Deep red center, red rim with some signs of age. Cream, cassis, briar, black olives, vinous, oak. Smooth, complex, plums and cassis, integrated oak, tapenade, a little bitter, cherries, very good length. Excellent Napa Cab, drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wow, what an interesting and outstanding bottle of wine. Inky dark concentrated to the rim. Nose was so creamy and buttery that it was reminiscent of buttered popcorn. Extremely round tannins that added to the butteriness/creaminess affect and big bold mouthfeel. Long finish with moderate heat from the alcohol. This was a restaurant purchase by B. Mills and my wife's review was "get some of that in our cellar quick"! It followed a very good bottle of 98 Far Niente cab and clearly out shined its older counterpart which isn't easy to do as a young Cali Cab.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
It's a young wine, but its very approachable already. Medium to full bodied with deep ruby color. No serious decant needed, popped and poured the first glass, and open bottle consumed over 2.5 hours. Initially, on the nose, aroma of blackberry, mint and spice. On the palate, smooth, velvety, with taste of earth, dark berries, surprisingly tannin was not hard at all.
With the bottle aerated for over an hour, the wine had evolved nicely, with aroma of lavender, creamy butter, vanilla, crushed sugar coming out gently. On the palate, taste has broadened, graphite, tobacco, red cherry, finishing last for 20-30 seconds, fantastic.
This is an unusual Napa Cab, traditional Cab drinkers may find it less powerful, but I love it, with its complexity and smooth approach, as good as some of those fine Bordeaux wines. Not cheap, but it's a worthy drinking enjoyment. Even the cork itself contains a soothing vanilla scent. Awesome
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Terroirist Blogger Tasting #3: SRP: $90. Supremely disappointed when the foil came off of this one. Hit over the head with heavily toasted oak – and underneath all that, it was hard to get past the nose of huge, pruney fruits – some spicy black cherries (good) and candied green pepper (bad) were the only ones that really stood out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Visiting Napa (Sept 9th-11th); 9/9/2011-9/11/2011 (Napa, CA): This was just bottled this summer, but shows promise. I found the wine slightly difficult to evaluate as the tanins were relatively hard at this stage and the baby fat from the new oak was not yet integrated. Fantastic concentration as it was the darkest wine of the lineup. Excellent palate weight and a nice touch of earthy tobacco that gave this wine a slightly "serious" St. Julien-esque profile.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/28/2018 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep red center, red rim with some signs of age.
Cream, cassis, briar, black olives, vinous, oak.
Smooth, complex, plums and cassis, integrated oak, tapenade, a little bitter, cherries, very good length.
Excellent Napa Cab, drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2018 - SteelerFan wrote: 92 Points
Deep, rich, smooth Cab. I really enjoy this wine. Drinking well now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/5/2017 - SteelerFan wrote: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully. Great balance and length.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2015 - erichunter48 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Vanilla and spice aromas with lovely dark fruit and vanilla on the palate - smooth tannins and longish finish - delicious
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/19/2014 - ssspore Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nose of black cherry, menthol, oak, rose petals. Palate was a bit bitter on the back end. The tannins where nice and finish was med.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2013 - Justinwine wrote: 89 Points
I want to like this wine but just doesn't do it for me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/28/2013 - Rtw371 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fabulous wine that is ready to drink. Good value for the investment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/17/2013 - Tracypyo wrote: 95 Points
Wow, what an interesting and outstanding bottle of wine. Inky dark concentrated to the rim. Nose was so creamy and buttery that it was reminiscent of buttered popcorn. Extremely round tannins that added to the butteriness/creaminess affect and big bold mouthfeel. Long finish with moderate heat from the alcohol. This was a restaurant purchase by B. Mills and my wife's review was "get some of that in our cellar quick"! It followed a very good bottle of 98 Far Niente cab and clearly out shined its older counterpart which isn't easy to do as a young Cali Cab.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2012 - Cheungtp Likes this wine: 94 Points
It's a young wine, but its very approachable already. Medium to full bodied with deep ruby color. No serious decant needed, popped and poured the first glass, and open bottle consumed over 2.5 hours. Initially, on the nose, aroma of blackberry, mint and spice. On the palate, smooth, velvety, with taste of earth, dark berries, surprisingly tannin was not hard at all.
With the bottle aerated for over an hour, the wine had evolved nicely, with aroma of lavender, creamy butter, vanilla, crushed sugar coming out gently. On the palate, taste has broadened, graphite, tobacco, red cherry, finishing last for 20-30 seconds, fantastic.
This is an unusual Napa Cab, traditional Cab drinkers may find it less powerful, but I love it, with its complexity and smooth approach, as good as some of those fine Bordeaux wines. Not cheap, but it's a worthy drinking enjoyment. Even the cork itself contains a soothing vanilla scent. Awesome
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/18/2011 - davidwhitedc wrote:
Terroirist Blogger Tasting #3: SRP: $90. Supremely disappointed when the foil came off of this one. Hit over the head with heavily toasted oak – and underneath all that, it was hard to get past the nose of huge, pruney fruits – some spicy black cherries (good) and candied green pepper (bad) were the only ones that really stood out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/10/2011 - RockinCabs wrote:
Visiting Napa (Sept 9th-11th); 9/9/2011-9/11/2011 (Napa, CA): This was just bottled this summer, but shows promise. I found the wine slightly difficult to evaluate as the tanins were relatively hard at this stage and the baby fat from the new oak was not yet integrated. Fantastic concentration as it was the darkest wine of the lineup. Excellent palate weight and a nice touch of earthy tobacco that gave this wine a slightly "serious" St. Julien-esque profile.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment