B Cellars

Tasted Friday, October 19, 2018 by csimm with 131 views

Flight 1 (2 Notes)

  • 2015 B Cellars Chardonnay Barrel Select 94 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Green Valley of Russian River Valley

    Served side-by-side with the 2016 Star Chardonnay, which I thought registered a little higher toned on the palate than this more unctuous Barrel Select Chardonnay. Previous notes apply. This was a solid showing, with some quality vanilla notes circling around the smooth, silky lemon/yellow citrus notes. A really nice drop on the mid-palate with this wine. Entering into a really good drinking window now. Best consumed over the next year or two. 94 solid points. I picked up a couple more from the winery.

    Paired great with a Togarashi Crusted Cod with Yuzu Pumpkin Puree and Toasted Pepitas.

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  • 2016 B Cellars Chardonnay Star Vineyard 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

    Served side-by-side with a 2015 B Cellars Barrel Select Chardonnay, which I thought had a bit more depth and complexity than this Star Chardonnay. The Star had notable tension and energy, with more Burgundian flair. A green apple skin note dominated over the lemon citrus flavors; not a bad thing necessarily. The Star was higher toned and riding on an upper register plane than the BS, resulting in a bit of a linear delivery, especially noticeable on the mid-palate depth-wise. Still good lift and a spirited finish.

    A Chardonnay to hold for another year in hopes it finds a more solid drop on the mid. 91-92 points for now. Try again in 8-12 months.

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Flight 2 (2 Notes)

  • 2016 B Cellars Pinot Noir 93 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Served next to a 2016 B Cellars Reuling Pinot, which was much more ripe fruit driven than this Sonoma Coast.

    Notes of earthy and wild bitter black cherry, evergreen, black licorice, bark, and some subtle spice (clove and charred cinnamon stick). A cool climate profile, with some really notable earthy elements that added a uniqueness to the delivery. This is not a fruit bomb (but there is indeed a good deal of fruit flavor here), but rather it impresses with a more nuanced and focused attack of deliberately balanced fruit and earth flavors. Medium bodied and a bit light and restrained on the finish. A great food wine type of Pinot. Drink now and over the next few years.

    Paired very nicely with Jamon Serrano Flatbread with Fig Jam, Wild Arugula, and Ricotta Cheese. As a stand-alone wine, it was in the 92-93-ish point range. With food, it was an easy 94+ in terms of its ability to elevate the food, as well as using the food as a vehicle to elevate itself.

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  • 2016 B Cellars Pinot Noir Reuling Vineyard 92 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Served next to the 2016 B Cellars Sonoma Coast, which I thought had a little more focus and complexity than that Reuling in its current state. The Reuling was more about luscious ripe fruit than the Sonoma Coast. Plum, hoisin, ripe black cherry, and dust dominated the profile. A bit plummy on the back end, but not overly distracting or off-putting to the point that it came off of the tracks and derailed into prune territory. Held a decent frame, even with its flagrant display of fruit. This kicked out a warmer and louder personality than the Sonoma Coast. Definitely different wines, so pick your preference. The Reuling is a flavor-craver type of Pinot; less of a food wine. Drink now and over the next year or so.

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Flight 3 (4 Notes)

  • 2016 B Cellars Blend 24 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Similar to last month. Blackberry pie, jam, fig, pomegranate reduction, and some spice. A wine that shouldn't work, but it turns out kinda ok. Some chocolate emerged, helping to elevate its profile overall. It's a bit too plush and ripe for any refined food. A BBQ/NFL ground pounder for those who just want to get their red wine craving on. Drink now and pair with nachos slathered in imitation cheese, refried beans, and shredded fatty meat...or just curl up with a 3-pound bag of Doritos perhaps...?

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  • 2016 B Cellars Zinfandel 93 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

    Sure enough, the label clearly read "Zinfandel," so I immediately didn't want to like it. I'm a "try all wines" kinda guy, but this varietal is a constant disappointment for me. Only a few of the sort-of-greats (e.g.: Turley, Carlisle, etc) have managed to turn out a decent Zinfandel or two over the years. However, this B Cellars Zin was a nice surprise. Fruit and slap-jam driven, but not overly jammy or grape-juicy. Notable cut and acid here, with a black pepper note really adding lift to the ripe blackberry, boysenberry, and blueberry fruit flavors. The structure brought it all together in the end, allowing the flavors to be aptly carried on through the back end, finishing with decent grip.

    This paired absolutely stunningly with a Blueberry-Chili BBQ Sauce Chicken Brochette with Cheddar Grits. As a stand-alone, this was in the 92-93-ish point range. With food, it was a 94-95 type of wine. Well done.

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  • 2016 B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Black cherry and black raspberry dominate here, with some red cherry, red and black currant, and cranberry flavors showing up to the party as well. Brilliant cut and acid here. Ripe but not rich, with notable energy and grip. A little higher register on the palate than I personally prefer, with the mid concentration missing some depth (possibly youth to blame at the moment). But otherwise, quite an enjoyable Cabernet. It can't compete with the complexity and intensity of the Beckstoffer Cabs, but it delivered as advertised; a nice expression of the appellation without being over the top.

    Paired nicely with a Lamb Meatball with a Red Quinoa Salad, Pomegranates, and a Sunchoke Chip. The pomegranate married nicely with the higher/redder tonalities on this wine. Ideally, hold this wine for another year.

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  • 2016 B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Star Vineyard 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

    A lot of fruit going on here, with the front end leading the charge with ripe blackberry, deep/ripe black and red raspberry, and some spice. Fuzzy tannins provide some speed bumps in the delivery, but it manages to pull through with a decent grip and cut buy which to frame out the luscious fruit. A tad linear on the back end, as well as a bit bitter. Much more ripe fruit driven than the Oakville Cabernet. Drink this now...and chase it with a Raspberry Kool Aid Jagerbomb shooter...

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Flight 4 (4 Notes)

  • 2015 B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard 96 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Inching its way in excellence, the BTK continues its trajectory toward showing a great combination of cerebral interest and soulful flavor. Previous notes apply, though I found this sample to be more forward in its delivery of enticing flavors. Ripe black cherry, cocoa nibs, allspice, bitter chocolate, black raspberry, and some pomegranate and cranberry sauce on the back end. A slightly medicinal note showed up on the finish, which elevated the profile and provided lift for the fruit.

    Less rich and bombastic than the 2016 BTK sample tried side-by-side with this 2015 (the barrel sample effect was likely the reason for some of that...though the 2016 seemed a bit more fruit forward in general - a product of the vintage perhaps as well). Nevertheless, the 2015 was a very nice example of the site, and continues to show signs of improvement as time goes on. I'd still hold until 2020 ideally. 95-96+ points.

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  • 2016 B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard 96 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Served side-by-side with the 2015 B Cellars BTK. This 2016 (a barrel sample) is similar to when I had it back in February, though it seems to be honing-in more on its identity at this stage. The fruit is big and powerful, as one might imagine, but it is controlled and focused. Still, it's a decent blast of big, ripe dark red and black fruit, with a bigger hit of spice than the 2015. Concentrated, intense, and more of everything when compared to the 2015. I personally waffled back and forth between which one I preferred. The 2015 showed more restraint and frame, while the 2016 didn't seem to give two shi*ts about what flavors it was putting out at the moment. The 2016 definitely had more attitude, which I didn't mind at all. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out once it is in bottle. A wine to hold for a couple of years once it is released.

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  • 2016 B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard 97 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

    Previous notes from February still apply. Black cherry, black raspberry, black and red licorice, dark cassis/black cherry syrup, bitter chocolate, Asian spices, and some blackberry pie crust. Hyper focused without sacrificing flavor; giving and accessible, with even more mid-palate depth than the 2015 and 2016 B Cellars BTKs (served alongside). The Crane's finish went on for 60+ seconds. The dark cassis and ripe black cherry notes repeated on the back end (which especially distinguished it from the BTKs), with wave after wave of cassis-esque flavors undulating on the palate and throughout the mouth.

    Less boozy and slutty than what I remember from last February (which is a good thing), leading me to believe this will indeed be both a sexy flavortown temptress of bad-assery and a concentrated-but-controlled debutante.

    Hold for another year++ after release. 97+ points.

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  • 2015 B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Selection Beckstoffer Bourn Vineyard 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

    Black cherry, crunchy cranberry, white pepper, spice, red and black currant, and slight hints of dust. The Bourn impresses with its notable acid and grip, though it does ride fairly high on the mid-palate, giving a somewhat linear impression at times, washing the flavors out on the back end (not entirely, but its higher toned profile definitely made for a grippy delivery).

    It's no slouch of a wine, but it will have a hard time competing with the BTK, LPV, and Crane wines from this same house. The Bourn is a bit of the red headed (fruited) stepchild of the Beckstoffer clan. My personal preference is to gravitate more toward to dark fruited and more concentrated Beckstoffer wines from B Cellars. Nevertheless, this is a fine representation of the varietal, if not comparatively a bit of a lesser version of its siblings. 93+-ish points for me.

    Hold for another year+ in hopes it drops deeper into a little more depth/weight after some time in bottle. A decent chance for some upside after 2020+.

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