Reviews

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Uproar

Similar experience as mentioned in my notes from 12/2/2015. I think there is only so far a wine can go and be "different" or "unique" before it ends up not being a worthy expression of the varietal.…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Label

Some marked improvements from the last time I tried this wine on 10/30/2015. Still, nothing I would ever seek out or recommend. The green pepper and chili notes are still present and distract from…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Label

Similar to my notes on 3/25/2016 (especially in regards to the Coravin pour). I bumped this up to 94 points, as it is drinking really nicely at the moment. A nice punch of dark black fruit at the…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Label

Same as my previous notes from 2/12/2016. Tasted side-by-side with the 2013 Herold Brown Label. The 2012's younger sibling was far more interesting at this stage. The 2012 is a great bottle of wine…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Label

Same as my notes from 3/25/2016. Outstanding bottle of wine. 96+ points.

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

PnP with notes of deep red and black currant, black amber plum, cacao, red and black licorice, "dark sweet and sour cherries" (which was Yackman's reference - spot on!), slate, and a hint of anise…

Mending Wall Cabernet Sauvignon

Similar to previous notes. Fruity and a bit sweet. Fairly one-dimensional. A good, easy-going drink, but nothing to get too excited about. Seems to be on the decline for me; not enough structure to…

Morlet Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Cour de Vallée

It has been almost a year since I last had this wine and it still seems like it needs another year or so to start really fattening up and fanning out its true flavor profile. PnP was fairly…

Herb Lamb Cabernet Sauvignon HL

This took about an hour in the decanter before it opened up and showed its hand nicely. Notes of red/black licorice, wet black pebbles, red/black currant, black cherry, spicebox, pulverized granite,…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Kings Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

PnP with notes of black and red currant, black licorice, granite, asphalt, purple berry, blackberry, and clove. I let this sit in the decanter for an hour or so, which allowed the depth to unleash…

Carlisle Petite Sirah Palisades Vineyard

Same notes as 6 months ago. Great on a PnP and no need for a decant. Drink now! Good stuff!

Bevan Cellars The Curmudgeon

Like others have mentioned, this is a nice bottle of wine, but admittedly nothing that "wowed" me by any stretch. 97 from RP seems like a complete stretch. Maybe insofar as a 2011 Napa red is…

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Kingly Project Winfield Vineyard

A big, black, brooding Cabernet with a near-bottomless pit of dark core flavors. PnP with coiled-up blackberry, black licorice, red and black currant, asphalt, tar, bitter dark chocolate, obsidian,…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Twins Vineyard

PnP and my initial reaction was along the same lines of a number of folks who commented about this wine needing time. Very tight and clipped at first, but bursting at the seams with a medley of dark,…

Forman Cabernet Sauvignon

Opened this as part of a lineup of 2013 Cliff Lede, 2013 Rivers-Marie, and 2010 L'Aventure Cabernets.

Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasted this alongside a lineup of 2013 Cliff Lede, 2010 Forman, and 2010 L'Aventure Cabernets.

Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District

I opened this up as an experiment with a lineup of 2013 Rivers-Marie, 2010 Forman, and 2010 L'Aventure Cabernets. This was at the end of the pack.

TOR Chardonnay Cuvée Torchiana

A nice and smooth bottle of wine, with notes of lightly whipped lemon curd, pear, and some minerality on the back end. Much less complexity than I had anticipated, and a lot less energy and verve as…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Label

Same as my CT notes on 2/12/2016. I bumped this up another point, as it was rocking, with all of the right parts in place. It had been open for a few hours in the bottle, which seemed like a great…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Label

I tasted this wine in a side-by-side comparison with a bottle that had been open for approximately 6 hours, and one that was served via a Coravin device. These two 2013 Brown Labels were also served…

Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley

Lighter notes of pineapple, apple, lemongrass, and flint/chert. Not especially complex or gleaming with any sort of notable flavor depth. A fine drink for a hot spring day in Napa Valley, but nothing…

Cliff Lede High Fidelity

A little better than the 2011 Cliff Lede Stags Leap Cabernet, but just barely. A 2012 Cliff Lede Stags Leap Cabernet was much better than either of the 2011s tasted alongside it.

Mark Herold Wines Herold

This was a Coravin pour, tasted alongside the 2013 Brown Label and the 2013 Coombsville at Mark Herold in Napa.

Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District

Tasted alongside a Cliff Lede 2012 Stags Leap Cabernet and a 2011 High Fidelity. This was the weakest of the trio, with a thin and watery mouthfeel, lacking viscosity and depth. Some red currant and…

Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District

Same as my specific notes from 2/12/2016. Not surprisingly, this wine bested a 2011 Cliff Lede Stags Leap Cabernet and a 2011 Cliff Lede High Fidelity.