2025 Napa

Tasted Monday, April 14, 2025 by Geaux Tigers with 199 views

Introduction

We decided to take our daughters out to Napa for their first visit. They learned a lot and I learned a lot about what to pour them when they come visit! Yountville was awesome as always, weather was perfect.

Things I Think I Thought

American Airlines sucks. AA incompetence at DFW caused one of my daughters to miss a visit at MacDonald. She had a great time otherwise.

I’m never flying out of SFO again. I didn’t this time, and SMF is so much easier and more convenient.

This was our first visit where everything was green but no grapes on the vines. Bud break was in all sorts of varying phases even in block next to each other.

There is a reckoning coming in Napa, I just hope it’s a soft landing. Prices continue to climb and climb more. Inflation is a big part, tariffs and uncertainty bring more angst. Glass, capsules, corks, label stock all potentially subject to tariffs. Meanwhile there is more fruit than wine to be made. Buckle up for a wild ride in ‘25.

Wineries need to pay attention to customers. You don’t need to create fake scarcity and ‘exclusivity’. Everyone can see through it—including my newbie daughters. I had one host tell us ‘everywhere else’ you visit uses Mega purple. Even my newbie daughters were like WTF? I’m going to send a letter to the MacDonald brothers demanding answers! 😁 I hope the ‘everywhere else’ folks that hosted us and are reading this are chuckling.

Wineries that pay attention to customers will thrive. My girls learned to appreciate the small tastings, where you learn the story, walk the vineyards and get a feel for grape sources and wine making. One daughter remarked, “If I wanted to go to Universal Studios, I’d be in Orlando right now.”

Three visits per day max is my new policy. Still not sure what I would do with myself if I only had two visits, unless I’m spending the entire afternoon up on the mountain with Ketan Mody.

I’m too old to take the late flight out to Sacramento.

Onto the wines . . .

Flight 1 - MacDonald - A Stroll Through the Vines and a Glass of Wine (1 Note)

Unfortunately, only one of our daughters was able to join us, but this was her T-1 favorite visit. As always, I learned something new as we walked the blocks. As a bonus, since my daughter isn’t a fan of reds in general, I got an extra bit of the ‘22!

  • 2022 MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon 98 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    First up—MacDonald

    A visit with Alex never disappoints and in walking the vines I still learn something new even after several visits.

    MacDonald tastes like MacDonald, of course there was black olive, black cherry, iron.

    Opened the morning of for tasting at 11 am.

    The ‘22 most resembles the ‘14 for its refined restraint from a structure standpoint, but don’t let it fool you, there is plenty of elegant intensity in the fruit to keep it interesting. It was velvety over the entire palate. This was the first time I was able to get a feel for a MacDonald at an early stage. My past visit tastes were ‘13, ‘16 and ‘18 which, while delicious, were tannic, beastly, and young.

    I would not hesitate to pop a ‘22 early.

    I’m not a big fan of high early scores. I’ve read the earlier reviews, and well . . . All of the prior early scores are spot on. . . DC202 said it best

    Read 2 Comments / Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Flight 2 - Arrow & Branch - Arrow & Branch Winery (6 Notes)

A visit to the new winery to show the girls and check out the new A&B offerings. Due to timing, we weren’t able to check out the new Coronet wines. Steven Contursi was a gracious host yet again, and a Roy Piper sighting occurred as he joined us for the tour / tasting. If you ever get the chance, invite Roy to taste somewhere—I learn a lot more listening to his observations and questions.

  • 2015 Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Earth, tilled soil, damp forest floor on the nose, luscious black fruit on the palate. This was good, tannins and oak resolved, ready to drink now for my palate.

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

  • 2024 Arrow & Branch Sauvignon Blanc 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    A nice opener for the tasting while we toured. Crisp and tropical fruited, pineapple/guava/melon, my daughter’s second favorite white of the trip. Love what A&B does with its SBs.

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

  • 2022 Arrow & Branch Right Bank Blend 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    The least giving of the wines we tasted, somewhat earthy nose, but with swirling red and black berry fruit shown through. Needs 5-7 yrs, consistent with prior vintages.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2022 Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch 96 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Showing no ‘22 vintage effects, this was a gorgeous. Floral and spice nose, more spice and primary red fruit at this early stage. Bought.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2022 Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard 98 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Surprise wine of the trip. This showed no vintage effects from ‘22. This wine stopped me in my tracks and paused whatever I was BS’ing about. Nice fine tannic backbone, wet rocks, red fruit at this early stage. This could be better than the ‘21. Bought.

    Post a Comment / 4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2021 Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Blend of 85% Lady Liberty / 15% BTK - all Cabernet Sauvignon. PnP. This showed well given the lack of air, and showed glimpses of what the Coronet will become in a few years. Structured, hint of spiced berry fruit, still showing promise.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Flight 3 - Realm - Realm North Tasting Room (6 Notes)

Visited the Calistoga tasting room. Rikki was our host and was outstanding. Got busy admiring the view and bs’ing, limited notes, but score order is accurate. Mrs GT had the same order though she thought the Moonracer was in a tighter race with the Absurd.

  • 2020 Realm Cellars Precious Twin Rosé 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Merlot base with 10% Charbono. Interesting blend, cherry, strawberry, acidic uplift from the Charbono, good, but not my thing.

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

  • 2022 Realm Cellars Farella Vineyard 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Coombsville

    The least giving and therefore the least interesting during the tasting. I’m not a big Farella fan in the base case. Milk chocolate and dark fruit, this will get better, but needs time. 92 today.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2022 Realm Cellars Moonracer 96 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

    Intense floral perfumed nose, red and black fruit menagerie along with mocha and dark chocolate on the palate. Until the Absurd showed up this was my wine of the tasting. 96.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2019 Realm Cellars The Bard 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Oak and tannins have taken a backseat to the fruit and the fruit has calmed down from its youth. For my palate this is in the open part of the drinking window. 94

    Post a Comment / 6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2022 Realm Cellars Houyi Vineyard 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Pritchard Hill all the way, blood iron, minerals, red fruited, chocolate. Drink now with a decant, otherwise hold for a few years. 95

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

  • 2019 Realm Cellars The Absurd 99 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Wine of the trip—keep in mind, this was a ‘19 competing with later vintages so it started ahead of everything else.

    Wow, just wow! I’m guessing this was opened a day prior, everything was in alignment. Tannins and oak integrated, mix of blue, black and red fruit, a beautiful and complimentary damp forest note. Effortless over the palate, long finish, and not a flaw anywhere. 99.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Flight 4 - Lunch with Will Segui (1 Note)

Will met us for lunch at Sam’s Social club for chat about everything, CFB and then into the crazy state of business in Napa. Will was kind enough to bring a ‘15 Lore, one of my favorites from RM. My daughters loved hearing about the business side of wine from Will. In between everything else, lots of stories and laughter.

  • 2015 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Lore Vineyard 96 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Had my last bottle of the ‘15 Lore in 2022, and this was just as good if not better. In the drinking window for my palate. Cola, blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, Eastern Oakville iron/red dirt, tilled soil. PnP, but likely would have been better with a little more air and at cellar temps. I had every excuse to not pay attention to this wine as we ate and BS’d but the wine kept grabbing my attention.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Flight 5 - Palisades Canyon (3 Notes)

Yet another awesome visit with Steve & Felicia! Got to meet the two new kids and walk the vines. My daughters had this as their T-1 favorite visit learning about the farming, vine management, seeing new plantings, and being able to see where the grapes originated for the wines they were tasting. For the first time ever, I bought Chenin Blanc.

  • 2022 Palisades Canyon Chenin Blanc 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga

    As I sipped, I commented that this was a completely different wine than the one I had back in June 2024. I just assumed it was a more resolved ‘21. I was quickly notified that this was the ‘22.

    Very impressive ‘22. I thought the ‘21 was good, but just not me. I think the ‘22 is much better and is me.

    Bubble gum, cotton candy (weird, huh?), lemon on the nose, lovely mouthfeel and finish, but this time none of the bitterness I usually find in Chenin.

    For the first time ever, I bought a Chenin, as did both daughters. It was our consensus white of the trip and wine of the trip for one daughter.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2021 Palisades Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    My third time on this wine, and it has been consistent across each bottle. Young and still room to improve. 97-98+ potential. Same notes as prior bottle, so won’t repeat them—loved it.

    Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2021 Palisades Canyon Petite Sirah 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga

    Such a great PS. All of the flavor, none of the overbearing tannic structure and biting acidity. Would not hesitate to pour at anytime, excited to see how this progresses over the next few years. Even my ‘white wine only’ daughter appreciated this one.

    Read 3 Comments / Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Flight 6 - Behrens - Spring Mountain (6 Notes)

Up on Spring Mountain for a morning tasting with Robin, who was too kind in hosting us. Beautiful view, lovely new tasting room rebuilt after the 2020 fires. Robin gave us the wonderful Behrens story and great insights into how the wines are sourced and blended. Loved the approach to the art and the wine making where it seems more art than science—it works! This is a place I really wish we would have visited much earlier in our wine journey. Better late than never!

  • 2021 Behrens Family Winery It's Really Not That Complicated 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    The most open and approachable of the wines, sour cherry, purple fruits, cherry candy. Could use more time. 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% PV, 13% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2021 Behrens Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Bull Block Moulds Family Vineyard 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District

    Inky texture, glycerin like over the palate. A big wine, Asian spice, blueberry, blackberry, floral notes on the nose. Needs 7-9 years of rest. 93 now, but this has upside into 96-98 when it integrates.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2021 Behrens Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Hommage to Steve Moulds Moulds Family Vineyard 96 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Tied with Cemetery for my favorite of the tasting. Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blend (75%) with Cabernet Franc (25%). Floral lift from the Cabernet Franc, black and red fruit, cigar box, dried tobacco. Lay down for several years for best results and allow the tannins to integrate.

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

  • 2021 Behrens Family Winery Cemetery 96 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Capella fruit, my favorite of the tasting. Velvety across the palate, nice acidic bite, red berry bruit, more raspberry than anything. Can see black fruit and more complexity developing with more time sideways. Tied with Homage to Steve Moulds for my favorite of the tasting. I think AG’s review is spot on. Bought.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2021 Behrens Family Winery Labor of Love 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    From the Martinez Vineyard on Pritchard Hill and it shows its place. 87% Cabernet Franc, remainder a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Blood orange, hint of cinnamon, iron, red raspberry, still quite tannic with bright red cherry. Bought

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

  • 2021 Behrens Family Winery Petite Sirah Nevermore 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

    Petite Sirah with some Cabernet Sauvignon blended. Deep dark and inky, visually looks like a light motor oil, but on the palate this is very elegant for a petite sirah, with bright acidic berry notes. Bought and can’t wait to try again with a few years.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Flight 7 - Handwritten Wines (10 Notes)

Yountville Tasting Room—A place I’ve walked by more times than I care to admit. Finally made an appointment after a great one-off ‘12 Coombsville Cabernet earlier this year.

Flight 8 - Jarvis (8 Notes)

Jarvis is a place that everyone kept telling me I had to visit, so we finally did. We wanted the girls to see a ‘cool cave’ and this did the trick. Beautiful cave with a nice waterfall. Jarvis gets a lot of great reviews and I can see why, but for my palate, the wines (and frankly the high prices) just don’t fit me. QPR very very low. Tasting fee was fairly high, but the pours and variety of wines was generous.

Closing

We also visited—

Bell Wine Cellars - Many years ago we visited Chateau Montelena on our first trip and did a sensory experience. Well, I’ve always wanted to visit Bell and it now appears they are the only ones doing a sensory tasting, so off we went. We had a great time and my daughters really enjoyed the tasting and learned a lot. No specific notes, but the Veeder Cabernet clones were my favorites and I bought. We started with a Blanc de Noir bubbles, which fit our palate nicely and actually bought.

Chandon—Tasted through several pours of bubbles, none stood out, though we thought the noirs were better than the blancs. One time visit for us.

×
×