5/19/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

No real signs of age. Rich and velvety, a bit more fruit forward than you might expect. A real value even at this price.

5/19/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Found this during bottle rotation. Waited a bit too long, but still surprisingly good. Bricking and color show age, but fruit and acidity still present.

5/17/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Purchased from my favorite Italian wine retailer, Z. They rarely step wrong. A little bricking on he edges, but no other real signs of age. Opened fully within 30 minutes. Medium weight for a Brunello, elegant cherry fruit, tar and white pepper, a hint of thyme. Balanced acidity. Some tannic bite leads o longish finish. Wish I had more.

5/17/2024 - elevwine wrote:

Left his one in the cellar far too long. Now just a tired old wine.

5/13/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

On the lighter side for Brunello but otherwise quite a good showing. Cherry/strawberry fruit, a touch of tar and tobacco, peppery spice. Still drinking quite well even on day 2.

5/9/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Wine showing well now. Rich, full-bodied Zin.

5/9/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Classic mid-weight OR Pinot. Decent value.

5/5/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Decent but ultimately a bit simple and flabby (hmm, do my friends say that about me?). Plenty of fruit, tannin all integrated. This will not get any better so drink up.

5/5/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Heavy on graphite and tar, fruit quite reticent. Needs an hour or more to open, then a solid Merlot-based BDX. Not my favorite of the night but rave reviews from a good friend. Beauty is in the eye of ……

5/5/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Back to my original note in 2019. One of the better Chads. Time has smoothed this out and allowed secondary notes of tobacco and spice to show nicely. Showed well against some much pricier Napa Cabs at a Derby party

5/5/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Still quite tannic on day 2, but in a balanced way. Velvety finish, plenty of fruit and a bit of brett. Very good value.

4/28/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Yes WOW. Ready now and really just a fantastic value. Lacks a bit of the character and complexity of its bigger (and much more expensive) cousins but that is to be expected at this price. Compulsively drinkable.

4/28/2024 - elevwine wrote:

Meh. Agree with Pape Neuf comment - tastes like an old-time Italian wine. But hard to pry the Cab character out of this one. More like a not so super Tuscan. Redeeming features are character and intensity. Perhaps more time…..

4/28/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Same as earlier notes, more CA than OR in style for a Pinot. Probably has peaked but still in good drinking window.

4/25/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Another one-off purchase that should have been a case. Purchased on sale in 2017. Terrific wine, particularly for second wine. Dark cherry and some blueberry fruit, BDX bite and very good aromatics including cedar, spice box, leather and tobacco. Well-balanced, though acidity started to dominate more on day 2. Very good value demonstrating why you should buy plenty of second wines in a very good vintage.

4/21/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Still going strong with intact structure. Velvety fruit-forward rich Merlot. One of my absolute favorite CA merlots.

4/21/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Time was very kind to this bottle. Earlier bottles seemed a bit disjointed but this was in a great place. Fruit-forward blend. Tannins fully resolved resulting in a velvety soft Tuscan that earns the “Super” superlative.

4/21/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Yes, meh. Pineau d’Arneis which we really don’t see much of in the US. Fruit was surprisingly muted for the bright acidity that went with it. Some bright red fruit, but not enough to balance out. More tannic than expected. Will let the remaining bottle sit to see if it comes together over the next few years.

4/8/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Old world wine with new world fruit. Classic old world barnyard bite followed by an explosion of dark cherry fruit. Great complexity and structure, long finish leaves yo hanging for the next sip. Agree with all comments about great value here.

4/6/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Purchased at winery - which is not in BdM. I’m sure the generous tasting pours had something to do with that. Nonetheless, wine exceeded expectations. Easily stands with mid-tier or better Brunellos. Black cherry and blackberry fruit, leather and a hint of eucalyptus. Good tannic structure and medium to long finish. A bit overpriced, as most winery purchases are, but still good.

4/6/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

$20 from WTSO. Usually like CH wines….but this one is not aging well. Flabby, not much structure, which leaves it jammy and uninteresting. I would not hold these any longer; just not a wine for aging.

4/4/2024 - elevwine wrote:

Good/nice. That’s about it.

3/31/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

WMCCONE54 note says it all. Great value. Plenty of time if you have any left. Great value and very good wine.

3/28/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Past its apex, but still an incredible wine. Tannins fully resolved into a velvety soft wine with complex bouquet. Bought these on a Zachy’s sell-off many years ago, but kudos to their sourcing skills.

3/24/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

One-off purchase but no record of where. Unfortunate because this is a serious value. Dark plum fruit still generously present. Herbal notes included a hint of rosemary along with a bit of old cask. Tannins resolved but structure intact. Silky with long finish. Aglianico always seems to age well and this was no exception.

3/10/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Still vibrant. Really fantastic Syrah, more New World than Old.

3/10/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Received as a gift. Thought this might be another generic Napa Cab. Was pleasantly surprised by the complexity and structure. Shared with friends and never got a second glass. Very popular.

3/9/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Loved the earlier bottles from this set, but the window is closing. Bricking around the edges and hints of a wine past its prime, including a persistent raisiny edge. Drink up.

3/3/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Still drinking well, even on day 2. Agree with prior CT notes - solid Barolo, a bit on the lighter side but still quite enjoyable.

3/2/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Exceptional wine, especially at this price. Rich dark cherry fruit. Old world at heart, earthy and complex. Opens slowly. Needed about 6 hours to really sing, but then it was La Donna e Mobile. A Super Tuscan value. BTW, no rush to consume. If properly cellared this has at least a half decade of good drinking left.

2/29/2024 - elevwine wrote:

Cellar rotations always uncover some hidden bottles. Bad result here. Yes, smoky with barnyard notes, but strawberry fruit is now stewed fruit in a wine not meant for aging. Barely drinkable. Tossed half the bottle. On to the next wine.

2/29/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Hmmm. Different experience than most notes so far. Still very tannic and a bit green, even on day 2. And pretty thin for a Cab-heavy blend with fruit a bit muted. Maybe more time will help with the former, but not so much the latter. On positive side of the ledger, enjoyable complexity.

2/24/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Serious Grenache, medium to full body, tart raspberry and dark cherry fruit, velvety mouthfeel and long finish. Spicy bite, tannic structure still fully intact. Good balance. CH rarely disappoints.

2/23/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Broad-shouldered wine with plenty of plummy black fruit. Good structure and balance, great with Italian food. Only knock is a slight green stemmy bitterness mid-palate that I only detected in the last glass (after dinner).

2/23/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Italian wine night at poker. Rich, dark cherry fruit. Velvety texture. A Cab lover’s Chianti according to one of my Cab-loving friends.

2/23/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Italian wine night at poker. This was an unexpected hit. Barely managed to grab a glass. Folks loved the rich dark fruit and earthiness. Structure still intact. Just a smooth, velvety texture offset with a touch of acidity.

2/23/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Wine and poker night. Brought this from deep in the cellar, purchased from WTSO years ago - all I can say is I paid nowhere near the CT community valuation.
Tried for 30-minute decant, but too impatient. A bit of bricking at the edges. Tight and tannic at first but opened quickly. Very serious wine, even for a Barbaresco. Medium weight, but very intense. Dark cherry fruit a bit muted. Plenty of herbal notes, lots of menthol, and a flinty edge. My favorite wine of the night (I opened three other serious Italians). Maybe peaking now or just a bit past.

2/21/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Only 9 months after last bottle, but this is much more what I expected. A bit brawny for a Merlot, but I like that. Rich cherry fruit, some acidity for balance, slight touch of cedar. Just what I had hoped for and expected from Sbragia, which rarely disappoints.

2/21/2024 - elevwine wrote:

Good vintage, mediocre wine. No longer will last to day 2. Drink up. Wish I had done so earlier.

2/18/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Totally agree with King Cab note. Unbelievably good value. Let it open and you will enjoy it.

2/18/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Purchased at winery summer of 2010 on family vacation. By this age, wine was soft, rich and elegant. Enough acidity left for balance. Have had very good luck recently with aged Chianti.

2/12/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Still going strong. Accessible at PNP. Love the peppery Zin bite.

2/12/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Big and brawny for a blend, Cab still dominates. Plenty of fruit, with just enough acidity to keep it from being a fruit bomb and enough complexity to keep it interesting.

2/12/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Reliable value, Cab/Merlot blend. Real crowd-pleaser, perfect for a Super Bowl party.

2/11/2024 - elevwine wrote:

Waited until day 2 to review. Was waiting for the wine to open and reveal something, anything. Thin wine. Cherry fruit very reticent, no depth, no mid-palate (but finish longer than expected). No off notes, but nothing that demands the next sip. Just the definition of overrated. Or at least this bottle makes me think so.

2/10/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

On the side of the “good not great” comments. Expected more,at this price point. But still a very nice wine.

2/9/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Coming off 2010 vintage, you knew ‘11 would disappoint. One-off purchase on release in 2016, I basically lost this in my cellar. Muga usually outperforms the vintage and this is no exception. Old world style. Still powerful on day 2, even with just a vacuum seal. Generous cherry and red currant fruit, plenty of bric and herbal notes. Maybe a tiny bit of bricking, but with proper cellaring another 10 years should be no issue. Sorry to see you go, but you outperformed your price.

2/8/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

No longer as powerful on entry, but a complex, layered wine. More like a BDX blend than straight up Cab. Still very enjoyable and the wine of the evening at a friend’s b-day party.

2/8/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Time in bottle has reduced the jamminess a bit, powerful but not particularly complex.

2/8/2024 - elevwine Likes this wine:

Quite shy on opening, about 2 hours to fully open.