4/25/2024 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Have heard about this wine for years. Touted as the best domestic US Chardonnay people have ever had. An absolute treat, this lives up to the talk, even with several years of age on it now. A beautiful, French-styled white that is so effortlessly balanced, while remaining quite bold at the same time. I would be glad to have more of these in my cellar.

4/25/2024 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Always love tasting the interesting concoctions from Premiere Napa Valley auction. This one was particularly well balanced with the smooth and sometimes slutty fruit from the doctor being balanced by the tannin and acid from Oakville ranch. A great blend they make here. Opened up quite nicely throughout the dinner as well.

4/25/2024 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Olives! Olives everywhere. The most prominent nose of olive. Really quite extraordinary. Some green olives on the palate too along with a lovely dried fruit and cedar to level it out. A nice treat for a 21 year old wine. Still some great life in the bottle. Drink now.

4/25/2024 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Probably one of the most interesting “cab-like” wines coming out of Napa valley right now. This has all the hallmarks of a great Cabernet, yet has such an interesting backbone of other components with incredible acid and tannin structure that doesn’t bite, along with fresh plums and dark fruits that come out with a good amount of air.

11/16/2023 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Platt is all the rage these days. And it never disappoints. Brought to a great dinner by CT friends. Was interesting to be able to try fresher and bigger Sonoma Pinot style alongside older Burgundian styles. Definitely a palate workout! Something to follow over a couple days likely and I would guess even better in a few years.

11/16/2023 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Of course I had to pop this as soon as it was chilled after landing. Pure luck it happened to be same night as a small gathering of wine friends at a nearby BYOB. An absolute delight. I have been really diving into white wines recently and do love a great Sancerre, and this has all the hallmarks of the best, along with some incredible grounding from the Semillon addition alongside the Sauvignon Blanc. If I had one phrase to embody this bottle it would be "fresh luxury". Great freshness with the citrus and rind fruits, while also having depth and complexity from the minerality and gravity that the blend brings to the table. The Chenin Blanc earlier this year was an absolute treasure and delicious, and this sequel is just as good, and a touch fresher. Though I may prefer the Chenin in its rounder profile. This just cements their foray back into white wines as the best choice they've made since they decided to make red wine.

11/16/2023 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

PnP at Blackfish BYOB with a couple of CT friends. The kind of gathering that has become a sort of monthly recurrence, for which I am very happy. A lone, brave soldier in the ongoing battle of my cellar, in which I try to make room for new deliveries. Likely the reason we all keep bringing way too much wine to these things. I am not too upset about that...at least until I realize it's a Thursday night when I get home.

This is in an absolutely excellent place, with life for several more years likely. This was beautiful and still had a magnificent aroma when poured, not bad for 20 years! The flavors were all meshing well, from tertiary to still some primary sneaking in. Red fruit, minerality, earth, pepper, and violet go down easy. Would not guess the age if blinded, likely an effect of the 2003 harvest being a big hotter and more rich, something that has led to this bottle being quite alive at 20 years. It even gained some body throughout the night with air. My palate keeps leaning more and more towards aged Burgundy for Pinot. I think this will be even better in 2-5 years.

8/20/2023 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Popped open after a 2017 Hourglass Cab Franc and a 2018 Detert Cab Franc. This was about just as good as the previous 2, but probably could have benefitted the most from some air, maybe a slow ox or a 1-2 hour decant as it was a bit more linear than the other two. Being mountain fruit, this is usually the case I find when opening similar vintages to valley floor. Something I think a bit of age/oxygen can remedy. Still a delicious wine with black/blue fruited core and a brambly/herbaceous uplift that is still tightly wound, though with a lengthy finish. I always think of these bottlings as baby B Cellars Heritage Franc.

8/20/2023 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Drank side by side with a 2017 Hourglass Cab Franc at a delicious home cooked dinner with Franken Berry. At first sip this screams Oakville. A bit more mellow than the Hourglass, but still a full bodied, darker fruited wine. This has some of the more traditional Cab Franc qualities, with a touch of floral presence and a nice long, slightly juicy finish.

8/20/2023 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Drank side by side with a 2018 Detert at a delicious home cooked dinner with Franken Berry. This had a dark, brooding, black fruited core with magnificent texture to it. A lot of toasty cedar, cigar box, and granite notes in this as well. Really just so many delicious notes packed into this bottle that flow so well together. Another reason to not turn your back on a vintage without exploring a bit. I really have been enjoying a lot of 2017s recently.

7/23/2023 - Cyclist wrote:

Agreed with everything Franken Berry has said. I have a couple bottles of '18 of this and whilst this was quite good, it didn't have the same oomph that the '18 has/had. This was very well balanced and had some great lightly stewed red fruits that paired nicely with some house-made pastas!

7/23/2023 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Shared at a lovely Central Coast themed dinner with Franken Berry. Also my fault for getting too busy all day and not double decanting this one too, so this was not at full potential when opened, but still delicious. EABA is always ready to party, and doesn't need as much time as the Syrah or other bottlings, usually. Though the Mourvedre is incredible any way you look at it. Lots of blue fruits and oak, but not too much. I'm thinking this was even better on Day 2, and was sent home with Franken Berry to enjoy.

7/21/2023 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Shared over a great dinner with Franken Berry, this was opened and sat in bottle in the cellar for several hours prior to bringing out to dinner. Probably should have double decanted in the morning but was smoking for a BBQ and doing a bunch of other things and just got busy. Pretty good at dinner time, but absolutely excellent day 2 and 3 (sorry FB!). Some great darker berry and menthol notes come to the front with light cedar and oak. A finish that lasts quite a while. Probably 93 at dinner, and 97 now. Will put it at 95 and take full responsibility due to me forgetting to double decant. Alex will be mad for not brining his wine to the full potential haha, my fault.

7/4/2023 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Opened to wash down some Italian gems from Valpolicella over the weekend. This has mellowed to a great place from when I last had a bottle a few years ago near release. Mike's wines are exactly what I need after a day of Amarone, probably one of the few makers that can hold strong after several Amarone bottlings! This was delicious and at a perfect balance currently between show and restraint. The black fruits dancing perfectly in-tune with the oak and spice. This will definitely improve considerably more in a few years down the road, so perhaps open one now and then save the rest for later if you have several bottles! Though it should be noted that I do prefer Dr. Crane (and honestly any other Beckstoffer vineyard over GIII), this is still an absolutely delicious bottling and I'm sure others drinking it appreciated it even more than me.

7/1/2023 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Another one to get ready for a slew of exploration and tastings in Valpolicella next weekend. This was an absolute beauty. Aged to perfection. Some actually preferred this to the Dal Forno tasted alongside! Opened with a Durand (and this was necessary). No decant or any aeration work necessary for Day 1. Great notes of cigar, pencil shavings, dried berries and light raisin. Then had some left for Day 2 (kept in the cellar in-between) and, to my surprise, was actually more open and even better. Some more expressive tertiary notes and more dried berries, followed by what I can only describe as a warm embrace in front of a fire. Absolutely delicious and will definitely be visiting this estate while out in Valpolicella.

7/1/2023 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Getting ready for Valpolicella next weekend. This was a pale red-orange (the color of the sky across a portion of the US on this day...) and opened with a quick double decant. Obviously this quick double decant was not nearly enough as on Day 1 this was quite a heated beast still, as expected. Though, on Day 2, this opened up quick nicely with deep strokes of mellow, aged wood and raisin-y goodness and was much more accessible. Although not as showy, rich, or downright life-changing as some of the other vintages I've had, this was still a Dal Forno and still absolutely delicious.

4/8/2023 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Wow, the things I had to do to get this because of state laws...but oh so worth it. No decant, and honestly was quite a powerful lady out of the gate, but still delicious. Probably better in the decanter for an hour or two as it really started to show gorgeously after sitting in the glass for a bit. I just love Central/Southern California Grenache these days.

4/7/2023 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Woo, better late than never! A delicious, powerful red-fruited Cote du Nuits Red Burgundy. From a premier cru site in one of the less well known villages, Morey Saint Denis. This still had some claws and was quite enjoyable now, but will likely be better in ~3-5 years. Aged red berries and spiced cherries are the starting line-up here moving more towards spice as the wine sits, with some tertiary flavors starting to form but the fruit and acid is still forefront. Really getting into Burgundy these days!

11/21/2022 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Opened and poured into a decanter at a dinner in Philly with a visiting SF at Sally (great dinner by the way, delicious place). This is a super interesting wine made in the style of Amarone (grapes air-dried etc.), but with a mixture of heritage and almost extinct Italian varietals (sometimes 15) from Zyme in the Veneto region. Really, really interesting and quite closed still at first sip. But as the dinner went on this opened up spectacularly in the decanter into some sweet coffee-like notes, along with some beautiful red cherry and mint that left a fresh and timely finish on the palate. As the wine opened up more there were jammy notes of berry and just an exquisite, yet powerful balance to each sip. Definitely will age into even more impressiveness in the next ~5 years I would think. Either decant for a couple hours now or hold for a few more years! Excellent and very unique wine.

10/13/2022 - Cyclist wrote:

Purple for days. Incredible color on this from first sight. This was absolutely juicy and absolutely focused. A very unique combination of two attributes not usually able to coexist in any sort of harmonious entanglement. However, Mike has blended them into co-habitation here, and done so quite well. From pop and pour this was juicy and delicious, but not too revealing. Very interested to see where this goes in the next couple years.

9/22/2022 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Been awhile since I’ve gotten around to writing something up so here’s two nights in one note for ya! Night 1 was with 2-3 hours of slow ox in bottle in the cellar. Great structure and fine tannins with an abundant, but approachable backbone of black berries and cigar. The door was ajar but I couldn’t quite fit through. Put the cork back in and bottle back in the cellar for a nice little nap.

Night 2 is where this Howell Mountain Cab really starting howling. Incredible upon reopening and ready to play with fig and dark, brooding balanced power and elegance. A real treat. Don’t drink much Sinegal but after this I will likely explore this estate some more!

2/20/2022 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

A great wine supplied by SF as a send off. This was just about toe in toe with the 1 Post the when tasted the first day (both seem to have improved even more with more air). While very different wines, the 1 Post more restraint and structure while the LPV had a more modern, dark fruit core and a impeccable note of dark berries and wet gravel with very slight (and not in a bad way) coconut underpinnings. I forget exactly how much air SF gave this but it was a good call as I’m told it did have heat and oak that blew off and out came this beauty. Thanks for the great wine as always!

2/20/2022 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

SF gets this spot on in his review. This is a restrained valley floor Cab that has great balance with a lovely deep structure and brooding complexity that just pulls you in for more again and again after every sip. This was enjoyed PnP and had no hard edges. After a day of the cork being put back in and back in the cellar, it has come out with an extra bit of weight, a tad bit more integration, and an extra point! I really love this wine every vintage; they are definitely made to showcase the vintage and not just repeat the same notes year after year.

2/20/2022 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

This is not your normal California Pinot Noir and is a refreshing change of pace from what most producers are doing these days. This red is bright, quenching, has beautiful aromatics and a Burgundian charm that is all but missing in most American Pinots. It was approachable right out of the gate but took on more florals in the bouquet and even more complexity after about 1-2 hours of air. EDIT: Raising this a point as its developed some more layers of complexity and body over the last day or 2 in the cellar. 94+

12/3/2021 - Cyclist wrote:

This had quite the decant before we got to it and I still think this has a ton of life left in it. This was unfortunately overpowered (both on the palate and from my taste preferences) and suffered quite a bit from being served alongside the absolute monster of the VV Mysterons. This had booziness (without concentration), nutmeg, clove, other holiday spices, and plums, so many different types of plums, all encompassed by medicinal herbs on the front and back end. Beautiful in its own right but definitely more SF's taste than mine. A fun change from the New World wines tasted alongside.

12/3/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

The things I had to do to this bottle... After a double decant where I poured into a decanter in the cellar for an hour or so and then back in bottle and left to slow ox in bottle in the cellar without a cork for about 6 hours. Then recorked and left in cellar overnight and brought to SF's. There we re-opened it and let it slow ox for about another hour before it finally started to show its colors. I'd say hold these bottles for 4-5 years before even looking at them, don't tempt yourself as this baby is incredible but so locked up. I'd wager this goes up, perhaps to perfection, in the coming decade. Behind the locked walls of this are a sexy, concentrated, dark, oozing, and expressive beast. Once the actual wine (as opposed to whatever pure black and concentrated liquid this was filled with) started to peek through after the immense amount of air, you could get cocoa, stone, incredibly silky black fruit, tannins (but not enough to make you put down a glass), and legs for days that somehow don't kick you with any heat. 97+++

12/3/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

SF captures this bottling quite poetically. For once our preferences and palates are completely aligned and I love it! This was a beautiful expression straight from Coravin, giving its best argument that it might be in a beautiful place to open and enjoy now. This had a remarkably beautiful, almost delicate but concentrated floral characteristic to it that beautifully melded with the melted tannins, red fruits, and integrated oak. More red fruit than others, but not in your face, everything here was balanced and felt elegant. Really has come into its own over the last couple years and has left behind the characteristic 2013 tannic power for a balanced, elegant profile highlighting florals and earthiness. A great showing.

11/13/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

I always find it tough to score and write notes for fortified wines. Probably because of my enjoyment of them paired the higher alcohol creates a feedback loop that causes me to not be able to recall what exactly I was drinking... This was beautiful at 60 years. A real treat and one of the oldest bottles I've opened. Glad to have the occasion. I'm a firm believer that port can last and last and last, and this was no exception. While the color was a beautiful rust, all the notes of caramel, raisin and the usual suspects were there, and all were nicely complex and aged in. The sometimes over the top sweetness and raisin notes have slightly morphed into "light raisin" and this was really, really a delicious port that also could warm you up on a cold night as SF has stated.

11/13/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Unlike SF, Cabernet Franc is my favorite varietal and I wholesomely appreciate the spectrum of flavors and notes it can produce based on how the winemaker decides to have it dance. This was, to only SF's surprise (the Cab Franc naysayer), an incredible wine with great body, acidity, and a complete spectrum of complex oak and dark fruit notes along with the enthusiastic lift that Cab Franc brings to the table. Dal Forno took the Wine of the Day for me, but this was a great treat from SF. Now I'm very excited to start to pile on Cabernet Franc's for him to enjoy next time since it seems we may have turned him.

11/13/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

I actually didn't do anything for this bottle. Just popped and poured. It seemed to be in a really good drinking window and much, much more restrained and dialed back than many 2015 Napa Valley Cabernets I've experienced, so no decanting necessary I'd say. This seems to have come into its age with haste (the tannins have softened and the secondary notes are coming in) and is in a beautiful place right now, perhaps it will become ever so slightly more graceful in a few years, but I'd say pop one now if you've got 'em and enjoy! SF get's everything spot on in his note so I won't write a novel and will just say read his note. I will add, I just tasted the 2018 version of this bottling and the style is a bit different, a bit more modern Napa, but still has great restraint. The 2018 is an absolute masterpiece in my opinion and blew this away, will probably have to open one of those soon.

11/13/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Here's where SF and I's tastes start to diverge. I used to drink a lot of old world Sangiovese years ago, but both my palate and I have grown, broadened, and changed since then, especially after exposure to new world cabs and I tend to favor new world these days. This was one of the most interesting wines of the day for me, maybe partly because I didn't give it enough air before our event, focusing too much on perfecting the Dal Forno's treatment. Which really allowed us to follow how this was evolving over 4-5 hours, and evolve it did. SF, your palate was not weak, this definitely changed so much throughout the night in a thrilling way and got so interesting by the end of the night. First off, The nose on this was wonderful in my opinion, like a berry pie, yum (sorry SF, I know, an affront to old world Sangio). Now those changes brought this from sweeter cherry and currant notes to pencil shavings, a spectrum of red fruits, and a lovely tinge of acidity holding it all together. Yes, a much different wine than Italian Sangiovese's, but I definitely don't mind. When it comes to Sangiovese, both the Italian interpretation and this are good in my opinion, but my palate tends to reach for this new world profile more so, and this is one of my favorite new world Sangiovese's to date. I do think this showed much better the first bottle I had when it had a lot more air, hence the slightly lower score this time around. Really shows how preparation of the wine can really change the interpretation, score, and pleasure. I would say this is my favorite Sangiovese though still.

11/13/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Okay, my turn now. My words will likely be less poetic (and probably weirder) than SF's so bear with me. First we'll talk about my overnight gymnastics (the wine kind). I double decanted this Italian beauty about 24 hours (opened and poured into a decanter and let sit in the cellar for a few hours, then poured back into bottle, re-corked, and let sit overnight in the cellar) before we drank this masterpiece. A floor routine that I find consistently earns high marks for Amarone's and unapproachable big cabs alike. Dal Forno's Amarone is like a tardis of flavor once you get the door opened. I can wander inside for an hour just on one sip. A both impossible yet beautiful creation on which I will gladly spend my lunch money. This had everything you can imagine a red would have note-wise, and it somehow, miraculously, was woven together so finely and effortlessly for the absolute monster (and I say that in the best way) that this was. It was singing with the airtime it got. Can't wait for whoever's turn it is next to bring the '88 Amarone since we seem to be doing a decades party (but in all honestly I think we'd be happy with any year).

10/24/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Tasted at the new production facility with Michael and Andrea on the rainiest day California has seen in years. I'm going for a lot of water and rain-based puns here so stick with me. Some not-so-dry humor. While it was pouring outside, we were pouring inside. After thoroughly drying ourselves from the walk from the loading dock to the door, we tasted through the line-up of 2018, 2019, and 2021 from barrel. Both the 2018 and 2019 had a plethora of black fruits but the 2019 was more approachable than the 2018 and was my preference of the two. The 2019 also seemed to have a bit more depth and more layers and just more balance overall. The 2018 was great too, just more of a tannic wall stopping the fruit from flooding the mouth, should hopefully catch up to the 2019's performance in a couple years, but I think the 2019 will perhaps pull a bit ahead in that time as well. Great QPR on these wines. No more specific notes or thoughts you ask? Well let me tell you why. After about 30 minutes of hanging out, checking out the new facility, and tasting...Russell Bevan (consulting winemaker) walked in and dragged us to the table to taste all of the facilities ferments and barrels so he could make any alterations necessary before dryness and to check on the barrels. Who would say no? Who could say no? Well about 20 or so progress checks later and a total of around 1000 grams of a river of sugar coating my mouth, all rational thought left my being and I was stuck with these notes. Spitting never works as well on sugar for me. The 2021 was coming together great in barrel from what my poor palate could tell at that point and also, some new vineyards coming online for the 2021 wines that should be fun. A real fun-soaked afternoon.

9/29/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

I think Allbaer's 2019 releases are the single most exciting release this year for me on the Central Coast. When I had them a couple months ago they absolutely blew me away, especially the Grenache. However, the Sangiovese shouldn't be taken lightly, this is one of the best Sangiovese interpretations I've had the pleasure of drinking. I used to drink a lot of Italian Sangiovese before I dove head first into the Northern California deep end, and this has all the best parts of those with an unmistakable California flair. A great wine to have with any type of food. It has a delicious tinge of acidity all while not giving up the beautiful concentration that some of the Central Coast producers seem to have mastered.

9/29/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

This Grenache blew me away. I mean, it was just absolutely incredible. I drank this awhile ago and don't have any notes on me anymore but since it is releasing soon I figured I'd post a short review. This honestly sits in the 99-100 range for me, but I will score it 99+ since I drank it a few months ago and don't know its exact state right now. I think it may have been the best Grenache I've ever had, yet. This was dark and brooding, but still retained the sexy brighter notes that great Grenache tends to express, all in balance with its absolute beast of a core that holds this all together beautifully. This definitely needs air though to shine currently. A 2-3 hour (or more) decant to get all the flavors and aromas pumping will make your body happier. This is definitely going to last a while, if you can hide bottles from yourself, because its scarily drinkable now too if you like bigger wines. 99+

8/25/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Poured in a glass, sat for an hour, and drank over the next hour. This is mostly Cabernet Franc (over 50%), and it really shows in a great way. The Cabernet Sauvignon bottling I described as approachable now, this is even more so and has some great varietal characteristics of Cabernet Franc (one of my favorite varietals) such as some lavender and herbs softening and diversifying the palate quite nicely. With so many tannin bombs of Cabernet Sauvignon that constantly float to the top, this blend was a nice and delicious treat and I appreciated that.

8/25/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Poured in a glass, sat for an hour, and drank over the next hour. This was quite a nice surprise. Very approachable and readily drinkable after some air for a Howell Mountain Cab. There were no overbearing tannins, just great balance with lovely fruit and structure throughout. Arguably this will be better at release next year as it gets a bit more age in bottle but was in no way aggressive, as both 2018s and Howell Mountain in general can be. Definitely recommend seeking this new project out.

8/7/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Pop and pour on this baby. This was immensely more approachable than I anticipated for being a 2018. This was incredibly smooth out of the bottle and everything I wanted from Crane. Blue fruit, silky tannins, black and red fruit, all intertwined so finely and effortlessly. If you have a few bottles try one, I don’t think you’ll regret it. This was the most different of the 3 but held up against a Futo and Promontory as wines of the night.

8/7/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

3 hour decant. This was an incredible, smooth ride of cushiony tannins and blue and black fruits just like I want from an oral trip to Stag’s Leap. Futo did not disappoint and this held its own for a tie of wine of the night against a bottle of 2015 Promontory and a Myriad Crane. Very different wines and this had a slightly more approachable, yet bramble-y lure right now (that promontory in 10 years though is going to be incredible).

8/7/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

The T5 is such a treat. This was approachable after a 3 hour decant, yet still had enough teeth to perk me up. I find 2013s sometimes a bit tannic for me still but this was incredible elegant and drinkable.

8/7/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

This was as wild and wonderful as I remember tasting at the estate. Tight but unwinding structure, gravel, fine tannins, and explosive fruit all made choreographed appearances in this production. This was both untamed, yet incredibly elegant. Promontory always has this wild elegance to it, I’ve never tasted anything else like it in the valley still. This was decanted for ~3 hours and definitely could have used several more. Huge upside in 3-10 years. This will probably last decades 99+

7/17/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Oh wow. This is incredible. The 2016 is one of my favorite wines when decanted but the 2018 takes the 2016, throws it in the back seat and grabs the wheel. This is such a restrained, elegant presentation that still has that Napa power and melds so well with a noticeablly youthful, yet silky, tannic backbone that supports this piece of poetry with perfection. It really starts to fire on all cylinders after a good dose of air. Even though it’s still relatively young as a 2018, I’m fighting the urge to open more.

7/12/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Double decant on the previous bottle. Poured into a decanter and left in cellar for 3 hours then poured back in bottle, recorked, then opened the next day. This really opened it up. Beautiful Petite Sirah without any hard edges but tons of inky purple-black beauty showing black fruit with a nice tannic backbone that glides along the tastebuds. Saving the rest of the bottles for several years but the double decant made this quite approachable now.

6/23/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Coravin pour on a bottle I'll probably open and decant soon. This is quite well integrated from a fruit and tannin perspective and also just so, so elegant for a Petite Sirah. This is going to be absolutely beautiful in a few years. Quite closed now without a decant but the fruit, tannins, and acid are perfectly aligned for what I would say will be an incredible cellar ride. Disclaimer though: I don't normally drink Petite Sirah, mostly because I don't think Petite Sirah normally is done this well. 98++

6/16/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Myriad Cellars/Mike Smith 2020 Red's from Barrel: This wine was fresh, and I mean that in a good way and also a "still young in barrel" way. There's a great light, but rounded, vanilla and barrel component that is integrating with some serious fruit and power right now. I would go back just to drink some more of this, as I said it is fresh and exciting right now. 95-97

6/16/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Myriad Cellars/Mike Smith 2020 Red's from Barrel: Okay this note is a bit more complex as I tasted 2 distinct vineyard blocks from separate barrels that have yet to be blended. These blocks are incredibly different from a taste perspective, but both delicious in their own ways. Both barrels had the traditional taste you'd except from a young wine pulled from a barrel, unlike the Dr. Crane which could honestly have fooled me almost. One block had fruit popping out left and right and an integrating barrel component that one could tell was going to be delicious at bottling in a year. The other block was worlds apart, it had an incredibly concentrated mineral backbone that you could almost taste the California coast through. The winds, the beach, the soil, I could see it when I closed my eyes. Wow, these would be incredible as singular blocks in bottles, but I can only imagine how well integrated and blended the final product will be. This has an incredible future ahead of it in blending sessions. 97-99

(Same review posted for the normal GIII)

6/16/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Myriad Cellars/Mike Smith 2020 Red's from Barrel: Okay this note is a bit more complex as I tasted 2 distinct vineyard blocks from separate barrels that have yet to be blended. These blocks are incredibly different from a taste perspective, but both delicious in their own ways. Both barrels had the traditional taste you'd except from a young wine pulled from a barrel, unlike the Dr. Crane which could honestly have fooled me almost. One block had fruit popping out left and right and an integrating barrel component that one could tell was going to be delicious at bottling in a year. The other block was worlds apart, it had an incredibly concentrated mineral backbone that you could almost taste the California coast through. The winds, the beach, the soil, I could see it when I closed my eyes. Wow, these would be incredible as singular blocks in bottles, but I can only imagine how well integrated and blended the final product will be. This has an incredible future ahead of it in blending sessions. 97-99

(Same review posted for the Empyrean)

6/16/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Myriad Cellars/Mike Smith 2020 Red's from Barrel: Dr. Crane is always a showstopper in Mike's Myriad portfolio. There's a reason its the first to sell out every year. My personal taste doesn't waver from the crowd in this one and this wine is no exception to the rule, it is incredible and I can already get a feeling for how well this is going to cellar. This is one of the most balanced barrel pours I've ever had. This is a very young wine (from barrel) and already I can taste a backbone starting to form of elegant and structured tannins that, if blinded, I may not even realize this was from a barrel. This is going to be a true gem when in bottle. 97-100

(Same review for normal Dr. Crane)

6/16/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

Myriad Cellars/Mike Smith 2020 Red's from Barrel: Dr. Crane is always a showstopper in Mike's Myriad portfolio. There's a reason its the first to sell out every year. My personal taste doesn't waver from the crowd in this one and this wine is no exception to the rule, it is incredible and I can already get a feeling for how well this is going to cellar. This is one of the most balanced barrel pours I've ever had. This is a very young wine (from barrel) and already I can taste a backbone starting to form of elegant and structured tannins that, if blinded, I may not even realize this was from a barrel. This is going to be a true gem when in bottle. 97-100

(Same review for Elysian)

5/24/2021 - Cyclist Likes this wine:

This is after a 12 hour decant. Having a glass of this wine instantly made me more attractive. This has it all and all of it is so well integrated even at this age after an aggressive decant. A huge but smooth backbone of fine, structured tannins that scream cellar and will undoubtedly push this through decades of cellaring. The this isn’t a fruit bomb, it is an elegant well-crafted piece of art consisting of hundreds of moving pieces that all move in synchronization. It is tough to pull out singular notes, they fuse together so well without being a singular wine. There’s notes of beautiful wild berries and handfuls of gravel. There’s a lovely, almost leafy uplift. Some of the vines used in this wine are over 60 years old and come from some of the most gravelly soils in all of Napa County. What a wine. The Macdonald’s themselves are incredible people with an incredible history in the valley. This 2018 is incredible now with a huge decant or opening and re-corking and leaving in the cellar overnight, but it’s only going to get better with time (heck, it’s not even released yet).