Reviews

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

Blind.

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

This is a super hot fruit goober. I mean, it's a Crane, so fruit is kinda its thing, but I would leave these alone for a while. It's on total flash and overtly cocktaily in its current fraternity…

Arrow & Branch Right Bank Blend

I say with a little air, this is good to go. Drink with a couple hours in the decanter, or hold with confidence for 5++ years. Black fruited. Polished on the front end, with an…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

A quartet of VHR wines side-by-side (among 20 other wines that night): 2018 VHR 2018 VHR Extended Barrel Age 2019 VHR 2019 Arrow & Branch VHR

Arrow & Branch Sauvignon Blanc Heritage Reserve

Lime, lychee, grapefruit rind, honeydew, vanilla, and pisco sour flavors saunter from the glass with suave and pep. There's a flash of runway model here, but also a cunning and curious smirk behind…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

A singular detonation of primary berry fruit and alcohol arrives hastily and without any sense of timidity, signaling a fledgling Cabernet Sauvignon that is all flexed-up and quite brawny on its…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

Dark ripe berry and black soil notes duel with iron, red and black raspberry, and burnt ember elements to form a full frontal push of luscious and intense fruit and earth flavors. A statuesque wine…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Franc Heritage Reserve Block 1 Arrow & Branch Coombsville

As with many young 2018s from Napa, there is a sultry demeanor with the Arrow & Branch Cabernet Franc Block 1 (older vines than Block 2) that immediately shows alluring finesse. Its profile is also…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Similar to my previous notes, with black cherry, cedar, spice, fresh mulch, and subtle minerality present in a medium-bodied chassis that does well to express a more controlled and classic version of…

Arrow & Branch Right Bank Blend

An exquisite bottle of wine. Dark fruits and spicebox lead the charge, with unsmoked tobacco, rose water, and some earth following suit. The balance here is undeniable and the overall sense of…

Arrow & Branch Sauvignon Blanc Heritage Reserve

Just as awesome as last year. It was great on first pull, but also improved even more with air. Such controlled verve and focused flavor expansion. The kiwi-meets-green apple flavors are really…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

An initial horizontal attack of primary black cherry and cassis flavors made for a youthfully primary delivery on the front end. With air, blackberry and black raspberry liqueur, blackberry seed,…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Dark, earthy red and black berry fruit, soft mulch and cedar, forest floor, and rained-on campfire embers. A pretty sweet kiss of red raspberry fruit on the back end provides lift to otherwise more…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Franc Heritage Reserve Arrow & Branch Coombsville

More serious and firm that the 2015 CF Heritage served beside it, this 2016 has more dark power and grip than its older brother. Black fruit and some burnt embers make up the primary core, with small…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Franc Heritage Reserve Arrow & Branch Coombsville

More plush and fruity when compared to the 2016 CF Heritage served alongside it, the 2015 impresses for its opulent red berry fruit and floral flavor. Round and plush red raspberry, red and black…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Black cherry liqueur, smooth cedar, wet mulch, and some black rock. Classy, finessed, and super sophisticated, the execution here is medium and agreeable, with no hard edges to be found. A faint…

Arrow & Branch Right Bank Blend

The "Right Bank Bordeaux" red blend is the star of the 2016 A&B lineup. A Cabernet Franc dominant (50%) animal, with a 24%/24% additional split of Cabernet Sauvignon, with 2% Petit Verdot. Tasted…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label

Red current, black cherry, and some spice box lead the classy execution of this medium-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. Subtle cedar and plum skin notes carry themselves throughout the attack as well. A…

Arrow & Branch Sauvignon Blanc Heritage Reserve

A beautiful burst of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, subtle grass, and white stone rush on to the palate with verve and spunk, but with a smooth sophistication that shows class and complexity. A…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

The black cherry liqueur thing was jumping off crazy on this wine at first pull, but then it dropped into a more earthy, almost grainy animal, with some crunchy rock and soil notes encircling the…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Much improved and developed from when I had this last year. Black cherry, black raspberry, cardamom, blackberry seed, and some dust. The initial attack cons you into thinking it is going to be…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Same as my previous notes. A bit more reserved this time (it was a PnP with little time to get air - 20 minutes tops), so the darker fruit wasn't as ready at the helm as before. Time in bottle is…

Arrow & Branch Sauvignon Blanc Heritage Reserve

A wine that offers more cerebral interest than it does any type of readily identifiable signature flavor profile associated with the varietal. This is more of a reductive sherry-Champagne hybrid than…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

This is starting to come around nicely, especially since I had it two years ago. Not as coiled up and standoff-ish as my previous encounter. Black and blue core fruit, blueberry, blackberry, black…

Arrow & Branch

High-toned red berry fruit, with notes of black and red currant, red and black cherry, cassis, limestone, spice, and some alcohol. The fruit had a lot of drive initially, but was clipped by hits of…