Reviews

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

It’s been five years since I’ve last cracked open one of these bottles. Holy bazoonga; this is a lightening strike of a wine right now! In its current state, the 2019 TK is in SpaceX mode, with a…

Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

A gobstopper of lush fruit, plush fruit, gushing fruit, and ripe fruit, the Memento Mori VHR is a lot of. fruit. Luckily there are soil elements that provide focus and direction here, but there is no…

VHR Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

A compelling VHR, and one that carries a perfect combination of structure, intensity, and flavor. It's a serious presentation at first pass, but it relaxes enough to allow lovely dark fruit and earth…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The O.G. Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Less oaky than the previous bottle a few months ago, this 2018 has a nice glide after being open for a few hours (in bottle). That said, it was next to the mega bomb 2022 OG, which was blasting out…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The F.RED Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

This is much more amalgamated than the 2022 OG (which is pretty brash and loud at the moment). Without question, the F.RED is a biggin' that busts out with black and deep red liqueur driven fruit.…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The O.G. Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Loud and proud, with the booze element front and center at the moment. Blackberry liqueur, Chambord, black and dark red cherry, and bitter chocolate. A super flavor bomb that needs time to settle…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Calixtro Tench Vineyard

Distinctly Tench in style, with black and red cherry, black and red licorice, dust, crushed roses, red rock, and spice, the Calixtro is a young pup for sure, but it is swirling with fun flavors.…

Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

This was the ripest and most fruit-bomby of all the wines in the blind, with a rounded core that was covered in extracted baskets of gushing fruit. It's a cocktail style that is all bachelorette…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The O.G. Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

This came off extremely oaky and almost chocolate milkshake marshmallowy compared to the other competitors in the Napa blind tasting. Gobs of fruit here.

MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon

In a blind of Napa big boys, this thing jumped ahead of the pack with what I consider to be one of the most perfect profiles for my palate. There is that signature olive and saline overlay that…

Futo Oakville

I have to admit to continually being fond of Futo, especially the Oakville offering. Despite the elevated pricing, the wine itself is consistently compelling with its combination of dark fruit and…

Realm Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Big and ripe black fruit and dark soil elements dominate. A rich Napa Oakville bomb that carries enough mineral lift to keep it all in focus. Seems to be getting heavier with time. Drink now.

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Side by side next to the 2022 Myriad TK.

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

Blind.

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Blind.

VHR Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

This comes off a bit disjointed at first pass, with an overly heavy and sluggish ripe/dark fruit front end and an angular and bitter tail. It is as if a cooler version is colliding with a hot…

Dalla Valle Maya

A solid performance, though a bit outshone by the 2003 Scarecrow next to it, the 2006 Maya offers soft dark berry fruit and forest floor elements that caress the palate and flow through the delivery…

Kinsman Eades Cabernet Sauvignon Kodo M-Bar Ranch

Dude! What the heck. Stop making stupid good wine. It's insulting. We get it; you win. It's the best. Dear Lord. Having this again just makes me mad at every other Napa Cab ever produced. "This! This…

Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon

A natural step up from "The Flight," this flagship offering shows dark, black fruit that is initially chewy on the front but dilutes quickly on the back end (not sure what kind of flavor-mullet that…

Keplinger Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch Vineyard

There's a bit of an old school thing going on with this vintage of OVR, kicking out leather, cedar, and dried herb notes, complimenting the red and black plum fruit. Additionally, true to Keplinger's…

Keplinger Cabernet Sauvignon RBK

Franc is for Freshness, and the RBK has plenty of freshness. It's an airy and lighter version of the vintages before it, but it carries a basket full of lift and energy wholly led by the Cab Franc at…

Keplinger Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

Surely the standout in the 2022 lineup, the VHR displays captivating intensity and flex in a fashion that also embraces Keplinger's hallmark poise and purity. Though the fruit is primary and compact,…

Futo Oakville

No denying the quality of Futo's Oakville Cabernet, with its seductive dark fruit and chewy (but ethereal) mouthfeel, this is a textural delight no matter how you slice it. Black cherry and currant…

Futo Sauvignon Blanc

Excellent Sauvignon Blanc; the best of all the whites sampled across numerous Napa producers offering SBs at the Inspire event. Yellow citrus, smoke, grass, vanilla bean, lemon and lime zest,…

MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon

Freshy Fresh McFreshalot, the 2022 MacDonald dials the fresh-o-meter up to 11, revealing exceptionally clean and driven fruit with a polish that is unmatched. I gotta say, the last two vintages of…