This complex blend of Meritage varieties embodies all the elements of our unique terroir.
Oozing with flavor, it’s enjoyable now with a veal chop, wild mushrooms or an exotic cheese, but will repay with added complexity another decade in the cellar.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
Our vineyard on a peninsula jutting into the southeastern corner of Clear Lake is the site of the most remarkable Merlot in the State of California, resembling more a classic Pomerol’s density, depth and masculine tannins, though imparting an unctuous feminine texture. The 2013 was harvested in early October in warm, fair weather which achieved early full ripeness.
Our volcanic soils produce solid, age-worthy tannins and a lively mineral energy to the palate. Persistent sunny rays at the high altitude draw from each varietal block its unique aromatic signature, preserved by the cooling breezes of the adjacent lake. In this wine, we wanted to showcase the complex aromatic elements as a single, complex symphony of fruit with seductive undertones that can only develop with extensive age in neutral oak.
Different Cabernet Sauvignon clones will develop aromas as diverse as grenadine, cassis, raspberry, carob, Asian spice and tar, with tannins and acidity equally varied. Of these, Clone 15 is the most complete: richest in cassis fruit and most structurally solid. Clone 4 is lighter and is characterized by bright cherry aromatics coupled to firm, broad, approachable tannins. A splash of Cabernet Franc imparts high-pitched white cherry and cinnamon notes and a steely backbone to the structure.
Our vineyards are located on the volcanic hillsides above the eastern shores of Clear Lake. Our grapes are some of the most sought after in Lake County. Cooling lake breezes preserve berry flavors, while our soils confer a refreshing minerality.
My name is Jacob S. Stephens III, but everyone calls me Jake. I represent the third generation in our family to embrace the life of a farmer, following in the footsteps of my grandfather Jacob, and my father Jake II. In early 1990, an old family friend suggested that we look into the California vineyard business, specifically high-end wine grapes. Thinking this would be an exciting departure, we began looking for properties north of Stockton, California. After considerable time and investigation we settled on our first property, just south of Sacramento near the then small town of Elk Grove. Through hard work and good fortune, these vineyards proved to be of excellent character, with our grapes being purchased by a number of well known wineries in the Sonoma Valley.
In 1998, one of our neighbors came to us with a proposal to buy the ranch, an offer we couldn’t refuse. Having developed a passion for the business, we applied what we’d learned about the business and went looking for a great undiscovered site, finding it at last in the mountains of the North Coast. Lake County, to be exact, where we planted our vineyards and began producing Two Jakes of Diamonds.
In as much as we would love to be considered noble men, the truth is, idealistic farmers have difficulty surviving. Farmers play the hand they are dealt, exploit their advantages and try to minimize their risks. Economics compel us to focus on efficient productivity.
However, in the stern, rocky soils at our high altitude site near Clearlake, high yields are not an option. Therefore our mantra can be summed up in one word ~ quality. We grow top quality grapes because we have to. Distinctive wines reflect perfectly the environment in which they are grown, because grapes are delicate vessels which drink in the vineyard site’s attributes and carry the stamp of that place. Our ace in the hole is that our site allows us to grow fruit of comparable and sometimes superior attributes compared to our downhill neighbor Napa County, at a fraction of the cost of land, the principle driver of grape price.
Our unique combination of sought-after characteristics and reasonable prices results in tremendous value which is the key to our success. Our winery customers have come to rely on us to provide intense fruit aromas, color, minerality and tremendous palate energy, and these qualities have become our stock and trade.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Two Jakes of Diamonds 2013 Aspects. Lake County Meritage.
A young wine, color is deep ruby through the edge. Transparent. No sediment. No stain on cork. Nose with eucalyptus, mint, floral, cherries and berries. All kinds of cherries and berries and a little plum on the palate. You could find any red or black you’d like. Herbs and pepper too. Full body. High acidity. Fairly long peppery finish. Day 2 and day 3 were similar.
Did I mention there were tannins? If you like tannins, as Tiny Tim said, "A Merry Christmas to us all; God bless us, every one!”. Wonderful, complete tannins. On pop and pour the attack and sides of the tongue were carpet bombed with pop rocks. Be patient kids! On day 2 and 3 the tannins were heavenly. Heavenly! The tannins balanced the fruit and acidity perfectly.
Alcohol and oak were not a prominent feature.
The wine was very enjoyable alone, as a cocktail. It also begs for a neighborhood tasting to tease out the complexities. It was great with burgers off the grill, but deserved better. Day 2 pizza was a mismatch.
A long decant or a decade in the cellar seems appropriate.
I assume this is Two Jakes flagship wine.
It took three days and the bottle is empty, but I keep checking for more.
A case for cellaring. Not looking to split.
Interested in reading the other Lab Rat Reports.
Thanks for the opportunity to participate.
@msten This is a volcanic soil, so that pop rock energy isn’t actually acidity - it’s minerality, not that we’ve nailed down exactly what that is. It contributes to its longevity potential.
@chipgreen@msten Nice review! Now we just have to decide how many to include in our split. I’ll take 3, 4 or 6. Let me know if you want me to make the purchase.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2013 Two Jakes of Diamonds Aspects Red Blend - $30 = 16.66%
In 2007 and 2008, my first vintages with this wonderful vineyard, we produced this complex blend to showcase all elements of this remarkable property. Though quite complex, it required considerable age to come around and was perhaps released a bit early. When the DRV brand was stolen in a spurious lawsuit we elected to discontinue it and just make pure varietals.
But as time passed, there was a lot of clamor to restore it, so in 2013 we made a blend. This time we elected to give it plenty of time in neutral French oak, so 66 months later, here it is.
@novium Good question. Actually the air is quite dry here, so in this case we needed that brix to get the maturity I wanted. The CF is really reductive otherwise. However, the wine does not extract nor age properly at that alcohol, so I watered it down to replace the evaporative loss and get a well-extracted, balanced wine.
@winesmith A lot of winemakers are afraid to do this because it could dilute the flavors. This is because they think of wine as a solution. It isn’t. It’s more like a sauce, with the color, tannin, and a lot of the flavor held in tiny particles called colloids. They don’t teach us about colloid behavior in enology school. That’s why I wrote Postmodern Winemaking.
This one is predominantly Merlot with Cab Sauv and Cab Franc in supporting roles. The result is a well-knit spectrum of fruit aromas: blackberry, grenadine, cassis, plum, and white cherry, with nuances of droughty hers like rosemary and sage plus cinnamon spice from the CF. It’s tannins are well resolved and it’s flavors open. Yet it’s still youthful, so for those who prefer more tertiary bottle development, it will certainly repay a decade more cellaring.
Oozing with flavor, it’s enjoyable with a veal chop, wild mushrooms or an exotic cheese. Well worth it’s $30 suggested retail price, it’s clearly a steal at the $12.50 case price.
@wnance Strangely, it’s quite different. Not sure why. The Meritage has lots of tobacco and bouquet development. Aspects is more youthful, complexly fruity and simple. It almost the same stuff, so I’ve no idea why.
WineSmith (& Two Jakes) wines are an auto-buy for us way back to WW; never disappointing. Nice to see ‘Aspects’ back again. In for a Case: loyal-drab-shame
As always, thanks to WineDavid for giving us access to not only great wines, but super QPR too!!
I first received an email from Fedex that there was a signature required package coming. Odd, I didn’t order anything that only weighed 4lbs. Could it be that I got the golden ticket? Yes! A Winesmith no less! My first rattage. I’m no pro so here goes my honest, non-wine-speak review.
We went out to dinner with friends Saturday night so I brought the bottle. I love heavy full bodied reds, but my friend is not a huge red wine drinker. She enjoys whites, but she was game and in for a small pour. Upon PnP, the color was a nice ruby and translucent. The legs stretched for miles and were fast to fall. Initial sniff did not have a strong smell of alcohol. I smelled lots of berries. Earth is what came to mind. My friend said, ‘meadow,’ agreed about the earthy smell and then said ‘grass’. ‘Pleasant’ came out of both our mouths.
Upon initial taste, we got the same berry flavors, but not as much of the earth. The alcohol was not up front, but more on the finish and left our mouths fairly dry. Actually, really dry. Water please.
We let the wine sit for a bit and then tried again. Over the next 30-60 minutes, there was now citrus on the nose and a scent of a spice – maybe rosemary? Maybe cinnamon? not as much of a dry finish, less alcohol. The flavor lingered and left me wanting another sip. My friend said, ‘this is really good,’ which was a great endorsement for not being a red wine drinker. She wanted more and I was happy to oblige. I was really enjoying the wine on its own. Time for food.
Our friends ordered a pizza and I had a juicy burger with sautéed mushrooms and swiss. Interestingly, it was not so good with the swiss, but when I tried just the burger, it was pretty good. The pizza had Canadian bacon and onions so my friend opted for beer. I put the cork back in the bottle and let it sit on the counter overnight.
The next day, I poured another glass. The aromas were still berry, but no citrus or spice. The flavors had approx. the same profile as the night before, but even easier to drink. Not as dry of a finish and the flavor stayed with me. It was simply delicious!! I tried several cheeses and the wine held up well with strong cheese, spicy cheese, and blue cheese. It was not so good with chocolate, almonds, or milder cheeses. Spice was the best. Out came the spicy food. Sublime!
Overall, I really enjoyed the wine and thought it was a great sipper. Not as heavy as a Cab, but fantastic for any season. It can be enjoyed on its own and doesn’t require food. I think it would be a great intro wine for non-red drinkers and delightful for those who enjoy reds. Based on my experience, I would open the bottle several hours ahead of time. Im in for a case and believe I will be gifting my friend a bottle or two.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to rat. I really enjoyed it and hope my review has lived up to the standards of the casemates pros.
As much as I’m trying to avoid buying more wine, I would have gone in for a case if it was still available this morning (I head for bed too early to catch the offer debuts). But four bottles will suffice, I guess.
/giphy amicable-melodic-pot
@Mark_L Looked back today and noticed that cases are now available. Hopefully my order for a 4-pack can be cancelled (the Cancel Order option is not showing on it today).
/giphy presumptuous-packed-plate
Having received this prior to Sunday, here is the list of items we prepared:
Two Jakes of Diamonds Wine
Old Croc Bacon and Jalepeno Cheese
Old Croc Smoked Sharp Cheddar
A viewing area (with projector) for the GoT Series Finale.
Let’s just say, there was only one thing on that list mildly disappointing. The wine was served chilled for the first round. It was perfectly dry, and rewarded me with a satisfying pucker on the finish. Perhaps those with a better nose then mine can detect smells, but I detect essence. To me, on the nose, this smelled like a rustic New England Barn, w/ overtones of cherry wood. Heavenly! It was smooth, seductive, and enticed me to sample it again and again. The fullness of it, the impact of the savory notes caused me to forget about the travesty of what I was watching. I was no longer bored when I sipped upon the wine. I transported myself to a land Tyrion would aspire to find. After spending the first half of the episode warming up, we refilled our glasses, and tried again. Practice makes perfect, of course. That being said, once warmer, it showed an ever changing progression of hints of the sage and rosemary. Overall, this is a fantastic drinker, and fits the budget quite well. I do dare say, I’m in for more. But hey, at least I don’t have to deal with GoT any more.
Hmmm… Looks like more cases were added at 10:30. While I appreciate the willingness to add more wine, this is frustrating for us that paid a higher price for fewer bottles because the cases weren’t available. The lesson appears to be (perhaps unintentionally) that if the cases are sold out, don’t bother buying the smaller quantity.
@jwhetzel yea, it was en error in loading the sellout number. sorry! ping support and you can cancel the order and then get back on the case. apologies!
@Winedavid49 Thank you! I didn’t see an explicit option to cancel the order (it had already moved to “processing”), but I filled out a “problem with the order” message requesting cancellation. If there’s another way to cancel orders, please let me know.
@jwhetzel This kind of personal service is one small element of what makes casemates several cuts above any other flash sale outfit I’m aware of. WineDavid is so great for us to work with. Everybody goofs once in a while, but it blows my mind that we were all onto fixing the problem and walking back the 4-pack purchases by 7AM this morning. Kudos!
@winesmith Definitely agreed! I would normally be very worried about signing up for a case purchase while the other purchase was still pending, but the support here has always been stellar. I knew it would be taken care of. And thank you for providing us the opportunity to buy (more of) your excellent wine!
I actually have a labrat bottle waiting for me at home tonight… but the fear of missing out compelled me to purchase the case. If there are any Seattle folks interested in a split, let me know. I would want to cellar between 4-6 bottles.
@Winedavid49
Any chance of summer shipping with this? Forecast here is in the 100s. I know I’m not going to get one, but I Sure would like a hold option.
Yikes! Was having multiple failures when trying to purchase, and was concerned we’d miss out on this one, but made it in! Despite a slew of non-Illinois offering and the SIWBM, we’re averaging more than a case a week- looking your way for the blame on this @winedavid49! We’re seriously running out of room! Anyone up for a central Illinois wine party?
/giphy powerful-updated-money
/giphy mousy-pathetic-vacation
Yep, had to transfer some cash from the savings between this and some Laura Michael Cab on another site. Just sayin’… I’m in trouble!
I bought a 4-pack earlier today (Wed) and never looked back. I was a little worried I would miss it, ya know FOMO. But then I was almost happy the cases were temporarily out! Did you get some?
@InFrom hi, sorry I’ve been out of the loop! Haven’t checked email or voice mails regularly. Found out today that my car was repaired on Friday. Service left a vm Friday which I never checked. Been driving a loaner 5 days longer than I had too! LOL. Anyway about the wine, I don’t think we covered logistics? I may have to pass depending on the location. I’m located in Forest Hills.
@irenegade Hi again. Can you please respond to the above whisper(s), and also whisper me with an alternate contact method? I shared my phone and email above.
Please let us know if you’re still interested, and if you are, whether you want all three, or fewer. Thanks.
@RexSeven go to your order page and use the “I need help with this” button to contact customer service. It sounds like they’ve been responding quickly and canceling the 4 bottle orders. Some folks just ordered the case first but reported no problems canceling the prior order.
I’m failing MISERABLY with my SIWBM! I’ve bought 6 cases over the past 5 weeks, including whites for the wife and reds for me. Thanks @winedavid49 for blowing my wine budget!
/giphy evasive-disturbed-chance
2013 Two Jake’s Aspects; Lake County;14.9% abv
PnP This initially has a deep brooding nose. Getting hints of iron, no herbal. Not giving up much initially. Palate, this is big tannin country. Medium acid. Tons of grip but not ultra drying. Needs tons of time. A bit hollow on the mid palate, and not getting the minerality I typically get from theses soils.
2 hours open. Calmed down a bit, but still tons of grip on the finish. Acid is now more noticeable and in balance. Still getting dark fruit on the nose, but now a layer with sage and tarragon unfolding. Still showing dark fruit on the palate, lean plum and the slightest hint of a chalky minerality.
Corked and will revisit. This is a really well made wine with tons of structure to go the long haul. I already purchased yesterday and will be putting a drink window on mine of 2022-2032. It’s not that it can’t be enjoyed now with a good long decant, but I have a backlog and would prefer it to slowly unwind in the bottle.
I love that we can access this wine for so little. Frankly I don’t know where you could find a more solid, age worthy blend at this price point. Screaming deal.
Case arrived two days ago and I confess, couldn’t wait, I opened one now. OMG, fantastic. Nose alone is 30s+ . Complex red fruit, a blast of (zin-like) briar (which is not at all the same as nasty generic terrroir etc), a ghost of mint or a slightly-subtler herb… I’m in love.
In fact, I might not drink this, I might just inhale it.
Mouthfeel is ultimate smooth, nothing super-dry but (for me) I’d rock this with anything.
OK, i’m gonna just sit and sniff for hours…
Tasting Notes
This complex blend of Meritage varieties embodies all the elements of our unique terroir.
Oozing with flavor, it’s enjoyable now with a veal chop, wild mushrooms or an exotic cheese, but will repay with added complexity another decade in the cellar.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
Our vineyard on a peninsula jutting into the southeastern corner of Clear Lake is the site of the most remarkable Merlot in the State of California, resembling more a classic Pomerol’s density, depth and masculine tannins, though imparting an unctuous feminine texture. The 2013 was harvested in early October in warm, fair weather which achieved early full ripeness.
Our volcanic soils produce solid, age-worthy tannins and a lively mineral energy to the palate. Persistent sunny rays at the high altitude draw from each varietal block its unique aromatic signature, preserved by the cooling breezes of the adjacent lake. In this wine, we wanted to showcase the complex aromatic elements as a single, complex symphony of fruit with seductive undertones that can only develop with extensive age in neutral oak.
Different Cabernet Sauvignon clones will develop aromas as diverse as grenadine, cassis, raspberry, carob, Asian spice and tar, with tannins and acidity equally varied. Of these, Clone 15 is the most complete: richest in cassis fruit and most structurally solid. Clone 4 is lighter and is characterized by bright cherry aromatics coupled to firm, broad, approachable tannins. A splash of Cabernet Franc imparts high-pitched white cherry and cinnamon notes and a steely backbone to the structure.
Our vineyards are located on the volcanic hillsides above the eastern shores of Clear Lake. Our grapes are some of the most sought after in Lake County. Cooling lake breezes preserve berry flavors, while our soils confer a refreshing minerality.
Specifications
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $360/case MSRP
About The Winery
Winery: Two Jakes of Diamonds
My name is Jacob S. Stephens III, but everyone calls me Jake. I represent the third generation in our family to embrace the life of a farmer, following in the footsteps of my grandfather Jacob, and my father Jake II. In early 1990, an old family friend suggested that we look into the California vineyard business, specifically high-end wine grapes. Thinking this would be an exciting departure, we began looking for properties north of Stockton, California. After considerable time and investigation we settled on our first property, just south of Sacramento near the then small town of Elk Grove. Through hard work and good fortune, these vineyards proved to be of excellent character, with our grapes being purchased by a number of well known wineries in the Sonoma Valley.
In 1998, one of our neighbors came to us with a proposal to buy the ranch, an offer we couldn’t refuse. Having developed a passion for the business, we applied what we’d learned about the business and went looking for a great undiscovered site, finding it at last in the mountains of the North Coast. Lake County, to be exact, where we planted our vineyards and began producing Two Jakes of Diamonds.
In as much as we would love to be considered noble men, the truth is, idealistic farmers have difficulty surviving. Farmers play the hand they are dealt, exploit their advantages and try to minimize their risks. Economics compel us to focus on efficient productivity.
However, in the stern, rocky soils at our high altitude site near Clearlake, high yields are not an option. Therefore our mantra can be summed up in one word ~ quality. We grow top quality grapes because we have to. Distinctive wines reflect perfectly the environment in which they are grown, because grapes are delicate vessels which drink in the vineyard site’s attributes and carry the stamp of that place. Our ace in the hole is that our site allows us to grow fruit of comparable and sometimes superior attributes compared to our downhill neighbor Napa County, at a fraction of the cost of land, the principle driver of grape price.
Our unique combination of sought-after characteristics and reasonable prices results in tremendous value which is the key to our success. Our winery customers have come to rely on us to provide intense fruit aromas, color, minerality and tremendous palate energy, and these qualities have become our stock and trade.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, June 13th - Monday, June 17th
Two Jakes of Diamonds Aspects Red Blend
4 bottles for $59.99 $15/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $149.99 $12.50/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2013 Two Jakes of Diamonds Aspects
Two Jakes of Diamonds 2013 Aspects. Lake County Meritage.
A young wine, color is deep ruby through the edge. Transparent. No sediment. No stain on cork. Nose with eucalyptus, mint, floral, cherries and berries. All kinds of cherries and berries and a little plum on the palate. You could find any red or black you’d like. Herbs and pepper too. Full body. High acidity. Fairly long peppery finish. Day 2 and day 3 were similar.
Did I mention there were tannins? If you like tannins, as Tiny Tim said, "A Merry Christmas to us all; God bless us, every one!”. Wonderful, complete tannins. On pop and pour the attack and sides of the tongue were carpet bombed with pop rocks. Be patient kids! On day 2 and 3 the tannins were heavenly. Heavenly! The tannins balanced the fruit and acidity perfectly.
Alcohol and oak were not a prominent feature.
The wine was very enjoyable alone, as a cocktail. It also begs for a neighborhood tasting to tease out the complexities. It was great with burgers off the grill, but deserved better. Day 2 pizza was a mismatch.
A long decant or a decade in the cellar seems appropriate.
I assume this is Two Jakes flagship wine.
It took three days and the bottle is empty, but I keep checking for more.
A case for cellaring. Not looking to split.
Interested in reading the other Lab Rat Reports.
Thanks for the opportunity to participate.
@msten
Thanks for the notes. Guess I will have to find someone else to split with!
@msten This is a volcanic soil, so that pop rock energy isn’t actually acidity - it’s minerality, not that we’ve nailed down exactly what that is. It contributes to its longevity potential.
@msten You’ve got my Interest with the mint and eucalyptus. That’s some Napa meritage vibes going on. Highly tempted.
@chipgreen @msten Nice review! Now we just have to decide how many to include in our split. I’ll take 3, 4 or 6. Let me know if you want me to make the purchase.
@chipgreen @msten @pjmartin @boatman72 @menhyblooms I bought a case so if anyone wants some let me know. With the cases selling out earlier I didn’t wan to sit on the sidelines and miss out.
@Boatman72 @mrn1 @msten @pjmartin
3 or 4 for me, please and thank you!
@Boatman72 @chipgreen @mrn1 @msten
I’ll take 2 for science.
@pjmartin 2 for you!
@chipgreen I’ll put your name on 4 of them!
@chipgreen @mrn1 @msten @pjmartin I also bought a case and waiting for family response. If I have any left over after splits, I’ll let you know.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2013 Two Jakes of Diamonds Aspects Red Blend - $30 = 16.66%
NOTE: 2013 is the correct vintage
@chipgreen @winesmith Working on the correction.
@rjquillin
Nice!
Clark is always a must purchase.
/giphy limber-minor-learning
Psssst. It’s listed as a 2017 in the specs
It’s a 2013.
In 2007 and 2008, my first vintages with this wonderful vineyard, we produced this complex blend to showcase all elements of this remarkable property. Though quite complex, it required considerable age to come around and was perhaps released a bit early. When the DRV brand was stolen in a spurious lawsuit we elected to discontinue it and just make pure varietals.
But as time passed, there was a lot of clamor to restore it, so in 2013 we made a blend. This time we elected to give it plenty of time in neutral French oak, so 66 months later, here it is.
@winesmith Why pick at 25.6 and water back to 23.5? Was there a sudden heatwave that took the grapes a bit further?
@novium Good question. Actually the air is quite dry here, so in this case we needed that brix to get the maturity I wanted. The CF is really reductive otherwise. However, the wine does not extract nor age properly at that alcohol, so I watered it down to replace the evaporative loss and get a well-extracted, balanced wine.
@winesmith thank you, that’s really interesting! I would not have guessed.
@winesmith A lot of winemakers are afraid to do this because it could dilute the flavors. This is because they think of wine as a solution. It isn’t. It’s more like a sauce, with the color, tannin, and a lot of the flavor held in tiny particles called colloids. They don’t teach us about colloid behavior in enology school. That’s why I wrote Postmodern Winemaking.
This one is predominantly Merlot with Cab Sauv and Cab Franc in supporting roles. The result is a well-knit spectrum of fruit aromas: blackberry, grenadine, cassis, plum, and white cherry, with nuances of droughty hers like rosemary and sage plus cinnamon spice from the CF. It’s tannins are well resolved and it’s flavors open. Yet it’s still youthful, so for those who prefer more tertiary bottle development, it will certainly repay a decade more cellaring.
Oozing with flavor, it’s enjoyable with a veal chop, wild mushrooms or an exotic cheese. Well worth it’s $30 suggested retail price, it’s clearly a steal at the $12.50 case price.
@winesmith Clarke- how does this wine compare to the WineSmith Meritage? I’m already in for a case of this, and loved the Meritage!
@wnance Strangely, it’s quite different. Not sure why. The Meritage has lots of tobacco and bouquet development. Aspects is more youthful, complexly fruity and simple. It almost the same stuff, so I’ve no idea why.
It’s a wonderful wine well worth drinking, period. The value/ QPR is icing on the cake.
WineSmith (& Two Jakes) wines are an auto-buy for us way back to WW; never disappointing. Nice to see ‘Aspects’ back again. In for a Case: loyal-drab-shame
As always, thanks to WineDavid for giving us access to not only great wines, but super QPR too!!
Case already sold out
Case sold out before 6:30a EDT first day? Oh man I went to bed too early last night. :’(
@drhellknow @winesmith @winedavid49 Anything to be done about this revoltin’ development?
@drhellknow Wow…
@InFrom @Winedavid49 @winesmith @Vyntage Yay for more cases being available!
@drhellknow @Vyntage @Winedavid49 @winesmith Thanks, folks!
/giphy opaque-singular-crusader
@drhellknow Woohoo! Just cancelled my order for four bottles and ordered a case.
I first received an email from Fedex that there was a signature required package coming. Odd, I didn’t order anything that only weighed 4lbs. Could it be that I got the golden ticket? Yes! A Winesmith no less! My first rattage. I’m no pro so here goes my honest, non-wine-speak review.
We went out to dinner with friends Saturday night so I brought the bottle. I love heavy full bodied reds, but my friend is not a huge red wine drinker. She enjoys whites, but she was game and in for a small pour. Upon PnP, the color was a nice ruby and translucent. The legs stretched for miles and were fast to fall. Initial sniff did not have a strong smell of alcohol. I smelled lots of berries. Earth is what came to mind. My friend said, ‘meadow,’ agreed about the earthy smell and then said ‘grass’. ‘Pleasant’ came out of both our mouths.
Upon initial taste, we got the same berry flavors, but not as much of the earth. The alcohol was not up front, but more on the finish and left our mouths fairly dry. Actually, really dry. Water please.
We let the wine sit for a bit and then tried again. Over the next 30-60 minutes, there was now citrus on the nose and a scent of a spice – maybe rosemary? Maybe cinnamon? not as much of a dry finish, less alcohol. The flavor lingered and left me wanting another sip. My friend said, ‘this is really good,’ which was a great endorsement for not being a red wine drinker. She wanted more and I was happy to oblige. I was really enjoying the wine on its own. Time for food.
Our friends ordered a pizza and I had a juicy burger with sautéed mushrooms and swiss. Interestingly, it was not so good with the swiss, but when I tried just the burger, it was pretty good. The pizza had Canadian bacon and onions so my friend opted for beer. I put the cork back in the bottle and let it sit on the counter overnight.
The next day, I poured another glass. The aromas were still berry, but no citrus or spice. The flavors had approx. the same profile as the night before, but even easier to drink. Not as dry of a finish and the flavor stayed with me. It was simply delicious!! I tried several cheeses and the wine held up well with strong cheese, spicy cheese, and blue cheese. It was not so good with chocolate, almonds, or milder cheeses. Spice was the best. Out came the spicy food. Sublime!
Overall, I really enjoyed the wine and thought it was a great sipper. Not as heavy as a Cab, but fantastic for any season. It can be enjoyed on its own and doesn’t require food. I think it would be a great intro wine for non-red drinkers and delightful for those who enjoy reds. Based on my experience, I would open the bottle several hours ahead of time. Im in for a case and believe I will be gifting my friend a bottle or two.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to rat. I really enjoyed it and hope my review has lived up to the standards of the casemates pros.
@chefjess first labrat chefjess?? it won’t be the last!
@chefjess great report. You’ve humbled a fellow rat.
@chefjess Welcome to the pros!
As much as I’m trying to avoid buying more wine, I would have gone in for a case if it was still available this morning (I head for bed too early to catch the offer debuts). But four bottles will suffice, I guess.
/giphy amicable-melodic-pot
@Mark_L Looked back today and noticed that cases are now available. Hopefully my order for a 4-pack can be cancelled (the Cancel Order option is not showing on it today).
/giphy presumptuous-packed-plate
Having received this prior to Sunday, here is the list of items we prepared:
Let’s just say, there was only one thing on that list mildly disappointing. The wine was served chilled for the first round. It was perfectly dry, and rewarded me with a satisfying pucker on the finish. Perhaps those with a better nose then mine can detect smells, but I detect essence. To me, on the nose, this smelled like a rustic New England Barn, w/ overtones of cherry wood. Heavenly! It was smooth, seductive, and enticed me to sample it again and again. The fullness of it, the impact of the savory notes caused me to forget about the travesty of what I was watching. I was no longer bored when I sipped upon the wine. I transported myself to a land Tyrion would aspire to find. After spending the first half of the episode warming up, we refilled our glasses, and tried again. Practice makes perfect, of course. That being said, once warmer, it showed an ever changing progression of hints of the sage and rosemary. Overall, this is a fantastic drinker, and fits the budget quite well. I do dare say, I’m in for more. But hey, at least I don’t have to deal with GoT any more.
@alacercogitatus well spun!!
I absolutely do not need more wine…but is there a chance of more stock of the case getting opened up?
/giphy last-worthless-cereal
@lagloriafan That giphy just makes me sad!
No more cases? Wtf?
@winer they fixed it
A California produced wine that was barreled for 5 1/2 years for $12.50???
/giphy generic-nameless-twist
A California produced wine that was barreled for 5 1/2 years for $12.50!!!
Looks like 4 will have to do!
/giphy wholesome-dandy-sidewalk
@catcoland Yeaahhh… No surf. Make do with what you have!
Hmmm… Looks like more cases were added at 10:30. While I appreciate the willingness to add more wine, this is frustrating for us that paid a higher price for fewer bottles because the cases weren’t available. The lesson appears to be (perhaps unintentionally) that if the cases are sold out, don’t bother buying the smaller quantity.
@jwhetzel You should be able to cancel the first offer and buy a case, I just did, if you can’t contact cs.
@jwhetzel yea, it was en error in loading the sellout number. sorry! ping support and you can cancel the order and then get back on the case. apologies!
Thanks @Winedavid49 I just did exactly that.
@Winedavid49 Thank you! I didn’t see an explicit option to cancel the order (it had already moved to “processing”), but I filled out a “problem with the order” message requesting cancellation. If there’s another way to cancel orders, please let me know.
@jwhetzel This kind of personal service is one small element of what makes casemates several cuts above any other flash sale outfit I’m aware of. WineDavid is so great for us to work with. Everybody goofs once in a while, but it blows my mind that we were all onto fixing the problem and walking back the 4-pack purchases by 7AM this morning. Kudos!
@winesmith Definitely agreed! I would normally be very worried about signing up for a case purchase while the other purchase was still pending, but the support here has always been stellar. I knew it would be taken care of. And thank you for providing us the opportunity to buy (more of) your excellent wine!
I actually have a labrat bottle waiting for me at home tonight… but the fear of missing out compelled me to purchase the case. If there are any Seattle folks interested in a split, let me know. I would want to cellar between 4-6 bottles.
@trifecta I’ll take 4.
@airynne @trifecta I’m down for four as well…
@Winedavid49
Any chance of summer shipping with this? Forecast here is in the 100s. I know I’m not going to get one, but I Sure would like a hold option.
In for a case! extreme-meddlesome-banana
What’s the word on summer shipping? I’m in for a case and taking a chance, but it’s going to be hot in coming weeks.
@RRichmo early June
Yikes! Was having multiple failures when trying to purchase, and was concerned we’d miss out on this one, but made it in! Despite a slew of non-Illinois offering and the SIWBM, we’re averaging more than a case a week- looking your way for the blame on this @winedavid49! We’re seriously running out of room! Anyone up for a central Illinois wine party?
/giphy powerful-updated-money
/giphy mousy-pathetic-vacation
between this and some Laura Michael Cab on another site. Just sayin’… I’m in trouble!
Yep, had to transfer some cash from the savings
Went to order a case, and all I get is the Kerry Grant gif. I hope I didn’t get Jaked out of some great wine! Anyone know what has happened?
@ejrunion If Cary Grant married Kerry Washington…
@ejrunion
Seems like there have been some server issues today. I have had trouble loading pages several times throughout the evening.
@chipgreen I got through! But not before a bit of existential panic!
Sounds really good…in for a case! Anyone in CNY up for a split?
@NatasG Nathan, I got a 4-pack, but if you get a case, I’d take another 4.
@FritzCat Sounds Good…I did get a case so 4 more are yours if you like!
@NatasG sounds good. Thank you
What’s going on with SoCal for this one? I sure as hell don’t need more wine, but I’m also ok to take a few for a split.
@klezman I’ll do a couple or three (or four) if you need more takers!
@klezman I’m set with a coworker.
@klezman @radiolysis coworker sighting!
@ttboy23. What do you think?
I bought a 4-pack earlier today (Wed) and never looked back. I was a little worried I would miss it, ya know FOMO. But then I was almost happy the cases were temporarily out! Did you get some?
@ttboy23 Nope.
@kasandrae , @nklb , @csolivares1
any of you interested in a split?
@csolivares1 @jrbw3 @kasandrae @ttboy23 I picked up my own case, but I would potentially be willing to part with a few bottles
@csolivares1 @kasandrae @nklb - I’ll take whatever you want to part with, if Cain or KaSandra don’t want to split.
@csolivares1 @jrbw3 @nklb @ttboy23 I too picked up my own case, but could part with some if someone misses out…if you twist my arm and ask nicely
@csolivares1 @kasandrae @nklb @ttboy23
csolivares1 has graciously agreed to split. Thanks everyone.
Anyone in/around NYC interested in a few from my case?
@InFrom hey! I’d love to split your case or take a few off your hands
@InFrom yes, located in Forest Hills!
@montepulciano @irenegade How about 3 each? I want to hold onto 6, for myself and my work pals.
Calling @irenegade! Check out the new whispers above.
@InFrom hi, sorry I’ve been out of the loop! Haven’t checked email or voice mails regularly. Found out today that my car was repaired on Friday. Service left a vm Friday which I never checked. Been driving a loaner 5 days longer than I had too! LOL. Anyway about the wine, I don’t think we covered logistics? I may have to pass depending on the location. I’m located in Forest Hills.
@irenegade Wow, that really is out of the loop!
@irenegade Hi again. Can you please respond to the above whisper(s), and also whisper me with an alternate contact method? I shared my phone and email above.
Please let us know if you’re still interested, and if you are, whether you want all three, or fewer. Thanks.
4 got me this
/giphy heavy-appealing-lager
In… Can’t wait to try this! Thanks @Winedavid49 & WCC.
@hey_zeus my pleasure!
/giphy prosperous-foamy-coat
/giphy lowly-courageous-thrill
I placed an order yesterday for 4 bottles. I wanted a case, but it said they were sold out… Any way I can change that?
@RexSeven go to your order page and use the “I need help with this” button to contact customer service. It sounds like they’ve been responding quickly and canceling the 4 bottle orders. Some folks just ordered the case first but reported no problems canceling the prior order.
@catcoland @RexSeven Sent something yesterday just after noon and still no response…
@lehigh @RexSeven @Winedavid49 That doesn’t sound right.
@catcoland @lehigh @RexSeven on it.
I’m failing MISERABLY with my SIWBM! I’ve bought 6 cases over the past 5 weeks, including whites for the wife and reds for me. Thanks @winedavid49 for blowing my wine budget!
/giphy evasive-disturbed-chance
@TimW wait minute… what’s this “wine budget” thing you speak of?
@RRichmo @TimW I need clarification too please…”wine budget”???
Never heard of it myself, but my wife speaks of it on occasion. I just thought it was something she made up.
Hmm, cases out so I bought the 4 pack. Hmm, cases available so I bought a case. I’m happy.
2013 Two Jake’s Aspects; Lake County;14.9% abv
PnP This initially has a deep brooding nose. Getting hints of iron, no herbal. Not giving up much initially. Palate, this is big tannin country. Medium acid. Tons of grip but not ultra drying. Needs tons of time. A bit hollow on the mid palate, and not getting the minerality I typically get from theses soils.
2 hours open. Calmed down a bit, but still tons of grip on the finish. Acid is now more noticeable and in balance. Still getting dark fruit on the nose, but now a layer with sage and tarragon unfolding. Still showing dark fruit on the palate, lean plum and the slightest hint of a chalky minerality.
Corked and will revisit. This is a really well made wine with tons of structure to go the long haul. I already purchased yesterday and will be putting a drink window on mine of 2022-2032. It’s not that it can’t be enjoyed now with a good long decant, but I have a backlog and would prefer it to slowly unwind in the bottle.
I love that we can access this wine for so little. Frankly I don’t know where you could find a more solid, age worthy blend at this price point. Screaming deal.
Anyone else trying to call Sandra and not getting through? Any suggestions?
@pseudogourmet98 they usually still honor the deal after the sale ends.
/giphy washable-racy-summer
I saw a FedEx truck on my way to work and it made me thirsty. Today is the day…
Case arrived two days ago and I confess, couldn’t wait, I opened one now. OMG, fantastic. Nose alone is 30s+ . Complex red fruit, a blast of (zin-like) briar (which is not at all the same as nasty generic terrroir etc), a ghost of mint or a slightly-subtler herb… I’m in love.
In fact, I might not drink this, I might just inhale it.
Mouthfeel is ultimate smooth, nothing super-dry but (for me) I’d rock this with anything.
OK, i’m gonna just sit and sniff for hours…
@slinger42 nice!!