Reviews

Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Materium

Ripe. Sweet. .And ripe.

Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Lore Vineyard

Restrained blackberry seed, dried thyme, black cherry, and river rocks, the Lore shares characteristics similar to a 2016 Shafer HSS served beside it, but for the profile of the Lore being more…

MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon

Speaking of proper service, having this wine a couple of weeks ago and having it again now just shows how important knowing (or attempting to target) a wine's sweet spot in terms of air, temperature,…

Harlan Estate

At first pass, this is a crunchy unripe black cherry covered in salty sawdust. I recall having that "Uh-Oh" feeling, wondering, "What wine is this? Did someone throw in a pirate here??" It doesn't…

MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon

This was not part of the blind tasting of 2016 Napa Cabs, but of course, and you know how these things go, due to the continuing graciousness of our hosts, this 2019 MacDonald found its way into the…

Futo Oakville

An awesome combination of fresh and brooding. I love the interplay of flavors here, with blackberries and purple plums dancing with the black minerality and meaty saline notes. I waffled between…

MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon

On first pass, and during the blind portion of this tasting, this presents as somewhat reduced, with muted fruit; it shows as both rounder and drier on the finish (if that's possible?). Shy red fruit…

Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon T6 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Broad-shouldered and powerful, the T6 launches its attack with copious amounts of cassis, muddled black and red raspberry, red cherry liqueur, and some boozy vanillin flavors, finishing strong and…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

As much as the LPV and Crane are like eating a blackberry pie with the best fruit ever made on earth, the BTK is undeniably the leader of the SVD triad. The concentration is so insanely on-point,…

Harlan Estate

When I last had this a year ago, it was displaying all sorts of deep, ripe, and dare I say plush attributes that this go-around were absent for the most part. I can't recall exactly what…

Harlan Estate

As Cristal2000 covers thoroughly in his notes, this barrel sample highlights a chiseled restraint and wonderful purity. Beyond that, it rides high and tight, with bright red fruit popping on to the…

Keplinger Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

I've ripped through a number of versions of VHR from most of those producing wine from this site and have found them to vary quite a bit depending much upon what I believe to be the winemaker's…

Keplinger Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch Vineyard

95% Cabernet Sauvignon/4%Cabernet Franc/1% Petit Verdot. More earth and darker fruit mark the Oakville relative to the RBK served beside it. Once again, the elegance and purity of fruit are on full…

Keplinger Cabernet Sauvignon RBK

75% Cabernet Sauvignon/25% Cabernet Franc. A burst of floral, iron, and bright red berry elements rocket across the palate, but are quickly tamed by riper expressions of black cherry and red and…

MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon

(If you want the punchline, skip all the drivel and just go to the last sentence at the bottom of this lingual mess I've created here).

Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Materium

Bringing this to a BDX tasting is like having Marilyn Manson as an opening act at a Celine Dion concert. Heavy metal devil horns brings the ripe fruit, the heat, and. well, the ripe fruit. Yet, this…

Bevan Cellars EE Cuvée

Ok, so this bottle screams two words to me very distinctly and without equivocation: "Drink Now." It's a Charleston chewy prune purple drank and all, but it's pushing past its window (at least, this…

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

With a silky-milkshakey entry, like a liquified raspberry nougat 3 Musketeers bar wrapped in a vanilla bean and caramel robe, this iteration of OG is a mix of oak and fruit that seemingly still need…

Harlan Estate

This is my fourth time with this wine, so I'll just mention some particulars that I think might be noteworthy. This presented as advertised and expected for the most part, with a rich and chewy…

VHR Cabernet Sauvignon Extended Barrel Age 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

VHR 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

VHR 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 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

Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

2016 Myriad Elysian, 2016 Myriad Empyrean, 2015 Schrader To Kalon, 2015 Schrader GIII

Harlan Estate

Ready, giving, luscious, chewy, and a big polar bear hug of black berries and chocolate chunk goodness that doesn't skip a beat in terms of textural dreaminess and seamlessness. The 2012 Harlan's…