Reviews

Buoncristiani Cabernet Sauvignon

Same as previous notes. On PnP, it was a little tight, with some restrained black cherry notes dominating. But after about two hours of air, it blossomed. Deep, dark chocolate, black raspberry, ripe…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

All of my previous notes apply. This took about 2 hours of slow O2 with some swirling in the glass throughout consumption to really develop some beautifully deep and saturated flavors. Started out a…

Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc

Tastes kinda like Sauvignon Blanc...

Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon

Previous notes apply. Pretty much a snoozer for me. Some RM SVD's have promise, but this wine, even given the QPR, is super boring for me. Light-to-medium bodied, with a fairly flat attack and…

Forman Cabernet Sauvignon

Same as all my previous notes. A L'Aventure Estate beat this by a long shot. 92-ish points.

Realm Cellars The Bard

Previous notes apply. This was good, albeit still a little pedestrian. Decent concentration and fruit flavor akin to what the 2014 vintage seems to be offering wines like this. I'm not super excited…

Fait-Main Chardonnay Penhoet Toyon Farm

Same as my previous note. 94-95+ points this time around. I'm going to try to lie down remaining bottles for another 6-12 months. Great tension and grip for a domestic Chardonnay.

Buoncristiani Cabernet Sauvignon The Core

Exquisite blackberry, black currant, black cherry, bitter chocolate, cassis, and some tar notes. Concentrated but smooth the whole way through. Medium-bodied to some degree, but with a super smooth…

Buoncristiani Cabernet Sauvignon

Very primary and tight at the moment. Not astringent, but somewhat restrained in terms of allowing its core fruit potential to step forward. A little heat on the back end. Notes of primarily red…

Bacio Divino Cabernet Sauvignon Janzen Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard

All other previous notes apply. 93-94 points given the service (Coravin), with very little time to get some much needed air; swirling wasn't really enough to coax it out of submission. With some air,…

Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

A big wine that needs some air to open up. Coravin pour, which didn't allow it a true opportunity to expand its flavors or deepen in the way it should have. 92-93 points this time. I'll decant for an…

Seven Stones Cabernet Sauvignon

Similar notes as 8/24/2017. Classical restraint with a little bit of cult viscosity and ripeness. Not sure where exactly this wine is headed. It teeter-tottered back and forth between a 91-92-ish…

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Martinez Vineyard

Same as my notes from two months ago. A beautiful flavor profile, with wonderfully sweet, dark core fruit. A bit soft on the attack, but ultimately a slow-burn of a delivery that stays persistent…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Connoisseurs' Series Centre French Oak Sylvain St. Helena Mountain Block 2

A beautiful showing, with deep, dark black fruit, tar, black charred vanillin oak, dark chocolate, and a syrupy black raspberry note on the back end. Utterly compelling and unctuous, without ever…

Saunter Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Eagle Summit Vineyard

Same as my other notes. This filled out nicely after a short bit of air. Deep and dark, if not a little round and soft on the back end. The grip on this wine is more "medium" than I normally prefer,…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Twins Vineyard

A very good wine wine indeed, with notable black cherry, blackberry, and some cassis notes. It showed a bit more reserved when compared to the more powerful and exciting 2015 Myriad Twins served…

Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Much smoother than when I had this last year. Yet, I would leave this alone for another year or so (2019 optimally). Black fruited to the core, with some black cherry, black currant, asphalt, and…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Twins Vineyard

Exact same notes as five months ago. I am really loving this wine. It was served alongside the the 2014 Myriad Three Twins; the 2015 was far more concentrated and powerful in every way. Great depth…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Weitz Vineyard

Same as my previous notes. A really stellar performer tonight and one of the top wines of the night. A near-perfect tension between acid/frame and beautifully focused fruit. My favorite Weitz from…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Carter

Previous notes apply, though this was extraordinarily ripe and plush in its delivery this time around. It was decanted for a number of hours (which I honestly think was a mistake). PnP would've been…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Exact same notes as five months ago. This was the #2 (#3-ish) wine of the night. Scarlett Reserve was #1, with the Quivet LPV and Myriad Crane battling for the #2 slot. This is the best Quivet LPV…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Kenefick Ranch

Similar to my previous notes. This had a rush of delicious fruit-forward flavors (akin to the Myriad NV - black cherry, black raspberry, blackberry, spice), but it displayed an additional assertive…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

The absolute best showing of the "standard" Myriad Crane that I've probably ever had with this wine across the last eight vintages...but it took a number of hours in the decanter before it really…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

This wine displayed as it has been over the last few months. Previous notes apply. Of course, when served alongside all of the other Carter, Myriad, Quivet, and Scarlett wines, this ended up at the…

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Moulds Vineyard

Certainly an outlier among the wines tasted, the 2014 Becklyn Moulds was a puckering, tight blast of sour cherry, pomegranate, red raspberry, vanilla-laced alcohol, red vanilla Creamsicle, and more…