Reviews

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Tasted at a private Carter Cellars 2013 Horizontal tasting, with additional 2013 Myriad wines for comparison.

Talley Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosemary's Vineyard

Dark black cherry, raspberry, ripe plum, and wood smoke, with secondary notes of black tea, allspice, and a hint of mushroom/forest floor.

Carlisle Syrah Papa's Block

As others have noted, blackberry, blueberry, and black olive notes. What distinguishes this wine over the other Carlisle Syrahs is the interplay between the subtle meaty notes and distinct Papa's…

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands

Black cherry, ripe raspberry, KB cola, vanillin cassis, and subtle wood smoke. Improved with an hour in the decanter. The best of the appellation 2012 KB Pinots at the moment.

Bremer Family Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

What one would expect from a standard, mid-level Napa Valley cabernet. Plum, red currant, cedar. After some air, the cedar and dust notes come more to the forefront, with subtle tannins clamping down…

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

PnP with upfront and ready-to-go flavors of ripe black cherry, raspberry, nutmeg, wood smoke, a hint of Earl Grey tea, and baking spices.

Pott Wine Cabernet Sauvignon Kaliholmanok Kicu'me

An outstanding Spring Mountain cabernet, with complex and fascinating notes of purple and black fruits (copious energetic dark berry notes - blackberry, blueberry, ollalaberry, marionberry), scorched…

Keplinger Sumo

Though I have been a fan of Sumos past, this 2011 was incredibly disjointed for me at the moment. The floral and lemon citrus components of the Viognier almost completely overshadowed any other…

Donelan Syrah Walker Vine Hill

A meaty syrah, with notes of salami, bologna, red currant, spice, white pepper, asphalt, and bouquet garni. Ready to drink now, I did not feel the need to decant this wine. 30 minutes from bottle to…

Eric Kent Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Sascha Marie

Akin to the 2012 EK Stiling, medium bodied, with just a tad less richness than the Stiling at this point.

Eric Kent Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Stiling Vineyard

A medium-bodied wine (but the deepest and richest Pinot Noir in EK's range when compared to the 2012 Small Town and 2012 Sascha Marie). Notes of dark red fruits, spice, and subtle soil.

Carlisle Syrah Sierra Mar Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands

Notes of tart blackberry, red fruits, olive, and rocks and minerals. Some saline notes with an odd tart (almost grapefruit) tinge on the back end. Not sure where this wine is going, with complicated…

Wren Hop Pinot Noir Daughters of Earth Goldrock Ridge

Explosive notes of rich black cherry and dark berry fruits, sweet plum, cinnamon, cardamom, anise, Jamaican allspice, and cedar. A fun and complex wine. Fans of Wren Hop and Russell Bevan will be…

Bevan Cellars Ontogeny

Similar notes as 7/4/15. At the request of friends (as I think this still needs a couple of years to fully integrate), opened a bottle and decanted an hour. Served at the cooler side of cellar…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District

Good black fruits, licorice, earth, slate/granite, and faint wood notes. Drank alongside a 2010 Myriad Napa Cabernet. The Napa was a little more expressive compared to the Spring Monutain, but the…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Similar to some of my notes from 7/16/2015 on the 2011 version of this wine, with black fruits, licorice, and a faint streak of slate minerality.

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Right out of the gate, the 2010 Myriad Dr. Crane reminds you why Mike Smith knows what the hell he is doing. A velvety smooth version of a Dr. Crane and a solid, hedonistic effort that's showing very…

Carlisle Petite Sirah Palisades Vineyard

Initial PnP was a little tight with blackberry, black cherry, and somewhat gritty tannins. Had a 30 minute decant and began to open up with smoother, richer black fruit flavors, as well as muddled…

Pruett Vineyards Syrah Championship Cuvee

A outstandingly balanced Syrah, with notes of licorice, blackberry, dark chocolate, mocha, vanilla bean, macchiato, asphalt, and cassis. A full-bodied profile with a rounded-out and smooth texture.…

Saxum James Berry Vineyard

Cracked the cork on this knowing full well it was too early, but in the name of science it had to be done! Restrained notes of kirsch, black cherry liqueur, raspberry, blueberry, bramble, underbrush,…

Favia Cerro Sur

Tasted alongside a 2009 Grade Napa Auction Cabernet. The Favia out-performed the Grade, in that the Favia had more rounded dark berry flavors. The cedar and wood components of the Grade started to…

The Grade Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Premiere Napa Valley Auction 15 Lot 76

Same notes as 7/21/15. Tasted side-by-side with a 2009 Favia Cerro Sur red blend. The Favia out-performed the Grade, with the Favia giving more dark berry fruit and a more voluminous texture.

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

A solid Pinot, with a seductively smooth and upfront appealing texture. Drinking really well at the moment. Lacks just a tad of the complexity of some other '10 KB Pinots. Tasted alongside '12 Bevan…

Wren Hop Pinot Noir Mortal Coil Phendler

Similar notes as on 7/24/15. Tasted tonight side-by-side with a '10 KB Sonoma and Bevan 2114. The 2114 was WOTN, with the Wren Hop Mortal Coil a close #2. The Mortal Coil was a little tight tonight,…

Bevan Cellars Pinot Noir Summit 2114

Red fruit and spice on the nose. On the palate, rhubarb, sassafras, red berry, dark red cherry, a little earth, and spice. A very accessible and fruit-forward Pinot, with a rich, voluptuous profile.…