94 is a solid rating here. Almost four years since I've revisited this. Blackberry, black licorice and tar. Has gained a dark and deep side to it. Tannin has started to integrate nicely on this wine. This wine has really matured nicely and the balance is here. Very nice but I'd say that this is definitely not as structured for the long haul like the Veeder and Howell from the same year. Nice wine to enjoy now as a pop and pour.
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Floral and cherry aromas followed by layered earthiness combined with blueberry and cherry flavors. Perfect wine for a superb pasta dish at Ambra Italian Kitchennin Vegas.
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Decanted for an hour, this Cabernet Sauvignon continues to impress. Black fruit aromatics followed by black cherry, blackberry and plum flavors with some oak and licorice. Medium finish.
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Nicely done here and pretty damn good. Layers of black fruits up front (black cherry, currant, blackberry) with a wonderful creamy texture to it. Definitely has some Rutherford Dust feel to it along with cocoa, milk chocolate, and black licorice notes. Not as structured as the Howell Mountain by any means but definitely more approachable right now and drinking really awesome. Great long finish amongst smooth tannins.
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Very good to great. This Valley "blend" seems to have a bit of Rutherford Dust on the nose and tongue. It may not have the Mountain structure of the Big Brothers from Veeder and Howell but it is every bit as impressive and more approachable at this point. I very much enjoy this winery's product and I'm very stingy on who I'll share it with. Tonight it is just for me, myself and I and the 3 of us are digging it big time. Cocoa and crushed rocks with a bit of red dust on the back breath finish. Solid nose of dark fruit and big time garnet depth. I wish I had more. Got to get me some cuz this is good stuff Maynard.
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Well done here. Black fruit predominant with dark cocoa and black licorice notes. Not an intense as the Howell Mountain but very well done nonetheless. Still very astringent but opens up over time. Smooth tannins, nice finish, probably needs another year or two to really sing!
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I liked this a lot. Very distinctive black fruit on the palate differentiates this wine a bit from some of its competitors in this region. Excellent quality, smooth and medium finish.
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These notes are consistent with the last, but the wine has started to go to some black licorice in addition to the younger black fruit. The finish is still a little astringent, but the wine itself is quite approachable. Good, balanced cab for not being a flagship wine. Glad I have one more, and don't really know if I want more than this in all honesty. Was kicking myself after the first bottle that I didn't buy a case, but I'm glad I abstained after tonight. Good, traditional Napa floor cab. Not much mountain influence here. Drink now, or hold for 1-3 years in bottle.
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This was drinking really well last night. I believe I liked it more than the previous bottle. Not sure of the aging potential on this wine, as the tannins seemed soft. Lots of big black fruit on the nose.
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This is a very young wine and a bit primary at this stage. Decanted for an hour and drank over 5 hours. Lots of structure which creates lots of "tension" and a long finish. Dominated by cassis and assorted red fruit. There is some vanilla and some oak. Purity of the fruit is wonderful (especially for a second wine) but the complexity is not there. Medium-plus bodied. Nice nose of vanilla and fruit. If it continues to develop complexity, it will be a steal given today's Napa pricing.
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Very good, not as tannic as I was expecting, given some previous comments. Popped and poured at a restaurant. It went very well with the Rib Eye steak that I had for dinner. I don't think this is quite up to the level of the Howell Mountain or Mt. Veeder wines from O'Shaughnessy, but its still a nice wine.
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This wine, though well made, is apparently O'Shaughnessy's answer to the question: What do we do with all this extra fruit that probably should have been dropped? It's still young, but four hours in the decanter don't bode well for the future. Astringent red fruit dominates and none of the power, structure, or nuanced complexity that is typical of mountain fruit shines through. Spend the extra $15 for the Howell Mtn.
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93/94 wine. Decanted about 2 hours before even trying. This is a RIDICULOUS bottle. O'Shaughnessy has found out what it takes to make world class cab and doesn't even realize it. This nearly 50/50 blend of Howell Mtn and Veeder fruit is an excellent offering. Nose is more Howell Mtn blueberry and vanilla. The front is more Mt Veeder blackberry with graham cracker. Finish is TANNIC, and gives the ever so subtle (actually blatantly obvious) nod that this wine needs to stay in the cellar (what's left of it) and needs to age for another 1-2 yrs. This wine is quite interlaced and beautiful. Very, very good for a wine of such youth. It's a 2012 and drinking very much like a 2009 or 2008. BEAUTIFUL wine from OSh, and will only get better with time, as this wine was TAN-NIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Should settle down in a a few years, whereby then I figure this one is going to be right in the wheelhouse. Cheers!
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According to the representative at the winery, this one is a combination of Napa Valley fruit. That being said, I think this one has real potential to age nicely. Elegant, with a good taste on the palate, smooth tannans with a bit of a backbone which bodes well for aging. Fruit, dark Berries but not over-the-top, elements of cocoa and with a good decanting, this inaugural Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon will drink very nicely. 91 points for now, but perhaps better tomorrow? Long story short, I like this wine.
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I have been a fan of O'Shaughnessy for a few years and noticed that they had some dirt down in Oakville AVA (this was a surprise to me. See the Oakville Winegrowers Assoc map) so I presume that this bottling is primarily sourced from this piece of dirt (if others know differently, I would appreciate the education). Here are my thoughts on the wine:
Right out of the bottle (with 3.5 minutes of decanting), I was impressed with the structure. It's very good but... the tannins on the back end are like a artistic 8-year-old running around your house with marker ... obvious talent but not who you think of first to invite over for dinner. The fruit isn't nearly as pronounced as the mountain wines (expected) and the dirt also wasn't as prominent as you would expect from Oakville AVA (e.g., Caymus, Far Niente, Groth, etc.) which kinda made me wonder if the grapes were sourced from other AVAs. Overall this is a very good wine if you have more discipline than me and can wait more than 20 minutes after UPS arrives. The tannins should be really well balanced with the fruit in 3-4 years in bottle.
BTW... the tannins do settle a bit after a hour or so but still a bit too prominent to be considered my first invite for dinner.
8/7/2020 - RD59 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark, plum, blackberry, long, ink, spectacular!!
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3/22/2020 - mflesh wrote:
94 is a solid rating here. Almost four years since I've revisited this. Blackberry, black licorice and tar. Has gained a dark and deep side to it. Tannin has started to integrate nicely on this wine. This wine has really matured nicely and the balance is here. Very nice but I'd say that this is definitely not as structured for the long haul like the Veeder and Howell from the same year. Nice wine to enjoy now as a pop and pour.
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8/31/2019 - jcampano Likes this wine: 92 Points
Floral and cherry aromas followed by layered earthiness combined with blueberry and cherry flavors. Perfect wine for a superb pasta dish at Ambra Italian Kitchennin Vegas.
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6/20/2019 - jcampano Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour, this Cabernet Sauvignon continues to impress. Black fruit aromatics followed by black cherry, blackberry and plum flavors with some oak and licorice. Medium finish.
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8/5/2018 - JCGuthrie wrote:
Great nose right out of the bottle. Decanted about 4 hours. Still so young - need to sit on my other O'Shaughnessy cabs for several more years.
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4/16/2018 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nicely done here and pretty damn good. Layers of black fruits up front (black cherry, currant, blackberry) with a wonderful creamy texture to it. Definitely has some Rutherford Dust feel to it along with cocoa, milk chocolate, and black licorice notes. Not as structured as the Howell Mountain by any means but definitely more approachable right now and drinking really awesome. Great long finish amongst smooth tannins.
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12/27/2017 - Vitis Maximus Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very good to great. This Valley "blend" seems to have a bit of Rutherford Dust on the nose and tongue. It may not have the Mountain structure of the Big Brothers from Veeder and Howell but it is every bit as impressive and more approachable at this point. I very much enjoy this winery's product and I'm very stingy on who I'll share it with. Tonight it is just for me, myself and I and the 3 of us are digging it big time. Cocoa and crushed rocks with a bit of red dust on the back breath finish. Solid nose of dark fruit and big time garnet depth. I wish I had more. Got to get me some cuz this is good stuff Maynard.
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2/21/2017 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Well done here. Black fruit predominant with dark cocoa and black licorice notes. Not an intense as the Howell Mountain but very well done nonetheless. Still very astringent but opens up over time. Smooth tannins, nice finish, probably needs another year or two to really sing!
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1/26/2017 - moega Likes this wine: 92 Points
I liked this a lot. Very distinctive black fruit on the palate differentiates this wine a bit from some of its competitors in this region. Excellent quality, smooth and medium finish.
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10/25/2016 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened for at least 45 minutes before we poured it. At a NYC Steak dinner for 11 people with 8 wines, this was the 2nd favorite wine of the night.
It went really well with the steaks.
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6/14/2016 - mflesh wrote:
These notes are consistent with the last, but the wine has started to go to some black licorice in addition to the younger black fruit. The finish is still a little astringent, but the wine itself is quite approachable. Good, balanced cab for not being a flagship wine. Glad I have one more, and don't really know if I want more than this in all honesty. Was kicking myself after the first bottle that I didn't buy a case, but I'm glad I abstained after tonight. Good, traditional Napa floor cab. Not much mountain influence here. Drink now, or hold for 1-3 years in bottle.
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4/14/2016 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was drinking really well last night. I believe I liked it more than the previous bottle. Not sure of the aging potential on this wine, as the tannins seemed soft. Lots of big black fruit on the nose.
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4/13/2016 - DaButtah Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big improvement from 6 months ago. Needs some time in the decanter to really flesh out but once it does it's gorgeous.
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1/16/2016 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a very young wine and a bit primary at this stage. Decanted for an hour and drank over 5 hours. Lots of structure which creates lots of "tension" and a long finish. Dominated by cassis and assorted red fruit. There is some vanilla and some oak. Purity of the fruit is wonderful (especially for a second wine) but the complexity is not there. Medium-plus bodied. Nice nose of vanilla and fruit. If it continues to develop complexity, it will be a steal given today's Napa pricing.
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12/23/2015 - TastesGoodToMe wrote: 90 Points
Good wine. But not up to the HM or Mt Veeder offerings for sure. Other wines I prefer at this price point.
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12/19/2015 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very good, not as tannic as I was expecting, given some previous comments. Popped and poured at a restaurant. It went very well with the Rib Eye steak that I had for dinner. I don't think this is quite up to the level of the Howell Mountain or Mt. Veeder wines from O'Shaughnessy, but its still a nice wine.
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12/19/2015 - TKS9 wrote: 88 Points
This wine, though well made, is apparently O'Shaughnessy's answer to the question: What do we do with all this extra fruit that probably should have been dropped? It's still young, but four hours in the decanter don't bode well for the future. Astringent red fruit dominates and none of the power, structure, or nuanced complexity that is typical of mountain fruit shines through. Spend the extra $15 for the Howell Mtn.
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8/23/2015 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 90 Points
90+ points, not as good as the last bottle, not bad at all, but just not as good as the last bottle.
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7/12/2015 - Painless wrote: 92 Points
Very nice
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5/24/2015 - mflesh Likes this wine: 94 Points
93/94 wine. Decanted about 2 hours before even trying. This is a RIDICULOUS bottle. O'Shaughnessy has found out what it takes to make world class cab and doesn't even realize it. This nearly 50/50 blend of Howell Mtn and Veeder fruit is an excellent offering. Nose is more Howell Mtn blueberry and vanilla. The front is more Mt Veeder blackberry with graham cracker. Finish is TANNIC, and gives the ever so subtle (actually blatantly obvious) nod that this wine needs to stay in the cellar (what's left of it) and needs to age for another 1-2 yrs. This wine is quite interlaced and beautiful. Very, very good for a wine of such youth. It's a 2012 and drinking very much like a 2009 or 2008. BEAUTIFUL wine from OSh, and will only get better with time, as this wine was TAN-NIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Should settle down in a a few years, whereby then I figure this one is going to be right in the wheelhouse. Cheers!
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5/15/2015 - Philman15 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious and well structured. Lots of vanilla and floral notes. Huge steal at this price point.
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3/12/2015 - Yack Man wrote: 91 Points
According to the representative at the winery, this one is a combination of Napa Valley fruit. That being said, I think this one has real potential to age nicely. Elegant, with a good taste on the palate, smooth tannans with a bit of a backbone which bodes well for aging. Fruit, dark Berries but not over-the-top, elements of cocoa and with a good decanting, this inaugural Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon will drink very nicely. 91 points for now, but perhaps better tomorrow? Long story short, I like this wine.
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3/11/2015 - Hoffer Likes this wine: 94 Points
I have been a fan of O'Shaughnessy for a few years and noticed that they had some dirt down in Oakville AVA (this was a surprise to me. See the Oakville Winegrowers Assoc map) so I presume that this bottling is primarily sourced from this piece of dirt (if others know differently, I would appreciate the education). Here are my thoughts on the wine:
Right out of the bottle (with 3.5 minutes of decanting), I was impressed with the structure. It's very good but... the tannins on the back end are like a artistic 8-year-old running around your house with marker ... obvious talent but not who you think of first to invite over for dinner. The fruit isn't nearly as pronounced as the mountain wines (expected) and the dirt also wasn't as prominent as you would expect from Oakville AVA (e.g., Caymus, Far Niente, Groth, etc.) which kinda made me wonder if the grapes were sourced from other AVAs. Overall this is a very good wine if you have more discipline than me and can wait more than 20 minutes after UPS arrives. The tannins should be really well balanced with the fruit in 3-4 years in bottle.
BTW... the tannins do settle a bit after a hour or so but still a bit too prominent to be considered my first invite for dinner.
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