Opened Friday and finished Sunday. Still has that classic Rutherford dust and Greer signature terroir. One more bottle that I’ll wait another 5+ on. Still plenty of fruit and life left to this.
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This ‘16 Greer is my first and I absolutely loved it. Super high quality wine with numerous layers of notes from dark cherry, licorice, flowers, cardamom, fennel, cast iron pan with that sandy/dusty texture. So so good. Good acidity, grainy tannins on long finish.
Decanted and needed. Still shows some vanilla and coconut but has a terrific core of black currants mixed with a little cassis. Palate is polish and quite suave— but shows the tannic structure on the finish. Solid. Could still use a few years but drinking well now.
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Bordeaux vs. Napa 101 (Bobby Vans 54th Street (Thanks Danny!)): Wine was slightly corked and maybe I underscored slightly as a result. 14.5% the same as the Montrose, but without the Power-without-Weight feel. Decanted 4 hours in AM and another 4 hours in bottle. Blue/blue purple fruits with balanced acidity (although not as fresh as the Montrose). Showed much more elegant than I expected was only a step behind the 100 pointer 2019 Montrose (although being a different/bigger wine). Encouraged by this bottle and look forward to the next one in a couple years which I hope won't be tainted at all. Compelling now but I'm going to follow more.
3 hour slow ox, drank over two days. Best on a day 2. Elevated AC day 1. Very dark, sweet blackberry, cassis, graphite undertone. Very masculine- almost massive - lots of structure with medium firm tannins on the finish. I’d say pop the next one 5-6 hours prior or decant it for 3-4.
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Beautiful valley floor cabernet. You have these lovely purple to violet florals peeking through sweet blackberry fruit. This is still massively concentrated and young, but balanced enough to age a long time. I continue to be impressed with the Greer wines.
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This is *everything* a Cali cab should be. Delicious in every capacity, lots of good fruit, an herbaceous undertone on the palate, killer finish. Quite nearly a perfect bottle.
Decanted for two to three hours before serving.
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Kids sick. It’s Daddy time. Great lift and mouthfeel. Red and black cherry, red & black currant, blackberry, granite, coffee, tobacco, Great balance, intensity, long finish highly complex outstanding wine.
Love that Rutherford dust. Rich, lush, great frame, cassis and blackberry, dark chocolate, slate, earth, coffee and a nice finish. Structure is nearly evolved. Beautiful.
Popped this one before grabbing takeout, so it spent about 60 mins in the decanter before first pour.
On the nose, this one explodes with dark fruit, pencil shavings, leather, and hints of spearmint. It's a joy to take in and on the nose alone, it's apparent this is a special bottle.
The palate extends the nose and hits you with a bouquet of blueberry, cassis, dark cherry, vanilla, cocoa, and refined oak. The Rutherford dust is ever present and while this is very concentrated, its never jammy or flabby. The acidity is balanced nicely and tannins are fine, but if there was a knock on this wine, I believe the tannins need just a bit more time to integrate. It doesn't take away, but the texture and mouthfeel of the wine will add a velvety profile that will only elevate it.
This is ready to go right now, but another 1-2 years for tannins to integrate will put this one at 98+.
This is every bit of 96. Heck, might even be a 97. I thoroughly enjoyed this wine. Honestly, it was displaying a lot of depth and complexity right out of the bottle. But, I let it sit there and bottled the canth over the course of about an hour and a half. Yes, it took an hour and a half for two people. It took every bit of willpower for it not to be something like 15 minutes instead! Out of the bottle, a perfumed and intoxicating nose of blackberry, black cherry, and blueberries with some graphite. Youthful fig jam. Pours very dark maroon to the glass. Soft and round mouthfeel. Very sweet and youthful palate overall which echoes the nose and extremely balanced. It seemed as though a blueberry pie and streusel started to gain in the middle. Graphite and limestone also round out the youthful sweeter red and black fruits towards the middle and finish. As expected, true to AVA, Rutherford dust is definitely present.... But these are 'tux and tails' refined dusty toasted tannins without a doubt. I would say the dominant fruit profile was blackberry, followed by black cherry but the blueberry definitely gained toward the finish. Dressed up for the ball, silky and complex. Honestly I think this one is ready to go Right now, although I can imagine the amazing amount of integration that will occur over the next 15 to 20 years.
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This is a beautiful wine that is drinking great at this stage. The bright ruby wine darkens with air and picks up serious structure but still remains smooth, silky and balanced throughout. The star is the fruit here - which starts very red but adds in darker fruit flavors with air. Not much oak influence. A touch of sweetness on entry but disappears by its long finish. This is a finesse wine. Very, very nice.
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Wanted to taste this because well I would say it’s because the release is coming out next week but in reality it’s just an excuse to drink another Greer. No new notes but it was a fun H2H with the 2009 domaine de chevalier. The DDC was more red fruit, more mature (obviously) and a touch less sweet (not that Greer was sweet)- the Greer outshined the DDC but both were delicious in their own right. Greer confines to shine and is a wine that will drink well now and later.
Nose: [58°] Tree branches and bark, dark green brambles, dark red berries and a soft spice that darts in and out. [64°] Aromas are much better integrated with just only a little bit of time and some room temp.
Palate: [58°] A rush of dark red fruits, earth bathed in hot sun with deep buried silvery graphite, similar brambles from the nose, and dry oak that has a bit of blood orange on it. Finishes with deep earth and pleasant river minerals. [64°] Flavors deepen and introduce some black fruits as it comes to room temp, black plums develop with time and the addition of steeped tea on the finish. The buried graphite really reaches up through the earth like a zombie with some time as well.
Attributes: Clear dark ruby. Dry with medium-plus amounts of strong, chewy tannin. Medium to medium-plus body with light acidity. Good finish of at least 18-20 seconds.
Thoughts: This was really good straight from the pour. Bold tannin, great flavors of earth and graphite enveloped by dark fruit. I love the dark green brambliness at the moment but I think that might be an aspect for a somewhat young wine (or not enough air time yet). Nothing time can't temper though, thinking 2-3 years and this should be even better. 96-97+
Other notes: Bordeaux glass. Poured one glass, emptied rest of bottle into a decanter at cellar temp ~55° for the duration of consumption of ~4 hours. Recommend serving ~60°-64° and decant for 2-4 hours at cellar temp as needed.
PnP and then letting it open in the glass over an hour... so familiar with Aaron Pott’s wines, I wasn’t sure what to expect. This one over delivers and is an absolute knockout today, even with just 45 minutes in. Having a really impressive multi fruit color spectrum (black,dark red, blue) - cassis, plum, dark sweet cherry and blueberry liquor, granite, damp earth leads to a wonderfully long finish. Really well done.
Based on recent reviews I had to give this a try. Decanted 5 hours and then back in the bottle to take to dinner. This was sensational with room to improve somehow. Much more fruit than I remember on the 2018 I had recently in the barn but still very complex with secondary notes starting to poke their head out. This is a wine to go deep on and watch it evolve.
Definitely better today than day one. Beautiful aromatics of blackberry and plum. Earthy notes and lots of spice that accentuated the finish. Some blueberry notes as well. The spice actually burns the tongue just a little bit but I like it. I thought the wine was over hyped. But after a few days, I see the potential now! I think after the ten year mark this win will be superb.
A good friend and I decided to have a mid-week steak night. We share nice wines quite often, so I chose a few nice wines to have throughout the night. I chose a 2019 Bevan Dry Stack Sauv Blanc, 2018 Carter Cellars 'OG', and a 2016 Greer. I decanted both reds for about 3 hours. It was very interesting to taste two higher end cabs side by side. As for the Greer--after the decant, it showed a deep red/crimson color, more red than the OG. The nose was very detailed with red/blue fruits, florals, vanilla and some minerality. On the palate it's medium-full bodied, with ripe red cherries, blueberries, floral, vanilla, and spiciness. The finish is so elegant---the tannins seem so well melded into the fruit, some Rutherford typicity, and good acidity to balance the nature of the great 2016 fruit, and it's just satisfying. If you have multiples, open one now to catch this wine in an interesting, if not primary drinking window. NO REGRETS here, and will be looking forward to the next bottle. I am sure the 2018 vintage will be excellent as well. This wine improved over the evening, and even after going back and forth between the OG for several hours, never closed up, or fell off a cliff. I believe this bodes quite well from an aging standpoint. This is an early candidate of WOTY for Napa Cabs (along with a 2016 Myriad Dr. Crane).
Served next to a 16 MacDonald and this wine was neck and neck. Same pre-service treatment with a long decant, I'm told.
In the glass, this has ample purple fruit, great richness and midpalate weight, balanced by striking minerals and framed structure. Not so blousy as a couple of the other top flight napa cabs. This wine was only a small step behind the MacD overall
Flamboyant exotic nose, showing some “sweetness” to the fruit notes. Blackcurrants with red berry highlights. Love the elegant ripe polished tannins—awesome texture on the palate. Finely crafted and balanced. Very persistent finish. Great stuff. Everything in balance. A seamless cab from start to finish. Just a hint behind the '16 Macdonald.
Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): This was one of my favorite wines of the trip. Beautiful ruby color, with a huge bouquet of aromas. Red currant, red/black cherry, raspberry, black plum, blackberry, green bell pepper, menthol, vanilla. Violet floral character, crushed gravel, and lots of baking spices adds complexity to the already well integrated fine tannins, bright acidity, full body, and silky texture. Nicely structured with a Rutherford rustiness and subtle sweetness lingering on the extended finish.
Decanted for 2-3hrs. Opened for thanksgiving to wash it all down. The wine had a beautiful crimson color on the glass, with a bouquet full of red and blue fruit, with some herbs and a bit of menthol as well as some vanilla / baking spices. On the palate more juicy red and blue fruit, with some herbs, earthiness and a bit of spice at the end. Long finish. Tannins were soft and wine had plenty of acidity to keep going for another 10years or longer. Saving my other 2 bottles for another 2-5 years.
Dark cherry, raspberry, blackberry, clove, cinnamon, rhubarb, currants, great purity and silky texture. Really really good right now, but will most likely get better.
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PNP. A rich creamy red berriy driven wine with great concentration. Offers up a ton of pleasure and while massively fruit forward it also is very well balanced with a velvety feel. A real sense of breed here and likely gains some complexity as it fleshes out more in time. For the moment, perhaps just a bit monolithic as the multi-spice infused 2007 Abreu Thorevolis drank alongside was still my preferred wine for this evening. However, give this some time and it may actual outrun the amazin Abreu.
Different prep and failed to reach the heights of the last bottle. PNP at a warmer temp (high 60s) and consumed over an hour. More black fruit versus res and black, and more pronounced alcohol. A little disappointing for price point and prior bottle, but for me the conclusion is extended decant, serve closer to cellar and give it a few years.
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Coravined a sample last night. First wine I’ve tried from Aaron Pott and definitely one of the best wines from Rutherford that I’ve enjoyed. Beautiful balance between violet, cassis, minerality, and red/black fruit; supple tannin, nice body, and extended finish. Overall, a elegant and delicious wine. Currently competing with a 2016 Maybach Materium and a 2016 Myriad Dr. Crane (much different profiles) for my WOTY.
One of the best young cabs I have had, although I do not drink much cab. If the alcohol could be dialed down a notch, this would be a wow wine. The wine went through many phases as I followed it in the glass for 6 hours. The texture is slightly creamy luxury silk. Fresh ripe scarlet fruit and lilacs and cassis, with intensity that does not overwhelm with overripeness or cloying vanilla. Balanced medium acidity. Intense lengthy finish (my favorite feature). A little alcohol pokes out on the backend. At one point I thought of a ripe red pomerol. After 4-5 hours it did present more standard lushness, oak and vanilla... but very texturally seamless. I need to hold these long enough to get through that vanilla phase. I am very, very curious to see where this wine is at in ten years; I think the wine will improve.
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Deep purplish ruby red. Layered and rich with tons of tannins. Full bodied and long finish. Lots of dark berries on the nose with cinnamon, gravel and perfumed flowers. Similar notes on the palate. Drink till 2045.
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Very young and fresh, awesome with 3 hour decant but could benefit from even longer. Deep garnet in glass: dark fruits, cedar, black licorice on nose; silky smooth, with that earthy dustiness that I always get on the back palate with Greer. Sadly my last 750 ml, but fortunate to have in magnum which will lay down for years.
Wow!!! Our peers on CT nailed the TN’s and justifiably rewarded high praise for Aaron Pott and Greer. PNP, on the nose the expressive Rutherford fruit jumps from the glass. Garnet in color. Medium bodied on day one but picked up weight and depth by day three. I personally enjoyed the first day more than the last. Fantastic expression of Rutherford fruit. Thanks again CT team for the recommendation.
Better than the last bottle, red fruit dominated with sweet kirsch liquor, baking spices and impeccable purity of fruit and balance. Very good right now with a 2 hour decant.
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Just a glorious wine. Gave it a couple of hours to breathe - it was ready for prime time at that point.
While this is a big wine that no doubt can age for years (maybe decades), there is a restraint that makes it very special and even more drinkable. LOVE this stuff.
I decanted this for two hours before trying it and consumed over the next two hours; nice nose of black currant, violet, black raspberry, black pepper and baking spices; young and "grapey" on the palate at this young stage of its life, but well balanced and not as tannic as I expected; very good and enjoyable; Greer wines continue to impress me.
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Wow. My first Greer. Decided to open this about 5 hours before consuming, with a double decant. Drank over 2 days. On Day 2, I opened and let a 2016 Memento Mori breathe for 5 hours, and then double decanted that. This blew MM out of the water (despite MM being a fabulous wine in its own right).
This was not your dark purple fruit type cab - more ruby red dark cherry. Classic Rutherford dust, soft and supple tannins, complexity in mouthfeel, and a finish that goes on forever. One of the best wines I've tasted, period. Will open my next bottle in 3-5 years.
Only tasted half a glass, courtesy of the sommelier who "accidentally" diverted half a glass from another table's decanter into my glass. Seemed a bit closed initially with a jammy but cool fruit and dried tobacco leaves. This had more of a 2014 air to it, a bit more backward and less sweet than you would expect from the 2016 vintage. Present tannic structure, but finely grained. Precision-engineered balance on the palate with great textural elements. Would have loved to spend a bit more time with this mysterious wine...
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Some questions on this bottle. Had just a hint of runny metallic quality on the palate. Some weren’t sure it was sound. I enjoyed immensely. Mix of blue and red fluids, with just a hint of a savory edge. Despite the depth has a lighter mouthfeel than expected (like some other cult cabs). Lengthy finish. Some fine tannin. Lighter and less tannic than expected, but structure is there. Glad I have a few more.
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This goes down as one of my 10 favorite bottles that I’ve opened since 2015. I love big, bold Napa cabs and have been fortunate to open three 16 Greers in the last six months and they are consistently epic with decants ranging from one to six hours. Tannic, ripe fruit, multidimensional, long-lasting masterpieces. I’ve tasted several Greer vintages and this is by far the best and amazingly consistent bottle to bottle. Kudos!
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Dark red cherry, strawberry, plum, cinnamon and clove, unsmoked tobacco, cedar, and a perfect texture with a finish that goes on for 45+ seconds including a nice lift that makes you want more.
Opened in the bottle for 5 hours. Easily the best Greer I’ve had. Sweet red fruit driven with edges of tobacco and cassis. Very elegant and more classic Napa style (though still full bodied) with a touch of green and dusty earth. Approachable now but acid and a touch heat hit hard on the finish. Likely needs at least 5 years but will he open for another few months.
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Deep purple with a rose-tinted rim. The Greer 2016 has a soaring, dramatic nose showcasing black cherries, menthol, sage, lavender. Simultaneously sweet and tart, with a tannic midpalate and very long finish that ends on a sappy, saline note. There is a softness to the wine that reminds me of merlot even though I am certain this is pure cabernet sauvignon. Really outstanding, drinking super well even today, and will surely gain nuance as it ages.
Treatment: I opened these six hours early but they seemed tight as dinner approached. So I double decanted to a clean decanter and then back into the bottle about two hours before dinner. This worked well for the 2014-2016, although the 2013 didn’t really unwind until the next day.
3/3/2024 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened Friday and finished Sunday. Still has that classic Rutherford dust and Greer signature terroir. One more bottle that I’ll wait another 5+ on. Still plenty of fruit and life left to this.
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2/16/2024 - Cablover1982 Likes this wine: 97 Points
This ‘16 Greer is my first and I absolutely loved it. Super high quality wine with numerous layers of notes from dark cherry, licorice, flowers, cardamom, fennel, cast iron pan with that sandy/dusty texture. So so good. Good acidity, grainy tannins on long finish.
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12/16/2023 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted and needed. Still shows some vanilla and coconut but has a terrific core of black currants mixed with a little cassis. Palate is polish and quite suave— but shows the tannic structure on the finish. Solid. Could still use a few years but drinking well now.
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7/18/2023 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 95 Points
Liked more at Vie for most though I leaned into the more brooding Tor of the same year
bright approachable ,extremely long length
delicious elegance
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7/17/2023 - jaxpaj wrote: 99 Points
Drinking wonderfully! Great classic napa cab.
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6/2/2023 - SARED wrote: 94 Points
Bordeaux vs. Napa 101 (Bobby Vans 54th Street (Thanks Danny!)): Wine was slightly corked and maybe I underscored slightly as a result. 14.5% the same as the Montrose, but without the Power-without-Weight feel. Decanted 4 hours in AM and another 4 hours in bottle. Blue/blue purple fruits with balanced acidity (although not as fresh as the Montrose). Showed much more elegant than I expected was only a step behind the 100 pointer 2019 Montrose (although being a different/bigger wine). Encouraged by this bottle and look forward to the next one in a couple years which I hope won't be tainted at all. Compelling now but I'm going to follow more.
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1/1/2023 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 96 Points
3 hour slow ox, drank over two days. Best on a day 2. Elevated AC day 1. Very dark, sweet blackberry, cassis, graphite undertone. Very masculine- almost massive - lots of structure with medium firm tannins on the finish. I’d say pop the next one 5-6 hours prior or decant it for 3-4.
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1/1/2023 - jviz Likes this wine: 96 Points
Beautiful valley floor cabernet. You have these lovely purple to violet florals peeking through sweet blackberry fruit. This is still massively concentrated and young, but balanced enough to age a long time. I continue to be impressed with the Greer wines.
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12/25/2022 - bendb Likes this wine: 98 Points
This is *everything* a Cali cab should be. Delicious in every capacity, lots of good fruit, an herbaceous undertone on the palate, killer finish. Quite nearly a perfect bottle.
Decanted for two to three hours before serving.
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11/22/2022 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 95 Points
Prior note holds here. Dusty cherry, tobacco, vanilla and mineral. Good acidity, structure and balance. Old school and no rush here.
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9/14/2022 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 94 Points
Kids sick. It’s Daddy time. Great lift and mouthfeel. Red and black cherry, red & black currant, blackberry, granite, coffee, tobacco, Great balance, intensity, long finish highly complex outstanding wine.
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9/4/2022 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 94 Points
Love that Rutherford dust. Rich, lush, great frame, cassis and blackberry, dark chocolate, slate, earth, coffee and a nice finish. Structure is nearly evolved. Beautiful.
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8/14/2022 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pretty awesome. Hard to think that Napa can get much better. Hightly polished with smooth fine tannins and considerable depth depth.
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4/2/2022 - tyfabes Likes this wine: 96 Points
Popped this one before grabbing takeout, so it spent about 60 mins in the decanter before first pour.
On the nose, this one explodes with dark fruit, pencil shavings, leather, and hints of spearmint. It's a joy to take in and on the nose alone, it's apparent this is a special bottle.
The palate extends the nose and hits you with a bouquet of blueberry, cassis, dark cherry, vanilla, cocoa, and refined oak. The Rutherford dust is ever present and while this is very concentrated, its never jammy or flabby. The acidity is balanced nicely and tannins are fine, but if there was a knock on this wine, I believe the tannins need just a bit more time to integrate. It doesn't take away, but the texture and mouthfeel of the wine will add a velvety profile that will only elevate it.
This is ready to go right now, but another 1-2 years for tannins to integrate will put this one at 98+.
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3/28/2022 - mflesh wrote: 96 Points
This is every bit of 96. Heck, might even be a 97. I thoroughly enjoyed this wine. Honestly, it was displaying a lot of depth and complexity right out of the bottle. But, I let it sit there and bottled the canth over the course of about an hour and a half. Yes, it took an hour and a half for two people. It took every bit of willpower for it not to be something like 15 minutes instead! Out of the bottle, a perfumed and intoxicating nose of blackberry, black cherry, and blueberries with some graphite. Youthful fig jam. Pours very dark maroon to the glass. Soft and round mouthfeel. Very sweet and youthful palate overall which echoes the nose and extremely balanced. It seemed as though a blueberry pie and streusel started to gain in the middle. Graphite and limestone also round out the youthful sweeter red and black fruits towards the middle and finish. As expected, true to AVA, Rutherford dust is definitely present.... But these are 'tux and tails' refined dusty toasted tannins without a doubt. I would say the dominant fruit profile was blackberry, followed by black cherry but the blueberry definitely gained toward the finish. Dressed up for the ball, silky and complex. Honestly I think this one is ready to go Right now, although I can imagine the amazing amount of integration that will occur over the next 15 to 20 years.
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10/19/2021 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is a beautiful wine that is drinking great at this stage. The bright ruby wine darkens with air and picks up serious structure but still remains smooth, silky and balanced throughout. The star is the fruit here - which starts very red but adds in darker fruit flavors with air. Not much oak influence. A touch of sweetness on entry but disappears by its long finish. This is a finesse wine. Very, very nice.
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9/4/2021 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wanted to taste this because well I would say it’s because the release is coming out next week but in reality it’s just an excuse to drink another Greer. No new notes but it was a fun H2H with the 2009 domaine de chevalier. The DDC was more red fruit, more mature (obviously) and a touch less sweet (not that Greer was sweet)- the Greer outshined the DDC but both were delicious in their own right. Greer confines to shine and is a wine that will drink well now and later.
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7/31/2021 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 97 Points
Nose: [58°] Tree branches and bark, dark green brambles, dark red berries and a soft spice that darts in and out. [64°] Aromas are much better integrated with just only a little bit of time and some room temp.
Palate: [58°] A rush of dark red fruits, earth bathed in hot sun with deep buried silvery graphite, similar brambles from the nose, and dry oak that has a bit of blood orange on it. Finishes with deep earth and pleasant river minerals. [64°] Flavors deepen and introduce some black fruits as it comes to room temp, black plums develop with time and the addition of steeped tea on the finish. The buried graphite really reaches up through the earth like a zombie with some time as well.
Attributes: Clear dark ruby. Dry with medium-plus amounts of strong, chewy tannin. Medium to medium-plus body with light acidity. Good finish of at least 18-20 seconds.
Thoughts: This was really good straight from the pour. Bold tannin, great flavors of earth and graphite enveloped by dark fruit. I love the dark green brambliness at the moment but I think that might be an aspect for a somewhat young wine (or not enough air time yet). Nothing time can't temper though, thinking 2-3 years and this should be even better. 96-97+
Other notes: Bordeaux glass. Poured one glass, emptied rest of bottle into a decanter at cellar temp ~55° for the duration of consumption of ~4 hours. Recommend serving ~60°-64° and decant for 2-4 hours at cellar temp as needed.
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5/30/2021 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 95 Points
What a great wine. No new notes but do give these over an hour, prefers 2+ for it to show it’s goods. So good now and will be good for some time.
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5/26/2021 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 95 Points
PnP and then letting it open in the glass over an hour... so familiar with Aaron Pott’s wines, I wasn’t sure what to expect. This one over delivers and is an absolute knockout today, even with just 45 minutes in. Having a really impressive multi fruit color spectrum (black,dark red, blue) - cassis, plum, dark sweet cherry and blueberry liquor, granite, damp earth leads to a wonderfully long finish. Really well done.
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5/14/2021 - Jbarryleonard Likes this wine: 97 Points
Based on recent reviews I had to give this a try. Decanted 5 hours and then back in the bottle to take to dinner. This was sensational with room to improve somehow. Much more fruit than I remember on the 2018 I had recently in the barn but still very complex with secondary notes starting to poke their head out. This is a wine to go deep on and watch it evolve.
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5/10/2021 - gymnastpro wrote: 95 Points
Definitely better today than day one. Beautiful aromatics of blackberry and plum. Earthy notes and lots of spice that accentuated the finish. Some blueberry notes as well. The spice actually burns the tongue just a little bit but I like it. I thought the wine was over hyped. But after a few days, I see the potential now! I think after the ten year mark this win will be superb.
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5/10/2021 - Jazz Nut wrote: 97 Points
A good friend and I decided to have a mid-week steak night. We share nice wines quite often, so I chose a few nice wines to have throughout the night. I chose a 2019 Bevan Dry Stack Sauv Blanc, 2018 Carter Cellars 'OG', and a 2016 Greer. I decanted both reds for about 3 hours. It was very interesting to taste two higher end cabs side by side. As for the Greer--after the decant, it showed a deep red/crimson color, more red than the OG. The nose was very detailed with red/blue fruits, florals, vanilla and some minerality. On the palate it's medium-full bodied, with ripe red cherries, blueberries, floral, vanilla, and spiciness. The finish is so elegant---the tannins seem so well melded into the fruit, some Rutherford typicity, and good acidity to balance the nature of the great 2016 fruit, and it's just satisfying. If you have multiples, open one now to catch this wine in an interesting, if not primary drinking window. NO REGRETS here, and will be looking forward to the next bottle. I am sure the 2018 vintage will be excellent as well. This wine improved over the evening, and even after going back and forth between the OG for several hours, never closed up, or fell off a cliff. I believe this bodes quite well from an aging standpoint. This is an early candidate of WOTY for Napa Cabs (along with a 2016 Myriad Dr. Crane).
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5/3/2021 - jviz wrote: 97 Points
Served next to a 16 MacDonald and this wine was neck and neck. Same pre-service treatment with a long decant, I'm told.
In the glass, this has ample purple fruit, great richness and midpalate weight, balanced by striking minerals and framed structure. Not so blousy as a couple of the other top flight napa cabs. This wine was only a small step behind the MacD overall
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5/1/2021 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Flamboyant exotic nose, showing some “sweetness” to the fruit notes. Blackcurrants with red berry highlights. Love the elegant ripe polished tannins—awesome texture on the palate. Finely crafted and balanced. Very persistent finish. Great stuff. Everything in balance. A seamless cab from start to finish. Just a hint behind the '16 Macdonald.
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4/18/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine: 98 Points
Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): This was one of my favorite wines of the trip. Beautiful ruby color, with a huge bouquet of aromas. Red currant, red/black cherry, raspberry, black plum, blackberry, green bell pepper, menthol, vanilla. Violet floral character, crushed gravel, and lots of baking spices adds complexity to the already well integrated fine tannins, bright acidity, full body, and silky texture. Nicely structured with a Rutherford rustiness and subtle sweetness lingering on the extended finish.
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1/12/2021 - Raflores86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted for 2-3hrs. Opened for thanksgiving to wash it all down. The wine had a beautiful crimson color on the glass, with a bouquet full of red and blue fruit, with some herbs and a bit of menthol as well as some vanilla / baking spices. On the palate more juicy red and blue fruit, with some herbs, earthiness and a bit of spice at the end. Long finish. Tannins were soft and wine had plenty of acidity to keep going for another 10years or longer. Saving my other 2 bottles for another 2-5 years.
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12/11/2020 - pakabear Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dark cherry, raspberry, blackberry, clove, cinnamon, rhubarb, currants, great purity and silky texture. Really really good right now, but will most likely get better.
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11/21/2020 - KenK Likes this wine: 96 Points
PNP. A rich creamy red berriy driven wine with great concentration. Offers up a ton of pleasure and while massively fruit forward it also is very well balanced with a velvety feel. A real sense of breed here and likely gains some complexity as it fleshes out more in time. For the moment, perhaps just a bit monolithic as the multi-spice infused 2007 Abreu Thorevolis drank alongside was still my preferred wine for this evening. However, give this some time and it may actual outrun the amazin Abreu.
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10/11/2020 - SARED wrote: 93 Points
Different prep and failed to reach the heights of the last bottle. PNP at a warmer temp (high 60s) and consumed over an hour. More black fruit versus res and black, and more pronounced alcohol. A little disappointing for price point and prior bottle, but for me the conclusion is extended decant, serve closer to cellar and give it a few years.
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10/9/2020 - ffzhang Likes this wine: 98 Points
Coravined a sample last night. First wine I’ve tried from Aaron Pott and definitely one of the best wines from Rutherford that I’ve enjoyed. Beautiful balance between violet, cassis, minerality, and red/black fruit; supple tannin, nice body, and extended finish. Overall, a elegant and delicious wine. Currently competing with a 2016 Maybach Materium and a 2016 Myriad Dr. Crane (much different profiles) for my WOTY.
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9/29/2020 - SARED Likes this wine: 95 Points
One of the best young cabs I have had, although I do not drink much cab. If the alcohol could be dialed down a notch, this would be a wow wine.
The wine went through many phases as I followed it in the glass for 6 hours. The texture is slightly creamy luxury silk. Fresh ripe scarlet fruit and lilacs and cassis, with intensity that does not overwhelm with overripeness or cloying vanilla. Balanced medium acidity. Intense lengthy finish (my favorite feature). A little alcohol pokes out on the backend. At one point I thought of a ripe red pomerol. After 4-5 hours it did present more standard lushness, oak and vanilla... but very texturally seamless. I need to hold these long enough to get through that vanilla phase. I am very, very curious to see where this wine is at in ten years; I think the wine will improve.
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9/13/2020 - cab blends wrote: 96 Points
Definitely the WOTN - NOT Blind
But it needed some decanting to truly show itself.
Cherry on the nose and powerful tannins (compared to the Togni and the Momento Mori) - The nose is also barky medium colored bark. Medium + bodied.
Rounded but still youthful but balanced acidity. I need to stop drinking all my bottles and let them sit for 5 or so years to really enjoy them later.
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9/13/2020 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 98 Points
Deep purplish ruby red. Layered and rich with tons of tannins. Full bodied and long finish. Lots of dark berries on the nose with cinnamon, gravel and perfumed flowers. Similar notes on the palate. Drink till 2045.
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7/12/2020 - sqn19 wrote: 98 Points
Very young and fresh, awesome with 3 hour decant but could benefit from even longer. Deep garnet in glass: dark fruits, cedar, black licorice on nose; silky smooth, with that earthy dustiness that I always get on the back palate with Greer. Sadly my last 750 ml, but fortunate to have in magnum which will lay down for years.
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6/23/2020 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow!!! Our peers on CT nailed the TN’s and justifiably rewarded high praise for Aaron Pott and Greer. PNP, on the nose the expressive Rutherford fruit jumps from the glass. Garnet in color. Medium bodied on day one but picked up weight and depth by day three. I personally enjoyed the first day more than the last. Fantastic expression of Rutherford fruit. Thanks again CT team for the recommendation.
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5/24/2020 - cab blends wrote: 97 Points
All 2016 Napa Cab tasting non blind. This was a PnP and smooth straight from the bottle. M+ body
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5/17/2020 - pakabear Likes this wine: 96 Points
Better than the last bottle, red fruit dominated with sweet kirsch liquor, baking spices and impeccable purity of fruit and balance. Very good right now with a 2 hour decant.
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3/30/2020 - ageverett Likes this wine: 98 Points
Just a glorious wine. Gave it a couple of hours to breathe - it was ready for prime time at that point.
While this is a big wine that no doubt can age for years (maybe decades), there is a restraint that makes it very special and even more drinkable. LOVE this stuff.
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3/28/2020 - InTheMunee Likes this wine:
I decanted this for two hours before trying it and consumed over the next two hours; nice nose of black currant, violet, black raspberry, black pepper and baking spices; young and "grapey" on the palate at this young stage of its life, but well balanced and not as tannic as I expected; very good and enjoyable; Greer wines continue to impress me.
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3/28/2020 - blarmston Likes this wine: 98 Points
Wow, this is delicious. Decanted for four hours, and it needed it. The last sips were the best, and I think this could be a 30-year wine.
As most may know, this vineyard shares a fence with Scarecrow, but at a price point thats much easier on the AMEX.
Throughout the evening I kept thinking to myself- this is such a well made wine. Aaron Pott nails this vintage.
Well balanced, a bit of that Rutherford dust, more red fruited in nature, and it paired perfectly with a Wagyu NY strip.
I have had Greer before, but usually in group settings, so my quarantine status allowed me to really focus in on the nuances of this wine.
An easy 97-98 now, with uptick potential with a couple more years of ZZZ’s...
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3/13/2020 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Wow. My first Greer. Decided to open this about 5 hours before consuming, with a double decant. Drank over 2 days. On Day 2, I opened and let a 2016 Memento Mori breathe for 5 hours, and then double decanted that. This blew MM out of the water (despite MM being a fabulous wine in its own right).
This was not your dark purple fruit type cab - more ruby red dark cherry. Classic Rutherford dust, soft and supple tannins, complexity in mouthfeel, and a finish that goes on forever. One of the best wines I've tasted, period. Will open my next bottle in 3-5 years.
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3/6/2020 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Only tasted half a glass, courtesy of the sommelier who "accidentally" diverted half a glass from another table's decanter into my glass. Seemed a bit closed initially with a jammy but cool fruit and dried tobacco leaves. This had more of a 2014 air to it, a bit more backward and less sweet than you would expect from the 2016 vintage. Present tannic structure, but finely grained. Precision-engineered balance on the palate with great textural elements. Would have loved to spend a bit more time with this mysterious wine...
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3/1/2020 - Nutty08 Likes this wine:
Some questions on this bottle. Had just a hint of runny metallic quality on the palate. Some weren’t sure it was sound. I enjoyed immensely. Mix of blue and red fluids, with just a hint of a savory edge. Despite the depth has a lighter mouthfeel than expected (like some other cult cabs). Lengthy finish. Some fine tannin. Lighter and less tannic than expected, but structure is there. Glad I have a few more.
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2/2/2020 - napajournal Likes this wine: 100 Points
This goes down as one of my 10 favorite bottles that I’ve opened since 2015. I love big, bold Napa cabs and have been fortunate to open three 16 Greers in the last six months and they are consistently epic with decants ranging from one to six hours. Tannic, ripe fruit, multidimensional, long-lasting masterpieces. I’ve tasted several Greer vintages and this is by far the best and amazingly consistent bottle to bottle. Kudos!
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10/30/2019 - pakabear Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dark red cherry, strawberry, plum, cinnamon and clove, unsmoked tobacco, cedar, and a perfect texture with a finish that goes on for 45+ seconds including a nice lift that makes you want more.
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10/13/2019 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 96 Points
Opened in the bottle for 5 hours. Easily the best Greer I’ve had. Sweet red fruit driven with edges of tobacco and cassis. Very elegant and more classic Napa style (though still full bodied) with a touch of green and dusty earth. Approachable now but acid and a touch heat hit hard on the finish. Likely needs at least 5 years but will he open for another few months.
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9/24/2019 - KPB wrote: 95 Points
Deep purple with a rose-tinted rim. The Greer 2016 has a soaring, dramatic nose showcasing black cherries, menthol, sage, lavender. Simultaneously sweet and tart, with a tannic midpalate and very long finish that ends on a sappy, saline note. There is a softness to the wine that reminds me of merlot even though I am certain this is pure cabernet sauvignon. Really outstanding, drinking super well even today, and will surely gain nuance as it ages.
Treatment: I opened these six hours early but they seemed tight as dinner approached. So I double decanted to a clean decanter and then back into the bottle about two hours before dinner. This worked well for the 2014-2016, although the 2013 didn’t really unwind until the next day.
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