| Wine Type | Vintage Name Variety Locale | Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More... |
|---|---|---|
| Red |
2013 G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle VioleNebbiolo more |
5/3/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 97 pointsOpened in the bottle for 5 hours or so. Just awesome and exploding with juicy strawberry and mixed red berry. Leather, truffle, soil, and granite compliment. Incredibly clean and precise almost bordering on austere. Tongue drying tannin and acid rip hard. As stated before this needs 10 years but really energetic and excellent now. |
| Red |
2016 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-PapeRed Rhone Blend more |
10/25/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 94 pointsDrank from a magnum that was consumed over the course of 6-8 hours. Two things strike me right away. First it’s more of a traditional styled Châteauneuf and second it’s fairly open right from the start. Earthiness and a very apparent effervescent quality are on every pour. Both elements mellow out with 5 or so minutes in the glass. Crowd pleasing elements of sweet/syrupy red fruit, mint, dried herbs, and vanilla emerge with time. Not my favorite Châteauneuf but maybe the most elegant and harmonious I’ve had. Needs 5 years for the acid to calm. |
| Red |
2018 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elysian Beckstoffer Dr. Crane VineyardSt. Helena more |
12/4/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 98 pointsOpened in the bottle five plus hours and was singing from the first minute. This may be the sexiest wine made in Napa. Each year it exceeds expectation and drinks beautifully even as a new release. So soft and luxurious with layers upon layers of depth. Yes it’s sweet and ripe but never really tips over the top. Creamy milk chocolate, black/blue fruit, raspberry, cassis, mineral, tobacco... Certainly a few notches above the regular Crane. As everyone implies this will last a long time but the way these drink unlikely I’ll be able to resist more than a few years. 9 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3) |
| Red |
2016 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elysian Beckstoffer Dr. Crane VineyardSt. Helena more |
12/3/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 97 pointsImmediately ready without decant. Ultra luxurious and smooth with no sharp edges. Viscous helpings of cassis, milk chocolate, and liqueur like fruit that somehow maintains precision. Not sure how this will age long term as it seems open for business now with only a few missed notes (likely better in another year). 9 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4) |
| Red |
2018 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Herb Lamb VineyardNapa Valley more |
6/18/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 98 pointsOpened in the bottle for 8 plus hours. More fine tuned and approachable from the start than the Calistoga, Pantek, and Lore. It’s big and in need of cellaring like the others but has softer tannins and less grit to the texture. Blue fruited with black tea (I find this in all RM Cabernets), sandalwood and mineral. Still juicy and extracted but retains freshness by to pushing density too far. Give it 5 years. 9 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2) |
| Red |
2019 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Herb Lamb VineyardNapa Valley more |
12/13/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 96 pointsOpened in the bottle all day the first day and consumed over two nights. Dense and chewy/grippy on the first and really mellowed out nicely the second. Juicy red and black fruited with chalky cassis, dusty earth, vanilla, cedar and black tea. If I were to open another I’d elect a half day decant and drink in all the first day. Even with the price bump direct these remain nice value in Napa. 8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Red |
2016 Château Cos d'EstournelSt. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend more |
10/3/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 98 pointsOpened in the bottle all day (8 plus hours) and shocked by its accessibility the entire time. Tannins are present but soft and acidity is in check. Red fruit, cassis, leather, mushroom, mineral (lead), citrus (orange), menthol, white flowers...just endless layers that alternate between ripeness and earth in near perfect harmony. Certainly the complexity/depth here is taken for granted until tasted side by side with a lesser 16 (the still solid Clinet). Clearly too young but actually more accessible than the 09 or 10 now. I suppose drink now before hibernation or wait the long haul. 8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (5) |
| Red |
2016 Château Léoville PoyferréSt. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend more |
11/6/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 95 pointsReally young at this stage (17’s and 18’s that we’re tasted alongside were more open) but massive potential. Classic Bordeaux with high acidity firm structure and grainy tannins. Barnyard (that dissipates with time), lead, cherry chapstick and dark chocolate. Needs 10 plus years. Opened in the bottle all day and never decanted (probably should have). Lots of upside. |
| Red |
2016 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée RéservéeRed Rhone Blend more |
2/21/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 94 pointsIt’s 94 for now with plenty of upside (just way too young). Definitely a more traditional style with less extraction and sweetness. Light almost Pinot like coloration (looked as light as Commando G). Still it’s powerful stuff with plenty of red berries, dried earth, white pepper, anise and herbs. Needs 5 to 10 more years. |
| Red |
2019 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elysian Beckstoffer Dr. Crane VineyardSt. Helena more |
11/1/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 97 pointsAs I’ve said before this is easily the sexiest/flashiest wine in Napa. Stylistically not for everybody but crafted so well and with such high quality fruit that it’s lifted beyond peers of the same caliber. Soft and luxurious tannins give way to opulent fruit (blueberry, blackberry, dark cherry, plum). Intense levels of cassis, dark chocolate, mineral, anise, pipe tobacco…follow. A lot going on here but no flabbiness. |
| Red |
2019 Saxum Broken StonesPaso Robles Willow Creek District Red Rhone Blend more |
12/9/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 96 pointsOpened in the bottle all day. Should have decanted a bit but it was already so good I didn’t want it to loose the intensity. Agree that 2019 is hands down the best vintage of Broken Stones (guessing I’ve had almost every vintage). Texturally heavy with no signs of heat. Dense layers of black/blue berry, vanilla, smoke and mineral. The fruit needs time to fatten up but already lots of depth. |
| Red |
2013 Le Macchiole Paleo RossoToscana IGT Cabernet Franc more |
8/19/2018 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 96 pointsOpened in the bottle for 3-5 hours and it was ready to go. New world extraction balanced perfectly by more traditional rustic elements. Sandalwood, eucalyptus, dark chocolate, green pepper, wet soil, vanilla, and loads of leathery cherry. More complexity and notes continue to emerge quickly with time in glass. Drinking well now but incredibly young with at least a decade until prime drinking. 7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Red |
2017 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo MonviglieroNebbiolo more |
8/27/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 97 pointsDecanted for several hours then back into the bottle. It’s incredible that something so lightly colored and textured can deliver so much complexity. This really reminds me more of a Grand Cru Burgundy or even single vineyard Commando G than a Barolo. Sweet red fruit, damp earth, coat box, game, roses, and mineral. No real intensity/power here just elegance and long lingering character (the nose is long and crazy perfumed). Clearly needs years but opened one in the name of science. Overall for my taste Cappellano’s intensity still puts them a notch above. 7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Red |
2012 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private ReserveNapa Valley more |
6/29/2017 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 94 pointsDecanted for an hour or two. Somewhat expressive right after opening with aromas and flavors building with time. Leathery black cherry, tart raspberry, cassis, milk chocolate, and spicey oak. Still very young with a green note running through and a massive wall of chalky tannins on the finish. Hold 5 more years or decant several hours. |
| Red |
2017 Bartolo Mascarello BaroloNebbiolo more |
10/15/2022 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 96 pointsDark this next to the 2018. There were plenty of similarities but the 2017 has firmer structure with higher acidity. Still easy to like but not as juicy and soft as the 2018. Delicate/transparent red coloration with dried cherry upfront. Tar, leather, mineral, mint and rose round it out. Needs a few years to soften. |
| Red |
2016 Saxum The HexePaso Robles Willow Creek District Red Rhone Blend more |
2/9/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 95 pointsI always like trying each Saxum new release early but this is nowhere near ready. As commented below right after popping this was excellent. Loads of luxurious red and blue fruit were on full display with anise, glycerin, cassis, and vanilla in the back. Though approachable in terms of taste chewy tongue drying tannins grip hard. Sitting open in the bottle 3-4 hours moved it backwards completely shutting down the palate. After an additional 2-3 hours the non Grenache elements started to re-emerge (sweet dark fruit, smoke and earth). Give it at least 5 more years. |
| Red |
2003 Château MontroseSt. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend more |
2/4/2023 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 95 pointsDrank blind. Nice density and body. It’s still showing plenty of tannin and green notes. Black fruit, mineral, and tobacco. I guessed young super Tuscan. 7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1) |
| Red |
2018 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane VineyardSt. Helena more |
3/1/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 98 pointsUnderrated this the first time around. Ripe, luxurious and smooth from the start but letting it sit overnight (pumped bottle) made a huge improvement. Time allowed the Crane minerality to come through along with the purity of the fruit. Recently I’ve moved more toward less ripe European wine but man this one might have drawn me back to Napa. 7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4) |
| Red |
2019 Kinsman Eades Cabernet Sauvignon RhadamanthusDiamond Mountain more |
5/22/2023 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 98 pointsDrank over the course of two nights. Very dark and dense. Bordeaux on the nose with almost a green note but the body is unmistakably Napa. Dark fruit (plums, blueberry), graphite, anise, and mint. Fine/soft tannins and perfect balance. 7 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (6) |
| Red |
2013 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva RanciaChianti Classico DOCG Sangiovese more |
8/22/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 94 pointsVery tart and acidic initially. Eventually a core of dark black fruit, anise, sage, and a touch of oak/vanilla emerged. Definitely not a crowd pleaser at this young age but I’m patient and always like these. |
| Red |
2013 Dominus Napanook RedNapa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend more |
8/16/2016 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 93 pointsTons of strucure with any real depth of fruit burried behind acid and tannin. Still pretty tasty with anise, clove, green pepper, stone, and some bright red fruit. Texturally up there with the best of Bordeaux and Napa. Began to open up a bit more at hour 3 in the decanter. Will improve dramatically in 5 years. |
| Red |
2013 Forman Cabernet SauvignonNapa Valley more |
1/2/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 95 pointsOpened in the bottle for a few hours. Tannins are much softer and less astringent than expected. Acid remains high to moderate but blind I would have said 2010 or older. Not secondary quite yet but just a nice style between old and new world Napa Cabernet. Aged leather, medicinal cherry, sweet tobacco, lavender, cassis and just a touch of eucalyptus. This will definitely improve with time but much more accessible now than other 2013 contemporaries (Dunn, Diamond Creek...). |
| Red |
2018 Saxum G2 VineyardPaso Robles Willow Creek District Red Rhone Blend more |
3/18/2021 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 95 pointsDecanted 4-5 hours night one and drank over the course of two. Denser, heavier and more dark fruited than I recall past years (think higher quality Jumilla over Châteauneuf). Still amazing stuff and like usually drinking well young. Mixed berry liqueurs, dried herbs, violets and a healthy amount of vanilla. Best in 10 years. |
| Red |
2014 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva OvelloNebbiolo more |
11/25/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 94 pointsIn my opinion better than many of the below notes imply but really needed time. Drank from a magnum that was never decanted. Initially sharp and acidic but come hour six open it really began to soften. Night two was the biggest change with fruit and finesse starting to emerge. Soft red fruit, truffle, mineral, and tar. Acidity remained high so more of a food wine than a drinker. Nothing flashy just a solid work horse. Needs 5 more year to come into a better window |
| White |
2016 Aubert Chardonnay UV-SL VineyardSonoma Coast more |
3/17/2018 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 97 pointsOpened in bottle for a couple hours. Full bodied with extracted yet precise layering. Opulent amounts of stone fruit/melon come off clean and unmuddled perfectly balancing the salty minerality and toasty char that line the finish. A creamy caramel note coats your mouth all the way to the finish. Needs 3-4 more years but already great. |
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