Fully mature. Secondary and tertiary flavors coming through with notes of tobacco, cedar box and earth. Acidity is good, but you can see that it is starting to fade. Dark fruits still dominate. Paired great with pizza
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Beautiful on the nose, surprisingly fruity given the age. Taste was good, a bit on a rustic side, but very enjoyable. Aerated and decanted about 2 hours. Holding up quite well.
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Powerhouse of a wine, amazing. Slight bricking color, dusty nose, ripe fruit mixed with mature flavors. Not sure how this could get any better. Paired beautifully with pan seared filet mignon and roasted butternut squash.
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Drank this bottle without decanting but it was a leisurely drink. The wine is in great shape showing some maturing but no deterioration. CellarTracker suggests this vintage should be consumed soon. That's probably correct but there does not appear to be any near term danger from holding a bit longer. In my opinion this is a well made and very enjoyable wine; right bank in style.
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Still plenty of fruit on the nose and palate. Good body. No bricking. Has at least another 4-5 years I expect before any gradual decline begins. I don't really expect it to improve much from this point. Drink up!
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of roses, currants and kirsch. Flavors of black raspberries, black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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Still very dark, with slight fade at rim. Black cherries, blueberries and spices form the powerful nose that is very enticing. The medium to full body delivers a sense of power without taking things too far. The dark fruits dominate the palate while the spices take on an almost candied flavor creating plenty of complexity. A blend of mostly Cab Franc and Merlot, this has surprisingly big shoulders for those varietals. Long finish and plenty of life still. www.advinetures.ca
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Midnight purple. Kind of subdued nose; wet wood chips. Full bodied, structured, dense grapes, cedar palate. Lengthy finish. Good wine, but not on the same level as Champoux or Sorella.
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NOTE: I wrote this originally against the 2004 AW Champoux, but it was the incorrect bottle. Notes were for this particular wine. I will update my notes for the 04 Champoux when I drink it tonight.
Setting: This wine was opened and slow ox’d over 24 hours.
Sight: This wine is dull, a bit cloudy, with no evidence of gas or particles. Color is deep purple at the core but fades to garnet quickly and then to clear about ¼” to ½” from the meniscus. Deep concentration of color. Legs are thin and move very quick down the glass.
Nose: This wine does not smell flawed. Aromas are of red fruit and blueberries. Secondary notes of violets, cedar, pencil shavings, a hint of spice, and coffee. The nose evolves over time, with different aromas taking center stage while the others fade to background. By the end of the glass, the coffee notes were really strong. Some notes of new oak in the form of cedar and pencil shavings, but they are well integrated in the aroma profile. I pick up very little heat on the nose. This wine has some earthiness but not enough to think old world; Fruit remains, but it is the evolving secondary notes that drive this wine; suggest age is medium to old.
Palate: This wine is medium bodied. This wine has flavors of blue fruit. Unfortunately though, the fruit is fading. Secondary flavors of cedar and spice are what this wine about. There are echoes of earthiness, but definitely not a real player. No minerality, no heat either.
Structure: This wine is dry. Acid is medium. Alcohol is medium. Tannins are medium and well integrated. Finish is medium. Complexity is medium to high.
Conclusion: This wine is from the new world, but there are traces of old world in the wine. From the alcohol indicators, this appears to be from a standard vintage.
Final Conclusion: This WAS a great bottle of wine. Right now however, it is just a good bottle of wine. The nose is still very dynamic, evolving, and complex. The palate is fading fast though. The fruit is on life support, and the secondary flavors just aren’t up to the task. Recommend you drink this one soon; I can’t imagine it getting any better from here.
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Wine is still in great form. Red fruit with floral aromas mixed with a kind of earthy spiciness. Well integrated tannins. Not too complex, but I shouldn't be too harsh because this is a 10-year old Merlot-driven wine (Merlot is not my favorite). Still, it held in balance wonderfully with long finish that just fades away leaving you wanting more.
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Last bottlle. PNP no decant. The fruit has receded somewhat but the structure is still there. The nose is very impressive. Very nice acid and some definite WA Merlot characteristics peeking through. Overall with my recent experiences with the 04 and 05 sorella I was very concerned about this bottle when I opened it. I was pleasantly surprised to find it drinking very well and still think it could keep another year or 2. There was a bit of a sour finish initially but it seemed to dissipate with time in the glass. Overall I am sorry to see this wine go if it is going to continue to age in this fashion.
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A bit of a brute on pop/pour - but it settled down & things smoothed out after very little time. With all the cherries - this was tasting strangely L'ecole to me at first, but once it developed into adulthood it outshone most of its WA siblings - on sheer mouthfeel alone. Quite well rounded & voluptuous, this stuck to the glass like motor oil. Royal Purple ;)
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There's a lot going on in this wine. Nice fruit and a great finish with enough backbone to keep me from approaching the next bottle for a few years. The mechanics of this wine would suggest a tremedous effort by the wine maker in it's conception. A nice bottle of juice but the high price keeps it from an even higher score in my humble opinion.
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Pop and pour. The wine is delicious; full of structure and mature fruit. It is drinking very well now but seems to have the ability to continuing aging.
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Wow does this wine have body! Nothing medium bodied about this juice. Rich, lucious red fruits and a leathery tannic finish made this a really enjoyable wine. Celery and leafy spinach on the mid palate add nice complexity courtesy of the Cab Franc. The tannins suggest it could lay a while longer. Even the 14.8% is well integrated, adding a bit of dryness to the lengthy leathery finish. A- to the winemakers for crafting a really good Bordeaux style blend, which I have reflected in the rating, but the $40 price tag is on the steep side and brings the overall value down to a B+.
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After an hour in the decanter, still waiting for the alcohol to simmer down a bit. Lots of fruit, dark choc and raspberry. Seems to hold together well. Will drink it later tonight.
Took about 2 hours for this to show its stuff. Raising score from 89 to 92.
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wow! what a wine. very tight on opening but after one hr was drinking beautifully. deep dark colour with heavy dark fruits on the nose. great weight on the palate and very very smooth. fully enjoyable.
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Ok here is my chance to compare to the pros. I think the 2004 ciel du cheval is decidedly preferable to the 2005, just the opposite of jay miller's scores. of course i am basing it on what they taste like now, whereas he claims the 2005 is going to be excellent in 5-7 years. i do not have a crystal ball, but the comparatively shallow flashy and "opulent" taste of the 2005 just seems less satisfying to me than the smooth, darker, deeper taste of the 2004, and i cannot believe this will reverse over 5 more years. I agree the 2005 needs to calm down but I do not see it getting any more interesting thereby. what do you guys think? or should i just stick some away for 5 years? i mean, i could tell my 1970 latour was fabulous way before it was supposed to be ready. i just do not buy that a wine will develop something it lacks in time, just that it will lose some rough edges, but maybe i am a novice. of course at the closeout price of $30 i will still load up on the 2005, especially since my wife likes it too. but for my money the best andrew will is the champoux, the ciel du cheval is in between, and the two blondes does not deserve the major AW label yet.
After reflection, I conjecture that Chris Camarda just enjoys experimenting, and in the 2005 he has increased the percentage of cab franc for fun, and conceivably to tweak a higher score from someone. But I prefer cab sav to merlot and merlot to cab franc, so to me this change is less fulfilling. Scoring is just for fun anyway, and cannot capture all the intricacies of varied flavors, but my guess is that this change will not seem better to the palate of most red wine drinkers. Both vintages are very silky, and if you like orange juice better than grape juice you might prefer this change.
added in 2012: I notice Jay Miller has resigned in what some may consider disgrace from the Wine Advocate. I at least never thought his views made sense on AW.
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I will add that we have consumed over 2 cases of this wine in the past two months, and it has been consistently excellent. Unfortunately it is running out. Happily, another local store is closing out the 2005 for 40% off! My only clue as to these bargain prices is that the corks of most of these bottles are dried out, possibly indicating poor storage. Nonetheless the wines seem not to have suffered.
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I like this simple but delicious wine a lot. I agree the alcohol is way too high, but somehow the elegance and skill with which it is made keep me from having the headache I get from other wines with less. (To be precise it is 14.6%). One of my friends at a tasting of mostly good bordeauxs said critically this wine tasted in comparison "like berry juice". I.e. it is delicious and uncomplicated. Still it is elegant and well made.
I agree completely with the accuracy of the description given by the gentleman in the UK as to the impression this wine gives. The message however is that he drank it to soon after opening. To be fair even a fine bordeaux such as a 1990 cos d'estournel with only 12.5 % alcohol or so, would have fared even worse in my opinion on that occasion, as the ones I have had needed three hours to open up.
Any fine wine needs to be ordered far enough in advance that it has a chance to open. I have hand delivered good ones to the restaurant hours ahead for opening, or even opened them at home, recorked them and brought them in. On the occasion mentioned above the gentleman might easily have ordered the wine opened, then waited 30 minutes with some other beverage and had a lovely experience. This rule applies to all good bordeaux style wines everywhere of all alcohol levels. My point is that the wine does not deserve the blame here for this experience.
It does not compete in complexity and interest with a good bordeaux, but the prices on those have doubled and trebled lately for vintages only marginally different from previous ones in my opinion. Andrew Will has kept his prices mostly the same for all vintages, so that now this particular wine is a great bargain compared to wines like clos du marquis, or calon segur, currently selling for $70-$80 and more. Andrew Will has kept his prices mostly constant for years around $50, and I recently obtained a closeout on this wine in a market where it is unknown and under appreciated, hence did not sell. Since I was the only buyer, the store bought all the distributor had and offered it to me 25% off. At that price no bordeaux I know of comes close.
In the UK this wine, at least the 2005 vintage, can be ordered from http://www.everywine.co.uk
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Very nicely set up with black raspberry, dark chocolate and hints of fall leaves. Supple and soft, with deep, dark flavors of chocolate ganache. Low acidity, but still fairly juicy.
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Great bottle: cassis and mixed berry compote with some sweet spices on the nose, and like velvet in the mouth, more cassis and berry, very bright fruit notes with just the slightest sage and mineral edge, with awesome balance. Lush and structured, intense and elegant, powerful and delicate. No detecable alcohol, and very subtle oak treatment in this bottle. We loved it. Reaffirmation of a long-time favorite.
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Here in the UK we do not get to see much Washington State wine so when I saw this bottle on a wine list of a very nice hotel restaurant I jumped at the chance to try - even although it had a big ticket price of £60 (US$110). The sommelier was helpful in explaining the wine and compared its blend to a Right Bank Bordeaux, given that it is 48% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petit Verdot. What the sommelier failed to mention, however, is the stonking ABV of 14.8%! I know alcohol levels are rising as producers push for that big, bold fruitiness much beloved by the Parker acolytes but, I ask you, 14.8%?
Consequently, as someone not used to such high levels of ABV, petroleum and kerosene overpowered any other aroma. In fact, the last time I had such an experience was when, suffering from a bad bout of 'man flu', I put a towel over my head and inhaled the steam emanating from a bowl of "albas oil" infused boiling water. It wasn't helped by the fact that the wine was only decanted 5 minutes before we sat down for dinner and didn't have time to sigh, let alone breathe.
My wife and I sipped slowly, hoping the wine would soften and release something other than alcohol and, to be fair, it did open enough to give us a hint of the exceptional wine I am sure lurks somewhere behind the cloak of ethanol. When it did let down its guard, it showed smoothness and a cocktail of blackberries, cherries and a hint of mint.
This is a lesson learned for my part; wines as big as this need patience before they will perform at their sparkling best and restaurants do not allow the time for this to happen. That said, 14.8%!? Wow!
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Bordeaux blend with Merlot & Cabernet Franc dominant (30% + each). Very approachable with softer tannins and full, fruity mouth feel. Medium finish. New World Bordeaux for sure and very well done!
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Somewhat muted nose of black fruit initially, but expanding with time. Full palate of cherry, blackberry and vanilla. Excellent length. Those will get better over the next 5 years.
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Expressive aroma. Dill, chocolate and cedar flavors with a medium body. Good balance with polish and sophistication. Lingers. Elements in place to age gracefully but enjoyable now with some air. Very well made with no extremes. Excellent potential at the table - 2-5 years. Very good now.
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Deep purple red color. Berry and toasted oak aroma. Full body, round, smooth, well-balanced, oak flavor, with good tannins and a long finish. Has both character and finesse. Opened up dramatically after twenty minutes of breathing. Has the character and backbone of a west coast cabernet sauvignon.
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2 hour decant. Medium body. Decent concentration with adequate finish. Some cherry fruits and acid at mid-palate and finish. Definitely still a bit young.
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Dark purple in color. Noseshows the merlot more this year. Silky and gorgeous on the palate. Ready to go now, but will benefit frm cellaring if you're patient.
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Tasted unblinded at Vintages Wines, Ltd. I purchased the wine the same day and presented it in double-blind fashion to the Friday tasting group. Bright disc. Deep ruby robe with red rim. Clean nose, showing a quite intense profile of assorted black fruits, vanilla and underbrush. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity, medium ripe tannins and ripe flavors which mirror the nose. The middle palate is solid but oak steps to the forefront. Long, smooth finish. This wine is quite nice, but a bit over-oaked for my taste.
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Very nice nose with alot of fruit and some vanilla. This is very concentrated and Intense. Excellent acidity.Initially very balanced with lots of glycerine. Silky. The tannins really become big after some airtime. Very Young.
I Let sit overnight and late into the next day. The tannins where thick and now the fruit is comming back out. Huge wine with gobs of fruit and big tannins and acidity. This will be great stuff in a couple of yrs.
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9/29/2021 - bablues wrote: 91 Points
A year later and this is still in a similar place.
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8/2/2020 - bablues wrote: 91 Points
Fully mature. Secondary and tertiary flavors coming through with notes of tobacco, cedar box and earth. Acidity is good, but you can see that it is starting to fade. Dark fruits still dominate. Paired great with pizza
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6/14/2019 - doggman Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great wine even at this age in its life. It took an hour or two start developing.
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4/5/2018 - bobadopolis wrote: flawed
Flawed
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4/3/2018 - norsktorsk wrote: 92 Points
Singing a little off key at first but then it began show off..should have about an hour of air and be close to room temp
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1/21/2018 - prusakolep Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful on the nose, surprisingly fruity given the age. Taste was good, a bit on a rustic side, but very enjoyable. Aerated and decanted about 2 hours. Holding up quite well.
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12/19/2017 - DaneM Likes this wine: 94 Points
Powerhouse of a wine, amazing. Slight bricking color, dusty nose, ripe fruit mixed with mature flavors. Not sure how this could get any better. Paired beautifully with pan seared filet mignon and roasted butternut squash.
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8/22/2017 - Redteeth wrote:
Wine was excellent; cork was horrible.
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7/12/2017 - Redteeth wrote:
Tasting experience very consistent with my notes from 3/2017.
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3/24/2017 - Redteeth wrote:
Drank this bottle without decanting but it was a leisurely drink. The wine is in great shape showing some maturing but no deterioration. CellarTracker suggests this vintage should be consumed soon. That's probably correct but there does not appear to be any near term danger from holding a bit longer. In my opinion this is a well made and very enjoyable wine; right bank in style.
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10/8/2016 - rojoloco Likes this wine: 92 Points
Better than previous ratings suggested. Took an hour to open up, then was lovely. Very nice. Has some time left on it.
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8/30/2016 - Neecies wrote:
Tired.
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5/11/2016 - skinut Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still plenty of fruit on the nose and palate. Good body. No bricking. Has at least another 4-5 years I expect before any gradual decline begins. I don't really expect it to improve much from this point. Drink up!
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1/22/2016 - petec-s wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful aromatic, full flavoured, Complete vineyard wine 14.6%
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5/27/2015 - wineismylife wrote: 92 Points
WIML92
Tasted non blind. Tasted from magnum.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of roses, currants and kirsch. Flavors of black raspberries, black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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5/2/2015 - Stirling Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still very dark, with slight fade at rim. Black cherries, blueberries and spices form the powerful nose that is very enticing. The medium to full body delivers a sense of power without taking things too far. The dark fruits dominate the palate while the spices take on an almost candied flavor creating plenty of complexity. A blend of mostly Cab Franc and Merlot, this has surprisingly big shoulders for those varietals. Long finish and plenty of life still. www.advinetures.ca
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11/22/2014 - Doc90 wrote: 90 Points
Midnight purple. Kind of subdued nose; wet wood chips. Full bodied, structured, dense grapes, cedar palate. Lengthy finish. Good wine, but not on the same level as Champoux or Sorella.
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9/29/2013 - f22nickell wrote: 90 Points
NOTE: I wrote this originally against the 2004 AW Champoux, but it was the incorrect bottle. Notes were for this particular wine. I will update my notes for the 04 Champoux when I drink it tonight.
Setting: This wine was opened and slow ox’d over 24 hours.
Sight: This wine is dull, a bit cloudy, with no evidence of gas or particles. Color is deep purple at the core but fades to garnet quickly and then to clear about ¼” to ½” from the meniscus. Deep concentration of color. Legs are thin and move very quick down the glass.
Nose: This wine does not smell flawed. Aromas are of red fruit and blueberries. Secondary notes of violets, cedar, pencil shavings, a hint of spice, and coffee. The nose evolves over time, with different aromas taking center stage while the others fade to background. By the end of the glass, the coffee notes were really strong. Some notes of new oak in the form of cedar and pencil shavings, but they are well integrated in the aroma profile. I pick up very little heat on the nose. This wine has some earthiness but not enough to think old world; Fruit remains, but it is the evolving secondary notes that drive this wine; suggest age is medium to old.
Palate: This wine is medium bodied. This wine has flavors of blue fruit. Unfortunately though, the fruit is fading. Secondary flavors of cedar and spice are what this wine about. There are echoes of earthiness, but definitely not a real player. No minerality, no heat either.
Structure: This wine is dry. Acid is medium. Alcohol is medium. Tannins are medium and well integrated. Finish is medium. Complexity is medium to high.
Conclusion: This wine is from the new world, but there are traces of old world in the wine. From the alcohol indicators, this appears to be from a standard vintage.
Final Conclusion: This WAS a great bottle of wine. Right now however, it is just a good bottle of wine. The nose is still very dynamic, evolving, and complex. The palate is fading fast though. The fruit is on life support, and the secondary flavors just aren’t up to the task. Recommend you drink this one soon; I can’t imagine it getting any better from here.
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8/31/2013 - mlawren1 wrote: 92 Points
Smooth and steady. Nice plum and cheery. Finishes with a hint of herb.
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3/27/2013 - f22nickell Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent with last notes. A good merlot-driven wine ... High praise from me as I usually do not like Merlot.
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3/23/2013 - f22nickell Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wine is still in great form. Red fruit with floral aromas mixed with a kind of earthy spiciness. Well integrated tannins. Not too complex, but I shouldn't be too harsh because this is a 10-year old Merlot-driven wine (Merlot is not my favorite). Still, it held in balance wonderfully with long finish that just fades away leaving you wanting more.
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3/16/2013 - jinks Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice QPR. still youthful, full bodied, rich.
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3/10/2013 - mlawren1 wrote: 94 Points
Smooth and steady with nice blackberries, plums and cherries. Finishes just lingers. Consistent across two bottles.
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5/14/2012 - welchcellars Likes this wine: 90 Points
A bit hot but holding on nicely. This is a good place to drink with a nice meal.
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11/15/2011 - WaWineFan in TX wrote: 92 Points
Last bottlle. PNP no decant. The fruit has receded somewhat but the structure is still there. The nose is very impressive. Very nice acid and some definite WA Merlot characteristics peeking through. Overall with my recent experiences with the 04 and 05 sorella I was very concerned about this bottle when I opened it. I was pleasantly surprised to find it drinking very well and still think it could keep another year or 2. There was a bit of a sour finish initially but it seemed to dissipate with time in the glass. Overall I am sorry to see this wine go if it is going to continue to age in this fashion.
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10/14/2011 - HenryW wrote: 90 Points
Black currants and other dark fruits. Nice acidity.
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9/24/2011 - fitchbuck Likes this wine: 93 Points
A bit of a brute on pop/pour - but it settled down & things smoothed out after very little time. With all the cherries - this was tasting strangely L'ecole to me at first, but once it developed into adulthood it outshone most of its WA siblings - on sheer mouthfeel alone. Quite well rounded & voluptuous, this stuck to the glass like motor oil. Royal Purple ;)
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9/1/2011 - Tetherton wrote: 91 Points
Filled with fruit, wonderfully "soft" and a cuvee that my wife and I enjoyed immensely. It is drinking great at the moment.
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5/24/2011 - welchcellars Likes this wine: 91 Points
There's a lot going on in this wine. Nice fruit and a great finish with enough backbone to keep me from approaching the next bottle for a few years. The mechanics of this wine would suggest a tremedous effort by the wine maker in it's conception. A nice bottle of juice but the high price keeps it from an even higher score in my humble opinion.
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12/10/2010 - djpo wrote: 92 Points
Saucy
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11/23/2010 - Redteeth wrote:
Pop and pour. The wine is delicious; full of structure and mature fruit. It is drinking very well now but seems to have the ability to continuing aging.
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9/28/2010 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 92 Points
Still holding up very well...no decant needed...pop and pour.
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9/1/2010 - clarktoews wrote: 92 Points
this wine continues to impress me. very well balanced and a fantastic finish that lasts!
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8/25/2010 - WineKnurd wrote: 92 Points
Wow does this wine have body! Nothing medium bodied about this juice. Rich, lucious red fruits and a leathery tannic finish made this a really enjoyable wine. Celery and leafy spinach on the mid palate add nice complexity courtesy of the Cab Franc. The tannins suggest it could lay a while longer. Even the 14.8% is well integrated, adding a bit of dryness to the lengthy leathery finish. A- to the winemakers for crafting a really good Bordeaux style blend, which I have reflected in the rating, but the $40 price tag is on the steep side and brings the overall value down to a B+.
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4/24/2010 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 92 Points
Expressive fruit...long finish...drinking beautifully right out of the bottle.
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1/19/2010 - THaas wrote: 92 Points
Popped and Vinturi'd. Velvety and rich, with bright fruit -- cassis, black cherry, and an interesting beefy note. Heavy, powerful, and deep.
Drink 2012-2017
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11/29/2009 - clarktoews wrote: 92 Points
very impressive blend
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10/9/2009 - Gene_Mo wrote: 92 Points
After an hour in the decanter, still waiting for the alcohol to simmer down a bit. Lots of fruit, dark choc and raspberry. Seems to hold together well. Will drink it later tonight.
Took about 2 hours for this to show its stuff. Raising score from 89 to 92.
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7/12/2009 - clarktoews wrote: 92 Points
wow! what a wine. very tight on opening but after one hr was drinking beautifully. deep dark colour with heavy dark fruits on the nose. great weight on the palate and very very smooth. fully enjoyable.
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5/19/2009 - mathwonk wrote:
Ok here is my chance to compare to the pros. I think the 2004 ciel du cheval is decidedly preferable to the 2005, just the opposite of jay miller's scores. of course i am basing it on what they taste like now, whereas he claims the 2005 is going to be excellent in 5-7 years. i do not have a crystal ball, but the comparatively shallow flashy and "opulent" taste of the 2005 just seems less satisfying to me than the smooth, darker, deeper taste of the 2004, and i cannot believe this will reverse over 5 more years. I agree the 2005 needs to calm down but I do not see it getting any more interesting thereby. what do you guys think? or should i just stick some away for 5 years? i mean, i could tell my 1970 latour was fabulous way before it was supposed to be ready. i just do not buy that a wine will develop something it lacks in time, just that it will lose some rough edges, but maybe i am a novice. of course at the closeout price of $30 i will still load up on the 2005, especially since my wife likes it too. but for my money the best andrew will is the champoux, the ciel du cheval is in between, and the two blondes does not deserve the major AW label yet.
After reflection, I conjecture that Chris Camarda just enjoys experimenting, and in the 2005 he has increased the percentage of cab franc for fun, and conceivably to tweak a higher score from someone. But I prefer cab sav to merlot and merlot to cab franc, so to me this change is less fulfilling. Scoring is just for fun anyway, and cannot capture all the intricacies of varied flavors, but my guess is that this change will not seem better to the palate of most red wine drinkers. Both vintages are very silky, and if you like orange juice better than grape juice you might prefer this change.
added in 2012: I notice Jay Miller has resigned in what some may consider disgrace from the Wine Advocate. I at least never thought his views made sense on AW.
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5/18/2009 - mathwonk wrote:
I will add that we have consumed over 2 cases of this wine in the past two months, and it has been consistently excellent. Unfortunately it is running out. Happily, another local store is closing out the 2005 for 40% off! My only clue as to these bargain prices is that the corks of most of these bottles are dried out, possibly indicating poor storage. Nonetheless the wines seem not to have suffered.
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3/15/2009 - mathwonk wrote:
I like this simple but delicious wine a lot. I agree the alcohol is way too high, but somehow the elegance and skill with which it is made keep me from having the headache I get from other wines with less. (To be precise it is 14.6%). One of my friends at a tasting of mostly good bordeauxs said critically this wine tasted in comparison "like berry juice". I.e. it is delicious and uncomplicated. Still it is elegant and well made.
I agree completely with the accuracy of the description given by the gentleman in the UK as to the impression this wine gives. The message however is that he drank it to soon after opening. To be fair even a fine bordeaux such as a 1990 cos d'estournel with only 12.5 % alcohol or so, would have fared even worse in my opinion on that occasion, as the ones I have had needed three hours to open up.
Any fine wine needs to be ordered far enough in advance that it has a chance to open. I have hand delivered good ones to the restaurant hours ahead for opening, or even opened them at home, recorked them and brought them in. On the occasion mentioned above the gentleman might easily have ordered the wine opened, then waited 30 minutes with some other beverage and had a lovely experience. This rule applies to all good bordeaux style wines everywhere of all alcohol levels. My point is that the wine does not deserve the blame here for this experience.
It does not compete in complexity and interest with a good bordeaux, but the prices on those have doubled and trebled lately for vintages only marginally different from previous ones in my opinion. Andrew Will has kept his prices mostly the same for all vintages, so that now this particular wine is a great bargain compared to wines like clos du marquis, or calon segur, currently selling for $70-$80 and more. Andrew Will has kept his prices mostly constant for years around $50, and I recently obtained a closeout on this wine in a market where it is unknown and under appreciated, hence did not sell. Since I was the only buyer, the store bought all the distributor had and offered it to me 25% off. At that price no bordeaux I know of comes close.
In the UK this wine, at least the 2005 vintage, can be ordered from http://www.everywine.co.uk
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9/19/2008 - wino_tim wrote: 90 Points
Very nicely set up with black raspberry, dark chocolate and hints of fall leaves. Supple and soft, with deep, dark flavors of chocolate ganache. Low acidity, but still fairly juicy.
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8/28/2008 - pgm wrote: 92 Points
Great bottle: cassis and mixed berry compote with some sweet spices on the nose, and like velvet in the mouth, more cassis and berry, very bright fruit notes with just the slightest sage and mineral edge, with awesome balance. Lush and structured, intense and elegant, powerful and delicate. No detecable alcohol, and very subtle oak treatment in this bottle.
We loved it. Reaffirmation of a long-time favorite.
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8/22/2008 - jpcairney wrote: 84 Points
Here in the UK we do not get to see much Washington State wine so when I saw this bottle on a wine list of a very nice hotel restaurant I jumped at the chance to try - even although it had a big ticket price of £60 (US$110). The sommelier was helpful in explaining the wine and compared its blend to a Right Bank Bordeaux, given that it is 48% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petit Verdot. What the sommelier failed to mention, however, is the stonking ABV of 14.8%! I know alcohol levels are rising as producers push for that big, bold fruitiness much beloved by the Parker acolytes but, I ask you, 14.8%?
Consequently, as someone not used to such high levels of ABV, petroleum and kerosene overpowered any other aroma. In fact, the last time I had such an experience was when, suffering from a bad bout of 'man flu', I put a towel over my head and inhaled the steam emanating from a bowl of "albas oil" infused boiling water. It wasn't helped by the fact that the wine was only decanted 5 minutes before we sat down for dinner and didn't have time to sigh, let alone breathe.
My wife and I sipped slowly, hoping the wine would soften and release something other than alcohol and, to be fair, it did open enough to give us a hint of the exceptional wine I am sure lurks somewhere behind the cloak of ethanol. When it did let down its guard, it showed smoothness and a cocktail of blackberries, cherries and a hint of mint.
This is a lesson learned for my part; wines as big as this need patience before they will perform at their sparkling best and restaurants do not allow the time for this to happen. That said, 14.8%!? Wow!
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7/5/2008 - winejnky wrote: 91 Points
Bordeaux blend with Merlot & Cabernet Franc dominant (30% + each). Very approachable with softer tannins and full, fruity mouth feel. Medium finish. New World Bordeaux for sure and very well done!
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5/31/2008 - MandP wrote: 92 Points
Brambly fruit on the nose. Very rich and full mouthfeel with mint/herbal notes. Tannins quite pleasant, mellowed after decanting 1/2 hour or so.
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5/25/2008 - ken wrote: 91 Points
Somewhat muted nose of black fruit initially, but expanding with time. Full palate of cherry, blackberry and vanilla. Excellent length. Those will get better over the next 5 years.
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4/6/2008 - esb wrote: 89 Points
Expressive aroma. Dill, chocolate and cedar flavors with a medium body. Good balance with polish and sophistication. Lingers. Elements in place to age gracefully but enjoyable now with some air. Very well made with no extremes. Excellent potential at the table - 2-5 years. Very good now.
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2/16/2008 - bin905 wrote: 92 Points
Deep purple red color. Berry and toasted oak aroma. Full body, round, smooth, well-balanced, oak flavor, with good tannins and a long finish. Has both character and finesse. Opened up dramatically after twenty minutes of breathing. Has the character and backbone of a west coast cabernet sauvignon.
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1/14/2008 - cblue001 wrote: 90 Points
Very pleasant and smooth with good but muted fruit.
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12/8/2007 - Phin wrote: 91 Points
2 hour decant. Medium body. Decent concentration with adequate finish. Some cherry fruits and acid at mid-palate and finish. Definitely still a bit young.
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6/16/2007 - Gulelin wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple in color. Noseshows the merlot more this year. Silky and gorgeous on the palate. Ready to go now, but will benefit frm cellaring if you're patient.
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3/18/2007 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 90 Points
Tasted unblinded at Vintages Wines, Ltd. I purchased the wine the same day and presented it in double-blind fashion to the Friday tasting group. Bright disc. Deep ruby robe with red rim. Clean nose, showing a quite intense profile of assorted black fruits, vanilla and underbrush. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity, medium ripe tannins and ripe flavors which mirror the nose. The middle palate is solid but oak steps to the forefront. Long, smooth finish. This wine is quite nice, but a bit over-oaked for my taste.
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1/10/2007 - beachnic wrote: 92 Points
Very nice nose with alot of fruit and some vanilla. This is very concentrated and Intense. Excellent acidity.Initially very balanced with lots of glycerine. Silky. The tannins really become big after some airtime. Very Young.
I Let sit overnight and late into the next day. The tannins where thick and now the fruit is comming back out. Huge wine with gobs of fruit and big tannins and acidity. This will be great stuff in a couple of yrs.
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