May 10, 2014 - Still drinking quite well.
January 12, 2014 - Deep black cherry red in mediocre restaurant lighting. White pepper and cherries on the nose. Notes of cherry cough syrup, white pepper, deep cassis. It is drinking well but I have the feeling it is on the cusp of the downward slope. 90, and was probably a 91 a year ago.
February 8, 2013 - Decanted for sediment and about an hour of breathing time. Quite a full and deep ruby. Dense in the decanter with an obvious leggy viscosity. Nose is quite enticing, spicy plummy fruit and a nicely herbal element that gives a sense of freshness. Some earth and a touch of briar too. Full, ripe, round and fat on the attack, initially balanced by a freshness, but towards the end of the attack there's a sense of the 14.5abv too, and that carries on through the relatively simple mid-palate to the medium finish. Interestingly, with a squirt of gas, this held in the decanter with no obvious development at a cool room temperature for 24 hours when another glass showed the same, and again for 12 hours when it was finished. Seemed to show a little more integrated after 36hours and with steak rather than duck, but even so I'd prefer a tad less alcohol. Still, I can see the Pomerol styling/intent here, but prefer Verite's take on it. Top *** but I wouldn't rebuy.
September 23, 2012 - Lovely and mature garnet red. Nose of ripe blackberry patch with a touch of coffee. Notes dominated by black raspberry with a touch of white and black pepper, blueberry, earth, coffee, and a very slight bit of tar (the latter of which is nowhere near as distracting as you might think). The finish lingers forever and really highlights the blueberry. Really good stuff.
February 5, 2011 - This is still drinking beautifully. Coffee, dark blackberry, graphite and white pepper on the nose. Beautiful tart black fruit, sweet tannins, leather and dusty earth on the palate and a nice long finish.
November 30, 2010 - Consistent with my last notes--Michael Haven, I beg you to go back into business and make this terrific wine again! My supply is dwindling and I am scared!
August 13, 2010 - Full bodied, dark color. Complex big wine - initial black pepper gives way to spice and black fruits, accented by a mocha undercurrent and subtle earthy leather starting to reveal ten year old age. The taste profile is certainly true revealing the 2/3 cabernet franc, 1/3 merlot blend.
June 17, 2010 - Consistent with last notes--this is a great bottle of wine. Michael Havens--start up again and make this wine!
May 29, 2010 - Decanted, was light in fruit, but not unbalanced. Good with a ribeye. No complaints
April 17, 2010 - Fabulous, as always. Closest thing to Bordeaux you can get from California.