Reviews

Del Dotto The David Napa Valley

Four years ago was my last spin with this wine. This bottle is improved from my previous experiences, though I still find this to be more of a plush and simple representation. Agreeable and all,…

Del Dotto Pinot Noir Cinghiale Vineyard

Super fruity and plush, with red cherry and ripe red raspberry dominating the profile. A simple red fruit attack of ripe, round fruit hitting the palate with one plop. The back end was more of the…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Estate Family Reserve

From barrel. The Rutherford became lost in the sea of other barrel samples that were a bit more compelling than this somewhat simple representation of its terroir. I could drink it, and it went fine…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Connoisseurs' Series Vicard French Oak St Helena Mountain Block 2

From barrel. It was very interesting to note the difference between this Vicard Energie barreled wine, and the exact same wine but from the Vicard Privilege barrel. This Energie was more abrasive and…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Connoisseurs' Series Vicard French Oak Vineyard 887 SO / Family

From barrel. 887 South Family Reserve. Much like the St. Helena Mountain Vicard Privilege I had the other day, this 887 Vicard Distinction's fruit worked quite well with the barrel influence. More…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon American Oak Alain Fouquet St Helena Mountain Block 2

From barrel. Similar in its flavor profile and grippy frame as the St. Helena Mountain Darnajou, except that the American oak (carved and grooved no less) imparted strong maple and brown sugar notes…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve Darnajou French Oak Connossieurs' St. Helena Mountain

From barrel. Block 2. Similar to the Vicard version of this wine I had the previous day, the St. Helena Mountain Darnajou provides both focused structure and exacting concentration, with a layered…

Del Dotto Giovanni's Tuscan Reserve

From barrel. Bitter black cherry, black currant, wood, dark cranberry, and alcohol. A piecemeal presentation in its current state, with a tannic bite that never fully leaves the palate and allows the…

Del Dotto The David Howell Mountain

From barrel. The David Howell Mountain presents with a ripe plum and cherry syrup core. Some earthy kirsch, currant, and mocha notes compete for attention as well. The flavors seem to be there, but…

Del Dotto Sauvignon Blanc

More tropical fruit cocktail than Sauvignon Blanc; heavy on the pineapple and melon fruit flavors. Medium-to-light weight; just enough grip to hold it all together. A short, somewhat watery finish.

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Connoisseur's Series Vineyard 887 Family Reserve St. Helena

From barrel. A difficult wine to get a read on, with a plummy aftertaste that dominated the overall profile. Black cherry and unripe blackberry notes were also present. Some astringency on the back…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon American Oak Carved & Grooved Family Reserve Alain Fouquet South Oakville

From barrel. Somewhat similar to the Darnajou version of this wine sampled side-by-side, the American Oak was strikingly and surprisingly similar to the how the French Oak was behaving with the…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve Darnajou French Oak North

From barrel. This sample of the Piazza Del Dotto Oakville Estate Darnajou NORTH Family Reserve showed decent black cherry and plum core fruit. Surprisingly, the Darnajou was imparting flavors that…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Connoisseurs' Series Vicard French Oak St Helena Mountain Block 2

From barrel. Energetic and concentrated, the St. Helena Mountain Vicard shows nice depth of flavor and notable intensity that drives the fruit forward without pummeling you over the palate with it. A…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon The Beast

From barrel. The best rendition of The Beast I've had over the last couple of years. Seemingly more focused than the 2015 was at this stage, and more akin to the 2014 in its concentration and…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve 887

Higher toned cranberry, red and black currant, unripe red and black cherry, and alcohol. Riding high on the palate, with less depth than some of the other St. Helena offerings. Less giving in its…

Del Dotto Chardonnay Family Reserve Cinghiale Vineyard

Candied lemon peel, lemon oil, lightly buttered popcorn, vanilla, slight glycol, alkaline, and some subtle grass. A little less smooth on the back end. Lacking silkiness and textural elegance, but…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Centre Sylvain Block 1 Howell Mountain

Much more accessible and giving than the Howell Single Cluster, this Block 1 is a powerful and tannic animal. Black cherry, plum, and some earth. Medium complexity and depth of flavor, this wine is…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Single Cluster Howell Mountain

From Magnum. Much like the Single Cluster Oakville, this Howell Mountain offering is black cherry dominant, with some red cherry and vanilla alcohol notes injected into the core. The initial attack…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Single Cluster

Offered in Magnum only. Black cherry and red and black currant dominant. A similar flavor profile to some of the other Del Dotto Oakville wines, except that this had a little more heightened frame.…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve St. Helena Mountain

Tannic and youthful, but the grip isn't as abrasive as some of the other 2013s sampled. The fruit concentration manages to push through (barely) and provide for some decent pleasure. This wine begs…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve Oakville Estate

Black cherry and red and black currant. Tannic and dry, with rustic edges that made for a flat and linear delivery overall. These 2013s seemingly need a ton of time. Cellar for another 3-5+ years and…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Estate Family Reserve

Plum, black cherry, currant, and alcohol. Similar to the 887 previously sampled in that it came off a little abrasive, especially on the finish. Tannic and linear. At best, needs time.

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon American Oak Carved & Grooved Alain Fouquet Vineyard 887 SO/FR St. Helena

Plum, black cherry, wood, torched brown sugar, chocolate, and some spice. A decent depth here, with a ripe fruit-giving style; luckily it's not overly ripe or mushy in its overall profile.

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

Finished the bottle. Previous note from the other day still applies except that the delivery was even more gorgeous. The supposed issue earlier on the back end where it seemed potentially flat seemed…