11/6/2023 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Pop and pour over 3 hours. Quite easy to drink, fruit forward but much lighter than any Napa Cabernet I’ve had recently. Barely detectable tannins or acidity until around the 2 hour mark. Enjoyable, but not impressed, as I expected more body and depth.

9/27/2023 - ffzhang wrote:

Popped my second bottle for out-of-town guests that were visiting and unfortunately, this wine was flawed. The aromas were very different from the first bottle we drank a few months prior; it left a harsh bitter and unpleasant note on the palate. I attempted to aerate the wine both by using an aerator, as well as leaving it in our decanter for 2 hours, both of which did not have much effect on the wine.

4/29/2023 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Decanted for one hour and drank over the next few with a Flannery porterhouse. First time having this wine and was pleasantly surprised. Very vibrant youthful fruit, with nice herbaceous and earthy notes. Medium plus on the body but the tannins and acidity were balanced and nicely integrated. Overall, a bit young, but thoroughly enjoyed through the evening. I’m excited and looking forward to seeing how this ages.

2/20/2023 - ffzhang wrote:

PnP. Velvety tannins and nicely integrated alcohol but couldn’t shake off the overly sweet and jammy character. Full bodied and lush on the palate with lots of dark fruit (cherry, currant, blueberry). A bummer that an otherwise well-made and complex Napa Cab is overshadowed by sweet fruit, oak, and vanilla.

FWIW, I’ve never been wowed by this wine in the past and I’ve dropped off the mailing list since the 2017 vintage, but this last bottle of the 2016 was the most pleasant experience I’ve had with the label.

2/6/2023 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Enjoyed over 5 hours. Drinking beautifully right now. Lovely bouquet of dark fruit and earth, and super velvety mouthfeel with a long finish. Yum.

8/6/2022 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Drinking nicely now, but still has potential to age for a while more. Tight tannins upon PnP, but smoothed out over the course of dinner. Black fruits with some eucalyptus, tomato leaf, and menthol.

7/21/2022 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

PnP, drank over 3 hours. Surprisingly integrated at this stage, with notes of black licorice, eucalyptus, and menthol. Extremely long finish, velvety mouthfeel, beautiful representation of Dr. Crane.

4/4/2022 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Wow. A stunning wine in its youth. The feminine nature of the Sleeping Lady vineyard shines though with an elegant and floral character. Really looking forward to my next bottle in a couple of years.

6/21/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Tasted at Carter Cellars (6 of 6) -

After tasting a number of 2019s in the past few months (including VV, Kinsman, Carter, Myriad), it seems to be an overall more approachable than the 2018 vintage, with elements of the 2015 and 2016 vintages. However, it seems some of the wines we tasted at Carter are already starting to close up (bottle shock).

This wine is showing really well already, as it showcases the finesse and purity of fruit from the To Kalon vineyard. Lovely deep purple in color, with layered and complex flavors of black fruit (blackberry, currant), herbaciousness (green bell pepper, menthol, tomato leaf), and slight earthy and floral undertones (violets, gravel, wet stone, minerality). Nice expression of baking spices and unique note of cedar. Elegant medium plus body with chewy tannins, balanced acidity, and a stunning finish.

If it wasn't for the La Verdad stealing this show, this wine would have been at the top. Really delicious stuff with lots of aging potential.

6/21/2021 - ffzhang wrote:

Tasted at Carter Cellars (5 of 6) -

After tasting a number of 2019s in the past few months (including VV, Kinsman, Carter, Myriad), it seems to be an overall more approachable than the 2018 vintage, with elements of the 2015 and 2016 vintages. However, it seems some of the wines we tasted at Carter are already starting to close up (bottle shock).

Even though I have never been crazy about this bottling, I was still slightly disappointed by the lack of complexity and concentration. Lots of fresh, tart black cherry and black currant, with some baking spices, but the fruit flavors seem to disappear relatively quickly. Tannins are on the grippier side and alcohol was detected on the nose, but definitely more integrated on the palate. With all that being said, even though the wine is not as layered as I had hoped, it is quite balanced already and has a smooth, refined mouthfeel, with a medium body.

Unfortunately, this was my least favorite of the tasting. Interested to see how this develops with age, as I expect it'll become more exciting as it gains some depth.

6/21/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Tasted at Carter Cellars (4 of 6) -

After tasting a number of 2019s in the past few months (including VV, Kinsman, Carter, Myriad), it seems to be an overall more approachable than the 2018 vintage, with elements of the 2015 and 2016 vintages. However, it seems some of the wines we tasted at Carter are already starting to close up (bottle shock).

I had this wine side by side with the La BAM.

Wow. This wine was the winner of the tasting by far, beating out even the OG (which typically is my favorite). Complex and layered, with an opulent and full body, nice structure and concentration - simply an outstanding wine. Dark blackberries, black cherry, creme de cassis, crushed violets, cocoa, with secondary flavors of blueberry, tobacco, eucalyptus, baking spices, and a slight savory character. This wine screams Las Piedras with notes of crushed gravel, earth, and a pleasant minerality. Tannins are velvety and well integrated already, and mouthfeel is silky smooth. As the wine sat in glass for over an hour, it opened up and became more and more beautiful - I could not stop smelling this wine. The finish was phenomenal, leaving you wanting another sip.

Don't sleep on this, and add some to your cellar. IMO, potential to reach 100 in a few years.

6/21/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Tasted at Carter Cellars (3 of 6) -

After tasting a number of 2019s in the past few months (including VV, Kinsman, Carter, Myriad), it seems to be an overall more approachable than the 2018 vintage, with elements of the 2015 and 2016 vintages. However, it seems some of the wines we tasted at Carter are already starting to close up (bottle shock).

I had this wine side by side with the La Verdad.

This wine is big and explosive, with a lot going on. In the lineup I tasted, it surprised me the most since it wasn't screaming LPV like how the previous vintages of this wine did. Not as dark and brooding as previous years, and much more "lift", with what seems like higher acid levels. In fact, there was some orange blossom/floral characteristics detected on the nose among lots of black fruits and baking spices including blackberry, black raspberry, bramble, cinnamon, cardamom. Lush mouthfeel with big grippy tannins but not as astringent as the 'Carter'. Slightly hot on the palate. As the wine sat in glass for over an hour, it became darker and fuller - more powerful. The finish was extended, but strangely enough, I found this wine to have the most detectable sugar of the tasting.

A very unique rendition of this wine. Definitely looking forward to seeing how it ages, as it has all the components (fruit, alcohol, acidity, tannins) to nicely evolve.

6/21/2021 - ffzhang wrote:

Tasted at Carter Cellars (2 of 6) -

After tasting a number of 2019s in the past few months (including VV, Kinsman, Carter, Myriad), it seems to be an overall more approachable than the 2018 vintage, with elements of the 2015 and 2016 vintages. However, it seems some of the wines we tasted at Carter are already starting to close up (bottle shock).

This wine is lush and fruit forward with a nice complexity and weight, but carries noticeable alcohol on the nose and palate with somewhat overpowering and astringent tannins that dominate the wine. Lots of black cherry, blackberry, and graphite with slight herbal characteristics of menthol and eucalyptus. Contrary to other reviews here, I didn't find this wine as enjoyable, and strongly preferred the 2018 and how it showed last year at this time. Even though it's obvious that there's a lot going on with this wine, I felt the mid-palate and finish to be slightly lacking, as it just seemed like it needed more time to integrate and come together.

6/21/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Tasted at Carter Cellars (1 of 6) -

After tasting a number of 2019s in the past few months (including VV, Kinsman, Carter, Myriad), it seems to be an overall more approachable than the 2018 vintage, with elements of the 2015 and 2016 vintages. However, it seems some of the wines we tasted at Carter are already starting to close up (bottle shock).

This wine is concentrated with a medium plus intensity, medium plus body, and lots of deep earth notes of gravel, crushed stone, cassis, and mocha. Even though the wine is big, the fruit flavors are bright and fresh - blackberry and red fruits come through secondary to the earthiness. Acid is definitely on the higher end compared to all of the other wines we tasted, but it contrasts with the grippy tannins nicely. Beautiful Valrhona dark chocolate note comes through as the wine sat out in glass over a hour.

Even though I wasn't a big fan of this bottling in 2018, this wine was a very impressive start to the tasting this year. Showcases the Weitz vineyard and Oakville terroir beautifully.

4/22/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Enjoyed at the Memento Mori tasting room prior to sitting down for the reds. Creamy, round texture with notes of crisp apple, lemon, lime, lemon peel, toast, brioche, and wet stones. Minerality driven, with a nice mouthwatering acidity and fine bubbles. One of my favorites day in and day out.

4/22/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): This was unfortunately my least favorite of the tasting, as Genevieve and I both felt it was a bit closed off and not really open for business. The flavors were slightly dull, with notes of baked black cherry, cassis, toast, cedar, vanilla, tobacco leaf, anise, bell pepper. Chewy tannins (less than the VHR bottling), pleasant acidity, but fell slightly short on the finish. Looking forward to opening one of my bottles in a couple months, with the hopes for a better performance.

4/22/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): This wine was my favorite of the tasting, besting the 2014 and 2018 flagship blends. Mineral driven with notes of dirt, crushed stone, crushed violets, lavender, earth, toffee, chocolate, red currant, red cherry, creme de cassis. Grippy tannins (much more compared to the 2014 flagship), but fresh and elegant mouthfeel.

4/22/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Crimson violet in color, with beautiful floral aromas. Notes of red cherry, black cherry, blackberry, black currant, black tea leaf, baking spices, clove, cinnamon. Dense structure with grippy tannins, juicy mouthfeel, and lush body. Balanced acidity with slight sweetness on the lingering finish.

4/22/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Nigel was telling us about the super tiny fruit that contributed to the extremely intense concentration on this wine. Darker than the Kinsman wines we had in front of us, with lush black cherry, creme de cassis, vanilla, maybe a hint of fennel, and a pleasant salinity/minerality that rounded the palate and brought some liveliness to the wine. Juicy, decadent mouthfeel, with highly structured tannins, tingly acidity, and palpable alcohol. Lots of aging potential here.

Definitely worth getting on the mailing list. I believe the price point was discussed to be relatively high and more expensive than their own label, but damn the wine is good. Wow.

4/22/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Slightly darker in color than the other two. Super floral and aromatic with notes of apricot/orange blossom and rose petal, leading to tart cherry, red currant, cassis, boysenberry, and baking spices which were perfectly integrated. Such an elegant wine, with a nice energetic weight to it. Grippy tannins and a slight hint of residual sugar, but delicious overall with a long lush finish. Really excited and looking forward to its release already even though it's over an year out!

4/22/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Oh. My. Goodness. This wine is phenomenal and definitely was one of our favorites of the trip.

Breathtaking aromas of crushed violets, lavender, crushed stone, gravel, with beautiful fruit (black fruit dominated) and notes of bay leaf, fennel, vanilla, cedar, and a spicy herbal note. Seemed less sweet than the 2017 Rhadamanthus, but super smooth and silky mouthfeel with a long finish. This could go for so many years, but it's already drinking beautifully. Nigel truly hit it out of the park with this one.

4/22/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Beautiful nose of minerality and earth, but ripe flavors of red/black cherry, blackberry, currant still shine through. Notes of crushed gravel, vanilla, cinnamon, bell pepper add to its complexity. Gigantic wine with huge but velvety tannins, lush body, elegant mouthfeel, with hint of sweetness lingering on the finish. Super well integrated already, and one of the best 2017s I've had from Napa Valley.

4/21/2021 - ffzhang wrote:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): I used go enjoy this, but after visiting and exploring Champagne, I wouldn't actively choose to go back to this. Detectable residual sugar - I was surprised how sweet I found this wine to be - with notes of golden apple, pie crust, brioche, pear, pastry dough. Faint yellow in color, pleasant acidity and weight, lackluster finish. Not particularly complex.

4/21/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Lots of baked and stewed fruit that hits you right in the face. Notes of cherry, blackberry, pie crust, hint of seaweed. Juicy mouthfeel, slight sweetness, and pleasant acidity. 15.5% alcohol.

4/21/2021 - ffzhang wrote:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Green olive, red/black cherry, jalapeño pepper, vanilla, pencil lead, tobacco leaf, cigar box, hint of savoriness. Seemed slightly overpowered by a pyrazine note.

4/21/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Lots of dark red cherry with a wonderful minerality and slight herbal character. Notes of cedar, lavender, tomato leaf, graphite, pencil lead, and earth add to the complexity. Similar to the others, it felt slightly hot on the palate, with grippy tannins. Nice structure and mouthfeel, lots of aging potential.

4/21/2021 - ffzhang wrote:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): This one seemed sweeter on the nose compared to the Reserve bottling, with more notes of baking spices, tart red cherry, vanilla, toffee, and tart hawthorne. Super grippy tannins and pretty hot on the palate. Definitely needs more time to integrate. Unfortunately, not my favorite.

4/21/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): First impression was that this is a powerful and highly structured wine. 80% new French oak used. Big and complex with notes of crushed gravel, chocolate covered blueberries, espresso, caramel, bell pepper, eucalyptus, tobacco leaf, earth, cassis, blackberry, and tart cherry. Grippy tannins and slightly hot on the palate, but definitely plenty of aging potential. Interested to see how this develops.

4/21/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Wasn't sure what to expect going in, but wow. I love the crisp and steely minerality that this wine provides - such a nice salinity and a bright zing that makes it almost Chablis in nature. Gorgeous floral and fruit flavors ranging from delicate to more oomph - white blossom, orange blossom, white peach, white nectarine, lime peel, lemon zest, lemon meringue, lemon curd. Medium body with a nice mouthwatering finish. Can't wait to have it with some seafood this summer.

4/27/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Deep purple color, youthful with aromas of dark ripe black berry, ripe currant, blackberry, creme de cassis. Some red fruit incorporated as well, with bell pepper, chocolate, earth, pencil lead. Lush body that coats the palate, slightly grainy tannins at this stage, nice acidity, and a silky finish which was not as long as I hoped. Definitely suggest laying this down for a while to allow the complexities and nuances develop and integrate some more.

4/25/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Bright ruby color, medium plus intensity with flavors of perfectly ripe red cherry, cranberry, tart raspberry and pomegranate, robust earthiness, wet leaves and a nice minerality. Fresh with slightly dried herbal and savory characteristics. Balanced acidity and tannins, smooth and silky texture with a relatively short finish.

5/17/2021 - ffzhang wrote:

Saw Erin DiCostanzo’s IG note and wanted to visit and see how this wine was developing. Unfortunately, wine was flawed and undrinkable. Muted aromas, unpleasant astringency, mouldy flavors, extremely bitter finish. What a bummer.

UPDATE: Erin was super kind to get a replacement sent out pronto. Drank the new bottle with a Flannery NY, and really enjoyed the fresh red fruit, intertwined with lots of baking spices and savory earth and mineral flavors. Elevated acidity, round tannins, and smooth finish. It was even better on night two! Thanks again, Erin! :)

5/11/2021 - ffzhang wrote:

Popped and poured from 375mL. Unfortunately, didn’t get the same experience as others here. Upon first taste, the wine seemed closed off and flavors were muted. On the second day, it was slightly better but it just didn’t wow me like how the 2016 and 2017 vintages of this wine did. Hoping it’s just this one bottle. Have 7 more, of which I will plan to revisit one again in a few months.

5/5/2021 - ffzhang wrote:

Feels like a completely different wine compared to when I had it late last year. Decanted for an hour on the first day - lots of tart fruit, but severely lacking in mid-palate and body. 2nd night was much better, with darker fruit flavors, and some baking spices, but alcohol and acidity seemed to need further time to integrate. Finish was smooth on both nights.

Really need to lay this one down for a while. Open a 2016 or 2017 instead.

4/21/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): I really liked this wine, and it was a pleasant surprise/deviation from all the Napa Cabernets I had during my trip. My score may be elevated given that it was so different, but yet very enjoyable.

Bright ruby color with such an aromatic bouquet of baking spices on the nose. Flavors of pomegranate seed, red cherry, cranberry, kirsch, and clove. Continued to develop in glass with flavors of strawberry, moss and just a bit of bubble gum. Juicy on the palate with beautiful acidity, lush and velvety tannin structure (well integrated though), and a smooth long finish.

4/21/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): One of my favorite wines of the trip. Enjoyed with food, and it paired beautifully.

Trifecta of red, blue, and black fruit including red cherry, red currant, blueberry, black currant, and boysenberry. Deeply concentrated with graphite, crushed stones, earthiness creating an interesting salinity/minerality on the palate. Baking spices, cedar, cinnamon, and anise juxtaposed with floral aromatics add to the complexity of the wine. Full bodied with textured tannins and elevated acidity. Yummy long finish.

4/20/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Subtle nose, but much larger on the palate. Lush and fuller body, with chewier tannins and higher detectable alcohol compared to the Moon Mountain Cabernet. Flavors of red/black currant, black cherry, eucalyptus, menthol and tomato leaf. I feel that this wine needs some time to age in bottle, so that the flavors can better integrate. Rated partially based on potential.

4/20/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Not as pronounced on the nose. Fresh, elegant flavors of red and black fruit. Tart cherry, cassis, vanilla, cinnamon, dried herbs, earth, and savoriness. Grippy tannins and slight bitterness on the finish. Looking forward to trying this again in a couple of years.

4/20/2021 - ffzhang wrote:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Fresh with flavors of red cherry, red plum, spice box, and tobacco leaf. Soft and lush mouthfeel with nice tannin structure and a slight sweetness on the finish.

4/20/2021 - ffzhang wrote:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Syrah made in a fresh style. Well integrated acidity and tannins. Quite a bit of black olive notes like a rich olive tapenade, some funk and greenness/herbal characteristics. Dark fruit flavors of blackberry and black cherry, with baking spices and cedar. Some savoriness and black pepper on the finish.

4/20/2021 - ffzhang wrote:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Lots of jasmine and white blossom on the nose. Flavors of honeysuckle, lemon, ripe yellow nectarine and yellow peach. Some minerality and salinity. Felt slightly hot on the palate but enjoyable acidity.

4/20/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Fresh representation of Sauvignon Blanc, with a pleasant weightiness. Lots of green apple, juicy citrus fruit, lemon zest and lemon curd. Racy mouthwatering acidity, slightly creamy, nice finish.

4/20/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): One of my favorite wines of the trip. Such a beautiful wine with so much complexity and lots of things going on.

Wine was decanted for 12 hours. Concentrated, fresh flavors of dark black fruit including black currant, blackberries and creme de cassis. After sitting out glass for a while, red currant and blueberries come out. Floral elements including crushed violets, lilac, lavender. Lots of minerality showcasing the unique terroir - crushed gravel, stone, pencil shavings. Also get some tomato leaf, anise, cinnamon, cardamom, and a hint of menthol. Solid medium plus body with super integrated acidity and structured velvety tannins. Extended long finish. Really fortunate to have tasted this and extremely excited for its release this Fall.

4/19/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Beautiful aromas/flavors of bouquet garni, bay leaves, crushed gravel, vanilla, and creme de cassis. Fruit flavors of blueberry, blackberry, black plum, black cherry, and savory spices including clove. The wine was just a tad hot (14.8% alc), and tannins were grippy but not astringent. Lush texture on the palate with a slight sweetness (think Smarties candy) on the long finish. Really looking forward to picking up a few bottles of this when they release later this year.

4/19/2021 - ffzhang wrote:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Fresher and brighter than the 2016 Cabernet. High acidity jumped out first. Flavors of tart red cherry, blackberry, caramel, toffee, and a slight savoriness, especially on the finish. 100% new French oak brings lots of baking spices. To me, it seemed slightly unbalanced at the moment but most likely will see improvement with age.

4/19/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Noticeable alcohol on the nose, but a lot of things going on for this wine, especially as time passed and the wine sat in glass. Flavors of hawthorne, blueberry, cassis, caramel, toffee, Serrano pepper, dried oregano, savory jerky, and a prominent iron minerality note. Showcased more earthiness than the Reserve 2017. Big, structured wine with chewy tannins and balanced acidity.

4/19/2021 - ffzhang wrote:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): A heavier Pinot Noir, with aromas of bright red fruit and rose petal. Flavors of tart red cherry, red plum, cranberry, pomegranate. Subtle earthiness and minerality. 25% whole cluster used contributing to some additional complexity. Smooth tannins and bright acidity.

4/19/2021 - ffzhang wrote:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Pale lemon color, with notes of white blossom, lemon, lime, and citrus peel. High acidity with some asparagus greenness. 25% new oak used, adding some roundness. Felt slightly hot on the palate, with a hint of detectable tannin (maybe from barrel?). Not really the style of Sauvignon Blanc that I typically enjoy.

4/19/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): I absolutely loved this wine and wanted to give it a triple digit score as it ended up being my favorite of the trip. It really got me thinking that I may enjoy the 2019s more than the 2018s at least in the short term.

Final barrel sample. Phenomenal pronounced bouquet on the nose with extremely pure fruit flavors. Red, blue, and black fruit are all present including perfectly ripe cherry, blueberry pie, and blackberry. Lovely floral note (not as perfumed as the BTK), earthy/minerality note (not as dark as the LPV), and baking spice note including anise, adds to the layers of complexity in this wine. Many Cabernet Sauvignons seem to have a lighter mid-palate, but this wine did not suffer from that. Rich and decadent, yet elegant at the same time, lasting through the entire palate, onto the very long finish. Tannins and alcohol were super well integrated. Absolutely singing. 99+

4/19/2021 - ffzhang Likes this wine:

Exploring 2018s and 2019s in Napa - Spring 2021; 4/18/2021-4/22/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Final barrel sample. Huge wine. Deep purple with earthy nose. Lots of dark berries, black cherry, coffee, crushed gravel, cedar, earth, and even a little leather. Also intermingled was a slightly spicy note. This wine is dark, brooding, tense with relatively grippy tannins and racy acidity. Mineral-driven and complex, showcasing Las Piedras terroir at its finest.