Napa Fall 2021

Napa
Tasted Wednesday, November 17, 2021 - Sunday, November 21, 2021 by Ecbatana with 187 views

Flight 1 - Alpha Omega Collective (1 Note)

Wish I had taken notes on the other wines

  • 2019 Alpha Omega Era 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (11/17/2021)

    Big surprise, and a big wine. No prejudice or bias coming in, as if tasting blind. Fruit sourced from a cornucopia of vineyards, brought together and galvanized into a stalwart, inky wine. Rich raspberry and blackberry coulis. Deserves time in cellar or a long decant if drinking now

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Flight 2 - O'Shaughnessy (4 Notes)

  • 2018 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (11/18/2021)

    Fruit forward, big time cherry, chalky tannins (which characterized all three O'Shaughnessy cabs), lush and accessible though. Integration and better drinking to come in a few years

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  • 2018 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

    (11/18/2021)

    Austere, chalky tannins, muscular. Howell Mtn fruit needing more time than valley floor, and even fruit from Mt. Veeder. However, clear components of an excellent wine. Even though open for 60+ min, could have used more time for best showing, will play more nicely in a couple of years.

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  • 2018 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder

    (11/18/2021)

    Somewhat vegetal. Forest loam, crushed gravel, tart and tannic. Weirdly like some recent St. Emilion experiences if based on nose alone. A little thin on palate juxtaposed a still big, bold profile. A little less floral and drier than the Howell Mtn and Napa cab. Still accessible and drinkable now

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  • 2018 O'Shaughnessy Merlot Howell Mountain 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

    (11/18/2021)

    Been a fan of Capiaux's merlot from this property for a while. This 2018 was no different. Tell-tale candied cherries. Some barnyard and straw on the nose, decent tannins. Easy drinker, complex but not a deep thinker, decent QPR

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Flight 3 - Venge Vineyards (7 Notes)

  • 2020 Venge Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Jewell Vineyard 87 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (11/18/2021)

    Refreshing, big time citrus, but not too big. Not my favorite white. Didn't have any other notes because, frankly, I was waiting for the reds

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  • 2019 Venge Vineyards Scout's Honor 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (11/18/2021)

    PB&J sandwich-in-a-glass. Not as sweet or jammy (or Caymus-like, thank god) as previous vintages...but still sweet. Best SH to date and solid daily drinker

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  • 2019 Venge Vineyards Syrah Block I-4 Stagecoach Vineyard 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (11/18/2021)

    Tend not to favor Syrah, score skewed accordingly. But like other entries from 2019 which offered stellar fruit coupled with Kirk's move to drier wines, this is a huge leap forward and my favorite of this label so far. Smells just like port, plum puree presents itself on the palate. Nice spiciness and acid kept it from coming across flabby.

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  • 2019 Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Silencieux 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (11/18/2021)

    My favorite Silencieux to date, taking the honor from the excellent 2015. Have always thought this bottle punches way above its weight and at ~$50 is one of the best QPR in the valley. The 2019 manages to take it up a notch with depth, complexity and roundness usually found in labels well above $100

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  • 2019 Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Igneous 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga

    (11/18/2021)

    Consistent with notes and score from a couple of weeks ago. Similar to the Venge Boneash cab but from younger 15 yr old vines with a tad less complexity and dimension. Tannins still pronounced and overshadowing at the moment. Couple years gestation will fix that. Long decant a must if drinking today.

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  • 2019 Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga

    (11/18/2021)

    Igneous but older vines at ~30 years. More depth, more complexity and more weight. Bone Ash has always seemed (probably unfairly) a red headed step child to the Family Reserve

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  • 2018 Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    (11/18/2021)

    Adore this wine. Dialed in and hitting all the right notes. Rich cassis and Chambord, blackberry reduction, thick and lush, cinnamon apple pie, middle eastern spice and pipe tobacco. Enormous on the palate. As epic as I remember already, can only get better

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Flight 4 - Carter Cellars (6 Notes)

  • 2019 Carter Cellars Hossfeld Coliseum 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (11/18/2021)

    80% cab, the rest is merlot. Would have guessed a mix of varietals in the remaining 20%. Picked up more flora in this one than the others. Damp earth, some asphalt and a little spice. Not dominant, but there.

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  • 2019 Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fortuna Vineyard 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    (11/18/2021)

    Nice bright acidity, fruit forward but not a fruit bomb, floral bouquet. Identified Petit Verdot as the added varietal, almost bullseyed the percentage (off by half a percent). Figured I would gravitate to the To Kalon bottles - and I did, though this Fortuna presented itself very well, real joy to drink now. Very good QPR

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  • 2019 Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Carter 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (11/18/2021)

    Love the amalgamation of multi-vineyard sources. Antithesis of the single vineyard, single clone, single block trend. A Hossfeld, Turnbull, Las Peidras, Weitz, 3 Kings combo. Some good barrels from some good vineyards. Doesn't always mean more complexity and depth, but in Mark’s hands it sure does

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  • 2019 Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (11/18/2021)

    Bold vanilla, velvety, quality oak, custard and apple pie crust. Powerful tannins...and a little more oak. Baking spices on the nose then silk-like on the palate. Distinct from the other offerings (at least from the 6 tried today). New addition to the Carter Cellars stable.

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  • 2019 Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Kings Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    (11/18/2021)

    Likely only reason to withhold more praise is due to placement in lineup next to Grand Daddy which overshadowed it... but not by much. Three Kings is also 100% clone 7 which seem to take a little longer to ramp up, so a little shy compared to his clone 4 brother on this day. Nonetheless, big floral bouquet, hits all corners on palate. Need to tuck this one a way for 3 or so years.

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  • 2019 Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The Grand Daddy Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard 97 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    (11/18/2021)

    Candy corn, crème brule, butterscotch, sugar and spice and everything nice. Utterly smooth, utterly drinkable...just a lot of utters. Richness of unsmoked pipe tobacco, some new leather, autumn baking spices and epic fruit. Huge bouquet then just hits the palate singing. Grand Daddy is all clone 4 and more approachable early but will still go the distance. This will be a 99+ wine in a couple of years. My favorite pour on this trip and heir apparent to WOTY. Excellent!

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Flight 5 - Plumpjack, Cade, unfortunately no Odette (5 Notes)

Flight 6 - James Cole (6 Notes)

Love the property, beautiful spot and always take good care of you

  • 2020 James Cole Chardonnay 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (11/20/2021)

    Tropical fruits and Granny Smith apples, light use of oak but still there, refreshing acidity. Easy drinker with respectable finish. Not much more to say

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  • 2019 James Cole Marls 92 Points

    USA, California

    (11/20/2021)

    150 cases produced of this little wonder. Completely took me by surprise. Syrah with some viognier. Flat out strawberry parade on the nose. Bright acidity and peppery. Big palate presence but also light and lithe. Just a fun, easy drinker. Loved it

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  • 2018 James Cole Il Mostro 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (11/20/2021)

    Love wines whose dominant grape are of the lesser known varietals. In this case an 86% Petite Sirah with the rest Zin. Not the stately powerhouse a Napa cab delivers, but that's not always the point. Nor as tart or acidic as one would expect, also not as complex. A very approachable quaff I could see pairing well with lots of food options

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  • 2018 James Cole Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (11/20/2021)

    James Cole's franchise player. My experience has been hit or near miss. The 2018 is solid but not stellar, represents the property well. Merlot and Malbec make up the last 8% or so and add a little somethin', somethin'. Some chocolate covered espresso beans and stewed black fruits. A quality sub-$100 wine.

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  • 2016 James Cole Suede 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (11/20/2021)

    Have owned and tried pretty much all other James Cole offerings to date - except Suede - until now. 2016 is a great vintage to make the introduction. A worthy counterpart to Umbral. Rich stewed cherries with some plums, but not pruney, definitely a hint of port along with root beer essence and some Asian spice. Linear and focused, fingers crossed it will gain additional complexity. Pleasure to drink now though. Fruit sourced from Spring Mountain and Coombsville. A mere 128 cases produced.

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  • 2013 James Cole Aliento 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (11/20/2021)

    2/3 cab, the rest your typical Napa valley varietals. Not sure if it was the company it was in or other factors but on this day was less impressed. A capable wine, but not its best showing

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