Reviews

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Bergfeld

This was my favorite in the lineup, as it kicked out wonderful blue and black berry fruit notes, along with some signature Saint Helena minerality. This wine had so much of what I love about Napa…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Simple and straightforward notes of plum, black cherry, some black raspberry, and a bit of cedar. Fairly plump and round, almost carrying some Merlot-like nuances. Some purple berry and talc notes…

Wren Hop Pinot Noir Royalty in Exile

Again, wonderfully saturated red raspberry, red and black cherry, cola, rhubarb, earth, and baking spice flavors. Mid-palate is beautiful and full, completely enveloping; a textural dream.

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Previous notes from 08/22/2016 still apply, however I took some time to follow this over the course of a few hours.

Bevan Cellars Pinot Noir Rita's Crown Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills

Same as my notes from January. Hold until 2017+. Big, ripe, sweet, and a bit hot. This still has some working out to do.

TOR Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Same as my specific flavor notes from May. Ideally, this shouldn't be opened for another year or two (shoot for 2018). We didn't intend on cracking the cork on this, but circumstances dictated…

Saxum Booker Vineyard

Paired with a grilled lamb chop (covered in redwood needles). This piece of meat was cooked beautifully, with the fat rendered perfectly. The flavors were not as interesting as the previous squab…

Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard

Paired fantastically with a wonderful squab and huckleberry dish. The wine itself was ready to drink right out of the gate, with some nice black cherry, ripe currant, and earth notes. Mature and…

Trujillo Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasted at a friend's before dinner. Paired with white ghost pepper salami and rich/salty hard Parmesan. This wine was MUCH better with food; as a stand alone drinker, it felt a little lost at this…

Bevan Cellars Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard

Started off linear and tight, with red, blue, and purple berry fruit notes and a bit of alcohol. After two hours in the decanter, it began to open up more, with additional blueberry and raspberry…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

Rich, extracted, and incredibly deep. Black fruit driven wine; notes of ripe blackberry, dark chocolate, asphalt, tar, scorched earth, smooth oak, vanilla bean, and a little clove. Reminded me a bit…

Forman Cabernet Sauvignon

Same as my specific tasting notes in March.

Realm Cellars The Tempest

Same as my notes from 1/13/2016. Beautiful bottle of wine! Drink now and over the next few years.

Bevan Cellars Pinot Noir Petaluma Gap

Same as my notes from April, except that this was extremely accessible this time around. PnP was fairly ready right out of the gate. A few hours in the decanter was nice, but really not entirely…

Keplinger Diamond Bar

Tight and totally balled-up through the entire 4+ hours of tasting (decanted in a wide-bottomed decanter for most of that time at 54 degrees - warming it up in the glass to more room temperature…

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

Surprisingly accessible and overall a well done, top shelf expression of Napa Cabernet. As good or better as the 2014 equivalent barrel sample tried at the winery's Barrels & Beasts a few months…

L'Aventure Optimus

Same as all my previous notes. Good enough. Not amazing. The Estate Cuvee is far superior. Decent QPR on the mailing list, but I'm becoming a little bored with the Optimus.

Blankiet Estate Proprietary Red Wine Paradise Hills Vineyard

It's been almost a year since I last had this wine. Previous notes apply except that this is ready to drink now. Showed really great for the first hour (96+ points for a brief minute), but after a…

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard

Same tasting notes from 12/23/2015 still apply. I'll wait 6 months for the next bottle.

Acacia Pinot Noir Carneros

Simple, straightforward, and instantly forgettable. Some red berry fruit, cranberry, raspberry, alcohol, and a hint of earth/spice. Better than the sourpuss 2014 Melville vodka-cranberry Pinot served…

Melville Pinot Noir Estate

Simple, high-toned red berry fruit, strawberry, cranberry, and alcohol. Distractingly high on the red fruit register; sour and monolithic. Standby for the headache. Reminded me more of a vodka…

Eric Kent Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Sascha Marie

Previous notes apply. Hold until mid-2017/2018.

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fortuna Vineyard

I was going to wait on this, but I wanted to follow it over a couple of days. PnP was nice and vibrant, with red and black berry fruits. Not a lot of additional flavors initially, but after a few…

12c Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

PnP with notes of black and red berry fruit, black cherry, prominent licorice, tire tread/rubber, and some forest floor and earth/funk. Came off a little wonky and unresolved at the moment; flavors…

TOR Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

On the heels of having thoroughly loved the 2014 TOR BTK Cabernet recently at the Tor tasting at Meadowood, I decided to pop this 2012 BTK Cabernet.