1/22/2022 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Bought a case upon release from winery and forgot about it until today. Quite a surprise. Nose of subtle cherries and brambles. Great depth of fruit and wonderfully balanced. Excellent finish. Well done.

11/2/2020 - Brsed Likes this wine:

I rarely post notes any more but I found this wine to be absolutely beguiling, especially since I am someone who enjoys Syrah but does not necessarily seek it out. Very expressive nose and red and black fruits with forest floor and spice. No green or stemmy element here - not herbaceous at all. Powerful, but not in an over the top way. Great balance. Good acidity and long finish. Stored at 55 since acquired from Winery. I think this will be good for another 3-5 but probably won’t get much better.

2/23/2019 - Brsed Likes this wine:

This is very nice. Deep, dark fruit but not flabby. Very well balanced with good acidity, smooth mouthfeel and great finish.

12/22/2018 - Brsed wrote:

Dark fruits with classic California / Montelena style. Still plenty of time.

12/22/2018 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Kept at 55 degrees since purchase. Still plenty of life left. Depth of red fruit with baking spaces.

12/22/2018 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Excellent balance. Dark fruits with earth and cedar.

12/22/2018 - Brsed wrote:

At UCC Christmas dinner. Kept at 55 degrees since release. Still incredibly vibrant. Bright red fruits and excellent balance.

9/3/2018 - Brsed wrote:

I really like this wine. Tried for the first time at a restaurant outside of Wake Forest in Winston Salem. Very soft mouth-feel but nice acidity. Smoked meats on the nose. Not Pinot but there is a certain similar elegance - like drinking lace.

9/1/2018 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Great. Funk galore. Excellent balance but a terrific depth of red and black fruit.

3/4/2018 - Brsed Likes this wine:

I think this wine is open for business even though it is young. Excellent balance while having a depth of elegant black fruits with a bit of leather and earth. Absurdly long finish. Will age well.

2/21/2018 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Last bottle and it is great. Kept at cellar temp from release. I still think this wine has more time. Great nose. Black fruit with some cedar and dust. Great grip and long finish. Well balanced.

2/10/2018 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Perfectly balanced. Lovely Howell Mountain. Dusty black fruit, very soft with good grip and long finish. Wish I had more.

2/3/2018 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Simply fantastic. Expressive nose. Excellent balance. Wonderful fruit with good acidity and a fantastic finish.

1/26/2018 - Brsed wrote:

Had this in my cellar because it was given to me as a gift. Store at 55 degrees since receipt. I quite like it. Very well balanced, no oak, good structure with a bit of eucalyptus and earth.

1/13/2018 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Really liked this. Very elegant and balanced - new world fruit with a tip of the hat to old world winemaking. Excellent depth of fruit with layers of leather, earth and olives.

12/26/2017 - Brsed wrote:

Very enjoyable. Drank over 3 days. Very expressive nose. Has some oak but should integrate over time. Good depth of fruit but not flabby. I think it will age well.

12/23/2017 - Brsed Likes this wine:

University Club Christmas Buffet - My only bottle. Purchased upon release from winery and stored at 55 degrees in Eurocave. Thrilling. Still very young and rich but well balanced. Silky texture. Wish I had bought more.

9/30/2017 - Brsed wrote:

I agree with previous notes. Very nice Zin but I would not buy again at $75.

9/10/2017 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Only 2012. Pulled by mistake as a I thought I was pulling an older bottle. Drinking very well - better than some older Wights. Big fruit but really well balanced with good acidity and structure. Not over the top at all. Very smooth.

7/3/2017 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Last bottle. Delightful. Kept cellared at 55 and seems like it still has plenty of time. Nicely balanced with red fruit and a bit of baking soda. Crisp, sharp acidity and a long finish.

5/24/2017 - Brsed wrote:

Nicely done. Well balanced. Deep, dark black and blue fruits. Based on how I feel at the moment after drinking half a bottle, I'm going to guess that it has high alcohol but it certainly does not feel hot.

5/20/2017 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Excellent crisp, tart blue and black fruits with zesty acidity. Second day was in its sweet spot aonshoukd age well but I always drink my Turley's too early.

5/7/2017 - Brsed wrote:

Nicely balanced. Dark fruits and blueberry with a very long finish. Not austere but no flabby. Long way to go.

2/20/2017 - Brsed wrote:

Still plenty of time to go here. Good depth of red fruit with nice balance. Still seemed very youthful and bright.

2/17/2017 - Brsed wrote:

Nicely balanced. Nose is a bit muted but nice long finish.

2/4/2017 - Brsed wrote:

This wine has really come together. Tremendous aromatics with a tremendous depth of fruit but with balance. This should go on for quite some time.

1/29/2017 - Brsed wrote:

I thought the oak was overpowering. There is some good fruit behind it but I was too distracted from the oak to find it pleasing to drink now. I suspect it will integrate over time but hard for me to assess more now.

1/29/2017 - Brsed wrote:

I would consider a "value" Pauillac. Very pleasant with nice black fruit and good structure.

1/21/2017 - Brsed Likes this wine:

In a good place right now. Dark fruits and earth with a bit of cedar.

1/21/2017 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Simply fantastic. Great aromatics. Lemon, apple and pear with a tart acidic snap. Great balance. WOTN for my group.

1/15/2017 - Brsed wrote:

Fine value village-level burgundy. Nice fruit but a bit too vegetal for me.

1/10/2017 - Brsed wrote:

Last bottle of 4. Wish I had more. Goes to show that a minor vintner in a outstanding vintage is good path to follow. This has all you would expect for a BDX, tart cherry with earth and bit of cigar box and mint. Excellent grip, balance and finish.

1/9/2017 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Very enjoyable. Best on day 3. Full throttle black fruit but with good acid that creates a nice balance and prevents the wine from becoming cloying or unctuous. Nice long white pepper finish.

12/30/2016 - Brsed wrote:

Perfectly fine, but I could discern nothing Burgundian about this wine and it would likely punch below the weight of a commensurately priced or lesser priced California Pinot, except for the nose being slightly more refined and nuanced. Flavors are rich layers of cranberries and tart cherries. I don't know much about Volnay so someone please tell me if I missed something here.

12/28/2016 - Brsed wrote:

Much better than when tried 4 years ago but still plenty of time left. Essence of dried rose petals and candied fruit on nose. Dark red fruits with good acidity and long finish.

12/26/2016 - Brsed wrote:

I find this underperforming and beneath my expectations. At the moment, is much too fruit forward and extracted. Seems like it has a good underlying acidity and I suspect will age well but is entirely too primary at the moment.

7/10/2016 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Drink great right now. Deep brooding black fruit with some cigar. Nice backbone. Not flabby at all.

3/18/2016 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Classic CA Cab. Great depth and purity of black fruit with some cassis and earth. No oak. Good balance and not flabby.

2/16/2016 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Quite nice. Dominant red fruits, earth and spice with a vibrant nose of strawberries. Good backbone and acidity. Actually best on 3 day.

1/18/2016 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Lovely. Good depth of black fruit but not flabby. Long finish. Was best on Day 2.

12/22/2015 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Should probably wait before opening another. Delicious but very primal and concentrated at this point.

12/21/2015 - Brsed wrote:

In a good place with years to go. Well balanced but on the new world side of the spectrum for me with. Rich black fruits with no discernible oak.

12/13/2015 - Brsed wrote:

Better than October bottle. Classic light Bordeaux style with good black fruit and bit of cedar.

12/1/2015 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Very good value that shows buying the vintage often works. A bit of a modern Bordeaux but not over the top. I think it will continue to improve over the next 3-5 years.

12/1/2015 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Better on second day. Vibrant Zin, plush but not flabby.

11/22/2015 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Might be the wine of the year for me in 2015. Had a Board dinner at University Club. Wonderful classic nose. Great depth of fruits but very precise. This is everything I want a California Cab to be.

11/21/2015 - Brsed wrote:

Started out a little thin but gained weight over time. Very nice classic Cab profile. Excellent balance. I would say has about a year or so left.

11/8/2015 - Brsed wrote:

Fruit is receding. Drink the rest.

11/6/2015 - Brsed wrote:

Not crazy about this. At the moment seemed over extracted with a syrup like quality. Will wait some years to try again.

10/29/2015 - Brsed Likes this wine:

Well done. Very pleasant. Excellent black fruit profile with a bit of cigar and earth.