5/20/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Drinking really well. Medium color, really good fruit still present but no mistaking this is a Pinot.

4/18/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Had 2+ hours of air, no decant. EXCELLENT, with fruit still very expressive and structured just enough.

4/14/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Popped and poured, and was VERY good. Still has another 1-2 years of PEAK life left.

4/8/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Perfectly harmonious. Gave it 2-3 hours of air, no decant.

4/6/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Almost as good as last tasting, 1+. year ago. Should have decanted, only gave it air for 2-3 hours, but it opened up great. Unanimously the #2 of 4 wines shared.

4/6/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Beautiful with 2 hours of air, no decant. Fruit perfectly restrained.

4/2/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Early in the drinking window, needs ~2 hours of decant to open up. This rating will be 2-3 points higher in 18 months.

3/28/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Drinking PERFECTLY right now. Star of the night with smoked prime rib. Gave it 2 hours of air, no decant.

3/28/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Outstanding, would give it at least 3 hours of air and consider a decant. Give it another 3-4 years of great drinking.

3/18/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Absolutely perfect right now. Fruit is great with outstanding structure. Not very peppery for a Syrah, if that's what you like.

3/17/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Spectacular with excellent balance of fruit and structure. Gave it 2 hours of air but no decant, drank great from the first sip and lasted for 2 more hours.

3/17/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Better than last bottle of ~2 years ago. Recommend 3-4 hours decant.

2/28/2024 - Sugarb Does not like this wine:

PnP, drunk over 3 hours. Gets better along the way. This bottle was definitely at its peak. Glad we had it now.

2/25/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Just like we tested at the winery. Need to give it 2 hours of decant at this stage of its life. Will wait for at least 1 year before having the next bottle.

2/19/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Glad we drank this now, as it is hanging onto the end of its peak. Still beautiful but you can taste and see the downturn coming.

2/17/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Very similar to earlier reviews, this is SOOOO harmonious and well constructed. Gave it 2-3 hours of air without decanting, and that was plenty good. Color was medium-dark on the pour, nose quite fragrant. Finish medium-long. Stayed strong for another 3 hours of drinking amongst the 4 total bottles for the evening.

2/10/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Absolutely fantastic. Dark color matched the intense nose upon initial pour. Decanted for 2 hours before drinking over another 3 hours. Beautifully integrated and balanced right now. Has good structure. Would be surprised if it lasts at peak beyond 2029-30.

2/10/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Gave it 2 hours of air, which was perhaps a little light for the first glass but the wine did not change appreciably over the next 3 hours. Consistent with other reviews, this is very nice, I may have expected too much. Consider this within easy drinking window right now.

1/27/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Coming nicely into form, would recommend 1-2 hours of decant for max enjoyment from the first sip.

1/27/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Drinking perfectly right now, no decant required.

1/26/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Opened bottle 6 hours in advance, decanted 3 hours after opening. Gave it a good chance to soften. This is excellent now and will be superb, with less set up, in 2 years.

1/24/2024 - Sugarb Does not like this wine:

Way past its prime.

1/23/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Exactly what we thought it was, to repeat the phrase. Great pizza wine tonight. Not sure I see it lasting for another 10 years though.

1/20/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Deep color, plenty of structure but really good after some air. Recommend at least a 2-hour decant.

1/20/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Beautiful color, great conformity of nose and palate. Wonderful balance, drinking perfectly right now.

1/17/2024 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Very good, but definitely past its prime (estimated at 12-18 months). Would have been SPECTACULAR at that point. Drink it quickly!

12/10/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Beautiful paired with a light almond tight and vanilla ice cream dessert.

12/10/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Will be extraordinary, this is a little too soon to drink, especially without any meaningful decant/air. Still really delicious. If drinking now, give it at least a 2-3 hour decant.

11/24/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Gave it 3 hours of air, which was perfect. Medium red color matched the medium nose upon pour. Paired perfectly with Thanksgiving smoked turkey, which had some spice to it. Medium finish. Agree with some previous notes that the window on this is likely shorter than another decade, this is drinking super well right now. I would anticipate it starts losing vibrancy within 3 years.

11/13/2023 - Sugarb wrote:

Purely a matter of taste rating here. This is EXACTLY what it's meant to be, a pure expression of its varietal and terroir. Just hit me wrong and wasn't what I was looking for, hence the "+". Very light color, which tells you where you're headed, and everything follows from there. Drinking very well right now.

11/11/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Opened but not decanted for 2 hours prior to drinking. Opened up very nicely from the first sips. Medium-long finish that stays consistent from beginning to end.

11/10/2023 - Sugarb wrote:

increasingly less a fan of Caymus, the more I drink it. This bottle continues that trend for me. Similar reaction to other CT notes. Muted is the operant word - fruit, nose, tannins. Nothing noteworthy. Cannot see this lasting another 5 years. Definitely not worth its price.

11/9/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Popped and poured, no air required. This drank perfectly within 15 minutes of opening and stayed great for the duration (2 of us took our time, approx. 2+ hours). Deep purple color, nose not overly expressive on opening but good enough to add to the enjoyment. Integration is excellent right now, driving this rating. Good with or without food.

11/8/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Per other postings, this needs LOTS of air and more time in bottle to reveal its true potential. Even with 3 hours of air (no decant) and two+ hours of drinking, this was barely starting to open up.

11/6/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Second bottle tried, this one with a 4-hour decant, which I would say is minimum at this point in its life. As it opens, the blend plays through very nicely and makes this a pleasure to drink. Am going to be more patient with this and not touch for another 12-18 months. Paired with a chipotle chili pork and was excellent, which tells me this is a go-to with spicier dishes.

11/6/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Holding for 9 years was definitely worth the wait! Wonderfully integrated at this point, with reasonable complexity. Only required ~2 hours of advanced opening and no decanting. Deep garnet color. Consistent medium-full body from beginning to end of the sip. Medium-long finish. Think the Community Tasting period is spot on.

11/1/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Softer than I experience most Del Dottos. Does not require decanting, definitely a pop n' pour candidate. Put this in the drink now category, expect this to be post-peak in 18-24 months.

10/25/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Opened but not decanted 2 hours prior to sharing among 3 other Cabs. Viewed as top 2 of the 4 among middle-of-the-road comparisons. Per other tastings, fruit is more dominant than tannins at this point of its life. If you decant would not choose to do it for too long. Would be very surprised if this has much left after 2028-29.

10/22/2023 - Sugarb wrote:

Superb, paired with coq au vin. Rich and deep, medium-long finish. Opened but not decanted for 2-3 hours. Held up for another 3 hours. This has another 3-4 years easy.

10/22/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Opened 3 hours before drinking, not decanted. Agree with community tasting window, this is very drinkable right now but will hold up for another 4-5 years.

9/28/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Drinking perfectly right now. Everything in harmony. Exactly what you'd expect. Drink now, community tasting window might be a touch long, based on this bottle. Paired great with roasted garlic pork loin.

7/30/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Popped and poured, VERY nice. Great balance from the Viognier. Paired very well with a broiled lobster.

5/10/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

First of 6 bottles, drank with no decant. Very good, this score would be even higher with a 1-2 hour decant and some accompanying food. Highly optimistic about where this will go over the next 3 years.

5/10/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Popped and poured, simply fantastic. Slightly brown edges in the glass, medium nose. Perfect harmony on the palate, medium-long finish.

5/5/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Popped and poured with simple aeration. REALLY good. This will sing if you give it some decant.

5/2/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Gave it 3 hours of air in the bottle, no decant. Has a few more years to gain maturity, but really good now. Tannins are still here, this has plenty of backbone in it but if I decanted I would not give it more than 2 hours.

4/29/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Popped and poured. While THAT was a poor choice (pun intended), no hiding how good this wine is. Got better and better as we drank it. Recommend giving it ~2 hours of decant and you will be VERY pleased! This will absolutely sing in 2 years.

2/11/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Superb, the blend is excellent, the Petite Sirah shows through but is not too distinctive.

2/11/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Quite simply the BEST bottle of wine I have had in the past 4-5 years. Perfectly balanced, extraordinary fruit. Harmony in a bottle.

1/27/2023 - Sugarb Likes this wine:

Popped and poured, got better after ~30 minutes of air, and progressively better as we drank. Light on the nose and medium weight on the palate. Very pleasant, excellent value.