Black as ink, with glints of royal purple and gold, it opens with intense, penetrating aromas of dark chocolate, blackberry preserves and cassis, caramel, and a smoky, peppery note. Decadently rich, with 10% residual sugar, and heady, with 19% alcohol, but so delicious. The silky, velvety texture is pure seduction. This has got to be one of the best California…
— S.H.
(4/1/2002)
Smooth and polished, with toasty flavors of pineapple, pumpkin pie, cinnamon, gingersnap cookie, butterscotch and honey. The finish is crisp; very nice and rich.
— S.H.
(4/1/2007)
Very ripe, offering a burst of cherry-berry fruit flavors and hints of violets, leather and smoke. Could be a little firmer and drier, but it’s a nice, full-bodied red wine.
— S.H.
(11/1/2009)
This is surely one of the better Temecula-grown Cabs out there. It’s ripe and balanced, with a good array of varietal flavors. Cherry, red currant, cola, mocha and oaky spice flavors finish dry and smooth. Drink now.
— S.H.
(6/1/2007)
It’s hard to know what to make of this wine. With 17.4% alcohol, it’s more of a Port, except that it’s dry. It’s clean, with firm tannins framing deep coffee, blackberry and leather flavors, and actually possesses some charm and elegance despite the size.
— S.H.
(4/1/2006)
This is a very dry and rather bitter wine, with a raisinskin toughness. It’s not very generous in fruit, but is nuanced in its own way. Needs rich barbecue to tease out the blackberries and chocolate.
— S.H.
(10/1/2010)
The grapes had no problem getting ripe, to judge by the flood of red cherry marmalade, cola and milk chocolate flavors. With its dryness and softness, the wine is delicious, if a little one-dimensional.
— S.H.
(6/1/2007)
Bone dry and tart, this wine offers citrus, peach and fig flavors. It doesn’t have the usual flowery opulence of Viognier, but is a clean, refreshing wine.
— S.H.
(3/1/2006)