Reviews

Mark Herold Wines Herold

Same as my notes from 4/15/2016 and 3/25/2016. Powerful and youthfully dark, gravely berry fruit. Cool berry notes (but not as cool as the 2012); blackberry, black currant, black licorice, charcoal,…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Kings Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Phenomenal fruit, with flashy red and purple berry notes, vanilla bean, chocolate, and pencil lead. Where this wine really shows you its presence is in its depth and mid-palate. Huge sexy "oomph" on…

Mark Herold Wines Herold by Mark Herold

Similar to my notes from 4/15/2016. A cool feel about it (more so than the 2013), with dark berries, black licorice, cold river rock, and obsidian. Came off a little more cerebral than the 2013,…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Holy Mary Mother of God. If you've loved previous LPVs from Carter, you're gonna freak out over this wine. If this shakes out right, I can see this wine following its 2013 older brother and becoming…

Mark Herold Wines Herold by Mark Herold

Same as my notes from 4/15/2016. The best of the Herold 2011s, which is still not my jam.

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Weitz Vineyard

Here is where we really started to ratchet up the intensity and complexity. This felt like a huge jump in flavors compared to the Coliseum and Fortuna. The 2014 Weitz displayed wonderful purple,…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fortuna Vineyard

A wine that I absolutely fell in love with in the 2013 vintage has again showed immense promise in 2014. A bit more blue and purple berry fruits than the Coliseum Block Cabernet, with the wild red…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Coliseum Block

The reverse of the Hossfeld, with approximately 80/20 Cabernet/Merlot. This wine showed the fruitiness of the Merlot, but kicked in with a nice spine that added some tannic structure, pleasantly…

Carter Cellars Hossfeld Coliseum

Certainly the fruitiest of the bunch, and unquestionably a Merlot-driven animal. Red and black cherry, cherry liqueur, cacao nibs, alcohol, and a tinge of alkaline. Understandably, this little guy…

Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Rock Block Series Stardust Heaven

Agree with others on this. Wait! In fact, wait another 4 years. 2020 seems like a good time to see where this is, as it displayed extremely coiled-up notes of red berry fruit, alcohol, chalk, and…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

Neck and neck with the 2013 Coombsville. Previous notes on this wine apply. Blackberry, blueberry, creosote, dark cacao, raspberry and blueberry liqueur, red and black currant, and vanilla bean. Not…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Label

The 2013 Coombsville and Stagecoach were a straight tie for me this time around. Exact same notes of blackberry, black currant, black raspberry, black licorice, dark cacao, freshly turned mulch,…

Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Corona Vineyard

Wait; wait; wait! This needs much more time. I had this last year with a couple of hours in the decanter and it seemed to be moving along nicely. However, this go-around it was extraordinarily tight…

Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah Old Vine Block Peterson Family Vineyard

Similar to the standard 2011 SBR PS with its purple and black berry fruit, black raspberry, asphalt, and chocolate notes. However, the Old Vine ratchets up the vanilla bean and oak a tad bit, but…

Bevan Cellars Pinot Noir Summit 1376'

Same notes as 4/3/2016. Nice depth, spice box, earth, and dark red and black cherry notes. Drink now and over the next few years.

Cayuse Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard

If this is supposed to taste like horse manure and sour cherries, then "Bravo" to Christophe Baron. Otherwise, this better have been flawed.

Bevan Cellars EE Cuvée

Not too much different from my CT notes in August 2015. This didn't start to really show its stuff until 2+ hours in the decanter. Raspberry liqueur, chocolate covered cherries (not overly sweet),…

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard

PnP wih notes of wild red berry, cola, cinnamon, and some spice. A little hot initially on the back end, which subsided after about 30 minutes.

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Kings Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

I know I should wait a while, but with a case of a wine I've not yet tried staring me in the face, it was a little hard to resist anymore. In the name of science...

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Very similar to my CT notes from 11/7/2015 except I do agree with others that the intensity has shifted a bit, but not much (in my opinion). I was still very much drawn to the core fruit and depth…

Carlisle Syrah Papa's Block

Same as my specific notes from 8/19/2015. My last bottle. Ended up being a good Syrah with a very good QPR. Nothing earth-shattering, but a pleasant drink nonetheless. Papa's Block is consistently…

Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard

Well I was planning on holding this last bottle for a year or so, but it didn't work out that way this time. So...

Realm Cellars The Tempest

As expected, a superb Merlot-based red. I echo previous notes from others on this wine. Still holding a little back on the PnP, but managed to push out some really nice flavors after about three…

Favia Cabernet Sauvignon

PnP with a striking hit to the palate of dark fruit, red and black licorice, pumice/stone, asphalt, and the faintest of clove. Wonderful tension and verve, with an energetic pulse of ripe muddled red…

Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard, Vixen Block

A wonderful expression of a Stags Leap Cabernet. PnP with elegant but dark purple and black berry fruit notes, red and black licorice, black wet slate, red and black currant, and faint baking spice.…