3/10/2024 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Still has a little life in it. The raisins are getting muted but the malty caramel is taking over with just a touch of butterscotch. Wouldn't wait too long on it as it is turning into something different than it was but it is still a delightful pour.

1/11/2024 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Dried apple, lemon and honeysuckle to nose. Citrus zestiness. Melons, pears, fruit essences with the citrus overtones. Probably was better a year ago but amazingly good still. Paired with salad with roast chicken.

11/13/2023 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Berries with some toasty notes to the nose. Follows through on the palate with strawberry dominate with some light melon notes and a zesty citrus finish. Some dry tannins finish it off. Slightly thicker than most bubblies and standards up to a lighter pasta dish.

10/30/2023 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

PnP. Smoke and dark fruits on the nose. Raspberry and plum. Fruity start to palate with cherry and blackberry everywhere. Give way to some Smokey leather in the mid. Cherries and a touch of anise finish with medium to medium Kong tannins that linger but don't dry until a good w minutes pass. Had with truffle pasta and garlic bread which really chopped the tannins in half.

9/29/2023 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Lightly damp warm nose. Gravel, blackberry and a touch of menthol. Bright fruit on front. Strained prunes, dark cherries and some smoke. Finish is long and silky. Beautiful with pizza andd pasta (tried it with both....do not judge). Need 2+ hr decant or next day drinking.

8/23/2023 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Rich and lush. More tannins than I was expecting. Brilliant with dinner and even better as a day 2 wine. Decant at least 45min.

4/23/2023 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Still chocolate and vanilla with hints of oak. Touches of smokiness. Drinking real smooth now and alcohol is very subdued. Can still age for a while.

4/20/2023 - Ecb1456 wrote:

Heavy chocolate notes with a touch of smokey vanilla. Ecletic blend of the small batch Beam products.

4/1/2023 - Ecb1456 Does not like this wine:

Too tight. Nothing of any particular note. Did not open up even with a day behind it.

8/5/2022 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Wood so nicely balanced now. Getting better with time. Interested to see where this is going.

7/28/2022 - Ecb1456 wrote:

Needs to be manhandled to open up. Much better second day.

7/27/2022 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

With pasta and garlic bread. Perfect compliment. Still brings a bit of earth to it and holds up delightfully to the pasta. Solid enough to enjoy on its own as well. Still solidly in its prime.

5/16/2022 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Honeycrisp apple, melon and peach blossoms. Very bright and refreshing with enough mouth feel to engage. Paired with a Chipotle steak bowl and chips. Worked spectacularly.

4/7/2022 - Ecb1456 wrote:

Good with food and not a terrible bottle for the price point. It was just rather bland.

4/1/2022 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Opens soft and needs a lot of air. 1 1/2 hr decant seems good right now. It does fall off if too much so don't over decant at this time. Opens with fruity nose that rounds to a Smokey leather. Palate is dark fruit throughout, touch of bramble. Mineral aspects but not minerally. Mid tannins are a little disappointing as previous vintages were bolder. But finishes perfectly dry.

2/18/2022 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Blackberry, black cherry, and vague watermelon to the nose. Fat, plummy bright fruit overall. Sharp bite to the cherry and strawberry note. Some bright notes throughout. Long dry but not tannic finish. Absolutely a delightful experience.

11/28/2021 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Sweet strawberries. Warms to apples and melons with berry hint. Clean dry finish.

10/21/2021 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Soft with pear, apple and melon notes. Floral but not strangling.

7/6/2021 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Had with the 2019 side by side. Two different wines. Softer than the 2019 with subtle nuances that make for an enjoyable ride. Melons and apricot with some strawberry notes blend with a lot of minerality.

7/6/2021 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Heavy fruit up front. Hints of sweetness that dissipate after a few sips. Lots of stone fruit and melons. Slight grassy notes as a little air gets into it. Less subtle than the other vintages and not quite as complex but very yummy.

7/6/2021 - Ecb1456 wrote:

Decanted for 3 hours and couldn't get it to open up. Still tight. Heavy cherry notes in nose and palate. Some smoke and leather but almost as an afterthought. Almost like drinking an underaged Brunello. May be past in prime as the one trick pony did not really learn a new trick throughout the entire bottle. Or maybe it still needs time. No bad notes just nothing special.

7/3/2021 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Great fruit. Strawberries and a touch of apricot. Lightly chilled but do not let warm up as the berries turn harsh quickly. Enjoyed with salad and some creamy cheeses.

5/1/2021 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Delightful fruit nose and palate.

4/15/2021 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Bright fruit front. Cherries primary. Touch of mint and strawberry.

4/15/2021 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Fruity! Fruit everywhere. Mild mid-tannins. Touch of smoke and leather an long supple finish.

3/27/2021 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

This is one of the smoothest BCBS ever. The two years in Weller 12 yr barrels shows though in a layered and smooth bourbon overtone that never subdues the beer. Vanilla, caramel, touches of oak. Never betrays its ABV though. Almost dangerous.

1/7/2021 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

30 minute decant. Long savor. Goodbye to an old friend. Last bottle of this beauty. Still beautiful though I would move on it soon as I can't tell how long is left. The fruit is back. Blackberries and dark cherry to the nose. Some smoke, leather and gravel on a warm spring rainy day. Fruit sustains on palate. Hint of mint with more pronounced cherry. Tannins are an afterthought. Almost the perfect expression of the soft AV still from the early aughts. Supple soft and elegant with a dry luxurious
finish.
Maybe I am feeling nostalgic but this bottle had more heft than the last two. Please drink this soon. Do not waste this wine.

12/30/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Heavy coffee overtones. Slightly sweet but nothing like the rest of the BCBS line. Maple and cocoa blend in with more of the blueberry in the nose than in the palate - though it does hit at first, it does not linger. Coffee and malty maple finish that hangs around like in-laws at the holidays.

12/23/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Getting better all the time. Still rather hot upfront but the chocolate is balancing it over time. Bourbon still dominates but in a good way now. I wasn't a big fan of the 18 originally and thought it was one of their weaker efforts in a while but it has become a beautiful beast.

11/8/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Doesn't feel like there is much life to this. Insanely effervescent, the bubbles never seem to die down. A light toastiness to the back end balances what was not a great deal of fruit in the front.

10/31/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Same notes as before. It is fading though. Drifting softly into the sunset. Drinking almost like a barolo now with cherry notes until it opens.

10/23/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Green apple with crisp clean finish. One of the better CH collaboration bottles so far. Would like more.

10/7/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Pear peach with a hint of lemon zest. Fun. Bright and enjoyable.

10/7/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Still needs to open up after 10 years. Give at least 45mins to an hour. Overnight makes it velvety smooth. Had with Asian chicken wraps. Blackberry, smoke, leather and a passing vanilla to the nose. Assault of blackberry bramble and tabacco on the palate. I really love this place and wish it were cheaper to enjoy more but well worth the price for a bottle here and there.

9/19/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Tart green apples. Smooth effervescence. Delightful.

9/11/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Slightly buttery granny apples. Thick mouth feel. Good with and without food. Not much time left on it.

8/5/2020 - Ecb1456 wrote:

A little tight on opening. Vaguely distant dark cherries competing with a spicy, smokey sweet pepper nose. Tart front of the tongue cherries with slow dry yawning tannic backbone that sits longer than the wife watching a Criminal Minds marathon. Spices seem to want to come out but choose to ghost you like a blind date. Stood up well to a simple pasta but garlic and tomato sauces my make it seem to acidic. Just my thoughts.

7/21/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Smokey cherries and gravel to the nose with more spicy nose than taste. Still a bit of a fruit bomb. Needs an hour decant at minimum. Blackberries, dark cherries, currant and over ripe strawberries on the palate with some spicy leather on the back end. Boozetastic at 15.9ABV will probably keep this for another year or so but likely to drop the tannins like a hot box of rocks. Held up well to a nice pasta with mild garlic. Very enjoyable now

6/20/2020 - Ecb1456 wrote:

Solid. Apricot, pear, lemon. Nose is only zest of lemon lime. No complexity. Ok but not great.

6/17/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

How did I ignore this for so long? Good at open, good next day even with no gas. Lush fruit mixed with tabacco and smoke lingers forever on the tongue without drying to excess.

6/12/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Still has a little apple left along with a buttered toast back end. Getting a little freezer burn to the edges though and it is obviously past its high point but don't just chuck at this point. Still darned good. But drink now.

6/7/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Solid young and slightly biting. Needs some time. 40 minute decant help. A touch chewy right now. Revisit in 2 yrs.

6/7/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Scary how much green apple is left in this. Past its peime for sure but still a good swig or 20 at this point. Just don't expect perfection anymore.

6/6/2020 - Ecb1456 wrote:

Meh.

6/4/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

I still love it. Buttery apple nose. Almost like a taffy green apple (no peanuts, relax allergy people). Dry, slight lingering yeast. Right in the flagship sweet spot. Goes great with popcorn.

5/24/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Vanilla and butter to the nose. Tart green apples and pears dominate with a beautiful buttered toast finish. Not sure why CT community said this was dead a few years ago. I think it is still delightful but should be enjoyed now at its peak.

5/23/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Still full and rich. Nice thick mouth with good fruit presence. Still powerful and earthy and should still be good for another year or so.

5/21/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Big and hearty. Dark berries in nose with some leathery notes. First sip takes your breath away. Second sip gives it back, kicks you in the knee, takes your dog and runs off with your car. After a 2 hour decant, it is content with draping your tongue in a smokey blackberry chalk dust that makes you pine for a showing of Lawerence of Arabia to quench your thirst. Not for everyone but for those that do...do.

5/16/2020 - Ecb1456 wrote:

Not as much fruit as other Cali rose, this is quite dry and somewhat tart. A perfect pizza wine it is not a rose for sitting back and sipping on its own without something to counterbalance it. If you get it too cold you turn it into a rather simplistic light wine but as it warms slightly a variety of subtle complexities pop out. I am a fan.

5/14/2020 - Ecb1456 Likes this wine:

Berries everywhere in the nose. Strawberries with a tart crisp citrus finish. Just enough tannins to stand up to the blackened tilapia I had it with. If served too cold it is somewhat simple and doesn't get interesting until it warms a touch. Don't be tempted to get too cold.