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Napa 2023 - The Sequel
Tasted August 23, 2023 - August 28, 2023 by Geaux Tigers with 277 views
Introduction
Decided to visit a second time in 2023 because one time is never enough.
Here are some observations—
Apparently a very slow summer from a tourism perspective, but that didn’t stop hotels from sticking with outrageous room rates.
Veraison is 3 weeks behind in many parts of the valley, fruit is gonna be hanging til Halloween. Pray for no rain!
Flying into Concord airport from Vegas is now my favorite way to get into Napa. Still, sucks having to fly out of SFO.
Flight 1 - Dinner in Vegas at Carbone (3 notes)
Two BYO and a list purchase
Red
2016 Realm Cellars The Absurd
99 points
PnP and this was ready from the start. Still a little youth showing but wow, what a wine. Red berry and blue fruit complimented by a chocolate note on the back end. Not overly complex, but fun to drink. Everything in harmony, no hard edges. WOTN at dinner.
Much better than the ‘14s I’ve had which were more black fruited and heavy on the plums.
Missed out on the Benjamin because I think this can get even better. Sadly, I will never know, this was my last.
Much better than the ‘14s I’ve had which were more black fruited and heavy on the plums.
Missed out on the Benjamin because I think this can get even better. Sadly, I will never know, this was my last.
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Comments (1)
Red
1999 Antinori Tignanello
92 points
PnP with early moldy funk that took 15 min to blow off. Mushrooms, oysters, saddle leather, dried tobacco, dried red cherry. Good for what it was, glad I had a chance to try. Not familiar with the aging curve on these but seems past peak for my palate.
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Red
2017 Marchesi Fumanelli Amarone della Valpolicella Octavius Riserva
91 points
Big wine with 16%+ AC but hides it pretty well. Bright on the palate, with red cherry, dried cherry, hint of damp forest. Enough tannin still around to cut through a ribeye but even with the high AC, it did not overpower the food. Still some potential for growth and development with a little more age or more air.
Flight 2 - Kamen Estate Vineyards (4 notes)
Such a gorgeous site and beautiful views from the tasting patio. Even got to meet the man himself.
White
2022 Kamen Estate Sauvignon Blanc
94 points
A blend of ~85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Sauvignon Musque that exhibits a lovely tropical profile without the usual sharp acidity I find in SBs. Melon, pineapple, lovely smooth flow across the palate. Revisited several times and bought.
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Red
2018 Kamen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
PnP and revisited several times over 90 min, but this was locked down by a wall of tannins and oak that let only a bit of blackberry and blueberry through. Deep and dark colored, reminded me of the ‘13 at the same stage, so it has that going for it. Lots of potential but no score today. Give this 5 more years sideways.
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Comments (3)
Red
2019 Kamen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Lava Block
96 points
Two different bottles-one opened in the morning from an earlier tasting and one was PnP. I’m guessing the open bottle had 4-5 hrs of air and was outstanding, my favorite of the visit. Blackberry, black cherry, big indeed but refined in way that was balanced. Long finish. Love what Mark Herold did with this in 19. The PnP bottle was a little more boisterous with a slightly higher fruit tone and a few fine tannins hitting the front of the palate. Drink now with 4-5 hr of air or lay down 3-4 years.
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Comments (2)
Red
2019 Kamen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Kashmir Cuvee
95 points
Opened 4-5 hrs from a prior tasting, this was the biggest of the wines, some black cherry and primarily sweet juicy plum at this stage. Oak at bay, but a nice tannic backbone carried this along to a medium-long finish. Drink now with 5-6 hr of air or lay down 5-6 years.
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Comments (1)
Flight 3 - Argot Wines & Adversity Cellars (5 notes)
Red
2021 Argot Pinot Noir Bastard Tongue
Deep, dark, textured pinot with black cherry, smoke and cola. Pinot for cab drinkers. Not sure how to score, but we liked it and bought even though we are not Pinot fans.
Red
2021 Argot Cabernet Sauvignon StarStruck
Lovely mix of three vineyards (Bonny’s / Sugarloaf / Sage Ridge). Oak is well managed here, but this is still young and somewhat tannic. The pieces and parts are still having a cage match. When they decide to dance together and work in harmony, I think this is going to be a winner. 91 as is, room up to 94-95 with time.
Red
2021 Adversity Cellars The Twin
This one was hard to figure out for me. Sandwiched in between two other wines that showed way better on this day, it just didn’t have that expected oomph to shine. Agree with jimyeni that this is softer than the Catastrophe, and I would say a lighter body red than the Catastrophe and Melanson. Would love to try this again in 5 years. No score.
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Red
2021 Adversity Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Catastrophy
In the typical Bevan style, this is a blend of various vineyards (ala Ontogeny but with a bigger price tag). The many parts show well now early with fruit up front and that glycerin like mouthfeel I find in Russell’s best wines. Lay down for 2-3 years and let the parts integrate further.
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Red
2021 Adversity Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard
94 points
I’ve had a love hate relationship with Melanson until now. Love what Russell did with this. Deeply colored blackish purple with a bluish tinge, oak and fine tannins managed very well for Pritchard Hill. Mix of red and black fruit with a mineral undertones. This was a really great wine even at this early stage and will definitely develop in the coming years, so much so that I added more to my prior order. 94 for now, room up to 96-97 with time.
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Flight 4 - Black Sears (2 notes)
Great visit with Kelly Richardson. Gorgeous views and a great walkabout through the blocks. Joined a wine club for the first time in a long long while even though I am cutting back.
Red
2019 Black Sears Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
93 points
PnP, could have used a decant as there was sediment on the cork and in the bottle even at this early stage. Delicious mountain fruit-black cherry, blackberry, hint of forest, nice tannic backbone that carried it across the palate. While the grippy tannins seem to subdue this finish, this was far more open for a 2019 mountain wine than I would have thought. I think this gets better with years sideways.
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Red
2019 Black Sears Zinfandel Estate
From very old vines on the top of Howell Mountain made famous by Helen Turley, this was delicious and drank more like a cab. Inky mouthfeel without the harsh peppery fruit notes I usually find. Cassis, black fruit dominant notes. Good, but Zin is not my thing.
Flight 5 - Lunch at Farmstead (1 note)
After hearing all about this new project from Roy Piper, we were excited to have arranged lunch with Jack Bittner, who kindly agreed to meet us for lunch and graciously shared a bottle of the 2019.
Red
2019 001 Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Ecotone Vineyard
94 points
Lunch with Jack Bittner at Farmstead. Graeme MacDonald’s wine making style on display. Elegant and dare I say restrained in the context of big Napa wines (a good thing in this case). Black raspberry, red raspberry, hint of cola, no showy oak apart from a hint of melted chocolate, nice tannic structure at this stage that really framed the wine. Not a hard edge anywhere even this early. Can’t wait to see what this is like after they really dial in the winemaking. 94 as is, room up to high 90s with more age.
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Comments (11)
Flight 6 - Fait Main Wines (4 notes)
Great visit with Nikita in the St. Helena tasting room. Four cabs, all delicious. Glad to see Fait Main expanding and building a great portfolio.
Red
2021 Fait-Main Cabernet Sauvignon
93 points
I was expecting a big wine based on prior notes, but we didn’t find it big at all. Fruit forward, not much complexity, but otherwise fun to drink. This was overwhelmed by its brethren who showed much better on this day. Fairly decent QPR for a wine at this price point.
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Red
2021 Fait-Main Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper
95 points
Missouri Hopper is one of our wheelhouse wines and no surprise it was our favorite of the tasting. A core of red and blue fruit carried through to a medium finish that kept us revisiting. Still needs to resolve some oak, but nice tannin management and was able to get a little bubble gum note toward the end of the tasting. Forgot to buy at release so corrected that mistake quickly.
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Comments (1)
Red
2021 Fait-Main Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras
95 points
Just a really well made wine year on year and one I can really appreciate even if I am not a LPV fan. Black fruit on a nice mineral core with a mouthfeel that simply glides across the palate.
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Red
2021 Fait-Main Cabernet Sauvignon Tierra Roja Vineyard
This was the most closed off of the wines and seemingly didn’t show much so was hard to judge. Hints of black fruit peeked through over an hour, but seems to have potential. No score. Already bought and no regrets.
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Flight 7 - Cimarossa (5 notes)
Awesome visit with Daniel who showed us the different blocks on a side-by-side tour followed by a tasting in the cabin that overlooks the property. We even had a visit from Dino. Everything you’ve read about how Cimarossa is great is indeed true and probably still undersells this beautiful property. Delicious olive oil!
Red
2019 Cimarossa Cabernet Sauvignon Rive di Cimarossa
Poured first and quickly outshone by its brethren. Markers of Howell Mtn appeare faintly and somewhat muted, but just didn’t fit my palate.
Red
2019 Cimarossa Cabernet Sauvignon Rian Vineyard
93 points
I really liked this wine and kept revisiting until the Buriana showed up. The most refined and elegant of the wines with forest floor, red cherry and a tannic backbone that carried through to a medium finish, but unfortunately that backbone also clipped the fruit a bit. That being said, this was my second favorite and I left with the 19 and a few back vintages.
Red
2019 Cimarossa Cabernet Sauvignon Riva di Ponente Vineyard
My least favorite of the Cimarossa stable. I think this one needed more air than it got. Slightly thin, and the most muted of the four cabs.
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Red
2019 Cimarossa Cabernet Sauvignon Buriana Vineyard
95 points
Just a gorgeous beautiful boisterous wine. My favorite and showed all red and black fruited notes with damp forest floor already showing through. Still some oak showing but fewer tannins here than the other wines. Long finish.
Red
2017 Cimarossa Cabernet Sauvignon Il Circolo
Poured last in the tasting during Dino’s visit so wasn’t able to pay a lot of attention for specific notes, but this was somewhat different and more complex than the others, perhaps due to age, but I really liked it and bought the 2016 and 2017.
Flight 8 - O’Shaughnessy (8 notes)
One of two return visits for us on this trip, and our experience with Bob greatly exceeded our prior visit. This was a great prelude for a compare/contrast with Progeny the following day. Rejoined the wine club for HM/MV allocations.
White
2021 O'Shaughnessy Sauvignon Blanc Children's Garden
91 points
Very nice opener for a white, typical Napa sauvignon blanc without being overly acidic or bitter.
White
2021 O'Shaughnessy Chardonnay
Oaky and buttery at this stage, some lemon curd, but young and may improve with time.
Red
2019 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
92 points
Lovely blend of Howell Mtn and Mt Veeder cabs plus bit and pieces of others. As an opener for the reds, this was delicious, but quickly outshone by the Howell Mountain and Mount Veeder twin pillars. Nice QPR for under $100.
Red
2019 O'Shaughnessy Malbec
93 points
Initially served without explanation, and I side eyed it because it was good. I was surprised when this was revealed as Malbec as it was unexpected — I did not know O’Shaughnessy was bottling a single variety Malbec. I was also surprised at how delicious it was. More depth and texture than most Malbec I’ve had. Drank more like a dark red fruited cab.
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Red
2019 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
93 points
As with the other 2019 Howell Mountain cabs we tasted on this trip, this was far more open than expected displaying the typical black and red fruit and hints of damp forest I consistently find in the O’s HM cabs. Good now, will definitely improve with time.
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Comments (1)
Red
2019 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder
The most closed off of all the wines, this did not give much but hints of what may be to come. Tannins are still closing this one off, but swirling resulted in puffs of red fruit and pine forest. Hold for 7+ years. No score.
Red
2013 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
95 points
Decanted for a short time (not sure how long). My favorite of the tasting, still a nice tannic backbone in place but nice balance developing between the fruit and earthy notes. Forest floor and black and red cherry complimenting each other, I think with more air, more complexity would have ensued. This has many years left but is certainly in the early part of a delicious drinking window.
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Comments (6)
Red
2013 O'Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder
94 points
Decanted for a short time (not sure how long). My second favorite of the tasting. Mountain pine forest, evergreen notes, dark berry fruit. More closed off than the 2013 HM but good nevertheless. This still has many years left even at 10 yrs old. Still needs an extended decant to show its best.
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Comments (1)
Flight 9 - Arrow & Branch (6 notes)
Another great Arrow & Branch visit, this time to introduce some friends to the wine and to get an update on the new winery being built in Oak Knoll.
White
2018 Arrow & Branch Sauvignon Blanc Heritage Reserve
94 points
Blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Musque this was the opener we needed. Served at just the right temperature to showcase a softer tropical wine that set the stage for everything to follow. One of the best blanc/musque blends I’ve ever had.
Red
2013 Arrow & Branch
94 points
Red fruit, black fruit, smoke, delicious. Kinda got lost behind everything else yet 94 might be conservative.
Red
2018 Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label
92 points
The most tannic of the wines, it was also the most black fruited. Delicious in its own right, suffered from being served next to older vintages and the seemingly more wide open 19s. Seems to have a lot of potential with more age or an extended decant.
Red
2016 Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
95 points
Outstanding. White flowers, bittersweet chocolate, hint of purple fruit, dark berry liquer, long finish. Refined and elegant version of Dr. Crane. Oak has receded, just enough tannic backbone to keep it interesting. Drink now with air, or let rest a couple of more years for maximum delight.
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Red
2019 Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch
96 points
Red fruited beauty with accompanying earthy notes that I always find in the VHR wines that usually take many years to manifest in other wines. Even more refined and restrained than its peers, this is a delightful rendition. Bought more. I would not hesitate to pop another with a little air in the short term and follow the rest over several years.
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Comments (3)
Red
2021 Arrow & Branch Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard
98 points
Served as a surprise at the end of the tasting, this was a head turner. Red fruit, mineral undercurrent on a fine tannic backbone. Young with some tannins still in play, but this is probably one of the most elegant and refined young wines I’ve ever had from BTK. I loved what Jennifer Williams did here from one of the younger blocks. Just when I think I might be done with BTK, this wine pulled me back in. To say I was starstruck by this wine would be an understatement.
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Flight 10 - Lunch at Progeny (4 notes)
Lunch at the winery hosted by Anthony. Food was deliciously paired with each wine. The views were spectacular but the wines were even better. Progeny vineyards sit hundreds of feet below where the O’Shaughnessy MV sit is and it shows in a stable of Cabernets that seem less austere and more approachable early on the age curve.
White - Sparkling
2018 Henriot Champagne Brut Souverain
Our opener during a visit to Progeny. Nice balance of fruit, nuts and toasted brioche. May have to seek out some.
Red
2013 Progeny Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Mt. Veeder
97 points
Home-run wine. Hitting on all cylinders with black and red fruit showcased on a base of some early secondary notes of earth and mountain forest. My favorite of the tasting. I preferred this to the 2013 O’Shaughnessy Mount Veeder the day prior. The lower altitude Progeny vineyard shows through with a little more fruit and slightly less structure.
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Comments (3)
Red
2016 Progeny Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Mt. Veeder
94 points
Less open than the 2013, but no slouch. Similar notes of red and black fruit, less boisterous fruit, but more pine forest showing. A little more oak and tannins holding this one back. Needs a few years, but don’t sleep on this one.
Red
2018 Progeny Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Mt. Veeder
Young and brooding, this was the most muted of the wines but was still very good. Tannins still holding this back with mostly black cherry showing through. Paired with cheese, it showed slightly more. Needs 5 years sideways before a recheck. No score.
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Flight 11 - Vin Fraiche tasting at The Cheese Shed (4 notes)
Great visit and tasting with Mark, who was a most gracious host. Tasted Gagnon-Kennedy, Component, and State of Mind, along with a few others. Great stable of wines here!
White - Sparkling
N.V. State of Mind Brut
What a way to open to open our Cheese Shed tasting.
55% Chardonnay, 42% Pinot Noir, 3% Pinot Meunier
Easy drinking, glides effortlessly over the palate with a wave a fruit and a hint of toast in the end. The nose matches the palate, which doesn’t always happen with bubbles for this consumer. Darker color than expected for a sparkler. This might be my new back porch choice for bubbles once HTX cools off. Bought more than I should, no regrets.
55% Chardonnay, 42% Pinot Noir, 3% Pinot Meunier
Easy drinking, glides effortlessly over the palate with a wave a fruit and a hint of toast in the end. The nose matches the palate, which doesn’t always happen with bubbles for this consumer. Darker color than expected for a sparkler. This might be my new back porch choice for bubbles once HTX cools off. Bought more than I should, no regrets.
Red
2021 Gagnon-Kennedy Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III
Red and black berry fruit, slightly acidic and a somewhat sharp back end. Good now, will be much better in 3-5 when it settles down. I’m not a GIII fan in the base case so not fair to score.
Red
2021 Gagnon-Kennedy Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper
94 points
Love what Gagnon Kennedy did with Missouri Hopper in 2021, red fruit dominant, still some oak to resolve, hint of bubble gum, though not as much as the Fait Main version we had earlier in the week. As good as this was, it is unfortunately at the lower end of the QPR scale for Missouri Hopper wines, even though the quality is there. Nevertheless went home with a 3 pack because we really liked it.
Red
2021 State of Mind Cabernet Sauvignon The Caldwell Vineyard
Red and blue fruits, nice energy and tension at this early stage, but youth, oak and tannins are reigning back the palate. Lay this down and try again in 5-7 years. I like the potential here and bought.
Flight 12 - Dinner at Cole’s (1 note)
Red
2017 Mi Sueño Cabernet Sauvignon
92 points
New producer for us. Fruit forward and ready from PnP. Hint of oak, some fine tannins still around. Enjoyed over dinner at Cole’s even with exhausted palates. Great QPR at < $100.