Reviews

Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée

Signature Applewood bacon and mulch kick off the launch of earthy dark red and black berry, kirsch, cedar plank, garrigue, soppressata, sandalwood, and earthy funk flavors that culminate in a…

Allbaer Petite Sirah Un Petit Debut VERSION OOI

At first shy on the nose but eventually presenting faint puffs of freshly washed plums, peonies, and hints of menthol, the aromas on this curious petite sirah signal a fragrantly lifted and refined…

Clarendon Hills Astralis

A smooth, dark, and rich wine that carries balsamic and plum notes pumping saturation and depth, cascading throughout the mouth and filling the palate. With earthy and leather flavors rolling in and…

Romano Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella Vigneto di Monte Lodoletta

A very darkly postured red at first sip, giving way to beautifully sweet and deep plum, black raspberry, fig, coffee cake, black licorice, cedar chest, and unsmoked cigar notes. There is a gorgeous…

Château Prieuré-Lichine

Here's a piece of advice... Drink this wine by itself with a nice plate of food in the privacy of your own home while listening to yer boy Yanni. Don't take it to a tasting of great wines surrounding…

Sine Qua Non Syrah "M" Eleven Confessions Vineyard

Creeping up on two years now since I last had a bottle, I can't deny my affection for this wine; it simply commands attention as soon as it hits the glass. Pouring a moonless midnight black-purple,…

B Cellars Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Coming off a bit heavy handed and blown out for the first hour or so, this bottle needed significant air to start coming into form. Ripe red and purple berry and plum are washed with spice and…

The Third Twin Nuestra Señora del Tercer Gemelo The Third Twin Vineyard

Saturated red and black raspberry, kirsch, black cherry, spice, toast, forest floor, and stems traipse around in a striking exhibition of confident flavor-parading. The entwining of ripe and ready…

Carlisle Mourvèdre Radiant Ridge

Pouring a translucent purple-crimson, the 2018 Carlisle Radiant Ridge Mourvèdre rockets-up aromas of spring flowers and a medley of freshly washed berries and cherries. The intoxicating color and…

Heritage School Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Missiaen's Hillside Vineyard

Similar to the 2018 Hillside served directly beside it in terms of profile and specific flavor-components, this iteration is more of a hallmark of the affable and smooth-operator 2014 vintage. A bit…

Heritage School Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Select Blend

Always a three-barrel selection from among a combination of any of the three sites (Hillside, Lakeview, Creekside), this Select immediately shows an added layer of concentration and depth when…

Heritage School Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Missiaen's Hillside Vineyard

With a mountain fruit kind of vibe, reminding me instantly of a Pritchard Hill lookalike, the Hillside impresses with its iron-inflected and redder pitched fruit running through its otherwise dark…

Heritage School Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Lakeview

A dark and ripe fruit-filled entry is provided requisite frame and grip by way of a firm chalkiness that quickly whips-up the lush berry core and gives keen direction to the lifted finish. Though the…

Heritage School Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Julie's Creekside Vineyard

Round and ripe berry notes are intermixed with plum and chocolate to make for a front-loaded, fruit forward wine that provides immediate pleasure with a richness that equates to direct accessibility…

Vangone Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

Over two and a half years since my last sample, the 2015 Vangone is now in quite the agreeable state at this stage in the game. A downshift from its original roaring intensity has made way for a more…

Realm Cellars The Falstaff

Right out of the gate, this puppy was off and rolling with fruit, spice, fruit, spice, and fruit. Decanting a few hours helped to fan and fill out its form, but this barely needed to stretch its legs…

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Teucer Vineyard

A powerfully ripe showing, with chewy blackberry and super ripe black raspberry flavors sloshing and washing through the mouth, finishing with absolute authority. Some alcohol on the tail adds to the…

Double Diamond (Schrader) Cabernet Sauvignon

Black cherry, eucalyptus, plum, and blackberry skin dominate the profile. There is decent tension, with a broad grip housing the flavor carriage wanting to bust out of the frame. The fruit power is…

Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve

A rustic and funkfied showing, with citrus rind and old dust infecting the "fruit" trying to poke through. The only saving grace for this wine was that it followed a 2013 Silver Oak, which was.um.…

Ghost Block Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

Dark plum, round and rich black cherry, sweet blackberry, and hints of soil, this was immediately identified as New World Napa (or an Aussie Shiraz posing as a Cabernet Sauvignon) crafted for the…

Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Creosote, funk, blackberry skin, and cedar. A wine to which I immediately made "that face" when I took a sip. A rough go here. I thought this was a flawed Bordeaux. Turns out it was just a terrible…

Kenzo Estate Cabernet Franc Asuka

Big fruit. Big power. Big Big. The drive on this puppy is super intense and concentrated, with a dump truck-load of blackberry and black cherry fruit that lap around the palate multiple times before…

Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red

Funky and cedary, this was a battle among ping-ponging alcohol, dusty plum, and cedar flavors. This was definitely not a 2012-recent vintage wine (as was the original intent of this blind tasting).…

Château Clinet

Powerful and ripe on the initial sip, with a quivering black cherry bomb that drops hard and fast on the palate before a more rolling effect takes place with black raspberry, cedar, dry soil, and…

Kapcsándy Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (Grand Vin) State Lane Vineyard

Spicy black cherry and fig notes present in a simple fashion initially, with a finish that falls a little flat and superficial. The purity of fruit is evident, as is the sophistication and…