Reviews

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn Hall Napa Valley

A downright beautiful bottle of wine. Balanced beyond belief. This followed the Bergfeld (which was my favorite in the lineup), so the Kathryn Hall had some real catching-up to do in terms of…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Bergfeld

This was my favorite in the lineup, as it kicked out wonderful blue and black berry fruit notes, along with some signature Saint Helena minerality. This wine had so much of what I love about Napa…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Jack's Masterpiece

Essentially identical to the 2013 Eighteen-Seventy-Three except that the Jack's Masterpiece had a bit more depth. The Jack's carried the same higher register red berry fruit and spice as the…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Eighteen Seventy-Three Napa Valley

A little tight, with some high-toned red berry and currant flavors punching through the darker berry fruit notes. Some alcohol and vanilla, with a spicebox note that was fairly prominent on the back…

Buccella Cabernet Sauvignon Cuvée Katrina Eileen

As expected, this was the star of the lineup. The quality oak influence showed through in spades, but the near-perfect core of dark berry fruit could handle the 100% new French oak without any…

Buccella Cabernet Sauvignon

This definitely needs a little bit of time to unwind and sort itself out; but what presented itself after about an hour decant was a very well delineated and focused core of deep, dark fruit. Notes…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Simple and straightforward notes of plum, black cherry, some black raspberry, and a bit of cedar. Fairly plump and round, almost carrying some Merlot-like nuances. Some purple berry and talc notes…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Previous notes from 08/22/2016 still apply, however I took some time to follow this over the course of a few hours.

Trujillo Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasted at a friend's before dinner. Paired with white ghost pepper salami and rich/salty hard Parmesan. This wine was MUCH better with food; as a stand alone drinker, it felt a little lost at this…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

Rich, extracted, and incredibly deep. Black fruit driven wine; notes of ripe blackberry, dark chocolate, asphalt, tar, scorched earth, smooth oak, vanilla bean, and a little clove. Reminded me a bit…

Forman Cabernet Sauvignon

Same as my specific tasting notes in March.

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon 9 Oaks 36 Month French Select Block 2 St. Helena Mountain

Surprisingly accessible and overall a well done, top shelf expression of Napa Cabernet. As good or better as the 2014 equivalent barrel sample tried at the winery's Barrels & Beasts a few months…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fortuna Vineyard

I was going to wait on this, but I wanted to follow it over a couple of days. PnP was nice and vibrant, with red and black berry fruits. Not a lot of additional flavors initially, but after a few…

12c Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

PnP with notes of black and red berry fruit, black cherry, prominent licorice, tire tread/rubber, and some forest floor and earth/funk. Came off a little wonky and unresolved at the moment; flavors…

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

On the heels of having thoroughly loved the 2014 TOR BTK Cabernet recently at the Tor tasting at Meadowood, I decided to pop this 2012 BTK Cabernet.

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Interesting... I had this side-by-side with a day-two-in-bottle (gassed) 2013 Scarlett. Though I've had a number of bottles of the Myriad GIII (and previous specific notes still apply), this was the…

Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, YACKMAN called it (no surprise). This wine has certainly continued to transition into something noteworthy over the last 4 months. I kept saying I was going to wait until the Fall, but hey, I…

Altamura Cabernet Sauvignon

Served at La Toque restaurant, Napa.

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon East Meets West

As with the majority of Tor's high end Cabernets, the East Meets West was a very well done wine. However, I'm not sure it was ultimately the best use of the vineyards necessarily, as two great…

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Black Magic

Though the Black Magic was undeniably an incredible wine (essentially a "Reserve" offering of the BTK Cabernet), I much preferred the BTK over the Black Magic. For certain, the Black Magic was…

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Cimarossa Vineyard

Surprisingly, this was served after the 2014 BTK Cabernet. Even though I was still experiencing the finish from the BTK, I was able to hitch a ride right on to the Cimarossa flavor train and…

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Hands down the best wine of the fifteen Tor wines sampled during the tasting event. Even more captivating than the Black Magic (the "Reserve" BTK). Unbelievable intensity and depth, kicking out…

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard

The 2014 Tor Melanson ratcheted up the intensity and was the first wine of the afternoon where everyone looked at each other and collectively began nodding their heads with that notion of, "Now we're…

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Tierra Roja

This was a little more wild and brambly when compared to the softer and rounder Herb Lamb tasted just before it. Higher-toned red and black fruit-driven at the moment, the Tierra Roja will likely…

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Herb Lamb Vineyard

A new offering from Tor using the Herb Lamb Vineyard to source a single vineyard designation Cabernet Sauvignon. A beautifully centered wine, with some nice darker fruits peeking out of it. Showed…