Reviews

Bevan Cellars Ontogeny

Bevan Ontogeny vertical 2014-2017.

Bevan Cellars Ontogeny

Bevan Ontogeny vertical 2014-2017.

Ovid Red Wine

Moving into more of an old school profile at this point, with earthy cedar and dark spice and soil notes complimenting the black cherry and black currant core. Finishes with a little bit of grandma's…

Quivet Cellars Sauvignon Blanc McGah Vineyard

Crisp and fresh, with a great body and weight distribution along the palate. A bit of power on the back end that drives the fruit through the finish. Lightly tropical flavored, with yellow citrus,…

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Martinez Vineyard

Purple, black, and red fruit jet fuel. Give this air! Better yet, leave it alone for another few years. This has certainly turned into a NASA Space Shuttle for some reason right now since I last had…

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

This particular bottle was similar to SMHALPS' recent tasting note. Gooey, sweet fruit and licorice, with a plump core and rounded, plush texture. A chewy mouthful of ripe fruit. Not too much tension…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard, Vixen Block

A kiss of sweet, ripe dark red and black berry fruit gives rise to a mouthful of black raspberry and cherry, blackberry, anise, and chewy chocolate notes. Still a tinge of alcohol here, but otherwise…

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Teucer Vineyard

This is really compelling for a modern styled Napa Cab. An exquisite balance of extract and concentration with flavor and plain 'ol yum factor. Just when you think it'll be too sweet, too rich, or…

Fait-Main Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras

Blackberry, blueberry, earth, river rock, and pulverized granite. This started off as many 2014s do with a giving amount of fruit and flavor on the front end. Finished plump and ripe (but balanced on…

Ovid Red Wine

Red currant, black and red cherry, cassis, tobacco leaf, spice box, cedar, and mulch. A beautiful example of old-meets-new world Napa Cabernet. Notably balanced and classy, with a sophistication that…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Much less of the rocket propulsion drive when compared to last year. Instead, this LPV impresses for its chewy black core and namesake minerality that make for a go-go gothic profile that can't help…

Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Eeeeeeesh... What happened to my precious prefect Scarlett?!?!?!

Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon

Red and black raspberry, vanilla, red currant, and hints of scorched earth and espresso powder. A floral note briefly appears but then quickly dissipates. Smooth and fairly balanced on entry, but…

Outpost Immigrant True Vineyard

Still a huge monster that spits grit and sediment just as much as it thrusts out a concentrated core of blackberry, black cherry, and purple plum flavors. A push-pull delivery in its current state,…

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

Gorgeous depth of flavor, with succulent dark berry fruit coating the palate as it drops into a deep mid-glide and opens up even further and more opulent on the finish. Maintains focus throughout,…

Uppercut Cabernet Sauvignon

Hilariously horrible. Served alongside a string of discount domestic wines that all should've been put in front of a firing squad as soon as they were born.

Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Materium

From .375ml. This took some time to get out of its gobs-o-fruit lush and fruity mode. It has shed a bit of its trampy overt liqueur side (which is a good thing), but it stayed in black cherry and…

Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard

This wine continues to own the dance floor with its dark fruit core and striking black mineral elements that offer so much endurance throughout consumption. For me, this is how a 2013 Napa Cabernet…

Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

Pretty notable performance considering it was out of a plastic cup right before the 2020 countdown. :)

Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras

Black cherry, purple plum, and black raspberry are flanked by asphalt and spice notes, creating a mouthwatering delivery that both exhibits drive and exquisite balance from front to back. Neeeds air,…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon BBS Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Black cherry, blackberry, black rock, deep/dark cassis, and some bitter dark chocolate present a POW-erful unloading on the palate. Back in June when I last sampled this beast, it was behaving more…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Gobs of ripe fruit, sweet cassis, and red/purple licorice. A dark stallion kind of wine at its core, but encompassed by the typical Mike Smith-meets-Crane rounded ripeness and succulence. Beautifully…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Blackberry, oak char, burnt embers, asphalt, seriously dark cassis, and a fistful of enticing minerality make for another sexy-gothic bottle juice. The 2018 Quivet LPV is indeed the jet-black haired…

Morlet Family Vineyards Cabernet Franc Force de la Nature

From Oakville, this sample was opened yesterday (which seemed to show a little bit of its evolution in terms of frame over flavor at this point). Nevertheless, red and black cherry fruit show good…

Morlet Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Cour de Vallée

Fuller and richer than the Mon Chevalier and Passionnment, this suave debutante impresses for its plush black cherry liqueur core that gratifies the palate from stem to stern. Notably balanced with…