When it's on, it's on. White and red raspberry, hibiscus, rhubarb, watermelon rind, unripe peach pit, travertine, strawberry seed, grapefruit, orange spray, rose pedals, and white flowers. A lot…
A pummeling purple palate eater with blackberries, blueberries, and booze hucked at your face with Xerxes force, the Mighty Z is still at war with itself. There are a bunch of separate elements here…
Dark black raspberry, wild muddled strawberry, licorice, huge/dark barrel spice influence, big boozy finish. Some earth shows up down the line, but the alcohol washes over the flavors, creating an…
This is still working itself out, with some heat pushing the otherwise beautifully pure fruit to the side at times. There are moments of glory here, with pockets of textural genius that envelop and…
This was a tough sell in a blind white tasting (mostly Chardonnay), as it came off super hot and burley compared to the more elegant Chardonnays in the lineup. This vintage is unfortunately my least…
This comes off a bit disjointed at first pass, with an overly heavy and sluggish ripe/dark fruit front end and an angular and bitter tail. It is as if a cooler version is colliding with a hot…
This was tight and tannic, with a stern entry of crunchy berry, rock, and cedar notes. I kept coming back to this wine as it tried to relax its grip, but it wasn't giving up much of the goods. What…
Soft earth-laced berries, red and black currant, plum, a slight kiss of mushroom, and leather notes make for a classical showing from a nicely aged wine. It's drinking time here, and seemingly at the…
Though this shows as a little yesteryear in performance, it is nonetheless an aptly alluring example, and one with which I wish I had spent a little more time. Slightly sluggish on entry, but with a…
Plum, cherry, leather, dust, and some sherry notes. Classical in form all the way around. Past its prime in terms of freshness and tannic structure, presenting with a softness that is pleasant but…
This is a super hot fruit goober. I mean, it's a Crane, so fruit is kinda its thing, but I would leave these alone for a while. It's on total flash and overtly cocktaily in its current fraternity…
Blackberry, dark wet soil, black licorice, and anise make for a heavy showing. A bit of a sandbaggy bruiser, but with overly rounded and soft contours hidden under its mass of fruit; indicative of a…
More black fruited than I would have expected given its age, but the leather and soil elements waltz in and provide a layer or two of complexity that holds interest. It's a little Plain Jane in…
It's been eight years since I've had this wine and it appears to be showing its age in anti-Benjamin Button fashion. It feels like another flashy 2007 that is tanking faster than it should (looking…
A very well preserved bottle here. Purple berries, blackberry, pine resin, and hints of leather. Still a decent chunk of primary fruit present, but I appreciate the restraint and control on the…
Dark and deeply pitched black raspberry and spice. Bits of leather and garrigue add interest. Still a bit of a bruiser on the initial attack, but gains some elegance on the back end. Drink now for…
A little gummy and sluggish on entry. Margarine, lemon curd, pineapple, olive oil, and overripe yellow pear flesh. Not undrinkable, but brassy and heavy; viscous in a way that makes for a chewy…
At peak, at least in terms of its components continuing to harmonize in a synchronized outpouring of freshness, fruit flavor and expansion, and focus. It has become a bit of a one hit wonder, but the…
When I initially tried this upon arrival, it seemed fairly sound (it had been decanted for a couple of hours); a little lush and gush on entry (especially compared to more honed versions of Tychson…
A solid performance, though a bit outshone by the 2003 Scarecrow next to it, the 2006 Maya offers soft dark berry fruit and forest floor elements that caress the palate and flow through the delivery…
