Reviews

L'Aventure Estate Cuvée

Previous notes apply. This performed pretty well this time around. Delivered some nice fruit with decent drive. Still not a blockbuster, but drinking fine now. 93 points.

Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc

Tastes kinda like Sauvignon Blanc...

Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon

Previous notes apply. Pretty much a snoozer for me. Some RM SVD's have promise, but this wine, even given the QPR, is super boring for me. Light-to-medium bodied, with a fairly flat attack and…

Forman Cabernet Sauvignon

Same as all my previous notes. A L'Aventure Estate beat this by a long shot. 92-ish points.

Realm Cellars The Bard

Previous notes apply. This was good, albeit still a little pedestrian. Decent concentration and fruit flavor akin to what the 2014 vintage seems to be offering wines like this. I'm not super excited…

Fait-Main Chardonnay Penhoet Toyon Farm

Same as my previous note. 94-95+ points this time around. I'm going to try to lie down remaining bottles for another 6-12 months. Great tension and grip for a domestic Chardonnay.

Buoncristiani Cabernet Sauvignon

Very primary and tight at the moment. Not astringent, but somewhat restrained in terms of allowing its core fruit potential to step forward. A little heat on the back end. Notes of primarily red…

Buoncristiani Cabernet Sauvignon The Core

Exquisite blackberry, black currant, black cherry, bitter chocolate, cassis, and some tar notes. Concentrated but smooth the whole way through. Medium-bodied to some degree, but with a super smooth…

Bacio Divino Cabernet Sauvignon Janzen Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard

All other previous notes apply. 93-94 points given the service (Coravin), with very little time to get some much needed air; swirling wasn't really enough to coax it out of submission. With some air,…

Carlisle Syrah Sierra Mar Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands

Red and purple fruit, with faint passings-by of olive, railroad tie, and asphalt. Not overly complex or concentrated, with the mid-palate leaving something to be desired. One could hold this for…

Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

A big wine that needs some air to open up. Coravin pour, which didn't allow it a true opportunity to expand its flavors or deepen in the way it should have. 92-93 points this time. I'll decant for an…

Seven Stones Cabernet Sauvignon

Similar notes as 8/24/2017. Classical restraint with a little bit of cult viscosity and ripeness. Not sure where exactly this wine is headed. It teeter-tottered back and forth between a 91-92-ish…

Argot Pinot Noir Bastard Tongue

Same as my previous notes. Deep, ripe black cherry, spice, and smoke. 93-94 points. Drink now and over the next couple of years.

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Martinez Vineyard

Same as my notes from two months ago. A beautiful flavor profile, with wonderfully sweet, dark core fruit. A bit soft on the attack, but ultimately a slow-burn of a delivery that stays persistent…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Connoisseurs' Series Centre French Oak Sylvain St. Helena Mountain Block 2

A beautiful showing, with deep, dark black fruit, tar, black charred vanillin oak, dark chocolate, and a syrupy black raspberry note on the back end. Utterly compelling and unctuous, without ever…

Saunter Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Eagle Summit Vineyard

Same as my other notes. This filled out nicely after a short bit of air. Deep and dark, if not a little round and soft on the back end. The grip on this wine is more "medium" than I normally prefer,…

DuMOL Pinot Noir Estate

Dark earthy notes of red and black raspberry, cherry, mulch, cedar, mushroom, forest floor, and some spice. Initially, the attack was noteworthy, with a really nice push of flavors. After about an…

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard

Same as my notes from 12/11/2016. A very fine example of KB, especially in an otherwise challenging vintage. After about 15 minutes of air, this was drinking beautifully. A nice herbal note on the…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

The absolute best showing of the "standard" Myriad Crane that I've probably ever had with this wine across the last eight vintages...but it took a number of hours in the decanter before it really…

Patiné Cellars Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard

Black cherry, ripe black raspberry, incense, and some earthy cedar. Deeply pitched and saturated, but with a drive that pushes the ripe flavors through the finish.

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Twins Vineyard

A very good wine wine indeed, with notable black cherry, blackberry, and some cassis notes. It showed a bit more reserved when compared to the more powerful and exciting 2015 Myriad Twins served…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Twins Vineyard

Exact same notes as five months ago. I am really loving this wine. It was served alongside the the 2014 Myriad Three Twins; the 2015 was far more concentrated and powerful in every way. Great depth…

Sine Qua Non Petit Manseng Shackled

What better way to finish off an evening of tasting with over a dozen Mike Smith wines than by popping a SQN for dessert?! An incredible specimen, with dried apricot, honeysuckle, and candied lemon…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Weitz Vineyard

Same as my previous notes. A really stellar performer tonight and one of the top wines of the night. A near-perfect tension between acid/frame and beautifully focused fruit. My favorite Weitz from…

Patiné Cellars Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard

Flavors of ripe and saturated red and black cherry, red and black raspberry, vanilla alcohol, and incense. Fairly deeply pitched, but not too heavy across the palate.