leaf notes.

Delicious and went down too easy. Next bottle any time, no rush to finish the last given the strength of fruit remaining.

1/16/2023 - Empirate wrote:

Corked

12/13/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Badly corked. Blech.

11/21/2022 - Empirate wrote:

I believe, as others have said, there is a smoke taint. Not necessarily, unenjoyable but I am concerned about how this plays with bottle age. Will put my few bottles in the "drink now" bin.

11/15/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Slow ox 2 hours while making dinner, consumed over 3 hours.

In a much better place than the 2017 bottle. Tannins tamed (not resolved) and complex, dark fruit/saddle sweat showing beautifully.

Balanced and easy to drink, a great compliment to the Royal Feast pizza.

Drinking well, steady through the evening. I expect similar bottles to be good at this level for 1-3 years. Interested what will come with tertiary development.

11/12/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Has not moved much in 5 years. Still tight and tannic after 2h slow-ox. A decant and 2 more hours was enough to coax the fruit to the fore and the delicious potential presented in the form of spring florals, dark blue fruit, hint of dried herb and mineral. There is great balance and a medium + finish. Probably wait another 5 years for next bottle. Last score 96, no change.

11/1/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Drinking well, next/last in 0-2 years.

10/30/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Corked

10/21/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Nice fruit, just thinning at the rim but still garnet. A bit astringent with alcohol also covering up the fruit and medium-short finish. Did not improve over 3 days.

Suffered by comparison to a 2009 ACV CS.

10/22/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Chalky minerality, white flowers, lemon tart, hint of pineapple.

Incredible complexity and balance.

A little less on the nose so the palate experience was a big upside surprise.

In a great place.

10/21/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Wow, really good balance and depth of East
Napa valley fruit.

Worth the years of cellaring to enjoy it now. This bottle was starting to turn the corner in a good way but it may be worth a wait to look-see in 5 years.

Anyway, this is our last bottle and no regrets.

BTW, we had a very memorable tasting at CVV during our 20th anniversary trip in 2013. Thanks, Todd.

10/2/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Slow ox 3 hours. Exotic flower and dark, ripe fruit profile. Deeply flavored and full bodied (too much for some at the table).

Tannins mellowed but not yet resolved. In a good place if in the mood for a big boy Napa Cab. Lots of sediment, would decant and allow a few hours for air.

9/26/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Nice weight and balance: delicious. In a good early window.

9/22/2022 - Empirate wrote:

From magnum, double decanted then open for 2 hours before dinner. Still component of primary fruit but rounded edges, ditto the tannins. Spring florals persist and a mineral/acid lift made a nice pairing with a wagyu tomahawk off of the grill. Delicious, and seems likely to make old bones. I would be very interested to try the same format in 10 years.

9/23/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Has evolved from simple and sl oaky to crisp, complex, balanced. In a great window, should have years left. Terrific.

9/23/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Premox

9/7/2022 - Empirate wrote:

1st of 6, Slow ox 4 hours.

Seemingly harvested at an apogee of ripeness and structure. Fresh florals, dark fruit, with a touch of dry leaf herb and elevating mineral notes added on the palate. Impeccably balanced and smoothed tannins. Seamless transit across the palate finishing with a slow fade.

Brilliant, effortless to drink: among the best enjoyed bottles. Will check in soon with bottle #2, hope it shows as well and try to get a sense for the length of the window at this level but suspect this is a 20+ year wine.

Note moderate+ sediment, will decant next time.

8/23/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Corked

7/25/2022 - Empirate wrote:

From magnum, slo-ox 2 hours. In a great place with age softened fruit and tannins but nowhere near passed peak. Well balanced. A real treat.

7/23/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Better than expected. Color me impressed (and wrong about my initial impression that the K Vintner lineup were blousy, "drink early" wines).

Generous dark fruit, floral and mineral notes. Well balanced and medium finish with a fading spectrum of flavor. No issues with the 15% EtOH.

Still not expecting this to make old bones but no rush in the next year or 3, 93-94.

7/7/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Pop and pour, consumed 1/2 bottle over 2 hours, 4th of six.
Dark fruit with mineral. Nice balance and depth. Way outperforming.

No rush, but a nice window maybe 2-4 years.

7/5/2022 - Empirate wrote:

Pop and pour, 1/2 bottle over 3 h.

Dark fruit, summer flowers, and sl heat on the nose. Nice concentration. Balance off maybe due to EtOH but still a good mouth feel. Dark fruit with a welcome touch of funk.

No rush, last bottle in 1-3 years. Great qpr.