Reviews

MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon

Another perfect showing, and one of the top (of many) reds of the night (especially along with the 2018 Lafleur and 2018 Bryant), the 2016 MACDONALD does what any lineage of awesomeness in an awesome…

Sine Qua Non Aperta

Round number two with the Aperta. I wrote a novella on this a couple of weeks ago on Cellar Tracker, so if you're bored on the couch waiting for your mom to warm up your leftover Mac & Cheese, feel…

Vice Versa Chardonnay Platt Vineyard

I've written quite a bit on this wine already, so I'll keep it simple. It's one of the best domestic Chardonnays coming out of California. It consistently flies in the 96-99 point range for me. It…

Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder

Locked (and hopefully loaded), the Lokoya Mount Veeder ain't havin' any of your monkey business right now. This is a wig-donning, goggle glasses-wearing, dusty couch and moth balls-smelling…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard, Vixen Block

A surprisingly melodious and softly contoured Wildfoote, maturing gorgeously through its typical brawny mega-power and flexy-Mcflex-a-flex posture and transmuting into a very beautiful, almost pretty…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon BBS Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

If you dig LPV, then it's hard to do better than the Vice Versa BBS in 2016. It's got the gravel and rock you've come to love; it's got the fittingly Halloween-ish haunting black fruit; it's got a…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Ya this is pretty darn good juice right here. There was a 2016 Vice Versa LPV BBS that was thrown into the mix too, so of course my palate preference instantly gravitated to the LPV. That said, there…

Greer Cabernet Sauvignon Greer Vineyard

It's been 2.5 years since my last bottle. Having the chance to try this again is a lesson in service and delivery. This, like many other wines at this event, was a straight pop of the cork and a…

Harlan Estate The Maiden

A somewhat polarizing wine among a number of us in the group, with the majority (myself included) not convinced this is on a path worthy of especially high accolade. The black cherry and plum notes…

Fairchild Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Stones No. 2 Pritchard Hill

Somewhat lost in a sea of amazing juice, the Fairchild only suffered from its competition rather than its standalone qualitative virtues. This Pritchard Hill brew begrudgingly gives up crunchy…

Promontory

One would think that following the super strict and serious 2016 Lokoya Mount Veeder would mean that comparatively anything would come off as less rage ridden. Well, the Promontory apparently wants…

Abreu Cappella

Purity, balance, and grace are matched with gushing power and an unreal expansion of dark and brooding fruit and earth flavors, the Cappella is a captivating wine that shows just how special this…

Realm Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

A push-pull showing this time around. At once vanilla-chocolatey, ripe, and rich, while also liqueur-heavy and a bit angular, the 2013 Realm To Kalon comes off both blocky and lush in the same sip.…

The Third Twin Nuestra Señora del Tercer Gemelo The Third Twin Vineyard

This is my second shot at the NUESTRA SENORA DEL TERCER GEMELO (refer to my recent and lengthier tasting note from 09/20/2021). This bottle is a bit spun up at first, but its concentration and drive…

Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

If there ever was a 2018 vintage domestic contender that could go toe-to-toe with the French equivalent that is the 2018 Chateau Lafleur, it would likely be the Bryant. These were the two wines of…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon BBS Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Warning Will Robinson! Warning! We are shut down for business here. LPV has done it again. Caution. Crime Scene. Do Not Cross. Back away. Nothing to see here.

Kongsgaard Chardonnay

A trace of pineapple and succulent lemon curd are overlaid with vanilla and marshmallow notes, making for a familiar California profile but thankfully with minimally reserved levels of perceived…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

Dark ripe berry and black soil notes duel with iron, red and black raspberry, and burnt ember elements to form a full frontal push of luscious and intense fruit and earth flavors. A statuesque wine…

Keplinger Mars

Final bottle and last review of this wine (of many reviews). A really gorgeous showing, with a whirlwind of flavors that swarm around the palate with both flowing finesse and depth, as well as…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Franc Heritage Reserve Block 1 Arrow & Branch Coombsville

As with many young 2018s from Napa, there is a sultry demeanor with the Arrow & Branch Cabernet Franc Block 1 (older vines than Block 2) that immediately shows alluring finesse. Its profile is also…

Sine Qua Non Aperta

An SQN Rhone concoction that Frankensteins a surgical amalgamation of mixed whites, the 2018 Aperta is a provocative fusion of 38% Chardonnay, 25% Viognier, 22% Roussanne, 6% Petit Manseng, and 9%…

L'Aventure Cuvée "Les Demoiselles"

Still an abrasive showing, with the crunchy blackberry and Chambord martini flavors never hitting any sort of desirable glide; the alcohol is constantly hacking rough edges into the flavor expansion.…

Aesthete Wines Sauvignon Blanc Barrel Aged Dry Stack Vineyard

Kiwi, lime, grapefruit, lemon verbena, and acacia notes make for Sauvignon Blanc typicity with an added floral component that offers an extra tick of interest. Medium bodied, with a mid-palate that…

Arkenstone Sauvignon Blanc

Serve it cold and serve it with a decent amount of air - preferably decanted for an hour. The first few sips on PnP are a bit too muscular and angular. After some air, it starts to fan out nicely.…

Joseph Phelps Insignia

Given that there are already 471 tasting notes on this particular wine, I'll compartmentalize this, now #472, tasting note: