Wine Doctrine
Every tasting note

Reviews

1,936 notes

2014

Sinegal Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

California · Napa Valley

PnP with an initial rush of wild berry liqueur notes, with a decent amount of heat pushing through the back end. This took about two hours in the decanter to come to proper form. Once behaved, it was…

Reviewed 28 December 2017
2014

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Teucer Vineyard

Napa Valley · Coombsville

Same as a number of months ago. Give this a few hours in the decanter and be rewarded. PnP was a little hot, but some air time smoothed it out completely and deepened its overall flavor profile.…

Reviewed 26 December 2017
2013

Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard

Napa Valley · Calistoga

Same as previous notes. The first two hours were filled with huge fruit and some slaps of alcohol (most similar to my last experience with this wine). However, after a few hours of air, this really…

Reviewed 21 December 2017
2012

Realm Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Napa Valley · Oakville

Similar to my previous notes from last year. Blackberry, boysenberry, blueberry, black raspberry, black and dark red currant, Baker's unsweetened chocolate, dark baking spices (nutmeg), and clove.…

Reviewed 17 December 2017
2016

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Steltzner Vineyard

Napa Valley · Stags Leap District

A formidable punch of predominantly black core fruit; black currant, black raspberry, dark black plum, black slate, cassis, and some scorched earth. A notable pick-me-up as the attack drove toward…

Reviewed 15 December 2017
2014

Selah Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa Valley · Howell Mountain

Much like TRB's Caterwaul, the Selah (one of TRB's 45+ other ventures) is also a fairly straight-forward, walk-in-the-park version of the varietal. This is certainly NOT a "mountain fruit" rendition…

Reviewed 15 December 2017
2015

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Moulds Vineyard

Napa Valley · Oak Knoll District

Coravin pour. A bit of a whirlwind of flavors, with blackberry, black and red currant, black and red licorice, black raspberry, blueberry, vanilla bean, and hints of spice. Some Twizzlers notes…

Reviewed 15 December 2017
2014

Caterwaul Cabernet Sauvignon Regusci Vineyard

Napa Valley · Stags Leap District

Coravin pour. Mid-weight push of black and dark red core fruit; blackberry, black and red currant, wet earth, processed vanilla extract, and black slate notes. A fairly level attack, with a…

Reviewed 15 December 2017
2014

Depiction Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa Valley · St. Helena

PnP with dark, ripe black core fruit, with a rich, chocolatey plum-driven attack; some barely discernible spice emerged as well. There was a bit of an over-ripe plummy effect on the back end that…

Reviewed 15 December 2017
2015

Buoncristiani Cabernet Sauvignon

California · Napa Valley

Opened the night before, gassed, re-corked, and tasted at 11AM the next day. Super compacted and almost totally inaccessible. A complete saliva-sucker. Leave this alone for a couple of years and hope…

Reviewed 15 December 2017
2015

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper

Napa Valley · Oakville

Opened the night before, gassed, re-corked, and tasted at 11AM the next day. Fairly tight and clipped on the back end. However, youth aside, this wine seems to show some of the most agability over…

Reviewed 15 December 2017
2015

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Napa Valley · Rutherford

Opened the night before, gassed, re-corked, and tasted at 11AM the next day. A not-too-surprising representation of the GIII site. Plush, fruit-driven, and flavorful, with fairly soft edges and an…

Reviewed 15 December 2017
2015

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon

California · Napa Valley

Opened the night before, gassed, re-corked, and tasted at 11AM the next day. Accessible with medium-bodied, purple and black core fruit. Good flavor overall and a friendly display of round and a…

Reviewed 15 December 2017
2009

Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

California · Napa Valley

Same as previous notes. Solid wine with depth, concentration, flavor, and fairly notable complexity. Needs about an hour or two of air to show its true form. 94 points. Drink now and over the next…

Reviewed 15 December 2017
2014

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard

Napa Valley · Calistoga

Same as previous notes. I feel as though I rushed through it this time around. 93-95 points. An excellent wine, especially for the price-point, but I should've taken some more time to follow it…

Reviewed 13 December 2017
2014

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

California · Napa Valley

A messy diaper performance; wonky, fruity, and pretty mushy. Not much focus, with a one-note pile of ripe, flabby fruit. Sorta like taking a spoonful of raw Bisquick drop biscuit dough and plopping…

Reviewed 9 December 2017