Tasting Notes 5,000+ found

You can’t reenact the Judgement of Paris without at least one wine from the original tasting. Even though this was the winner in 1976, it fell short in 2024. Coming from the Oak Knoll District AVA in Napa Valley, known as one of the coolest climates in the Valley. Unfortunately, ruined by a heavy hand of French oak. Decanted for 3 hours prior and it still didn’t budge. Ripe, sweet fruit that’s complemented by notes of butterscotch, vanilla and cream. Acidity is high, but it can’t show its full potential under the wood blanket, hence coming off as disjointed. Overpriced. (69 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Very similar to bottle I opened last year with damp forest floor nose and blackberry fruit emerging after a few hours open. The fill was above the neck but the cork crumbled when I extracted it. Yet the wine was still fresh, maybe even more lively than the previous bottle which had a good cork. The tannins are sweet, the dark fruit and alcohol are nicely integrated and the finish is now 30 seconds long. Licorice, camphor and menthol notes emerge after 24 hours open. Though mature, this is a complex wine worth waiting for. (101 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

This bottle was flat with little power or personality. Still good fruit, but not much else. A disappointment but still worth 88 points. Shows the quality of the juice they produce! (91 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

43rd Annual Zinfandel Retrospective - the 2016s (R&D’s): Double blind. Crimson core with a fair amount of bricking towards the meniscus- definitely has some age. Aromas of red berry fruit, peppery spice and florals. Medium-bodied and soft, there’s no tannin but plenty of fruit. Red berries, plum and pepper, with a subtle briary quality. Easy to pick out as a zin, but it’s on the softer, elegant side of the spectrum so I thought it was from a cooler year. Guessed 2011 Sonoma zin. I was quite disappointed in myself for failing to consider Montelena’s zin, which is always a lighter style, and a house favorite. Still showing well- now to 2027 for well-stored examples. (R&R) (47 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Pale gold in the glass.

On the nose, butter, sweet cream, and vanilla. On the palate, basically the same deal. There's some apple and ripe peach here but much of the fruit is covered up by the oak, which is a bit of a shame.

The wine also finishes slightly bitter and mineral-y, which would have been great if, again, it had more fruit.

At least it wasn't flabby! (98 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Excellent full body wine with black fruits & elegant structure. Fine tannins accompany the hallmark mint green notes of this wine. Very Bordeaux-like in all aspects. Drinking quite well now. (159 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Tasted over 3 hrs
-nearly opaque dark red minimal clearing
-expressive red currant slightly jammy cassis
-med acidity, med/med- weight moderately concentrated yet not very complex slightly medicinal red currant and cassis with some oak framing, med tannins
-entering its mature plateau, good but not rivaling many other vintages (126 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

From my late father’s cellar, and properly stored since release, this is a joy. It still has a finishing kick of tannins, but also some bottle age sweetened fruit that cozies up to those tannins and says “I got this.” Classic Napa Cabernet that is wonderful now, but has plenty of runway. (314 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

In peak drinking window, delicious with grilled ribeye. (512 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Cork was spongy at the bottom, so a few bits of cork in the first glass. Fresh, clean nose of blackberries and cherry candy. More developed on the palate, so tertiary, smoothly tannic. Not the typical Montelena concentration but a fine wine indeed, in top condition. (225 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Complex. Lightly buttery notes but not too much. Yellow apple. Cake notes? (130 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Great wine. A bit more menthol and leather coming through at this point but still lots of life (313 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

1.5hr decant. Dark cherry, black pepper, sage cassis with light vanilla from the oak. Slightly restrained on the nose but more expressive on the palate.

You can tell this wine is quality just not my ideal Napa flavour profile. Everything was balanced except for the fact I felt it could use a bit more fruit. Given it was a 2018 I was expecting something more full bodied. For the price there are other producers I would take over Montelena but appreciate the work that went into this bottle. (248 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Very dark color. Intense concentration of blueberry, plum jam and black fruit in general. This carries into the flavor. Medium body, elegant style. There is a little oak and leather in the finish. I’m not getting much tannin, but also feel that this has a few more years to go. (502 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $

Drank half....traditional CS. Opened easily.....I will try the next half in time... (262 views)

$ FIND THIS WINE on WINE-SEARCHER.COM $