Previous notes apply. Everyone at the table was surprised this was a Merlot with a decade of age on it. Drank great as a PnP and maintained its beautiful profile over the course of a couple of hours.…
Same as my previous notes from September 2017. For a wine that's progressed a decade from vintage, and as a domestic Merlot...aaanndd a Bevan Merlot to boot...I am shocked at how youthful, powerful,…
It's been about a year since I last had this wine, which now shows noticeable smoothing-out and an elevated sophistication that was not fully resolved back in mid-2017. Though part of me misses the…
Previous notes apply. This was a PnP and it ultimately did not get enough air. Fairly tight throughout consumption. Either decant and give this the breathing room it deserves, or hold for at least…
Previous notes apply. Big and brash, thick and chewy, sappy and slutty. Even too much for my blood. I found myself having to tolerate it more than enjoying it. 91 points if taking the "style…
Previous notes apply. Just a big brute of a Pinot. There is pleasure here for sure, but it really is a bit too much of a good-ish thing. A Wren Hop Night Children served next to it showed just how…
A great showing. One of the best Ontogenys I've had. The 2012 vintage is THE vintage for Ontogeny without a doubt. All previous notes apply. Service was PnP (which was perfect - no decant…
Better than the last time I had this wine a few months ago. Much less of the muddled, goofy behavior, but still a big a** Pinot with a fistful of fruit and spice rocketing right to your face. Don't…
A very good showing for this wine tonight. It was up there with WOTN among all the other wines at the table (tied with a '12 Janzen Missouri Hopper). This 2013 Bevan McGah was served next to its 2012…
Previous notes apply. Served side-by-side with a 2013 Bevan McGah (and a whole bunch of other wines at the table). A smooth delivery of black (predominantly), blue, and some reddish-purple core…
As expected, this is a biggin' of a domestic Pinot. Dark and haunting core fruit notes of black cherry, black raspberry, and brambly blueberry. Spice box, clove, cinnamon, black pepper, mulch, and…
It's been over a year since my last bottle. Same as all of my previous notes on this wine except it really showed well from start to finish, with no tannic or heat issues at all. Performed good as a…
Much better showing than last year. Time in bottle certainly helped. However, this is still a bit of a brute and built more like a Cabernet than a Chardonnay. After about two hours of air, it…
Same as previous notes. This wine performed best after about 20 minutes of air. However, after a couple of hours, it flattened out on the attack and faded on the finish. It also got a little pummeled…
This behaved a little goofy for me this time around. A medicinal aftertaste crept up on the back end that competed oddly with the huge blast of extracted fruit. Barely a Pinot.
In a FAR better place than it was nearly a year ago. But be warned, this is still a biggun! Huge fruit. Huge spice. Huge Pinot. Black cherry, black raspberry, blackberry, anise, clove, Chinese five…
Served side-by-side with a 2014 Bevan McGah. I favored the 2014 for its more exuberant personality and flavorful delivery of its blue and black fruit. The 2012 was probably a more balanced and…
Same as my previous notes from last month. Served side-by-side with a 2012 Bevan McGah. I favored the 2014 for its more exuberant personality and flavorful delivery of its blue and black fruit. The…
A truly captivating bottle of Merlot; drinking exquisitely smooth and voluptuous on the initial delivery. Notes of wonderfully nuanced purple and black core fruit, plum, black cherry, dark red…
Very similar to the 2015 EE, except that the Sugarloaf was a little more subdued and flat in its execution. The red and black fruit stuffing is all there, along with some interesting pebble and…
Same as my notes two months ago. The best of the 2015 Bevans. Though still young and somewhat primary in its youthful delivery, the mid-palate concentration and complex flavor profile are certainly…
Coiled up and somewhat subdued notes of dark black cherry, black and red currant, cedar, and some fuzzy graphite on the back end. The black cherry note repeated itself prominently after it had some…
I recall liking this wine, but it didn't evoke any true sense of draw or fascination for me. I thought it was a very well crafted wine (as is true with many of Russell's wines), and the fruit…
Similar to last year, this version of Tin Box displayed its signature red, black, and some purple fruit flavors, plum, black and red currant, black cherry, and the slightest hints of spice. This was…
