Reviews

Château Boswell Red Wine

I believe this is the "Tapestry" label, but CT has some name cross-pollination with calling it Tapestry and/or the Proprietary blend. It is labeled Tapestry in some vintages (through 2013) and…

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

Previous notes apply. My third go-around with this wine. Standby for this to be "perfect" in a couple of years. Great grip. Great complexity. Great focus. Great drive.

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon La Verdad Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Love this wine! Previous notes apply. So focused and deliberate in its delivery of flavors, and also so texturally seductive on the palate. The front end is incredibly giving with its silky fruit…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The Grand Daddy Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Previous notes apply. The 2016 GD is not as fueled-up as the Three Kings and not as structured and focused as the OG. Showing a more fruit-driven style, with a slightly sweeter attack on the front…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon La Bam Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Boy did this kick out a s***-ton of fruit this time around. Gobs of black and purple berry flavors injected with healthy doses of black rock, cassis, and some sweet spice.

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Kings Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Jesus H. Christ on a rollercoaster! Strap in boys and girls, because this Three Kings is a "Wow!" wine if there ever was one. Huge, huge fruit. Red and black cherry, rich cassis, licorice, and a fat…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Carter

Carter Carter... The wine so nice, they named it twice (Oh, that never gets old! - I don't get out much apparently)... Anyway...

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Weitz Vineyard

Previous notes apply. Wonderfully vivacious fruit flavors, with a youthful tension that begs for a little more time in bottle to settle in. Acid and structure are at the forefront. It is certainly…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Intense and concentrated notes of blackberry, black cherry, bitter chocolate, scorched earth, asphalt, and some spice. CRISTAL covered this thoroughly in his recent note more than I really need to…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon BBS Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Previous notes apply. I absolutely love this wine. So concentrated. So intense. But so balanced and a textural dream. Dark and haunting while simultaneously alive and energetic.

VHR Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

Coiled-up red currant, red cherry liqueur, black cherry, spice, and peppercorn. Bound up pretty tight, with a spicy/peppery element to compliment the red (and black-ish) core fruit. The purity of…

Dana Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard

My first experience with this wine. It unfolded really nicely throughout the evening. A ton of verve here, with a tension that provides a hyper-focused delivery of flavors. As others have noted, it…

Realm Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

PnP. An absolutely incredible showing. The best I've experienced with this wine, and probably one of the best 2012 Napa Cabs I've had in recent memory. I almost wanted to hit it with a 100 point…

Fait-Main Chardonnay Penhoet Toyon Farm

An decent showing, but missing that next-level oomph. Refreshing and crisp, but a bit singular in its delivery of would-be complex flavors. Paired well with the seafood dishes. As a stand-alone, it…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

A fun addition to the lineup, this VV BTK (labeled as "Napa Valley") is a beautiful example of how these wines can show their maturity while still displaying youthful verve and energy. Black cherry,…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon

Notes of chocolatey blackberry, black raspberry, earthy blueberry, forest floor, bitter dark chocolate, and spice.

JCB The Surrealist Red

Fancy-schmancy bottle with Bellagio-esque adornments, and a velvet case to boot (since the bottle is clear glass and hence requires a royal robe to cloak it from the light that stands to harm this…

JCB Cabernet Sauvignon Nº 10

Red and black currant, cedar, black licorice, and some spice. World's apart from the wah-waahh 2011 version served before it. That said, this 2012 was an average performer. Medium bodied and a little…

JCB Cabernet Sauvignon Nº 10

Oh 2011, once again you have failed me. It's not a "style;" it's not "palate preference." It's just "not good." Sometimes I feel as though I shouldn't even comment on wines like this. That if I don't…

JCB Passion

90% Cabernet Sauvignon; 10% Petite Sirah. Black raspberry meets bitter blackberry seed. I can only imagine that the healthy dollop of PS is the culprit that threw this thing into a goofy tail spin.…

B Cellars Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Finished the bottle. Good purity of fruit. Really nice herbaceous black cherry and spicy cassis. Even better in a couple of years. Hold until 2020.

Joseph Phelps Insignia

PnP and later decanted for about 2+ hours. Black cherry, cedar, red and black currant, tobacco leaf, and faint earth. Especially tight on the back end. Needs another 2+ years minimum. Hold until…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Same as previous notes. Last minute pull. PnP. Still a decent amount of baby fat here. Hold until after 2020++ minimum.

Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard

Same as last month's note. Drinking good now, but another year+ might do it well. Hold until late 2019/2020+.

B Cellars Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Coravin pour with exotic notes of wild black cherry, red and black currant, crunchy cassis, deep kirsch, dark dried cranberry, Herbes de Provence, and violets. A beguiling wine that kept me coming…