What a gem! Opened and decanted into a bottle with a narrow opening to keep from aerating too quickly. Nose had tobacco, leather and earth. Palate had all that and a little mint, anise and herbs. Beautiful red color, clean and clear. Enjoyed with the tail-end of an uni pasta special, and with shared lamb (with fresh mint, morels, and asparagus) and with roast suckling pig. Evolved during the course of two hours or so. — 8 years ago
Less Riesling in this vintage... so less distinctive and different and interesting than the corresponding 2013.
Still a very, very well made Napa Chardonnay, low acidity, lots of vanilla. — 9 years ago
Very big fruit. Very smooth finish. Smoky front Good spice. — 9 years ago
What a finish. So much strength at the end with a flavorful end. Super fun to try. — 10 years ago
Deep red fruit and spice on the nose and coming through on front mouth first blush showing more dark cherry than black fruit (all still slightly tight post aerator-corked bottle pour).. It seems well-balanced with tannins showing slowing the final downhill run offering that finishing touch and back-end memory. This wine shares classic Cali cab notes with slightly brightened fruit, all of which will benefit from a few years in the cave followed by some playtime in a broad-bowled decanter, where its truth will thereafter come to the table.
PS, my guess is that the spice on the nose is largely the result of some newer oak bathing😎 PSS, back @ Matt & Mindy's fabulously folky yet scrumptiously sophisticated Friendly Market just off the bike trail (emphasis added) where you will find very special stuff soundly local with influences from Quebec to NC, at least! 100 years...🌀🌲 — 10 years ago
Jon... Let me know what you think. — 11 years ago
Nose was ripe dark fruit, currant, spices, smoked oak or cedar. Velvet texture with nice dark fruit, licorice, pepper and smoke. Well rounded tannin at the end. Long finish. — 11 years ago
Great wine. Mellow tannins. Didn't decant enough. Opened at the end — 11 years ago
In 2010, Wine Spectator crowned James Berry's "Saxum" their Wine of the Year. The $75 bottle now is sold for $300 or more at auctions. However James Berry also sells his grapes to other wineries. Every year Villa Creek creates a James Berry Vineyard "High Road", but for the 2007 vintage they keep a selection in oak barrels for an extra 2 years. The result is the High Road "End of the Road". The aging and limited release brings a bottle to $100 (for non club members), but I now consider this a wine in my top 10 favorites. Think full bodied California Cabernet fruit blast meets elegant balanced French red. The sip glides over your tongue and waltzes with your taste buds. Caution, this bottle packs a subtle punch with 17% alcohol ... So share or call a cab! Wine Spectator rates it a 93. I would go higher! Cheers! — 13 years ago
This vintage is showing better as time passes. Could this end up aging better than 2002 which was more highly acclaimed? I liked this a little better than the last 2002 that I had. — 8 years ago
What a great cab; structured yet fruity; minimum tanins in the back end; loved it — 8 years ago
Touching perfection here — 9 years ago
Perfect place, after a 2 hour plus decant. Quite expressive dark fruit nose, excellent mouth feel, deep fruit, good acid, and still quite a bit of acid at the end. Excellent with beef Wellington. — 9 years ago
Very good wine — 11 years ago
Decided now would be a good time to try out out the 2013 Prisoner. While not as good as the 2011 the structure is different, showing a ton of black pepper and balsamic on the nose with a little bit of violet flowers, and a very lovely, elegant finish. Big bold red and black fruits give way to a lush, black peppery back end. The finish is shorter than expected but still nice. This is still a good wine, just not as good as previous vintages. — 11 years ago
..........RESPECT!.......... — 12 years ago
2009 vintage. Uncommon Syrah (65 %) - Cabernet Franc (35 %) blend. Single vineyard Sugarloaf Mountain — 8 years ago
2005 vintage showing beautifully today from half bottle with impressive freshness and relaxed posture. Instant aromatic attack- powerful bouquet of violets, chocolate, sweet black fruit, cigar box spice, whipped cream. Soft polished tannins, juicy black fruit and black cherry compote, blueberry pie, chocolate and creme de cassis. Succulent, fleshy and zaftig blend displaying some lovely Merlot character. Tartrates build at the end- decanting recommended to reduce the tannin buildup towards the end. I’ll happily put a couple more of these in the cellar. — 8 years ago
Funky introduction with subtle tannins. After 2-3 hours of opening, bitter vanilla with nice end tannins and fresh acidity. Nice savoriness. — 9 years ago
Back upstate and starting with a quick split and caviar to get things back on track. The softest bubbles, brioche, yeasty, toasted almonds. Yum. Great balance to the brine. Christmas Carols have switched to George Michael. Can this year please end already?!?!? — 9 years ago
Good sipping wine — 10 years ago
Delicious Rutherford dust — 11 years ago
2005 Nickel & Nickel.... Witz End... Not many of the around. Dark Ink Grade, smooth finish, with great tannins. — 11 years ago
Lovely noted of sweet strawberry jam and white pepper. The palate is a fantastic smoky beef jerky with floral perfume notes at the end — 11 years ago

Very nice balanced red. On the slightly drier end of things — 12 years ago
Yummy! Oaky with rounded tannins and fruit! — 13 years ago

Ran Ilkovitch
Superb to end ASBO with great wine and greater friends — 7 years ago