Reviews

Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

For a barrel sample, this wine displayed notable focus and frame, especially given how ripe and bombastic the black and dark red core fruit was delivering on the front of the attack. A lot of power…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Tin Box Vineyard

Similar to last year. Great dark core fruit flavors and purity. More medium bodied and even-keeled than some of Bevan's more intense creations. Tapered off a little on the back end after some air.…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fortuna Vineyard

Same as last year. Still needs some time. Purple and red berry fruit. Furry tannins that still require unraveling a bit more. I'd say after 2020+ is best for a revisit. Decanting for a couple of…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard, Vixen Block

In reading my notes on this wine 2 years ago, I can't say I have much to add except that this was amazingly captivating juice. So well made on every front. Even deeper and darker than I remember.…

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Cimarossa Vineyard

Same notes as last year. One of the top wines of the night. Even better on day 2, which leads me to believe a couple of years will suit this wine even better. Great black/blue/red fruit. Some nice…

Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard

This wine wiped the floor over the other wines at the table. In its class, it and a '14 Bevan Ontogeny were the WOTN. Powerful and concentrated, awesome black core fruit flavors, with black rock and…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Previous notes apply. Though this could use 6-12 months to settle in a bit more, it's starting to operate on a solid level. I bumped this up a point from 93 because the body of the core fruit is…

Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

Previous notes from two months ago apply. Good, solid core fruit, great body and drive, and notable complexity that continues to amaze given its QPR.

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard

Previous notes from last month apply. Medium bodied and middle of the pack amongst other wines at the table. Nice black and some blue core fruit. Similar profile to a '14 Buoncristiani Cab. Drink now…

Buoncristiani Cabernet Sauvignon

Similar to previous notes. By itself, this is a fine wine. However, comparatively with the others, this fell behind the leaders in the pack. Toward the middle/rear in terms of overall performance.…

Sarocka Cabernet Sauvignon

Previous notes apply. Against the competiton of other Napa Cabs, this was the middle of the pack. Likely one of the most focused of the wines at the table, but a little linear across the board. Some…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

Attempted to finish the rest of this Coravin'd bottle. Decanted, aerated, swirled, coaxed, massaged, heavy-petted, counseled, read a goodnight sorry to, given a Millennial honorable mention trophy,…

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Last minute pull. Previous notes apply, though this was more flavorful and giving after a slow O2 for an hour and some swirling in the glass. I'll try to hold until after 2019+.

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

All previous notes apply. This continues to impress all who sample it. The bottle was empty before everyone knew it. Drinking fine now on PnP, but may improve even more in the "seamlessness of…

The Debate Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Much improved from my last bottle. Some old world restraint here (which is indicative of Hoefliger's style), but some nice dark berry and currant flavors that kept me coming back for another sip.…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

Coravin pour. Similar notes as last year. Some really nice black cherry and bitter chocolate notes initially, but this teenager is still working itself out. A lot of bitter sediment came to the…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The O.G. Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

All previous notes apply. Served alongside a '14 Carter Grand Daddy, which had a more red-fruited profile and a little less depth than the OG. The OG was more of a black/purple/crimson profile, with…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The Grand Daddy Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

It has been two years since I last had this wine. PnP with notes of black cherry, cassis, black and ripe red raspberry, red and black currant, tobacco leaf, black licorice, and a faint herbal/menthol…

MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon

Double-decanted and re-corked in-bottle for approximately 8 hours; then consumed out of a decanter over the course of over four more hours. By hour two, this had presented itself in a way that was…

Tusk Estates Cabernet Sauvignon

All previous notes apply. PnP was a little boozy, but that settled down after some swirling in the glass. It was very good, but couldn't fully run away from the liqueur component that was making it…

Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

All of my previous notes on this wine apply. I've written on and on about my adoration for the 2015 Scarlett Reserve. The best Scarlett ever. The best McGah ever. One of the best Mike Smith wines…

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

Same as my previous notes on this wine. This was served to me blind and I identified it correctly as the '15 Becklyn NV, mostly because of the unique array of blue, black, and red fruit notes…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon 887

I always have a soft spot in my heart (or palate) for the St. Helena wines from Del Dotto. This 2013 is a medium-bodied animal (when compared to what I remember about the 2014), darker fruit profile,…

Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Strikingly similar to the 2010 Carter Grand Daddy, except that the Mondavi had a lighter body overall, with a bit of an old-world, earthy quality that made it uniquely stand out when compared to the…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The Grand Daddy Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Somewhat similar to the 2012 Revana Block 6 (served beside it) in terms of its dark, black core fruit. Less chocolate-driven than the Revana, but displaying a nice streak of black soil and earthy…