11/6/23, 3:30 PM - agreed. I think a few of the bottles were completely shut down. Hopefully it was in a dumb phase and has started to open.
7/17/23, 11:59 AM - popped the cork, poured a 1/4 glass and let rest in the bottle for an hour.
12/7/22, 11:08 AM - $600 for the 1.5
12/7/22, 11:07 AM - I've been told the critics don't want to rate any of the '20s. Strange. I know I like it and will buy the leftovers.
12/7/22, 11:01 AM - Agree, I wouldn't of guessed it was made by Mike or even a Napa cab. It wasn't bad, more like a young French wine with 12.5% alcohol.
5/19/22, 3:04 PM - I didn't decant. Was surprised by the wine. I expected a shut down tannic mess but it drank extremely well. I need to try another bottle soon.
2/17/21, 8:32 AM - PNP but I vacuum sealed overnight and day 2 the wine started to open. My best guess is that these will be ready in the next 3-4 years.
11/13/20, 7:27 AM - I should of decanted. It was the 2nd bottle of the night and I sent someone into the cellar to pick a bottle.
11/12/20, 10:04 AM - No decant for us. It would be interesting to see if a decant helped.
6/25/19, 2:48 PM - I would guess another 2-3 years. This could become a 97 or better wine.
12/3/18, 9:24 AM - Make sure you decant. After a few hours the wine improved dramatically.ENJOY!!
9/20/18, 6:59 AM - decanted for 1 hour. Could of used more time but the wine drank wonderfully.
8/24/18, 5:36 AM - lol! We finished off the bottle last night and my wife asked what wine it was. I told her and asked why. She said this is was very bold and rich/strong. She liked it but it defiantly stood out to her. For the price I think it is a good value. One of Mike's least expensive wines. Just pair it with the right food.
7/10/18, 3:25 PM - Enjoy! Rare to find a wine under $50 from such an acclaimed wine maker.
8/28/17, 8:12 AM - This was over 2 nights. Night one was pop and pour (2 glasses). I didn't notice any heat. Vacuum sealed and put back in the cellar. Night 2 the wine went from being big and bold to having more depth with a plush finish. I think Mike makes this wine to enjoy early yet it still has potential to age. Great QPR.
8/1/17, 11:33 AM - Others like it just not for me. I basically have use a point system that ranges from 85-100. No use in drinking wine if it isn't high quality, I would rather have a beer or mixed drink (what I do at weddings).86 is a wine that I will never purchase again (wine served at weddings)
1/11/17, 12:57 PM - Are you using another system for your cellar now? I saw Mike this weekend and you came up in conversation.
1/11/17, 1:41 PM - Sounds like you need to narrow down your friends list on CT. I now use CT to reference my thoughts, I rarely purchase a new wine based on reviews. Buying wine can become EXTREMELY expensive if you don't set a budget.
1/12/17, 5:38 AM - I have some Fait Main sleeping lady '12. I didn't realize there were more than that one. Thanks for the heads up.
1/12/17, 5:11 PM - amauryc1 we need to take a look at the calendar and set up a wine dinner. Downtown Ruths chris
1/12/17, 5:29 PM - Yes, talk to you tomorrow
1/13/17, 8:21 AM - LOL, fly down to Jacksonville and join us!
1/13/17, 11:28 AM - Y'all are killing me, I need to be careful posting with you 3! I will become more of a wine addict than I already am. No wonder BlueGoose left. I already have plans on being there June 20-23rd. The only problem with a fall visit is trying to meet with winemakers. Harvest wears them out! Even if they meet with you they are exhausted and the extremely busy.Great list Winelover! Fairchild is one of the wines I resisted purchasing but have remained on the list. I bet meeting with David Beckstoffer was fun and unique!
5/31/17, 4:57 PM - I will be in Napa in a couple of weeks and I am trying to set up tastings. So far looking at Bevan, Jones, Scarlett, Venge, Lewelling and Visiting Mike. Any other suggestions? Sorry for posting this here don't know how to send a private message through CT.
4/12/17, 10:40 AM - Becklyn replaced the bottle. Excellent customer service!!!
1/30/17, 10:13 AM - I am a big fan of mikes wines but am 50/50 on his Syrahs. At times tart fruit and funk dominate the wine. I think you will be very happy with the cabs!
1/23/17, 1:18 PM - I had a very similar experience! Then we opened another bottle and it was WONDERFUL! I hope this isn't a wide spread problem with '14 Becklyn reserve.
1/13/17, 8:18 AM - Absolutely hold off on opening a bottle. This week we opened a bottle and I was saddened I did. Nothing wrong with the bottle but there was no doubt we killed a baby. Some of his wines are huge powerhouse wines that when consumed early, remind me of barrel samples (Quivet LPV), Dr. Crane does not. This may end up being one of his best wines ever but needs time.
12/27/16, 7:12 AM - I would give it at least 4 hours.
12/14/16, 6:54 AM - If I had planned better I would of given the wine more airtime. I have a few '14 GIIIs remaining and prob will not open another for a while.I opened a '13 12c last night and it was wonderful.
12/14/16, 7:12 AM - I just noticed that we both opened a '13 12c. Funny that we are on the same drinking schedule, yet scoring differently. Eventually we need to get together for a wine dinner.
12/16/16, 9:35 AM - Black cat is one of my wife's favorites!! Merrill is a great lady and a lot of heart and soul goes into each bottle. If you purchase early the price is much better. I would look back at the CT rating on past vintages in order to find which is drinking best. EMH has been extremely consistent vintage to vintage.I tend to lean towards the standard and not special selection due to QPR.
12/16/16, 9:37 AM - amauryc1, sounds great! You have my work number so just let me know when. I am always up for a nice wine dinner. I work downtown so Ruth's is right on the way. I have 8 cases of wine in my office right now so I am armed and ready.
12/5/16, 10:58 AM - Sounds great!! I have wanted to do something like this for some time. Please let me know how I can help.904-634-6056Ian
12/5/16, 10:59 AM - I haven't visited AO but have heard good reviews from others. I know that the winemaker Jean is active on WineBerserkers and is very accommodating.
12/5/16, 2:26 PM - Fly safely and make sure to visit Mike Smith (Myriad, Scarlett, 12c, Quivet, Becklyn, etc..) at Envy. Located on Tubbs ln. Same road as Chateau Montelena.
3/23/16, 8:27 AM - 2 bottles. One was no air time and the other was consumed over 2 days. There was a slight improvement after a couple of hours but was drinking nicely right away.
3/10/16, 10:36 AM - I am still on the fence with Kenefick. The 2010 was EXCEPTIONAL. 2013 seems to be very shut/tight and I can't remember blue vs red. Hopefully it will open up and become a gem. It would be tough to say buying more isn't a good idea.
3/10/16, 10:32 AM - Delayed note from this weekend. Although there is never a bad time to drink great wine. Unfortunately this was my only bottle of Harbison.
12/24/15, 5:46 AM - Pop and pour. We finished the bottle off that night. I hope this isn't a wine with huge variation from bottle to bottle. Last night we opened a Scarlett reserve and a Carter three kings, the Quivet was very similar. I am fully expecting the next bottle to disappoint. I am guessing I just opened the best bottle.
10/14/15, 10:22 AM - Black Cat has been an extremely consistent wine. Since '08 every wine has been very good. Grab a couple vintages and let me know what you think!
8/4/15, 7:32 AM - I think '07 was just a wonderful, drink young, vintage. Maybe the '07s will u-turn and fulfill the expectations. Over the last 6 months, all of the '07s I have tasted have fallen short. I am not a huge consumer of Maybach but have tasted at least a dozen bottles. I have had at least 100 bottles of TRB wine. In my opinion the wines have been peaking 4-6 years of age.
8/5/15, 5:52 AM - Thomas Rivers Brown is the wine maker for Maybach. He also makes Schrader, Outpost, Jones, GTS, Rivers Marie (he owns this winery), and several other high end wines.
8/25/15, 12:35 PM - Very possible that it is in a dumb phase but I don't think the fruit core will ever return. This will always be a decent wine, just different. This reminded me of a late 90s grand cru. Flavors of worn leather, mineral, and tobacco have replaced the tanned leather, black fruit, and toast.Some may prefer the aged version of this wine. I just thought the younger wine was better.
8/19/15, 9:10 AM - I will say that the GIII vineyard has made a huge improvement over the last 2-3 years. In '08-10 I preferred all of the other single vineyard/designated wines Mike had made (Dr. Crane, Spring Mountain, 3 Twins, Kenefick....). I would put his 2012 GIII, from all wineries, as his best of second best!!
8/19/15, 10:14 AM - You are setting the bar high!! I think Becklyn 2012 was a top 5 wine. If the step-up is the same you may be looking at a 100 pointer!!
8/4/15, 7:36 AM - I would still purchase. I completely agree with your view on the '11s. His 3 twins was close to wine of the year! I would think that with a little more time in the bottle the '11 Kenefick has improved.
5/28/15, 11:34 AM - The wine had an acidic edge that kept it from opening up. I have found that with time the acidity dissipates and reveal the rich core this wine has had in other vintage.
6/1/15, 7:44 AM - We need to get togehter to drink some wine. I always love the wines you are opening!!
2/6/15, 9:59 AM - Not with this wine but from talking to Mike and other wine makers, I know wines will go through phases. I saw you left several notes on this with 95-96pts, sometime a few months ago. I would think that sometime in the next 6-24 months this wine will shine!!
10/27/14, 8:23 AM - Absolutely!! Mike is a talented wine maker and a great guy. I enjoyed reading your posts from the tasting.
1/10/14, 12:35 PM - I would put the 2 '10s you mentioned as equals in QPR but would prefer the spring mountain if $ isn't considered. But my favorite for the price is the Three Twins 2010.
12/16/13, 11:10 AM - I am a huge fan of Myriad and of the last 4 vintages this is the worst of the napa. I opened a bottle this weekend and also noticed a harsh edge, which you described as "bitter vegetable". I am hoping they will improve with time. You should expect and receive quite a bit more from future bottles of Myriad!
12/6/13, 9:41 AM - I looked back at my past notes and from memory I would lean towards '08. I think it is more indulgent, and I wasn't able to keep my hands off them. I already drank through a case. I only have a mag. left.
12/6/13, 9:37 AM - I would think this will hit its prime, according to my taste, in 2-4 years. Nothing wrong with popping a cork to see for yourself, you will not be disappointed. My general thoughts on '11s is to pass so I can make room for both '12s and '13s (which I have heard rave reviews from a couple of wine makers). With volume being so strong I am not worried about being dropped off the list because I didn't order.
9/3/13, 8:02 AM - I did pass on the '11s. With 2012 coming I had to pass on a few. That is the tough part of buying vintage to vintage. The best '11 I have tasted is Myriad. Can't wait to get them in.
5/14/13, 6:09 AM - I opened a bottle of 2010 last night, popped and poured and this was the best of the 3 bottles I have had since release. I Vacuum sealed half the bottle and will revisit tonight. Funny that my note was going to be the opposite of yours in that I was going to say the have entered a good phase. I will say that there was variation from sip top sip (very strange). A few where excellent and others that teetered in to the territory of your tasting note. Overall it was very enjoyable..
5/8/13, 11:00 AM - Are you certain this wasn't a bad bottle? I have gone through a few bottles and have always been shocked at how well this drinks young and without a decant.
5/2/13, 9:49 AM - Did you have the '04 Corra when it was younger? Just wondering if the fruit was more prominent in its youth or if Corra's style has changed over the years/vintages.
5/2/13, 10:25 AM - Great notes and insight. I meet with Celia last year at her office and did a tasting and we never got into this. I found Corra through the '08 vintage and have been acquiring back vintages on the secondary market. Corra continues to be one of my favorite wines!!
4/17/13, 1:03 PM - I only have 1 bottle left and I think the Charbono is becoming a must have in the cellar. Nice change of pace and price point.
4/17/13, 1:18 PM - Not that it matters to me but I have been corrected in a VERY direct manner, Bob Foley and Robert Foley are 2 different people.As for the wine I would say that the Merlot is also wonderful. You can get the Claret at hdh wine, for a pretty good $. I think the '04(which is great) is @ $85-90.
4/17/13, 6:15 AM - Not sure just know the result. The funk (wet newspaper) is where I came up with the corked thought. I wouldn't think heat damage because the weather was cool when the wine was shipped and it has been in my cellar for the last few weeks. Either way, it is always disappointing to have a bad bottle.
4/17/13, 6:30 AM - Rich, Don't know if you are on Berserkers but Nicolas is hosting a virtual tasting of the 2010 Buxom Syrah on the 21st from 12 until 5 PST. http://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=82454&p=1137616&hilit=nicora#p1137616
12/28/12, 11:08 AM - The wine may be closed but there is still a big difference in the tasting profile of the 2 wines. I would never guess they came from the same vines.
Thanks for letting us know about this problem. We will review your comments and be in touch soon with an update.
Search