Mark Flesher

9.3

Nice, aged Cabernet. Debated opening this one. This started more on the plum and raisin side and a little muted. 15 minutes later? Fig and mushroom with basil and oregano, but not a whole lot of fruit. 30 minutes after that? Dirty black cherry, plums, seemed to find itself after a 31 year sleep. Rather substantial weight in the middle. Finishes with a gritty note. Tannins are definitely dropping here and this one is showing all it has. Good time to drink now! — 6 years ago

with Dan, Shay and 1 other

Mark Flesher

9.4

Really still not able to be rated right now but would be solid at 94 (previous rating given here). This wine is so young that it was finally starting to show its character after being open for an hour and a half....but overall, still locked up. Nose on this wine is hawthorne, rose petal, and red fruits. The wine is medium bodied, red fruit dense, medium acidity to the middle, and finishes with anise and red clay notes among a floral and youthful red berry backbone. The proper thing to do with this wine is cellar it for another 5 years. Considering that I've now consumed 9 of 12 bottles purchased, that's not going so well. Will go another 10 years with ease. — 6 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

I haven’t had the 2005 Chateau Musar Rouge since it was released whilst living in the Middle East. Recently, I picked up a half case each of the 2005 Rouge and Blanc since it’s an anniversary wine for Holly and I. One thing is certain, no one could ever accuse Serge (and now Gaston) for making boring wines. Decanted for five hours prior to drinking. This had a crazy bouquet of grapefruit, brambles and strawberries, pipe tobacco, wild flowers, horse blanket. Delicious red fruit, spices and earth on the palate. Tannins are still present but much more integrated than when I had this on release. Examples like this bottle will continue to age gracefully for years to come. QPR is through the freaking roof. — 7 years ago

Ron R

9.7

The man, the myth, the legend (Mike Smith, with his wife) decided to throw us a bone and grace our dinner. How cool is that?
This wine is so complete. A meal on its own. Black as the night in the glass. Nose displays maple syrup and a hint of balsam. Huge mouthfeel, with a teeth-staining extraction. So plush and sweet. Still very primary, more bottle age will take this to an even better place. Anne-Marie (my wife) in the middle. From magnum. — 7 years ago

with Mike, Anne-marie and 7 others

Brenda C

9.6

Mmmmmm! Yummy! Had at a bar, not sure the vintage 🙁. But had a little, hmm? Strawberry maybe on the middle palate. Just that something extra to set it apart from just your typical cab. — 8 years ago

Cynthia Garcia

9.5

Caramelized butterscotch on the front, biscuit in the middle with a yeasty nutty finish. Very unique and special. — 9 years ago

Rebecca Turner

9.8

Tasty and subtle. Not too sweet, not too dry. — 9 years ago

Sarah Taylor

9.0

Super sweet but delicious — 9 years ago

John Fiehrer

9.4

Killer juice... Match stick and cedar box, a little tobacco... Just the right amount of dark fruit, super smooth from start, middle and super long finish. Gone way too fast. #lunchbags — 10 years ago

Juel Bell

9.7

Smooth with a hint of spice. Yum. — 12 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

Opened tonight. And, I feel like a broken record saying that here is ANOTHER great 2011 considering the "damned vintage" that this one received press for being. I have 43 more 2011 Napa wines and I have a feeling that I'm going to be writing the same thing another 43 times. Not powerful, but these wines truly show the complexity that Napa cab CAN be. Nose of iodine, black licorice. Very front of this wine is sweeter black cherry giving way to an herbal infused middle (getting more dried basil with a hint of oregano and cumin). The red clay terroir is unmistakably present here through the middle and finish, which is usually more present for Ponente only at the very finish. The wine finishes with black cherry and black licorice dominated notes. I have a feeling that this wine is still on the way up. Has a few more years until it is at the top of the hill, but drinking OH SO WELL right now. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

Out of the 4 wines opened at The Bird, this one edged out the Numanthia 12 by a hair. Quite similar profiles IMO. This Walla Walla Syrah was quite enjoyable with dark black fruit on the front. Consistent with the 2015 I tasted a bit ago but IMO, this one had a bit more of a smoked beef flavor in the middle that the dark sweet and still youthful fruit gave way. Chose this as the "food" wine since most chose the Bird Burger (a grass fed beef burger)....it went rather well. Popular with the crowd of novices and winos, the smoky finish was very complementary. Maybe I might acquire a few of these WA Syrahs afterall to have for these purposes....(not a word, @Shay A .... 😆) — 6 years ago

Michael B

8.9

Very similar to the Château Oliver. Major difference is that this wine opens up with more bold dark fruit which is quite velvety. Transitions to a delicious blend of peppers, varied spices and eucalyptus in the middle and end. Great depth and lasting taste that blended well with our Fois gras and cheeses. — 7 years ago

Allyson O'Keefe

9.0

2) Much more impressed the second time around. It’s like I’m drinking an entirely different wine from the first check-in. Aroma of blackberry, currant, tar, & some smoke. Lush, stewed raspberry on the palate. Med-plus acidity. Sweater middle with a lightly tart, lingering, fruity finish.

1) Flat and flabby, especially for a Cab. Low tannin. Medium acidity. Notes of roasted raspberry & subtle leather. — 8 years ago

Jonathan Wall

9.0

Carmelized toast. Great with middle eastern lamb tagine. And it elevated my olives. — 8 years ago

Eric L.

9.6

Beautiful expression of Dr. Crane. This 14 and a barrel sample of the 15 were both gorgeous. There is a really pretty bead of red fruit down the middle framed by a big, voluptuous mouthfeel. — 9 years ago

Jimmy Hayes

Estate Director Mayacamas Vineyard

9.3

Sweet little half bottle. Lovely detailed nose from the beginning, but hard and metallic on the pallet out of the gate. Opened and softened considerably. Sweet tannins, nice plump middle. Red currant.. Was good in he glass for 2 hours. Pas mal for a 375. #bordeaux — 9 years ago

Bo Yu

9.1

Beautiful. Strong tannins to the nose, yet the middle is light and smooth, finished with a balanced, less than velvety taste. A lot of tabacco, bold after it opens up. — 9 years ago

Ryan Riley

9.3

Aroma is strawberries and cherries. Flavor is also strawberry and cherries but gives way to a black pepper spiciness in the middle as well as chocolate, oak, and a little smokiness. Solid tannins. it's a perfect every day wine like the best expression of a table wine — 10 years ago

Shay A

9.5

Day 2 of Napa in the books!

20yrs young! This was also served to us blind and we all guessed it was mid-late 2000s Seavey Cab. All the red and black fruit notes are still present with mellowed out tannin. Very smooth and polished. Big note of baked mixed berry (cherry, blackberry) pie that is covered in a cloud of sweet vanilla pipe tobacco. Ripe & rich up front, savory in the middle, balanced finish. Incredible for its age. — 6 years ago

DAL 9000

9.1

Big big bouquet of blackberries and plums. Dark fruit and plums that dry the mouth in the middle. The dryness continues at the finish. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

Gooseberry, bramble, violets, hint of sage. This is a full-bodied Merlot. However, the middle picks up a cola note but doesn't really go to a chocolate like the 2010 and 2012 had more of a tendency to do. This one really did not have a ton of acidity nor did it really have a ton of tannin to resolve. There was definitely enough tartrate in the bottle though! I really look for this one to continue aging quite nicely for another 10 to 15 years. But oh man, this one is drinking pretty darn nice right now. — 7 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

Wonderful Merlot. Nose of wild berries and bittersweet chocolate. The entry of this wine is dark. Brambly and blackberry and baking chocolate. The middle has a chocolate covered almond character to it. Hint of herb. Finished with toasted oak and nice acidity. I am 100% sure I will not have the willpower to hold on to my other bottle of this. I can also appreciate the 95 this one scored as well. Nice, nice Columbia Valley Merlot! Rolland and merlot are an excellent combo! — 7 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.3

Softer wine on the entry with good acidity on the finish. Classic merlot which first seemed a bit mushroom dense. But then the darker side of this wine showed in the front and middle. Became more brambly towards the finish. This paired well with the herbed cheese that Robert brought, and made this wine show more chocolate and cassis in the middle. Well made Just like their cabs! — 7 years ago

with Dan and Shay

Bethany S

9.1

My go to cab. — 8 years ago

Erica Fox

9.0

Good wine! Not too sweet, not too dry. Pretty good. Not my favorite wine ever, but a nice, cheap and enjoyable wine! — 9 years ago

Scott Stewart

9.3

The rating is for today only, as this will merit a higher rating in a couple of years. Beautiful in middle, but the least expressive of the wines. What you get for killing a baby, I really want to see this a few years down the road! — 9 years ago

Kelsey Lindsey

9.2

A tad mossy with a hint of oak. Feels like a velvet room within a cave on feathers. Definitely would recommend. — 9 years ago

Justin Smith

9.5

Lovely upfront in the middle and at the end. Definitely in the drivers seat. So much complexity with a shot of dreaminess. — 10 years ago

DAL 9000

9.7

Small initial soft aroma of rick dark fruit. Dark red bubbles. Huge burst of rich dry tannins in the middle than fades beautifully. Coats your mouth with velvet smoothness of non sweet raspberries. — 11 years ago