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Wine Type Vintage Name Variety Locale Date Posted Score Helpful Comments More...
Red

2016 Fait-Main Cabernet Sauvignon Bettinelli Sleeping Lady Vineyard

 Yountville more
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9/10/2019 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 93 points

Solid Cab but needs time. Decanted for about 3 hours and it was still a bit tight. Very chewy tannins but did have wonderful expressions of blueberry compote, pipe tobacco and a little bark. Was solid from nose to finish, but was a bit underwhelming for what I was expecting at this price point. Will hold bottles for a few years and try again.

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Red

2015 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

 Oakville more
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6/21/2019 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 96 points

Had at Sir Winston's with Chateaubriand tonight. For such a young wine with such a short 1 hour decant, this showed beautifully. I have gravitated toward Bevan CS the past few years because my wife and I both prefer fruit-forward wines. Not alcoholic fruit bombs, but 10 pounds of fruit shoved into a one-pound bag. This wine delivered that in spades. If you give it about 4-5 hours and you like fruit, then this will do it for you.

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Red

2007 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

 Oakville more
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3/2/2019 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 97 points

This is prob 97+, maybe 98, which would make it nudge out the 2007 Schrader CCS we had 5 years ago or so. Once again, special anniversary dinner at Craft in Los Angeles.

The bottle threw about 3 oz of the finest sediment I've ever seen from a CS. And boy were they glorious on their own!

But on to the main event: We had 12-hour braised short ribs, hen of the woods, yukon gold puree, wheat sourdough bread, salads and some garlic-driven pasta. The amazing thing is that this wine played nicely with every element of the meal. It was like a member of the orchestra, never overpowering any other member, but perfectly melding into the symphony.

The nose is everything you want in a Schrader CS, esp a Sparky. Nose of blueberry pie filling, vanilla, Saigon cinnamon, even bruleed brown sugar. It almost smelled over-ripe on initial opening but calmed down considerably over the 5-hour decant. The mouth was definitely still tannic, so small molecules here, but super ripe once again and just bursting at the seams with black and blue fruits. Almost veered again into stewed plum, but then brought it back from the edge. I have been cellaring this bottle since release a decade ago, so while hopeful I still had plenty to worry about. My worry proved unfounded.

The finish was a magnificent melding of creme de cassis and more fall-seasoned pie crust. Cherry pipe-tobacco shows up about 15 seconds in, then espresso and then 70% dark cocoa powder. It just keeps reverberating on my palate and retronasal cavity. Yep, it was amazing. What a blessing and privilege to share this with our friend Ruthie. Too bad Jimmy don't drink wine foo!

4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2012 Booker Vineyard Grenache The Ripper

 Paso Robles more
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8/18/2018 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 93 points

To be clear, this is the regular 2012 bottling, not the 24 month. Bright ruby-purple translucent color, sweet red fruit jam aromas along with garrigue, the mouth on this really went just more lavender and wild strawberry. It had a nice opulence and the finish was just so pleasing with cherry tobacco, more strawberry and a little pomagranate juice. This is not one of those "brush yer teeth after" Grenaches from Washington or SQN. It's delicate, enjoyable with or without food, and is sitting at its peak right now. Drink or be disappointed later.

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White

2016 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard

 Sonoma Coast more
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6/12/2018 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 93 points

93+
Glass: Riedel Sommelier Montrachet (same as I use for Marcassin)

If this first bottle is any indication then this must be decanted. It has a hint of effervescence that is evident when you see the CO2 clinging to the bottom of the glass. It goes away after about 2 hours, which also allows the wine to come up to about 65 degrees, which is optimal.

This is the point where it becomes beautiful with lemon oil and toasted marshmallow on the nose (which come back in the finish). The mouth has a nice opulent frame around ripe tropical fruits (pineapple, mango esp). Hints of stone fruits in there too. It is quite acidic, so perhaps a few years of aging is in order, as is usually the case for Aubert Chards.

This was Coravin'd so will try some again in a few months. Save up my other bottles for a few years on.

8 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
Red

2012 Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard, Vixen Block

 Stags Leap District more
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5/13/2018 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 96 points

Wow, amazing juice. Hews toward the sweeter blackberry liqueur side of things, but superb balance. Fantastic with The Ranch Cowboy Ribeye in Anaheim. Even dad drank his entire glass instead of sliding it over to mom like he usually does! We could have drank two bottles of this easily if I had them. Last bottle. Sad. Decanted only about 3 hours. Perfect time to enjoy this and prob has 3 or 4 more years at peak.

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Red

2012 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Colesworthy Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

 St. Helena more
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5/1/2018 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 94 points

94+
So it's not a voluptuous, opulent Schrader, but dang when u pair it with a spinalis cut and full on ribeye with buttery asparagus and potatoes and bernaise.... Yep, that is the beast you need. Tannic, but ripe. Just lovely.

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Red

2010 Corra Cabernet Sauvignon

 Napa Valley more
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3/13/2018 - tp096255 wrote: 94 points

9.4-
Great structure, fruit forward, loads of blue fruit. Went great with Nick's Prime Rib Dip.

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Red

2009 Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog

 Walla Walla Valley more
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3/13/2018 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 94 points

Spectacular showing with Nick's baby back ribs. The charred meat notes in the wine just resonated with the char on the ribs. Just wonderful.

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Red

2007 Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog

 Walla Walla Valley more
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3/13/2018 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 93 points

Typical BF, nice charred meat but just a bit shy of the opulence and depth that the 2009 had.

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Red

2010 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection

 Napa Valley more
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12/8/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 95 points

Wine is banging. Great on pop-n-pour and prob going to better with a few hours decanting. Lovely black fruit liqueur and glycerin. Nose to finish it is just pure pleasure, which is what we are going for tonight. Good on its own but will prob be even better with special meats and cheeses from Italy.

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Red

2010 Marcassin Pinot Noir Marcassin Vineyard

 Sonoma Coast more
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11/8/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 95 points

See my previous note for details, but this is really a beauty with a few hours in the glass. It just hits every note. Very satisfying. One of the best PNs I have ever had.

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Red

2013 Law Estate Wines Beyond Category

 Paso Robles Red Blend more
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9/23/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 93 points

This seems very Grenache-heavy, which I like (looks like majority of Syrah though, so very interesting to get this much fruit). PnP was very gratifying, even though it was served a bit warm (70%). Loads of brambly fruit, nice tobacco, good glycerin. Everything was in nice balance. This prob is good until 2023.

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Red

2007 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon

 Rutherford more
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9/23/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 96 points

Really 96+. It was sublime after a 4 hour decant and served around 60 degrees. It threw a lot of sediment, so be very careful as you decant it.

There is all the creme-de-cassis and blueberry liqueur you could want, raspberry compote, 65% dark cocoa bar and hints of cherry pipe tobacco, espresso throughout. Had at La Boucherie.

We brought about 4 oz home and just put it it in the fridge. Next day it was just as captivating. Really 96+, conservatively.

This could go several more years.

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White

2012 Aubert Chardonnay CIX Estate Vineyard

 Sonoma Coast more
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9/20/2017 - tp096255 wrote: flawed

esp in the palate it seemed prickly/effervescent. a shame.

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Red

2011 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard

 Santa Lucia Highlands more
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9/20/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 92 points

Lovely and typical Rosella's (citrus/grapefruit) from nose to finish. A bit of heat. Mature so no need to decant. Drink now or by 2018

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White

2011 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard

 Russian River Valley more
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9/5/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 94 points

Really 95-

This was the crowd fav at The Six. Ruthie said it had banana, something she never detected in a white wine before. I added a number of tropical fruits, mainly very ripe pineapple. No one else got that. Maybe I pick up more bromelain than others?

Anyway, it had a wonderful level of glycerin, lemon oil, and toasted marshmallow. No one could believe that the alcohol level was higher than all the reds on the table. Yep, trademark Aubert Chard. Gets u drunk faster than almost any red and because it's a little chilled you have no idea it's happening. Mark Aubert must have been some kind of genius in college...

Oh, and I absolutely hate hazelnuts, ergo my profound disgust for anything Nutella. HOWEVER, this has hazelnut in the mouth and finish that is absolutely gorgeous. So I guess I like hazelnuts, just not in the same way most tards do.

Okay, final edit. I actually decanted this on its side just to filter out the sediment. It sat in a sealed decanter in the fridge for about 2 hours, then was put back in the bottle and served around 55 degrees, which was perfect. As the wine warmed up with the food it paired nicely, didn't matter if it was seafood, eggs, chicken or veggies. It just went great with everything or was awesome all on its own. I wish I had a case of this one, but oh well. Enjoy it now or in a couple of years. It's ready to go but do yourself a favor and keep the sediment out of your glass. Read my notes on Aubert Chards from several years ago. You won't regret it.

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Red

2014 Post Parade Cabernet Sauvignon

 Napa Valley more
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7/5/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 94 points

This is great juice and a great QPR. PNP, opaque purple, lovely deep black berry fruits. Structure was all there. Wish this had been decanted for a few hours as it seemed to improve in the glass over a 3 hour dinner. Another TRB winner and just a great price point for this quality. Held up against a 2014 Bevan Vixen CS.

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Red

2009 Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Materium

 Oakville more
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6/20/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 94 points

9.4+

Drinking great almost on pnp, but give it a couple hours in a big decanter and you will be rewarded. It is a prototypical Napa Cab full of various black fruits, tobacco, tar, leather, cinnamon throughout. It's a very pleasurable wine with nice structure that makes me think it could go another 10 years. These folks just keep going from strength to strength.

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Red

2009 Favia Syrah Quarzo

 Amador County more
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6/20/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 94 points

Rhone-dezvous Series 1

The most controversial wine of the night. Too tight and tannic for most, but for real deal folks this was the real deal. One of the top 3 of the night. It kept evolving, and even did so the next day. Give this at least 5 hours or you will have a hard time finding the fruit through all the tannic structure. Overall it achieved a wonderful balance with enough time in glass. Lovely blackberry and tobacco elements throughout. If you can wait 5 more years you will be rewarded.

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Red

2004 Elderton Shiraz Single Vineyard Command

 Barossa more
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6/20/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 90 points

Rhone-dezvous Series 1

Scored in the bottom 3 for most folks. Serious oak everywhere, but also lots of kirsch and candied cherry. Very ripe, but still hanging in there. Impressive for a 13-year-old wine.

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Red

2010 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes

 Red Rhone Blend more
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6/20/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 95 points

Rhone-dezvous Series 1

9.5-
Nose was tight (only 3 hour decant) but the bright, crisp berries came shining through. Berry pie all around. This improved with 24 hours in the bottle as the acid tones down and you get some mellowing into plum compote elements. Lovely garrigue. Stacy and I thought this was in the top 3 of the night.

3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
Red

2008 Cayuse Syrah Armada Vineyard

 Walla Walla Valley more
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6/20/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 90 points

Rhone-dezvous Series 1

You can pick out a Cayuse Syrah from a mile away. It's the Scotch version of Whisky. Smokey, gamey, etc. Like someone dropped a grilled bratwurst in the barrel. Some red cherry was lingering in there, but it was overpowered at every turn by the smoke. Only the big Scotch drinker in the room really liked it. Was one of the lower-scoring wines against 11 others tonight.

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Red

2012 Law Estate Wines Beguiling

 Paso Robles Adelaida District Grenache Blend, Grenache more
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6/16/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 92 points

Second time having this wine, first was at winery and now at home. It is still a tannic beast, even though I just don't perceive any tannins on the entry only the finish. It is like a jar of Smucker's Strawberry Preserves turned into a wine. Sweet, but from the glycerin, totally dry in all other respects. This is a massively fruit-driven Rhone blend and right up my alley. Prob has several years to go but is so enjoyable now with a brief decant it's hard to resist. Compare it to the 2010 Beguiling and you will be pleased with both. Two different animals, one common ancestor.

Law is just such a superstar in Paso, and their facilities are world-class. If you can procure a tasting by all means do so. I hate to tell anyone that because it will make it that much harder for me to get a tasting. Oh well, tis better to have loved and lost....

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Red

2010 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon

 Rutherford more
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6/13/2017 - tp096255 Likes this wine: 96 points

Amazing wine. Dark as night, still a bit tight even after several hour decant, but the structure and fruit are in such nice balance right now. The suppleness of the blackberry liqueur and the tobacco, cinnamon and nutmeg that give it backbone.... wow.... This is in a nice spot with a few hours decant and will probably go the distance for another 10-15 years.

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  • Tasting notes: 1,066 notes on 899 wines

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