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Whirlwind Winter Tasting in the Valley
Napa Valley, CA
Tasted February 7, 2018 - February 10, 2018 by Cristal2000 with 628 views
Introduction
This was four days of just amazing wines. Most of the tastings were with CSIMM1161, which was really fun since we both enjoy Napa Cabernet so much. Many thanks to him for being so generous.
Flight 1 - Wine Thief Tasting (5 notes)
Very nice tasting with the owner. Knowledgable and funny guy. Great place to check out coming into Napa.
Red
2013 AJ Pearce Cabernet Sauvignon Massoumi Vineyard
93 points
This is a nicely structured wine that shows a BDX flair. Lots of crushed flowers, wet stone and earth on the nose. Very linear and powerful on the pallet, showing higher levels of acid than typical for Napa cabernet. Clearly a cooler vintage site. Very long on the finish. This wine should be aged for a while.
Red
2015 Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard
93 points
Great, rich nose showing serious asian spices, blueberries, and minerals. Deft on the pallet and very beautiful, but lacking a bit in depth when comparing to other SVD offerings from Purlieu. Good acid here and has the potential for a bit of aging, but this is an early drinker.
Red
2015 Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
95 points
Showing tons of round fruit framed with fine tannins and excellent texture. Concentrated without any hard edges. A bit thinner than expected given the site and rating.
Red
2015 Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Teucer Vineyard
96 points
Really nice, dark and earthy wine. Perfumed nose of spring flowers, licorice and minerals. Nicely textured, with well integrated but strong tannins and a linear, building power that is awash with mineral and earthy elements. Some deep black fruit as well. Definitely a cooler vineyard site, which has elements of Napa and BDX style. Very long finish. This is big and interesting. 96+
Red
2014 Buoncristiani Cabernet Sauvignon The Core
95 points
Lots of plums, figs and violets on the nose. Very tightly coiled and structured, especially from a 2014. You can tell this is from some elevation. Super dense, with a ton of earth and mineral driven flavors. Built like a brick house and totally pallet enveloping. Very complex. 95+
Flight 2 - Shafer Tasting (4 notes)
White
2015 Shafer Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch
92 points
Lots of minerals, butter and lemon curd. Smooth and creamy, with some backend sharp acidity. Good length here and quite well made. Tasty.
Red
2014 Shafer Relentless
93 points
Smoked meat, pepper, scorched earth and crushed flowers. Strong and deep black fruit, with a core of earthy and minerals. Good acid and well structured. Building power that finishes strong.
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Red
2013 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select
95 points
Gorgeous deep inky purple on the glass. Pure cassis, violets, black licorice, spice box and menthol on the nose. Massive and backward wine. Really closed down right now. Super dense and concentrated, with incredible length but trying to get much of any fruit or other flavor out of it right now is difficult. I would cellars these for min 5 years. The wine closed down more the longer it was open. 95+
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Red
2014 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five
90 points
First bottle of this seemed corked. No one else at the table seemed to mind, but they were nice enough to give me a taste from a new bottle. I generally really enjoy these, but this was a bit rough around the edges. Had an almost Syrah like nose, with some black tar, smoked meat and a bit of blackberry showing through. Pretty disjointed right now and needs a lot of time to come together. Mostly medium bodied and not really expressing much at the moment, It was tough to get a sense of where this is headed, but it is certainly not in the league of the 2012 or 2013.
Flight 3 - Alpha Omega Tasting (4 notes)
Many thanks to Rick Patton for setting up a terrific tasting lineup. This is the man to talk to if you want to get a great experience.
Red
2016 Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
97 points
Barrel sample. Spring flowers, crushed rock, licorice and herbs. The best of the 2016 Beckstoffer wines tasted. Very bright and fresh, with lots of energy. Super concentrated pallet with nice layering and a very long persistent finish. 95-98
Red
2016 Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
95 points
Barrel sample. Beautiful rich, vibrant fruit that is well layered. Big mid pallet feel, with ample tannin. Nice long and persistent finish. 94-96
Red
2016 Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras
95 points
Barrel sample. Showing very young at the moment. Very powerful, with lots of jam. Long, lean and linear, this hasn't quite come together. Lots of potential here with the purity, length and flavor profile. 94-96
Red
2016 Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard
93 points
Barrel sample. Nicely perfumed nose of flowers and spices. Doesn't have the depth or structure of the other Beckstoffer offerings. Nice fruit and tasty, but lots of other GIII's that are better and less expensive. 92-93
Flight 4 - Dinner at Cook w/Alex MacDonald (3 notes)
Alex is as solid as they come in the valley. Great guy and super generous with his incredible wines.
Red
2014 Realm Cellars The Absurd
96 points
On the table with a 2015 Macdonald and 2013 Absurd. This won a blind competition I had a little while back, but it was clearly third in this company. Super enormous fruit and concentration. Lots of oak and vanilla. Feels a bit disjointed right now. It was best on PnP and then changed quite a bit. Probably best to lay it down for a bit. Still a very fun drink, but the fruit was a bit much against the backdrop of the other two wines.
Red
2013 Realm Cellars The Absurd
99 points
Had this next to a 2015 MacDonald and 2014 Absurd. It was close with the MacDonald, but I would give this the edge by a nose. Wonderful perfumed nose of violets, blackberries, spice box and some scorched earth. Outrageous length and depth. Built like a brick house, with big time structure and the acid to back it up. No hard edges, but this wine could use a number of years to fully reach its potential. Thanks to CSIMM for providing this AWESOME wine!
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Red
2015 MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon
98 points
Thanks for Alex for bringing this wine to dinner. Such a good guy and so generous.
The 2015 is the best wine I've had from MacDonald. Its got a super powerful and expressive nose of wet stone, spring flowers, creme de cassis, blueberries, spice box and tobacco. The first sip is a WOW moment, as it is just super incredibly powerful and concentrated. One of the biggest 2015's I've had. That said, it isn't 2013 and allows some fruit to show through that is incredibly pure. There are so many layers here, it will need a number of years to really let them peel back. Super fresh and super long, with tons of backbone. An epic effort that should be absolutely stunning down the line.
The 2015 is the best wine I've had from MacDonald. Its got a super powerful and expressive nose of wet stone, spring flowers, creme de cassis, blueberries, spice box and tobacco. The first sip is a WOW moment, as it is just super incredibly powerful and concentrated. One of the biggest 2015's I've had. That said, it isn't 2013 and allows some fruit to show through that is incredibly pure. There are so many layers here, it will need a number of years to really let them peel back. Super fresh and super long, with tons of backbone. An epic effort that should be absolutely stunning down the line.
Flight 5 - Tasting with Kyle Janzen (4 notes)
Kyle is such a great, down to earth guy. Super nice and very generous with his wines.
Red
2014 Bacio Divino Cabernet Sauvignon Janzen Cloudy's Vineyard
94 points
This wine is from elevation, and you can tell with how black the fruit is and how much structure and power there is to the fruit. The nose is very floral, with blackberries, herbs and spice box. Serious wine for 2014, with nice but powerful tannins holding together a core of deep black fruit and earthy elements. Nice long and tasty finish.
Red
2014 Bacio Divino Cabernet Sauvignon Janzen Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
94 points
Really pretty wine. Deep purple in the glass, showing beautiful notes of creme de cassis, asian spices and violets. Tons of pure round fruit here on the pallet. A bit showy and forward as this vintage tends to be. Good grip and decent structure, but this is a tasty wine that is approachable now. Doesn't quite have the depth or structure associated with 2015 or 2016. Nice 30 sec finish.
Red
2014 Bacio Divino Cabernet Sauvignon Janzen Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard
93 points
Deep purple in the glass. Nose of sweet cassis fruit and blackberries accompanied by wet stone and other earthy elements. On the pallet, comes across a bit rich and sweet, with some bitter chocolate elements. Lots of black/blue fruit with mineral laced undertones. Nicely layered with good freshness. Approachable now.
Red
2014 Bacio Divino
92 points
This is a nice wine, but definitely a bit overshadowed next to some of the Beckstoffer offerings. Lots of black and blue fruit on the nose, primarily plums and blackberries. Also showing some herbs and a hint of cedar. More medium than full bodied. Showing some nice fresh fruit and sweet tannins, this is an easy drinker that has a real nice flavor profile. Not overly deep or complex, but fun.
Flight 6 - B Cellars Tasting (11 notes)
Probably the best wines I've had from Venge. The experience here was well...unusual. That said, Harvey is a good guy and someone worth dealing with at the winery.
Red
2015 B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
97 points
Wow, this baby is deep, rich and plush. Tons of amazingly pure fruit, serious depth, lots of complexity and a very long finish. This has a great energy and freshness about it, to go along with the undeniable superior quality coming form this vineyard. Despite the super concentration, the pallet shows very little weight.
Red
2014 B Cellars Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard
95 points
Great quality of fruit here. Lots of nice spice on the nose to go with the undeniably intoxicating blueberry and blackberry fruit. Having it next to the 2015 BTK shows that it isn't quite a concentrated or driven as that wine, but it still has a terrific flavor profile. Shows seamless fruit and a nice mineral driven element, to go with a medium to full body and a fairly long finish. A delicious drink.
Red
2014 B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena
94 points
This wine was a nice surprise. Apparently this is fruit from Lewelling. A beautiful perfumed nose of crushed flowers, creme de cassis and a little spice box. Really vibrant fruit on the pallet, medium to full bodied with a great flavor profile. The energy and freshness of this wine is notable. Beautiful 30 sec finish. Not on the level of some of the higher end offerings, but hard to go wrong here. This is super tasty.
Red
2015 B Cellars Blend 26
91 points
Nice floral nose of violets, herbs and black cherries. Not the depth or freshness of some of the other offerings I tasted at the winery, but a solid flavor profile, very fruity with decent purity. Tannins are a bit sloppy here. This is an early drinker.
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Red
2015 B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Ehrlich Vineyard
92 points
A bit of a jammy, slightly unusual nose. Shows a lot of plums, sweet fruit with a bit of wet stone. This is a dark wine. On the pallet it is fairly sweet and a bit forward, with nicely framed tannins and decent length. Wasn't my favorite flavor profile, but it certainly has quality fruit, nice freshness and good pedigree.
Red
2016 B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
98 points
Barrel sample. This is absolute ROCKET FUEL. If you like power and concentration, then you're gonna love this wine. Huge nose of blueberries, blackberries, herbs and spices. It is so huge it feels like you're choking on it. It has a beautiful flavor profile of dark red fruit with mineral underpinnings and marvelous purity. The tannins are exceptionally fine. Not sure how this will come out in the bottle, but it has the makings of a blockbuster. 97-99
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Red
2016 B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard
94 points
Barrel sample. This has a bit of a funky nose on it for cabernet. Has that super smoked meat smell of a Syrah. It's so distinct and unusual that it kind of puts you off. The pallet is better, but shows a bit too sweet for my preference. Good concentration and length. 93-95
Red
2016 B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Heritage Beckstoffer
96 points
Barrel sample. A blend of To Kalon, Dr Crane and Missouri Hopper I believe. On the nose you can smell the funk and smoked meat coming from the Missouri Hopper. I think this would have been much better had they kept that wine out of the blend. Nevertheless, this thing is MASSIVE on the pallet. It feels like you are actually eating the wine. Super dense, great purity, serious layering and undeniable power. Very complex and built for the long hall. 95-97
Red
2014 B Cellars Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
94 points
This is just a screaming good time of a wine. So unusual to get a Cabernet Franc from Dr Crane vineyard. Has a tremendous nose of spring flowers, wet stone, blueberries and cassis. Super pure on the pallet and quite a bit leaner than its cabernet counterpart. Some high pitched, concentrated red fruit that is nicely integrated with loamy earth and finishes long and pure. Like other high end cab francs, this is very powerful on the mid pallet and it takes some time to drink this wine. Tons of flavor, but you won't be putting this down quickly.
Red
2016 B Cellars Cabernet Franc Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
95 points
Barrel sample. This takes it up a notch from the 2014 that I posted on. Same basic qualities of spring flowers, blueberries and cassis with a lean but highly structured pallet with great length and flavors. The 2016 just seems to be a better, more concentrated and more polished vintage. Be curious to see what the 2015 tastes like. This is a real unique and fun wine. Just be ready for the franc to be really powerful and quite bit different than the cabernet.
Red
2016 B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard
98 points
Barrel sample. Had directly after the 2016 Dr Crane. This was a bit more up my alley, as it wasn't taking my head off with extreme power, but instead showed layer upon layer of cascading fruit and deep gravelly minerality. The nose had great notes of plums, black currant, wet stone and white flowers. It was wonderfully pure and already showing fine grained tannins and great structure. Finish is extremely long. Sadly, I think they make so little of this you can only get one bottle and that's only for club members.
Flight 7 - Vice Versa Tasting (3 notes)
Overall, the BEST wines of the entire trip. Patrice and Samantha are some of the nicest, most genuine people in the valley and they are making unreal wines.
Red
2016 Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon The Magnificent Seven
100 points
The M7 is the absolute best blend of their To Kalon, Dr Crane and LPV sites. One barrel/25 cases made. This is a wine where you need to say "100+++++" because it's one of the most profound young Napa cabs I've ever had. On a trip to Napa where I tasted over 50 tremendous cabernets, this one was head and shoulders above the rest.
Deep, dark purple in color. Explosive nose of blueberries, blackberries, cassis, cedar, scorched earth and mineral driven flavors. On the pallet this was an "OMG WHAT IS THIS WINE" moment. A soaring, massive full bodied wine that is built like Pamela Anderson in the early 90's. The mostly black fruit explodes with layer after layer of incredible flavor laced with tons of earthy grit. Yet despite all that incredible stuffing, the M7 manages elegance and grace for such a youngster, with a texture that is silky and utterly refined. Finish goes on forever. Without a doubt, a legend in the making.
Deep, dark purple in color. Explosive nose of blueberries, blackberries, cassis, cedar, scorched earth and mineral driven flavors. On the pallet this was an "OMG WHAT IS THIS WINE" moment. A soaring, massive full bodied wine that is built like Pamela Anderson in the early 90's. The mostly black fruit explodes with layer after layer of incredible flavor laced with tons of earthy grit. Yet despite all that incredible stuffing, the M7 manages elegance and grace for such a youngster, with a texture that is silky and utterly refined. Finish goes on forever. Without a doubt, a legend in the making.
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Red
2016 Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon BBS Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard
99 points
The BBS is a selection of the best blocks from the center of the vineyard. They make only one barrel/25 cases of BBS for each of the Beckstoffer wines, along with an M7 that is a blend of the best of the BBS.
A word to the wise - no matter how great the regular bottling is of these wines, never open the BBS next to it, because the intensity, concentration and purity is stepped up to a whole new level. A brilliant nose of here of blueberries, pepper, scorched earth, tabacco and some menthol. Hits the pallet with waves of dark plum, chocolate and deep black fruit, complemented nicely by great minerality that is such a terrific characteristic of the LPV site. This is an enormous wine that pulls it off with epic balance. No part of it is overdone.
All these 2016's from Vice Versa are just brilliant. For as much as I like their 2015's, the 2016's may well be better.
A word to the wise - no matter how great the regular bottling is of these wines, never open the BBS next to it, because the intensity, concentration and purity is stepped up to a whole new level. A brilliant nose of here of blueberries, pepper, scorched earth, tabacco and some menthol. Hits the pallet with waves of dark plum, chocolate and deep black fruit, complemented nicely by great minerality that is such a terrific characteristic of the LPV site. This is an enormous wine that pulls it off with epic balance. No part of it is overdone.
All these 2016's from Vice Versa are just brilliant. For as much as I like their 2015's, the 2016's may well be better.
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Red
2016 Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
97 points
This wine had the misfortune of being consumed next to the VV LPV BBS and VV M7 of the same vintage. Were it not for that relative comparison, it may very well have shown even better in my eyes.
This is a beautiful wine that shows deep purple in the glass. Lots of blackcurrant with some red berries and asian spices on the nose. On the pallet this is deftly balanced and shows more red fruit than the Crane or LPV wines. There is wonderful depth of flavor and nuance showing here, with a bit higher acid feel than the other VV wines I had. Really complex and a great finish that is showing slightly tart at the moment. This is going to be a beautiful wine. Finish is 45 sec+.
As I've mentioned in my other notes on VV wines, these are a must see for Napa cab lovers.
This is a beautiful wine that shows deep purple in the glass. Lots of blackcurrant with some red berries and asian spices on the nose. On the pallet this is deftly balanced and shows more red fruit than the Crane or LPV wines. There is wonderful depth of flavor and nuance showing here, with a bit higher acid feel than the other VV wines I had. Really complex and a great finish that is showing slightly tart at the moment. This is going to be a beautiful wine. Finish is 45 sec+.
As I've mentioned in my other notes on VV wines, these are a must see for Napa cab lovers.
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Flight 8 - Dinner w/ Patrice and Samantha Breton (8 notes)
Such a fun dinner and really great wines. Comparisons are always hard, but these showed very well as a group.
Red
2015 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
94 points
Had this wine next to a 2016 Vice Versa Dr Crane BBS, 2015 Vice Versa Dr Crane, 2015 Myriad Dr Crane Elysian, 2014 Realm Dr Crane and 2012 Debate Dr Crane. For me, this was 5th.
In this company, the Myriad seemed overly fruity, without the same texture and tannin management of its big brother the Elysian. This was really tasty and wonderfully ripe, but came across a bit clunkier than the others. Really nice length. By itself, I imagine I would probably be raving about this wine, but on a relative basis it was more one dimensional than I had hoped. That said, it was also far less expensive than most everything else and it is sure to make me smile when I pop the cork by itself.
Thanks to CSIMM for providing this wine!
In this company, the Myriad seemed overly fruity, without the same texture and tannin management of its big brother the Elysian. This was really tasty and wonderfully ripe, but came across a bit clunkier than the others. Really nice length. By itself, I imagine I would probably be raving about this wine, but on a relative basis it was more one dimensional than I had hoped. That said, it was also far less expensive than most everything else and it is sure to make me smile when I pop the cork by itself.
Thanks to CSIMM for providing this wine!
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Red
2012 The Debate Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
91 points
Had this wine next to a 2016 Vice Versa Dr Crane BBS, 2015 Myriad Dr Crane, 2015 Myriad Dr Crane Elysian, 2014 Realm Dr Crane and 2015 Vice Versa Dr Crane. For me, this was last by a mile.
This really struggled next to the other wines. It showed way less refinement, a more austere profile, really biting acid and some big time astringency on the finish. Truth be told with all these exceptional wines on the table, we mostly poured this one out.
Thanks to CSIMM for providing this wine!
This really struggled next to the other wines. It showed way less refinement, a more austere profile, really biting acid and some big time astringency on the finish. Truth be told with all these exceptional wines on the table, we mostly poured this one out.
Thanks to CSIMM for providing this wine!
White
2016 Vice Versa Chardonnay Platt Vineyard
97 points
WOW, what a chardonnay. I really don't care that much for the varietal, or so I thought before having this wine. What stands out here the most is the absolute laser focus of the fruit. The balance, freshness and acid lift is among the best I've ever had. The flavor profile is just gorgeous and pure, with notes of citrus, sea foam, nutmeg, spring flowers and lemon zest. It is so refined and so fresh on the pallet. Nothing heavy, with absolute perfect tannin management. This is more Burgundian in style and absolutely dynamite.
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Red
2016 Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon BBS Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
100 points
The BBS is a selection of the best blocks from the center of the vineyard. They make only one barrel/25 cases of BBS for each of the Beckstoffer wines, along with an M7 that is a blend of the best of the BBS.
This is just an epic wine from one of my favorite vineyards. Had this next to a 2014 Realm Dr Crane, 2015 Vice Versa Dr Crane, 2015 Myriad Dr Crane, 2015 Myriad Elysian Dr Crane and 2012 Debate Dr Crane. This was the easy winner amongst all those great wines.
Terrific nose of violets, spice box, black cherry, blueberry and a hint cedar and earth. One sip and WOW, the drive on this wine just puts you back in your seat. Epic power and concentration with outrageous purity. Amazing job here reining in that power with great structure, layering and nuance. As with all these VV wines, the texture is impeccable. Finish is well over 1min here. Just outstanding.
Thanks to Patrice and Samantha for bringing this perfect wine!
This is just an epic wine from one of my favorite vineyards. Had this next to a 2014 Realm Dr Crane, 2015 Vice Versa Dr Crane, 2015 Myriad Dr Crane, 2015 Myriad Elysian Dr Crane and 2012 Debate Dr Crane. This was the easy winner amongst all those great wines.
Terrific nose of violets, spice box, black cherry, blueberry and a hint cedar and earth. One sip and WOW, the drive on this wine just puts you back in your seat. Epic power and concentration with outrageous purity. Amazing job here reining in that power with great structure, layering and nuance. As with all these VV wines, the texture is impeccable. Finish is well over 1min here. Just outstanding.
Thanks to Patrice and Samantha for bringing this perfect wine!
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Red
2015 Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
97 points
Had this wine next to a 2016 Vice Versa Dr Crane BBS, 2015 Myriad Dr Crane, 2015 Myriad Dr Crane Elysian, 2014 Realm Dr Crane and 2012 Debate Dr Crane. For me, this was a tie for 2nd with the Elysian.
Showing a beautiful nose of black cherries, blackberries, pencil shavings and scorched earth. This stands out for its texture, refined tannins and elegance. There is plenty of concentrated power, but it puts it out so deftly that it seems more sophisticated than most if not all of the other wines on the table. Wonderful, pure fruit from this amazing site, this Dr Crane hits all the right notes by having excellent interplay of earth and minerals that adds a lot to the flavor profile. Long finish of 45 secs+.
Thanks to Patrice and Samantha for bringing this amazing wine!
Showing a beautiful nose of black cherries, blackberries, pencil shavings and scorched earth. This stands out for its texture, refined tannins and elegance. There is plenty of concentrated power, but it puts it out so deftly that it seems more sophisticated than most if not all of the other wines on the table. Wonderful, pure fruit from this amazing site, this Dr Crane hits all the right notes by having excellent interplay of earth and minerals that adds a lot to the flavor profile. Long finish of 45 secs+.
Thanks to Patrice and Samantha for bringing this amazing wine!
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Red
2015 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elysian Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
97 points
Had this wine next to a 2016 Vice Versa Dr Crane BBS, 2015 Myriad Dr Crane, 2015 Vice Versa Dr Crane, 2014 Realm Dr Crane and 2012 Debate Dr Crane. For me, this was a tie for 2nd with the 2015 Vice Versa.
My first note on this wine is the seamless texture and more fine grained sweet tannins set it apart from the regular Myriad Dr Crane. This is a massive wine that shows deft balance and doesn't come across as the fruit bomb or brute it could if not made so well.
The nose shows off some really great blueberry pie, creme de cassis, spice box and cedar. The pallet is huge black/blue fruit delivered in silky, creamy layers. This is complemented with some nice earthy notes that sneak in around the time of the 45sec+ finish. Great flavor profile if you like 'em big.
Thanks to CSIMM for popping open this wine!
My first note on this wine is the seamless texture and more fine grained sweet tannins set it apart from the regular Myriad Dr Crane. This is a massive wine that shows deft balance and doesn't come across as the fruit bomb or brute it could if not made so well.
The nose shows off some really great blueberry pie, creme de cassis, spice box and cedar. The pallet is huge black/blue fruit delivered in silky, creamy layers. This is complemented with some nice earthy notes that sneak in around the time of the 45sec+ finish. Great flavor profile if you like 'em big.
Thanks to CSIMM for popping open this wine!
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Red
2014 Realm Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
95 points
Had this wine next to a 2016 Vice Versa Dr Crane BBS, 2015 Myriad Dr Crane, 2015 Myriad Dr Crane Elysian, 2015 Vice Versa Dr Crane and 2012 Debate Dr Crane. For me, this was 4th on the night.
On a table with all Dr Crane wines, the Realm was the most distinct. It was the darkest in the glass, showed the most scorched earth notes on the nose and had the densest, richest and most weighted pallet. The chocolate here is very obvious. There is a creamy, silky and texturally wonderful way in which these wines are put together, and that shined through. I think this wine suffered against some of the others mostly because of the vintage. It wasn't showing as much of the concentrated and polished fruit as the 2015's, and it fell a bit short in the finish relative to some of the others. It also had a bit of a burnt rubber note on the nose that was slightly off putting.
All that said, this is one of my favorite wines and 2014 is no different. It may be going through a bit of a phase, or it may just suffer next to exceptional wines from a better vintage. I did have the 2015 Realm Crane later on and it would have competed for the top spot here.
On a table with all Dr Crane wines, the Realm was the most distinct. It was the darkest in the glass, showed the most scorched earth notes on the nose and had the densest, richest and most weighted pallet. The chocolate here is very obvious. There is a creamy, silky and texturally wonderful way in which these wines are put together, and that shined through. I think this wine suffered against some of the others mostly because of the vintage. It wasn't showing as much of the concentrated and polished fruit as the 2015's, and it fell a bit short in the finish relative to some of the others. It also had a bit of a burnt rubber note on the nose that was slightly off putting.
All that said, this is one of my favorite wines and 2014 is no different. It may be going through a bit of a phase, or it may just suffer next to exceptional wines from a better vintage. I did have the 2015 Realm Crane later on and it would have competed for the top spot here.
Red
2016 Vice Versa Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard
95 points
What a terrific pinot noir from Vice Versa. Platt must be one extraordinary site, because both this pinot and the chardonnay are just outstanding. This is a great mix between a domestic styled pinot and a more burgundian approach. Displays a fresh nose of black cherries, mulberries, violets and a hint of spice box. Wonderfully pure, medium bodied but showing firm acids to complement expressive but not overdone red fruits. A cooler climate pinot, this shows very fresh and dances beautifully around every corner of the pallet. Tannins frame this wine wonderfully, and I would expect this to age quite well for a pinot. Very well done.
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Flight 9 - Cliff Lede Tasting (3 notes)
All these wines are in a tough spot.
Red
2014 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Rock Block Series Scarlet Love
This wine is almost totally shut down right now, so very hard to rate. I was amazed given the vintage that this wine (and all the 2014's from CL I had) were as tight as a gnats ass. The nose has lots of violets, menthol, forest floor and licorice. A monster that needs a long time to come into its own. I can taste the layers, and I think one day this is gonna be very good, but right now there's nothing there.
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Red
2014 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry
Another 2014 Cliff Lede wine that is totally backward and shut down. It is just nails. Lots of blueberries, spring flowers, some black tar and licorice on the nose. Huge and totally massive, this wine is coiled up for an unknown duration. I wouldn't open one for a long time. Can't rate.
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Red
2014 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
Between my last tasting note in December and now, this wine has closed up. It is huge, tannic and appears to be in a shutdown phase like the Rock Block and Poetry. I'm getting nothing out of it. I would wait a long while before popping the cork.
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Flight 10 - Barrel Tasting with Sam Kaplan, Genevieve Bechtold (6 notes)
These wines are an absolutely STUNNING. Sam and Genevieve are just terrific people. If you haven't checked out Sam's label Maxem, take a look.
Red
2016 Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon
96 points
Barrel sample. These 2016's from MM are showing exceptionally well early. Super aromatics that are similar to the Dr Crane SVD. Lots of violets, blueberries, black cherries, a bit of scorched earth and some great mineral notes. Nicely plush and layered, this wine has great concentration and depth of flavor, with a full bodied mid pallet and long finish. I think this is headed toward something really terrific. 95-97.
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Red
2016 Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
98 points
Barrel sample. Inky purple. This has all the hallmarks of the Dr Crane vineyard. Beautiful, soaring aromatics of violets, crushed rock, blueberries, creme de cassis and loamy earth undertones. Wonderfully powerful and concentrated fruit, with exceptional structure, complexity and layering. Medium to full bodied, with tons of blue and red fruit complimented by deep mineral driven flavors. Super long and pure finish. Think this one will be as good if not better than 2015. Unbelievable effort here. Great work Sam Kaplan! 97-99
Red
2016 Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras
99 points
Oh man, I absolutely love how Sam Kaplan works with MM blocks of this site. This is just an otherworldly wine and continues the knockout efforts of the past couple vintages. Very dark purple in the glass. Gorgeous notes of blackberries, plums, scorched earth, wet stone and gravel. On the pallet this delivers layers and layers of gorgeous dark fruit, with unbelievable texture, outrageous purity and tremendous tannin management. Very complex and polished already. This is wine is gonna be killer. Not sure if it can eclipse 2015, but it will certainly give it a shot. Amazing work. 98-100
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Red
2016 Arkenstone Estate
96 points
Barrel tasting. This wine was formerly known as the Obsidian. This is just fabulous right now. Deep, inky purple color. Popping with great floral and earthy aromatics, to go with asian spices and blackberries. This mountain fruit is singing in its youth, with a wonderfully rich yet taut mouthfeel, deep mineral driven flavors and great structure. I have to wonder if this will shut down in bottle, since this site is known for wines that beg for aging. Right now, it is gorgeous, long and pure. 95-97+
White
2016 Maxem Chardonnay UV Vineyard
95 points
Barrel tasting. Wow, what a great Chardonnay from Sam Kaplan! First time I've ever tried this wine and it really impressed. This is from the UV vineyard of Aubert fame and Sam's got this one right in line those magnificent wines. Little bit of lemon zest, melon, apricot and nutmeg on the nose. Really wonderfully balanced and elegant on the pallet, showing absolutely tremendous acid lift on the backend. Super pure and a great, fresh flavor profile. Really a tremendous effort. 94-96
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Red
2016 Maxem Pinot Noir UV Vineyard
94 points
Barrel tasting. Another great wine from Sam Kaplan. Rich looking in the glass. A big nose of dark cherries, herbs and spice box. Wonderfully expressive on the pallet, with deep, intense red fruit flavors. Definitely a big pinot with exceptional fruit, a big mouthfeel, excellent purity and a very nice long finish. 93-95
Flight 11 - Tasting at the home of Steve & Seanne Contursi (4 notes)
The Contursi's are super generous and wonderful people. Their wines continue to get better and better.
Red
2014 Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
95 points
Very nice wine. Lots of blueberry pie on the nose, with spring flowers, crushed rock and a bit of tobacco. On the pallet this is nicely structured, with good fruit intensity and wonderful layering. It is a bit shy at the moment and you can tell these wines are made to last and avoid being forward or showy. One of the more age worthy 2014's I've had from this site. Really nice tannic structure holding it together and a long finish. I'd give these a few years in the cellar and then watch as it unfolds into something special.
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Red
2014 Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label
93 points
This is a blend of Lewelling and Stagecoach. Very nicely done. Really floral and fragrant, mixing in crushed flowers and deep blackberry fruit with hints of cedar and forest floor. Lots of black fruit here on the attack, and it's a nice mixture of the rather high toned fruit from elevation and expressive fruit from the valley floor. Medium to full bodied, with mineral and iron elements adding to the flavor profile. Pretty good complexity and a solid frame. This will last a while.
Red
2014 Arrow & Branch
94 points
This is a majority cab franc wine from their estate in Coombsville. The rest is merlot and cabernet sauvignon, with perhaps a minimal amount of petit verdot if I remember correctly. Great wine. A wonderfully fresh and fragrant nose, displaying roses and violet to go with raspberries, blackberries and some asian spices. On the pallet this is very pure, with nice restraint. Showing a lot of earthy spice with blue and red fruit. Long finish and good flavor profile. Made to age.
White
2014 Arrow & Branch Sauvignon Blanc Heritage Reserve
91 points
This was a really interesting wine and a treat to experience. A Sauv Blanc built to age. The nose here is a dead ringer for champagne. Raw almonds, vanilla, creme brulee, some honeysuckle and a yeasty element. None of the typical citrus fruit. Nicely texturized, with notions of melon and apricots. Not real long but totally unusual and cerebral.
Flight 12 - Dinner with Patrice Breton (3 notes)
Dinner round #2. These wines did not disappoint.
Red
2015 Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon BBS Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
99 points
The BBS is a selection of the best blocks from the center of the vineyard. They make only one barrel/25 cases of BBS for each of the Beckstoffer wines, along with an M7 that is a blend of the best of the BBS.
Similar notes to the one I posted on 9/11/2017. While obviously pricey, these BBS wines are just tremendous. Spring flowers, violets, blueberries, scorched earth on the nose. Much like many of the other BBS wines I had recently, just enormous concentration, energy and drive - framed with perfect tannin management and wonderful complexity. My favorite kind of black/blue fruit mixed in with deep minerality. Such a great wine. The length is fairly epic - 1min+.
Thanks to Patrice for this amazing wine!
Similar notes to the one I posted on 9/11/2017. While obviously pricey, these BBS wines are just tremendous. Spring flowers, violets, blueberries, scorched earth on the nose. Much like many of the other BBS wines I had recently, just enormous concentration, energy and drive - framed with perfect tannin management and wonderful complexity. My favorite kind of black/blue fruit mixed in with deep minerality. Such a great wine. The length is fairly epic - 1min+.
Thanks to Patrice for this amazing wine!
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Red
2010 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard
99 points
This is a very special wine showing amazingly well right now. Expressive nose of herbs, black cherry, coffee beans, pencil shavings and wet stone. On the pallet this is just magic. Effortless power and sophistication. Layered and textured perfectly, it just glides from the front to the back of your mouth totally weightlessly. Absolutely perfect tannin integration. Nice, big finish of over 45secs. Pure class. 99+
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Red
2008 Rudd Oakville Estate Proprietary Red
95 points
Thanks for CSIMM for providing this bottle. It was pretty amazing to see this 2008 in the glass, because it showed literally no signs of age. Still a deep, inky purple in the glass and most all of the flavor profile still showed young. Definitely tremendous winemaking talent and high quality fruit.
This was on the table with a 2015 Vice Versa Dr Crane BBS and 2010 Araujo Eisele, which likely hurt the score here. By comparison, this showed itself to be more brawny, rustic and a bit harsher on the pallet. It had great concentration and very deep and vibrant fruit. The mid pallet was full and it was really on the finish where it got a bit disjointed and astringent. Hopefully more years in the bottle will smooth this out. Nevertheless, a very nice wine.
This was on the table with a 2015 Vice Versa Dr Crane BBS and 2010 Araujo Eisele, which likely hurt the score here. By comparison, this showed itself to be more brawny, rustic and a bit harsher on the pallet. It had great concentration and very deep and vibrant fruit. The mid pallet was full and it was really on the finish where it got a bit disjointed and astringent. Hopefully more years in the bottle will smooth this out. Nevertheless, a very nice wine.
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Flight 13 - Chateau Boswell Tasting (3 notes)
Such great, great wines. Sad they are so pricey. Can't imagine a lot of this doesn't go to distribution; it could sellout DTC at about $100 less.
Red
2015 Château Boswell RTB
98 points
Just a gorgeous nose emanating from this wine. Beautiful spring flowers, blueberries, raspberries, tobacco and spice box. This is super concentrated yet firm, with lots of structure surrounding the gorgeous blue and red fruit that hits the pallet in waves. Great lift from the Cab Franc which also adds to the backbone. This comes across as super fresh with exceptional quality of fruit. Not sure if it's quite 100, but time will tell. It's a tremendous effort and was the standout after tasting the BTK and Estate side by side. Just wish their pricing was more in line with similar quality wineries at the DTC level. 98+
Red
2015 Château Boswell Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
97 points
This is real nice effort. Lots of creme de cassis, fresh cherries, wet stone and minerals on the nose. Very plush and round on the pallet, with exceptional quality of fruit and super depth and concentration. I think Melka did the blending on this vintage and you can tell, because the wine isn't as crazy massive as it might have been under Bevan. Lots of fine, integrated tannins and a wonderfully long finish.
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Red
2015 Château Boswell Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve
96 points
This wine had been open for about 24 hours when I tasted it. It was showing very well and this speaks to its quality and longevity. Wonderful nose of herbs, blackberries, asian spices and earthy elements. The pallet is nicely plush and round, but not at all sloppy. Firm fine grained tannins hold together a lovely structure that is complemented by great black and blue fruit flavor and intensity. Full bodied. Some deep loamy earth and minerals come into play as the wine hits a nice, long and satisfying finish. Another really lovely wine from CB.
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Flight 14 - Realm Tasting w/ Juan Mercado (4 notes)
Juan's such a great guy and a good friend. Everyone knows by now how amazing the wines are from Realm. The SVD's just blow the doors off it in the 2015 vintage.
Red
2015 Realm Cellars Farella Vineyard
98 points
WOW, WOW, WOW. This wine is showing so well right now, it is hard to believe; especially given this is from the cooler end of Napa and generally has a bit more restrained profile.
The Farella is giving you everything you could want in a Napa Cab at the moment. Very dark in the glass. Lots of plums, blackcurrant, cloves, crushed rock and a hint of cedar. On the pallet, this is super open for business. Full bodied with tons of expressive dark chocolate, black fruit and deep earthy and mineral driven notes. Outrageously pure, with super fine tannins, insanely perfect texture and great length. Not sure this could get much better. 98+
The Farella is giving you everything you could want in a Napa Cab at the moment. Very dark in the glass. Lots of plums, blackcurrant, cloves, crushed rock and a hint of cedar. On the pallet, this is super open for business. Full bodied with tons of expressive dark chocolate, black fruit and deep earthy and mineral driven notes. Outrageously pure, with super fine tannins, insanely perfect texture and great length. Not sure this could get much better. 98+
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Red
2015 Realm Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
99 points
One of my favorite wines, this 2015 vintage does not disappoint! I had this right after the 2015 Realm Farella that was just SINGING, so there was a difficult comparison for the Crane. While this wasn't quite as ready to drink, it still has a bit more stuffing and slightly better flavor profile for my tastes.
Strikingly deep inky purple in the glass. One smell and you fall for this wine. The beautiful cassis fruit, violets, scorched earth, crushed rock and tobacco aromas just jump from the glass. This is a super, super long wine. Same amazing texture as the Farella, but significantly bigger and more tannic. It is huge, but super precise and focused. The layers of flavor go on and on, and the finish lingers for over 1min. This is likely a perfect wine in a few years.
Strikingly deep inky purple in the glass. One smell and you fall for this wine. The beautiful cassis fruit, violets, scorched earth, crushed rock and tobacco aromas just jump from the glass. This is a super, super long wine. Same amazing texture as the Farella, but significantly bigger and more tannic. It is huge, but super precise and focused. The layers of flavor go on and on, and the finish lingers for over 1min. This is likely a perfect wine in a few years.
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Red
2015 Realm Cellars Moonracer
97 points
This is a really great Moonracer. A bit better than the 2014 in my estimation. I had it right after an amazing 2015 Realm Farella and 2015 Realm Dr Crane, so it was pretty much setup to fail. Thankfully, it didn't come close to doing so.
Lots of floral notes mixed in with spices and tobacco on the nose. That there is some cab franc and merlot in here isn't surprising. This was a bit more red on the pallet than the two other Realm wines before it, with a slightly more restrained profile and seemingly a bit higher in acid. Same gorgeous texture here, and you get a nice full bodied strong mid pallet. Finish is strong, but a bit cutting at the moment. Needs some time, but this is a great wine.
Lots of floral notes mixed in with spices and tobacco on the nose. That there is some cab franc and merlot in here isn't surprising. This was a bit more red on the pallet than the two other Realm wines before it, with a slightly more restrained profile and seemingly a bit higher in acid. Same gorgeous texture here, and you get a nice full bodied strong mid pallet. Finish is strong, but a bit cutting at the moment. Needs some time, but this is a great wine.
Red
2012 Realm Cellars Farella Vineyard
95 points
This is showing quite well, but wasn't as good as the 2015 served right before it. A bit of green on the nose, with some menthol, herbs, cassis fruit and earthy notions. Medium to full bodied. Holding together real nicely on the pallet, with good structure, integrated tannins and a bunch of chocolatey black fruit. Nice acid and a healthy finish. Showing some of the cool climate, BDX elements as it ages.
Closing
So many awesome people on this trip, it would be impossible to thank them all. Patrice & Samatha Breton, Alex MacDonald, Kyle Janzen, Sam Kaplan, Genevieve Bechtold, Steve & Seanne Contursi and Juan Mercado all were so generous with their time and wine. Just great people.