Opened, poured and let sit about 1 1/2 hrs. Then: Pretty much the same as my 3/22/2024 note. Pleasant, but not much else. My last bottle and that's OK; still some fruit left and I don't see this improving.
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Opened, poured and let sit about 1 hr. Then: Maybe dark fruit in the nose. Initial taste is darkish fruit, maybe, sort of blackberry and stays the same through the end of the glass (30 min) - very monotone; very smooth; nice mouthfeel; acidity keeps it fresh, tannins not an issue; still has some structure; as with other bottles, no cabernet profile; not over-ripe or over-extracted; kept waiting for sweetish fruit, but didn't happen. Relatively tasty, but lack of cab profile disappointing. This probably could go a bit longer.
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Opened, poured and let sit about 40 min. Then: Maybe some darkish fruit on the nose. First sip is mostly warmth, maybe some faint dark fruit in the background; everything else obscured. After 15 min or so from first sip, the warmth has moved to the finish; acidity and tannins are not a problem; medium+ mouthfeel; fruit a bit more noticeable, not too ripe or extracted, but now very darkish and not that pleasant. No resemblance to cabernet, Cali or elsewhere. This bottle is very different from the others I've had. I guess it can go longer, but hard to see it improving. For what it may be worth, Day 2 was slightly better (maybe add a point). Still no cabernet taste/profile, but: warmth was barely noticeable; fruit was more reddish and slightly more noticeable and maybe even a tad sweet by the end of the glass, but still a minor note; maybe a bit better balance.
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Much better than the last bottle. Typical flavor profile, bold dark and good extraction. berry fruit, blackberry, dark cherry, black color, dark currants and plum notes. Nice bottle of wine 93+/ 94 Points.
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A fine, quintessential California cab - fruit forward, concentrated and very long. So much minerality! Would be a 94, but the nose is somewhat subdued.
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Opened, poured and let sit about 45 min, then followed over another 45 min. Pretty close to my 1/21/2023 note. Maybe a bit softer, tannins not an issue, although still has some structure; nice acidity; good finish. A Cali cab all the way, although not a fruit bomb like some. No "old world" cab profile, but still a nice red wine. I wouldn't wait much longer with these. (Did not improve on Day 2; would rate 1-2 pts lower).
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Opened, poured and let sit about 1 hr. Then: Nose muted darkish-reddish fruit. Taste is semi-sweet red fruit; not over-ripe or extracted; acidity keeps it fresh; tannins not an issue; smooth; linear/monotone; good mouthfeel; longish finish. Unfortunately, no hint (at least to me) that this is cabernet. A nice red-fruited wine. I wouldn't expect this to improve from here, so will drink my remaining bottles over the remaining year to enjoy the fruit.
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This was a random, lonely bottle in my cellar and it was a Napa Cab sort of night so figured it was as good a time as any to give this a whirl. Besides, a few of my friends had recently made some comments about how well the 2015’s were showing so it was only more incentive to open this.
We pulled the cork a couple of hours prior and consumed over a several hour period. No formal notes. The first impression is “holy smokes this is absolutely packed with sweet, ripe fruits”. It was shocking. The quality of the fruit is seriously high…a black and red fruit combo with some baking spices…but it’s so jammy and primary that I couldn’t pull much more from it. Tannins were medium. Acid was medium/medium-. The texture is silky smooth. Finish is long-ish due to the mouth-coating fruit. Ultimately however, I struggled to fully enjoy this due to wonderful fruit being let down by the lack of structure which left it coming across a bit flabby. That being said, this style is intentional and arguably very popular. Drink now.
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This bottle was much more typical for Scarlett than the one consumed about half a year ago. Ripe blackberry and spice profile. Velvety and with a sticking finish. Super. 92
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Love the sweetness on the nose and initial palate complemented by the spicy finish. Very nice and complex for this price point! At pnp the acidity is a bit overwhelming but it tones down with some air time.
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Big ripe California Cab isn't normally my top pick, but this does it just right. Balance, depth, complexity in spades. I've had plenty at 2x-4x the price that I didn't like as much. Though not cheap, it's one of the few winners at this price point from the US that I'd spend my money on. Admittedly, with a daughter named Scarlett, I am biased.
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Amazing notes of sweet caramel candy predominate, dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, the bright full forward concentrated blackcurrant and blackberry fruits are accented by a layer of delectable sweet vanilla, almond and sweet clove and oak notes turning to ripe tannins on the long finish.
Second bottle from a batch. Purple color. Ripe blackberry aromas. Full bodied. Ripe blackberry and spice flavors. Clean finish. This bottle was consistent with the first and came across very ripe. I've experienced a lot more finesse and layers of flavor in past vintages. Still, this was very good. 90
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I rarely rate wines higher than do the professionals, but in this case, I praise with conviction. We enjoyed this with beef Wellington on Christmas Eve in honor of our daughter, Scarlett. The wine received 5 hours of slow ox followed by an hour in the decanter. It was luscious - better than many a $100-300 Cali cab. Huge fruit and jam. If that's your thing, you'll love this. I don't think this will decline in the next 3 years or so, but I can't see it getting any better by losing primary fruit. It's crushing it right now. Terrific QPR for a Cali cab.
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This is my 8th bottle from this vintage and this was the best to date. Mike Smith killed it in 2015 with all of his wines (Scarlett, Myriad, Quivet, and Becklyn). Hard to beat this QPR
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Fantastic, indeed, Yack Man! It has been two years since the last bottle and this 2015 is hitting it's stride. Lovely bottle all the way around with beautiful color and aroma. Gorgeous sweet fruit, with a long finish. Paired perfectly with grilled filet mignon.
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The good news, his was a fantastic vintage for the Scarlett brand. The bad news, there’s only 4 bottles in the cellar. The wine opens with dark ripe fruit and floral aromas. On the palate, dark fruits composed of perfectly ripened black cherry and dark berry fruits, cassis, a hint of sweet tobacco and some cedar and leather notes. This is a bold, dark crimson colored wine with smooth tannins, and good extraction. The Reserve has more depth and nuance, but the baby brother is ‘not chopped liver’ this is a really good wine for those of us who enjoy this, what some might call - New world style Napa Cab.
Day 1: Opened and a quick taste - not much nose, then a hit of sweet red fruit, then closed up. Let stand 1 hr in glass. Still not much nose and the sweet red fruit is gone, replaced by dark reddish fruit through a longish finish. Medium weight and in a "modern" style. Tasty, but lacking the "old world" signature cab profile. Taste-wise, this almost could have been the Bordeaux-style 2014 Turley Juvenille Zin I had the other night, with the not-particularly-distincitive dark reddish fruit profile. Maybe it needs more time; not what I was expecting. Day 2: A bit softer, but not any appreciable change: dark reddish fruit throughout and fairly monotone. Tasty, but I'm looking for some actual cab nose/taste and it isn't here - at least yet. Or maybe that's the Mike Smith style?
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This vintage has been a consistent winner and a favorite of mine. Fruit forward with a dark crimson, good extraction and flavors, just delicious. 94+ Points
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14.9% abv. Dark crimson purple color. Juicy cabernet berry goodness through and through. Plushy velour texture, fine grained tannins, cherry, blackberry, sweet spice, and cocoa. Med plus in mouth, med+ length. Very good QPR, drinking well now on pnp and has 5+ years of great drinking.
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Really nice. Pop'n'pour and ready to go. Maybe a bit straightforward but the quality and richness of the fruit is what jumps out. Super value at this price.
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Started out as big red fruit, ripe (almost sweet), and just a hint of the dust in its fine grained tannin. With a couple hours of air, it worked well with NY strip. Fruit got darker & calmer, touches of charred herb + charcoal came out. Oak notes are there & it's fairly rich, but not quite clumsy. Easy drinking
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Notes similar to prior bottles. Great Rutherford dust typicity although with a slightly higher degree of sweetness than I find in some other producers.
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Not really a fan of this extracted, syrupy (close to, but not over the top cough-syrupy) style. If you are a fan, then this is for you. Really dark fruit flavors in a super-lush package. Hard to detect any complex nuance when the wine hits you with a wall of plush-ness...but it is eminently quaffable! Tried on PnP, but was better with one trip through the Vinturi. Not my style, and yet I enjoyed it immensely.
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I could have given this wine a little air and the score would probably be a smidge higher, but it’s so good as a pop and pour, who wait? With about half a bottle remaining, this will go well with the Warriors game tonight. l will expand on my thoughts if need be. Scarlett is one of my favorites.
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No mote. PnP good but not on the same planet as the reserve. Very good QPR. Easy drinking but nothing special - nor does it need to be at this price. Good wine.
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Decanted four hours and vac sealed overnight and now tasting tonight. Almost Pinot-like nose of red fruits and blood orange zest and bitters, cedar. Imagine a raspberry rye old fashioned, a very good one. This is followed by a very explosive palate, which is quite zesty and acidic, but creamy. This could use some time?
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This is my kind of wine. The only thing lacking is perhaps a little bit of finesse but for a $60-$70 bottle of wine, no other Napa Cab can compete with this one by my standards. Talk about bang for the buck! (well maybe Quivet, Myriad and Becklyn).
Wonderful right after opening. Brought to Bavette’s in Chicago and paired perfectly with Ribeye and truffle Mac and cheese. Fruit forward, but plenty of stuffing to hold up to the steak. Will wait on my other two bottles to see how they develop...
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Wow, I really like this 2015 Scarlett NV, (see prior notes). When I first tried this vintage it started out as a good and pretty average, but man, has a come around. It’s really at a good drinking point and I’d recommend picking up a bottle or two, if you can still find it. If you enjoy a big, full-bodied wine, you’re gonna love this 2015 vintage.
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I'm really enjoying this wine, for my palate, this wine is hitting it's stride nicely. Nice dark fruit and good extraction, dark cherries, cassis and smooth tannins. A solid 94 Points.
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Drank over 2 and this wine is showing pretty well at this stage in it’s development. Nice, fruit forward with good extraction. My first few bottles of this vintage started out kind of thin with not much impact but that in no longer the case. I was probably over enthused about the 2015 vintage in the first place. I really like this wine is at currently. 93.5 Points
Last night, I popped a 2015 and the experience started out much like that described by aficionado Csimm: "Medium and pleasantly flavorful attack, with darker fruit emerging over the red cassis and candied/liqueur flavors". This was a bit of a different wrinkle over past vintages in my experience. There was some acidity showing too, so I concluded that I will allow it to sit for in the glass for awhile as I prepared dinner last night. With some time in the glass, this wine really started to show its underlying elements. I was really impressed with it and there are a some distinct, really nice elements in this Cab that have come to the fore that I have not noticed as much when compared to my past tastings notes. Nice flavor features and depth man, this wine came to life. While on their journey wines do take paths that vary, this vintage seems to have taken a turn in a really nice direction 94+ with this experience.
Last minute pull. It's been about a year since my last dance with the Scarlett. This showed less "ultra-modern" than last time, which I appreciated. A somewhat medium and pleasantly flavorful attack, with darker fruit emerging over the red cassis and candied/liqueur flavors (that often pop out on these wines when they are young).
Holding another 12+ months probably makes sense, at least in terms of really allowing it to find its true glide; however, I don't think it's a sin to pop now with a little bit of air. The mid-palate centers nicely with a deeper pitch than I recall from last year - a very good thing. I think this is on a path to reach the 94/95+ point realm in a year or two. 93+ conservative points for now (but probably more pushing to 94).
I liked it quite a bit overall. The bottle disappeared quickly amongst the group. I know there is much ado about which Mike Smith NV $65-ish wine is the best of the best...Scarlett, Quivet, Myriad, Becklyn, etc. I think they all show great at different stages in different ways. Frankly, it's a hard target to really get a true bead on, which is probably why I usually buy all of them and have fun experimenting with which one strikes me right at various cycles of life. As stated a million times, the QPR by Napa standards on these wines is uber-redonkulous.
Still showing tart acidity at this point and in hibernation, transitioning. This is a wine that need bottle time. As mentioned in my prior notes, dark reddish purple color, dark purple red berries, sour dark cherry, and tart cranberry, still tight and some what restrained for now. 92+, 93 points.
This is my first Scarlett, and it took a lot of coaxing to come alive, I feel that Badmonkey's recent tasting notes are right on. Compared to a 2013 Quivet Kenefick Ranch that I had a few days ago, the nose was hesitant, despite a 2 hour decant. The mid-palate and finish were only decent. I know this is good wine, made by a great winemaker, using quality fruit and barrels, but at this point, I'd let your remaining bottles pick up some age. I'll revisit around Christmas.
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PnP with JG, LC, R&SF, R&KS, W&CD. Ready to go. Classic Napa Cab you hope for with deep, lush fruit on the palate. Punches above its weight at this price.
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Notes after 2 hours. Deep purple. Big nose of blueberry, blackberries and cedar with notes of carnation. Taste is similar with a touch of maple syrup sweetness countered by some slate and sour cherry. Medium high acidity keeps everything in check. Low tannins. Silky smooth. Good stuff and likely to improve with a few more years. Was the only thing I enjoyed last night as I watched the beatdown of my Seminoles by Virginia Tech ;(.
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Pretty similar to the last notes: On the palate, concentrated and substantial but still a bit acidic, it still in need of bottle time/ age. Nice dark reddish purple berry fruit, sour cherry, cassis, tart cranberry, tobacco and a hint of red licorice. This is a wine to age in my opinion as all of the necessary ingredients are there for a nice future. Still, a very solid Cabernet and a screaming value for the money. 94 +/- Points.
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I love how Mike Smith's 2015 cabs are drinking now despite their youth but unfortunately there's not a lot out there. Decided to revisit this wine because this is one of the few that is available - thinking about buying more to lay down. Similar thoughts as a couple months ago but a little better. Really smooth, solid depth/concentration especially for the price point, nice full/vibrant flavors of dark red/black fruit plus some spice, fairly long finish, etc.. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Improved a little with time but more or less drinking quite well right away. Drank next to the 2014 vintage because I'm also considering buying more of that wine and I thought it was a toss-up - although maybe a slight edge to the 2015 vintage because of its youthful vibrance. In my opinion, at the upper range of Parker's 92 to 94 rating and a really solid QPR.
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Going against the grain here, but this bottle was disappointing. Jammy, one-dimensional at this stage. People were guessing Zin! IMHO kinda drank around $40 below its price point. Will hold off on my other bottles for at least a year.
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Day one I was not too impressed, the wine didn’t seem to open and seem to be out of sort. It was just good and not anywhere near it should be in my opinion. Visually this wine was impressive as noted in prior comments, but it was tight and acidic. With ½ a bottle remaining, I’ll save what’s left. Day 2, much better, the wine has opened and is showing its character. On the palate, concentrated and substantial but still a bit acidic, still in need of time to resolve itself. Nice dark red - purple berry fruit, sour cherry, cassis, tart cranberry, tobacco and a hint of red licorice. Given time, this wine will elevate in my opinion as all of the necessary ingredients are there. I’ll leave my remaining bottles for future consumption. Solid 94 +/- Points.
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Perhaps I was overwhelmed by the 2015 Carter Weitz intensity, depth, and finesse, but the 2015 Scarlett seemed a bit underwhelming. Don't get me wrong, but I love that 2015 Weitz, it really worked my palate. Frankly, the 2015 Carter Weitz is a tough act to follow. I do like the 2015 Scarlett, but the intensity was and is slightly lacking when compared to the 2014 and 2013 vintages in my opinion. 92-93 Points.
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Similar thoughts as the last bottle late last year. Dark red and black fruit - blackberry, dark currants, and dark cherry. Smooth mid-palate coupled with solid depth/concentration especially for the price point. Although still fairly rich, not as rich, sweet, and extracted as the 2014 vintage. Nice full/vibrant flavors of dark berries and some spice. Fairly long finish. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Improved a little with time but drinking quite well right away.
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Great wine, although this bottle didn't show as well as the last bottle l experienced, this vintage is really nice. Mike Smith produces a very solid lineup of Napa Valley Cabernet’s that show really well, while young.
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Powerful wine. Rich blueberry, blackberry, some charcoal and tasteful oak. Packed and stacked in the mouth, round and plush on the palate. Could use some time to gain some refinement, but it is so delicious right now. Great Napa QPR @ $70. Left 2 glasses we finished on night 3 and the wine held up nicely, displaying no breakdown.
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No rating for now given its youth. PnP but drank over several hours. First glass was raisin with high heat and alcohol, which eventually faded to cherry with high heat and alcohol. The strength faded with some air, so I see this getting much better in 2-3 years. Give long decant now, or exercise your patience! Good future ahead though.
Day 2: Corked and chilled over night. Much better today. Fine-grained tannins are still present, but the alcohol heat is completely gone. Day 2 of this wine reminds me of Day 1 of a Quivet or Myriad. I will still hold off on the rating, but definitely low- to mid-90s with time. Enjoy!
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Pleasantly surprised by this one. Lots of fruit with some sweetness backed by nice layer of tannin. Not *too* hot. Showed pretty damn well and is clearly a MS wine. Grooooovy!
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Tasted at a dinner with various Mike Smith wines. One hour of air, seems 2015 is going strong and drinking early. Starts out with gorgeous red notes, classic cabernet fruit shines in this wine, nice cherry liquor and hints of licorice. Mid Palate is round and plush, slightly coy at the moment. Big upside on this wine in a year+, QPR at 65.00, great wine, IMO one of the best at this price.
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After strong (and appreciated) recommendations by prolific CT’rs such as CSIMM I decided to purchase a few bottles of the Scarlett as well as the Scarlett Reserve. Definitely an interesting and dynamic wine. The initial 1/2 glass started off with a dichotomy of distinctive and overpowering characteristic of both sweet and tart. Very little integration at first. Acidic, concentrated and ripe tasting not to mention slightly hot. I decided to decant for several hours and the Scarlett really started to transform into the wine I had been reading about on so many CT notes. My main takeaway on this first tasting is the potential of the wine and most certainly the belief that the 2015 vintage, while a great QPR, is way too young to drink at this stage. I’m debating on whether to even try the Reserve anytime soon, though my curiosity will likely get the best of me... I’m afraid.
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With a couple hours of air, this is just super tasty. I had the 2015 Beckyln NV last night, and I think it is just a hair better at this stage, based mainly on the purity of fruit, sophistication and length of the wine; but this is right up there. Extracted and super forward, what I love about this wine is I don't feel it crosses over into the syrupy, one dimensional mess than can happen (see Caymus 2012+) with this style. Much less weight to it and far better flavor profile. As noted from others on CT, this needs a little time to come together, but it shows incredible ripe blue and red fruit (like someone sh*t a fruit salad into your mouth...well, you know what I mean), excellent full mid pallet roundness and a nice long finish. Not a super complex wine, but the texture and flavor are off the charts. When you're looking for a wine to bring a smile to your face and not make you think too much, this is it. As my friend CSIMM would say - this is a "party bus" wine (you know, the party buses with $70 Napa Cabs in them) - in the best possible way.
Can definitely see where previous notes mention the Liqueur-like qualities of the wine at present, but that being said, all the components seem to be there and, wow, think this hedonistic baby is headed for a good place.
Corvin'd into a Ridell Extreme Cab glass, so going to taste over the evening.
Received an offer for some more at a great price, so decided to 'sample the goods' and does not disappoint.
At first PnP - Nose upon pour is very tame, almost shut down at the moment, but get a faint hint of blueberry but not much else, but on the palate a completely different story.
This jam packed with fruit and spice and has a lingering mid that seems to go on and on, a good 45 seconds. After looking over the previous notes, CS notes/description on 11/1 - hits it dead on!! Only things i could add is seems to have a little note of Forest Floor and Stoniness along with some Dusty / Chalky (almost Rutherford like) notes that were mentioned by some others.
The alcohol does seem a bit forward, and needs some sorting out, but the mouthfeel tanginess on the Mid is fabulous.
Decided to revisit because I'm considering buying more along with the 2015 Becklyn cab. Dark red and black fruit - dark cherry, dark currants, and some blackberry. Smooth mid-palate coupled with nice depth/concentration especially for the price point. Full/vibrant flavors of dark berries and some spice. Fairly long finish. Decanted for one hour and drank over another three. Improved a little with time but drinking quite well after the decant. Drank next to a 2015 Becklyn cab and I personally preferred the Becklyn. I thought the quality fruit was more or less the same which is no surprise since a good portion of the Becklyn cab comes from the McGah vineyard. However, I personally prefer the blue/black and touch of red fruit of the Becklyn and also the flavor profile of spice box/licorice while the Scarlett is more of a red/black profile. Nonetheless, both were great. 93+.
Man, she was singing tonight. started out strong and punchy but transformed over 3 hours to subtly sweet, juicy elixer. Nose here is subdued compared to the expressive palate. Needs time to resolve but, damn. Tasty right now. Texture is where this shines. Tannins are fine and graceful from stem to stern.
Buying more as soon as I finish this review. QPR amazing, IMO.
PNP. Started out closed but got better over time. Nose of purple flowers and wet steel. Excellent mouthfeel, well balanced modern Napa cab. Really good fruit , (plum) and alcohol balance here. Good finish overall a fine wine at this early stage. Not as viscous as some other M. Smith 15s I've had so I understand the liquor refs I've seen from some of my favorite members (Yack Man, Csimm, Cristal and Badmonkey). Not quite a stellar Napa cab but overall great QPR IMO.
Cristal2000 and other CT'ers have thoroughly covered this wine in just about every detail. I had a similar experience, with PnP coming off in typical young Scarlett fashion; ultra-modern, liqueur-like notes of black cherry, blackberry, black raspberry, vanilla bean, and a ton of spice.
This reminds me of a more musclebound 2014 Scarlett, with the plushness of the previous vintage just pouring out in the most flamboyant of styles in the form of this more powerful 2015. For my palate, this could use some time to shed some of the alcohol-washed flavors. The fruit is super pure, but just super huge and a bit of a bombardment on the palate.
Looking back at my previous notes on other vintages of this wine, this appears to be the typical cycle of this wine. I think this 2015 will resolve faster than the 2013 and have more power than the 2014. This definitely leads with the fruit first...like a rocket of flavors across the palate.
I'm a fan, but 6-12+ months minimum is needed to see if this will settle down some. I have half a bottle saved for day 2, so we shall see how extended O2 will treat this wine.
DAY 2 (24 hours after being stored in-bottle at around 50 degrees - corked but not gassed): Much more controlled and smoother than it displayed on DAY 1. Still a flashy expression of the varietal, but showed the real promise of this wine's ability to mature in the right direction. Much deeper and silky mid-palate than the day prior. This didn't show any signs of falling apart or getting wonky at all. Much better on this second day in every way. 93+ points, but likely pushing into the 94-95+ point realm after some time in bottle to integrate. The price-point on this wine is really incredible given what it delivers. Hold for 8-12 months for more optimum consumption.
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Just received this today and like with the Myriad GIII yesterday, just had to give it a try. The disclaimer here is it's a coravin pour that I had next to the 2015 Myriad GIII from the night before. The Myriad was a coravin pour as well the previous night, so it was fresh. That comparison is coloring my view to an extent.
The nose on the Scarlett screams out "I need air" right after pouring. In stark contrast to the absolutely stunning GIII, there is some astringency to the bouquet, along with sour cherries, cassis, chocolate and cedar. As time goes on now, it is coming more into its own. On the pallet, it seems very much like a mix of the 2013 and 2014 vintages; less chalky and sweet than 2013, but more dense and rich than 2014. That is right in my wheelhouse. It is full bodied and deep, with more red fruit showing right now than blue/black (or perhaps just seems that way next to the profile of the GIII). The texture is seamless and there is great layering. The finish is long and slightly biting at the moment.
This certainly has the potential to be the best Scarlett yet IMO. I think with a little bottle age this is gonna be quite special for the price point. It doesn't have the insane power and fruit intensity as the Myriad GIII (or fruit quality), but it's also quite a bit cheaper. It will be fun to have this against the Myriad NV to see who comes out ahead.
Update: I popped the cork tonight (night 2 after coravin). After a number of hours, it does still have a liqueur and cocktail like feel to it (as mentioned by CSIMM). That wasn't as evident with the coravin pour, but is tonight. I think this one needs some bottle age, but still seems on a good path.
Showed even better with a slow ox this time around. Solid wine, a real standout for the 2015 vintage. Nice concentration and purple violet red color. Great power yet nice finesse and purity. Dark currant, dark cherry, and licorice & coco notes. Really nice.
Had this and the rest of the 2015 Scarlett lineup at a tasting dinner. Not sure of how long the bottles were opened before drinking and no formal notes so just some general impressions. This was deep purple in the glass with ripe concentrated fruit and soft but building tannins. This was obviously young but was kicking out some other nuanced flavors as well. As usual this is just a great value in Napa.
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Decided to revisit because I'm considering buying more to lay down but I wanted to see where this vintage is at after a decent decant. Similar thoughts as the last bottle. Dark red and black fruit - dark cherry, currants, and blackberry. A really nice streak of depth/concentration mid-palate that needs a little more time to open-up and fan-out. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep - once again this vintage needs more time to open-up. Decanted for two hours and drank over another two. Improved a little with time and enjoyable after the decant but I'm inclined to lay this vintage down for another 6 months. Likely my favorite vintage of this wine with some more time because it's not as rich/sweet as the last two vintages (as I prefer) but really nice depth and flavors especially for the price point. I expect another point or two higher with a little more time.
Get together for my father's birthday: 2014 Carter Beckstoffer Las Piedras, 2014 Carter Beckstoffer Grand Daddy, 2014 Barnett Rattlesnake, 2014 Janzen Cloudy's, 2015 Scarlett cab, 2014 Scarlett cab, and 2013 Lewelling cab.
Dark red and black fruit - dark cherry, currants, and blackberry. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth - a little deeper fruit than the 2014 vintage. As usual, a little rich but not as rich/sweet as the 2014 vintage. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep - this vintage needs more time in my opinion to let the fruit open-up especially on the back-end. This bottle was popped and poured which was probably a mistake - I believe with a couple hour decant would have helped. Another great vintage for this wine. Although enjoyable now, I'm inclined to give this vintage another six months or so to let the fruit soften and open-up some more. I believe at the upper end of Parker's 92 to 94 rating with a little more time.
The 2015 vintage is heading in a good direction, and I couldn't wait to try this wine. This is a huge Cabernet that will require time to settle down, but when it does, it will be pretty awesome! Purple/ red color and more translucent as it approaches the rim of the glass. This Cab has gorgeous legs that drain down the sides of the glass very slowly with a nose of fresh, fragrant violets. On the palate, concentrated and massive, yet very young and in need of time to resolve itself. Shows some acidity with a thick sweet glycerin like effect on the palate. I popped and poured this wine and the flavors are intense, they immediately explode on the palate but with air time this wine did settled down nicely. Nice ripe dark purple red berry fruit, cherry, cassis, some slight tart cranberry and a hint of red licorice. The finish lingers on for quite a while. This Cab is big, with extracted fruit that is in your face, it reminds me a in many ways of the 2013 vintage and could be better. It required some bottle age to come into its own. 93+ Points with an very promising future.
4/26/2024 - Quiller wrote: 89 Points
Opened, poured and let sit about 1 1/2 hrs. Then: Pretty much the same as my 3/22/2024 note. Pleasant, but not much else. My last bottle and that's OK; still some fruit left and I don't see this improving.
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3/22/2024 - Quiller wrote: 89 Points
Opened, poured and let sit about 1 hr. Then: Maybe dark fruit in the nose. Initial taste is darkish fruit, maybe, sort of blackberry and stays the same through the end of the glass (30 min) - very monotone; very smooth; nice mouthfeel; acidity keeps it fresh, tannins not an issue; still has some structure; as with other bottles, no cabernet profile; not over-ripe or over-extracted; kept waiting for sweetish fruit, but didn't happen. Relatively tasty, but lack of cab profile disappointing. This probably could go a bit longer.
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2/9/2024 - Quiller wrote: 87 Points
Opened, poured and let sit about 40 min. Then: Maybe some darkish fruit on the nose. First sip is mostly warmth, maybe some faint dark fruit in the background; everything else obscured. After 15 min or so from first sip, the warmth has moved to the finish; acidity and tannins are not a problem; medium+ mouthfeel; fruit a bit more noticeable, not too ripe or extracted, but now very darkish and not that pleasant. No resemblance to cabernet, Cali or elsewhere. This bottle is very different from the others I've had. I guess it can go longer, but hard to see it improving.
For what it may be worth, Day 2 was slightly better (maybe add a point). Still no cabernet taste/profile, but: warmth was barely noticeable; fruit was more reddish and slightly more noticeable and maybe even a tad sweet by the end of the glass, but still a minor note; maybe a bit better balance.
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10/12/2023 - Mr T wrote:
Another excellent bottle
Best closer to cellar temp given the octane
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6/24/2023 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
Much better than the last bottle. Typical flavor profile, bold dark and good extraction. berry fruit, blackberry, dark cherry, black color, dark currants and plum notes. Nice bottle of wine 93+/ 94 Points.
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5/27/2023 - Zoomin Z Likes this wine: 93 Points
A fine, quintessential California cab - fruit forward, concentrated and very long. So much minerality! Would be a 94, but the nose is somewhat subdued.
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5/6/2023 - Quiller wrote: 90 Points
Opened, poured and let sit about 45 min, then followed over another 45 min. Pretty close to my 1/21/2023 note. Maybe a bit softer, tannins not an issue, although still has some structure; nice acidity; good finish. A Cali cab all the way, although not a fruit bomb like some. No "old world" cab profile, but still a nice red wine. I wouldn't wait much longer with these. (Did not improve on Day 2; would rate 1-2 pts lower).
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1/21/2023 - Quiller wrote: 89 Points
Opened, poured and let sit about 1 hr. Then: Nose muted darkish-reddish fruit. Taste is semi-sweet red fruit; not over-ripe or extracted; acidity keeps it fresh; tannins not an issue; smooth; linear/monotone; good mouthfeel; longish finish. Unfortunately, no hint (at least to me) that this is cabernet. A nice red-fruited wine. I wouldn't expect this to improve from here, so will drink my remaining bottles over the remaining year to enjoy the fruit.
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1/8/2023 - thesternowl wrote: 90 Points
This was a random, lonely bottle in my cellar and it was a Napa Cab sort of night so figured it was as good a time as any to give this a whirl. Besides, a few of my friends had recently made some comments about how well the 2015’s were showing so it was only more incentive to open this.
We pulled the cork a couple of hours prior and consumed over a several hour period. No formal notes. The first impression is “holy smokes this is absolutely packed with sweet, ripe fruits”. It was shocking. The quality of the fruit is seriously high…a black and red fruit combo with some baking spices…but it’s so jammy and primary that I couldn’t pull much more from it. Tannins were medium. Acid was medium/medium-. The texture is silky smooth. Finish is long-ish due to the mouth-coating fruit. Ultimately however, I struggled to fully enjoy this due to wonderful fruit being let down by the lack of structure which left it coming across a bit flabby. That being said, this style is intentional and arguably very popular. Drink now.
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12/20/2022 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good but not great. The fruit and energy is fading, perhaps it's better days have passed? I have a couple of bottles remaining, we'll see. Drink now.
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9/11/2022 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
94+ Points, Bravo Mike Smith. I have found great satisfaction in this vintage.
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8/27/2022 - Mr T wrote:
Excellent ripe rich cab
Folks loved this
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6/8/2022 - swade wrote: 92 Points
This bottle was much more typical for Scarlett than the one consumed about half a year ago. Ripe blackberry and spice profile. Velvety and with a sticking finish. Super. 92
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5/11/2022 - Myman24 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Love the sweetness on the nose and initial palate complemented by the spicy finish. Very nice and complex for this price point! At pnp the acidity is a bit overwhelming but it tones down with some air time.
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4/17/2022 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 95 Points
Big ripe California Cab isn't normally my top pick, but this does it just right. Balance, depth, complexity in spades. I've had plenty at 2x-4x the price that I didn't like as much. Though not cheap, it's one of the few winners at this price point from the US that I'd spend my money on. Admittedly, with a daughter named Scarlett, I am biased.
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2/6/2022 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 93 Points
Amazing notes of sweet caramel candy predominate, dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, the bright full forward concentrated blackcurrant and blackberry fruits are accented by a layer of delectable sweet vanilla, almond and sweet clove and oak notes turning to ripe tannins on the long finish.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/02/napa-and-columbia-valley-big-red-wine.html
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2/5/2022 - wiscgrad wrote: 91 Points
tasty wine, but not much as far a varietal character. not great QPR
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1/20/2022 - swade wrote: 90 Points
Second bottle from a batch. Purple color. Ripe blackberry aromas. Full bodied. Ripe blackberry and spice flavors. Clean finish. This bottle was consistent with the first and came across very ripe. I've experienced a lot more finesse and layers of flavor in past vintages. Still, this was very good. 90
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12/24/2021 - Montesquieu Likes this wine: 96 Points
I rarely rate wines higher than do the professionals, but in this case, I praise with conviction. We enjoyed this with beef Wellington on Christmas Eve in honor of our daughter, Scarlett. The wine received 5 hours of slow ox followed by an hour in the decanter. It was luscious - better than many a $100-300 Cali cab. Huge fruit and jam. If that's your thing, you'll love this. I don't think this will decline in the next 3 years or so, but I can't see it getting any better by losing primary fruit. It's crushing it right now. Terrific QPR for a Cali cab.
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11/6/2021 - Thebigbaby Likes this wine: 92 Points
Treat for my Birthday to pair with a wagu steak at capital grill. Perfect!!!
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10/15/2021 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is my 8th bottle from this vintage and this was the best to date. Mike Smith killed it in 2015 with all of his wines (Scarlett, Myriad, Quivet, and Becklyn). Hard to beat this QPR
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8/19/2021 - Thebigbaby Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic, indeed, Yack Man! It has been two years since the last bottle and this 2015 is hitting it's stride. Lovely bottle all the way around with beautiful color and aroma. Gorgeous sweet fruit, with a long finish. Paired perfectly with grilled filet mignon.
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7/4/2021 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 95 Points
The good news, his was a fantastic vintage for the Scarlett brand. The bad news, there’s only 4 bottles in the cellar. The wine opens with dark ripe fruit and floral aromas. On the palate, dark fruits composed of perfectly ripened black cherry and dark berry fruits, cassis, a hint of sweet tobacco and some cedar and leather notes. This is a bold, dark crimson colored wine with smooth tannins, and good extraction. The Reserve has more depth and nuance, but the baby brother is ‘not chopped liver’ this is a really good wine for those of us who enjoy this, what some might call - New world style Napa Cab.
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3/21/2021 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic!
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3/2/2021 - Quiller wrote: 91 Points
Day 1: Opened and a quick taste - not much nose, then a hit of sweet red fruit, then closed up. Let stand 1 hr in glass. Still not much nose and the sweet red fruit is gone, replaced by dark reddish fruit through a longish finish. Medium weight and in a "modern" style. Tasty, but lacking the "old world" signature cab profile. Taste-wise, this almost could have been the Bordeaux-style 2014 Turley Juvenille Zin I had the other night, with the not-particularly-distincitive dark reddish fruit profile. Maybe it needs more time; not what I was expecting.
Day 2: A bit softer, but not any appreciable change: dark reddish fruit throughout and fairly monotone. Tasty, but I'm looking for some actual cab nose/taste and it isn't here - at least yet. Or maybe that's the Mike Smith style?
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8/30/2020 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
This vintage has been a consistent winner and a favorite of mine. Fruit forward with a dark crimson, good extraction and flavors, just delicious.
94+ Points
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8/29/2020 - dclaggett Likes this wine: 93 Points
14.9% abv. Dark crimson purple color. Juicy cabernet berry goodness through and through. Plushy velour texture, fine grained tannins, cherry, blackberry, sweet spice, and cocoa. Med plus in mouth, med+ length. Very good QPR, drinking well now on pnp and has 5+ years of great drinking.
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5/24/2020 - yeti575rider wrote: 94 Points
Really nice. Pop'n'pour and ready to go. Maybe a bit straightforward but the quality and richness of the fruit is what jumps out. Super value at this price.
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4/23/2020 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 95 Points
This Cab is delicious, it's in a lovely drinking window currently.
94+ points .
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4/21/2020 - cobbpa wrote:
Started out as big red fruit, ripe (almost sweet), and just a hint of the dust in its fine grained tannin. With a couple hours of air, it worked well with NY strip. Fruit got darker & calmer, touches of charred herb + charcoal came out. Oak notes are there & it's fairly rich, but not quite clumsy. Easy drinking
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3/29/2020 - goonar182 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice fruity nose, good color- nice and strong on the palate- good fruity taste. A bit acidic but very nice.
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1/1/2020 - csimm wrote: 93 Points
Pretty notable performance considering it was out of a plastic cup right before the 2020 countdown. :)
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11/10/2019 - cwiebe Likes this wine: 92 Points
Notes similar to prior bottles. Great Rutherford dust typicity although with a slightly higher degree of sweetness than I find in some other producers.
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11/7/2019 - ozziewine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not really a fan of this extracted, syrupy (close to, but not over the top cough-syrupy) style. If you are a fan, then this is for you.
Really dark fruit flavors in a super-lush package.
Hard to detect any complex nuance when the wine hits you with a wall of plush-ness...but it is eminently quaffable!
Tried on PnP, but was better with one trip through the Vinturi.
Not my style, and yet I enjoyed it immensely.
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5/21/2019 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP no notes. One of these days will give it enough air to grow but for now yummy.
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5/18/2019 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
Consistent with my prior notes.
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5/8/2019 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
I could have given this wine a little air and the score would probably be a smidge higher, but it’s so good as a pop and pour, who wait? With about half a bottle remaining, this will go well with the Warriors game tonight. l will expand on my thoughts if need be. Scarlett is one of my favorites.
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4/19/2019 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 92 Points
No mote. PnP good but not on the same planet as the reserve. Very good QPR. Easy drinking but nothing special - nor does it need to be at this price. Good wine.
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3/28/2019 - Babik Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted four hours and vac sealed overnight and now tasting tonight. Almost Pinot-like nose of red fruits and blood orange zest and bitters, cedar. Imagine a raspberry rye old fashioned, a very good one. This is followed by a very explosive palate, which is quite zesty and acidic, but creamy. This could use some time?
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3/10/2019 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is my kind of wine. The only thing lacking is perhaps a little bit of finesse but for a $60-$70 bottle of wine, no other Napa Cab can compete with this one by my standards. Talk about bang for the buck! (well maybe Quivet, Myriad and Becklyn).
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3/9/2019 - Thebigbaby Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderful right after opening. Brought to Bavette’s in Chicago and paired perfectly with Ribeye and truffle Mac and cheese. Fruit forward, but plenty of stuffing to hold up to the steak. Will wait on my other two bottles to see how they develop...
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3/3/2019 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really drinking well. Dark as night - teeth staining, Dark fruits, medium/long finish. Still believe it could benefit from a little more time.
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2/25/2019 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow, I really like this 2015 Scarlett NV, (see prior notes). When I first tried this vintage it started out as a good and pretty average, but man, has a come around. It’s really at a good drinking point and I’d recommend picking up a bottle or two, if you can still find it. If you enjoy a big, full-bodied wine, you’re gonna love this 2015 vintage.
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2/19/2019 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
I'm really enjoying this wine, for my palate, this wine is hitting it's stride nicely. Nice dark fruit and good extraction, dark cherries, cassis and smooth tannins. A solid 94 Points.
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2/16/2019 - Mapleglo330 Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is the go to best wine that is readily available. Massive fruit, complexity, ready to go now or hold.
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1/27/2019 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank over 2 and this wine is showing pretty well at this stage in it’s development. Nice, fruit forward with good extraction. My first few bottles of this vintage started out kind of thin with not much impact but that in no longer the case. I was probably over enthused about the 2015 vintage in the first place. I really like this wine is at currently. 93.5 Points
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12/2/2018 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
Last night, I popped a 2015 and the experience started out much like that described by aficionado Csimm: "Medium and pleasantly flavorful attack, with darker fruit emerging over the red cassis and candied/liqueur flavors". This was a bit of a different wrinkle over past vintages in my experience. There was some acidity showing too, so I concluded that I will allow it to sit for in the glass for awhile as I prepared dinner last night. With some time in the glass, this wine really started to show its underlying elements. I was really impressed with it and there are a some distinct, really nice elements in this Cab that have come to the fore that I have not noticed as much when compared to my past tastings notes. Nice flavor features and depth man, this wine came to life. While on their journey wines do take paths that vary, this vintage seems to have taken a turn in a really nice direction 94+ with this experience.
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11/16/2018 - csimm wrote: 93 Points
Last minute pull. It's been about a year since my last dance with the Scarlett. This showed less "ultra-modern" than last time, which I appreciated. A somewhat medium and pleasantly flavorful attack, with darker fruit emerging over the red cassis and candied/liqueur flavors (that often pop out on these wines when they are young).
Holding another 12+ months probably makes sense, at least in terms of really allowing it to find its true glide; however, I don't think it's a sin to pop now with a little bit of air. The mid-palate centers nicely with a deeper pitch than I recall from last year - a very good thing. I think this is on a path to reach the 94/95+ point realm in a year or two. 93+ conservative points for now (but probably more pushing to 94).
I liked it quite a bit overall. The bottle disappeared quickly amongst the group. I know there is much ado about which Mike Smith NV $65-ish wine is the best of the best...Scarlett, Quivet, Myriad, Becklyn, etc. I think they all show great at different stages in different ways. Frankly, it's a hard target to really get a true bead on, which is probably why I usually buy all of them and have fun experimenting with which one strikes me right at various cycles of life. As stated a million times, the QPR by Napa standards on these wines is uber-redonkulous.
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10/26/2018 - Yack Man wrote: 93 Points
Still showing tart acidity at this point and in hibernation, transitioning. This is a wine that need bottle time. As mentioned in my prior notes, dark reddish purple color, dark purple red berries, sour dark cherry, and tart cranberry, still tight and some what restrained for now. 92+, 93 points.
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10/16/2018 - Jazz Nut wrote: 93 Points
This is my first Scarlett, and it took a lot of coaxing to come alive, I feel that Badmonkey's recent tasting notes are right on. Compared to a 2013 Quivet Kenefick Ranch that I had a few days ago, the nose was hesitant, despite a 2 hour decant. The mid-palate and finish were only decent. I know this is good wine, made by a great winemaker, using quality fruit and barrels, but at this point, I'd let your remaining bottles pick up some age. I'll revisit around Christmas.
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10/11/2018 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Smooth with great depth.
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9/22/2018 - Fid Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP with JG, LC, R&SF, R&KS, W&CD. Ready to go. Classic Napa Cab you hope for with deep, lush fruit on the palate. Punches above its weight at this price.
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9/4/2018 - RockyII Likes this wine: 92 Points
Notes after 2 hours. Deep purple. Big nose of blueberry, blackberries and cedar with notes of carnation. Taste is similar with a touch of maple syrup sweetness countered by some slate and sour cherry. Medium high acidity keeps everything in check. Low tannins. Silky smooth. Good stuff and likely to improve with a few more years. Was the only thing I enjoyed last night as I watched the beatdown of my Seminoles by Virginia Tech ;(.
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9/1/2018 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pretty similar to the last notes: On the palate, concentrated and substantial but still a bit acidic, it still in need of bottle time/ age. Nice dark reddish purple berry fruit, sour cherry, cassis, tart cranberry, tobacco and a hint of red licorice. This is a wine to age in my opinion as all of the necessary ingredients are there for a nice future. Still, a very solid Cabernet and a screaming value for the money. 94 +/- Points.
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8/16/2018 - Badmonkey wrote: 94 Points
I love how Mike Smith's 2015 cabs are drinking now despite their youth but unfortunately there's not a lot out there. Decided to revisit this wine because this is one of the few that is available - thinking about buying more to lay down. Similar thoughts as a couple months ago but a little better. Really smooth, solid depth/concentration especially for the price point, nice full/vibrant flavors of dark red/black fruit plus some spice, fairly long finish, etc.. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Improved a little with time but more or less drinking quite well right away. Drank next to the 2014 vintage because I'm also considering buying more of that wine and I thought it was a toss-up - although maybe a slight edge to the 2015 vintage because of its youthful vibrance. In my opinion, at the upper range of Parker's 92 to 94 rating and a really solid QPR.
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8/11/2018 - rockguit wrote: 88 Points
Going against the grain here, but this bottle was disappointing. Jammy, one-dimensional at this stage. People were guessing Zin! IMHO kinda drank around $40 below its price point. Will hold off on my other bottles for at least a year.
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7/27/2018 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
Consistent with my prior note
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7/14/2018 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
Day one I was not too impressed, the wine didn’t seem to open and seem to be out of sort. It was just good and not anywhere near it should be in my opinion. Visually this wine was impressive as noted in prior comments, but it was tight and acidic. With ½ a bottle remaining, I’ll save what’s left. Day 2, much better, the wine has opened and is showing its character. On the palate, concentrated and substantial but still a bit acidic, still in need of time to resolve itself. Nice dark red - purple berry fruit, sour cherry, cassis, tart cranberry, tobacco and a hint of red licorice. Given time, this wine will elevate in my opinion as all of the necessary ingredients are there. I’ll leave my remaining bottles for future consumption. Solid 94 +/- Points.
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7/3/2018 - greg@newsomehh.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
great value
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6/5/2018 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 93 Points
Perhaps I was overwhelmed by the 2015 Carter Weitz intensity, depth, and finesse, but the 2015 Scarlett seemed a bit underwhelming. Don't get me wrong, but I love that 2015 Weitz, it really worked my palate. Frankly, the 2015 Carter Weitz is a tough act to follow. I do like the 2015 Scarlett, but the intensity was and is slightly lacking when compared to the 2014 and 2013 vintages in my opinion. 92-93 Points.
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6/3/2018 - Badmonkey wrote: 93 Points
Similar thoughts as the last bottle late last year. Dark red and black fruit - blackberry, dark currants, and dark cherry. Smooth mid-palate coupled with solid depth/concentration especially for the price point. Although still fairly rich, not as rich, sweet, and extracted as the 2014 vintage. Nice full/vibrant flavors of dark berries and some spice. Fairly long finish. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Improved a little with time but drinking quite well right away.
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5/26/2018 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
Consistent with my prior note.
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5/20/2018 - City Squirrel Likes this wine: 94 Points
Solid 94 pts. Hard to beat for the QPR and great out of the gate.
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5/3/2018 - Yack Man wrote: 94 Points
Great wine, although this bottle didn't show as well as the last bottle l experienced, this vintage is really nice. Mike Smith produces a very solid lineup of Napa Valley Cabernet’s that show really well, while young.
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3/24/2018 - bubbachumps wrote: 94 Points
Powerful wine. Rich blueberry, blackberry, some charcoal and tasteful oak. Packed and stacked in the mouth, round and plush on the palate. Could use some time to gain some refinement, but it is so delicious right now. Great Napa QPR @ $70. Left 2 glasses we finished on night 3 and the wine held up nicely, displaying no breakdown.
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3/13/2018 - alsatl Likes this wine:
No rating for now given its youth. PnP but drank over several hours. First glass was raisin with high heat and alcohol, which eventually faded to cherry with high heat and alcohol. The strength faded with some air, so I see this getting much better in 2-3 years. Give long decant now, or exercise your patience! Good future ahead though.
Day 2: Corked and chilled over night. Much better today. Fine-grained tannins are still present, but the alcohol heat is completely gone. Day 2 of this wine reminds me of Day 1 of a Quivet or Myriad. I will still hold off on the rating, but definitely low- to mid-90s with time. Enjoy!
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2/24/2018 - sinebubble wrote:
Pleasantly surprised by this one. Lots of fruit with some sweetness backed by nice layer of tannin. Not *too* hot. Showed pretty damn well and is clearly a MS wine. Grooooovy!
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2/17/2018 - BigRed1000 wrote: 95 Points
Tasted at a dinner with various Mike Smith wines. One hour of air, seems 2015 is going strong and drinking early. Starts out with gorgeous red notes, classic cabernet fruit shines in this wine, nice cherry liquor and hints of licorice. Mid Palate is round and plush, slightly coy at the moment. Big upside on this wine in a year+, QPR at 65.00, great wine, IMO one of the best at this price.
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2/10/2018 - TXRDW wrote: 92 Points
After strong (and appreciated) recommendations by prolific CT’rs such as CSIMM I decided to purchase a few bottles of the Scarlett as well as the Scarlett Reserve. Definitely an interesting and dynamic wine. The initial 1/2 glass started off with a dichotomy of distinctive and overpowering characteristic of both sweet and tart. Very little integration at first. Acidic, concentrated and ripe tasting not to mention slightly hot. I decided to decant for several hours and the Scarlett really started to transform into the wine I had been reading about on so many CT notes. My main takeaway on this first tasting is the potential of the wine and most certainly the belief that the 2015 vintage, while a great QPR, is way too young to drink at this stage. I’m debating on whether to even try the Reserve anytime soon, though my curiosity will likely get the best of me... I’m afraid.
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2/1/2018 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 93 Points
With a couple hours of air, this is just super tasty. I had the 2015 Beckyln NV last night, and I think it is just a hair better at this stage, based mainly on the purity of fruit, sophistication and length of the wine; but this is right up there. Extracted and super forward, what I love about this wine is I don't feel it crosses over into the syrupy, one dimensional mess than can happen (see Caymus 2012+) with this style. Much less weight to it and far better flavor profile. As noted from others on CT, this needs a little time to come together, but it shows incredible ripe blue and red fruit (like someone sh*t a fruit salad into your mouth...well, you know what I mean), excellent full mid pallet roundness and a nice long finish. Not a super complex wine, but the texture and flavor are off the charts. When you're looking for a wine to bring a smile to your face and not make you think too much, this is it. As my friend CSIMM would say - this is a "party bus" wine (you know, the party buses with $70 Napa Cabs in them) - in the best possible way.
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1/6/2018 - Cabernet4me2 wrote:
Finished & Shared the corvin'ed bottle from earlier in the week with friends.
It was a unanimous agreement, wine is a bit disjointed at the moment, but with big Upside potential in a year or two.
Notes from below still applied, and consensus was 91-93 points at this drinking window moment!
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1/2/2018 - Cabernet4me2 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Can definitely see where previous notes mention the Liqueur-like qualities of the wine at present, but that being said, all the components seem to be there and, wow, think this hedonistic baby is headed for a good place.
Corvin'd into a Ridell Extreme Cab glass, so going to taste over the evening.
Received an offer for some more at a great price, so decided to 'sample the goods' and does not disappoint.
At first PnP -
Nose upon pour is very tame, almost shut down at the moment, but get a faint hint of blueberry but not much else, but on the palate a completely different story.
This jam packed with fruit and spice and has a lingering mid that seems to go on and on, a good 45 seconds. After looking over the previous notes, CS notes/description on 11/1 - hits it dead on!! Only things i could add is seems to have a little note of Forest Floor and Stoniness along with some Dusty / Chalky (almost Rutherford like) notes that were mentioned by some others.
The alcohol does seem a bit forward, and needs some sorting out, but the mouthfeel tanginess on the Mid is fabulous.
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12/23/2017 - Badmonkey wrote: 93 Points
Decided to revisit because I'm considering buying more along with the 2015 Becklyn cab. Dark red and black fruit - dark cherry, dark currants, and some blackberry. Smooth mid-palate coupled with nice depth/concentration especially for the price point. Full/vibrant flavors of dark berries and some spice. Fairly long finish. Decanted for one hour and drank over another three. Improved a little with time but drinking quite well after the decant. Drank next to a 2015 Becklyn cab and I personally preferred the Becklyn. I thought the quality fruit was more or less the same which is no surprise since a good portion of the Becklyn cab comes from the McGah vineyard. However, I personally prefer the blue/black and touch of red fruit of the Becklyn and also the flavor profile of spice box/licorice while the Scarlett is more of a red/black profile. Nonetheless, both were great. 93+.
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12/22/2017 - Mech-E Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 1 hour.
Man, she was singing tonight. started out strong and punchy but transformed over 3 hours to subtly sweet, juicy elixer. Nose here is subdued compared to the expressive palate. Needs time to resolve but, damn. Tasty right now. Texture is where this shines. Tannins are fine and graceful from stem to stern.
Buying more as soon as I finish this review. QPR amazing, IMO.
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12/21/2017 - HowellMountainCru Likes this wine: 93 Points
PNP. Started out closed but got better over time. Nose of purple flowers and wet steel. Excellent mouthfeel, well balanced modern Napa cab. Really good fruit , (plum) and alcohol balance here. Good finish overall a fine wine at this early stage. Not as viscous as some other M. Smith 15s I've had so I understand the liquor refs I've seen from some of my favorite members (Yack Man, Csimm, Cristal and Badmonkey). Not quite a stellar Napa cab but overall great QPR IMO.
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12/1/2017 - greg@newsomehh.com wrote: 89 Points
Nice reasonable cab enjoyed at Carmines with J
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11/12/2017 - dontime wrote:
Had to open a bottle - a baby for sure, but already looking great. Easy 92-94 at this point with room to grow.
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11/4/2017 - uncle al Likes this wine: 93 Points
Young but drinking very well with some decanting. Good fruit and very well balanced
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11/1/2017 - csimm wrote: 93 Points
Cristal2000 and other CT'ers have thoroughly covered this wine in just about every detail. I had a similar experience, with PnP coming off in typical young Scarlett fashion; ultra-modern, liqueur-like notes of black cherry, blackberry, black raspberry, vanilla bean, and a ton of spice.
This reminds me of a more musclebound 2014 Scarlett, with the plushness of the previous vintage just pouring out in the most flamboyant of styles in the form of this more powerful 2015. For my palate, this could use some time to shed some of the alcohol-washed flavors. The fruit is super pure, but just super huge and a bit of a bombardment on the palate.
Looking back at my previous notes on other vintages of this wine, this appears to be the typical cycle of this wine. I think this 2015 will resolve faster than the 2013 and have more power than the 2014. This definitely leads with the fruit first...like a rocket of flavors across the palate.
I'm a fan, but 6-12+ months minimum is needed to see if this will settle down some. I have half a bottle saved for day 2, so we shall see how extended O2 will treat this wine.
DAY 2 (24 hours after being stored in-bottle at around 50 degrees - corked but not gassed): Much more controlled and smoother than it displayed on DAY 1. Still a flashy expression of the varietal, but showed the real promise of this wine's ability to mature in the right direction. Much deeper and silky mid-palate than the day prior. This didn't show any signs of falling apart or getting wonky at all. Much better on this second day in every way. 93+ points, but likely pushing into the 94-95+ point realm after some time in bottle to integrate. The price-point on this wine is really incredible given what it delivers. Hold for 8-12 months for more optimum consumption.
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11/1/2017 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Just received this today and like with the Myriad GIII yesterday, just had to give it a try. The disclaimer here is it's a coravin pour that I had next to the 2015 Myriad GIII from the night before. The Myriad was a coravin pour as well the previous night, so it was fresh. That comparison is coloring my view to an extent.
The nose on the Scarlett screams out "I need air" right after pouring. In stark contrast to the absolutely stunning GIII, there is some astringency to the bouquet, along with sour cherries, cassis, chocolate and cedar. As time goes on now, it is coming more into its own. On the pallet, it seems very much like a mix of the 2013 and 2014 vintages; less chalky and sweet than 2013, but more dense and rich than 2014. That is right in my wheelhouse. It is full bodied and deep, with more red fruit showing right now than blue/black (or perhaps just seems that way next to the profile of the GIII). The texture is seamless and there is great layering. The finish is long and slightly biting at the moment.
This certainly has the potential to be the best Scarlett yet IMO. I think with a little bottle age this is gonna be quite special for the price point. It doesn't have the insane power and fruit intensity as the Myriad GIII (or fruit quality), but it's also quite a bit cheaper. It will be fun to have this against the Myriad NV to see who comes out ahead.
Update: I popped the cork tonight (night 2 after coravin). After a number of hours, it does still have a liqueur and cocktail like feel to it (as mentioned by CSIMM). That wasn't as evident with the coravin pour, but is tonight. I think this one needs some bottle age, but still seems on a good path.
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10/21/2017 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 95 Points
Showed even better with a slow ox this time around. Solid wine, a real standout for the 2015 vintage. Nice concentration and purple violet red color. Great power yet nice finesse and purity. Dark currant, dark cherry, and licorice & coco notes. Really nice.
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10/20/2017 - WineForRob wrote: 94 Points
Had this and the rest of the 2015 Scarlett lineup at a tasting dinner. Not sure of how long the bottles were opened before drinking and no formal notes so just some general impressions. This was deep purple in the glass with ripe concentrated fruit and soft but building tannins. This was obviously young but was kicking out some other nuanced flavors as well. As usual this is just a great value in Napa.
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10/6/2017 - Badmonkey wrote: 93 Points
Decided to revisit because I'm considering buying more to lay down but I wanted to see where this vintage is at after a decent decant. Similar thoughts as the last bottle. Dark red and black fruit - dark cherry, currants, and blackberry. A really nice streak of depth/concentration mid-palate that needs a little more time to open-up and fan-out. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep - once again this vintage needs more time to open-up. Decanted for two hours and drank over another two. Improved a little with time and enjoyable after the decant but I'm inclined to lay this vintage down for another 6 months. Likely my favorite vintage of this wine with some more time because it's not as rich/sweet as the last two vintages (as I prefer) but really nice depth and flavors especially for the price point. I expect another point or two higher with a little more time.
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9/30/2017 - Badmonkey wrote: 93 Points
Get together for my father's birthday: 2014 Carter Beckstoffer Las Piedras, 2014 Carter Beckstoffer Grand Daddy, 2014 Barnett Rattlesnake, 2014 Janzen Cloudy's, 2015 Scarlett cab, 2014 Scarlett cab, and 2013 Lewelling cab.
Dark red and black fruit - dark cherry, currants, and blackberry. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth - a little deeper fruit than the 2014 vintage. As usual, a little rich but not as rich/sweet as the 2014 vintage. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep - this vintage needs more time in my opinion to let the fruit open-up especially on the back-end. This bottle was popped and poured which was probably a mistake - I believe with a couple hour decant would have helped. Another great vintage for this wine. Although enjoyable now, I'm inclined to give this vintage another six months or so to let the fruit soften and open-up some more. I believe at the upper end of Parker's 92 to 94 rating with a little more time.
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9/23/2017 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still resolve itself, but much better this time with some air. This Scarlett is on it's way to a very good place with time. the 2015's are special.
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9/15/2017 - Steve Greig Likes this wine:
Love this wine and is ready to drink now
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9/13/2017 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 93 Points
The 2015 vintage is heading in a good direction, and I couldn't wait to try this wine. This is a huge Cabernet that will require time to settle down, but when it does, it will be pretty awesome! Purple/ red color and more translucent as it approaches the rim of the glass. This Cab has gorgeous legs that drain down the sides of the glass very slowly with a nose of fresh, fragrant violets. On the palate, concentrated and massive, yet very young and in need of time to resolve itself. Shows some acidity with a thick sweet glycerin like effect on the palate. I popped and poured this wine and the flavors are intense, they immediately explode on the palate but with air time this wine did settled down nicely. Nice ripe dark purple red berry fruit, cherry, cassis, some slight tart cranberry and a hint of red licorice. The finish lingers on for quite a while. This Cab is big, with extracted fruit that is in your face, it reminds me a in many ways of the 2013 vintage and could be better. It required some bottle age to come into its own. 93+ Points with an very promising future.
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