10/7/2023 - Night Train Likes this wine:

I paid $47 for this, and the 2021 is going for $100. Back in the day, part of this wine's appeal was its QPR. These days - not so much. Along with Sequoia Grove, Chappellet cabernets have been among the very few affordable Napa cabernets that really don't show their stuff until they've spent a few years in the bottle. This one was better than a bottle six months ago, which was better than a bottle last year. I wouldn't be shocked if it continues to improve with still more age.

3/4/2022 - DrWal Likes this wine:

PNP at 63degF. Black cherry dominated the nose with some thyme and leather sneaking in. Soft palate fleshy dried fruit with the finish being prominently astringent. The third sip gets an explosion of cigar box on the nose, which faded away quickly to dark dried fruits. The palate was then gorgeous with sweeter elements and significantly less astringency. The finish seems to never stop and the mouth waters for another sip.

Love how Russell's wines have evolved in the cellar from a Jersey Shore bodybuilder, just muscular and full of vibrato and in your face to a top female CrossFit athlete, still muscular but in proportion and much more elegant and focused. (no disrespect to JS intended!)

4/12/2018 - Roger Patterson Likes this wine:

Medium garnet with elevated intensity aromas of dried plums and cherries, leather, smoke, and pungent pepper. Med body with typical Nebbiolo tannins and acidity. Full flavored layered with developed fruit and other tertiary notes.

7/31/2017 - #1Winelover Likes this wine:

Paired with bone-in Veal Parm at Chef Vola's (that's a 1st for me!) and it went really well. PnP but then let it sit while we had appetizers and waited for the main coarse. Dark purple, pronounced flavors, blackberry, licorice and a little forest/notes. Had a little bite and a nice finish. It will get better with a couple of years of age but it was drinking well and was well worth opening. A really nice bottle.

1/6/2017 - Ann&Wayne Likes this wine:

We found this wine to smooth and very drinkable. It wasn't overly complex but in full disclosure, I was eating peanut butter chocolate cookies. Every time My palette adjusted, I absentmindly bit into another cookie. I promise to avoid the cookies in the next bottle.... not much of bold commitment; the cookies are gone.

10/29/2016 - Dave Mosko Likes this wine:

Opened last night, enjoyed most of it. A little less open tonight. This wine is a behemoth. A little lighter in color than I expected. A grand aroma of a dark fruits, meat and herbs. Very earthy and old world in nature. Young and bright. It's very viscous on the palate almost like there is fruit pulp in the bottle. I want to say that it reminds me of a very young Chapoutier single vineyard hermitage. The density is remarkable and the acids carry the awesome dark berry and wood smoked grilled rare meat flavors on a long finish that lasts almost a minute. Not your typical Bedrock Syrah. I realize it's an experiment in "vinology". But I wish Morgan would continue producing this unique bottling as I find it extremely pleasurable. Selfish as that may sound.

9/30/2016 - UpfromtheCellar wrote:

This wine was very very nice indeed. Big rounded tannins, dark fruits, earth, spice, all balanced and presented with a hint of leather and a call to sunshine.

I have another 5 bottles left in the cellar and it will be interesting to see how this wine develops over the next decade. Not sure where I got this particular batch - could this have been a KZ purchase? If so, well spotted!

8/7/2016 - Iceman611 wrote:

Interesting but a little apple cider vinegar for me. I get that it's aged. I Wouldn't buy again

7/31/2016 - Squilber Likes this wine:

Excellent Barolo. Full bodied and rich. Had with Italian food and steak. Red fruits, licorice, meat, spice and heat. Nice price point. Can last a few more years but very nice right now with a short decant.

7/13/2016 - ledocq Likes this wine:

So delightful - I think this is the best PS I've had (Biale, you're no slouch). Highly recommented but with one crucial asterisk that we'll get to. Lovely dark opacity, ruby (just barely) at the edges. Nose is intensely robust and dusty, and the opening is this rich, symphonic holy-moley of dark fruits that have a peppery note and then -- the finish. So I have a friend Wilton who took me to a Thai restaurant where they let him order things by heat. "1" was the mildest. "5" was the spiciest. He ordered a few "1"s but then asked to have a certain curry as a "5."
The waiter shook his head. "You've never had higher than a 3 before."
"That's why I want it."
"No, you're not ready."
My friend was from New Orleans. "Give me the 5."
So the curry shows up, my friend takes a bite, and it's like a Tex Avery cartoon. Smoke billows out of his mouth, his eyeballs roll back in his head, flames shoot out of his ears, and then, through parched, smoldering lips, he huskily apologies. He wasn't ready.
The waiter says, "Very good. That was the 4, by the way."
So the tannins on this thing? 4.

7/1/2016 - Yack Man Likes this wine:

I saw this wine on the rack and decided to give it a shot. A couple of days ago, I saw it on sale for $39.99 so why not see where it is at in its development. I'm glad that I did, this Cab is in a very nice spot now.
Lively, dark, reddish burgundy color. Nice nose and no longer tightly coiled as it was in the beginning. Nice dark fruit, anise, ripe dark cherry, blackberry, smooth tar notes, right up my alley. Needless to say, I went to the website to buy the last 3 bottles, what a nice Cab. A solid 93 Points.

6/14/2016 - jrhonda160 wrote:

One dimensional aroma, dirt road. Plain, little spicy at the beginning. Plums, may be past it's prime.

1/15/2016 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:

Getting a lot of bottle variation in these. We drank one from the same set about a week ago and it was highly alcoholic and even a bit offputting. This was in a completely different place. Great fruit and spice. Interesting because there really wasn't a lot of evolution from a few years ago.

3/26/2016 - Arch57 Likes this wine:

I'm going to drop a whopping 96 on this wine as it was a fantastic expression of the way wine should be made in Montlacino. We followed to very good Kosta Browne Pinot's with this bottle of match an exquisite dinner prepared by my lovely wife as our kids were home for Easter weekend with their spouse and girlfriend.
I opened this at 4pm and we started drinking it at 7pm. Huge nose of earth, spice, dark fruit and Yankee candle. Nice attack on the palate on a long, long finish as I'm typing this sentence I still can taste the last sip. This is why I rate Brunello as my favorite wine because when it hits the right notes it can't be beat.

2/25/2016 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:

PnP, neede 45-60 minutes to really open up. Well balanced, the ABV was kept in check. Remains a great QPR.

2/26/2016 - Lukasw23 wrote:

Very good wine, fruity, smooth and dense. The only complaint could be the price - you can get comparable wines at half the price of The Prisoner...

11/18/2015 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine:

First time drinking this wine. Made it on the list just in time for the 2012 vintage. I have to say, I purchased it based on reputation, and the wine completely lived up to expectations. Without a doubt, one of the best deals in all of Napa. This $45 bottle easily competes with $80-100 bottles. Unlike many '12's, this one needs some time to get going, and you're probably better off giving it a year or two. That said, all the good stuff is there, with great balance and concentration. It sits on your pallet for a long time, and gets more expressive the longer it's exposed to air. Incredible QPR.

11/14/2015 - TriggerFingers Likes this wine:

I haven't reviewed much with all of the great life changes going on. Now that the weather is getting colder out, I have been in the wine mood. With all of the recent reviews of this wine being across the board, I had to crack one open and see.

PNP: With initial splash decant very tight all over and a bit disjointed. I got the cola and heat was present. Everything else seemed muted. Pretty much what everyone has been saying. But HS wines really need air to show up. So I gave it an hour and revisited.

Wow! It came together after some time and is really nice!

Appearance: Dark Purple...not "Sebastiano" dark. Middle of the road for HS wines
Aroma: Dark fruit, sandalwood, spice.
Flavor: Very large and nuanced. Cola, light brown sugar, almost pinot-like earthiness, overripe dark berries, a hint of bright/sweetened cranberry. All of this compliments what is coming across in the aroma. Heat is still present but the flavors and sweetness keep it check.
Finish: Fresh and fleshy (Fresh grape skins mostly, subtle hints of fresh plum)

This is probably my 4th or 5th vintage of Nuts and Bolts and is my favorite to date (have yet to try 2013). It is so fresh and opens up beautifully. It displays a earthy terrior that I have only ever tasted from wines out of Northern Santa Barbara County (Melville, HP, etc.).

Russell's wines aren't for everyone and even I have tasted bottle variation from the same year. Maybe I got lucky with this bottle, but this is really good! However, I can see what many reviewers are saying. It does have heat, but is by no means the hottest bottle of HS I have ever had. In fact, the sweetness is what I noticed more. It masks much of the heat but for a dry red the sweetness here is borderline cloying.

My only quip is that Herman Story's QPR is starting to slip a little. These wines were a great deal at $28 a few years ago but now they are around $38-40 for club members and $45-50 in shops. Still quality wine, but if it keeps heading north, may be worth it to check out other offerings.

I think its drinking really nicely now, but should be more integrated in another year or so. Doesn't seem like its built for 7-10 years (maybe more like 4 ish).

UPDATE (DAY 2):
Saved a large glass for the second day. Much of the subtle central coast terroir notes are gone. Freshness, sugar, subtle heat, and very mild tannins make for a very linear experience. I will stick with 4-5 years tops on this wine. Probably in its prime sooner rather than later.

Last Words: Solid wine that could maybe use a tad more time (I will revisit in Spring 2016). 92-94. Not my favorite HS wine, but my favorite Nuts and Bolts to date.

10/15/2015 - Ben Christiansen wrote:

Very ripe black fruit, Lots of power on the front, more blue fruit, and then a fairly soft finish (for the house style).

8/21/2015 - 321Nomad Likes this wine:

The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like nutmeg, black pepper, cinnamon, black currant (cassis) and blackberry. It tastes like black currant (cassis), blackberry, raisin and strawberry jam. The body is medium/full. The wine has coarse texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has low acidity.

7/30/2015 - tuzlukov wrote:

disappointed %(

9/29/2014 - BCharlieG Likes this wine:

Very solid wine for a mini Nebbiolo. 4 hour decant here. super herbal: cool, eucalyptus, mint, medicinal tarragon. Baked bread with a sweet note of underripe raspberry, tart cherry. Palate confirms the tart fruit: underripe pear, prune, tart cherry, some cherry cola hints. The wine opens into old spice, leather, black olives and a touch of stilton cheese, sweaty sock brett and washed cheese rind. Really fun wine but nothing really exhilarating. High acid, high tannins. Paired with beef brisket, worked well. I've had substantially better Nebbiolo for 10 bucks more but this was a good wine. Good quality for the price.

5/31/2015 - Catman49 Likes this wine:

Wow...two different wines. Upon opening; a typically low fruit, dry finish of a chianti classico. Excellent with food. I corked it and re-opened about 5 days later, and I have a fruit forward zinfandel with that same dry finish. I wish I had a few more of these for experiments.

5/25/2015 - Ben Christiansen wrote:

First glass showed much alcohol. Second glass opened up more, and by the fourth it was in gear. So, I guess surprising to me because I thought it would be old and tired, which it wasn't. IN fact, I wanted more from it - more fruit, more power. Maybe needs more time to fully open up?

1/28/2015 - ZACHWHITE wrote:

So you have to understand this does not taste like the Caymus of previous vintages. This is a California fruit-bomb, and there is nothing wrong with that. But if you are looking for complexity, and layers, look elsewhere. This has BRIGHT flavors of blackberry, cherry, balanced with a light influence of oak. This tends to be favorite among "I only drink Napa-Cab" customers.

1/27/2015 - hiker_guy Likes this wine:

Significant bricking
Nose of tobacco, leather and roses
Palate shows lots of secondary flavors and nice aged development.
Long, slightly dry finish.
Would buy again

Note: reviewed at 1 hour mark. Developed nicely

1/16/2015 - blaine Likes this wine:

This really surprised me at the quality. Bought from WTSO, had a hard time synching up with delivery guy and thus is was in the fed ex truck for extra time over a weekend during the holiday after shipping on rails across the country...not a winning start, and generally I let wines that are treated like this rest for a couple of months. Not this one, needed a chianti for pizza night! Pop and pour...dark color and no real sign of age. A bit funky on the nose upon opening, but we were patient. Also upon opening, rather tight on the palate. Take everyone else's advice: decant for an hour. Now...after about a half hour this really blossomed into a beauty. Beautiful expressive nose, fruit with a bit of earth. On the palate, plenty of fruit that has really settled down 8.5 years later. Juicy acidity, lingering finish. Really made me stop to think about it. The next day, there was a splash left in the uncorked bottle...just for fun poured it into a glass to write this note...still great after 16 hours, still big nose, still fruity with a lingering finish. Blown away for the price...

12/11/2014 - acyso wrote:

Domaine End of Year Party (Chicago, IL): This is a turning "wine". If you put it near your nose, your head turns away. If you swallow it, your stomach turns. I hear points are assigned arbitrarily these days by the big critics. I will endeavour to do the same here. I give this 100 points, minus one point for every year Caymus has been in existence. Then I take away 10 points for the ugly label, which made me turn my eyes away. The Wagners are laughing all the way to the bank.

9/7/2014 - dkeyes Likes this wine:

Huge chewy wine for sure. High alcohol feel but balanced with big tannins, fruit and acidity. Drinking nicely now due to the balance, but no hurry - it must have 10 years of life yet. Would buy more if it wasn't $60 at LCBO.

9/5/2014 - JDV.DDSPHD Likes this wine:

Big and rich. Blackberry, blueberry pie and blackcherry. Sweet, layered, compex and rich. Big bodied and unreal. Just a knockout. Tannins were perfectly integrated and the finish was unreal. 30 seconds plus. So good!!!

8/1/2014 - Darren Jimenez wrote:

This wine is a garnet fringed black hole of viscousy goodness. The opaque body holds thick legs and an almost solid looking structure.

The nose is a complex cornucopia of raspberry, black cherry and black licorice with balanced notes of leather and fresh cut grass.

The flavor profile is an incredibly well balanced mix of smoky fruit and a lingering finish of slightly alcohol tinged black cherry.

Decanted in the bottle for 2 hours and drunk over the next 4, it definitely continues to develop with time. This wine is an unabashed favorite, which was paired tonight with black pepper salami and a soft Havarti cheese. We would have no problem with selling one of our two children in order to secure another case of this ambrosia.

12/29/2013 - Exit 105 Does not like this wine:

Wine had a musty smell and taste. Hoping it is isolated to this one bottle and the others are better. No rating at this point.

5/25/2014 - Winoluver wrote:

Bought this from WTSO @
$60. Drinks like a $100 bottle. Tremendous structure. Buy again & again.

4/26/2014 - Walkersj Likes this wine:

Was expecting more from this wine following earlier reviews, however a couple of really low scores indicate it may be inconsistent. For me it was on the "thin" side, with little going on. Not unpleasant, just mediocre. After an hour or so i noticed some improvement and added complexity. Have 1/2 btl left, will see how that is one day later. Needs food I feel. Paid $35 on WTSO, tasted more like a $14-17 everyday wine to me.

4/26/2014 - AllRed wrote:

4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Rick & Cris'): I really struggled with this, finding it to be completely shut down. I got nothing on it.

4/28/2014 - Endodr Likes this wine:

This Napa Cabernet is an opaque, inky, purple black color; even the rim is deep purple. Initially, this wine was very closed and the heat from the alcohol was overwhelming. After decanting and swirling, aromas of dark berries, cherries, tobacco, violets, and cedar developed. The wine is robust and masculine, with layers of dark cherries, blackberries, plums, and black currents. There are also tastes of leather, vanilla, and wood. It is very flavorful, rich, complex, and mouth-coating. Overall, medium to full bodied with a long finish and fine tannins.

This wine is one of my favorites at $36, and probably a better buy than the more expensive Papillon.

4/26/2014 - thelostverse wrote:

Opened by someone (Rich?) at 4th Saturday Group. Only noticeable trait was some sweetness. Otherwise, this was completely muted. Had no guess. Not sure if this was a flawed bottle or perhaps just shut down.

4/14/2014 - gmat5497 Likes this wine:

Nice not great.

4/13/2014 - Bodes Likes this wine:

Best Cameron Hughes bottle I've ever tasted. Very soft tannins and ready to drink now. Lots of dark chocolate. A steal at the $27 sale price.

3/29/2014 - Cabfrancophile Likes this wine:

Should have followed my own advice from my prior note. Three years later, this has the powerful structure of a Barolo or Barbaresco, if perhaps not the stuffing. Black licorice along with cedar and strawberries on the nose. High acidity on the palate, though it seemed to fill out with fruit over time. Massive tannins on the finish. There was some strange suspended sediment, though nothing else seemed out of place. In any case, I'd say hold for 3-5 years. A lot more material and depth than the 2007, in fact the 2007 seems a bit one dimensional in comparison.

3/7/2014 - BrunelloBob wrote:

Slo-ox for 10 hours, like Franco taught me.
Beautiful. Dark cherry, olive, tobacco. Nice acidity, great length. Still some serious tannic grip. 92+?
Should have bought a case.

2/11/2014 - Exit 105 Likes this wine:

Awesome QPR. Not quote a barolo but that's ok for a fraction of the price. Will buy more tomorrow for sure.

12/6/2013 - cucycling wrote:

Earthy almost musty nose, quite dry, a very unspectacular wine that I ordered after talking to Cameron Hughes at a event where he was quite enthused about this wine. Possibly a bottle that was not cellared properly and it is turning for the worse.

11/18/2013 - berko wrote:

Elegant well made wine. silky back bone of tannins holding everything together. Fruit forward without being unbalanced. Lovely.

11/16/2013 - Asupike20 wrote:

Smooth finish, notes of cherry full body. Good with heavier meal