Decanted and simmered for hours. By Hour 3+ this broadened into a deep and luxurious wine. Ripe fruit - currant blackberry. Nice mouthfeel with some mineral residue. Not a long tail on this but it did linger still. Not particularly fragrant. A bit inward overall but all the pieces good and bad kinda fit together and it was nonetheless quite enjoyable. — 10 months ago
Okay. Again the same dilemma. If a wine does not meet expectation is it basically bad (for me)? 🤔 because in life everything is relative, right? Any thoughts on puzzling matter??The wine was well balanced, dark red fruit flavors, polished, smooth tannins, good intensity and concentration, but limited length and lacking any meaningful complexity… Eight year old left bank Bordeaux. A fourth or fifth growth winery, maybe not, can’t remember for sure. Do remember what I paid though, $120. Definitely too much for what we experienced this evening…. as to our expectations. — 3 months ago
Day 2. Different is trending here. Did a little digging and pulled this gem.
The 2009 Viña Tondonia Reserva, a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho and 5% each Mazuelo and Graciano, matured in used American oak barrels for six years.
Elegance and value. Lively and fresh. Lot’s of life left for this one. Not a bad start for the year.
— 2 years ago
Big, bold Beckstoffer Cab. Not as elegant as the 2014 but a serious wine for enjoyment. — 7 months ago
Purple to garnet red, moderate pigment extraction, very good clarity. Leather, wood and blackberry notes in nose. Blackberry, cherry flavors with length, raspberry on finish. Good balance, acid a tad above the ethanol but nicely so, some unresolved fine-grained seed tannins on initial pour with moderate skin astringency. I’m liking this one after 30 minutes, and wishing I’d bought more. 425 cases made. A solid version for WA state cab fans — 3 years ago
An easy everyday Bordeaux as it’s affordable. Very fruit forward with spice but finish is lacking. — 4 years ago
Jay Kline
Served alongside beef short rib, xo sauce, pickled mustard seed, cumin stir-fried asparagus. Yes, the 2003 Dominus is big. However, it is also balanced and showing classic Napa typicity with beautifully ripe and some slightly wizened black and red fruit, tobacco, cocoa, some purple flowers and baking spices. I found this to be quite balanced after all the air it saw. Wonderful structure for continued aging as well. Drink now through 2043. — 2 months ago