Nancy Schnur

9.0

Costco Iwilei 20 — 5 months ago

Severn G

9.3

STORAGE is everything.

Correct storage does not magically enlighten all wines, but it enables you to wait until such time that wines crafted with proper parts and proper technique will offer you a higher level of enjoyment.

Our final bottle of this 2003 vintage, purchased in May 2006 for $31 as Achával-Ferrer was beginning their ascension to greatness, with pricing to match.

Decanted 4H.

Similar notes to prior experiences:

Nose has ripe plum, graphite, dried black cherry, dried tart cherry, old leather, dried black currant, slight eucalyptus, dark chocolate, stewed raisin, mashed blackberry, faint chalkboard dust and dried rose.
Palate has sweet prune, semi-sweet chocolate, dried black cherry, sweet-roasted red pepper, dried boysenberry, briar and dry earth. Fine tannins, rich and round the on the finish.

Stellar show on our finale of the vintage...Looking forward to the 2004's. I previously stated this bottle could likely make a 20th birthday in proper storage, looks like it can only make a ~19th birthday in this cellar.

40% Malbec/ 28% Cabernet Sauvignon/ 27% Merlot / 5% Cabernet Franc (4,976 cases) — 4 years ago

Kristin the Wine Girl

8.9

Cranraspberry with holiday baking spiced on the nose. Soft crushed youthful red fruit on the palate dance in ascension to higher acidity with a lengthy finish. Tapas afternoon wine. Purchased in Madrid at duty free. Pairs excellently with a variety of green olives. — 9 years ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.0

Ascension makes great Malbecs yet this is an outstanding #torrontes white. Gentle floral nose and white stone fruit on the palate. It's a bit sweeter but really well balanced. — 9 years ago

Thomas Brenner

8.9

Like the 1920s Yekaterinburg ballet portraying an airy, gravity-free choreography, while unsupressably bound by the tethers of the Bolshevik revolution. Yearning to soar, yet their ascension be grounded by relentless snowstorms, breezing across the tarmac upon which your vessel must remain.
Tastes like buttered toast with honeyed apricot jam displayed on a woolen table cloth. — 10 years ago

Roger Ray

9.3

"The Cabernet adds a dash of spice and elegance to the mix, softening the extreme altitude malbec's tannin teeth. Beauty taming the beast." An amazing, high altitude, Argentinian rare find from the Bonner's wine club. — 4 years ago

K. Ross

8.9

14.1% abv. Violet! Deep purple. Acid, tannin, berries! Mineral stone. — 6 years ago

Daacat Daacat

8.9

a sweet wine, — 7 years ago

Netty

10

Yum! Had at ascension coffee. — 9 years ago

Bill Bender

9.4

This cork challenged my ah so skills but I prevailed. Slow clap 👏🏽 for me. Decanted for 6 hours and it was in a really nice place. Dark dark fruits, smokey game meats, cloves, herbs and white pepper. Still quite young and on the ascension. — 9 years ago

Ricardo Beltran

9.3

Pearl! A super refined blended wine! From a region in clear ascension in Portugal and from a house which deserves to be its god mother ! — 11 years ago

Kaito Kikuchi

9.9

Almost chocolaty, very fragrant — 4 years ago

K. Ross

9.0

Primitivo dessert wine. 19% abv. Delicious. Tastes fruitier and lighter than other 19% desser wines. Well balanced. Juicy berries ripe fig baked grape apples cinnamon. Wow. — 5 years ago

K. Ross

8.9

Really like it. Nice blend. Rhône style. At HB wine festival. — 7 years ago

Aussie Nada

10

Hint of bay leaf really makes this gin. Rising star - watch for their ascension — 8 years ago

Bill Bender

9.6

These recent vintage Realm wines from Benoit just are just incredibly full throttle, profound and lush. There's an extra layer of complexity here that is so impressive. I've been on the allocation list since the beginning and I've enjoyed watching the ascension. This is undoubtedly a Napa first growth estate now. There are few if any North Coast wineries who are as dependably brilliant as Realm is at this point in time. De-Lish. — 9 years ago

Russell Willits

9.5

Excellent full flavored blended red. Nice bold start with a sweet slight cinnamon finish.
Just a great overall full body blend. — 10 years ago