11/14/2021 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:

My personal fav of the last evening......6 hour decant, dark magenta in the glass, black currant and black potting soil on the nose. Soft, smooth quality fruit with good integration of the soft tannins and balanced acidity. So good I ran out and bought another bottle before the store closed this evening.....J bought the other two.

10/5/2021 - #1Winelover Likes this wine:

Needed a great bottle to celebrate and this was calling my name! I re-read my review from May, and I had a similar experience except for a few notes. This is a full-bodied balanced wine with signature notes from St. Helena and Las Piedras. One of my 5 favorite vineyards in Napa (the others being Dr. Crane, Trespass, Henry Brothers Ranch, and Frediani), it is very strong on the front-end, mid-palate and finish.

Decanted 1/3 of the bottle at 2pm and by 6 it was ready to go. I will have the remaining wine tonight.

This is just a great wine and if you are lucky enough to have it, try a bottle with a 2-3 hour decant.

5/1/2021 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:

Opened one hour and quadruple decanted. Really, really fruity on opening, almost jammy. Fruit is dark black, def LPV. There is some depth but overall weight in the mouth is not as thick or glycerin-y as the '16s. Nice to know the '18s are opening a bit. I personally preferred the red fruit of the OG last week. This seems to exhibit more black tar heavy toast the longer it's open. To me that's a negative which holds it back from going higher than 95 right now.....

3/2/2021 - Jeff Leve wrote:

With its showy nose, the wine is already displaying black cherries, blackberry, plums, flowers, baking spice, licorice, chocolate, caramel and bay leaf. Full-bodied, lush, deep, concentrated and pure, the wine seamlessly coats your palate. Even though this is incredibly weighty, it is also remarkably light on its feel. The multi-layered finish builds and expands for over 60 seconds. This is a contender for the finest vintage of Harlan Estate ever produced. Winemaker Cory Empting calls it a perfect vintage! Considering all the incredible wines that have been made here, that is really saying something.

2/22/2021 - wine4lux Likes this wine:

Opened a bottle with a dear friend I hadn’t seen in several months. The wine matched the company- excellent. In general, I have enjoyed nearly all of the 2012 Napa cabs that I have had. Very approachable, soft, subtle fruit and tannins. The Kathryn Hall is no exception. Smooth and well-balanced. Other vintages may have longer finishes and more complexity, but for broad appeal, a well-crafted 2012 like this is hard to top.

11/26/2020 - #1Winelover Likes this wine:

Whatever you do, do not open this monster until 2021. On day 1 with a 3 hour decant, the wine was very tight and a little bitter. Back in the bottle it went and decanted for 3 hours on day 2. Day 2: The wine was still tight and slightly bitter but with time in the glass, this backward beast eventually strutted its stuff. The fruit that was lurking in the background began to emerge and the signature notes from Las Piedras came to the surface. My last glass was outstanding.

Dark purple with black and red notes, blueberry, black raspberry and plum fruit, lots of mineral, stone, and graphite with chocolate notes. This was not a typical Benoit Touquette experience as the wine is very masculine, backward and in need of a couple of years to come around. Who knows -- maybe it is in a dumb phase and others who pnp in 2020 will have a different experience. Maybe it was bottle shock since I opened it the day that I received it because it is one of my top 3 all time favorite wines and I couldn't wait. Maybe it was a combo. I think that the wine is very young, will have a long life and it's just not ready. I should have waited but no regrets!

94-99 points for now

2/8/2021 - Yack Man Likes this wine:

The 2017 vintage has gotten the bum wrap in my opinion. Many of these high end Napa Cab’s range from very good to down right fantastic, and as usual, Carter Becksoffer’s Cab’s fit the bill, the OG is s fantastic wine. Although it’s a little bit in remission at this stage, it’s still a beautiful wine. The color is a dark, deep purple, a visual invitation with nice viscosity, good legs and meniscus. Taste wise, it’s nicely extracted with elegant dark fruit, black cherry, black and blueberry fruit, cream de cassis, anise, cocoa powder. A nicely focused wine that’s exhibits balance, aromas and flavors. 95-97 Points this time around. Give it time, it’s on a journey to a better place without a doubt. I like it. Unlike Carter OG’s prior to this vintage, this one benefits from a long decanting.

1/19/2021 - MarshallLi Likes this wine:

Deep purple,pronounced rose,strawberry,red cherry,green bell pepper,tomato leaf,ripe fruit,vanilla,cloves,wet leaves,forest floor,dry,medium(+) acidity,smooth medium(+) tannin,medium alcohol,medium(+) body,long finish,outstanding wine,suitable for bottle ageing.
Ok,no lychee this time, sorry for the wrong description on 2014. Can’t stop drinking it, so balanced. And I feel it very close to margaux

1/4/2021 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:

Might very well be the most put together wine of the evening for me, personally. Plenty of power here...decanted for an hour while we drank and ate our early apps/salads......lots of great cab bits, all integrated and all very smooth. I can't imagine this drinking any better than it does right now, all things considered. Much like the '16 Weitz of the other night, this has really smoothed out in the last year or so and really come together rather seamlessly.....it disappeared quickly at tableside with Jaime and Melissa and of course, Caol Ann.........

12/11/2020 - cablover123 Likes this wine:

Hunnicutt Brinkman is from the popular G3 grapes, they just do not pay to use the G3 designation name. It always amazes me what different wine makers do with grapes in the same year with grapes from the same vineyard. Most G3 grapes I enjoy 3-5 years after production. This wine is 7 years in. It is my third time enjoying and by far my favorite drinking of the 2013 Hunnicutt Brinkman. I would have put the previous bottles in the 91-92 range.

PNP Best after 1-2 hours of air. Deep dark ruby in color. Nose of blackberry, blueberry and earth. The alcohol has faded to the background with the palate and finish becoming more elegant. Blackberry, cloves with a nice silky finish. I will probably enjoy my last bottle within the next year as this has hit it's stride.

Lesson learned, the vineyard does not make a wine by itself. The winemaker can greatly influence the peak drinking age. I will be holding my other Hunnicutt Brinkmans closer to the 7 year timeframe.

6/21/2018 - La Flama Blanca Likes this wine:

Wow! This is a powerful and structured To Kalon built for aging. Tightly wound and intense, this is gonna be one heck of a journey and experience watching this shed its grape skin over the years. Showing like a young Pauillac with it’s cassis, crushed violets and graphite aromatics. There is an incredible purity of fruit and nuanced flavors of sweet tobacco, earth and spice box on the palate. No doubt this O.G. will continue to gain complexity for decades. 97+

12/15/2020 - 1964vintage wrote:

Like an angel singing from heaven. All wines should drink like this one.

12/10/2020 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:

Bottle shock territory on my shipped bottles, so bought one locally to try. From the pnp, this wine is readily accessible and during the first hour it's silky cab fruit and beautiful mouth glide is quite nice. High quality winemaking apparent. The acidity is riveting. As 2 hours pass some mouth puckering tannins arrive....in spades and the red/blue fruit gets a little blacker. 3 hours in and a dark iron pan component emerges on the back end. This is at its best in the first hour or so for you Cali fruit bomb people. A 92-93 at the end of the evening. It will be a very good wine once it all integrates and the tannin structure calms. Easy 2-3 point upgrade from here in a few years, IMO.

12/9/2020 - markcic Likes this wine:

A brilliant Chardonnay. White flowers with hints of pear on the nose. The palate was Pear, crushed rocks, and a tinge of pineapple with just the right amount of oak to keep it all in balance. The finish is beautiful.
Also do not serve too cold as in my opinion the closer to room temperature the better the wine. Served with marinated grilled swordfish.

11/5/2020 - cablover123 Likes this wine:

PNP. It took a solid hour to settle down. Similar to my notes in April, dark fruit, allspice and the cedar was a bit more prominent. Does not need a long decant at this stage. I really like what TOR and Jeff Ames do with their grapes.

11/30/2020 - Badmonkey wrote:

Thinking about buying more but wanted to see where this vintage is at first. Dark red and black fruit - dark cherry, red & black currants, and blackberry. Really smooth with a nice purity and solid depth/concentration. Nice rich flavors of dark berries, some spice, and a graphite component. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep - it could use some more time to open-up on the back-end which isn’t a surprise in light of its youth. Decanted for one hour and drank over a couple more. Improved a little with time but drinking pretty well after the decant. Quite enjoyable at this stage but like the 2018 Becklyn Napa cab I believe another 3 to 6 months will be beneficial to let it soften and open-up some more. However, according to the Winery, allow two to three years for the tannins and fruit to come together. Nonetheless, a nice vintage of this wine - 92/93 for me at this stage. No surprise of Dunnuck’s 93 rating. 98% cab and 2% petit verdot.

11/30/2020 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Wow. The Becklyn NV cab never seems to disappoint. It is my favorite Mike Smith NV wine and this vintage is shaping to be a hell of a wine. As others mentioned, the purity of fruit is so enticing and luxurious - I get floral and lots of blue/black fruit - including delicious baked/stewed fruit into a scrumptious berry pie! Even though it’s big, the profile is refined and relatively elegant per se, with balanced alcohol and tannin and a nice, smooth finish. I can’t wait to see how this wine changes over the next 10 years. I went in 1/2 a case on this and I really wish I could have gotten more! It’ll be a case purchase next year!

11/29/2020 - Badmonkey wrote:

Improvement from a couple weeks ago - it has softened/opened-up some more. Dark ruby fruit - currants, blackberry, dark cherry, and blueberry. Really smooth with a nice purity and solid depth/concentration - medium plus body. Really nice vibrant/rich flavors of dark berries, spice/licorice, and a graphite component. Fairly long finish. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Improved with time and took around one hour to open-up. I still believe another 3 to 6 months will be beneficial to let it soften/open-up further but I really enjoyed this bottle at this youthful stage. Once again, another great vintage of this wine. 100% cab.

8/24/2019 - csimm wrote:

Mike Smith 2018s & 2017s - Myriad, Quivet, Scarlett, Becklyn, and others (Saint Helena): Super expressive! This version of Scarlett may be the best rendition of the standard McGah offering yet. Much like the 2015 in its infancy, this 2018 delivers a gushing attack of an array of fruit flavors. The 2018 raises the bar up a notch or two with a darker black/purple profile (the standard Scarlett I usually more associate with red/black fruit). An intense and flavorful mid-palate, with the blackberry and huckleberry notes reverberating on through the back end. Finishes as it starts, with an out-pouring of flavor rushing to the tail.

In terms of right-now satisfaction, this Scarlett can’t be beat in 2018. The Reserve will likely lap it in terms of longevity and overall completeness, but if you wanted to be the coolest kid on your block, you’d order a palette (different than ‘palate’ folks) of this juice and make it your house wine for the next 3-5+ years. 95-97+

11/19/2020 - greg@newsomehh.com Likes this wine:

Crazy good, drank right out of bottle, delicious

10/18/2020 - #1Winelover Likes this wine:

Still a baby and in need or more time and/or a longer decant but this is really good. It's really good as in the best Missouri Hopper that I have ever had. This is Benoit Touquette's 1st release of Beckstoffer's Oakville vineyard and of course, it is amazing.

Nice purple coloring with a little black and red around the rim. Strong smells, acid and tannins that are not yet integrated completely. It has the typical -- at this time -- primary 2018 profile which is just a young wine that needs more time. Vanilla notes are prominent to begin and mocha notes are prominent on the finish. Lot's of mineral and graphite swirling around in the glass. Although still not ready for prime time, it is very easy to drink while watching football on Sunday!

9/1/2020 - cablover123 Likes this wine:

Jeff Ames is co-owner of the vineyard. Jeff also has his hand in TOR Kenward's label which I really like. He definitely delivers here without quite the same tariff as TOR. (Which I still pay lol) Nose of dark berries and forest floor. The palate is of dark cherries, blackberries and a touch of mocha. Soft mouthfeel with a long finish. I am certainly glad that I further researched Jeff's wine and have already ordered more of the 2016's.

10/12/2020 - Yack Man Likes this wine:

This wine is fantastic, it reminds me so much of the 2013 Myriad Georges III on release. Beautiful dark cherry and black berry fruits, cream de cassis, a tad of acidity with excellent fruit purity and extraction. Just a solid wine and so good, a wine that is truly under the radar. I guess you can tell, I love it. 96++ Points.

11/5/2020 - CJM wrote:

Clear, very deep garnet with no rim browning. White pepper, anise, chocolate. Low acids, low tannins. Cigar box. Medium balanced finish. Cubinet at granita

11/3/2020 - sean7711 Likes this wine:

Drank alongside a 2016 Fait Main LPV for election night - this was the clear winner (get it?), although the FM was no slouch. This is open and ready for business. No formal notes...but this is right in my wheelhouse and another great job by Mike Smith. Wish I had more.

10/10/2020 - Mark1npt Likes this wine:

Well, I quadruple splash decanted this bottle to see if it would make a difference vs the bottle I had 2 weeks ago where I just coravined and drank. It did in the mouthfeel and the drinkability, it did not on the overall score. Both bottles are a 96. This bottle softened the sharp tannins and leveled the acidity a bit but the fruit, that awesome Ehrlich fruit is so dark, much like the '13 rendition. I think we will find in the end that the '13s and the '18s are probably the most incredibly structured wines of the past 15 years in Napa, and maybe ever. This wine continued to get better and better as the evening wore on and at 5 hours of air time and after the quadruple decant, the last glass was still going strong. I think there is some serious aging potential here with this one. Acidity and tannins still representing quite the structure and the fruit does not take a back seat. All 3 components are equally represented here. Very, very good wine.....but still not in balance yet! And may not be for a while as per my first note 2 weeks ago. Still, I can overlook balance when the components are this good. HMC's WOTN......maybe mine, too.

10/29/2020 - cablover123 Likes this wine:

I did not post previous notes on this wine as I thought it needed more time. Tonight it was showing more of it's self. Popped and aerated into glass. Deep ruby in color with heat showing on the edge. Dark cherries and cocoa on the nose. Blackberries, plums and a touch of stone on the palate. Nice long finish for Mike's "entry" level wine. The semi pulled up recently with my 2018 Myriads, I cannot wait!

10/28/2020 - spectrumphoto Likes this wine:

While still an infant I have had 2x now and this thing is dynamic. First pour, dark fruit forward. Think, Plums, wild raspberry, blueberry, then the tannins n structure come to life once in the glass for 10-15 minutes. Dark Chocolate n Scharfenberger Cocoa Nibs. If you have any left after 45 minutes, it all just melts in your mouth.
Can't wait to see what 6mo to a year does.

10/25/2020 - Cabernet4me2 Likes this wine:

The La Bam was just smokin good!!

Tasted up at Envy 10/25 and seemed in a much better place than most of the other line up. This one, i would classify as the wild child of the bunch, just a mouthful of craziness (good crazy) compared to its more refined sister - La Verdad.

Had the typical LPV profile but with a twist, had a ton of coffee-like notes that were just delicious!!

10/27/2020 - cablover123 Likes this wine:

Ok...for those of you who do not like the 2017's...pm me as I will gladly accept your donations before you pour them down the drain. :)

PNP Showed best after two hours. Typical Carter nose of dark berries and tobacco. CSIMM stated it well very early..Blackberries and asphalt. Long delicious finish. Yack has pointed out that the 2017 Carter is underrated....I agree. I still believe that this will come around even more in the next 2-3 years. I still cannot believe that I opened this mid-week. It is a special wine.

10/27/2020 - Badmonkey wrote:

Dissatisfied with another wine and decided to pop a bottle - really nice at this youthful stage. Dark ruby fruit - currants, blackberry, and dark cherry. Really smooth with a nice purity and solid depth/concentration. Really nice vibrant/rich flavors of dark berries, spice box/baking spices, chocolate/cocoa, and a graphite component. Fairly long finish. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Improved with time and took around one hour to open-up. In my opinion, consistently one of the best (if not the best) QPRs from Napa. 100% cab.

8/15/2020 - cablover123 Likes this wine:

Decanted for two hours. Was best after an additional 1+ hours. There was still some heat on the edge. Beautiful deep and dark ruby in color. Nose of dark berries and a touch of tobacco. Dark cherries and spice. The finish is a bit thin and clipped. I really like TOR wines, but, the 2017 Vine Hill currently does not live up to the QPR. I will be interested to see how this comes together in the coming years. Tor is high on his 2018 Vine Hill.

10/27/2020 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine:

Well, this wine left no doubt who's king of the hill at Myriad. As good as the regular Crane is, this is on another level of texture, concentration and depth of flavor. I had it next to the 18 Empyrean and my only advice is - don't do that. The Empyrean was good, but totally overshadowed.

We had this PnP, and it took about 30 min to really come into its own. The reason we didn't decant is every 18 wine from Mike I've had so far starts to shut down after about 2 hours of air.

Starts with a gorgeous nose of violets, creme de cassis, fragrant earth and crushed rock. Wonderfully full bodied and deeply concentrated, this edition is chock full of decadence & minerality while layered to perfection. The tannins are super integrated and fine grained, and the purity is amazing. What I love about the 18 is the structure and spine of the wine keeps it from going over the edge on extraction, and should provide a longer life than many recent vintages. The finish is very long and fresh. Will be extremely interesting to see if this or 16 turns out the be the better wine. I am leaning toward this one. 99+

10/27/2020 - Yack Man wrote:

My long anticipated wait for the 2018 Scarlett Cabernet is over. Now bottled and available, I could hardly wait to try it. This was a pop and pour experiencer and unfortunately, it’s showing a bit awkward right now. The experience started out much like the barrel sample, nice nose and beautiful color, intense dark ruby red garnet with a slightly purple effect to it. On the palate, the youthful exuberance and energy that showed on the barrel sample had back off, only to show more acidity and the flavors were muted. This is probably a pause in its maturation process as it is very early. I experience the same kind of situation with the 2017 vintage, it started out suppressed, only to come back nicely. I expect a greater return from this 2018, it’s just a pause in development. Hold for now.

10/21/2020 - jnocera Likes this wine:

I was surprised and a bit disappointed in this bottle. This has mellowed out and was very nice... But it wasn't noticeability a To Kalon or Mike Smith wine to me...

10/20/2020 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine:

Side by side with the 18 Myriad Crane. Bottom line is both need time and Crane is definitely the better wine now and likely forever.

Excellent aromas of dark chocolate, spice box, blackberries and forest floor predominate the nose. Starts out in classic full bodied Mike Smith form, with big time richness and lovely purity. As it hits the mid palate, the life is sucked out of the wine quite a bit by gripping tannins and hollowed out flavors. This is probably a good sign for the longevity of the wine, but if like me you're used to these Myriad GIII's being ready to go out of the gate, then it is a bit surprising. Nevertheless, as usual the tannins are very fine, the texture is impressive and the finish is long, if biting at the moment. Overall, this speaks well of the vintage, and I expect this wine will get quite a bit better with time.

10/19/2020 - anthozep Likes this wine:

Deep ruby, dark fruit on the nose with cassis, black cherry, and plum, along with notes of graphite and maybe chocolate. The palate is silky smooth with beautiful balance, more dark fruit, and really nicely integrated tannin and acidity with a long finish

10/18/2020 - eschuldt wrote:

4 hour slow ox. Just. So. Good. Dark fruits, finish for days. Can’t wait for the next bottle.

10/16/2020 - boozebythecreek Likes this wine:

Amazing stuff. Decanted for 5 hours. Gorgeous dark purple color. Beautiful nose with tons of fruit. Tight on the palate but nice earthy notes, some cherry cola and dark fruit. This definitely needs more time to come together and I will need to patient with my other bottle.

9/26/2020 - Badmonkey wrote:

Derived from the Tierra Roja Vineyard in Oakville. Purple fruit - blackberry, currants, dark cherry, and a little plum. Smooth mid-palate with a nice purity and decent depth/concentration - medium/medium plus body. Nice vibrant flavors of dark berries, spice/licorice, and some cocoa/mocha. Fairly long finish. Decanted for one hour and drank over a couple more. Improved with time but drinking well after the decant despite its youth. I’m really enjoying what Jeff Ames is doing with these Rudius cabs - although no surprise in light of the great cabs he’s been producing for Tor. In my opinion, falls in between the 93+ rating from WA and 97 rating from Dunnuck at this stage. WA anticipated maturity 2019 to 2035. 94% cab and 6% cab franc.

10/15/2020 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine:

Beautiful wine but not delivering the same goods as it did a year plus ago. Not sure if it’s becoming disjointed or if this is a drink early wine. Hmmm will have to revisit. Regardless still very enjoyable.

10/13/2020 - msuwine wrote:

I decided to open two 2018 California White Bordeaux blends made by the Morlet brothers - a Morlet Proportion Doree, a Semillon dominated blend, and a Coeur a Coeur, equal parts Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. I have long thought that the Proportion Doree is one of California's most unique non-Chardonnay whites, but I had never given the Peter Michael as much thought. This was a mistake, as the Peter Michael tasted more intriguing and refreshing tonight. Both are impressive, but here’s the breakdown:

- Morlet Proportion Doree (“The Golden Ratio”). This bright and creamy White Bordeaux is drinking well in the early going, with incredible depth of flavor and texture. Yellow in color and full in body, the wine offers evocative aromas of warm peach, beeswax, and baked caramel. The flavors are similarly luscious, bringing to mind one thing - lemon meringue pie (fruit, topping, crust - it’s all there), - along with notes of cantaloupe, gooseberry, and vanillin, with a waxy but lively finish. Blend of 67% Semillon, 32% Sauvignon Blanc, and 1% Muscadelle. 14.7% alcohol. This isn’t as lively as the 2017 (probably my favorite of all the vintages), but it has more life than the 2016 (which I opened, and discarded, on the same night - just a waxy dud of a wine). 93-94 at the moment, with upside in 2021.

- Peter Michael Coeur a Coeur (“Heart to Heart”). This light and nervy blend is firing on all cylinders right now, with incredible energy and nuance. Lighter in color (almost silver) and medium in body, the wine offers intriguing aromas of white flowers, vanilla bean, and golden delicious apple. The flavors are more lively, with notes of grapefruit, quince, jasmine, and lemongrass. Blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc an 50% Semillon. 15.1% alcohol. 94-95 at the moment, with upside in the next 6-12 months.

These are both evocative wines, but the Peter Michael won out because of its greater restraint - perhaps it’s the greater proportion of Sauvignon Blanc, but the Peter Michael was more alive, less oaky, and more refreshing. The Morlet, in contrast, seemed more honeyed and burdened, something that may evolve with time. Each could use a little more time, but each is well worth seeking out.

1/26/2020 - cablover123 Likes this wine:

Decanted for one hour and it is open. Did not show much change over next two hours. Very similar to a year ago with it becoming just a bit softer.

Blackberries and forest floor. Blackberries, black cherry, baking spices and a touch of mocha. It is smooth and sexy on the palate like it is doing the tango on your tongue the entire time. Long smooth finish. It appears to be entering a spot where there will not be significant improvement.

8/22/2020 - TXRDW wrote:

I scored this wine a 97 a little over a year ago and unfortunately it has given up ground. Still a very pleasant wine, but not with the structure to improve much over time. While by Napa standards a modest 14.9 alcohol content, the wine still seems noticeably hot. My take on the Carter is that wines like the Verdad and the OG are substantially better early on and I’m starting to feel that after a few years in the cellar the Fortuna becomes the far better wine from a QPR standpoint. My main takeaway is that Carter wines are best consumed early on as cellar time doesn’t seem to add to the wine. I think the natural tendency of wine lovers is to think that if a wine is great early on, patience will be rewarded with an even better wine over time. In the case of Carter, that better tasting wine is like the brass ring that will never quite be reached.

8/23/2020 - TXRDW wrote:

Tried the 2018 Lauren last week and the Eastside today. Both very good Chardonnays but the Eastside gets the slight edge. The one word that comes to mind when drinking this wine is fresh. Very fresh and vibrant flavors, starting with apple and pear, with hints of vanilla. The flavors pounce on your pallet reminding you of of a mixture of recently picked fruits. Also a complex wine with secondary notes of grapefruit and lemon. This is a very fun wine with lots of personality and a very nice finish. White wines are a little out of my element, but the Eastside is definitely a wine that I would buy in the future.

8/19/2020 - jaxpaj wrote:

wait another year

8/9/2020 - Geaux Tigers wrote:

Part of a 14 bottle political protest. Oh my, wow! One of the 3 best wines I’ve had out of Napa ever. Double decant and slow ox for 60 min and that seemed to work. Took an initial sip from the decanter and initially it was a head turner, a beautiful lady even without her make up. 60 min later her hair was fixed, make up on and what a stunner. The nose was intoxicating, perfume intense fruit—even our casual wine drinkers couldn’t keep their noses out of the glass. Conversation literally stopped. On the palate, this is BTK no doubt, lovely exploding bouquet of red fruit, touch of black, lovely mineral streak to a long finish. Oak and tannin perfectly integrated, no edges or hot notes anywhere. This was a ‘15? Crazy good. Each sip was like walking by that beautiful lady, longing for her to graze by you again with her sophistication. Just Wow! That was the pregame.

When we pulled this for the larger group, I’ve never seen a bottle go so fast. Within two min, the mag was gone and conversations dwindled yet again...like a magic silencing potion. The group literally gushed over this even as other bottles were poured. I felt bad for a ‘13 Carter Weitz and ‘14 Vice Versa LPV that had to follow.

WOTN and there was never any question.

8/5/2020 - tomoem Likes this wine:

A great wine and really good example of the "state of Napa Cab's" for 2015. This stands out. The wine delivers immediate cherry aromas which after 60 min of decant begins to morph into those classic Napa aromas of asphalt, berry fruit and tobacco leaf. On the palette the wine is all business. Starts with dark cherry & sweet berries and moves onto the all too familiar tobacco and bell paper. The fruits are all present and tannins totally resolved.

7/31/2020 - sean7711 Likes this wine:

I got a lot of blueberry compote, bit of that candied fruit that some other reviewers are indicating. Still had the mineral quality I associate with LPV, pure fruit. Any fear of the 2017 vintage were allayed with this beautiful bottle of wine. No harsh edges noted, but definitely needed the air. The nose was to die for when I first poured it, but the first sip after pouring into the decanter told me I needed a healthy decant for this - I went with 6 hours, then paired with a rib eye.

7/23/2020 - redhead6971 wrote:

Anton’s Wine Tasting Notes
Winery: Realm - Fidelio
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Area/Appellation: Napa Valley. Vintage: 2019. Price: $ 60
Color: Golden straw yellow
Legs: evaporating fast from middle out
Nose: Peach pit, pineapple, grapefruit, lemon zest, yellow apple,
Palate:lots of zesty grapefruit, peach, guava, nectarine and tangerine
Finish: clean, vibrant, a little sassy, good, natural citrus notes,
Comments: What Fidelio is missing in my humble opinion is Semillon, I mean Napa Valley SB’S are a dime a dozen, and we don't see very many Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blends in California. I would love to see Realm branch out and try a Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon to compete with the likes of Smith-Haut Lafitte Blanc.
Pairing Suggestions: Oysters, Greek Salads, Goat cheeses, Tuna salad sandwiches,
Score in terms of Vintage:90
Score for the Wine:90+
Value for the Money: very good
Date Tasted: 07/10/2020
Tasted by: ACK