2/7/2024 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Best young Chave I’ve had. Given the amount of sediment and lack of air needed I would have guess it was ten years older. Nonetheless it was very satisfying. It has olive brine, smoke, black pepper and game but only in the background to the generous amounts of ripe blue/black fruit. Plenty of structure and acid but as mentioned below ready right from the start.

9/8/2023 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Drank from a magnum that I was told was 2013 (nothing on the label) but the cork showed LC 17. Whatever year it was it showed well enough. Sour white fruit, dried herb, mineral, and some reduction. Drink or hold.

3/8/2023 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

My preference for Kobayashi leans to the Syrah’s the the whites. As the prior taster noted this does have a kids vitamins element to it. Texturally I also found it gritty. If blinded here I might guess something like a Bedrock or Sandlands Bordeaux varietal but with more weight. Overall not feeling the harmony between the Franc and Merlot here but it does slowly grow on you. Maybe it just needs time.

3/2/2023 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

This was very likable from the start but better with time. Pitch black and glass staining but with nice acidic lift. Blackberry, blueberry, anise, smoke, mineral, violets… Slight heat especially on the nose that will take time to settle. Give it five years to come out of its shell.

2/24/2023 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Opened in the bottle for a few hours. While approachable could likely use a decant. Dense dark fruit, black pepper, dried herbs, mineral and loads of mint. A few points step up from the Grenache.

10/6/2022 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

This bottle really benefits from an overnight in the bottle. Not the most exciting bottle but well balanced and soft (but with structure). Plush dark fruit (plum and blackberry), currants, tobacco and dusty earth. Lots of wood on this. Needs a few more years but like mentioned does open up overnight.

9/25/2022 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

In case you didn’t know this is the best wine being made in Napa. Absolutely destroyed the Scarecrow and Conterno Cerretta that we drank by it’s side. Dense black fruit at the core with herbaceousness, mint and mineral providing lift. Clearly young but drinking well now.

6/24/2022 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

It’s been three years since my last note on this wine. Back then I scored is 99. This time around I’m less enthusiastic but nonetheless still beautiful Napa wine. Like I’m finding in many 16’s a powerful cassis note has come into the foreground. Fortunately this one is still massively structured and tannic and will grow out of it. Syrupy raspberry, red cherry, vanilla, graphite, tobacco and cassis. Lots of lift here from the acid.

I had the 2013 a few months back and it was starting to fade but this one is just a baby. Hold for another five years.

7/5/2022 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Still plenty of life here. These were bought direct at release and are continuing to improve. Full bodied with moderate acidity and alcohol that’s finally starting to settle. Ripe cherry, strawberry, balsamic, wet earth, prune/raisin and herbs. Given the considerable weight it is not a wine everyone will love. Probably approaching the peak.

6/16/2022 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Young and aggressive is right. This is like an Amarone barrel sample. So much alcohol upfront I suspected (kind of still do) that it’s flawed. Brown and syrupy with little fruit other than a fortified note. I will reserve scoring this.

2/24/2022 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Don’t understand the 17 of this wine. Yes it’s really young but it’s also just not great. My last bottles were totally muted ( a year plus ago). This bottle was loaded feral/animal funk and resin/pine on the nose and palate. Yes, I know wines like Brunello can have this element and shake it after several years but this wine is not that. Texturally it’s dense and has what you want but just not right on the palate or nose. Still it’s more than drinkable…just disappointing.

2/24/2022 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Same impression as last time this is big/ripe/sweet with the Zinfandel front and center. Well crafted as always but bigger than how big most Saxum’s typically are. Saxum on steroids. There’s enough texture and depth to make it world class but probably too much for many.

Day 2 the fruit just got more ripe and intense. Mixed berry liqueurs.

9/29/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Not really my style as preference leans to more polished but not too bad. Plenty of sweet/juicy/tangy red fruit with savory edges. Texturally both effervescent and syrupy. Brown ruby color with a clear rim and a very hazy/murky center. Reminds me of a barrel sample.

Update- totally undrinkable night two after a pump. Nothing but wet cornflakes.

6/9/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Decanted five hours. Too young and funky at this point. Nice deep texture and mouthfeel with plenty of dark fruit, lavender, smoke and dark chocolate. Unfortunately the finish is clipped off by a green note. Not for everyone and was easily bested by the Bionic Frog that was also drank.

5/6/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Bought direct from Bedrock in April 2020. Needs about an hour air to open up and gain presence but overall time to drink (and likely peaked a few years back). Medium ripe red fruit, lots of earth, pepper, smoked game and mineral. Overall it just has an old wine quality to it with an overly wet wood/cedar note. Drink now and the 12’s though stylistically bolder are in this phase also.

1/24/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Decanted for a few hours then back into the bottle for almost the entire afternoon/evening. Clearly still young and a waste to open now as this literally tasted like nothing. Not sure I fully understand Bibi Graetz and all the critical praise as they always come off watered down to me. Overall this is decent enough (as is the 15 and 16) but Decanter giving this 100 points is a problem. I get that they want to boost some $25 Spanish or $30 California Cab to 97 points (also very questionable) but this is no value play at almost $100. Keep in mind this is the publication scoring $10 Delas CdR in the mid to high 90’s... Overall give it time but will never be more than 90 points.

2/11/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

My first note was maybe too optimistic. Yes this is too young but surprisingly inspires no joy at this stage regardless of time open. Muted flavors, harsh tannins and high acid. Not what I want in an under $100 Napa blend. The nose however remains potent and delivers. Hoping time helps.

7/25/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Purchased direct at release. Splash decant and back into the bottle for a few hours. The fruit here is still muted but the profile of the wine no way suggests it is too young. Ruby almost brown coloration with strawberry and mineral. It was good but just lacked depth. I’d wait another 3 years and see.

7/1/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Big wine from the start. Green Cabernet Franc notes on the edges give way to ultra ripe blackberry/black cherry, cassis and anise. Other than the green pepper there is not a ton of interest here and actually feels too far into maturity. Nonetheless a very tasty modern wine. Blind would have guessed high end Chile.

1/11/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Soft and plush on the palate with dusty black cherry, vanilla bean, cassis and earth. One of the better Nickel’s I’ve had recently but still too musty and sour for my preference. Will benefit from time but doesn’t really need much in my opinion.

3/16/2021 - Cuellar's Cellar Likes this wine:

This blend is really nice. at only 13.8 %, I thought this was a bit higher. This young wine has alot to offer down the road. I would sit for at least 3 years. Cheers

3/15/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

These alway need more time than I am willing to give their $30 price tag. Decanted two plus hours and while juicy fruited it’s still massively acidic, borderline austere and backed by too much earthiness for the style. Give it six months to a year until the next. Lots of promise.

2/3/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Just too sweet. Same note as before.

12/30/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Very heavy and decadent with no acid and a good amount of exposed alcohol. Butterscotch, lemon bar, white flower and chlorine/minerals??? It’s certainly enjoyable but maybe needs a long decant which this did not get. Did improve with time and food.

12/12/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Opened in the bottle for a few hours. Thick and creamy but lacking depth. Tons of juicy black/blue fruit and vanilla but not much more. That said still delicious and drinking at peak.

12/4/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Opened in the bottle five plus hours and was singing from the first minute. This may be the sexiest wine made in Napa. Each year it exceeds expectation and drinks beautifully even as a new release. So soft and luxurious with layers upon layers of depth. Yes it’s sweet and ripe but never really tips over the top. Creamy milk chocolate, black/blue fruit, raspberry, cassis, mineral, tobacco... Certainly a few notches above the regular Crane. As everyone implies this will last a long time but the way these drink unlikely I’ll be able to resist more than a few years.

11/15/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Drank over the course of two days. A little disappointed given the hype and pro reviews. Almost no fruit here with the entire body coming off watered down. Texturally it has some promise with chalky cassis lingering on the tannins. I’ve been buying The Bard since 2012 and this has been the poorest performing bottle. Overall it just seems less luxurious and dense. Hoping this one is an off/awkward bottle or just too young. My 93 is being very generous and the assumption of an off bottle.

10/15/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Opened in the bottle for 5 plus hours. Dark coloration and texturally dense (by Piedmont standards). Tannins are smooth but the palate remains acidic with real potential buried. Still it’s open enough for now to sip with ripe dark fruit, truffle, fresh espresso grounds, rose and milk chocolate coming out. Nonetheless it remains clipped and sharp but with room to improve in 5-10 years. Nice but not perfect.

10/3/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Opened in the bottle all day (8 plus hours) and shocked by its accessibility the entire time. Tannins are present but soft and acidity is in check. Red fruit, cassis, leather, mushroom, mineral (lead), citrus (orange), menthol, white flowers...just endless layers that alternate between ripeness and earth in near perfect harmony. Certainly the complexity/depth here is taken for granted until tasted side by side with a lesser 16 (the still solid Clinet). Clearly too young but actually more accessible than the 09 or 10 now. I suppose drink now before hibernation or wait the long haul.

1/4/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Opened in the bottle 2-5 hours. Agree no hard edges but time did help in blowing some green funk off. Stylistically more in line with Bionic Frog than the other Syrahs (meaning less funk and more dark berry). Still it’s unmistakably a Christophe Baron wine for better or worse (depending who you are). Personally if you can get past the bitterness and clipped finish the purity of fruit is gorgeous. Not hating this other than for the price and scarcity.

4/1/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Drank over the course of two days. The best Montecillo Vineyard wine I’ve had. Personally I found both Beta and Bedrock good but leaning more earthy and green than my preference. Here you have that same classic California style but with some potent fruit behind it. Ripe red/black fruit, tobacco, tea leaves, cassis, cedar, game and damp earth. The Di Costanzo wines remain a very unique mix of old world vs new. Mellow enough now but I’d give these 5 years to integrate.

3/13/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Medium bodied with little to no reduction. Lemon, orange zest, slight toast, and minerals. More body than I was expecting and up there with almost any premier cru. Clearly more under the surface here but needs some time for the fruit to develop. Great now though.

6/17/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Borderline sweet and so easy to drink. Concentrated syrupy red fruit with anise, clove and forest floor on the edges. Sharp acidity and possibly some alcohol ting on the finish. Needs 2-3 years.

4/25/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Fairly lean yet still approachable. Tons of cool dark fruit and mineral up front with touches of spice and truffle. Better than the 14 and 16 in terms of accessibility. Still in need 3-5 years time.

8/4/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Manufactured to be flashy and a little to heavy handed. Oak and cassis drown everything here. Not at a the Caymus level of artificial but not far off.

7/27/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Full bodied with tons of toast. White flowers, citrus, and sweet stone fruit compliment. Young but so drinkable. I wish I had the $15 or $11 price point mentioned in the other notes as I’d buy 2 cases.

4/19/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Drank over 2 nights. Much more approachable than the 14 and 15 even today. Ultra ripe but very clean and polished. Red fruit centric with mixed liqueurs backing. Structured yet not tannic but no doubt will benefit from time in bottle. Maybe the best premium Napa Cabernet in the sub $100 range.

11/23/2018 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Quick one hour decant here but in reality needs several more hours or just bottle age. Big with but in no way over the top. Chalky black/blue fruit, dusty earth, cassis, anise, and a slight vegetal note. Good quality and great price point.

2/1/2018 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Visually and texturally nice but way to much barnyard funk on the nose and palate. Literally so much so it completely overpowers the fruit. Still structured and elegant seeming more like a flawed wine than a bad bottle. Drank over 2 nights with little change.

3/9/2018 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Opened in the bottle for a few hours. Full bodied with some acidic effervescence giving it major lift. Ripe cherry, syrupy raspberry, oak, cola, and even some damp earthy funk. Still a little sharp and prickly on the edges but damn good SC Pinot. Needs another year or so to fully ring it in.

3/5/2017 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Decanted for 3-5 hours. Initially very tannic but mellowed after a few hours. A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot. Bigger than I remembered with chocolate covered cherry, extracted strawberry, dried herbs, and some spearmint. A line of cool minerality runs through the wine keeping it fresh and somewhat airy. The nose of red currants, fresh leather, and spice is much more developed and harmonious than the palate at this stage. Not quite at Lokoya's level but great. This will last 20 plus years.

8/11/2016 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Soft medium plus textured body with soft tannins. Sweet red and purple fruit with spicy tobacco. Acid is pretty high as is the oak treatment but should be great in 1-2 years. Best open an hour or two before drinking. A steal at $29 bucks.

3/3/2017 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Great value if you can find at sub $60. Decanted 4 hours plus and the 15.5% alcohol plus high extraction never really mellowed. Chocolate cherry, dusty blackberry, tobacco, cloves, sweet raspberry syrup, and cassis liqueur. Still remains somewhat balanced and really enjoyable. Needs a few more years to mellow but can be popped and enjoyed no problem.

12/26/2016 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Same note as before. For whatever reason all the 2013 Nickel Nickel's hit me in the right spot. Needs time and definately has some rough edges. In my opinion stil super enjoyable and complex after a few hours decant.

9/28/2016 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Nice easy drinker but nothing memorable. Sharp tannins accompanied by bold sweet blue/red fruit, vanilla bean, and some oakiness. A little more flavor intensity on night 2. Needs a few years in the bottle.

12/20/2015 - Trolson wrote:

I was disappointed: body, nose and complexity never showed up notwithstanding three plus hours decanting. Made me think of red wine 'lite.'

12/15/2012 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION Does not like this wine:

Inky purple color with thick translucent rim. Drinks like highly concentrated grape Kool-Aid. Strange menthol/mint finish. My first Aussie Grenache and my last.

See more detail at
http://maximumsatisfaction.tumblr.com/post/38031153393