Color (10/10): Inky dark purple with watery rim Nose (25/25): Seductive vanilla, cinnamon, hint of spice Palate (26/30): Velvety smooth red cherry up front with some burn from the alcohol in the middle that hits the back of my throat with a strange vinegar 'twang' that lingers. Also some tart red berry. Almost watery in the mid-palate before coming on with a strong tart red berry finish. Overall (32/35): This is good but not great. Given the name and price point, I would have expected more. The nose is SO alluring and yet the palate just falls a little flat. As it opens, a delicate melange of red berries comes through but it lacks a layered complexity I'd expect of a wine of this caliber.
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This wine can drink well for another 2 decades, and in even the hard core Napa drinkers found it overpowering after 90 min slow ox + 60 min decant. Shows great promise, however, and we will try again in a number of years.
Night one: Ruby in glass, a beautiful burgundy really. Nose med+ intensity of vanilla, oak, blackberry. Still very young. Palate Med+ acidity, med tannins integrated but still rough. Full body. Med+ finish. Med+ flavor intensity of predominantly blackberry. Med+ finish.
Night two: Alcohol working it’s way into the wine and everything is settling down now. Nose remains oaky but now more chocolate and coffee coming through in addition to the vanilla. Palate is softer now. Raspberry in addition to the blackberry. The spiciness has subsided. More supple.
Night three: tbd
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Napa 2023: the quieter version; 2/6/2023-2/11/2023 (Napa/Sonoma California): The wine which is usually my favorite although I don’t think it’s quite as bright showing as the Vecina or Pluribus both of whom were just spot on. This is still nice though. Fresh style with red currants and a bit of brightness. Evolving a lot in the glass. Always enjoyable.
This is really lovely. Was in a cellar where for part of the pandemic there wasn't temp control and so a bit of a concern around it, but this was drinking very well. It's certainly new world style and deeper red fruits, but more moderate and balanced. Drinking well.
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Decanted over cocktails. Pure and soft blackcurrant and loamy earth with a midpalate that brightened after about two hours, then continued to evolve with chocolate and charred earth notes. Not sure I would recommend a long decant as the evolution was interesting and the structure started to dissolve toward the end. In any case this is a resounding success for the Bond aim of terroir-driven single-vineyard Cabernets and is drinking well now although it may continue to improve with more cellaring.
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This wine is in a great drinking window. It certainly has a lot of life left, but it is utterly satisfying right now. Notes of blackberry, rich cassis, mushrooms, asian spices and fragrant earth on the nose. Super refined on the palate, with exceptionally fine grained tannins, silky mouthfeel and a weightless elegance that captivates. Excellent complexity at this stage, with some tertiary notes mixing in with the primary fruit to make for a really well rounded experience. The finish is absolutely epic and off the charts long.
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This wine was on point. Deep purple black color but beautiful. Perfect weight. Not quite full bodied. Aromas of black tea leaves, violist and earth. Great texture. Silky. Black currant fruit and plum fruit. A noticeable lack of oak which I loved, allowing the fruit to shine through. A note of tobacco leaf as well. So good. Finish was only thing that kept it from 96/97 type of score. Highest recommendation
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Another Year, Another Napa (aka Winter in Wineland IV); 1/5/2020-1/11/2020 (Napa/Sonoma California): Hand soap on the nose which originally made me a touch skeptical, but on the palate it's all floral and red fruits and this really nice structure and back bone to it. More time and the fruit starts to get a bit sweeter but in a nice, fresh way. I didn't get as much of the iron/ferrous character as I have in other years, but definitely enjoyable. Probably my favorite of the vineyards although it's splitting hairs as they're all great.
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Sensual and silky in the glass, the 2012 St. Eden comes across as a bit subdued and even light, with less concentration and fewer shades of dimension than most other vintages. Perhaps the 2012 is in a bit of a closed phase. We will see.
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This rich and integrated Cabernet requires at least an hour of air to settle in, but - once it does - it shows 2012 Napa at its finest: ripe, layered, with earthy chocolate goodness, and a balance and accessibility that just won’t quit.
Ruby red in color and medium in body, the wine offers incredible aromas of fresh blueberry, cocoa powder, pencil lead, and white flowers. The tastes are intense but relaxed - black cherry, milk chocolate, gravel, and anise - with a finish that goes on and on. 14.5% alcohol. This tasted angular right after opening, but it settled into an incredible wine after the first hour. Drink in next few years.
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Dark ruby red. A bit closed initially but unwinds in the glass to offer cassis, black cherry, mint, violets, dusty cedar, and Christmas spice. On the palate it’s medium bodied with medium concentration of fruit, tannins of a fine, powdery texture, and good length. Sourced from an 11 acre vineyard just north of Oakville planted 100 % to Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.5% ABV. $450.
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Very good, fruity, cassis, fresh but aromatically a bit monolithic for a higher score. May be needs more time for that but tonight it did not nearly reach the level of the divine Colgin IX 2006.
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Black fruited, very very closed on the pop n pour yet not terribly tannic. Just shut tight. After a couple of hours opened nicely. Black and blue fruits, a bit muted on the nose. Luxurious mouthfeel. Definitely one to try again in a year or two.
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Public tasting event - 1 ounce pours, bottles opened 2 hours prior to start
deep red purple color, creamy cassis nose, very fruit driven and enticing, on the palate very much the dark and cool side of the Cabernet spectrum- and singularly beautiful on that point, some tannins and potential for evolution- but showing a lot of leg as well, the difficulty for me personally here is the oak, it was not excessive on the nose but it came out quite raw on the long finish for my tastes, take out the oak and I think it was a wonderful and unique wine, for those who like a strong dose of spicy oak (and I know I am outnumbered in that vote) then this has to be considered a great success. **(**) disregarding my personal feelings about the oak, now to 2025+ Should develop nicely with age but that fruit is a wonderful thing to see now in its youthful state
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The nose was gorgeous, as it balanced fruit and earth, displaying floral undergrowth, animal musk and dark earth up front, followed by crushed cherry and sweet herbs. On the palate, I found silky textures giving way to wild berry fruits, baking spice, and a coating of fine, sweet tannin. It finished long on sweet spice and a mix of red and blue fruits.
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4/26/2024 - mhekman wrote: 93 Points
Color (10/10): Inky dark purple with watery rim
Nose (25/25): Seductive vanilla, cinnamon, hint of spice
Palate (26/30): Velvety smooth red cherry up front with some burn from the alcohol in the middle that hits the back of my throat with a strange vinegar 'twang' that lingers. Also some tart red berry. Almost watery in the mid-palate before coming on with a strong tart red berry finish.
Overall (32/35): This is good but not great. Given the name and price point, I would have expected more. The nose is SO alluring and yet the palate just falls a little flat. As it opens, a delicate melange of red berries comes through but it lacks a layered complexity I'd expect of a wine of this caliber.
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5/13/2023 - El_Dougo wrote:
This wine can drink well for another 2 decades, and in even the hard core Napa drinkers found it overpowering after 90 min slow ox + 60 min decant. Shows great promise, however, and we will try again in a number of years.
Night one:
Ruby in glass, a beautiful burgundy really.
Nose med+ intensity of vanilla, oak, blackberry. Still very young.
Palate Med+ acidity, med tannins integrated but still rough. Full body. Med+ finish. Med+ flavor intensity of predominantly blackberry. Med+ finish.
Night two: Alcohol working it’s way into the wine and everything is settling down now. Nose remains oaky but now more chocolate and coffee coming through in addition to the vanilla. Palate is softer now. Raspberry in addition to the blackberry. The spiciness has subsided. More supple.
Night three: tbd
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2/9/2023 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Napa 2023: the quieter version; 2/6/2023-2/11/2023 (Napa/Sonoma California): The wine which is usually my favorite although I don’t think it’s quite as bright showing as the Vecina or Pluribus both of whom were just spot on. This is still nice though. Fresh style with red currants and a bit of brightness. Evolving a lot in the glass. Always enjoyable.
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9/18/2022 - Shugs_Claret wrote: 92 Points
Distinguished by herbal notes on the nose. Dark fruits. Velvety tannins. Excellent concentration and persistence. Early drinking window.
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10/29/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
This is really lovely. Was in a cellar where for part of the pandemic there wasn't temp control and so a bit of a concern around it, but this was drinking very well. It's certainly new world style and deeper red fruits, but more moderate and balanced. Drinking well.
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9/9/2021 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted over cocktails. Pure and soft blackcurrant and loamy earth with a midpalate that brightened after about two hours, then continued to evolve with chocolate and charred earth notes. Not sure I would recommend a long decant as the evolution was interesting and the structure started to dissolve toward the end. In any case this is a resounding success for the Bond aim of terroir-driven single-vineyard Cabernets and is drinking well now although it may continue to improve with more cellaring.
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6/24/2020 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 98 Points
This wine is in a great drinking window. It certainly has a lot of life left, but it is utterly satisfying right now. Notes of blackberry, rich cassis, mushrooms, asian spices and fragrant earth on the nose. Super refined on the palate, with exceptionally fine grained tannins, silky mouthfeel and a weightless elegance that captivates. Excellent complexity at this stage, with some tertiary notes mixing in with the primary fruit to make for a really well rounded experience. The finish is absolutely epic and off the charts long.
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5/22/2020 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine was on point. Deep purple black color but beautiful. Perfect weight. Not quite full bodied. Aromas of black tea leaves, violist and earth. Great texture. Silky. Black currant fruit and plum fruit. A noticeable lack of oak which I loved, allowing the fruit to shine through. A note of tobacco leaf as well. So good. Finish was only thing that kept it from 96/97 type of score. Highest recommendation
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1/10/2020 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Another Year, Another Napa (aka Winter in Wineland IV); 1/5/2020-1/11/2020 (Napa/Sonoma California): Hand soap on the nose which originally made me a touch skeptical, but on the palate it's all floral and red fruits and this really nice structure and back bone to it. More time and the fruit starts to get a bit sweeter but in a nice, fresh way. I didn't get as much of the iron/ferrous character as I have in other years, but definitely enjoyable. Probably my favorite of the vineyards although it's splitting hairs as they're all great.
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2/3/2019 - rickwunderwood@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 100 Points
Sensual and silky in the glass, the 2012 St. Eden comes across as a bit subdued and even light, with less concentration and fewer shades of dimension than most other vintages. Perhaps the 2012 is in a bit of a closed phase. We will see.
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2/1/2019 - msuwine wrote: 96 Points
This rich and integrated Cabernet requires at least an hour of air to settle in, but - once it does - it shows 2012 Napa at its finest: ripe, layered, with earthy chocolate goodness, and a balance and accessibility that just won’t quit.
Ruby red in color and medium in body, the wine offers incredible aromas of fresh blueberry, cocoa powder, pencil lead, and white flowers. The tastes are intense but relaxed - black cherry, milk chocolate, gravel, and anise - with a finish that goes on and on. 14.5% alcohol. This tasted angular right after opening, but it settled into an incredible wine after the first hour. Drink in next few years.
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11/22/2018 - ashikoh Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark ruby red. A bit closed initially but unwinds in the glass to offer cassis, black cherry, mint, violets, dusty cedar, and Christmas spice. On the palate it’s medium bodied with medium concentration of fruit, tannins of a fine, powdery texture, and good length. Sourced from an 11 acre vineyard just north of Oakville planted 100 % to Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.5% ABV. $450.
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11/12/2018 - ledwards wrote: 93 Points
Fruit forward and plush.
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8/26/2018 - SGoenophile Likes this wine: 95 Points
Matter of Taste. A great wine from a good vintage. Smooth, rounded tannins. Nice black ripe fruit, not jammy, with good balance. Good concentration.
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4/17/2018 - Collector1855 wrote: 96 Points
Very good, fruity, cassis, fresh but aromatically a bit monolithic for a higher score. May be needs more time for that but tonight it did not nearly reach the level of the divine Colgin IX 2006.
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2/11/2018 - jaylew1 wrote: 95 Points
Black fruited, very very closed on the pop n pour yet not terribly tannic. Just shut tight. After a couple of hours opened nicely. Black and blue fruits, a bit muted on the nose. Luxurious mouthfeel. Definitely one to try again in a year or two.
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3/27/2017 - Cage Ranch Likes this wine: 94 Points
Served at the French Laundry. Exquisite.
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11/22/2016 - Elpaninaro wrote:
Public tasting event - 1 ounce pours, bottles opened 2 hours prior to start
deep red purple color, creamy cassis nose, very fruit driven and enticing, on the palate very much the dark and cool side of the Cabernet spectrum- and singularly beautiful on that point, some tannins and potential for evolution- but showing a lot of leg as well, the difficulty for me personally here is the oak, it was not excessive on the nose but it came out quite raw on the long finish for my tastes, take out the oak and I think it was a wonderful and unique wine, for those who like a strong dose of spicy oak (and I know I am outnumbered in that vote) then this has to be considered a great success. **(**) disregarding my personal feelings about the oak, now to 2025+ Should develop nicely with age but that fruit is a wonderful thing to see now in its youthful state
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11/5/2016 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 94 Points
A Matter of Taste (Meritage Resort & Spa Napa, CA): 93-94+
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5/31/2016 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 95 Points
The nose was gorgeous, as it balanced fruit and earth, displaying floral undergrowth, animal musk and dark earth up front, followed by crushed cherry and sweet herbs. On the palate, I found silky textures giving way to wild berry fruits, baking spice, and a coating of fine, sweet tannin. It finished long on sweet spice and a mix of red and blue fruits.
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