Reviews

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Twins Vineyard

Finished a previously Coravin'd bottle. This was ultimately very giving and accessible after some air. Still youthful and a little chubby, but kicking out some serious yum factor flavors of dark…

Bevan Cellars Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard

Day 2 for this bottle. More exposure to air really brought out a deepening of the flavors and allowed for some of the fatty booze to blow off. Richer and deeper, with sappy red and black raspberry,…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Saunders Vineyard

Barrel sample (from Sylvain). Truly a beguiling wine, swirling with an array of palate-popping flavors, the 2017 Saunders kicks out notes of deep purple plum, red raspberry, coffee grounds, toasted…

Bevan Cellars Ontogeny

PnP, with purple/black core fruit. Streaks of dark red/black raspberry and bruised strawberry added elevated complexity, along with notes of fresh vanilla bean, blackberry, asphalt, and some dried…

Bevan Cellars EE Cuvée Tench Vineyard

This sample was from a day-old opened bottle of EE, which was much more even-keeled and less alcohol ridden than on PnP. Signs of good things to come from this wine after some short term cellaring.…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Calixtro Tench Vineyard

Much in the same lane as its 2015 brother, this 2016 offered similar red and black currant, fruitcake, and spice notes that were undeniably Calixtro. Perhaps a bit deeper, broader, and a little more…

Nine Suns Cabernet Sauvignon Houyi Vineyard

From barrel. A new site from which Bevan is pulling fruit, the Nine Suns/Houyi vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon launches on to the palate with black and red raspberry, cassis, and spice flavors.

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard, Vixen Block

Barrel sample. Beautiful and polished, especially considering it was right out of barrel, with a finesse and seductiveness that harkens back to the 2012 Wildfoote. The 2016 Wildfoote is currently the…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard, Vixen Block

From a bottle opened nearly 24 hours. Even more dark chocolate chunk, dark coffee grounds/espresso, blackberry mocha, scorched earth, tar, asphalt, and a hit of DARK red raspberry. An incredible…

Shafer Relentless

2010 and 2015 Shafer Relentless served side-by-side.

Shafer Relentless

2010 and 2015 Shafer Relentless served side-by-side.

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Sage Ridge Vineyard

Barrel sample. The Sage Canyon "lot 27" Cabernet Sauvignon sample was packed with gorgeous red and purple plum, baking spices, and black and red raspberry flavors that completely coated the palate…

Bevan Cellars Petit Verdot Two Dog Knoll

Barrel sample. It really is a shame that this juice won't make its way into a single wine, as it is a sheer phenom as a stand alone. Instead, it will be parsed-out for blending in Bevan's other…

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

From 3L. Similar to previous notes. Huge, plush, ripe attack, with black/red/purple fruit liqueur, black cherry, plum, and vanilla. A fantastic flavor profile; a little plump and doughy on its…

Lerner Project Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

From magnum. Dark, chocolate-covered black cherry and black raspberry core fruit, with dark clove and anise spice notes. Compelling scorched earth, embers, and black earthy soil components added…

Bevan Cellars EE Cuvée Tench Vineyard

Huge blackberry and black raspberry core fruit, with waves of boozy red and black licorice, black cherry liqueur, currant, and spice. Delivering flavor like a hussie barrel sample from a brothel in…

Bevan Cellars Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard

A gorgeous and massive frontal attack of black and purple core fruit, with black raspberry, bitter chocolate, dark cassis, and spice notes. Similar to the '16 EE served beside it, but with less overt…

Bevan Cellars Danger D Cuvée Showket Vineyards

From .750. While the David's Cuvée was noticeably less intense in .750 than from magnum the day before, the Danger D was fairly similar between the two bottling sizes. Possibly a hair less…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon David's Cuvée Showket Vineyards

From .750. Interesting the differences between this bottle and the magnum from the day before. This bottle was just as smooth and beautiful, but noticeably less intense and more medium in its…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard, Vixen Block

Oh man, is this wine gonna be a sexy siren when it has a chance to fully come together. Currently, it's a pro athlete in training mode getting geared-up for the main event. Driven and captivating for…

Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select

PnP and this at-first-look beauty caressed the palate with lovely black core fruit and black/blue river rock. With every moment of air, however, this HSS started to quickly soften. In little time,…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Empyrean Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

From magnum. Decanted and aerated over the course of 3+ hours. Final sips were the absolute best.

Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon

From a vertical of Philip Togni '89, '90, '91, '93, '96, '97. While these were all past their primes in my opinion, and a definite challenge for my tendency to favor much younger and more modern…

Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Chabot Vineyard

Two Beringer Chabots served side-by-side: 1991 & 1994. Not too much in the flavor department from either one beyond some vanilla cherry water/kirsch and wood notes. Flat and bland on the attack.…

Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon

From a vertical of Philip Togni '89, '90, '91, '93, '96, '97. While these were all past their primes in my opinion, and a definite challenge for my tendency to favor much younger and more modern…