Molto molto buono — a month ago


Sweet black fruits - plums. Only medium weight - restrained. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. 2012 was a cooler more moderate growing season, more claret style says Sam Middleton. This is not one of the great Quintets IMO. At its best Quintets is one of the best Cabernet blends in Australia. It still reinforces the fact that the Yarra Valley is one of the better terroirs for Bordeaux blends in Australia. Not for long cellaring. This is first of 3 of the 2012 vintage I have in my cellar. — 6 months ago
Served this slightly chilled (12’C?).
Gorgeously fresh and pure dark fruit. Succulent, juicy, still primary….
Tannines and alcohol beautifully blended into the dense and viscous core. Only a slight hint of spice, chocolate and licorice now. Sweetness and freshness in excellent balance. It even feels more fresh than sweet at the moment. Certainly not too heavy nor intense.
This is so forward and yummy and sexy right now… I just don’t miss the complexity it might be lacking at this stage.
Sure, it has a few decades of life left and it could get more cerebral and complex…
But don’t bother. Drink it now! — 8 months ago
1977 vintage. Last tasted 12.23.23 (9.6). Opened and filtered into a decanter. Tons of chunky sed trapped in the bowels of the bottle thank goodness. Tasted after 1 hour. Still top-notch and still going to outlive your born/unborn children. Great vintage port has a way of eliminating your rationalizations, excuses and contrived nonsense and cutting immediately to the bottom line. Prepare to be boarded. 8.1.26. — a month ago
Playing catch up on some wines consumed weeks ago. Lamenting the change to this gorgeous old Giant Steps label — boring minimalist is apparently the rage these days. Recall enjoying this one, and it’s in a good place. — 2 months ago
I attended a luncheon-tasting recently with the Chef of Roy Estate & several other wineries participating in the tasting. Roy tasted their 2016 & 2007. I bought both. The 16 better than the 2007. Both very different & quite good. This 07 on its own is not as good as it is with steak. Moves between 93 & 94 with the Ribcap.
The nose is lush & brooding. It shows; blackberries, black raspberries, extremely dark cherries, both plums, poached strawberries, blueberries, boysenberries, dark chocolate cake, dark spices, steeped fruit tea, mid berry cola, black & red licorice, nicely, gently, layered baking spices, sweet tarriness-forest floor, leather, dry tobacco, some graphite, caramel-mocha, light black pepper, soft charcoal ash, limestone, dry crushed rocks.-top soil, candied-withering dark, red flowers.
The palate is ripe, round, lush/plush with M-M+ velvety tannins. Nothing that speaks astringent.Blackberries, black raspberries, extremely dark cherry kirsch liqueur, both plums into pudding, poached strawberries, blueberries, boysenberries, some pomegranate, dark spices with mid penetrating heat, steeped fruit tea, mid berry cola, black & red licorice, nicely, gently, layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin in that order, herbaceous, savory notes, understated mint-spearmint, sweet tarriness-forest floor, leather, dry tobacco, some graphite, melted dark chocolate, caramel-mocha, light black pepper, soft charcoal ash, limestone, dry crushed rocks-top soil, candied-withering dark, red flowers, excellent round acidity with good tension/structure, well balanced, long length and elegant finish for minutes that long sets on spice & earth.
From their terrace, they have the best hillside rolling vineyards in Napa I have seen. — 3 months ago
One of the best Pinots I’ve had from anywhere this year. Also I should state the only note I’ve been able to put on Delectable out of 4 attempts. The previous 3 have disappeared. Light in colour and a beautifully fragrant wine with Medium + intensity. 98 points from Huon Hooke and he made this comment, “A mesmerising wine - surely one of Bindi’s best ever “. I can only agree. This is a top quality Pinot Noir no matter the origin and will probably reach the end of HH’s drinking window of 2034. This Is easily of Premier Cru and in some cases Grand Cru standard. — 5 months ago

1994 vintage. Popped, decanted and filtered and tasted immediately. Opened six decades too early. The whole crushed violets and plummy thang definitely there alongside hints of sweet tobacco in her breath. With apologies, just another number in your little black book. These are the pros and cons. 1.24.26. — 7 months ago
Purchased after reading the novel “Theo of Golden”…Which I highly recommend. Sweet caramel, baked cherry, mint perhaps; really enjoyed this Port. Love the dark ruby…. — a month ago
Still playing catch up from weeks ago. Good classic pinot lines at the weightier end of things. Don’t think it’s improving anymore, but may hold for a few years. — 2 months ago
[8 hour decant] This is from a very fine lot of 1977 Graham’s I purchased in the mid-to-late 1990s from a small Napa importer, and is at the level of the 1977 Fonseca we drank last week, sweet, nice weight and balance, long, lingering finish, very nice!! — 3 months ago

Black a new blend produced from classic varieties that do not make it into the Quinta do Noval vintage. Deep Ruby red color with pronounced aromas of berry fruits, spice and floral notes. On the palate flavors of blackberry, spice, leather and smoke. Long finish, full bodied, smooth tannins, ending with fruit, cacao and tobacco notes. Nice. — 7 months ago
Excellent. Bright cherry flavors. Long finish. Many years to go — 8 months ago
Jan A
Really got going on day two. This particular vintage probably needs another 5-10 years. — 2 days ago