Reviews

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

PnP with some alcohol-laced fruit liqueur flavors and a sweet, clipped finish. Uh oh; the Quivet conundrum rears its head again?! This needed about 2+ hours to mellow out a bit, and then...It was…

Buccella Cabernet Sauvignon Cuvée Katrina Eileen

Wait, wait, wait! Hold off on popping these little gems for at least another two years. So much potential wrapped up in a completely balled up fist of higher-toned fruit and tannins.

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The Grand Daddy Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Same as my previous notes last summer. A solid bottle of wine and just what I would expect from a Carter BTK. This bottle was a bit tight and youthfully reserved initially, but it found its glide…

Mending Wall Cabernet Sauvignon

All of my other previous notes apply. This just feels like sort of a lost wine. Nothing really distinguishing about it. I found it difficult to maintain interest in this throughout consumption. As a…

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

Same as my previous notes from 7-8 months ago. This is indeed becoming a softer, more elegant OG over time. It does seem like the flavors have room to deepen and become more complex with some…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Pellet Vineyard

It's been nine months since I last had this wine. Time in bottle has garnered some improvements on the Pellet, but it is being ever-reluctant to show its maturity. The first hour was still a bit…

Bacio Divino Cabernet Sauvignon Janzen Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard

It's been a year since I've last had this wine. My previous notes apply from November 2015. It was a little tight and acidic at first, but unwound nicely after some vigorous swirling in the glass.…

The Debate Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

All of my previous notes apply. WOTN for everyone. Needed a splash decant and was quickly on its way to showing itself off. Quickly disappeared.

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Bergfeld

An enticing bottle of wine from start to finish. Drinking extremely well with about a 30 minute decant. Rich and deep, with the perfect kiss of sweet cassis and red and black licorice to compliment…

Pott Wine Cabernet Sauvignon Actaeon Quixote Vineyard

PnP with tightly coiled notes of red and purple berry fruit, red currant, tobacco leaf, and some spice. I let this balled-up little monster unravel in a decanter for two-three hours. What emerged…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

As previously mentioned, and quite ironically, this was poured at a private event with around 50 guests. For that, this wine was indeed a safe bet. All of the bottles were ultimately drained and the…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

I really dig this wine. Previous notes apply. I could drink the hell out of this GIII and kill the bottle before I knew what hit me.

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

In a year's time, I feel like I will like this wine close to as much as its 2013 older brother. The fruit here is unquestionably beautiful, especially for an appellation, "standard" Cabernet. Same as…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Coliseum Block

The 2012 version of this wine is stunning at the moment. This 2014 reminded me of a very young version of the 2012 (no surprise there), but the 2014 seems like it might have a little more spine. A…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Kings Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

The final wine in the lineup - and for good reason - the Carter Three Kings showed why it can compete with the best in Napa Valley. Though I am still partial to the OG and LPV in 2014 (so far), the…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Weitz Vineyard

After having the Myriad GIII (which was a very giving wine, displaying tons of dark fruit and a hedonistic mouthfeel), the Carter Weitz seemed extra tight. All of the flavors were there (previous…

Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

After a splash decant (through a micro filter to rid it of the sediment it was throwing off initially), this thing was high-kicking better than Paula Abdul (flashback 'Straight Up' '80s Paula; not…

Kobalt Cabernet Sauvignon

As expected after having the 2013 version a few times now (which I really like), the 2012 was rich, full, decadently voluptuous, and lavishly dark. Just a hair less intense and vivacious than the…

Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Beautiful Generation

Similar to all of my other previous notes. PnP was a little tight, but it advertised itself right away as a big boy wine. Balled-up black raspberry, black currant, black asphalt, and some bitter…

Rudius Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard

Same as last month. I feel like this is digressing fast. My last bottle. Others at the table preferred it to the 2012 Keever; however, their palates were certainly more aligned with plump, round,…

Keever Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Same as two months ago. 93-94. Drinking fine now; will improve with 6-12 of bottle age. A very good Cabernet, but the QPR isn't that great all things considering.

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Kings Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Jiminy H. Christmas on a popsicle stick! This wine took quite the journey before it turned into something worth consuming. I honestly don't know what in God's name happened to it initially. I opened…

Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve

Flat, dead, and barely a wine I'd even remember trying the next day. Little-to-no acid, almost no frame to speak of, and a "core" of fruit that maybe resembled diluted black and red currant. 100%…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Twins Vineyard

Same as my notes from March except that this showed more finesse and a little less intensity this go-around. Beautiful dark black, blue, and purple fruits, black licorice, and a nice subtle hint of a…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District

I was a HUGE fan of this wine. The first sip totally grabbed my attention, and this was after having all of Hall's previous other Cabernets (including the Bergfeld and Kathryn). This was the clearly…