Reviews

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve Darnajou French Oak North

From barrel. This sample of the Piazza Del Dotto Oakville Estate Darnajou NORTH Family Reserve showed decent black cherry and plum core fruit. Surprisingly, the Darnajou was imparting flavors that…

Del Dotto Chardonnay Family Reserve Cinghiale Vineyard

Candied lemon peel, lemon oil, lightly buttered popcorn, vanilla, slight glycol, alkaline, and some subtle grass. A little less smooth on the back end. Lacking silkiness and textural elegance, but…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Estate Family Reserve

Plum, black cherry, currant, and alcohol. Similar to the 887 previously sampled in that it came off a little abrasive, especially on the finish. Tannic and linear. At best, needs time.

Villa Del Lago Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill

From barrel. Energetic and spritely, this version of VdL was pumping some upper register red and black fruit and currant flavors along with an undercurrent of subtle riper bass notes on the…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve St. Helena Mountain

Tannic and youthful, but the grip isn't as abrasive as some of the other 2013s sampled. The fruit concentration manages to push through (barely) and provide for some decent pleasure. This wine begs…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon The Beast

From barrel. The best rendition of The Beast I've had over the last couple of years. Seemingly more focused than the 2015 was at this stage, and more akin to the 2014 in its concentration and…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon American Oak Carved & Grooved Alain Fouquet Vineyard 887 SO/FR St. Helena

Plum, black cherry, wood, torched brown sugar, chocolate, and some spice. A decent depth here, with a ripe fruit-giving style; luckily it's not overly ripe or mushy in its overall profile.

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Connoisseur's Series Vineyard 887 Family Reserve St. Helena

From barrel. A difficult wine to get a read on, with a plummy aftertaste that dominated the overall profile. Black cherry and unripe blackberry notes were also present. Some astringency on the back…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Connoisseurs' Series Vicard French Oak St Helena Mountain Block 2

From barrel. Energetic and concentrated, the St. Helena Mountain Vicard shows nice depth of flavor and notable intensity that drives the fruit forward without pummeling you over the palate with it. A…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Single Cluster

Offered in Magnum only. Black cherry and red and black currant dominant. A similar flavor profile to some of the other Del Dotto Oakville wines, except that this had a little more heightened frame.…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Centre Sylvain Block 1 Howell Mountain

Much more accessible and giving than the Howell Single Cluster, this Block 1 is a powerful and tannic animal. Black cherry, plum, and some earth. Medium complexity and depth of flavor, this wine is…

Aubert Chardonnay Hudson Vineyard

Inviting and agreeable, with a moderate sex appeal and soft porn-esque delivery. Overall, fairly smooth; less glycol after 2+ hours in the decanter. Notes of lemon curd, lemon verbena, vanilla, and…

Justin Vineyards & Winery Sauvignon Blanc

Lemon water and 9V battery. Otherwise flavorless, flat, and thin. Even at $12........Nope...

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

My prior notes from last year apply. PnP was fine, with some nice dark chocolate and rich black soil notes complimenting the dark, earthy black cherry core. Rich and seemingly low in grip and frame.

Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard

Previous notes apply. I still recommend holding this particular wine well into 2019. Decanting and vigorous swirling brought out more depth of flavor. PnP was initially pretty tight and linear. After…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon La Verdad Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

In a side-by-side with the 2016 La Bam and a 2015 Fait Main LPV, the 2016 Verdad delivered as one (at least I) would expect... It dominated on all levels. The fascinating cassis note was indeed…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon La Bam Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Still rockin' and rollin', the 2016 La Bam continues to impress with its ability to rocket-out a ton of red-purple fruit, spice, and cassis, while still maintaining poise and focus. More fruit-driven…

Revana Cabernet Sauvignon Block 6

A massively endowed wine, much akin to the 2014 Block 6 with its dark berry and rich chocolatey profile. A lot of power and sappy concentration here, with the melted dark chocolate notes singing the…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Weitz Vineyard

Even more compelling than the last couple of times I had this wine, the 2016 Weitz popped on the palate with extraordinary drive and complexity. Same as my previous notes in terms of its overall…

Fait-Main Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras

Served side-by-side with 2016 Carters Bam and Verdad. The FM was more purple fruited and displayed a softer grip than the Carters. Less intensity and concentration mid-palate from the FM by…

Revana Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

Horizontal of the 2015 Estate, Stags, and Howell Cabernets. More earthy and funky than the Estate or Stags, this Howell offering from Revana displayed a soil-driven meatiness that was interesting, if…

Carter Cellars Hossfeld Coliseum

Previous notes apply. Still amongst the big boys in the 2016 Carter lineup, this beautiful wine manages to keep pace and hold interest with its wonderfully inviting dark red and purple core fruit.…

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

If the OG is a perfect wine, then the GTO is a perfect-er wine. Previous notes apply.

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

All previous notes apply. With the exception of the GTO, this OG is a darn-tootin', kick a** and take names kind of Black Bart fella that stands up at the saloon, skins its pair of smoke-wagons, and…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Kings Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Previous notes apply. Power and flavor all wrapped into one big hunk of spicy sexiness. A true athlete on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition (but like a for-real athlete...not just…