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| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.2 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 43 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by mflesh on 2/16/2023 & rated 92 points: Had 2 more of these that I had forgotten about to be honest with you. But this one has changed a bit. A wine event where Rhone is the word, or Rhone style wines to pair with lamb and pork. This. Was. A. Great. Fit. Not one wino would have guessed that this was a Rutherford Cabernet. Nose and palate were actually more pathognomonic for a Northern Rhone red. Hot red black cherry, grilled meat, tobacco leaf, almost a tiny vegetal character but not at ALL in a bad way. Dang, this wine is drinking WELL tonight. Although I had to leave before the lamb chops were done, I've got no doubt that this wine was a hit with the balanced nature of herbs and red fruits. Delicious. Drink now. (531 views) | | | Tasted by mflesh on 1/31/2022: This one is at peak. This one has the grilled blackberries, the slightest hint of meaty character underneath, and Rutherford dust for months. I do think there's a slight bit of bottle variation going on here because, out of 6 (this being #4 consumed), this is the best of the other 3 by a long shot. This would stand in a lineup of Eisele, Insignia and Shafer Hillside Select and would NOT finish in last place (only of these were all served blind, of course, to those who are influenced by what's on the label!). Poured a violent color with a slightly muddy meniscus. Nose was black currant, surprisingly 'spicy' and youthful with hints of roasted nuts and fruitcake. Entry is grilled brambleberry, overripe blackberries, au jus, roasted walnuts and cashews, dates and plums. Finish is very dusty! Tannins are definitely dropping out of this one but allowed for a very elegant yet chalky finish. Held strong for about 90 minutes. In a great spot. I am crossing my fingers that the last 2 bottles are gonna be reading from this chapter in the book because this wine was something special tonight! Now is the time to open these!! (648 views) | | | Tasted by mflesh on 1/13/2021: Decided to cellar the other four since the first one was really good and the second one was very meh. Came back to this one about a year later. I think time has done it well, or maybe it's the bottle variation (or both). This is a ripe wine. This particular bottle is right at the top of the drinking curve. It had everything you would want from a classic Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon. Ripe red currant, overripe black cherry, a hint of iodine, definitely can get the volcanic nature of the tufa here (yes, WHWines is just about the only producer in Rutherford AVA that has Tufa in the soils). Middle of this wine gets a little bit of black olive and green pepper, and herbal qualities that are not unappealing in any way. Finishes still with a nice acidic character but there are also some lilacs here, even some fresh cut flowers. Very intriguing. Fine grit sediment on the neck and shoulder. This one was a delight tonight. Fingers crossed for the remaining 3! This one is a 93-94. (732 views) | | | Tasted by mflesh on 2/21/2020: This bottle didn't show as well as the first. Was a little disappointed but the classic Rutherford dust was very, very present. As it should be if you're making wine. In Rutherford. Easy there, Quintessa. (910 views) | | | Tasted by mflesh on 2/14/2020 & rated 94 points: Ripe for drinking from cork pop. Perfectly balanced. Blackberry, black cherry, iodine, roasted fig, pipe tobacco. Roasted pecan character on the finish. Great acidity. Went well with hummus, Greek fare, Mediterranean spices. Classic Rutherford dusty tannin on the finish with adequate, not overbearing black pepper notes. This wine is in the zone. I have 5 more of these and will be drinking them all within the next year or 2. Really close to giving this a 95. (925 views) | | | Tasted by The Gregg’s on 11/28/2019: My wife and I bought this bottle around 2009 from the winery because our oldest son’s name is William Harrison. Finally opened it today....he’s 22 now. (571 views) | | | Tasted by John McCabe on 2/1/2018 & rated 92 points: Better than the previous bottle I had, this was more resolved and balanced. (1063 views) | | | Tasted by InFrom/HF on 10/21/2017 & rated 90 points: No decant. Initially smelled of wood shavings, any aroma of fruit was subdued. However lots of fruit on the first sip, rich and plummy. Nicely integrated tannins, smooth finish. (1121 views) | | | Tasted by John McCabe on 11/4/2016 & rated 91 points: I recently tried the '10, '11 and '12 vintages, so was hoping for more from this more aged bottle. It was quite pleasant, but felt a little muddled. There was a grainy, chalky aspect to the wine's profile at first. It evolved nicely with a kind of petrol tone, which was interesting. Overall, this was pleasant but nothing to seek out at >$40ish. (1621 views) | | | Tasted by drummer on 10/23/2015 & rated 90 points: (pnp) lands a little hot for the first half hour or so, during this phase mid palate very compressed dark fruits......when the alcohol fans out, mid palate broadens into more pleasurable balance with the nose offering nice overall balance with pleasant tannin support and overall very enjoyable....recommend decant 1/2 hr .....reopened after 3 days corked sitting out on counter, was still in excellent condition if not better (2348 views) | | | Tasted by alex.lewis on 8/22/2015 & rated 98 points: Wow, this won out in blind tasting over a 2009 Harlan Estate. Afterwards, tasting again not blind, I'd have to agree. It's just really shining right now with deep, rich black fruit. Raspberries, currants, blueberry mixed with a strong dose of leather and just a little graphite & dust. Most enjoyable wine I've had in a long time! (2494 views) | | | Tasted by pdadams66 on 12/14/2013 & rated 90 points: Thanksgiving dinner. Drinking well from magnum. (3201 views) | | | Tasted by Blackwa on 8/3/2013 & rated 93 points: Beautifully done with a very perfumed nose, lush fruit on the palate, and balanced integration. Anise, blueberry, blackberry, and leather greet the nose and show on the palate accompanied by lavender and tobacco. Excellent structural full mouth feel. Finish is long and shows some red fruit including black cherry. (3006 views) | | | Tasted by drummer on 4/4/2013 & rated 90 points: good Rutherford cab, nice balance top to bottom, very enjoyable (2883 views) | | | Tasted by drummer on 3/2/2013 & rated 89 points: a good basic 89pt rutherford cab , balanced and enjoyable, yet nothing layered and exciting (2366 views) | | | Tasted by merryberry on 12/9/2012 & rated 89 points: Purple with ruby highlights. Blueberry, currents, leather and spice nose. Full bodied, grainy blackberries, sage, tart black cherries, dirty tannins, tobacco, a medium finish. Good food wine. (2734 views) | | | Tasted by EMTAME on 6/29/2012 & rated 88 points: Good not great Rutherford cab. Can't argue with the price but, as someone else said, this is fairly straight forward. No reason to cellar this, as I don't imagine it will develop a lot from its current state. (2133 views) | | | Tasted by drummer on 6/19/2012 & rated 91 points: decant 2hr, ripe black cherry , touch of anise , nose and palate.....soft leather finish...very nice if allowed enough air time (1983 views) | | | Tasted by wnance on 2/5/2012: T (2611 views) | | | Tasted by drummer on 2/4/2012 & rated 90 points: (pnp)big mixed berries on the nose and palate with enough acid and tannin to settle into nice balance with a little earthy leather on medium finish....straight forward top to bottom, achieves a nice place and pretty much stays there.....very drinkable and definitely a crowd pleaser (1737 views) | | | Tasted by jgresham on 12/6/2011 & rated 92 points: A very elegant Cab. The tannins meet you at first whiff, then show themselves well integrated on the palate. Very long finish and very pleasant. (2034 views) | | | Tasted by Awilcox on 11/26/2011 & rated 90 points: Way too easy to drink. Licorice, red fruit on the nose and the palette. Smooth, little heat, some leather. Really lovely. We had with a spicy filet and after. (2057 views) | | | Tasted by jmoskow on 11/24/2011 & rated 87 points: Solid cab. Not much Rutherford dust so the fruit shines through we enjoyed the 05 more. (1755 views) | | | Tasted by pdadams66 on 10/13/2011 & rated 89 points: As before. (2206 views) | | | Tasted by pdadams66 on 10/4/2011 & rated 90 points: Great Rutherford cab. Smooth, rich, cassis, vanilla, and spicy oak. Great length, drinking well now but will last a few more. (2200 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| William Harrison Producer websiteCabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
Used as frequently in blends as in varietal wines, Cabernet Sauvignon has a large number of common blending partners. Apart from the obvious Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the most prevalent of these are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (the ingredients of a classic Bordeaux Blend), Shiraz (in Australia's favorite blend) and in Spain and South America, a Cabernet – Tempranillo blend is now commonplace. Even the bold Tannat-based wines of Madiran are now generally softened with Cabernet SauvignonUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Rutherford Rutherford,
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