Reviews

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…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Blackberry, black cherry, and ripe purple fruit compile the core fruit, with scorched earth, wet cedar, and obsidian framing the general profile. This is displaying a bit of a reduced and macerated…

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper

Creosote, blackberry, damp black earth, fresh turned soil, and some charcuterie notes cut in line before the frame eventually catches up with its semi-sweet, rich tannins. A bit of an onslaught on…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Peterson Family

A new offering from Mike Smith, the Peterson (of Switchback Ridge fame) is a very fine testament to the site's ability to pump out some quality juice. Not surprisingly, this behaved very similarly to…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Not surprisingly, the Crane is similar in most ways to the Elysian in terms of its enticing flavor profile. Black cherry dominates, with some red cherry and licorice; faint earth and spice…

12c Cabernet Sauvignon G3 Reserve Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Almost indistinguishable from the 12C, the 12C G3 Reserve displayed a same red and black fruit interlaced with cedar and dry, dusty soil notes; exhibited nearly-identical weight distribution and…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Twins Vineyard

Showing its hand the least amongst the otherwise intense and commanding 2018s, the Twins rode a little high on entry and couldn't get into full envelopment mode on the palate in its current state.…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elysian Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Pumping out that Dr. Crane black cherry core that ya'll are familiar with, the Elysian falls in-line with the compelling 2015 and 2016 vintages in terms of overall profile and intensity. Earth and…

12c Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Red and black fruit, and seemingly the most light-footed of the 2017s in the tasting. As is typical with the 12C, a cedar and earth element rides throughout the delivery. A much daintier example of…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Star Vineyard

Uber plush and fruity, with black cherry syrup surrounded by cinnamon and nutmeg spices washing over the palate in a round, plump delivery. Finishes with the sweet spice note swirling around the…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

A huge step up from when I last had this wine almost two years ago, this vintage of the VV LPV has really come into a wonderful drinking window with a little help from a couple of hours in the trusty…

Bevan Cellars EE Cuvée

Decant for a few hours and you will be handsomely rewarded. PnP is, as with many of Bevan's concoctions, a bit of a slutty alcohol laced liqueur experience. However, once some good old fashioned O2…

B Cellars Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

A near perfect example of Cab Franc; a much more resolved and less crunchy demeanor than last year's bottle. Notes of blackberry, black cherry, black plum skin, Christmas spice, and violets. Less of…

Addax Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

The booze has certainly integrated a bit better here, but the flavors have become more plush and round. Good in some senses, but missing grip when compared to the gobs of blackberry fruit. A flavor…

Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Black currant, cedar, wood dust, blackberry, and some black cherry. Grippy and youthful, with a medium-bodied profile and medium finish. Simple in terms of fruit flavor expansion, but controlled and…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

It's been nearly a year since my last bottle. Similar to Badmonkey's experience, this seemed to struggle to fully come around. After a decent amount of babying and trying to give it air (which warmed…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fortuna Vineyard

Coravin pour. Crunchy blackberry seed, black and red currant, river rock, purple plum skin, and gravel. Great tension; a bit grippy, but straddles a nice line between balance and speed. Could still…

Realm Cellars The Bard

Very good! VASTLY improved from last year. Chocolate, blackberry, black wet soil, earth, and still hints of vanilla bean (but not overly processed). Black core fruit. Balanced nicely. Notable weight…

Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

Barrel sample. Electric purple fruit, blackberry, black cherry, black licorice, garrigue/underbrush, and some earthy stems. The Vine Hill is a much more expressive and zippy sample when compared to…

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

Composed and alluringly poised when mirrored to its 2017 counterparts, the GTO lets you know it is showing up to the ball with a touch of class. Less concentrated and intense than the OG, but…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

A really beautiful showing, with so much youth and vibrancy coming out of this wine despite its dark, black, gothic profile overall. Earthy rock and signature LPV minerality dominates over the core…

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

On first sip, this OG was a sweeter and riper version of the barrel sample I had before. Rich black cherry starts off the race on the front end, pulsating out additional flavors of cassis, fresh…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Much of the same from my last experience with this wine from last year. A more enhanced complexity brought about by a more deliberate delineation of flavors during delivery made for a truly elevated…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The Grand Daddy Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Almost identical in profile to the Three Kings, but with more plush and somewhat rotund ripe fruit, the Grand Daddy was the most unresolved of the To Kalon offerings. True to its usual form, the…