PnP, took 45 min to hit its stride. This bottle was a bit more restrained and elegant than the last but consistent with prior notes. Great QPR at < $100. Sadly, this was my last bottle of the ‘13. Moving on to the ‘15s.
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Second of 3, a couple of years + past the prior bottle. I really don’t have much to add to my prior TN—not that that will stop me from riffing—or CT friend Geaux’s more recent TN other than to say 1) this is now pretty much singing out of the bottle, but the super complex elements—see below—come into better balance and present with more elegance with about an hour of air, 2) this is even better than the prior bottle, and while I think it’s smack dab in the middle of its drinking window, it’s incrementally more likely to get a bit better than worse in the short term, although one way or another, it should have at least 5, and maybe 10, years of excellent drinking left, and 3) Geaux’s homage to Tench is dead on, and while all I’ve had from there is this and a couple of vintages of Russell’s, the combination of blue/black fruit, red fruit, green (forest floor, herbs, pyrazines) along with exotic spice is something to behold, almost exploding out of the glass. That said, the structure keeps this sexy, as opposed to the Maybach wines, of which I’m quite fond, which tip over into sluttiness, to whatever that concept makes sense and isn’t totally offensive. This and a couple of Hartwell Estate Reserves, which I bought at auction in all cases for under $70/btl, are my greatest qpr champs. But to be clear: they’re not just great values; they’re great wines. 96-97
PnP but really hit the peak after 30 min air. Unmistakably Tench! Into its drinking window with plenty of fruit, but rounded edges and hints of secondaries. Plenty of acid to go 5+ years. Viscous but not inky, blackish purple color, faint discoloration on the edges. Perfect wine for the back nine of the ‘23 Masters.
Blueberry, black cherry, black raspberry, morello cherries, red raspberry, fresh green sage and thyme, black olive, hint of green olive, cracked peppercorn, fresh black tea, hot cinnamon, moist forest floor. Grippy tannins early on, but not obfuscating the flavor menagerie.
A cool blue mint aroma filled the glass and cooled the nostrils as I tried to keep my nose out of the glass.
At 1hr, it lost the boisterousness and became high maintenance elegant. Much of the same, just not as much in your face. In addition, browned beef, warm brown sugar, cornmeal fried oysters (crazy huh?), more earthy notes and more tar/asphalt/touch of creosote and fruit closer to balance, enough acid to keep it interesting.
I loved it on open, I really loved 30+ min. 96 on open/97 in the end.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—-Oh Tench, how I love thee!
Dark ink with brooding red cherry and cedar. Could maybe have used a 1-2 hour decant as tannins were still grippy at outset and mellowed over a couple of hours
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PnP and this was ready from the get go, though improved as we drank. Black with a purple/red tinge. Classic Tench profile with dark berry and dark cherry fruit, fresh cut herbs, perfume, creosote. No holes in this, beautiful up front, nice carry on the mid palate, and a 20 second finish. Still a few tannins and plenty of acid left, so this has many years left.
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First of 3 ($68@) from an auction purchase a bit over 2 years ago. On the nose and palate, sweet blue and blackberries, morello cherries, plums and prunes, all with a slightly stewed quality, and cassis with anise, leather, dark chocolate, wet, loamy earth, dark florals a bit of smoke, oak, vanilla, forest floor and intense dark coffee on the end providing a nice, savory contrast. Dark purple almost to the point of blackness, medium to full-bodied, thick legs. Medium+ tannins and acidity, some heat on the finish which integrated per the below. Very good complexity, with loads of intensity and persistence. My unpaid CT consultant, who shall remain unnamed but has authored 2 TNs for this wine, on all things modern Napa told me I should let these rest a while, but he also said that the whole point of having multiple bottles was to open one early, so what was I to do? Obviously follow the second piece advice rather than the first! On the 1 oz pour, this came out of the bottle like my perception of an entry level Mike Smith/Kirk Venge wine: rich, ripe fruit, obstreperous, desultorily focused and boozy. I prayed to Dionysus that profuse amounts of Oh Two could turn this hot mess of a mid to high point 80s wine into a low to mid 90s point wine, and 3 and a half hours later (with an interim check halfway through, which screamed not ready), my prayers were answered, with an integrated, almost elegant wine which still stayed true to its powerful modern Napa core. Fulsome, very long yet with surprising subtlety, this wine weds a cult cab ethos onto a strong backbone, and, even with plenty of air, retained a wonderful youthful energy. Good complement to grass fed ribeye one night and lamb shank another, but even with its subtlety and structure, I think it still works a bit better alone, like Greta Garbo. In the conversation with the outstanding Cabs/Cab-dominant blends of the past several months--Chappellet Pritchard, the Leo, the Profile, the PM LP and the Sammarco (perhaps just a hair behind because of a bit less precision, higher abv--not fatal, but not preferred--and a touch more sweetness than I'd choose) and prior TRBs--3 vintages of the Outpost True and the Maybachs, and if it's just below them because it's ever so slightly less vibrant, hey, I paid, half or less for this what I paid for those. In a perfectly good drinking window if you give this enough air to get the Hindenberg skyward (as a side note, how on earth do you guys drink these modern cabs right off the bottling line with no air??? It's a feat more amazing to me than leaping tall buildings in a single bound.), but this should be drinking well into my senescence (not planned for anytime soon, but you never know). After the initial aeration, very constant over 3 nights. As another side note and continuing with the dog in the manger theme, I've noticed some skepticism about this vintage creeping into some TNs. While the final words haven't been written yet about '15 and '16--although both are highly promising--I think that '13 has the potential to be the best in the magical '12-'16 run, but like the '10 vintage in Tuscany and the Piedmont, it's slow-developing, highly structured and a bit difficult. With aeration, or, even better, bottle age, good bottlings from this vintage will be wondrous, but if you're ready to wave the white flag, I'll be standing by with a handful of C-notes more than willing to take your '13s off your hands! 94-95++, with possible upside in 3-5 years. Screaming qpr. (NB: I don't get the creosote Parker did, but is the label a quasi-hypnotic suggestion I should?)
PnP, Oh Tench, how I love thee. This had all of the usual Tench suspects, but seemingly lacked blood iron/creosote notes I usually pick up. Lovely black and red raspberry and cherry. One taster picked up some tar notes, but I didn’t. No decant needed, this was ready from the start.
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Almost two years since my last bottle. Much more integration of tannins especially on day two. I’m picking up a more distinct coffee note this time around which I find appealing. Sweet baked blueberry flavor that is hedonistic in its allure drawing me in for the next sip. Finish is quite long holding that sweetness then tighten up with tannin towards the end. Very nice. Drink or hold.
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Haven't drank one of these in a few years. Opened this about 30 mins ago and dumped it into a decanter for a dinner I am hosting later. I'll give an effort to this of tracking the wine over the course of the evening, as it won't last until tomorrow I am sure. At 30 mins, pretty tight. Light whiff of cocoa powder on the aromatic, and a medium weight with some iron and tannin. The core of the fruit is a cool mix of black and red, with what reminds ever so slightly of a dark espresso note. Not coffee per se, but the red fruited/roasted note that a real good espresso provides once it cools down in the cup. Be interested to see how this evolves in the decanter, as I am serving it in about 3 hours......
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Riverain (Oakville): A generous tasting lineup of the 2013, 2014, 2015, and new 2016 BBS Tench Cabernets.
The 2013 was certainly the most structured and linear of the wines offered, with a tannic bite on the back end that reminds you it still needs some sleepy time. Nice black cherry and red and black currant core fruit.
There is a pyrazine note that became more apparent with air. At times it elevated the fruit and provided some lift and interest; toward the end, as the fruit began shut down, the wood and pine notes dominated even more. Still quite enjoyable, but clearly sorting some things out still.
For those holding bottles, continue to do so until at least 2020/2021. Some potential upside after a couple more years in bottle. 91-92+ points for the time-being.
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Trying to be patient with this wine in light of the anticipated maturity from WA, however, I decided to pop a bottle in light of some recent favorable CT notes. Dark purple fruit - blackberry, dark currants, dark cherry, and a little blueberry. Smooth mid-palate coupled with solid depth and nice rich flavors of dark berries, a little chocolate/cocoa, and some spice box/licorice. Fairly long finish. Decanted for two hours and drank over a couple more. Improved with time but drinking pretty well after the decant. However, I believe this vintage will benefit from another year or two to let the fruit soften/open-up further. Interesting that Parker initially rated this vintage 93+ in 2015 and then 91+ in 2016 - I believe he got it right the first time but I also expect it to get better with a little more time. WA anticipated maturity 2020 to 2046 which I believe makes sense. Love the fruit that the Tench vineyard produces - although Thomas Rivers Brown involvement doesn't hurt.
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Very powerful and full-bodied, yet elegant and balanced in structure. Complex and luscious dark fruit along with cassis, cocoa, and oak elements. This was my first bottle and I was quite impressed with this wine's potential.
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Decanted 3+ hrs. Deep dark purple almost black. Fine sediment. Nose of sweet blueberry and blackberry. This is a rich powerful wine. Muscular is the word that flashes in my mind. Mouth coating dark fruit wrapped in tannins. This is quite good now but very young. You won’t be disappointed opening this but it has many years of development to come. Rating now but has a few points of upside with development.
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Another winner from Riverain ! I did not think that this showed the excellent depth, symmetry and focus of the 2012, but was very enjoyable nonetheless. Let siit open for 1 hour then through Vinturi. Sugared plums, cigar ash, morello cherry, violet, and menthol fill the nose. Saturates the palate nicely with dark plum and enticing salinity. Definitely will improve and fan out with 5 + years hence. Procured at a great price of low $60/bottle. Will get more while I can.
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Decant this for at least 3-4 hours. Upon opening the fruit was overwhelming but fleshed our nicely over time. Really enjoyable. Probably should hold this for 5 years but approachable now for those that can’t hold off. 94-95
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Ripe currant fruit with a touch of vanilla and brown sugar, intense and ripe, but with enough savoriness to stay drinkable. Loaded with ripe tannin that is obscured by the fruit. Not my usual style at all, it is a guilty pleasure. Holds up well on day 2.
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This rich and polished Cabernet is drinking beautifully right now, with at least a few years of development ahead of it. Dark purple in color, medium in body, nose of crushed blueberries and baking spices. Tastes of black cherry, dark chocolate, rosemary, and vanilla, with a compact but lingering finish. 15.1% alcohol. This has the finesse and extraction of many TRB wines (things I enjoy), but it has a savory and earthy backdrop that makes the wine even more impressive. This is more open than many 2013s, but my guess is that it will be even better in 2019.
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Pnp. Very expressive nose right off. Ripe black cherry and plums with some flowers. A bit tight at first but started to open up quickly. Nicely layered in the mouth with some mocha and jammy blackberries. Ripe and concentrated but nowhere near a fruit bomb. Generous sweet tannins round out the long finish. Very nice wine.
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Decanted 2.5 hrs and drank over next 2, last sips were best. Dark extracted monster of a wine. Lovely nose of plum, smoke and allspice. Palate was a platter of fruit, plum, cherry, smoke, charcoal, faint iron, black and blue jams. Could put this up against Harbison and Dalle Valle and it wouldn't disappoint. WOTN against weak competition. Was called a poor man's Dalla Valle by friends. Reminded me a lot of Harbison which makes sense given vineyard sources. This is a steal @ current prices ... stock up! 93 as is, significant, very significant upside here.
75 minute decant through an aerator. Deep purple in color with a translucent purple rim. Decided to try one early as I decide on my allotment for the soon to be released 2014s. Pretty powerful nose of dark cherry, rose and alcohol with some light notes of smoke, cocoa and cedar. Initial taste is consistent with the nose and incredibly smooth then the tannins and dryness set in, followed by an acidic semi-sweet finish. Really nice mouthfeel and long finish. I think this will be great in another 2-5 years. 93+ for now.
2nd day notes: Nose is more prominent and taste is a little sweeter with some allspice notes and less acidity. Rating holding steady at 93.
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Decided to try two valley floor wines from two different killer winemakers. This was the second wine of the evening. Deep purplish ruby red and dark all the way to the core. A little tight initially on the nose, with some dark black fruits, creme de cassis and baking spices. Definitely has warm characteristics to it. Heavy tannins (8.5/10) and full bodied. Very thick, extracted and layered. Started off with some cinnamon and nutmeg, and then developed some stewed blue and black berry characteristics. Creme de cassis too. Slight heat but that will wear off with time as this wine will only develop more character and complexity. Finish feels like it will never end. Love what TRB did for Riverain and cannot wait to try their Syrah later this year. Drink from 2017 till 2035.
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Smokey Cabernet nose. Initially tighter than the myriad but after 6 hours the nose improved significantly and I would ensure this level of decanting for the future.
Purple around the red body. Tannins 7.5/10
This had been interesting as in the initial tasting at the pour it was well behind the myriad but it clearly caught up off the evening as it opened and showed more complexity.
Good strong body that began showing a silkiness after a few hours.
I think that this has potential to get towards 96 but it needs a few years and many his decanting. Try another hotel in 3018.
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Riverain Winemakers Dinner with Steve Nordoff (FMIII in the OC): Big hitter alert with this vintage, it screams Napa. 2013 berries were smaller and the structure reflects the higher skin ratio. The nose isn't even giving up much, palate is a bit astringent with a full dose of angular tannins. Fruit flavor is very dark currant and plum. This vintage has it all but needs a few more years to start unfolding. The drinking window could easily extend 20 years. The winemaker decision to hold back the release 6 months is wise, no reason to get greedy and open this too soon. Patience grasshopper.
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Riverain Dinner (My House In The South OC): Tasted next to the 2011 and 2012. This was the biggest of three, with the most oomph, depth and youth showing. Dark, with iron, dark plum, some vanilla and bittersweet chocolate. This will need time to come together as it came across as compact and tight.
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2/22/2024 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP, took 45 min to hit its stride. This bottle was a bit more restrained and elegant than the last but consistent with prior notes. Great QPR at < $100. Sadly, this was my last bottle of the ‘13. Moving on to the ‘15s.
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1/18/2024 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Second of 3, a couple of years + past the prior bottle. I really don’t have much to add to my prior TN—not that that will stop me from riffing—or CT friend Geaux’s more recent TN other than to say 1) this is now pretty much singing out of the bottle, but the super complex elements—see below—come into better balance and present with more elegance with about an hour of air, 2) this is even better than the prior bottle, and while I think it’s smack dab in the middle of its drinking window, it’s incrementally more likely to get a bit better than worse in the short term, although one way or another, it should have at least 5, and maybe 10, years of excellent drinking left, and 3) Geaux’s homage to Tench is dead on, and while all I’ve had from there is this and a couple of vintages of Russell’s, the combination of blue/black fruit, red fruit, green (forest floor, herbs, pyrazines) along with exotic spice is something to behold, almost exploding out of the glass. That said, the structure keeps this sexy, as opposed to the Maybach wines, of which I’m quite fond, which tip over into sluttiness, to whatever that concept makes sense and isn’t totally offensive. This and a couple of Hartwell Estate Reserves, which I bought at auction in all cases for under $70/btl, are my greatest qpr champs. But to be clear: they’re not just great values; they’re great wines. 96-97
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4/9/2023 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 97 Points
PnP but really hit the peak after 30 min air. Unmistakably Tench! Into its drinking window with plenty of fruit, but rounded edges and hints of secondaries. Plenty of acid to go 5+ years. Viscous but not inky, blackish purple color, faint discoloration on the edges. Perfect wine for the back nine of the ‘23 Masters.
Blueberry, black cherry, black raspberry, morello cherries, red raspberry, fresh green sage and thyme, black olive, hint of green olive, cracked peppercorn, fresh black tea, hot cinnamon, moist forest floor. Grippy tannins early on, but not obfuscating the flavor menagerie.
A cool blue mint aroma filled the glass and cooled the nostrils as I tried to keep my nose out of the glass.
At 1hr, it lost the boisterousness and became high maintenance elegant. Much of the same, just not as much in your face. In addition, browned beef, warm brown sugar, cornmeal fried oysters (crazy huh?), more earthy notes and more tar/asphalt/touch of creosote and fruit closer to balance, enough acid to keep it interesting.
I loved it on open, I really loved 30+ min. 96 on open/97 in the end.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—-Oh Tench, how I love thee!
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2/24/2023 - konadog wrote: 93 Points
Dark ink with brooding red cherry and cedar. Could maybe have used a 1-2 hour decant as tannins were still grippy at outset and mellowed over a couple of hours
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4/4/2022 - Geaux Tigers wrote: 94 Points
PnP and this was ready from the get go, though improved as we drank. Black with a purple/red tinge. Classic Tench profile with dark berry and dark cherry fruit, fresh cut herbs, perfume, creosote. No holes in this, beautiful up front, nice carry on the mid palate, and a 20 second finish. Still a few tannins and plenty of acid left, so this has many years left.
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10/1/2021 - Acohen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Full throated cab with currant, plum and cassis and great finish
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9/10/2021 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 95 Points
First of 3 ($68@) from an auction purchase a bit over 2 years ago. On the nose and palate, sweet blue and blackberries, morello cherries, plums and prunes, all with a slightly stewed quality, and cassis with anise, leather, dark chocolate, wet, loamy earth, dark florals a bit of smoke, oak, vanilla, forest floor and intense dark coffee on the end providing a nice, savory contrast. Dark purple almost to the point of blackness, medium to full-bodied, thick legs. Medium+ tannins and acidity, some heat on the finish which integrated per the below. Very good complexity, with loads of intensity and persistence. My unpaid CT consultant, who shall remain unnamed but has authored 2 TNs for this wine, on all things modern Napa told me I should let these rest a while, but he also said that the whole point of having multiple bottles was to open one early, so what was I to do? Obviously follow the second piece advice rather than the first! On the 1 oz pour, this came out of the bottle like my perception of an entry level Mike Smith/Kirk Venge wine: rich, ripe fruit, obstreperous, desultorily focused and boozy. I prayed to Dionysus that profuse amounts of Oh Two could turn this hot mess of a mid to high point 80s wine into a low to mid 90s point wine, and 3 and a half hours later (with an interim check halfway through, which screamed not ready), my prayers were answered, with an integrated, almost elegant wine which still stayed true to its powerful modern Napa core. Fulsome, very long yet with surprising subtlety, this wine weds a cult cab ethos onto a strong backbone, and, even with plenty of air, retained a wonderful youthful energy. Good complement to grass fed ribeye one night and lamb shank another, but even with its subtlety and structure, I think it still works a bit better alone, like Greta Garbo. In the conversation with the outstanding Cabs/Cab-dominant blends of the past several months--Chappellet Pritchard, the Leo, the Profile, the PM LP and the Sammarco (perhaps just a hair behind because of a bit less precision, higher abv--not fatal, but not preferred--and a touch more sweetness than I'd choose) and prior TRBs--3 vintages of the Outpost True and the Maybachs, and if it's just below them because it's ever so slightly less vibrant, hey, I paid, half or less for this what I paid for those. In a perfectly good drinking window if you give this enough air to get the Hindenberg skyward (as a side note, how on earth do you guys drink these modern cabs right off the bottling line with no air??? It's a feat more amazing to me than leaping tall buildings in a single bound.), but this should be drinking well into my senescence (not planned for anytime soon, but you never know). After the initial aeration, very constant over 3 nights. As another side note and continuing with the dog in the manger theme, I've noticed some skepticism about this vintage creeping into some TNs. While the final words haven't been written yet about '15 and '16--although both are highly promising--I think that '13 has the potential to be the best in the magical '12-'16 run, but like the '10 vintage in Tuscany and the Piedmont, it's slow-developing, highly structured and a bit difficult. With aeration, or, even better, bottle age, good bottlings from this vintage will be wondrous, but if you're ready to wave the white flag, I'll be standing by with a handful of C-notes more than willing to take your '13s off your hands! 94-95++, with possible upside in 3-5 years. Screaming qpr. (NB: I don't get the creosote Parker did, but is the label a quasi-hypnotic suggestion I should?)
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3/27/2021 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent. Rich black fruit, cocoa, leather and cassis. Full bodied, long finish. Drinking we’ll now, but still has years ahead of it.
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11/8/2020 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 94 Points
PnP, Oh Tench, how I love thee. This had all of the usual Tench suspects, but seemingly lacked blood iron/creosote notes I usually pick up. Lovely black and red raspberry and cherry. One taster picked up some tar notes, but I didn’t. No decant needed, this was ready from the start.
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8/29/2020 - wineguy1968 Likes this wine:
not much change since earlier in the year. still powerful wine. heavy sediment on the bottle finish so filter or candle poor on the end.
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4/22/2020 - Acw1095 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Spectacular! Expensive but soooooo good!
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2/10/2020 - wineguy1968 Likes this wine:
Almost two years since my last bottle. Much more integration of tannins especially on day two. I’m picking up a more distinct coffee note this time around which I find appealing. Sweet baked blueberry flavor that is hedonistic in its allure drawing me in for the next sip. Finish is quite long holding that sweetness then tighten up with tannin towards the end. Very nice. Drink or hold.
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7/13/2019 - Rktekt3 wrote: 95 Points
Solid, solid, solid wine.
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3/5/2019 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Haven't drank one of these in a few years. Opened this about 30 mins ago and dumped it into a decanter for a dinner I am hosting later. I'll give an effort to this of tracking the wine over the course of the evening, as it won't last until tomorrow I am sure. At 30 mins, pretty tight. Light whiff of cocoa powder on the aromatic, and a medium weight with some iron and tannin. The core of the fruit is a cool mix of black and red, with what reminds ever so slightly of a dark espresso note. Not coffee per se, but the red fruited/roasted note that a real good espresso provides once it cools down in the cup. Be interested to see how this evolves in the decanter, as I am serving it in about 3 hours......
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2/22/2019 - twither Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for one hour. Plush red and black fruit, with spices.
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9/29/2018 - csimm wrote: 92 Points
Riverain (Oakville): A generous tasting lineup of the 2013, 2014, 2015, and new 2016 BBS Tench Cabernets.
The 2013 was certainly the most structured and linear of the wines offered, with a tannic bite on the back end that reminds you it still needs some sleepy time. Nice black cherry and red and black currant core fruit.
There is a pyrazine note that became more apparent with air. At times it elevated the fruit and provided some lift and interest; toward the end, as the fruit began shut down, the wood and pine notes dominated even more. Still quite enjoyable, but clearly sorting some things out still.
For those holding bottles, continue to do so until at least 2020/2021. Some potential upside after a couple more years in bottle. 91-92+ points for the time-being.
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8/19/2018 - Badmonkey wrote: 94 Points
Trying to be patient with this wine in light of the anticipated maturity from WA, however, I decided to pop a bottle in light of some recent favorable CT notes. Dark purple fruit - blackberry, dark currants, dark cherry, and a little blueberry. Smooth mid-palate coupled with solid depth and nice rich flavors of dark berries, a little chocolate/cocoa, and some spice box/licorice. Fairly long finish. Decanted for two hours and drank over a couple more. Improved with time but drinking pretty well after the decant. However, I believe this vintage will benefit from another year or two to let the fruit soften/open-up further. Interesting that Parker initially rated this vintage 93+ in 2015 and then 91+ in 2016 - I believe he got it right the first time but I also expect it to get better with a little more time. WA anticipated maturity 2020 to 2046 which I believe makes sense. Love the fruit that the Tench vineyard produces - although Thomas Rivers Brown involvement doesn't hurt.
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7/22/2018 - Rktekt3 wrote: 94 Points
Singing.
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4/10/2018 - kgh wrote: 94 Points
Very powerful and full-bodied, yet elegant and balanced in structure. Complex and luscious dark fruit along with cassis, cocoa, and oak elements. This was my first bottle and I was quite impressed with this wine's potential.
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3/17/2018 - wineguy1968 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 3+ hrs. Deep dark purple almost black. Fine sediment. Nose of sweet blueberry and blackberry. This is a rich powerful wine. Muscular is the word that flashes in my mind. Mouth coating dark fruit wrapped in tannins. This is quite good now but very young. You won’t be disappointed opening this but it has many years of development to come. Rating now but has a few points of upside with development.
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3/17/2018 - drdan8 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another winner from Riverain ! I did not think that this showed the excellent depth, symmetry and focus of the 2012, but was very enjoyable nonetheless.
Let siit open for 1 hour then through Vinturi. Sugared plums, cigar ash, morello cherry, violet, and menthol fill the nose. Saturates the palate nicely with dark plum and enticing salinity.
Definitely will improve and fan out with 5 + years hence.
Procured at a great price of low $60/bottle. Will get more while I can.
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2/18/2018 - Mrp2008 wrote: 94 Points
Decant this for at least 3-4 hours. Upon opening the fruit was overwhelming but fleshed our nicely over time. Really enjoyable. Probably should hold this for 5 years but approachable now for those that can’t hold off. 94-95
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1/10/2018 - MikeATL Likes this wine: 93 Points
Ripe currant fruit with a touch of vanilla and brown sugar, intense and ripe, but with enough savoriness to stay drinkable. Loaded with ripe tannin that is obscured by the fruit. Not my usual style at all, it is a guilty pleasure. Holds up well on day 2.
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12/18/2017 - msuwine wrote: 94 Points
This rich and polished Cabernet is drinking beautifully right now, with at least a few years of development ahead of it. Dark purple in color, medium in body, nose of crushed blueberries and baking spices. Tastes of black cherry, dark chocolate, rosemary, and vanilla, with a compact but lingering finish. 15.1% alcohol. This has the finesse and extraction of many TRB wines (things I enjoy), but it has a savory and earthy backdrop that makes the wine even more impressive. This is more open than many 2013s, but my guess is that it will be even better in 2019.
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12/3/2017 - Papillon1112 wrote: 93 Points
Decanter for 3 hours and drink over next 2 hours. The last glass was the best! Will try to wait 1-2 years before I pop the next bottle.
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11/1/2017 - WineForRob wrote: 94 Points
Pnp. Very expressive nose right off. Ripe black cherry and plums with some flowers. A bit tight at first but started to open up quickly. Nicely layered in the mouth with some mocha and jammy blackberries. Ripe and concentrated but nowhere near a fruit bomb. Generous sweet tannins round out the long finish. Very nice wine.
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6/9/2017 - Geaux Tigers Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 2.5 hrs and drank over next 2, last sips were best. Dark extracted monster of a wine. Lovely nose of plum, smoke and allspice. Palate was a platter of fruit, plum, cherry, smoke, charcoal, faint iron, black and blue jams. Could put this up against Harbison and Dalle Valle and it wouldn't disappoint. WOTN against weak competition. Was called a poor man's Dalla Valle by friends. Reminded me a lot of Harbison which makes sense given vineyard sources. This is a steal @ current prices ... stock up! 93 as is, significant, very significant upside here.
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3/27/2017 - Vineyard Boy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Needs a 4-5 hour decant currently. Could be a 95+ in a few years.
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3/24/2017 - RockyII Likes this wine: 93 Points
75 minute decant through an aerator. Deep purple in color with a translucent purple rim. Decided to try one early as I decide on my allotment for the soon to be released 2014s. Pretty powerful nose of dark cherry, rose and alcohol with some light notes of smoke, cocoa and cedar. Initial taste is consistent with the nose and incredibly smooth then the tannins and dryness set in, followed by an acidic semi-sweet finish. Really nice mouthfeel and long finish. I think this will be great in another 2-5 years. 93+ for now.
2nd day notes: Nose is more prominent and taste is a little sweeter with some allspice notes and less acidity. Rating holding steady at 93.
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10/29/2016 - Rktekt3 wrote: 94 Points
Needs 1-2 hours decanter. This wine is so solid. Great drinking cabernet that I wish I had purchased more than 7 bottles.
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7/1/2016 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 94 Points
Decided to try two valley floor wines from two different killer winemakers. This was the second wine of the evening. Deep purplish ruby red and dark all the way to the core. A little tight initially on the nose, with some dark black fruits, creme de cassis and baking spices. Definitely has warm characteristics to it. Heavy tannins (8.5/10) and full bodied. Very thick, extracted and layered. Started off with some cinnamon and nutmeg, and then developed some stewed blue and black berry characteristics. Creme de cassis too. Slight heat but that will wear off with time as this wine will only develop more character and complexity. Finish feels like it will never end. Love what TRB did for Riverain and cannot wait to try their Syrah later this year. Drink from 2017 till 2035.
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7/1/2016 - cab blends wrote: 94 Points
Smokey Cabernet nose. Initially tighter than the myriad but after 6 hours the nose improved significantly and I would ensure this level of decanting for the future.
Purple around the red body. Tannins 7.5/10
This had been interesting as in the initial tasting at the pour it was well behind the myriad but it clearly caught up off the evening as it opened and showed more complexity.
Good strong body that began showing a silkiness after a few hours.
I think that this has potential to get towards 96 but it needs a few years and many his decanting. Try another hotel in 3018.
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10/4/2015 - brigcampbell wrote:
Riverain Winemakers Dinner with Steve Nordoff (FMIII in the OC): Big hitter alert with this vintage, it screams Napa. 2013 berries were smaller and the structure reflects the higher skin ratio. The nose isn't even giving up much, palate is a bit astringent with a full dose of angular tannins. Fruit flavor is very dark currant and plum. This vintage has it all but needs a few more years to start unfolding. The drinking window could easily extend 20 years. The winemaker decision to hold back the release 6 months is wise, no reason to get greedy and open this too soon. Patience grasshopper.
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10/4/2015 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Riverain Dinner (My House In The South OC): Tasted next to the 2011 and 2012. This was the biggest of three, with the most oomph, depth and youth showing. Dark, with iron, dark plum, some vanilla and bittersweet chocolate. This will need time to come together as it came across as compact and tight.
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