Reviews

Realm Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

PnP. An absolutely incredible showing. The best I've experienced with this wine, and probably one of the best 2012 Napa Cabs I've had in recent memory. I almost wanted to hit it with a 100 point…

Vice Versa Chardonnay Platt Vineyard

Having the opportunity to follow these VV Platt wines is really something special. My previous notes apply, with some additional comments about "quality"...

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

A fun addition to the lineup, this VV BTK (labeled as "Napa Valley") is a beautiful example of how these wines can show their maturity while still displaying youthful verve and energy. Black cherry,…

Dana Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard

My first experience with this wine. It unfolded really nicely throughout the evening. A ton of verve here, with a tension that provides a hyper-focused delivery of flavors. As others have noted, it…

JCB Chardonnay No. 33

65% new oak/14 months. A Burgundian rendition with pure lemon citrus and white peach notes. Fairly full on the front end, but clean, crisp, and pure overall. Mid-palate was a tad hollow, with the…

B Cellars Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Finished the bottle. Good purity of fruit. Really nice herbaceous black cherry and spicy cassis. Even better in a couple of years. Hold until 2020.

Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard

Two years ago since I last had this wine. PnP kicked out some off-putting spritz that threw the flavors all out of whack. It tasted like a Sauvignon Blanc had a love child with a super dry…

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Same as previous notes. Last minute pull. PnP. Still a decent amount of baby fat here. Hold until after 2020++ minimum.

Joseph Phelps Insignia

PnP and later decanted for about 2+ hours. Black cherry, cedar, red and black currant, tobacco leaf, and faint earth. Especially tight on the back end. Needs another 2+ years minimum. Hold until…

Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard

Same as last month's note. Drinking good now, but another year+ might do it well. Hold until late 2019/2020+.

Hartford / Hartford Court Chardonnay Three Jacks

First bottle was severely flawed.

B Cellars Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Coravin pour with exotic notes of wild black cherry, red and black currant, crunchy cassis, deep kirsch, dark dried cranberry, Herbes de Provence, and violets. A beguiling wine that kept me coming…

Hartford / Hartford Court Chardonnay Three Jacks

Wet newspaper and dank bathroom smell. On the palate, like licking an old envelope.

Buccella Cabernet Sauvignon

PnP with red and black cherry core fruit. Some cassis, vanilla, earthy cedar, red and black currant, and incense emerged. Faint hints of bitter chocolate covered cherry oozed out on the back end…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Previous notes apply. 6+ months since my last bottle. PnP was perfect. Served at 52-54 degrees, which kept the fruit in focus and allowed for an ideal delivery over the course of two hours. Black…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon 9 Oaks 36 Month French Select Block 2 St. Helena Mountain

Finished the bottle. Previous note from the other day still applies except that the delivery was even more gorgeous. The supposed issue earlier on the back end where it seemed potentially flat seemed…

Pott Wine Cabernet Sauvignon Kaliholmanok Kicu'me

Previous note applies. Finished the bottle; consumed over two+ hours. Served at 52 degrees as a PnP. 93-94 points. I'll try to hold remaining bottles for at least another year or two.

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon 9 Oaks 36 Month French Select Block 2 St. Helena Mountain

Coravin pour. Beautiful black and dark purple core fruit. Some nice black currant, purple/black plum, black rock, and some dark soil to round it all out. Subtle spice (anise, black pepper, and clove)…

Fait-Main Chardonnay Penhoet Toyon Farm

PnP with notes of zippy white stone and somewhat pithy yellow citrus core fruit; fresh lemon juice, lemon seed, quince, unripe pear, and pumice. The front end of the attack was full of verve, with an…

Rivers-Marie Chardonnay B. Thieriot Vineyard

Same as all of my previous notes on this wine. Held up great over the course of over three hours. Beautifully balanced, with just enough of a kiss of buttery citrus to push the flavor spectrum into…

Pott Wine Cabernet Sauvignon Kaliholmanok Kicu'me

Coravin pour, with notes of red cherry, purple plum, Dalmatia sour cherry spread, cedar, underbrush, garrigue, and some forest floor. Approachable enough, but still youthfully linear and a little…

Fait-Main Chardonnay Penhoet Toyon Farm

PnP. Nice but linear. Purity of fruit was good, but I felt this was missing some tiered flavors; weight mid-palate was just ok, with a focused but simple attack. Previous notes apply in terms of its…

Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard

PnP at 50-52 degrees, with a zesty but buttery-smooth yellow citrus dominated core. Lemon curd, lemon zest, honeydew, citrus oil, honey, olive oil, clarified butter, and some vanilla. Perfect…

Torrin The Maven

PnP at 54 degrees with somewhat reserved notes of kirsch, black and red cherry, saline, and some underbrush. Cloudy in the glass and fuzzy on the palate, with a medium attack and somewhat simple…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

A super solid wine and even better than when I had this almost one year ago. In a perfect drinking window now. PnP was just fine, though about 30 minutes in the glass with some swirling really…