February 18, 2023 - Excellent, deep, dark, still quite massive chewy tannins wrapped in a silky mouthfeel; cacao, bitter chocolate, burnt coffee bean, cassis, macerated dark berry fruit; ripe attack. Throwing a lot of sediment, long earthy finish. Perfect with the beef tenderloin at Bacchus w/S&L
January 20, 2021 - Consistent with previous notes. Still great structure and grip. Drink 2021-2026. Technical score: 93. Enjoyment score: 93.
October 16, 2019 - Improved from last tasting 21 months ago. Smoke and red currant on the nose. Deep plums, blueberry, and blackcurrant offset by stemmy green pepper, mushroom, and tomato juice notes on the palate, which flows into a candied cherry finish. Still has hard elbows but probably best to drink before 2022.
December 30, 2018 - Consistent with previous notes. Classic, gritty, style. Grainy texture with lots of sediment in the bottle - like it was made by a cowboy. Needed about an hour in the decanter to open up, but ultimately delivered dark plums, blueberries, blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco, and dried leather. The acidity is still potent and the tannins are more refined than a few yeas ago. Drink 2019-2024. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 92.
April 27, 2017 - Really smoked full body still fruit overtones a bit heavy and spicy but good taste is the bottom line.
April 22, 2017 - Nice wine - needed time to open up. Nothing distinctive at first. But then presented a crimson colored, medium bodied, blueberry driven cab. Smooth and enjoyable.
July 17, 2016 - Opened and decanted 3 hours ahead of grilled garlic flank steak, roasted potatoes, and seared asparagus. Dark, sappy, cherry-crimson color. The nose brings cherry blossoms, violets, strawberries, raspberries, savory herbs, cedar wood, and cherry cobbler pie. The palate is medium-full, round, supple, and tangy, bringing blackcurrant, blackberries, black licorice, milk chocolate, chocolate mocha, coffee, sweet tobacco, dried leather, and vanilla baking spices into the finish, which delivers nicely refined tannins with a firm acidic bite. This appears to be entering a peak window. Drink now - 2021+.
June 18, 2016 - oxidized
April 13, 2014 - This Napa Cab has a very deep, dark purple color with with a crimson rim. It has a nose of violets, ripe fruit, and some cedar. It tastes of blackberries, dark cherries, and currents. It is medium to full bodied with a lengthy ending and fine tannins. This wine is now at its peak. It still has ripe fruit and crisp acidity, but it's tannins have mellowed. I tried it years ago, and it has vastly improved with age. The wine is complex, but not overly extracted. I am a fan of the Venges. Nils knows how to make a wine.
December 24, 2013 - Drank without proper decant at party