Reviews

B Cellars Blend 24

Similar to last month. Blackberry pie, jam, fig, pomegranate reduction, and some spice. A wine that shouldn't work, but it turns out kinda ok. Some chocolate emerged, helping to elevate its profile…

B Cellars Pinot Noir Reuling Vineyard

Served next to the 2016 B Cellars Sonoma Coast, which I thought had a little more focus and complexity than that Reuling in its current state. The Reuling was more about luscious ripe fruit than the…

B Cellars Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Served next to a 2016 B Cellars Reuling Pinot, which was much more ripe fruit driven than this Sonoma Coast.

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Same as previous notes. Great structure and frame, with the flavors starting to peek out nicely. The bone is still bigger than the meat at this juncture. Continuing to hold another couple of years…

Realm Cellars The Bard

Color me the outlier...again... Maybe I need to trade in my palate for a new one...? If you're running late for work, the punchline for those holding bottles is to wait another year+. If you have…

Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard

At Menton restaurant in Boston.

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Steltzner Vineyard

Strikingly similar to the barrel sample that I had last year.... eventually... A Cinderella story of a wine tasting if there ever was one.

Carlisle Petite Sirah Palisades Vineyard

Nearly three years ago I had this from barrel and it showed tremendous promise. Now having been in bottle a few years, this wine is certainly on its way to becoming a beautiful representation of the…

Hartford / Hartford Court Pinot Noir Seascape Vineyard

Same as my notes from July. More concentrated red fruit this time around, with the same intriguing saline and earthy notes complimenting the predominantly black cherry core. Smoke, wood, unsmoked…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn Hall Napa Valley

It's been almost two years since I last had this wine. It has certainly found a glide in terms of approachability, but it seems to have lost a little bit of drive and intensity since November 2016.…

Del Dotto Giovanni's Tuscan Reserve

From barrel. Bitter black cherry, black currant, wood, dark cranberry, and alcohol. A piecemeal presentation in its current state, with a tannic bite that never fully leaves the palate and allows the…

Del Dotto The David Howell Mountain

From barrel. The David Howell Mountain presents with a ripe plum and cherry syrup core. Some earthy kirsch, currant, and mocha notes compete for attention as well. The flavors seem to be there, but…

Villa Del Lago Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill

Extremely tight and constricted at this stage. It was much more open for business last year than now. Super grippy, especially when compared to the 2016 barrel sample VdL I had side-by-side with the…

Piazza Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Estate Oakville

This worked decently with the steak served as the final savory course of the evening, but it was at the back of the pack compared to some of the other Cabernets at the table. Flat mid-palate compared…

Del Dotto Pinot Noir Cinghiale Vineyard

Super fruity and plush, with red cherry and ripe red raspberry dominating the profile. A simple red fruit attack of ripe, round fruit hitting the palate with one plop. The back end was more of the…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Estate Family Reserve

From barrel. The Rutherford became lost in the sea of other barrel samples that were a bit more compelling than this somewhat simple representation of its terroir. I could drink it, and it went fine…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Connoisseurs' Series Vicard French Oak St Helena Mountain Block 2

From barrel. It was very interesting to note the difference between this Vicard Energie barreled wine, and the exact same wine but from the Vicard Privilege barrel. This Energie was more abrasive and…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Connoisseurs' Series Vicard French Oak Vineyard 887 SO / Family

From barrel. 887 South Family Reserve. Much like the St. Helena Mountain Vicard Privilege I had the other day, this 887 Vicard Distinction's fruit worked quite well with the barrel influence. More…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon American Oak Alain Fouquet St Helena Mountain Block 2

From barrel. Similar in its flavor profile and grippy frame as the St. Helena Mountain Darnajou, except that the American oak (carved and grooved no less) imparted strong maple and brown sugar notes…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve Darnajou French Oak Connossieurs' St. Helena Mountain

From barrel. Block 2. Similar to the Vicard version of this wine I had the previous day, the St. Helena Mountain Darnajou provides both focused structure and exacting concentration, with a layered…

Piazza Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Connoisseur's Series 9 Oaks French Select South

From barrel. Black fruit dominated by rich blackberry, black cherry, chocolate chunk, and spice. The 9 Oaks barrel really worked well with the core fruit in this particular concoction. Mid-palate was…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve 887

Higher toned cranberry, red and black currant, unripe red and black cherry, and alcohol. Riding high on the palate, with less depth than some of the other St. Helena offerings. Less giving in its…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Centre Sylvain Block 1 Howell Mountain

Much more accessible and giving than the Howell Single Cluster, this Block 1 is a powerful and tannic animal. Black cherry, plum, and some earth. Medium complexity and depth of flavor, this wine is…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Single Cluster Howell Mountain

From Magnum. Much like the Single Cluster Oakville, this Howell Mountain offering is black cherry dominant, with some red cherry and vanilla alcohol notes injected into the core. The initial attack…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon Single Cluster

Offered in Magnum only. Black cherry and red and black currant dominant. A similar flavor profile to some of the other Del Dotto Oakville wines, except that this had a little more heightened frame.…