Medium-deep purple color. Nose of tart plums and black currants, blackberry jam, cedar and vanilla. Full bodied with chewy but sturdy tannins, a bit low on the acid. The black currants, blackberry and blackberry fruit is rich and ripe. Notes of cedar, mocha and tobacco leaf pervade the wine, hints of bell pepper, mocha, charcoal. Richness mixes with some tartness on a firm foundation. This wine could definitely use two to three years to unwind. A blend of 35% Petite Verdot, 33% Malbec, 21% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Tempranillo, aged 22 months in French oak.
Deep purple color. Rich and dens on the nose, black currants, black cherries, some blueberry and plum skin, along with a complex web of loamy soil, coffee, violets, some pencil shavings and vanilla. Firm tannins, not quite gritty but still very strong, actually showing some refreshing acid. Black currant, blueberry and black cherry fruit, woven together with vanilla, coffee, roasted chestnut, some loamy, clay soil and graphite elements. Quite young, deserving a few years for sure, but plenty in the tank for the cellar. Can’t help but appreciate its richness and complexity even at a young age though.
Medium ruby colored. Smells of roasted figs, raspberry jam, some charcoal, sweet oak, coffee and baking spices, tobacco hints. Full-bodied and fruit-forward, but the tannins are easy to chew, medium-low acid, a smooth and rich presence on the palate. Full of juicy, gushing blue and black berries, laced with notes of cola, sweet coffee, earthy-dusty elements. I get cedar, pine, hints of sweet menthol as well. Full of richness and hedonism, but I can’t deny the deliciousness, and I’m loving the velvety feel and complexity of flavors. All Cabernet, aged 18 months in 40% new French oak.
Deep but vibrant purple. A bit dense aromatically, opens up with air to show deep black currants, blueberries, dark plums, matched with cedar, mint, eucalyptus, mocha, granite and coffee. Firm tannins but they stay accessible and smooth, the acid provides moderate levels of freshness. The fruit has this great combination of tartness and pure ripeness (black cherries, black currants, blueberry and black cherries), blended together with lovely notes of cinnamon, menthol, eucalyptus, coffee and cherry wood shavings. Notes of crushed rocks, pencil shavings, I get some tobacco and sweet vanilla on the finish. Lots of structure and power, yet stays sexy. One to decant for a very long time or bury for five to eight years easily, this will keep for a long while, but what a beauty.
Bright ruby color. Juicy red berry-driven aromatics, hints of sweet jam, cola, vanilla and some baking spices. Medium-bodied, medium acid, easily chewable tannins. Tangy black cherries, strawberry jam, blueberry pancake topping. Some sweet mocha, cola. Simple, fruity, tastes a bit manufactured.
Bright purple color. Aromas of tart red and black currants, some cool blueberries, notes of roses and lavender, cedar, tobacco leaf and roasted coffee. On the palate, firm yet approachable tannic structure, some impressive tart acid for freshness. Soft around the edges, with juicy red and black fruit, which tastes ripe but still shows some crunchy skin aspects. Tempered noted of roasted nut and cherry wood. Long, clean finish with notes of tobacco and dusty soil. 50% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 18 months in 35% new French oak.
Vibrant purple color. A bit dense on the nose, but opens up to show rich black currants, juicy blueberries, also spiced coffee, dark chocolate. Solid texture, drying tannins, moderate-low acid. Rich currant fruit and blueberries, dark and crunchy but not too dense. Notes of cigar shop, cherry wood shavings, dark chocolate and coffee. Quite toasty on the oak, but I think it’s a solid wine, perhaps needs some time to open up. Includes a combined 8% of Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot, this wine is aged 16 months in 20% new French and American oak.
2012 Tom Gore Vineyards Field Blend 87 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
Medium-deep purple color. Nose of tart plums and black currants, blackberry jam, cedar and vanilla. Full bodied with chewy but sturdy tannins, a bit low on the acid. The black currants, blackberry and blackberry fruit is rich and ripe. Notes of cedar, mocha and tobacco leaf pervade the wine, hints of bell pepper, mocha, charcoal. Richness mixes with some tartness on a firm foundation. This wine could definitely use two to three years to unwind. A blend of 35% Petite Verdot, 33% Malbec, 21% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Tempranillo, aged 22 months in French oak.
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2010 Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota Vineyard 92 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley
Deep purple color. Rich and dens on the nose, black currants, black cherries, some blueberry and plum skin, along with a complex web of loamy soil, coffee, violets, some pencil shavings and vanilla. Firm tannins, not quite gritty but still very strong, actually showing some refreshing acid. Black currant, blueberry and black cherry fruit, woven together with vanilla, coffee, roasted chestnut, some loamy, clay soil and graphite elements. Quite young, deserving a few years for sure, but plenty in the tank for the cellar. Can’t help but appreciate its richness and complexity even at a young age though.
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2012 KITÁ Cabernet Sauvignon Camp 4 Vineyard 88 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
Medium ruby colored. Smells of roasted figs, raspberry jam, some charcoal, sweet oak, coffee and baking spices, tobacco hints. Full-bodied and fruit-forward, but the tannins are easy to chew, medium-low acid, a smooth and rich presence on the palate. Full of juicy, gushing blue and black berries, laced with notes of cola, sweet coffee, earthy-dusty elements. I get cedar, pine, hints of sweet menthol as well. Full of richness and hedonism, but I can’t deny the deliciousness, and I’m loving the velvety feel and complexity of flavors. All Cabernet, aged 18 months in 40% new French oak.
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2010 Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley
Deep but vibrant purple. A bit dense aromatically, opens up with air to show deep black currants, blueberries, dark plums, matched with cedar, mint, eucalyptus, mocha, granite and coffee. Firm tannins but they stay accessible and smooth, the acid provides moderate levels of freshness. The fruit has this great combination of tartness and pure ripeness (black cherries, black currants, blueberry and black cherries), blended together with lovely notes of cinnamon, menthol, eucalyptus, coffee and cherry wood shavings. Notes of crushed rocks, pencil shavings, I get some tobacco and sweet vanilla on the finish. Lots of structure and power, yet stays sexy. One to decant for a very long time or bury for five to eight years easily, this will keep for a long while, but what a beauty.
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2012 Tom Gore Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 81 Points
USA, California
Bright ruby color. Juicy red berry-driven aromatics, hints of sweet jam, cola, vanilla and some baking spices. Medium-bodied, medium acid, easily chewable tannins. Tangy black cherries, strawberry jam, blueberry pancake topping. Some sweet mocha, cola. Simple, fruity, tastes a bit manufactured.
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2012 KITÁ S'alapay Camp 4 Vineyard 89 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
Bright purple color. Aromas of tart red and black currants, some cool blueberries, notes of roses and lavender, cedar, tobacco leaf and roasted coffee. On the palate, firm yet approachable tannic structure, some impressive tart acid for freshness. Soft around the edges, with juicy red and black fruit, which tastes ripe but still shows some crunchy skin aspects. Tempered noted of roasted nut and cherry wood. Long, clean finish with notes of tobacco and dusty soil. 50% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 18 months in 35% new French oak.
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2012 Kendall-Jackson Cabernet Sauvignon Jackson Estate Alexander Valley 87 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
Vibrant purple color. A bit dense on the nose, but opens up to show rich black currants, juicy blueberries, also spiced coffee, dark chocolate. Solid texture, drying tannins, moderate-low acid. Rich currant fruit and blueberries, dark and crunchy but not too dense. Notes of cigar shop, cherry wood shavings, dark chocolate and coffee. Quite toasty on the oak, but I think it’s a solid wine, perhaps needs some time to open up. Includes a combined 8% of Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot, this wine is aged 16 months in 20% new French and American oak.
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