Reviews

Vice Versa Chardonnay Platt Vineyard

A much more complete animal than the barrel sample I had back in November. Initially, the first sips were certainly youthfully linear and hyper-focused. A massive cut and acid blast that was…

Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

The black cherry liqueur thing was jumping off crazy on this wine at first pull, but then it dropped into a more earthy, almost grainy animal, with some crunchy rock and soil notes encircling the…

Maxem Pinot Noir UV Vineyard

Frame over fruit on the initial attack, with a youthfully linear drive that hones-in on more evergreen and Christmas spice-cedar-earth notes before the wild black cherry and wild raspberry flavors…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Black cherry liqueur, initially tasting a bit like the Elysian, but with a little more swanky red cherry tones. Round and somewhat boozy; the most plush of the lineup. Finished a little chewy…

Maxem Chardonnay UV Vineyard

A Chardonnay with exquisite balance and poise, while also pushing out party-ready flavors of Meyer lemon juice, yellow pear, green apple, and hints of tropical fruit. Just as pure and alluring as it…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elysian Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Black cherry and red cherry cassis; not as dark or as concentrated as the Memento Mori served directly beside it. Rode higher in its tonal expressions, with some booze and glycol on the back end. A…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon BBS Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Keenly focused and pure blackberry, black cherry, black river rock, and bitter dark chocolate notes fired-off in deliberate succession on the front end of the attack. A more serious wine when…

Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Compelling aromatics of dark muddled fruit and a slight floral whiff. On the palate, beautifully rich blackberry and chocolate on the front end. Cassis, black cherry, blueberry skin, clove, and a…

Arkenstone Sauvignon Blanc

Green apple, guava, yellow and green citrus rind, and subtle grass. The Arkenstone impresses for its flavor-push of tasty intensity and drive, while all the while maintaining a sense of direction and…

Christopher Tynan Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines Meleagris Gallopavo

So this wine didn't suck at all. A massive wall of tannins and grip formed an outrageous skyscraper of scaffolding for the pitch-black fruit core. Shockingly, the immensity of the structure didn't…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

This was the richest and most concentrated of the wines sampled, with chocolate, huge blackberry and ripe black cherry, floral, and black wet soil. Like the Realm, the texture on this wine was…

Arkenstone Estate

Energy and power are aptly corralled by an exquisite balance that immediately unveils sophistication and complexity. Black cherry and red and black currant driven; the NVD on steroids, with a focus…

Vangone Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

Barrel sample. Chocolate, rich black soil, black licorice, bitter Baker's chocolate, and a fat, healthy dollop of bad-assness. I LOVE the earthy qualities of this wine, which really make to elevate…

Realm Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Exquisitely balanced with richness akin to the Memento Mori, with just a little less of the bitter dark chocolate notes coming out (which I was surprised about when I later learned this was the Realm…

Arkenstone Cabernet Sauvignon NVD

Black cherry and black and red currant encircled by a subtle zing of strawberry give way to a medium-bodied attack that offers supple delivery of flavor. Draws thinner as it approaches the…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Weitz Vineyard

Similar to how it behaved in barrel, the Weitz is sporting a super fruity profile of uber-ripe cherry syrup, cassis, char, and candied raspberry. Unresolved in its delivery and seemingly searching…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon La Verdad Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Black cherry, saccharine, bitter chocolate, fresh red and black licorice, and black rock steamroll onto the palate and deliver whopping gobs of fruit on the frontloaded attack. A bit overwhelming,…

Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch

Barrel sample. Electric purple fruit, blackberry, black cherry, black licorice, garrigue/underbrush, and some earthy stems. The Vine Hill is a much more expressive and zippy sample when compared to…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon La Bam Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Much like the Fortuna, but indeed richer and more intense mid-palate, the Bam karate kicks out a "Kiai!" ("Hi-yah" for the uninitiated) of red and black cherry fruit that thrusts across the palate…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The G.T.O Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Composed and alluringly poised when mirrored to its 2017 counterparts, the GTO lets you know it is showing up to the ball with a touch of class. Less concentrated and intense than the OG, but…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

A really beautiful showing, with so much youth and vibrancy coming out of this wine despite its dark, black, gothic profile overall. Earthy rock and signature LPV minerality dominates over the core…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The O.G. Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

On first sip, this OG was a sweeter and riper version of the barrel sample I had before. Rich black cherry starts off the race on the front end, pulsating out additional flavors of cassis, fresh…

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Much of the same from my last experience with this wine from last year. A more enhanced complexity brought about by a more deliberate delineation of flavors during delivery made for a truly elevated…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The Grand Daddy Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Almost identical in profile to the Three Kings, but with more plush and somewhat rotund ripe fruit, the Grand Daddy was the most unresolved of the To Kalon offerings. True to its usual form, the…

Buoncristiani Cabernet Sauvignon The Core

Ripe blackberry preserves, with some dark soil and chocolate picking up the rear of the delivery and saving it from becoming an absolute, singular implosion of ripe black fruit. Much more rich and…