Reviews

Vangone Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Block B

From B Block. A higher register animal than the 2015 and 2016 dark earthy beasts, this 2017 hits the palate with red and purple plum skin and red and black raspberry notes. Offers a youthfully…

Arkenstone Cabernet Sauvignon Amoenus

From the site that has been known as "Not the Materium, but the other wine that Maybach makes," the Amoenus makes an appearance on the Arkenstone label in 2018. The first sip tells you this thing is…

Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon

An initial horizontal attack lends its way to a broader flavor expansion with a good hit of air, jumping into gear and kicking out read and black cherry notes on the front end. Much more red-fruited…

Melka Mekerra

Cabernet Franc-heavy on the front end of the attack, with black and red cherry, embers, and violets kicking off the initial push. The mid and back seem to grab better hold of the Merlot component,…

Arkenstone Cabernet Sauvignon NVD

Saturated black raspberry, leather, blackberry, muddled strawberry, charcoal, and red and black cherry. Considering this is the more "base" model Cabernet from Arkenstone, it performs quite well and…

Melka Sauvignon Blanc Mekerra

Grapefruit, guava, stone, white flowers, white peach, and apricot. Silky smoooooooth and absolutely stunning. A gorgeous mouthfeel with an added lemon verbena lift that elevates the back end and…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Continuing to operate in a nice drinking window it seems, as this was the best showing of this wine to date. Balanced out and not too heavy on the fruit (Quivet-speaking at least). A notable black…

Christopher Tynan Wines Syrah Judge Family Vineyard

A massive blackberry monster on ice skates, with iron, rock, sanguine, and a little roast beef poking out of the furry blueberry and blackberry core. Huge tannins and grip, but all the while…

Christopher Tynan Wines Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena Reserve

As Cristal2000 mentioned, this wine was a definite surprise of the tasting. The 2012 Saint Helena Reserve punches WAY above its division; I personally thought this had all the complexity and flavor…

Melka Cabernet Sauvignon Métisse Montbleau

Rich chocolatey black raspberry, licorice, and black cherry liqueur rush up front-and-center with the initial kick of fat fruit on the attack. A highly perfumed candy shop of flavor, like a Viognier…

Aubert Pinot Noir Reuling Vineyard

Incense, cedar, and black cherry. A nice Pinot that relies on some traditional earth components to carry the fruit core forward. Medium all the way around. 91-92 points.

Melka Métisse Martinez Vineyard Pritchard Hill

From the first sip, anyone who is familiar with Pritchard Hill knows that this wine speaks loud and clear about its roots. Tension-driven and nervy; high on acid and higher-toned aromatics on the…

Arkenstone Sauvignon Blanc Reserve Estate

So, there's the Estate Sauvignon Blanc...and with the 2018 vintage there will also be this RESERVE Sauvignon Blanc to put its dukes up and battle the domestic Sancerre movement in the Napa Valley.…

Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard

Olive oil, bruised lemon rind, toasted almond, ripe yellow citrus, light butterscotch, and a whisper of lamp oil on the back end. Still fairly fresh and concentrated, but definitely coming into a…

Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

If the VHR wasn't enough to slap me silly with the possession of a thousand fun-filled flavors, the Crane offered little help in the exorcism from the continuing onslaught of savor-the-flavor palate…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

An initial horizontal attack of primary black cherry and cassis flavors made for a youthfully primary delivery on the front end. With air, blackberry and black raspberry liqueur, blackberry seed,…

Arkenstone Syrah

I loved this sample. Super meaty and viscous, like chewing on a bacon-wrapped date that was dipped in the most flavorful tar you could lap up from dragging your tongue across I-5 on a late August…

Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard

Saccharine-laced lemon curd leads the charge here. A little rounder and fatter than most Ritchies of the past. Finishes a little cloying, but with nicely pitched ripe lemon and meringue notes to keep…

MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon

Rich, chewy, perfumed, and about as exciting as they come, the 2016 Macdonald is a shake your money maker kind of experience, grabbing a hold the palate and unloading gobs of dark, black fruit;…

Arkenstone Cabernet Sauvignon Coliseum Block

A big wine with fantastic grip. Black and red raspberry dominate. The acid rushes in and swiftly grips the front end. A zippy mid-palate, finishing with a much-needed downshift that allows for some…

Christopher Tynan Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines Meleagris Gallopavo

The nose hits you pretty quickly with ripe blackberry and poblano chili, letting you know almost immediately that this is definitely hailing from the cooler, wetter 2011 vintage. First sips confirm…

Aubert Chardonnay Powder House Vineyard

Yellow apple skin and fresh squeezed lemon juice shoot across the palate with a vivacious and linear attack. Rides high and white at times, with a somewhat pithy stone note flecking the mid-palate…

MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2015 was similar to the 2013 in many ways, except that the 2015 took a bit longer to shed some of its frame and allow the fruit to come forward. It was highly mineral-driven and the least…

Arkenstone Estate

Blackberry seed, obsidian, burnt embers, and chewy licorice, with mineral and scorched earth notes zipping around the concentrated core. More than a fair amount of power here, finishing youthfully…

Christopher Tynan Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines Meleagris Gallopavo

This is certainly up there with the top 2017s to come out of Napa by far. Immediately it shows itself as a "complete" wine, with all the necessary moving parts hitting the right chords at the right…