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2015 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Cabernet Sauvignon

  • USA
  • California
  • Napa Valley
  • St. Helena

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Community Tasting Note

  • csimm wrote: 100 points

    November 30, 2015 - 2013 Carter Tasting - non-BTK lineup (Carter Cellars (Envy Wines) - Calistoga): Barrel sample during racking.

    Though it is absolutely not fair to "rate" this wine, as it hasn't even become close to a finished product yet, I was fortunate enough to have had an opportunity to sample the juice from the 2015 Dr. Crane harvest that will ultimately go into the standard 2015 Myriad Dr. Crane bottling (and possibly make some of its way into the Elysian). I was also able to try juice from the 2015 Quivet Kenefick Ranch.

    All I can say with the 2015 Myriad Dr. Crane is "Watch out!!" The waves of flavor blasting from this juice are like nothing I've ever experienced. It's not just a party in your mouth, it's like a week-long bender following a 1999 New Year's Eve spectacle at the Bellagio in Vegas!...(you get the point)...

    Electric purple berry notes reverberating over and over again as they race across the palate; I swear I can still taste it 24 hours later. Again, not that one can "technically" or accurately assess an unfinished product like this (prior to barrel aging, blending, etc), but given the intensity and ethereal flavors of the core fruit, in the phenomenal hands of Mike Smith, and further considering the history of past finished products of this wine, I'd say you're looking at a potential 100 point Myriad Dr. Crane from 2015! Absolutely unreal!

    8 people found this helpful 11,907 views

9 Comments

  • ageverett commented:

    12/2/15, 8:16 AM - Wow - exciting stuff. And looks like a great tasting. Especially appreciate the insight on the Carters - looking forward to each of them at the appropriate time.

  • csimm commented:

    12/2/15, 9:50 AM - Thanks as well for your comments on the Carters!

    I was initially a little concerned about the 2015 vintage for Napa Cabernets, as the chatter around the Valley from some winemakers and farmers was, while some of the mountain fruit was looking pretty phenomenal, the valley sites were slated to be a little hit-or-miss (the longer term effects of the prolonged drought starting to really have some negative impact on the vines). But I was, of course, ecstatic to have just tried this great 2015 juice from both Dr. Crane and Kenefick Ranch (not elevated sites). So as always, I default to the simple equation: Awesome site + Awesome fruit + Awesome winemaker = Good news for us consumers in the 2015 vintage! Take care!

  • ageverett commented:

    12/2/15, 12:22 PM - Nice. Really appreciate the thoughts -- hoping to get to Napa in early spring 2016 and will certainly relay impressions. After reading some things re: 2015 vintage, I shared your concerns. But optimistic given your notes and comments!

  • River Rat commented:

    1/11/16, 6:36 AM - Pretty bold statement there. Two months in the barrels haven't done their job yet. The fruit is incredible, tasted it a couple weeks prior alongside the Kennefick and the Becklyn Missouri Hopper, but the profile is much different at this stage of development. Mike is killing it again in '15, just not a lot of it to be had.
    Next time you are there ask him if he'll pull a sample of the '15 Halcon Syrah. Holy shiite!

  • csimm commented:

    1/11/16, 2:04 PM - Ya as I tried to disclaim as much as possible, it's just a read on the initial fruit. It could go a total 180 once it gets to bottle. But, with that fruit in Mike's hands, I'm thinking he is going to kill it again! Thanks for the info on the Syrah. I'll have to hit him up about that!

  • bplant13 commented:

    3/14/17, 10:35 AM - Just took advantage of the pre-release for this, and the Elysian! Can't wait to pop a bottle this fall :)

  • csimm commented:

    3/14/17, 10:48 AM - Crossing my fingers for additional wish list on this and the Elysian! 2015 yields were pretty abysmal it seems, so that's a bummer. But I'm thinking these are going to be pretty incredible wines. The juice alone was wicked good. I'm sure what Mike has been doing with it before it goes into bottle will be as great as he always makes it. I'm thinking Parker's re-rate in the Fall/Winter will be higher than the projected 97 (at least insofar as the Elysian is concerned). We shall see!

  • #1Winelover commented:

    6/17/17, 2:50 PM - Well, I have the '14 Dr. Crane in a wide bodied decanter as we speak -- went to check out CT and saw a 100 point review from my friend CSIMM! I hope the '14 is drinking well right now as I -- and we -- await the '15s!

  • csimm commented:

    6/18/17, 3:40 PM - Looking forward to your notes on the '14 Dr. Crane! Of course, my note here on the 2015 is somewhat anecdotal and based on an unfinished product, but I just tasted through the '15 Carters (and a '15 Myriad GIII) and as others have noted, they are truly phenomenal wines. My wallet hurts...

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