Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
Napa day trip (VHR, Bevan, Lokoya)
Napa
Tasted May 28, 2022 by WineBurrowingWombat with 241 views
Introduction
Another day trip up to Napa with Stealth913. No formal notes but did my best to take notes on every bottle we had.
Flight 1 - Vine Hill Ranch (3 notes)
Fun & educational storytelling from an awesome rancher. An incredible time hanging out with Bruce, showing us the vineyards and telling us stories.. it was like two kids going on an adventure with this guy. The wines were also incredible. Wish we could've spent more time there.. and we wanted to so badly. Thanks again, Bruce! You were awesome.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier Brut
94 points
Inviting nose of fresh yellow fruits, clean river water, pebbles, clean bread that is almost toasted, fresh berries and white flowers. Flavors of bitter minerals, ripe fruit, great salinity that keeps everything in balance, and light hay. Wanted the bubbles to be just a bit finer. Very pleasant and easy to enjoy.
Red
2015 VHR Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch
97 points
Very perfumed and elegant on the nose. Clean aromas of fresh roses, earthy minerals, elegant red fruits, fine tobacco leaves and nice leather notes. Palate is very similar to the nose of elegant, deep red fruits, fine graphite, clean and dry forest floor. Finely grained tannin. Everything about this wine is so fine. There's a great juxtaposition between the dark fruits and the bright freshness the wine brings.
6 people found this helpful
Comments (4)
Red
2019 VHR Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch
98 points
The nose is much more darker in fruit and earth. The elegance that showed on the nose in the '15 is much more subdued here, but still has nice dark aromas. The flavors show a much more rich and darker red fruits with a brooding elegance. Dark, fine graphite and dark pure fruit. This is like the cool bad guy that we cheer for in a movie.
12 people found this helpful
Comments (11)
Flight 2 - Bevan tasting & lunch @ Brasswood Bar + Kitchen (6 notes)
Hosted by Theodora and the wines were served with lunch. Nothing really paired well but it was a good tasting nonetheless! Food was quite tasty as well.
White
2021 Bevan Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Dry Stack Vineyard
92 points
Quite perfumed aromas of ripe pears, more yellow fruits, clean minerals, soft grass, and a creamy nose. On the palate are spiced citrus fruits, deep notes of straw, and softly bitter grass. The spiced fruit might be an acquired taste for me.
2 people found this helpful
Comment
White
2020 Bevan Cellars Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard
91 points
Aromas of deep earth, a soft smokey note and dried hay that covers the fruits a bit. Flavors of deep yellow fruits, tree bark, grass, some dark bitter minerals and bitter hay. There's a bit of a bite to this on the palate.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2019 Bevan Cellars Ontogeny
94 points
Aromas of ripe red and blue fruits, fruited earth, green leafiness and soft graphite. Flavors of rich, dark red and purple fruit, deep dark earth, spiced tree bark and dark minerals. These never fail to impress me, always a good time with a bottle of Ontogeny. Don't hold onto these for too long.
4 people found this helpful
Comments (1)
Red
2017 Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard, Vixen Block
95 points
Aromas of red fruits and a bit of blue fruits, red flowers, dark green shrubs and leafy notes. On the palate, the red fruits ride a bit higher, dark minerals but with a shiny element to it, bitter and wet tree bark and a pleasant juiciness. Although juicy and nice brightness to it, it was without freshness.
2 people found this helpful
Comment
Red
2018 Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Tench Vineyard
96 points
Tons of crushed river rocks, dark fruits and wet soft oak on the nose. Flavors of dark and rich fruit, deep spiced earth, dark and shiny minerals. This is quite layered, very tasty. Never had a nose like this before where its a bunch of crushed rocks before, very nice.
2 people found this helpful
Comments (1)
Red
2016 Bevan Cellars EE Cuvée Tench Vineyard
94 points
Aromas of fresh red fruits, light purple fruit with a bit of heat on the nose. Palate shows dark rush of red fruits and deep earth. There is a touch of softness to the wine, which makes me think the little bit of age is what does that to the wine.
4 people found this helpful
Comments (1)
Flight 3 - Lokoya (6 notes)
Tasting hosted by Taylor. The tasting consisted of all four mountain sites. These will reward those with the most patience, at least 10 years.
White
2019 La Jota Chardonnay W.S. Keyes Vineyard
95 points
Loved the nose on this one. Clean, pure, crisp white fruit and soft flowers. The fruit on the nose is so crisp. Flavors of clean, soft and fresh pineapple, clean minerals with a touch of softness. This was so clean and quite refreshing, not heavy at all.
1 person found this helpful
Comments (3)
Red
2018 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain
95 points
Nose of really subtle, almost quiet flowers and dark fruits but with a softness. On the palate was an elegant yet creamy note of red fruits, rush of deep red fruits, minerals in a running river, steeped tea and the dried earthy surface of a forest floor.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2018 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District
96 points
Interesting aromas of a greener nose, dark green leaves, a bit of pine, earthy fruits and minerals. The green aspect recedes with some time in the glass. On the palate is a rich but elegant dark fruit, clean graphite and shiny but dark minerals. One of the favorites of the tasting.
2 people found this helpful
Comment
Red
2018 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
97 points
Nose of purple and red flowers, dark red fruits and a brooding aspect to everything. Flavors are rich, even darker brooding fruit and forest floor. Always wanted to taste this one ever since I started my wine journey. Happy I am able to finally try it. My favorite of the flight.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2018 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder
97 points
This was the most perfumed of the flight, tons of wild flowers, red and elegant fruits. On the palate are young red fruits, clean oak and supporting dark minerals. This showed quite intensely but this is compared to the first pour that was completely muted and closed on the palate. The second pour was straight from the bottle which showed life. I wanted to like this much more but I realize these are all so young.
2 people found this helpful
Comment
Red
2007 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District
97 points
[Bonus pour]
On the nose was gorgeous flowers, beautiful and pure red fruits with a bit of black fruit, the minerals also are somehow precious on the nose like gems. The fruits and flowers were so aromatic. On the palate, this was surprisingly youthful. Elegant, rich and powerful fruit, very intense. We were asked by our host to guess the vintage and my guess was '14. This shows me what these wines are capable of in the long run. Patience will definitely be rewarded with all these mountain wines.
On the nose was gorgeous flowers, beautiful and pure red fruits with a bit of black fruit, the minerals also are somehow precious on the nose like gems. The fruits and flowers were so aromatic. On the palate, this was surprisingly youthful. Elegant, rich and powerful fruit, very intense. We were asked by our host to guess the vintage and my guess was '14. This shows me what these wines are capable of in the long run. Patience will definitely be rewarded with all these mountain wines.
2 people found this helpful
Comments (1)
Closing
Another fun trip to Napa - this never gets old.