4/3/2018 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

Still tasting great. Tannins are apparent yet balanced with acidity. Fruit has held up nicely in the last 10 years. I have one 2008 vintage 750ml bottle remaining and will revisit for the final time in 2020. Overall a very nice wine. Cab Sauv.

7/18/2019 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

2011 Venge Vineyards Silencieux Cabernet Sauvignon is an outstanding wine and has been improving every year. While the California 2011 vintage was lambasted by critics early on, it certainly is now revealing itself to be one of greatness, and this wine is a prefect example. Cab Sauvs of this vintage are finding their balance with some age as tannins, acid and oak refine. This ‘11 Silencieux showcases dark berry, cassis with notes of mocha, sweet tobacco, cedar, and an attractive earthiness. Drinking nicely now, yet worthy of cellaring a few more years.

12/24/2018 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

Nice wine. Still drinking well, although wouldn’t cellar much longer. PNP, opened up nicely in the glass after 30 minutes. Showing some cherry, plum, tobacco, oak, touch of cooked fruit on finish. Nice dusty tannins leaving front and mid palate a bit dry. Balanced but subtle acidity carries fruit through the finish.

8/31/2018 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

Don’t drink this one too early, she needs time! This wine is aging quite well. Still showing a bright acidity that pops beautiful red fruits. At nine years old, this Rhône wine is beginning to develop the classic Sierra Foothills pepper and baking spices...especially noticeable spices on the finish. Unfortunately, this was my last bottle, but I’d give this gem another 3-5 years to peak if I had another. Remember, Syrah is to the Rhône that Cabs are to Bordeaux...both big wines...give them both the time they require to be all they can be!

5/4/2018 - Jetcontrails wrote:

Overall, this 2009 Sixteen x Twenty CS is an enjoyable bottle...let it breath and give it a chance to warm from cellar temp, she’ll open up nicely. Dark berries, cherry cordial, cedar, tobacco, smooth tannins that linger. This isn’t a knock your socks off Cab, but a respectable Napa daily drinking Cab Sauvignon.

8/20/2017 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

What a delicious red blend from Lake County, CA. Consisting of Syrah, Barbera, Tempranillo, Cabernet, and Petit Verdot, this wine has a lot to offer Cab Sauv lovers. More closely resembles a Super Tuscan blend. Firm tannins, bright acidity and loads of dark berries and cherries, with rich oak and a touch of leather and sage make this a delicious weekend drinker. We love to do blind tastings with friends, everyone bringing $100+ Napa or Sonoma Cab Sauvignon, but we always throw in a under curve ball <$20 wine that can fool even the most discerning enophile...this will be our <$20 curve ball for our next tasting. We found this 2013 Buck Shack at Costco 6/17 for $15/bottle. What a steal...I'm going back for a case and will drink one a year and watch this evolve over the next decade.

8/12/2017 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

What an excellent example of well balanced Zin blend. Zin, Petite Sirah, Charbono and Syrah blended into a masterful bottle of enjoyment. Big dark berries with a hint of plum floral on the finish. Oak is evident and well integrated and expect a small dose of heat as you savor the lingering mouthful of dark berries. At 5 years old, this wine is in its prime and drinking even better than a couple of years ago. Drink over the 1-3 years for best results. Consistently one of my Zin blend favs.

2/17/2017 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

Great bottle and a great value. Ready to drink now through 2018. Fruits, earth, balanced.

2/24/2017 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

Great Lodi Cab. Full of dark fruits, vanilla, hint of tobacco. Light sweet tannin, balanced acidity. Not a Napa Cab here, so you won't find any green character here. Easy drinking with a Zinfandel like finish.

2/12/2017 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

A very nice bottle of wine and perfect for an evening next to the fireplace. Dark berries abound with sweet vanilla, smokey oak and subtle tobacco. Although this wine is not varietally accurate as a classic French GSM and drinks closer to a Lodi Zinfandel blend, it is still well balanced and offers a pleasingly full and voluptuousness palate with subtle tannins and acidity. This wine is drinking much better now than it did when I tasted and purchased it at the Mettler winery release party over a year ago. My only regret is I wish I had more in the cellar. This GSM is certainly a great value and if you enjoy new world style wines from Lodi, California, this one fits the bill and is drinking great now. I would have given this wine a higher score if it was more varietally accurate and had a bit less oak. Also, I would not recommend aging this wine beyond 2018 as it is ready to drink now.

1/13/2017 - Jetcontrails wrote:

Earthy, cigar box, muddled to muted fruit, and grainy tannins. Wine is very tight. Recommended by Sommelier at restaurant, should have known better on this infant Cab. Certainly drinkable, but this one should be cellared for another decade to smooth tannins and release fruit.

1/10/2017 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

Beautiful burgundy hue to this 2009 Sierra Foothill, Amador County Barbara. Approaching eight years old, it is still displaying its fruit nicely. Some red fruits, including cranberry evidenced by the bright yet balanced acidity. Beginning to show its age with a slight bit of oxidation on the nose that adds a bit of complexity. Drink within the next year.

1/11/2017 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

This Zin drank surprisingly well. Full of dark fruit, cocoa, mild spice, with a subtle earthiness. Well balanced with fine tannins. Near its peak, drink soon. Certainly well worth the $22 price tag for the Lodi Zinfandel.

1/8/2017 - Jetcontrails Does not like this wine:

Fruit forward with an artificial component. Has an interesting voluminous mid palate and finish. Enhanced with Mega Purple in my opinion. Taste is on par with price.

1/7/2017 - Jetcontrails wrote:

I'll give this one some credit for complexity but wouldn't drink this 2011 vintage again. It had a medicinal and sweaty horse character that is usually indicative of a Brett infection in the barrel(s). This could have been barrel/bottle lot specific, or if blended could introduce this flawed bouquet into many bottles. Very noticeable in the initial nose and especially in the finish.

11/30/2016 - Jetcontrails Does not like this wine:

Received this wine as a gift and it was purchased from Mettler's wine library. Although it was said to be drinking very well by winery staff, the days of "prime" drinking of this wine have come and gone long ago. Ruby color with brown edge, muted oxidized cooked fruit, slight corked mustiness, and down the drain it went. Although my hopes weren't too high for this Lodi Cab, I was hoping it would show much better than it did.

11/28/2016 - Jetcontrails wrote:

Dark berry fruit. Moderate tannins. Balanced. Surprisingly tasting very good, just a bit overripe.

10/15/2016 - Jetcontrails wrote:

Still drinking surprising well. Has evolved into a Port style Zin.

8/4/2016 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

This 2012 Avalon Cab Sauv rockets past its $9 price tag. Great fruit, herb and cedar notes abound, and well balanced. Knocked it down a couple of points for some heat on the finish, but that blew off after a bit of decanting. Hey, for $9 it's unbeatable. Tried it at a steak house at $38/bottle the first time and was impressed. Bought a second bottle at Total Wine and was equally impressed. No joke, this wine has beat some $50+ bottles I've had. Certainly worth giving the 2012 a try!

5/14/2016 - Jetcontrails wrote:

Wow! What a great Sierra Foothills Petite Sirah. This 2008 is full of dark berries and black cherries up front that slowly transitions these fruits with a hint of leather to a nice brandy chocolate finish with just a bit of heat. Nicely structured and balanced acidity with moderate tannins that could carry this wine another five to 10 years. Wish I had another bottle I could open in five years. I'm always impressed when I pull a bottle of Windwalker from the cellar.

5/2/2016 - Jetcontrails wrote:

Zin is a bit flabby. Cooked and dried fruit, black pepper, leather and chocolate. Lacks bright fruit. Nose is just a bit off. Also, some heat on the nose, but moderate tannins hide some of the heat on the finish. Not a Zin I would buy again.

2/22/2016 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

Very nice Lodi Zinfandel. Dark sweet cooked fruit and pepper on the nose, dark berries, chocolate cordial cherries, evolves into ripe subtle fruity sweetness and white pepper finish. Just the right amount of heat, with well balanced acid and tannins. At its peak now, drink over the next two years.

2/6/2016 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

Small dry farmed hilltop winery producing very nice red wines. No fancy filtering or additives, just wine made like they do in the Old World...letting the grapes make the wine! 2008 Zinfandel has loads of black fruit, cherry and white pepper finish. Drinking very nice now through 2018.

1/17/2016 - Jetcontrails Likes this wine:

Nice smooth Zin with moderate black fruit. Well made Lodi Zinfandel, however, at a high price point.