4/29/2024 - Jimmyjules wrote:

Very disappointing and way overpriced. Varietally correct, elegant and very understated. VERY understated. Thos wine lacked complexity, had no oomph, and while quite drinkable, I kept asking, “where’s the beef”? A good $30 cabernet IMO, if priced as such. Have had many better 2014 napa cabs, most of which are drinking very nicely now.

10/13/2023 - Jimmyjules wrote:

Best Napa cab I have drank in a while. Double decanted 4 hrs, it was hitting on all cylinders. Tannins resolved, mostly red fruits, long, delicious.

10/6/2023 - Jimmyjules wrote:

Absolutely delicious right now. Beautiful black fruits with a hint of peppercorn, balanced, no tannins, I would think this is in its prime. This is in the claret style of zin.

6/5/2023 - Jimmyjules wrote:

I am going against the regression to the mean here. I think this was my
last bottle, purchased from RC. Some secondary stuff to complement the dark fruits ( could not quite pinpoint a good reference in my head): Bay leaves, earth, mushrooms, eucalyptus?, spices, and yes, clove. But there are still plenty of mostly integrated tannins and I think this has quite some years left to develop further and possibly improve. Nice length also.

2/14/2023 - Jimmyjules Likes this wine:

Superb Howell Mountain cabernet. Perfumed, complex, depth, powerful and long and at the same time, light-footed. Rush of red fruits across the palate with just enough tannin to tickle the senses on the way down. Spicy notes on the nose and palate. A great choice for Valentine’s Day- it was more than worthy!

2/28/2022 - Jimmyjules wrote:

This wine has really come into its own, imo. Beautiful balance with a nice depth of black fruit, hint of chocolate, lovely mouth feel. The only thing hold it back from a higher rating is that it does not have superior length….not that it falls off quickly. Absolutely delicious though.

7/15/2021 - Jimmyjules wrote:

Opened, decanted and drank this with friends at a restaurant. Nice ruby red color, nice balance and a nice drink, but nothing outstanding or exciting. Aromatics improved a bit over dinner. This may be in the early maturity zone in which it can be drunk and enjoyed, with improvement with further bottle age, but I do not think so. Did not seem to have the stuffing for that.

5/30/2021 - Jimmyjules wrote:

Decanted for 2 hours prior to dinner, then from decanter for another 3 hours. Very Pauillac and young when decanted- dark fruits, tobacco and cigar. Nice length. Not too much different after 2 - 3 hours. Then, it all came together into a very nice harmonious and balanced drink. Lovely.

12/18/2020 - Jimmyjules wrote:

Decanted for about 5 hours as we circulated among neighbors homes (all tested and trusted re: Covid) for a socially distanced holiday party. This was the last stop and it was a big hit with the group. The wine was at a perfect place- no cloying sweetness, seamless and flat out delicious. Cellared with me since release.

10/18/2019 - Jimmyjules Likes this wine:

Prior posted notes accurate with the addition that this is flat out delicious. I give it a 94 at least.

10/12/2019 - Jimmyjules Likes this wine:

Not at all past prime, drinking quite nicely. Cellared since release. I also tasted the eucalyptus, but this is something I have never really liked in cabernet, and think it detracts. Take it away, and I would score this several,points higher. Nice balance and length.

10/12/2019 - Jimmyjules Likes this wine:

Slo-oxed for 5 hrs, then decanted for another 1.5-2 hrs. Tight as all get go from the initial bottle opening. Showed nothing but structure and balance until in the glass at dinner after the decant. And then some fruit and chocolate notes start to emerge, earthy tones. Beautiful balance. This will be great, give it maybe 10 years.

3/31/2019 - Jimmyjules wrote:

Sorry to the lovers of this. Overripe for me, more a dessert-like wine. Opened it to take along to a progressive dinner, took a couple sips, and left it for dessert. Even then, very few takers.

4/4/2017 - Jimmyjules Likes this wine:

Much like other notes, this starts with grippy tannin, followed by some nice black fruits and decent length. This can go, and will likely improve or at least smooth out, for years.

3/18/2017 - Jimmyjules Likes this wine:

Wow. Terrific 10 year old cabernet. Silky, long, complex notes of wild berries, boysenberry, sour cherry with some spice on top, and a lingering finish. So far, candidate for woty 2017.

2/18/2017 - Jimmyjules wrote:

Second bottle opened within a month, both purchased direct from the estate via their futures peogram. First note as a comment to another taster. Both bottles were to my taste, pretty DOA. Secondary even tertiary notes, but no fruit, kind of dead. Very, very disappointing because so much more is expected from this winery. A year or so ago, the 2002, sourced and stored similarly, by comparison absolutely shined.

2/18/2017 - Jimmyjules Likes this wine:

Opened this to substitute in for another DOA 2001 Montelena. I always worry a bit about tannins when I open a Seavey, but the worries were unfounded here. First few tastes opened with a very distinctive spiciness, some tannin, but also a wave of mostly black fruit. It quickly integrated well, that spiciness faded a bit, but the glycerin/thick mouth feel and layers made this very unctuous wine showed beautifully. It was gone all too soon. I think this is entering a very nice drinking window. If you like them older, you can probably wait a long time.

2/14/2017 - Jimmyjules Likes this wine:

Bought off a restaurant list in Vermont. Ski day, then V-Day dinner. Despite decades of experience with Bordeaux, never had one of these from any vintage. Very good wine. Some smokiness, iron, black fruits, decent length. Still young, will improve imo. Plenty of flavor and a relative bargain vs the California- based wines ont he list.

2/3/2017 - Jimmyjules Likes this wine:

I am not completely sure of this wine. I have been buying Lewelling on their "futures" program for maybe about 15 years? This bottle out of retail locally, $42. Good proce and a good wine. But for a '13, surprisingly drinkable, approachable. Actually drinking very well. Nice balance, delicious, nice fruit.....but missing an excitement factor. Is that all in the Wight?

1/27/2017 - Jimmyjules Likes this wine:

Terrific bottle of wine, still very youthful, maybe only beginning adolescence. Blast of deep black fruits, tannins still evident, long finish.

1/15/2017 - Jimmyjules wrote:

Rating withheld, but maybe a 90. Closed so tight. Giving very little. Saved half in a screw-cap 375, retried 2 nights later. Still closed tight. The only "opening" I got was when I accidentally inhaled some into my trachea, coughed, and voila, there is some nice stuff going on in there! Sorry for the weird, not particularly helpful note, but I noted other earlier tastes indicating an open wine, but I don't think so. At least no longer. I have reached a conclusion that much like the big brother Seavey Estate, that these need patience, a lot of time to really come around. I have never been a big fan of Caravina, but love the estate, but I think I just open them up too early expecting a "second wine" experience.

1/15/2017 - Jimmyjules Likes this wine:

Tasted alongside the 2014 Scarlett, I give this the edge. Scarlett more fruit forward, this a bit deeper, better integration of all the component parts. Style preference. Both offer a lot of value for the price.