Reviews

Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

For a barrel sample, this wine displayed notable focus and frame, especially given how ripe and bombastic the black and dark red core fruit was delivering on the front of the attack. A lot of power…

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

Did you really think this would be anything other than a perfect representation of the BTK site?! In 2015, I thought the GTO was indeed an example of perfection...and I still think that. I will say…

Hourglass Merlot Blueline

Barrel sample. Beautiful dark black and deeply pitched red core fruit, with chocolate, oak char, and tar; a lot of power and push right now, but with a notable depth and body that speak well to where…

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

Previous notes apply. This OG certainly showed the most structure when directly compared to the intensely sexy Three Kings and fruitier Grand Daddy. The OG is exacting, complex, and has a cerebral…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Tin Box Vineyard

Similar to last year. Great dark core fruit flavors and purity. More medium bodied and even-keeled than some of Bevan's more intense creations. Tapered off a little on the back end after some air.…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fortuna Vineyard

Same as last year. Still needs some time. Purple and red berry fruit. Furry tannins that still require unraveling a bit more. I'd say after 2020+ is best for a revisit. Decanting for a couple of…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard, Vixen Block

In reading my notes on this wine 2 years ago, I can't say I have much to add except that this was amazingly captivating juice. So well made on every front. Even deeper and darker than I remember.…

Bevan Cellars Ontogeny

A great showing with this wine. Open for business and displaying wonderfully focused and flavorful blue and black fruit, blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry, black asphalt, tar, black currant,…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Previous notes apply. Though this could use 6-12 months to settle in a bit more, it's starting to operate on a solid level. I bumped this up a point from 93 because the body of the core fruit is…

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Cimarossa Vineyard

Same notes as last year. One of the top wines of the night. Even better on day 2, which leads me to believe a couple of years will suit this wine even better. Great black/blue/red fruit. Some nice…

Buoncristiani Cabernet Sauvignon

Similar to previous notes. By itself, this is a fine wine. However, comparatively with the others, this fell behind the leaders in the pack. Toward the middle/rear in terms of overall performance.…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

Attempted to finish the rest of this Coravin'd bottle. Decanted, aerated, swirled, coaxed, massaged, heavy-petted, counseled, read a goodnight sorry to, given a Millennial honorable mention trophy,…

Bevan Cellars EE Cuvée Tench Vineyard

A last minute pull and a bit of a rushed service this time around. Still fantastic. All previous notes apply.

Sarocka Cabernet Sauvignon

Previous notes apply. Against the competiton of other Napa Cabs, this was the middle of the pack. Likely one of the most focused of the wines at the table, but a little linear across the board. Some…

Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

Previous notes from two months ago apply. Good, solid core fruit, great body and drive, and notable complexity that continues to amaze given its QPR.

Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard

This wine wiped the floor over the other wines at the table. In its class, it and a '14 Bevan Ontogeny were the WOTN. Powerful and concentrated, awesome black core fruit flavors, with black rock and…

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard

Previous notes from last month apply. Medium bodied and middle of the pack amongst other wines at the table. Nice black and some blue core fruit. Similar profile to a '14 Buoncristiani Cab. Drink now…

Realm Cellars The Tempest

Cassis, black cherry, black currant, bitter chocolate, and some electric purple plum. Some baby fat still present, but it eased up pretty fast and became a medium-bodied plush stuffed animal in…

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Last minute pull. Previous notes apply, though this was more flavorful and giving after a slow O2 for an hour and some swirling in the glass. I'll try to hold until after 2019+.

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

All previous notes apply. This continues to impress all who sample it. The bottle was empty before everyone knew it. Drinking fine now on PnP, but may improve even more in the "seamlessness of…

The Debate Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Much improved from my last bottle. Some old world restraint here (which is indicative of Hoefliger's style), but some nice dark berry and currant flavors that kept me coming back for another sip.…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

Coravin pour. Similar notes as last year. Some really nice black cherry and bitter chocolate notes initially, but this teenager is still working itself out. A lot of bitter sediment came to the…

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

All previous notes apply. Served alongside a '14 Carter Grand Daddy, which had a more red-fruited profile and a little less depth than the OG. The OG was more of a black/purple/crimson profile, with…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The Grand Daddy Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

It has been two years since I last had this wine. PnP with notes of black cherry, cassis, black and ripe red raspberry, red and black currant, tobacco leaf, black licorice, and a faint herbal/menthol…

Rudd Oakville Estate Proprietary Red

Previous notes apply, though I experienced this as much less angular this time around. With the proper decanting (approximately 5+ hours total), this really started to show nicely. Somewhat…