12/25/2021 - Rockwine98 Likes this wine:

"The 2017 Sola Provus Cabernet Sauvignon is a sultry wine that opens with notes of crushed blackberries, black cherries, cassis, mushrooms, baked earth, and Christmas spices.  The wine’s complexity expands onto the palate with fudge brownies, savory spices, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The finish is long and layered, slowly drifting from one flavor to the next until you’re ready for another sip.”

94 Points - Wine Country Connection

12/31/2021 - Mmunger Does not like this wine:

I normally enjoy Figgins but this is the newest vintage I have had. It had the odd flavor of what I normally taste in an inexpensive wine that I believe they do to age them quicker. Never would have thought a Figgins to have this. Drank this with two others and all of us had the same opinion.

6/12/2021 - J_H Likes this wine:

- no decanting, 1h open in the bottle.

- Nose: already quite open nose, medium (~+) intense youthful aromas of bright fruit like red plums, cherries and also blueberries. Is very fresh and extremely animating on the nose. Not at all exuberant. Caramel and very fine toasting complement the complex nose. Also Mediterranean notes of spices, white pepper and a touch of eucalyptus, flint and crushed roses. Wow, gets more and more filigree and at the same time also dense. Really jumping out at you!!!

- Palate: higher alcohol, medium + acidity and now already silky. In the mouth a bit more marked by Merlot and the great fruit. Sangiovese gives great herbal aromas and high acidity and medium tannins that are super integrated and ripe. Cab Sauvignon brings structure and spices. All this makes the Grattamacco storable and yet it is surprisingly quick. Heavenly in the mid-palate with forward drive and also long-lasting on the finish. I have tasted few 2016s so far, but the precision and accessibility speak for themselves. A great compromise to drink now and expect more complexity in a few years. But I wouldn't write more than 15 years on the blackboard now.

- 95 points from a really great vintage (finally we can confirm this).

3/25/2020 - JustBert wrote:

Absolutely love this wine

7/17/2020 - EMark Likes this wine:

Murky, almost prune color. Astringent nose of dark berry. Typical CS dark berry--currant, blackberry, blueberry--fruit flavors on the tip of the tongue. However, it is fairly subtle and without that "sweet" sensation. Quite nice. Tannin is, pretty much, resolved, A touch of acidity. A full-bodied wine with a nice finish.

5/1/2021 - tc from santee wrote:

This could be a lack of appreciation on my part for the Nobel Nebbiolo grape but, it lacked depth and complexity. We opened it with Italian sausage and stuffed shells which should have been a great fit.

3/30/2021 - alohashirt Likes this wine:

This was a surprise on top of a surprise ...

I'd seen a very positive tasting note on the wineking youtube channel and put this on my wish list. I don't often drink Napa reds, but snapped up a bottle of this for $106. Then I read the cellartracker reviews, which were pretty mediocre for a $100 wine...

Day 1:
red fruit and pine needles on the nose, milk chocolate and raspberry on the palate, smooth, nice tannins, very appealing and better than the comments suggested. Very, very drinkable. A pleasant surprise.

Day 2:
the bottle was sealed, in the fridge overnight. I roasted chicken thighs on the bone, and poured a glass of this wine with positive expectations... Less on the nose, and when I tasted it I thought "huh? is this the right bottle?". It tastes like nothing - just kinda flat, less fruit than yesterday, not bad , but underwhelming.
"What if it's me? Am I getting a cold?"
So I grabbed to the two day old leftover Mt Veeder Cabernet 2018 and poured a glass. This was better, even with oxidation - it had more heft, more appeal.

Conclusion:
Day 1 this was a 92. Day 2 it was an 89. I'm scoring it 91. I don't know what to make of this. When I pay over $100 I expect to be wowed. I know that if I opened an El Nido Monastrell, a Wolf Blass Platinum Label Shiraz, or a Henschke Mt Edelstone then I would be wowed.

Are there any sure things in Napa?

1/23/2021 - Jrminkoff Likes this wine:

Tobacco back with cassis and leather. Almost perfect. We’ll see tomorrow.

3/23/2021 - tc from santee Likes this wine:

A very good Cab. PnP. For an 2018 this did not taste youthful. A super value at $33. I wish I had more.

11/3/2019 - VinoViking Likes this wine:

Another exceptionally good - and unique- wine from Altamura. Deep purple. Full bodied, big and strong. Jammy cherry and blackberry flavors, with spice and earthy notes. Nice tannins that add structure. Bigger than Italian wines from the same grape. Solid QPR. Good now, and will get better.

6/23/2020 - Fat1Wombat wrote:

Medium deep.
Varietal. Red fruit. Hint of veg. Vanilla and brown spice.
Mid weight. Flesh and rich.

7/24/2020 - Rosengoo wrote:

This clear and garnet red in colour wine was drank at home after opening the bottle 4 hours in advance. The wine had a nose of dark berries nixed with a bit of smoke. In the glass was a wine that had no flavours that stood out. I did get some cherries and a lingering bit of honey. The tannins and acidity were both surprisingly stronger than I expected or usually enjoy.
Quite frankly, although this wasn't a bad wine, it was very dull and forgettable and very different from the last time I tried this wine.

3/15/2020 - Harley1199 wrote:

By the glass from a previously decanted bottle. I have been trying to taste this wine for a long time despite the fact that I have not been short of opportunities and that is the combination of Gil, Ordóñez and Ringland is as predictable as the sun in the summer or the water is wet. So that we understand each other, I have in my cellar a bottle of 2006 Clío for this year because I know on first-hand what that wine is like when it is less than ten years old. This El Nido is, as expected, an ultra-concentrated, balsamic, smoked wine, some coffee with chocolate, with a lot of fruit in liquor and, once again, the alcohol stands out and overwhelms both the nose and the throat, burning the oesophagus. Before the palate, it was fleshy, excessively dense with drying notes of wood. I truly celebrate its success in America but it's definitely made not for me.

Por copas de una botella abierta y decantada de forma previa. Largo tiempo he ido dilatando el catar este vino pese a que no me han faltado oportunidades y es que la combinación Gil, Ordóñez y Ringland es tan previsible como el sol en el verano o que el agua moja. Para que nos entendamos, tengo en mi bodeguita una botella de Clío 2006 para este año porque conozco de primera mano cómo es ese vino con menos de diez años. Este El Nido es, como esperaba, un vino ultraconcentrado, balsámico, ahumado, algo de café con chocolate, con mucha fruta en licor y es que, de nuevo, el alcohol sobresale y apabulla tanto en nariz como en la garganta, quemando el esófago. Antes al paladar, se mostró carnoso, excesivamente denso con notas secantes de la madera. Celebro de verdad su éxito en América pero definitivamente no es para mí.

7/13/2019 - MikeJK Likes this wine:

Good quality wine but QPR was disappointingly low. Presented with left bank character, which would be fine for me but didn’t deliver on intensity/concentration on nose or palate. Acceptable but not memorable.

10/3/2017 - StraightnoChaser Likes this wine:

I have to agree with the previous contributor’s comments that this tastes like a mid-range, left-bank Bordeaux.
But the label says To Kalon and therefore it should taste like To Kalon, not something else
As such, it’s no bargain at $50
I’m grading the wine on it’s merits and it’s pretty good if not memorable. Subtle fruit and tannins, well-balanced and consistent over a 3 hour drinking window. No hard edges.
But if you look again at the label where it says;
“Beckstoffer To-Kalon”
It’s hard not to be disappointed

10/26/2017 - acyso wrote:

Plum Market Luxury Fall Tasting (Chicago, IL): Dark and earthy on the nose and palate, this is a really large-scaled wine. Fortunately, it is not particularly sweet like a lot of the other offenders were tonight, but this just seems big for its own sake -- I've never figured out what there is to enjoy about petite sirah, and this bottle doesn't help.

10/4/2019 - Slaz Does not like this wine:

A syrupy mess with weak notes of PS greatness. Disappointing overall, even if good grapes are evident.

9/16/2019 - Hooman Does not like this wine:

Don't buy

1/17/2019 - bestdamncab Likes this wine:

ZAP TRADE TASTING, nose of cherry fruit, same on the palate, simple, medium/big body, mouth drying fruit, tasty.

7/14/2019 - Slipawine Likes this wine:

good all around smooth

10/30/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote:

IMW - Cab / Cab Franc Walk-Around Tasting 2018 (mostly 2014 vintage) (Hyatt, San Francisco): Meaty with some pickle juice / acetic acid. Possible ethyl acetate - stylistic VA. Sweet and savory - olive and blackcurrant. Ripe palate with spiced tannins.

1/28/2019 - acoulsonwright wrote:

While very smooth and easy drinking it feels out of balance. Not enough acid or tannin to balance the fruit in my humble opinion, leaving a wine that tastes close to off dry, which is not what I would expect at this price.

6/23/2019 - jlhkiss Likes this wine:

Consistent with tasting notes last year - super sweet, concentrated, zingy pineapple and lemon curd set against honeysuckle, honeydew, almonds, raisins, and butterscotch, with some lime and tangerine zest mixed into the finish. Distinctive style and a distinctive vintage for this wine. Drink 2019-2022. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 90.

8/11/2018 - 1961Vintage Likes this wine:

Continues to build on complexity and wonderfulness

11/23/2018 - Martin Redmond Likes this wine:

Color - Pale straw yellow
Aromas - Apple, pear, lemon curd, almond, and toasty oak with a hint of chalk.
Body - Medium-bodied and impeccably balanced with very fresh with vibrant acidity
Taste - Baked apple, fresh pear, lemon meringue, and key lime accented with very appealing baking spice flavors
Finish - Long

100% Chardonnay from 42 year old dry-farmed vines on Spring Mountain 100% barrel fermented and raised for 9 months in 100% new French oak 850 cases produced

3/28/2019 - chrischap01 Likes this wine:

A bit young and hot, so i decanted for an hour. Soft tannins, but a sufficient acidic bite. Nice fruit, dominated by blackberry and tart cherry, with some barnyard and eucalyptus notes as well. Nice complexity, and it continued to develop in a positive fashion while it sat in the decanter for another hour or so as we drank it.

4/25/2019 - argonne1@gmail.com Likes this wine:

My wife and I, who have been drinking good quality reds (Napa and Bordeaux) for more than 40 years, might be alone on this, but we've found this wine to be among the top five cabs we've ever tasted. I should note that we rarely go above paying $50.00 for any wine. However, that does not cover wine which we've tasted where we were invited guests.

When shopping at Costco about a year ago, I noticed this wine, along with Hall's 2015 vintage, both selling for $49.75. Being aware of the cost of a Kathryn Hall first label at more than $150.00, I decided to buy one of each at what I call the second label.

We compared the 2014 and 2015 side by side and much preferred the 2014 though the 2015 was awarded 93 points by Wine Advocate and the 2014 only 91 points by Wine Spectator.

We noted that we could have drunk the 2014 all day it was that good.

I'm one of these wine buffs who doesn't go in for descriptions such a cigar box, graphite, leather, compote, blackberry reduction, etc. So for us, I can say it was full-bodied to the max, an appealing nose and one could enjoy the varietal cabernet character with every swallow. And lasting to and through the finish.

I'm pleased to say that on every subsequent trip to Costco I added a couple more bottles. Also tipped my friends. Within a week, it was all gone. We have a good supply to enjoy for a few years.

I'm baffled by some of the low ratings appearing here. Perhaps, I just came upon a very special batch. Maybe from a barrel that was intended for the first label but somehow ended up being bottled for the second label.

I suppose I would only know the answer to that if I ordered a 2014 from a different merchant and tasted them side by side.

Anyway, that has been our experience and I make no apology for this extraordinary rating.

5/2/2019 - EpochMD Likes this wine:

Tasted @ Altamura: beautiful, red currant, anise, smooth, soft tannins but definitely present. Really drinking nicely, great finish. Have consumed a ton of Altamura, as it's my dad's favorite wine, and this is as expected. I haven't tasted a lot of wines that are this consistent with their flavor profile and excellent drinking experience. Solid price point and appropriate.

9/18/2017 - euroventure Likes this wine:

Oaky, chocolaty, tobacco-laden and grapey...everything you expect from Napa. An interesting blend that lends more complexity to often unidimensional Cabs. The Cab Franc peeks through, especially after an hour or so. Indeed, this can sit in your cellar for a while, but it's very enjoyable now. Finish lingers pleasantly.

12/30/2018 - jpecht wrote:

Fruit bomb. Great wine.

1/8/2019 - magic2coop Likes this wine:

Good, smoky fruit. Tannins play a part at the finish, but not enough to consider it too young. Enjoy.

12/28/2018 - tkdlzhbb wrote:

이제그만

1/1/2019 - acidqueen wrote:

Yellow-gold color. Ripe and lush although with some framing acids that keep it from being soggy. Pineapple, apple and peach flavors. Too ripe for my tastes and definitely more oak than I like even if it isn’t overwhelming. Not sure what is going on - too much lees stirring perhaps? Not terrible but I would not seek this out. I am a Chablis drinker, to put this in perspective.

12/18/2018 - dsimmons Likes this wine:

My second of three and this bottle not nearly as good as first. Bottle variation?? This bottle was drunk with hamburgers and was lacking much fruit. Mostly drying tannin, some graphite and tar. Acidity on the high side. Hope my last bottle is better.

12/5/2018 - AGELVIS Likes this wine:

Twelve hour decant. Deep dark magenta color. Black cherry, chocolate malt balls, butter rum, toffee, banana and subtle orange rind on the wonderfully fragrant, yet brooding nose. Satiny smooth, dusty palate. Fine tannins on the very long, lingering finish.

This is a rare wine that has a very rich nose, but with absolutely no extraction. I also finally understand what “Rutherford dust” means. :)

8/12/2018 - jcasey555 Likes this wine:

Light. Good basic cab.

7/22/2018 - jcasey555 Likes this wine:

Deep dark fruit on the palate. The nose is unremarkable...

1/1/2018 - ezsobre Does not like this wine:

Disappointed. Was disjointed and the 1% cab franc was way overrepresentative. Too oaky for my tastes as well.

5/1/2017 - msuwine Likes this wine:

A ripe Merlot-based blend that offers a lot of grapey fruit flavors, but not enough structure or acidity to make it worth the price (or the ridiculous WA score). Ruby red in color, medium in body, nose of red licorice, cough syrup, and cedar. Tastes of plums, raspberry, pencil shavings, and pepper, with a finish that is sweet and prickly. Gains a little depth after a few hours of air. Blend of 65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.2% alcohol. I had a 2012 Blankiet Rive Droite last night that blew this out of the water; the Palazzo is a decent Merlot-based blend, but it's not worth seeking out. Drink in next year or so.

8/2/2017 - Millennial Drinkers wrote:

A bit hazy, cloudy and dark ruby red. Thick baking cocoa on the nose with a touch porty, tight black cherries, and raspberries. Strong acidity with medium plus tannins (6.5/10) and full bodied. Seemed a bit disjointed even with a 2 hour decant. Layered palate with plums, cedar, a bit of animal notes like leather, leaves, a touch earthy and dark cherries too. Long finish. Might be going through a dumb phase and need some time. Drink till 2023.

4/8/2017 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote:

I was looking forward to tasting this as previous vintage of this Chardonnay were exceptional. It seemed a bit oak dominated and lacked the fabulous fruit quality and freshness I had previously experienced. I am having an open mind that it may have been my palate this day, the particular bottle or just the difference in vintage. Since I have more of this on hand I will reserve final judgment until tasting other bottles.

9/10/2017 - peternelson wrote:

Killer Napa cab, gorgeous black fruits, pure, some minerality, balanced with good structure and long. No detailed notes, but great stuff and has a very long life ahead of it. Taylor's with Khoi and friends

5/21/2016 - putyournoseinit Likes this wine:

Too young, try again I'm 2018

12/8/2017 - Nojomoschwa wrote:

Was really eager to try this given the critical hype and the price of $9.99. Thought it was pleasant enough, round yet not quite overwrought Chardonnay that was not much more than pleasant. Which is actually more than okay for the price, but not worthy of the reviews I read (IMO) based on this one bottle.

12/1/2017 - tsde123 wrote:

This bottle will always have a special place in my memory so I am biased. I agree with most of the comments: fruit bomb, over extracted, one dimensional. I think this bottle has improved with age but my palet is different and I think I have lost my taste for the Wagner’s recipe and price point.

9/21/2017 - sundiegojc Does not like this wine:

Heavy hi-alcohol burn with little fruit content. This was after 4 hours of decanting. Epoch has some wonderful wines, but this isn't one of them.

5/11/2017 - Alfaro wrote:

I'm a huge fan of Pahlmeyer, however this was my first experience with the merlot and I was very disappointed! It had an exciting great big beautiful nose of ripe red dark fruit with floral vanilla notes, but the pallet was muted, subdued, bland and disappointing! Maybe this bottle was in a weird place, or not cellared properly, whatever the case I will not be spending any more money on the Pahlmeyer Merlot anytime soon.

8/20/2016 - Genghis88 Likes this wine:

Deep, dark, brooding full bodied wine
Vanilla, oak, all spice, some dried fruit
Luscious, big, and bold. Very New World! Jammy and juicy

Not bad considering all things. It's a fairly priced California New World Cab (Canadian price) that a lot of people would flock too. I prefer something more refined but i still enjoyed this.

4/22/2017 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine:

Licorice, dark and red fruit, sweet tobacco. So very good, nothing more to say.

1/17/2017 - andtheodor wrote:

Wow, love the deep savory woodsiness here. I opened this on new years and somehow gulped the whole bottle in a matter of hours.