1/9/2024 - Motz wrote:

Very pretty, very suave. One expects prettiness from Margaux, regardless of vintage, except for the worst (seemingly, most years that end in 3 and 7 :-)). One hopes for more than suavity in great vintages, such as 2010.

In 2015, this featured an edginess. Now, it conveys a certain docility, which does not bode well for improvement. Young, great vintage, Left Bank Bordeaux should offer medium plus, or higher, acid and medium, or higher, tannin. In early adolescence, such wines should be tight, backwards, rude upon awakening, even somewhat mean. None of these elements could be discerned in this experience.

Overall, a very, very nice, elegant, marginally sophisticated wine, which should hold its current form for seven to ten years. Generally disappointing, on account of its open-knit, excessively polished soullessness.

10/13/2023 - kosdogger Does not like this wine:

Third time having this wine. This wine just didn’t hit. Paired with a streak. It’s disjointed. Not balanced, not much of a finish, and a bit hollow. Oh well

7/1/2023 - Floyd77 Likes this wine:

Near perfection …

10/28/2022 - kosdogger Likes this wine:

Nearly flawless wine and sadly last bottle. It is definitely drinking great now and can easily go another 10+ years.

10/27/2022 - csimm wrote:

Ok, I gotta call it like I see it. This was HOT HOT HOT. A Grenache cocktail if there ever was one. No, we didn't decant (so I'll take the hit on that for less-than optimal service). But oh lordy was this thing boozy. The brashness of the Stolichnaya-esque entry was enough to stomp on the fruit for practically all of the execution. The initial sip started to give some red berry flavors, but within the next millisecond of consumption, it was all about rave pacifiers and glow sticks. The 15.9% listed ABV felt more like 80 proof. I mean, I love all these stellar CT reviews on this rookie rager, but either my palate was having a delicate snowflake day, or this is just way too Charlie Sheen for my killjoy tastes.

I'm down for an occasional Paso Paris Hilton experience and all, and I still covet my SQN stash, but the delivery here is far too gangster for even me. Not rating, cuz I'd rather not have the CT community completely unleash holy hell on me for skewing the community numeric here.

Best advice, hold until...geeez, I dunno... when Pitbulls actually become domesticated.

11/7/2021 - bhrubin Likes this wine:

A 4 hr decant and this was singing beautifully — lots of ripe red fruit, some underlying ripe black fruit, with loads of minerality, acidity, and complexity for a wonderful 45 second finish. Paired beautifully with filets, and we have one bottle left to try. At its peak I think.

3/14/2022 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine:

One of many bottles pulled for Spring Break in Sedona.

Another blind purchase from the 2018 vintage. This was not a tough decision considering the family behind this project and the fact I love Calistoga terroir. More specifically anything resembling Eisele vineyard. We didn't get the opportunity to taste the Kinsman 18's in Napa but the beautiful red rocks of Sedona was the perfect backdrop to spend time with a special bottle after making memories with the family on the Bear Mountain trail.

At PNP this was muted. Hints of dark berry preserves and espresso gave hints to (this needs more time). We only consumed a small amount at PNP and it was the right decision. After 24 hours of slow ox in the bottle this wine really started to blossom and was then consumed over 3 days. Last third was side by side with 18 Bella Oaks. The last empty glass left us wanting more to follow for another three days. One of the longest finishes in recent memory.

Incredible structure, purity of fruit and balance. Great tension, tannins and dark fruited flavors. This wine for my palate will need to cellared for another 8 years before I decide to check in again.

Hold

98+

1/24/2022 - msuwine wrote:

This is the best 2018 I have tasted to date, with an integration, density, and class that are unbelievable in such a young (and powerful) wine. My score is as of now - no predicting the future here - but this wine has a balance and intensity that are thrilling. Three things, to me, at this moment, take this wine to another level: (a) the flavors are lovely, dark and deep, with an incredible combination of ripe and savory notes; (b) the texture is open-knit without being flabby, offering a high wire act that is both expansive and lifted (i.e., it coats the mouth but, after the finish, doesn’t leave a trace); and (c) the profile is dynamic, layered like one of those improbable Charleston coconut cakes or French Napolean pastries, where you discover something new each time it touches your lips - so much so that you never want the experience to end. Pick your adjective or rationale or analogy, but I have no doubt: this is a singular and beautiful wine.

Cherry red in color and medium in body, the wine offers pungent aromas of boysenberry, espresso, gravel, and most of the herb garden, whether fresh or dried (e.g., rosemary, oregano, and bay leaf). The flavors are plush but wild, with notes of blueberry, cocoa bean, cardamon, and pencil lead, with a soft and grainy finish that belies its youth - like some kind of precocious and gifted child (as we want all our kids to be!), there are flashes of brilliance to be savored now, along with incredible potential to look forward to in the future (and time, please grant us time, to witness it all). Decant 2-3 hours, but this wine opens up quickly. 14.5% alcohol. Although I didn’t taste these side-by-side (an expensive but tempting proposition, to be sure), this seems more open-knit than Kinsmans' other wines, while being just as original and memorable. 98-99 at the moment, but - in another few years - this wine will fly as close to perfection as our world allows, Icarus be damned. A stunning wine.

1/23/2022 - Kirk Grant wrote:

This is fu@king amazing right now. Dammit, I'll probably drink every bottle I have in the next year if they're all as complex, layered, and haunting as this bottle. Scents of forrest floor, autumnal leaves, spice, seasoned birch fire-wood, & clove are just the start of the whirlpool of shifting notes. The palate is lean with a flash of lushness that's hard to put to words. It's like there's a shift in the mid-palate from light to full bodied...but only for a second. Dammit these wines are brilliant...just brilliant. The most enjoyable young Pinot Noir I've had from Oregon.

7/12/2020 - msuwine wrote:

This open-knit and dusty Cabernet tastes fine, even good, but this price point demands something special... and this wine just isn't. As with Quintessa, I imagine Staglin was once a great Rutherford winery, but this particular bottle is too laid back and straightforward to provoke much more than indifference (i.e., "meh") - and frustration at the cost.

Garnet in color and medium in body, the wine offers somewhat muted aromas of blackberry, dirt road, and bay leaf. Flavors of crushed blueberry, sour cherry, and mulberry, with a dusty and brief finish. 14.9% alcohol. This should last for 3-7 years within its style. Decant about two hours. Better on second day.

I've been lucky enough to taste some great Napa 2014s this summer - Abreu Cappella, VHR, Memento Mori, Vice Versa LPV - and this wine doesn't belong among them. Maybe it’s so nuanced that it’s bland, but it tastes like a wine whose motto is "good enough" - fruit and oak and dust, yes, but not much tension or uniqueness - something that would be understandable at $50, but is inexcusable at this level. Docked two points for price.

11/12/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote:

Not sure on this one. Really like the 17 Estate but the fruit here comes off roasted to me. There’s a really nice streak of black tea running through the center but otherwise not finding what was expected. With time decanting it does recover but never really never sings. Still a good 17 but give it time.

10/23/2021 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine:

3rd bottle pulled late night so not the best timing all things considered as this bottle was locked up tight at first pour.

Day two showing was just what I expected, it's too damn early to be drinking this wine. Muted plums, chocolate and savory red fruits with the new world twist on Saint Emilion but the tannins and energy still needs to integrate. For me, I'll hold these till after 2026.

96+

10/21/2021 - Rgentile wrote:

PNP
Eye: Deep crimson
Nose: Red and black fruits, rose pedal and some tea leaf
Palate : Plums, some oak showing and some spice with medium acidity and a medium finish.

Overall this bottle was disappointing given my other experiences with this bottling. Perhaps its shut down? Not sure, it lacked the energy that I normally get here which is concerning. Maybe an off bottle?? Unsure about that since it's been perfectly stored since release. I will hold my other bottle for a while and reserve scoring until then but if I had to today 87/88. I recorked and put back in the cellar so will try again tomorrow and will update if needed.

24 hrs later and this had more life to it. Nowhere where it can be but improvement so i suggest not touching these for 2-3yrs.

9/25/2021 - kosdogger wrote:

A bit disjointed for me. It’s very modern, oaky, and a bit extracted. Too much vanilla and quite a harsh finish. The Mythicus bottling is always so good so this is a disappointment.

8/6/2021 - tomlee wrote:

Purple in color. 15% ABV. Sublime nose of bright, juicy fruits, baking spices and pepper. Medium to full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Impeccable balance. Cherry liqueur, raspberry compote, wild strawberry and pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. It doesn't get much better than a Zinfandel from the Papera Vineyard in the hands of Mike Officer. The 2016 is stunning. Best over the next 3-5 years.

5/13/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:

So I assumed this would be showing pretty well, given that the 2016 Lagier Meredith Syrah, also from Mt. Veeder, was glorious a few months ago.

WRONG!

This wine needs tons of time. Last night it was a wall of tannin and steel. Tonight it's a bit more giving, but still tight. There's some spice, as well as a little bit of blackberry fruit, but overall it's closed as a Chick Fil A on Sunday. The density/depth is there, it just does not want to play right now. Let is rest in the cellar.

6/1/2021 - englishman's claret wrote:

The 2013 Togni shows a redcurrant, mineral, and anise personality on the still-evolving nose, transitioning to a green peppercorn, pencil, raspberry, and cranberry palate, its warmth coming through. Structured, the final verdict will be years from now. But this isn’t a wine I see approaching perfection.

4/16/2020 - clayfu wrote:

Sharing the same bottle of wine with friends - Covid 19 style: the Heritage wines are single vineyard special selections. initially struck by how floral and spicy the wine is on the nose. Lilac, black pepper, stem, bright crispy red berry fruit. Like a Spatburgunder on steroids. @hungry.md mentioned a similarity to the floral notes on the more expressive N. Rhones. The wine is crunchy balanced sweet strawberry fruit but with a savory bite on the finish. Great complexity in its youth as the flavors play well. A lingering note of rose and spice dance into the finish.

4/10/2021 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine:

PNP- Closed nose and middle palate tannins. First thoughts this wine is closed and needs a lot of air but there is no way I want to splash decant this bottle. I had a feeling I'd miss part of the show and would be asking "what did I miss!?" After about the 20 minutes in the glass we took our seats. The curtains opened and the show began. The slow metamorphosis was like bud break. Such a beautiful event to capture. Dark fruits like that of Northern Napa. Blind I would have guessed Calistoga from a high quality producer. Vintage was nothing like that of 17 but maybe my favorite bottle from 12 or 14. Such and amazing work considering the challenges. It was hard to not to consume this entire bottle but we restrained ourselves leaving half for Sunday. Additional notes to come.

Well the 2nd half finished like the first. This wine gained some weight in the bottle and became a little more expressive on the nose and palate. Still structured with no flab. This was all around a killer wine. Digging in the cellar to find another bottle from Diamond Mountain to compare and contrast. Happy Masters Sunday.

12/14/2020 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine:

Coravin pour. Slightly reserved nose of cassis fruit, spice box, coffee grounds, dark flowers and forest floor. Starts really tight on the palate and picks up weight and expression with air. As is typical with Scarecrow, this is well balanced, masterfully layered and pure. Definitely young right now, but not as discombobulated as its 2016 older sibling when I had it a while back. Shows medium to full bodied, with strong tannins, good levels of acid and a long if slightly astringent finish. Love the darker fruit profile. This is going to need a little time to fill in the gaps and come together.

As a separate matter re: Scarecrow, it seems like their production and price increases have made the list a lot less exclusive these days. I can see where you can buy this wine online for release price all over. That means it can probably be had for less somewhere. At near 2500 cases, that's a lot of wine to move. Not quite as pronounced on the regular Scarecrow, but they are creeping toward list irrelevance it seems.

3/14/2020 - 5laton wrote:

This was to me a clean, modern style cabernet made from quality fruit and without any excesses. But it was also boring, so I'm thinking: these wines aren't for me. I was disappointed as I really like some other wines from this vineyard.
Two-thirds of the bottle left over and it went into the fridge. Pulled again on day 3, and hey it's turned a corner, showing a nice contrast between clean varietal aromas, a cassis fruit and violets palate, softened tannins. Now I'm digging this.
On day 5, the last 1.5 glasses were nicely textural and positively lovely - wow - something I'm very happy to own more of.
I should add that the wine was under a Repour enclosure that was reopened daily, so saw plenty of oxygen exposure, but never showed signs of oxidation.
Based on the evolution, I will hold these three to five years before checking in again.

12/30/2020 - Bakerbd Likes this wine:

Beautiful pale salmon color, explosive red florals, raspberry, orange peel, sous bois, extremely fine bead and mousse, long finish. I usually try to wait longer before opening Ultramarine, but this was so good straight away I say drink one now if you have a few! Disgorged 11.24.20

12/27/2020 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine:

First impression obviously is the color...salmon, copper, ala Provencal...but what is REALLY slappin me in the face is the nose! Has an absolutely intriguing red burgundy, intoxicating crushed red berry fruits of strawberry, cherry, raspberry...earth and faint sous bois...maybe some brett funk(?)...red licorice, and chambolle-isk perfume! Wow...is this going to be a Chambolle with bubbles?!?! The palate brings you back down to earth...fresh and crisp, still with red berries...yet citrus cut and tingle...ginger and tart green apple...with a super balanced strawberry-n-cream mousse that coats...fantastic energy and length...crushed chalk and white pepper spice for a complete pile on of pleasures! Fantastic Rose' bubbles here...might be my all time fav from them!

3/20/2020 - jrkennedy37 wrote:

I debate if this will continue to improve, as I'm really enjoying the gentle nuances that exist upon PnP that seem to fade with air. Underlying the wine and sure enough to persist for years to come is deeper toned blue and black fruit. Wonderful wine that blows away expectations if it weren't for that 100 point rating.

I'm gambling that this drinks better young and plan to consume my remaining bottles within the next couple years.

12/30/2019 - Argrath wrote:

Full and quite expressive nose. Very typical. Bacon fat, white pepper, oak and blackberry. Of medium intensity and lacks some depth.
Medium-fullish palate very peppery. Bacon, oak and good grip. Developed. Lacks a bit intensity and finish. But tasty.

8/19/2019 - GTFreek wrote:

New bottling from the producer from younger vines. Instead of Mt. Veeder, it's Napa Valley AVA. Medium nose gives graphite, sweet herbal tone, black fruit, fresh coffee grounds. Palate is fresh fruit, some red layers, red plum, blackberry, black plum, coffee note is lessened, a touch tart, drinks with very little oak influence as expected, then structure backs things up well, medium plus tannins, medium acidity, medium plus body. All that being said, lacks a mid-palate and might be a touch tight relative to it's fruit. Cool to see entry price point from this producer.

9/24/2020 - NephroBoy wrote:

First time ever tasting this wine and this review represents a PnP. The wine is young with high acidity. The flavors are a merge of dark purple fruits with a core of sour cherry. Oak is minimally noted throughout. The wine is medium-body at best on the tongue. Given the lower alcohol content, the wine is easy to sip. If tasted blind, I would have thought this was Italian rather than Napa in origin. No secondary characteristics at this time. My wife was not a fan as she likes her red wines, big, chewy, and teeth-staining. I will give this a 90-91 points as of now but I think this wine might fair better if drank with food. Will wait 5 years before opening my next bottle.

8/27/2020 - MatthewVino Likes this wine:

A monster Chianti Classico. This will age for an easy 10-15yrs but is very enjoyable now. It overpowered the Querciabella 16 CC in a blind tasting.

9/12/2020 - kosdogger Likes this wine:

Interesting wine that left all perplexed after an hour of opening/drinking. All around, really well made wine. More finesse than power in a good way. The surprise was the lack of tannins for a relatively young wine. This left us unsure which direction this wine was heading. Worth opening one if you have it. Based on memory, the River Droite is still my favorite Blankiet (but still need to open Mythicus, which is 100% Cab).

8/3/2020 - Sfflyer123 Likes this wine:

This is way too young to drink, but I thought I would try a bottle given all the hype and the 100-point rating. I can say that it did not "blow me away", and I definitely would not drink this and way, "Wow, so this is what a 100 point wine tastes like." It was good with complexity, solid acidity, plenty of fruit, and long finish, but this was not amazing. I would not touch this for another 5-10 years at the earliest. It is simply not ready at this point.

8/26/2017 - csimm wrote:

Brasswood - Vintner's Vanguard (Saint Helena): Completely cooked to the point that even the stewed plum and raisin flavors were only barely identifiable as fruit. Beef broth and wrinkly raisin aftertaste. A muddled grapey note showed up briefly, but was immediately washed away by the brown plum flavor. When I inquired about the profile of the wine, I was told this was the desired finished product. I would’ve simply written this off as flawed…but if ya’ll want to own this as the intended result, so be it…

6/1/2020 - englishman's claret wrote:

Is this the modern version of the 03 Pavie, a wine destined to polarize opinion? I can understand why some rate this highly; without a doubt the nose is huge and impactful, full of plum preserves, bitter dark chocolate, mineral, a faint whiff of purple flowers, and ink. But the prickly alcohol tickles the nose... and on the palate, it is downright overwhelming. Neither air (consumed over 24 hours at home) nor temperature helps, though it’s useful to keep this cool to maintain some semblance of freshness. This is labeled at 15% and almost impossible to drink.

5/25/2020 - kosdogger Likes this wine:

Tasted side by side to 2013 Bond Vecina, which comes from same vineyard site. Fun pairing. The VHR was more tannic compared to the Bond and therefore needs much more time in my view. Both wines were outstanding. Surprised to see the Vecina more advanced.

2/28/2020 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine:

Debated with a friend about whether it was too soon to open this. It wasn’t infanticide but this wine will certainly develop much more and get much much better. Very spicy, black pepper, a mix of red and black fruits and lots of herbs, slight leather notes. Took about 90 minutes to get anything on the nose, but then was open for business. Long finish. Still some sharp edges that should mellow out in a couple of years. Interesting now with more complexity to come. Still drinking well on day two.

1/11/2020 - Franken Berry Likes this wine:

One of the better myriad cabs I have had. Rich, full, fruit bomb, but still a bit boozy. Full fruited with good depth and a persistent finish. I could easily identify this as a Myriad in a crowd, not sure that I would have guessed it was a Dr Crane vineyard.

1/2/2020 - ledocq Likes this wine:

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. What an unusual and extremely cool profile. This is unlike any other Cal cab I've tried, even the 2012 and 2011 vintages of the same wine. This is a step up. It's not overpowering, but subtle, the nose more Bordeaux-like than Napa, but the taste has a complex, savory, spicy aspect that I can't quite nail down. I don't get the cassis note, but yeah to the blood orange thing. The finish is forever, and there are some moments where I get a hint that it's going to keep deepening for the next twenty years, so yeah, drink this or bury it. It's fascinating. Eleventy jillion points.

10/7/2019 - clayfu wrote:

The hype is real on 2010 Gonon VV. It’s that 2003 Lebron draft hype and that is 100% justified. Decanted around 3pm and consumed from 8pm-12am. Plenty of repours ��.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The first thing to note is how unique the nose is. It smells of hundreds of tiny black berries being crushed at the same time, it’s lively and there’s so much of it. Then there’s this white flower petal and lingering smoke that wraps itself around that explosive fruit nose.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The wine has a mouthfeel that surprised me. It had an elegance to the texture that coaxed out great length of cool rich fruit. You feel it slowly taper away as it goes deep into the finish. I can’t remember the last black fruited syrah like this that felt so at ease and wonderful. Everything just fit together and presented a seamless package to be enjoyed. One of the all time great young N. Rhones I’ve enjoyed

8/24/2019 - tomlee wrote:

Light ruby red in color. 14% ABV. Stunning nose of red fruits, blood, herbs and wet pavement. Medium body with exquisite acidity. There is a tremendous core of dried, sweet fruit on the palate. Flavors of cherry, kirsch, iron, plums and Herbes de Provence. The finish is exceptionally long with ample tannins and gorgeous, plush fruit. The wine exemplifies traditional CdP at its very best. I have followed this vintage over the last decade and this bottle shows no sign of decline. For me, the best VT ever made. Drink over the next 2-4 years.

9/22/2018 - tcufletch Likes this wine:

Exceptional; allow a full 2+ hours to open up and shine; full, mouth-coating strawberry and dark red fruits with a nuanced spice undertone; a bit of sweet earthiness and savoriness; the most remarkable attribute is how smooth this drinks with a plush mouthfeel; on the newer-world side of Cali Pinots, but by no means over-the-top; just really well made and a joy to drink.

5/25/2019 - Motz wrote:

Drank over four days...count'em, four. Massively overstated, and a noteworthy confirmation of the head-scratching overhype associated with this vintage. On the first day, this was all about oak, and extracted, somewhat pithy, notably purple berries. That was it. Neither tightly wound, nor reticent, nor tannic. Just high-pitched purple fruit, and an acute absence of substance.

After more of the same on the second day, and questioning whether my wine senses had gone on hiatus, I opened a 2010 La Dame de Montrose. NO CONTEST!!! The 2010 vintage second wine destroyed this over three days. Go figure!

On the third day, the wine put forward its best showing, indicating 92 point potential at best. It began falling apart on the fourth day.

Overall, I have found all other 2016 vintage Bordeaux prior to this tasting experience underwhelming compared to the press. My critiques of all of them have been twofold: No middle to speak of, and lacking substance. This wine suffered from the same issues.

Is there a remote chance that this was an 'off' bottle? Sure, but I do not think so.

Two or three more like tastings of highly regarded Bordeaux will seal this vintage for me, and I will cease to buy it thereafter. In particular, the 2016 Pontet-Canet will offer pivotal evaluation criteria.

I have found the 2016 vintage every bit as overrated as 2009, albeit for different reasons. That vintage was red-fruited, Californiaesque, and suffered phenolic ripeness issues. This vintage is purple fruited, high-pitched, gritty, and devoid of quality substance.

I would love to be proven wrong; though my instincts tell me that is unlikely.

Worthwhile to taste this vintage blind, alongside any another vintage, or the 2010 vintage second wine.

1/15/2019 - csimm wrote:

Ripe black cherry, dark red raspberry, cranberry, loam, forest floor, evergreen, stems, and some citrus. Medium on the attack, with a ripe core fruit drop mid-palate that added weight and some depth. Less complexity here, but some of the earth notes did add needed lift. Finishes a little one-note with the primary black cherry fruit flavor repeating. Gains points for purity of fruit and pleasant flavors overall, if but a bit simple in its overall delivery.

Certainly accessible now, with possibly some upside in 2020 depending on what components one thinks will or won’t develop for this wine over time. It seems like a give/take scenario: Hold for another year or so for complexity’s sake, however, being mindful that added time in bottle might equate to added weight and ripeness (which this wine doesn’t need).

It lacks a bit of speed and drive. More cellar time may not necessarily improve that component of its profile. For me, I’ll be drinking these within the next year or so, as I personally think the ripe/weight meter in this shouldn’t go any further/richer than it already is. I’ve made the mistake of holding on to these RM Pinots for a couple of years in hopes they would balance out, only to discover they had become riper and fruitier (not in a way I personally prefer).

Certainly a nice and pleasant bottle of wine. 92-93+? points for the ‘16 Summa OV.

12/9/2018 - pakabear Likes this wine:

Black cherry, blackberry, anise and licorice, great intensity with an elegant style and perfect balance. This is extremely well made, and an excellent wine again! Needs a couple hours of air or 2-3 years.

9/16/2018 - ppearson9 Likes this wine:

Got the opportunity to try this at Momofuku Ko and it was out of this world. Found a few bottles to add to my cellar while sitting at dinner. Highly recommend.

10/30/2018 - BillBell73 Likes this wine:

An exuberant Syrah - the aromas upon opening are bordering on confectionary- with lovely but fairly typical natural wine flavors on the palate. This is a fun and delicious wine for the time being but I feel the drinking dates here will lead to disappointment. I’ve had the misfortune of tasting a good bit of aged sans-sulfur wines and it is the rare bottle that can go more than 3 or 4 years before succumbing to bacterial taint of some sort. Here, one can already taste the subtle flaws that will eventually overwhelm the wine...at this early stage they provide complexity. Drink up and enjoy within the next year.

8/23/2018 - sirpat00 wrote:

Decanted approx. 1h but clearly 2-4h would have been better as the wine appeared closed initiaolly and only opened up marginally during the 1h the bottle was consumed. The nose is dominated by blackcurrent and very (too) greenish herbs and menthol or mint. Clearly full bodied but with tannins that are still pretty rough. Otherwise a fruit centered palate that one of the ladies at the dinner enjoyed very much. I could imagine there is more potential once tannins melt with increasing bottle age, but I'm fearing this may take quite a while before we know if there is more hidden underneath. Would very much like to compare to the Howell Mountain sibling once.

7/26/2018 - Ms. Bubblehead Likes this wine:

This wine turned out to be my favourite Gonon of the night (among 05, 09, 10, 14, 15 vintages). On the nose, floral with various spices, somewhat more elegant than 05, 09, 10, which was quite a surprise to me considering the vintage, also presented smoked bacon and herbs on the nose, on the palate, the fruit was dense yet with good structure, firm tannin, and balance, black olives, Asian spices, and mix of red and black berries. Finish was long. Still a young baby that can age another 10+ years to enjoy.

3/22/2018 - Guy Des Rosiers Likes this wine:

PNP. Dark garnet core. Plum and maturing notes of dried leaves on the nose, with a bit of volatility (ink). Still quite tannic, just borderline approachable. Full-bodied, dry, but with a slight sweetness on the attack; balanced acidity. The alcohol is noticeable on the palate. Loads of ripe plum on the palate, some black pepper, showing a bit of maturity on the finish, but still on the ascent. The question is whether the tannins will finally resolve before the wine is over the hill. It will be a close call, I think. But this is definitely enjoyable if you like big, bold wines.

1/17/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote:

Intensity, concentration, complexity, character and length. The wine offers finesse, silky tannins and purity in its red berry, velvet textured fruits. This should age effortlessly for 3 decades or more. OK, this is not your grandmother's Figeac, and that's just fine. I love my grandmother, but this is a better wine!

11/23/2017 - JRDillon Likes this wine:

For Thanksgiving dinner I decided to open my three oldest bottles of Pegau, a 2001, a 2003 and a 2004. All three were excellent choices for a massive turkey and dressing meal with sweet potatoes, green-bean casserole with bacon, and numerous other food choices. All three vintages were in very different phases. The 2001, unfortunately, had moved well past its prime and definitely had a muted quality that despite three hours of decant would not allow the primary flavors that were so present in its youth to emerge. It was still delicious in its subtle way, but disappointing in that it had faded so far. Hints of fruit and terroir clearly were hiding in there somewhere, but overall there was very little, if any, tannic structure left. Nevertheless, two of the women in our party cited this wine as their favorite of the three. Even so, if you still have any of these, I highly recommend drinking up as soon as possible. The 2003 was the winner, imo, and was still singing with a delicious fruity tartness and gobs of earthy, barnyard terroir. This one, like the 2001, had dropped a weight class even though the decline was not nearly as pronounced. I just remember this wine at the five-year mark being one of the greatest wines I have ever tasted, but, despite its complex brilliance, this particular bottle did not come close to replicating that experience. That it shone above the others was not a surprise considering the high marks this vintage received. Moving on to the 2004, I found this one to be a bit clipped, with less depth and complexity, though still in fine shape and carrying a healthy weight. This vintage just does not stack up with the other two, and even at its peak was a substandard representation of Pegau, imo. I don't want to convey that these wines were not delicious; they all were, and most importantly, all three were a perfect complement to the outstanding meal. But none of them reached the sublime level I have experienced so many times in the past with Pegau and have almost come to expect. Thankfully, these were not the only bottles of these vintages I have owned, so I have tasted all three at much younger ages. To be honest, I have not had much luck with aged wines (10+ years) of any kind lately, and I am becoming more and more of a proponent of drinking them early, or earlier anyway. Whether Bordeaux, Cali cabs, or CDPs, I am finding the five-year mark to be a sweet spot for maximum enjoyment as a general rule, but feel free to disagree.

10/20/2017 - bevetroppo wrote:

I had a curious experience with this bottle. I was very much looking forward to it and had high hopes. It was quite dark out of the pour, completely opaque still at the center. The first sniff was off the charts, a rush of heady blackberry, minerals, smoked meat-it was nearly swoon-worthy.

All that attractive fruit disappeared within no more than five minutes of air time, leaving an interesting but decidedly savory drinking experience, mostly like someone dunked a piece of grilled meat in coffee. I felt like it was bait and switch. There's a well described physiological phenomenon in which the senses can quickly become saturated by a specific scent, and then it's no longer accessible. I don't think that's what happened here because I put it aside and came back a few hours later and it was more of the same. It either just shut the f* down or was somehow hanging onto the last breath of youth, which vanished with first oxygen contact, like what Mike Tyson said about having a plan until it got hit in the face.

It's my understanding that Levet uses whole clusters in this wine, and I wonder if I'm tasting underripe stems that will either integrate better with time or that simply told the fruit to take a hike. Or maybe this is precisely to be expected when the wine is young. To be honest, I don't know and if anyone else has a perspective on what I'm lamely trying to describe I'd love to hear it.