Reviews

Christopher Tynan Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines Meleagris Gallopavo

I've written a ton on this wine, so I'll spare everyone even more of my usual drivel and just say that this MG continues to impress. Though it offers upfront, chewy pleasure now (and a decent amount…

Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

2016 Myriad Elysian, 2016 Myriad Empyrean, 2015 Schrader To Kalon, 2015 Schrader GIII

Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon GIII Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

2016 Myriad Elysian, 2016 Myriad Empyrean, 2015 Schrader To Kalon, 2015 Schrader GIII

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Empyrean Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

2016 Myriad Elysian, 2016 Myriad Empyrean, 2015 Schrader To Kalon, 2015 Schrader GIII

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elysian Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

2016 Myriad Elysian, 2016 Myriad Empyrean, 2015 Schrader To Kalon, 2015 Schrader GIII

BOND St. Eden

Blackberry and plum notes provide the plushest and most rounded profile (by Bond standards) of the 2018 lot. Air becomes somewhat of a weapon here, with extended time in the glass clamping down on…

Sine Qua Non Grenache Rattrapante Eleven Confessions Vineyard

There is a celestial weightlessness with this wine that highlights its ability to be both powerful and harmonious. Textbook Grenache flavors of kirsch, red and black cherry, garrigue, and herbs are…

BOND Quella

Earthy and slightly flat on entry, with the front end giving comparatively less oomph than its siblings. A linear and stemmy execution, with dusty gravel, green peppercorns, blackberry seed, and…

Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Initially a red berry and cedar dominant profile, which quickly gave way to vivacious black cherry, spice, gravel, and faint hints of Italian seasoning (dried thyme and oregano). The spice and cedar…

BOND Melbury

Unripe red raspberry, sour red cherry, green peppercorn, and plum skin notes present as painfully young, holding the fruit back a thousand yards from expansion. With vigorous swirling in the glass,…

Promontory

12 Promontory - flawed Suuuuuuucks.

BOND Vecina

Sour red cherry, dust, and bitter bark. Light and linear, with a complete drop-off on the finish. Not a ton going on here except some sour and bitter notes competing with some light-bodied red fruit…

Harlan Estate

Ready, giving, luscious, chewy, and a big polar bear hug of black berries and chocolate chunk goodness that doesn't skip a beat in terms of textural dreaminess and seamlessness. The 2012 Harlan's…

BOND St. Eden

Not sure the deal here. A strong bitterness, with blackberry seed and an acrimonious pasty finish that paws at the palate and leaves a furry texture in the mouth. A concerning showing.

MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon

Day One: Balled up, spun up, angry, and.angry. A double-decant for a few hours prior and a constant house arrest monitoring/revisiting over another five hours did nothing to nudge this stubborn…

Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Rock Block Series Magic Nights

From the Rock Block series, the 2018 Magic Nights is the latest iteration of this compelling succession. Black berry and mineral notes are beautifully weighted, with a mid-palate that brings on the…

MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon

This dude was ready to go in so many ways, even with relatively limited decanting acrobatics. Double-decanted a few hours before consumption and then followed over the course of 4-5 additional hours,…

Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon SongBook

I could cut and paste most of my tasting notes for the 2019 Songbook and place them along with the beautiful 2018, with the exception of the slightly dialed-back ostentatiousness displayed with the…

MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon

The first line on my notes reads, "Of course. Why wouldn't 2019 be epic?! It's like it's not even fair to any other wine on the table." .though, in fairness, I will admit there was a bottle with some…

Allbaer Petite Sirah Un Petit Debut VERSION OOI

Though I was admittedly less drawn to the second vintage iterations of the Allbaer collection (they were not PS), I continue to love this inaugural representation of the brand, finding the Un Petit…

Andremily Syrah No. 7

Aromas of blueberry feta cheese water topped with pickled chocolate syrup and sheepdog left outside in a hurricane. On the palate, gross.

Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

This continues to perform like the molten mineral-laced black asphalt blackberry bitter-chocolate baby you all know and love. It's as flashy and opulent as LPV can get without sacrificing focus and…

Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard

Boy oh boy, here we go with the blackberry biggin of biggins. I was instantly reminded of the 2019 Bevan Crane, with the oak and the coffee and the riiiiich berry fruit.and the oak. I suppose there…

Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard

Though there was a certain group who preferred the 2016 Venge served next to the 2013, I appreciated the extra tension the 2013 provided. For me, the 2013 and 2016 couldn't be more different. For…

L'Aventure Côte-à-Côte Estate

This comes off as big and brash, with a mid-palate that wants to desperately go deeper but is stifled by the sense of booze and grainy grippiness. Crunchy blackberry seeds, chocolate cake batter, and…