Reviews

Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Drinking much younger than it would seem for a 12-year-from-vintage Napa Cabernet, this initially fools you into thinking it's 5-6 years younger. Started out a little tight, yet bold and…

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Cimarossa Vineyard

This was pretty balled-up this go-around. Before it finally got around to delivering some of its more familiar flavors, it had spent at least an hour or two in the decanter unbundling itself. Still,…

Roam Vineyards Xaga St. Helena

From Glass Mountain comes a thrilling wine that I had never heard of before. A one-off side project involving a handful of kinda-celebrity-ish type Napa starlets deciding to concoct yet another…

Cruse Wine Company Valdiguié Pétillant Naturel Deming

Dry, sharp, and fairly empty overall. Some floral elements inject a bitterness that adds insult to injury. Finishes hollow and vapid. Not sure what the overall intent of this wine is. Seemed to carry…

Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

Purple and red fruit. Initially an unassuming and straightforward delivery, but the Scarlett picks up some weight mid-way through and pushes its fruity character on through the medium finish. A much…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Empyrean Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Similar to the GIII with its red and black cherry and subtle chocolate-spice, but much more linear and clamped-down in its current state. It has sophistication and the potential stuffing for a…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Big fruit upfront, with a redder profile than the more gothic-hot-tattoo-chick 2018 GIII. The 2017 shows some of its traditional black cherry and earthy notes, but to a lesser degree when compared to…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Round Pond Vineyard

The most plush and round of the 2018 offerings, the Round Pond delivers well in the blackberry and plum department, flaunting its commodities without giving up the whole farm. Fun and pleasurable…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Dear Lord in Heaven, this is a WIIIIIDE open book in its current state, splaying out all the goods right on the front end and making no excuses for it. Those familiar with GIII are no strangers to…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Empyrean Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Tight and locked-up from the very first sip, but not so much that it doesn't offer the insatiable consumer some flavor gratification in the form of black currant, black pebbles, plum skin, and…

Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Equally dark as the regular sample, the Reserve fires-off with a serious streak of minerality and a tannic backbone that immediately frame-out and control the electric fruit just waiting to explode.…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Pellet Vineyard

The Pellet displays very similar to the Kenefick, perhaps even a hair deeper and intense, with a darker, more brooding profile. There is also some elevated red fruit that skips across the palate and…

Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

Super expressive! This version of Scarlett may be the best rendition of the standard McGah offering yet. Much like the 2015 in its infancy, this 2018 delivers a gushing attack of an array of fruit…

Steltzner Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District

Cotton candy confection is at the forefront of this wine at the moment. Some purple and red berry fruit notes, laced with vanilla and whipped cream. Hold for 3-5+ years so it can hopefully shed some…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Kenefick Ranch

The 2017 Quivet Kenefick and Pellet samples tasted identical to me in their current states. Some sweet vanilla and strawberry cream elements encircle the red cherry core, with hints of spice barely…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

A more red/purple fruit profile this vintage, with less of the black fruit and scorched mineral elements as is typically the case with this wine and from this site. The front end hits the palate with…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Steltzner Vineyard

Red and purple berry fruit, pulverized granite, and some subtle spice. Much less black and intense this go-around than from when I had it out of barrel. A very satisfying and complete wine, though…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Twins Vineyard

Lighter bodied than the Steltzner, but with a very similar fruit profile; exhibiting red and purple berry fruit and some strawberry vanilla cream to add some interest. Purple plum shows up on the…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elysian Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Structure and tannins lead the attack here, with some hot-off-the-presses, racy red and black fruit flavors that are pushed rapidly over the palate with significant heft and energy. Stops in time to…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Steltzner Vineyard

A tight and fuzzy frame surrounds a pulsating core of blackberry, black cherry, black rock, and bitter chocolate. Behaving almost like a Las Piedras on an Arnold Pumping Iron horse juice regimen of…

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Moulds Vineyard

This wine is admittedly a tricky one for me, as this particular site jives less with my palate in general; so, full disclosure there. Many will find it to be a well-honed machine that reflects…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Kenefick Ranch

Black fruit galore; likely the blackest Kenefick I've had to date, behaving more like a throttled-down version of the Steltzner. Blackberry, black cherry, black currant, and black rock. Did I mention…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

The standard Myriad Crane offers well-balanced flavors of black cherry yogurt, red and black licorice, and some gravelly earth notes. Faint dirt and soil notes can also be found running around in the…

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Pangkarra Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper

Ah, the "Supa Hoppa!"... As expected, this is the super-duper-uber Becklyn Missouri Hopper 2.0, and it shows accordingly. Take everything you know about the Hopper, add more wet soil, more roast…

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

Much like the Myriad Twins, the standard Becklyn sample displayed fresh, ripe red and black fruit, albeit with a more reserved temperament overall at the moment. Complete, friendly, and with medium…