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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 87.8 pts. and median of 88 pts. in 28 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by galewskj on 10/18/2021 & rated 90 points: Pop and pour. My last bottle and this wine seems to be saying "drink up" to me. There was a bit of volatile acidity that mostly blew off, and some pruny fruit. After about 30 minutes in glass this was showing soft red fruit and very integrated tannins. (646 views) | | | Tasted by galewskj on 9/16/2020 & rated 90 points: I'll echo a previous reviewer. This has definitely improved over the years, still not a blockbuster, but enjoyable $20 cab. The wine is mellow and integrated, the fruit may be slightly faded. It's probably time to drink up. (726 views) | | | Tasted by Biskuit on 10/2/2017 & rated 89 points: This is definitely improved over the years, still not a blockbuster, but enjoyable $20 cab (1307 views) | | | Tasted by galewskj on 1/15/2017 & rated 89 points: High/Low Blind Tasting - Can you taste the difference? (Amy and Scott's house): 1 hour decant and served blind alongside a 2007 Switchback Ridge. This wine got 5 out of 14 votes (but not mine), which isn't bad considering the price difference. At this stage, it is a perfectly serviceable Napa cab with your typical Napa potpourri and fruityness. There is enough structure here to drink it with a steak. As others have said, this is not the screechingly amazing wine that Envoyer claimed, but for the price it represents a decent value. (1819 views) | | | Tasted by galewskj on 9/24/2016 & rated 88 points: Consistent with previous note. Straight-forward cab, acceptable for $20, but I think I'd rather buy something else. I'd definitely not buy another case of this - big mistake. (1400 views) | | | Tasted by galewskj on 8/25/2015 & rated 88 points: Pop and pour, consumed over 2 days. Time seems to be improving these wines and making them more balanced. This bottle was actually performing at about the $20 I paid for it. Straight-forward cabernet, but much better balanced than earlier bottles. (1515 views) | | | Tasted by winegr on 12/1/2014 & rated 87 points: Ok. Nothing more. (1886 views) | | | Tasted by winegr on 8/2/2014 & rated 87 points: Its pretty nondescript. Definitely missing something for me. 87+ (1430 views) | | | Tasted by galewskj on 5/28/2014 & rated 86 points: Drank over 4 days under argon. Very straight-forward sweet fruit cabernet. No compelling reason to think this will improve. I wish I had not bought this, and I do not trust anything Envoyer says anymore. (1449 views) | | | Tasted by Biskuit on 1/29/2014 & rated 89 points: This is not bad stuff, despite earlier notes. Solid Cali Cab, in good shape right now. I do think it will benefit from more time in the cellar, but it did not disappoint alongside some steaks tonight. (1495 views) | | | Tasted by gregg g on 5/4/2013: Horrible! Bitter, oaky, porty, indiscernible cab. (1564 views) | | | Tasted by DStyner on 4/25/2013 & rated 81 points: It's been about 16 months since I last reviewed this wine. Back then I wasn't too happy with it and gave it the worst score I've ever given any wine (79). Let's see how it's doing now... I opened this bottle about an hour before tasting so as to let it warm up and get a little air. The color hasn't changed much; it's a very deep purple but is beginning to soften and show just a touch of ruby around the edges. The nose doesn't offer much, but that's an improvement from the last tasting where I found it downright offensive. On the palate, it's much more concentrated than it was earlier, but also dry, tight, and lacking in fruit. I'm still of the opinion that this wine is nothing special, but it doesn't offend me like it did last time. Now it just tastes like a fairly ordinary bottle of $20 California cab. The trend is up, but I'm dubious as to how high this wine can go. (1331 views) | | | Tasted by Biskuit on 1/8/2013 & rated 90 points: This is finally coming together (1415 views) | | | Tasted by rlleigh on 8/22/2012 & rated 90 points: A bit young (1669 views) | | | Tasted by galewskj on 3/12/2012 & rated 86 points: I drank a bottle immediately upon receiving the case. Day 1, very primary. A 1 hour decant produced a whole lot of oak. Day 2, a little more balanced, still primary and slightly oaky. Day 3, much better integrated and enjoyable. I have some hope that this will turn into a decent wine. I'm slightly annoyed at Envoyer for hyping this so much, but I will receive judgement for a later date. (1755 views) | | | Tasted by amoryb on 2/16/2012: NR. On the lighter side but I wouldn't go so far to call it watery. Light black fruit and cherry but no acid or tannins and not really any finish. When counting shipping, there are clearly better $27 bottles out there, of anything really. (1275 views) | | | Tasted by winegr on 1/6/2012 & rated 87 points: 86-87. This bottle settled down a bit. I like the flavor profile, but there is something off about it. First, it tastes a bit watery instead of structured/acidic. There is just something off about the structure and balance of this because of that watery aspect that isn't uplifting. If I were being harsh, I would probably go a fair bit lower, but the balance of flavors is solid right now. This tastes like a decent producer that really messed up the vintage. I see more downside than upside here in the future. What seemed to be optimistically bottle shock at first is clearly not. Boo EFW. (1562 views) | | | Tasted by DStyner on 12/29/2011 & rated 79 points: Okay, I'll admit it. I bought into the hype from EFW on this one. Greg said it was $120 juice trapped in a $20 bottle and I took the bait--to the tune of a full case. Often he's right, and I've been happy with several of his recommendations, but this time I really don't get it. This wine smells and tastes like watery Kool-Aid. I'm hope I'm wrong, but I see very little potential here.
The first Treasure Hunter wine I bought (2009 Man 'O War Cab.) was a good value and a tasty find. Since then I've been disappointed by their North Star Pinot, Jenny's Tea Cup, and now this wine. Fool me three times, shame on me. I'm done with this producer. Perhaps I read too much into, "...the best $20 Cabernet we’ve ever tasted." Yeah, right. (1497 views) | | | Tasted by winegr on 12/5/2011 & rated 88 points: I liked the shipping shocked bottle more. This was a bit fruity and soft on structure on open, not really howell mountain reminiscent. The fruitness faded with air and got a bit better, but tasted slightly watery, versus higher acid. This doesnt seem to have the structure for the long haul or complexity. I don't see this as a 90 pointer ever. I'm thinking more like a columia crest h3 cab? A disappointing wine for my beloved howell mountain appelation. Night 2: no better, some tannins and lots of ripe fruit in a slightly watery way, but little acidity and real structure. 86-88? (1493 views) | | | Tasted by winegr on 11/12/2011: Not sure about this one. A quality wine no doubt that I'd probably give 89-91, but this seems way oversold by envoyer's flowery prose below that might make Rimmerman blush and they seem to be "blowing smoke" at least a bit to quote themselves. I like this wine, it is an elegant claret from a fruitier vintage and not distinctly howell mtn. Mine didn't really get better with air. "This is a bottle to put alongside your other $100 bottles." - perhaps physically, but don't expect that quality taste. "There is absolutely zero sense of heaviness or over-extraction" - true, one of its better qualities is the elegance and fine tannins. " if this were slipped into a Bordeaux tasting we wouldn’t be surprised if this was mistaken for a classified growth/top vintage from gravelly Graves " Not likely, but there is a nice spiciness, but I've found $20 bdx as nice as this. "A multiple decade wine for those willing to put a $20 bottle down long-term" I'll eat my shorts if this is magnificent in 2031, but its balanced to age for a bit. "The balance, spectrum of fruits, and subtlety of nuance are as good as it gets in CA." it does taste classy but, me thinks you need to taste more good CA wines, you can find some howell mountain blends for ~$30 that would kill this. "The boys have done it again and given us the best deal on the market in domestic wine!" Nope, lots of great deals out there that compete with this. If this is in fact Arkenstone, it's an off vintage or declassified juice. I'm not that excited that I have 5 more. Trying to have a little fun with envoyer since this is not the wine I would have put totally pounded the table on, even though good. Maybe it would put the hundred dollar a bottle sourced Cameron Hughes 200 to the test:) (1940 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| 2009 Treasure Cellars Proprietary BlendFrom envoyer:
"The Treasure Hunter boys have just taken things to the next level with this latest Cabernet – a far outer level. Without a doubt the best wine we’ve ever tasted from them and the story here is so intriguing. $120 Howell Mountain juice bottled with a different label and sold for $20. We know that the phrase ‘best yet’ can feel like us blowing smoke, but this is the real deal and then some. Here are the details. This wine is sourced from a vineyard planted on Howell Mt. about 15 years ago with no expenses sparred. A small 12 acre estate from steep mountain hillsides and dramatic micro-climates studied and tested geologically before being strategically planted with Bordeaux varietals. This last stage was completed with consultation from famed vigernon/enologist Philippe Melka (of Screaming Eagle, Justin, and Parellel fame) as well as the estate’s initial vintages allowing the current winemaking team to come up under the master. Only 450 cases of this beauty are bottled each year. Since its inception the vineyard has been farmed organically with the entire estate being run ‘sustainably’ in terms of irrigation, energy, and materials. Before being a fabulous deal this is a wonderful reflection of a special site and motivation. And like the best bottles, these efforts directly attribute to the quality of the wine. This is a bottle to put alongside your other $100 bottles. Structured, coiled power, and masculine elegance (if that makes sense?). There is absolutely zero sense of heaviness or over-extraction and while its mountain terroir is so transparent that its origins are on full display, if this were slipped into a Bordeaux tasting we wouldn’t be surprised if this was mistaken for a classified growth/top vintage from gravelly Graves (the blend here is a majority Cab Sauv followed by Cab Franc, Merlot, and Petite Verdot). The balance, spectrum of fruits, and subtlety of nuance are as good as it gets in CA. At once deep and high-toned, coiled, and intense. We really cannot say enough as the tannins, complexity, and purity are sophisticated and spot on. We’ve let this bottle decant all day and now that we’re getting this offer ready (10pm), the wine is still showing incredibly young yet with such class that it’s more than just intellectually enjoyable tonight. A multiple decade wine for those willing to put a $20 bottle down long-term, and a wine to impress the masses as the price will be shocking if served blind. We’ve turned down offers from Treasure Hunter all summer as we really want our customers to come away beyond happy by their mystery steals, not simply jumping at every heavy handed expensive Cabernet, and finally we have a home run on our hands. Their growing depth of connections has led to something special and whether to drink up, bury in the cellar, or give away as holiday gifts a case of this wine needs to be in route to all of our customers. A wine typically only available to the estate’s client list, it is now opened up to our customers exclusively at pennies on the dollar. The boys have done it again and given us the best deal on the market in domestic wine!"Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.USAAmerican 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)Howell Mountain Howell Mountain |
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