Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Blend of mostly Merlot with a little Petit Verdot, deep Ruby with aromas of ripe dark fruits, sweet spice and espresso notes. On the palate flavors of blackberry, plum and black cherry with toasty oak, cacao and espresso. Fine soft tannins, long finish ending with fruit, oak and sweet pepper spice. Still has room to age, but nice now! — a month ago

Charles Mires

9.2

Excellent+. Definite Toro style but leans to medium bodied. Super drinkable — a year ago

Riina Nieminen

9.2

Erittäin hyvä ja mehukas viini. Upea marjaisuus ja juoma jota voi hyvin kuvitella Dionysoksen juovan juhlissaan.

w Lauri
@ Venetsia — 2 years ago

Ron Haber

9.5

2O Years, going strong, beautifully balanced fruit in a 1.5L. No rush to even drink it!!!!! — 4 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2011 vintage. Not the best vintage nor the longest-lived. Drinking pretty decently currently. Would I want to slide-tackle this in a decade? No. In the next 5 years? Yes. Plenty of love aboard the ship now. 2.28.24. — 2 months ago

Jeffrey Vlasic

9.4

Needs time. — 9 months ago

with Michael

Nicole K

9.6

Bday dinner at KB — 2 years ago

Gunja Gargeshwari

9.4

Tie for WOTN! Beautiful nose, deep finish and probably WOTN if decanted vs the La Jota 1999. This was one of the best expressions of Oakville fruit I have had in a long time. — 3 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Many of you that see my posts know I don’t open a Napa Cabernet this young. However, this was selling at my Costco for $69.99. K&L Wine Merchants $99.99. Delectable at $115. So, I had to buy a four. I coravined this bottle for a Somm friend last weekend who likes his Napa reds young. 🤷‍♂️

While this has seen a bit of bottle evolution, it still needs another 6-8 yrs before I open another and has the potential to pick up another point or two then.

Nose shows; brambly blackberries, stewy black plum, black raspberries, darkest cherries, boysenberries and strawberries off the glass edges. Dry tobacco, leather, dark spice, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon notes, vanilla, anise, dark, rich, turned earth and withering, dark, slightly candied flowers.

The palate expresses some evolution. It is rich, ripe; brambly blackberries, stewy black plum, black raspberries, darkest cherries, boysenberries, hints of blueberries and strawberries off the glass edges. Tarry, dry medium plus tannins. Dry tobacco, leather, dark spice with a touch of heat, mixed darker berry cola, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon notes, vanilla, black tea, anise, mixed fresh & drier herbs, dark, rich, turned earth, barrel shavings/dust, a hint of black pepper, moist, grey clay, dry top soil, dry river stone and withering, dark, red, slightly candied flowers with violets, very round, phat acidity with a well; balanced, big structured, tensioned, lush, elegant and nicely layered & polished finish that lasts a full 90 seconds. Still kind of in its primary stage.

This is made by Chris Carpenter who also makes; Lokoya, Cardinale, La Jota, Hickinbotham (Australia) made at Yangarra. Sofia & I tasted at Yangarra and after tasted his Hickinbotham with him in 2017.

Photos of; staff picking on Mount Veeder, Chris Carpenter in the cellar and scenic shot of Mount Veeder. — a month ago

Brian

9.5

Strawberry with a little dark cherry maybe. Good balance. — 3 years ago