Reviews

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard

This was the most accessible and giving of the standard Grade Cabernets. It displayed that signature kiss of sweet blue and black fruit that I consider a hallmark of the 2014 vintage. Glycerin and…

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Kingly Project Winfield Vineyard

As with the standard 2013 Grade Cabernet, the Kingly was also pretty wound tight. Coiled up and ready to pop, but not yet; not for another two years I would estimate.

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard

As others have mentioned, this wine still needs some time. It came off a bit linear and tight; higher toned red fruit when compared to the 2012 or 2014 versions. This was the least accessible when…

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Kingly Project Winfield Vineyard

Same as my note from 2 months ago. The best of all The Grade 2012/2013/2014 wines (standard and Kingly). The 2012 Kingly truly has that opulent, concentrated, and rich display of dark fruit, earth,…

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard

Same as my notes from 10/19/2016. A well crafted Cabernet with still some nice energy behind it to push the flavors forward. Fell off just a tad on the back end, but was otherwise a very giving style.

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Kingly Project Winfield Vineyard

An unbelievable showing this go-around. My previous notes apply from last year, except that an extra year in bottle has certainly done wonders for this wine.

Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard

Same as all of my previous notes. This was its usual big, bold, almost over the top, fruit in your face type of Cabernet. I still find quite a bit of pleasure in this style of wine...but it is indeed…

Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Amoenus

This 2014 Amoenus offered a fascinating contrast to the more instantly flavor-forward 2014 Materium. The Amoenus was more of a slow burn, where the Materium flashed the palate almost immediately on…

Mending Wall Petite Sirah Palisades Vineyard

Very similar to my notes on 10/16/2015. The difference between PnP and a four hour decant was fairly minimal. Blue and black liqueur fruit flavors, with some asphalt, slate, and hints of bitter dark…

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard

Same as my previous notes almost a year ago. A solid wine to be sure, with still some youthful restraint keeping it from coming to full fruition. Decanted for a total of three hours. Time/air helped…

Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard

It's been about 6 months since I last had this wine. Specific flavors were identical to my notes back then. PnP was an explosion of fruit-forward and dark/ripe blueberry, purple plum, black…

Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah Old Vine Block Peterson Family Vineyard

Similar to the standard 2011 SBR PS with its purple and black berry fruit, black raspberry, asphalt, and chocolate notes. However, the Old Vine ratchets up the vanilla bean and oak a tad bit, but…

Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah Old Vine Block Peterson Family Vineyard

Similar to my previous notes from July 2015, with flavors of huge, rich blackberry, blueberry, black licorice, sweet chocolate, cassis, confection sugar, and prominant vanilla. Extracted, with a…

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Kingly Project Winfield Vineyard

A big, black, brooding Cabernet with a near-bottomless pit of dark core flavors. PnP with coiled-up blackberry, black licorice, red and black currant, asphalt, tar, bitter dark chocolate, obsidian,…

Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard

Tasted side by side with the 2013 Venge Reserve Cabernet. Both were top notch Napa reds with reasonable QPRs considering what's in the bottle. They are a tad bit different wines stylistically; I…

Perliss Estate Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon The Ravens

Tasting event at 750 Wines in St. Helena with winemakers Russell Bevan, Aaron Pott, Benoit Touquette, Roy Piper, Helen Keplinger, Dan Petroski (Larkmead), Sam Kaplan (Memento Mori, Arkenstone, Nine…

Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah Old Vine Block Peterson Family Vineyard

Same as my CT notes from October 2015, except that this really presented itself with a rich smoothness that was even more notable than a few months ago. I bumped this up to 94 points. Unbelievably…

Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard

A lot going on here, with in-your-face flavors of black and blue berries, black raspberry, blackberry, black licorice, dark cacao, white chocolate, chocolate covered blueberry, cassis, asphalt/tar,…

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard

Similar to my CT notes on 8/29/15. PnP with tight berry and mineral flavors. An hour in the decanter brought out dark currant, black cherry, deep plum, and other purple berry notes. Some black…

Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah Old Vine Block Peterson Family Vineyard

PnP revealed a massive wine, with powerful tannins, alcohol, and gobs of extracted fruit and liqueur-like berry flavors.

Mending Wall Petite Sirah Palisades Vineyard

Tasted at Mending Wall from a Coravin. Electric purple and black fruits. The Palisades Vineyard comes out in spades. A vibrantly youthful PS, but carrying its weight in a great way

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard

PnP with a bit of a restrained nose of black fruits, black licorice, and stone. Initial palate entry showed notes of tightly coiled-up black and red fruits, blackberry, black and red licorice, and…

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Premiere Napa Valley Auction 15 Lot 76

Same notes as 7/21/15. Tasted side-by-side with a 2009 Favia Cerro Sur red blend. The Favia out-performed the Grade, with the Favia giving more dark berry fruit and a more voluminous texture.

Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah Old Vine Block Peterson Family Vineyard

On the nose, deep chocolate, mocha, dark berry. On the palate, a core of huge, rich blackberry, marionberry, blueberry, sweet chocolate, cassis, and prominant vanilla. A extravagantly extracted…

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Premiere Napa Valley Auction 15 Lot 76

Pop and pour. A surprisingly soft cabernet that is well integrated and pleasantly balanced. Lacking a bit of personality, complexity, and energy (especially after being open an hour or so), but still…