Reviews

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

The standard Myriad Crane offers well-balanced flavors of black cherry yogurt, red and black licorice, and some gravelly earth notes. Faint dirt and soil notes can also be found running around in the…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Empyrean Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Similar to the GIII with its red and black cherry and subtle chocolate-spice, but much more linear and clamped-down in its current state. It has sophistication and the potential stuffing for a…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Big fruit upfront, with a redder profile than the more gothic-hot-tattoo-chick 2018 GIII. The 2017 shows some of its traditional black cherry and earthy notes, but to a lesser degree when compared to…

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Pangkarra Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper

Ah, the "Supa Hoppa!"... As expected, this is the super-duper-uber Becklyn Missouri Hopper 2.0, and it shows accordingly. Take everything you know about the Hopper, add more wet soil, more roast…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Kenefick Ranch

Black fruit galore; likely the blackest Kenefick I've had to date, behaving more like a throttled-down version of the Steltzner. Blackberry, black cherry, black currant, and black rock. Did I mention…

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper

Creosote, blackberry, damp black earth, fresh turned soil, and some charcuterie notes cut in line before the frame eventually catches up with its semi-sweet, rich tannins. A bit of an onslaught on…

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Moulds Vineyard

This wine is admittedly a tricky one for me, as this particular site jives less with my palate in general; so, full disclosure there. Many will find it to be a well-honed machine that reflects…

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

Much like the Myriad Twins, the standard Becklyn sample displayed fresh, ripe red and black fruit, albeit with a more reserved temperament overall at the moment. Complete, friendly, and with medium…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Peterson Family

A new offering from Mike Smith, the Peterson (of Switchback Ridge fame) is a very fine testament to the site's ability to pump out some quality juice. Not surprisingly, this behaved very similarly to…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Round Pond Vineyard

The most plush and round of the 2018 offerings, the Round Pond delivers well in the blackberry and plum department, flaunting its commodities without giving up the whole farm. Fun and pleasurable…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Twins Vineyard

Showing its hand the least amongst the otherwise intense and commanding 2018s, the Twins rode a little high on entry and couldn't get into full envelopment mode on the palate in its current state.…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Dear Lord in Heaven, this is a WIIIIIDE open book in its current state, splaying out all the goods right on the front end and making no excuses for it. Those familiar with GIII are no strangers to…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Empyrean Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Tight and locked-up from the very first sip, but not so much that it doesn't offer the insatiable consumer some flavor gratification in the form of black currant, black pebbles, plum skin, and…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Blackberry, black cherry, and ripe purple fruit compile the core fruit, with scorched earth, wet cedar, and obsidian framing the general profile. This is displaying a bit of a reduced and macerated…

Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Equally dark as the regular sample, the Reserve fires-off with a serious streak of minerality and a tannic backbone that immediately frame-out and control the electric fruit just waiting to explode.…

Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

Super expressive! This version of Scarlett may be the best rendition of the standard McGah offering yet. Much like the 2015 in its infancy, this 2018 delivers a gushing attack of an array of fruit…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Not surprisingly, the Crane is similar in most ways to the Elysian in terms of its enticing flavor profile. Black cherry dominates, with some red cherry and licorice; faint earth and spice…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elysian Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Pumping out that Dr. Crane black cherry core that ya'll are familiar with, the Elysian falls in-line with the compelling 2015 and 2016 vintages in terms of overall profile and intensity. Earth and…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Steltzner Vineyard

A tight and fuzzy frame surrounds a pulsating core of blackberry, black cherry, black rock, and bitter chocolate. Behaving almost like a Las Piedras on an Arnold Pumping Iron horse juice regimen of…

Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc Les Sétilles

Yellow citrus, lemon curd, fresh squeezed lemon juice, white melon, and the slightest hint of pumice, this Regionales Bourgogne impresses with its immediacy in flavor delivery and uncomplicated…

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

Strawberry water, rhubarb, red currant, citrus rind, tobacco leaf, leather, and cedar notes fill out the delicate profile of this well-balanced and finessed Ducru. An effortless delivery, landing…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Star Vineyard

Uber plush and fruity, with black cherry syrup surrounded by cinnamon and nutmeg spices washing over the palate in a round, plump delivery. Finishes with the sweet spice note swirling around the…

Château Sociando-Mallet Cuvée Jean Gautreau

The best in the lineup. Blackberry, plum, black (and some red) currant, and some earth. More of a black fruited profile. Medium all the way around. Not especially fascinating or…

Château Brane-Cantenac

I didn't hate this wine, so it had that going for it. Blackberry, black currant, earth, hamster shavings, and a hint of violets. A little bit of an awkward delivery of flavors initially, but air…

Château Langoa Barton

This was being lauded as the wine to try. So I tried it. And so that happened. Wait, what I talking about? Oh yeah, how forgettable this wine was...