Reviews

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Estate Family Reserve

Barrel sample tasted in the cave.

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Lot M Orion French Oak

Barrel sample tasted in the cave.

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve Jupille Expression Treuil Block 1

Barrel sample tasted in the cave.

Piazza Del Dotto Sangiovese

Barrel sample tasted in the cave.

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon 887 Family Reserve American Oak U-Stave NO/FR

Barrel sample tasted in the cave.

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Lot ST Lumiere Saury French Oak

Tasted at the main bar.

Lewis Cellars Chardonnay Russian River Valley

An ok Chardonnay I suppose??...Not great by any stretch. Oak dominated with an alkaline finish. Lemon oil, buttered popcorn, vanilla extract, steel ball bearings, and river rock.

Wren Hop Pinot Noir Demigods & Demons

Similar specific notes to my previous from 6 months ago. No decant (it didn't need it); PnP with a few minutes of swirling in the glass did this just fine.

Bevan Cellars The Impetus De Crescenzo and Tench Vineyard

PnP with reserved notes of blackberry, black currant, asphalt, and slate. Muted and a bit clipped on the finish. My other half called it "quiet," and not really enveloping the palate with anything…

Donelan Chardonnay Nancie

PnP at cellar temperature (56 degrees) with notes of lemon, lychee, bitter pear, and stone. Notable balance and good acidity. Thankfully, not overly oaked or buttery in any way.

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Twins Vineyard

PnP with notes of blackberry, black currant, red and black licorice, and some minerality/asphalt. A decent amount of alcohol initially on the back end, creating a wave over the core fruit. Needed…

Bevan Cellars Pinot Noir Petaluma Gap

PnP with black cherry, red and black raspberry, currant, black tea, allspice, and some mulch. A bit reserved and monolithic at first, but smooth and silky, with a mouthfeel that always lets me know…

Talley Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosemary's Vineyard

Similar to my previous notes. PnP with high toned cranberry, pomegranate, strawberry, clove, and faint earth. 2+ hours in the decanter helped deepen the flavors, but it was still pretty tight. Acid…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

Similar to previous notes.

Celani Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Same as my previous note from April 2016. I was able to try this wine as a PnP and also a separate sample that had been open for a couple of days.

Celani Family Vineyards Chardonnay Napa Valley

A pleasant Chardonnay, with a nice linear, quasi-Burgundian profile. Soft lemon and poached pear notes, with some steely minerality. A little popcorn on the back end, but nothing overly buttery or…

Mark Herold Wines Herold

Similar to previous notes.

Celani Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Ardore

Similar to my notes on the 2012 Ardore, except for the fact that this 2013 had all of the power, depth, energy, and overall quality that I would expect from a high-end Napa Cabernet.

Celani Family Vineyards Tenacious

Simple and straight-forward. Something that I think the bachelorette parties of the Valley would definitely enjoy. A medium-to-light bodied red; not too bad on a hot day when you don't want something…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Label

Similar to previous notes.

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Label

Similar to previous notes.

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon McGah Vineyard

PnP with fun and vibrant red and purple berry fruit flavors; specific notes of ripe satsuma plum, black raspberry, bramble/shrub, limestone, and some spice. Chalky initially on the back end,…

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard

PnP and this wine was coiled-up and bit all over the place. Wild red and black berry notes, bramble, ollalaberry, blackberry, chalk, and river rock. At no point was it astringent or tannic, just…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Harbison Vineyard

Better than the 2012 Bevan Tin Box I had the previous night. The Harbison had the depth I was more looking for. Not only did this deliver in terms of a beautifully textured mouthfeel and a silky…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Tin Box Vineyard

Certainly an impeccably balanced and finessed Cabernet, with an elegance and femininity that I was a little surprised by. Soft and round, as the tannins were barely noticeable throughout the entire…