7/20/2022 - LeChapeau wrote:

This one surprised me! Drinking really well now. Lots of depth, complex nose, and long finish.

6/29/2022 - LeChapeau wrote:

Nothing too exciting here. Just a good solid pinot for a reasonable price. I keep coming back to this as my house pinot.

6/29/2022 - LeChapeau wrote:

An enjoyable but fairly ordinary west coast pinot.

6/29/2022 - LeChapeau wrote:

Wonderful nose of dark cherries and earthy notes. A bit lacking on the palate, and a shorter finish than I'd like. But overall a nicely made, elegant wine.

5/30/2022 - LeChapeau wrote:

Bright acidity and red fruits makes this a food friendly wine. Some mildly interesting notes on the nose, but a little thin and brambly on the palate. A solid table wine, but lacks that something extra that might push it to a higher score.

5/28/2022 - LeChapeau wrote:

Good concentration, plenty of dark fruit, decent balance and a nice finish. All in all, a good wine, well structured, but definitely young and lacks additional interest at this point.

5/19/2022 - LeChapeau wrote:

Interesting depth on the nose, typical of this Fess Parker Pinot in other years. But on the palate, it's a bit disjointed and raw. A drinkable, food friendly wine, but falls short of previous efforts.

5/19/2022 - LeChapeau wrote:

A well structured, but still youthful Bordeaux. Good fruit, great tannic backbone, and long finish. Secondary notes are just developing. Promises to really deliver when mature, but seems to be a long way from that, even at 7 years old. It's drinking nicely now if you want a solid, delicious, fresh Bordeaux. But I'd give it another 5 to 10 years if you like wines with nuance and depth. I think this one will deliver.

5/9/2022 - LeChapeau wrote:

A nicely structured wine, still in youthful exuberance. A mix of red and black fruits, nose of spice box, leather and mocha and great finish. A bit different profile from a classic Bordeaux, but very enticing. Needs more time to knit together, but showing a lot of promise and drinking fairly well right now. Give this one a good ten years in the cellar ... it will only get better.

5/1/2022 - LeChapeau wrote:

As I look back at my notes on this I see a lot of bottle variation. A while back I wrote that this wine was on the downhill slope - definitely not, based on this bottle. A solid nose of red fruits, cedar and earth, but a bit milder than some Burgundies. Definitely developing some interesting character and depth. Good fruit and bright acidity carries through to the long finish. Nicely balanced. Based on this bottle, I'd say this wine has got some good years ahead of it.

4/3/2022 - LeChapeau wrote:

Surprisingly good. Not sure if bottle variation or aging, but much better than previous bottles. Nose of dark fruits and earth on a distant backdrop of stewed vegetables. Plenty of lively, refined fruit in the mouth, and a great finish. I think this is right at its peak. If you have some, drink up! It won't get any better.

2/13/2022 - LeChapeau wrote:

This bottle fared better than my previous tastings. Notes of earth, cut grass and bell peppers. Medium bodied, moderate fruit, and a decent finish. Better balanced than previous bottles. If you like a Bordeaux with a vegetable side to it, this will peak your interest. I have a few more bottles of this and am interested to see where it goes over the next 3 to 5 year. Not at its peak yet.

2/11/2022 - LeChapeau wrote:

Definitely improving with age, but not quite at its prime. Nose is a nice blend of earthiness, red fruits and spice box with some secondary and tertiary notes developing. Lively and balanced in the mouth with plenty of fruit still in evidence. Enough bright acidity to go well with food, but not so much that it can't be sipped and savored by itself. Really enjoyable to drink now, but will probably improve for a few more years. I wouldn't wait too long though.

** Edit **
I came back and bumped the score up to a 91. As I sit here sipping it, it just keeps getting better. :-)

1/9/2022 - LeChapeau wrote:

Wow! This one has really blossomed. Nose is a little mild, but is complex and deep with notes of dark fruits, leather, and woodsmoke. The palate is rich and lush with lively fruit and spices, and the finish is long. Tannins are coarse grained and still holding this wine up wonderfully. This should have many great years ahead of it. It will only get better. Unfortunately, this was my last bottle. REALLY wish I had more.

12/24/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

Excellent Brunello, but still young. Could use another 5 years or more.

12/24/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

Last bottle of this, and it proves the old saying, "There are no good wines, just good bottles." The last two were somewhat disappointing, but this one was excellent! Perfectly aged with complex nose of forest floor, wood smoke and spice box. Long finish, plenty of fruit left to tantalize the palate. Just a joy to drink! Wish I had more.

12/12/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

Developing nicely but still not at its peak. Cherries have deepened with earth tones, plenty of fruit on the palate, bright acidity, and a long finish. A lot to like! Wonderful with a salmon dinner or for savoring on its own.

12/11/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

Coarse tannins, mild nose and a bit angular. Not a great wine on its own, but it does do well with a steak dinner. I would have thought that by now it would have knit into something more pleasing, but it doesn't appear to be doing so.

12/8/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

This wine is an incredible steal if you can get it. Wonderfully deep nose of damp earth, wood smoke and spice box that you can get lost in. Plenty of lush fruit, well balanced, perfectly aged and well integrated tannins. A long finish rounds out this enchanting offering. If more Merlots were like this it would put them back on the map.

11/28/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

Nose of bell peppers and cassis. Loads of fruit still there, well balanced, fine grained tannins, good backbone, long finish. This bottlw was a step up from the last one.

8/15/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

This one is developing nicely. Classic old style Bordeaux with good blend of green notes and fruit on a medium body, with secondary notes of pencil shavings and damp earth. Fine grained tannins, good structure, and a decent finish put this into the above average range. But there's still a few rough edges that need to smooth out. Perhaps a few more years will do it.

6/23/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

Wonderful nose, good finish, not as much presence on the palate as I would have expected. Drink now.

6/5/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

This is a "wish I had more" wine. Beautiful nose of casis and forest floor. Still plenty of fruit and good tannic structure. Developing lots of tertiary notes, but still tastes relatively young. Not at its peak yet! I have one more bottle of this and will be saving it for a few years.

6/5/2021 - LeChapeau Likes this wine:

This is a "wish I had more" wine. Beautiful nose of casis and forest floor. Still plenty of fruit and good tannic structure. Developing lots of tertiary notes, but still tastes relatively young. Not at its peak yet! I have one more bottle of this and will be saving it for a few years.

3/10/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

Wonderful complex nose of red fruits and earthy depth. Rich and unctuous in the mouth with plenty of fruit still in evidence, perfectly balanced with nuanced acidity. A long, lingering finish makes my keep coming back to the glass for more. It's got that funky nose and palate of an older wine, but without losing much of its youthful exuberance. Drinking beautifully in my opinion!

2/21/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

On the one hand, this is tarting to develop some interest. On the other, it still has a long way to go. Typical cabernet nose of casis and dark fruits. Powerful in the mouth with loads of fruit, great structure, and well balanced. This is a big wine! But it's also beginning to show some depth and nuance. At this point, it is enough to give some indication of its direction, and I like where its going! But for a 14 year old wine, it's just getting started. Unfortunately, this is my last bottle. I'll have to see if they still have more in their library. Worth getting a couple more to open 5 or 10 years down the road. This one a a long-hauler and its destination should be excellence!

1/22/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

Very impressive ageability for a west coast Syrah! Wonderful depth on the nose with notes of dark fruit, damp earth, black pepper, and pencil shavings. Still lots of fruit, mouthfilling, and a long finish.

1/20/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

Weak effort in my opinion. Even for the low $10 I expect a bit more and have found it in other $10 cabs like Columbia Crest or Yellow Tail.

1/19/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

Just a good solid Cab for this price range. I'm used to finding $15 cabs that are ok, decent, drinkable, but no more. And they don't find me coming back for more. This one has plenty of lush fruit without being a bomb, well balanced acidity, a nose that hints of a little extra depth and complexity, and nicely represents what a really enjoyable west coast cab can be, without the big price tag. I'll be buying more.

1/19/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

This wine is all about elegance and reminds me ins some ways of a Burgundy. Lots of depth in the nose with notes of black raspberries, earth, spice box and leather. Medium bodied palate, with plenty of red fruit, well balanced with bright acidity, and good tannic structure. The finish goes on and on. Excellent for slow tasting on its own, but equally goes well with a meal. Lots to like here, and will certainly get better in another 3-5 years.

1/11/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

Well structured, solid tannins, long finish. Nose is classic for a Bordeaux, but a little reticent and underdeveloped. I think this will blossom nicely over time, but is a bit too young at the moment. Give this one another 5 years at least

1/3/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

Impressive Bordeaux. Nose of cassis and earth with a little bell pepper, but still young and tight. Full bodied, lush fruit, balanced by nice acidity, and a great finish. Well structured, good tannic backbone, and built for the long haul. It's got enough bold fruit to be drinking well now, but this one won't show its true merit for years to come. I'll be going back for more and I'm looking forward to seeing what develops!

1/1/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

Beautiful, mature Bordeaux at its peak, or slightly beyond. Complex nose with well bended secondary and tertiarty notes, and developing a little madiera. Medium bodied, very round, smooth, and perfectly balanced. Fully integrated tannins, and a nice finish. Depending on your tastes, some might find this on the downhill slope, but I'm loving it!

1/1/2021 - LeChapeau wrote:

A very good bottle, but I think might be a touch on the downhill slope. The fruit is diminishing, but still enough to provide a quality pour. If you have any of this, time to drink up!

12/23/2020 - LeChapeau wrote:

Nose of plum, dark fruits, and woodsmoke. A bold, hi-toned, full bodied red on the palate. Not complex, not meant for aging, but quite an enjoyable wine right now, and clearly made to go with food. This would be wonderful with grilled meats, roasts, or stew.

12/16/2020 - LeChapeau wrote:

Still very young and vibrant. Delicious now, but this one will go a long way. Good structure, lush fruit, long finish.

12/1/2020 - LeChapeau wrote:

Greatly improved with age.

11/26/2020 - LeChapeau wrote:

Wow! Excellent bottle, a Burg-lover's delight. Complex, earthy nose of ripe cherries, dried spices, and a bit of licorice. The mouth delivers elegant power with lush fruit. Long finish and fine grained tannins round out this perfectly balanced wine.

11/2/2020 - LeChapeau wrote:

Elegance and finesse are the words that come to mind with this one. A lovely nose of cherries, earth, and the beginnings of a barnyard note. Medium bodied with bright fruit on the palate, and a long finish with fine tannins. It's well balanced and enticing, but not a powerhouse.

10/30/2020 - LeChapeau wrote:

This one surprised me. Kept it far longer than I thought it should age, but has developed really nicely. Still plenty of fruit, but the nose has taken on some depth, adding some appealing earthines to this already excellent wine. Plenty of body, long finish. Wish I had more of this one!

9/24/2020 - LeChapeau wrote:

Wow! My last bottle and wish I had a lot more of this. Still holding up well, no sign of going downhill, but drinking beautifully. An enchanting, complex, classic Burgundy nose with good fruit, and lots of deep, earthy, secondary and tertiary notes. On the palate, it's a mouthful bringing lush red fruits supported by nicely balanced acidity. Fine grained tannins and a long luscious finish round out this great bottle. It's with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to the last of this one. Savoring the final mouthfuls right now ...

7/12/2020 - LeChapeau wrote:

Mmmm ... this just keeps getting better. Drinking wonderfully now. Elegant, earthy, complex. layered nose that defies description. Palate of spiced cherries, perfectly balanced acidity, fine grained tannins and a long finish. Mouthfilling and flavorful, heady aroma ... just wow! Wish I had another case of this. Had no idea what a bargain this was when I bought it!

3/23/2020 - LeChapeau wrote:

This wine has definitely come alive! Wonderful nose of cassis and dark fruits, with earthy secondary and tertiary notes developing. Mouthfilling with plenty of fruit, well integrated tannins, and beautiful balance. A long lingering finish rounds out this wonderful wine. It’s throwing a fine sediment but the color shows no signs of brick at this point. Should age well for a while longer, but is drinking perfectly now.

1/1/2020 - LeChapeau wrote:

This one has come into its own. Drinking perfectly now. Complex nose of black cherries, cassis, and damp earth, medium bodied, balanced acidity, and long finish. A real delight! Wish I had more.

1/1/2020 - LeChapeau wrote:

Some interesting notes on the nose hint at complexity. But it disappoints in the mouth, lacking fruit and body. It comes across as thin and too acidic. Would be probably be ok with acidic foods.

11/30/2019 - LeChapeau wrote:

Served this magnum at Thanksgiving dinner and everyone loved it. Not quite as good as what I remember from previous tastings, but still an excellent wine. Complex nose, lush fruit, long finish, a great Burgundy!

11/30/2019 - LeChapeau wrote:

Nice nose of red fruits and a bit of earthiness. Juicy and ripe on the palate, nicely balanced acidity. Great with food or for drinking on its own. I try a bottle of this every year to check out the vintage. It is usually a decent wine but often a bit one dimensional and not too inspiring. Once every few years though, they hit it right and it's a notch above what it should be for the cost. This is one of those vintages. I'll be getting a case or two as a daily drinker.

11/25/2019 - LeChapeau Likes this wine:

Mild nose of red fruits and a bit of earthiness. Medium bodied, bright acidity and good fruit on the palate. should be an excellent wine to have with pasta and sauce based dishes.

11/19/2019 - LeChapeau wrote:

Surprisingly good - even more so given the price! The nose is complex and earthy, it has good fruit and balance on the palate and a long finish. If I didn't know better, I'd say this had 10-15 years of age on it. But since it is relatively young, it will likely not age well in the long term. Drink now! It's cheap enough - buy a lot and enjoy it while you can!

11/19/2019 - LeChapeau wrote:

Good food friendly wine at a reasonable price. Nice balance of acidity and fruit.