I opened one about a month ago and had similar thoughts. Solid buy at $40, was pleasantly surprised.
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Same had one 2 weeks ago, enjoyed it, solid, smooth cab with iron fair price at 39, wouldnāt pay above 50 though
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The 2013 is still available at Invino for $50 per and free shipping with purchase of two. Individual price of $99 is silly.
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Really a big fan of the brunello up now on last bottle from podere le ripi. Visited the winery a few years ago and really enjoyed this bottling. In for 6!
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Sold out already!
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The Ripi Riserva that is up now for $99 is below the wholesale release price.
Their wines are phenomenal.
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I popped a Cain 5 2013 and it is the third one that the cork disintegrated during the opening. 1st Bottle was terrible and I had to pour it out, the second was drinkable and this one seems to be OK, but not providing much in the way of the dense and structured wine they posted when they sold this. I am trying to like this based on the description the winery provided when they sold it back in 2017 and not what LB said when they sold it.
My question to this group is as follows:
1- Has anyone else had the issue with the corks and if so, how do you open it without the mess involved with trying to pull the cork out? How long do you decant this wine?
2- Have you found the wine to be as descripted when you drink it? It is OK, but not knocking my socks off. Just out of the bottle on this one and will drink it over the course of 2 nights to see.
When I first contacted LB they told me that cork issues usually do not effect the wine and it should drink well (really did not want me to send it back to them). I havenāt tried any of the other vintages so I donāt know if the cork issue is just with my bottles or the 2013 as a whole. I would be interested in hearing what this board has to say.
Use a Durand to open up older bottles. Works great
As for the Cain 5, I found it to have a heavy brett flavor. Found the elivette to be much more enjoyable
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I havenāt tried the Elivetts yet as I didnāt get as many as I wanted so I was saving them, but I guess I should break those out to see what is what, LOL!!
So one thing Iāll sayā¦I didnāt get any of these wines. I have a high āsensitivityā or perhaps aversion to Brettanomyces flavors. I know this particular wine is sort of known for having some of that. Is it possible thatās what you are experiencing? I know lots of folks like these wines for the very same reason though.
I am not opposed to Brett flavors, but I am not really even getting those right of the jump. The other bottle I drank didnāt display much of that either which leads me to believe the cork problem may be having an effect on the properties of the wine. LB will not be taking these back so I have to hope that they will at least give me some sort of satisfaction.
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Iāve had the 2006 Cain Five and 2015. I really enjoyed both bottles. In fact, I bought more of the 2005 when LB offered it a second time. I seem to remember the 2006 had the cork fall into pieces, but the wine was excellent.
I found the brett to be a nice accent and really enjoyed it. To each their own though.
I popped a 2013 a few nights ago and thought it drank great. No issues at all with the cork. Definitely a little Brett on the nose (not something I mind), but opened up nicely and had some wonderful fruit with tertiary development. I was contemplating buying moreā¦but I have 2 cases of the 2013 Elivette in that vintage so think Iām set on Spring Mtn wine. Also had a 2006 a month or so ago and thought it was drinking better FWIW.
My wife and I popped a 2008 Elivette 750 for our wedding anniversary and it was somewhat of a disappointment. Not really pruney or over the hill, but lacking in fruit, tannins and complexity. Rating: 90 (wife didnāt even finish her glass). The 2006 Elivette magnum we had a couple of months ago was great, aromatic and complex, perfectly aged.
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With that description I am surprised you gave it a 90 ratingā¦Sounds more like an 86
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He follows the JS scoring system. Wine sucksā¦90.
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What about 84 
Seriously though, I personally prefer using the full scale of the 100 points in my system (e.g. if the worst wine rates at 80, then whatās 0-79 intended for) so my scores are usually much lower than average. But I keep my scores as NR on CT to avoid disrupting the majority of people who have adopted the scale where all good wines should rate 90+.
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Luca Maroniā¦Itās at least a 99.
I think my disappointing, negative write up was due to it selling at the winery for something like $280. I expected it to be at least a 94 point wine.
Big Basin Chardonnay down to $13/bottle if you buy 3 at FirstBottle
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