Hoffer

Tasting Notes

• 2012 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elysian Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

  Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Hoffer's profile
  • Report Issue

  3/14/2015 - Hoffer Likes this wine: 99 Points

  HOLY SMOKES! This was exceptionally well balanced and delicious. Dare I say it... this is Hundred Acre-ish. Heavy, dark fruit on the front end of the palate with really round tannins on the mid and late palette. The finish is tremendous and so long that I was willing to wait a whole 60 seconds before raising the glass again (unusual for me).
  
  Given the neighborhood the Dr. Crane vineyard, I had high hopes and this didn't disappoint. Parker says its "a puff and a whisper away from pure perfection." Makes me wonder what she must look like because I was only left wondering why oh why did I open this with other people in the room. I'm going to beg Mike and Leah to let me buy more.

  3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment

• 2012 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

  Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Hoffer's profile
  • Report Issue

  3/11/2015 - Hoffer Likes this wine: 94 Points

  I have been a fan of O'Shaughnessy for a few years and noticed that they had some dirt down in Oakville AVA (this was a surprise to me. See the Oakville Winegrowers Assoc map) so I presume that this bottling is primarily sourced from this piece of dirt (if others know differently, I would appreciate the education). Here are my thoughts on the wine:
  
  Right out of the bottle (with 3.5 minutes of decanting), I was impressed with the structure. It's very good but... the tannins on the back end are like a artistic 8-year-old running around your house with marker ... obvious talent but not who you think of first to invite over for dinner. The fruit isn't nearly as pronounced as the mountain wines (expected) and the dirt also wasn't as prominent as you would expect from Oakville AVA (e.g., Caymus, Far Niente, Groth, etc.) which kinda made me wonder if the grapes were sourced from other AVAs. Overall this is a very good wine if you have more discipline than me and can wait more than 20 minutes after UPS arrives. The tannins should be really well balanced with the fruit in 3-4 years in bottle.
  
  BTW... the tannins do settle a bit after a hour or so but still a bit too prominent to be considered my first invite for dinner.

  1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)

• 2007 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection

  Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Hoffer's profile
  • Report Issue

  11/30/2014 - Hoffer Likes this wine: 95 Points

  A wonderfully balanced wine. Still a bit tight and hot right out of the bottle before coming to temperature. Very dark fruit, cassis with tobacco on the nose. Tannins seem prominent through the mid-pallet. The finish is a satisfying fist fight between the fruit and the tannins ending in a 10 round draw. Aa sophisticated wine right out of the bottle fully deserving of manly meal of dead animals.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

View all 11 Tasting Notes