November 7, 2023 - Pretty easy score here......coravined off a glass for Carol a couple of nights ago and she loved it. Four of us split the remaining bottle this evening....classic BCellars rendition of this. Smooth with an hour of air. Pretty typical of this vineyard.
January 17, 2023 - A bit thin. A bit acidic. A bit alcoholic. A bit 2018.
This used to be my favorite vineyard but I might have lost my taste for it. The 2016s hadn’t held up and the 2018s are so ‘18. A long decant and 4oz held over 24 hours still good not great.
I am probably being harsh because my expectations are so high for this producer and this vineyard. But did not enjoy (ok CT peeps, shoot me now, I can take it)
January 13, 2023 - Pnp'd tableside and decanted at Coopershawk with family. Enjoyed over the next 2 hours. The nose is of rich cassis, graphite and perfumed violets and it's quite enticing. Beautiful dark red/black fruit, gentle umami notes, well matched tannins and acidity. Smooth with excellent weight in the mouth. Savored by all at the table til the last drop at the end of the meal. A family favorite, once again!
August 29, 2022 - Nice wine shared with Mark1NPT and our wives. Though very good, my least favorite of the 4 bottles ( Myriad 18 LPV, 16 Jean Edwards. 16 Patria) we had last night. To me this wine had a hard edge, verging on bitterness that belies its pedigree. Typical B cellar, Venge quality and Miss Hop fruit profile of meaty dark fruit but perhaps just not at the right time to drink as it was not near as smooth and ballanced as the 16s or even the LPV, which BTW was my favorite last night. I even gave this extra air to see if it would settle but alas. (93 for me but perhaps better 95 ish with age. HMC
April 12, 2022 - Just a little addendum to Mark1npt's excellent note on this one. What really struck me was this wine compared to the Myriad Dr. Crane that Mark brought was this was less sweet and more refined. It only became fruit forward after the 8-hour mark but even then it was much softer, balanced and classier than the Myriad. Unlike many 2018 big napa cabs this did not start out fruit primary but just reticent and then opened like a blossom slowly showing better nose and flavors with air. All together a very nice medium heavy modern napa cab with a touch of class and very terroir related notes. 95 HMC
April 10, 2022 - Opened by HMC for our dinner and decanted 6 hours in his chiller. Been 5-6 months since my last bottle of this and feel compelled to review again as it has def changed some in that time. This had some of that MH nose and palate at first, but it was really the additional 3-4 hours of drinking time through the night that brought it to its best, a 95-96 at the end. So this really desperately needs 8-10 hours of air at this stage to get rockin'. It was rollin' kinda slow in the early going. The last sips at the end of the night were the best to me with that great B Cellars taste profile, mouth feel, energy and acidity. WOTN to me, I think at the end of the evening. Thanks, Jimbo!
November 13, 2021 - Three hour decant. Very deep magenta color. Ripe black cherry, boysenberry, crushed black walnut, and subtle lemon shortbread cookie on the nose. Smooth, dry palate, with vibrant, lingering acidity. Very firm tannins on the longish finish.
Beautiful Cab that just needs time to fully hit its stride. This will be a solid 95+ point bottle in another two years. Cheers to Mark1NPT for rolling out a continual stream of great bottles while I’m hanging out in Naples for a few days.
November 13, 2021 - 2nd day of the Jaimepalooza.......Opened/decanted 3 hours before trying then leaving for dinner, maybe a 94 then. Tannins/acidity out of balance, maybe still a tad tight. Fruit indistinguishable from MHopper. Back from dinner so maybe a total of 7 hours to air now, this is more like it. MHopper fruit profile begins to emerge, wine deepens further and I'm glad I have another 4-5 in the cellar but I'd be holding this one for another year before trying again.
April 22, 2021 - PNP. Deep dark magenta color. Cherry, juniper, thistle, and baking spice on the rich, youthful nose. Very smooth, dry, deep palate. Firm tannins on the long finish.
This needs time, but is certainly going to be very special. Wonderful mouthfeel and structure.
February 7, 2021 - 95 for me personally but it took all of 4 hours of air to get there. Approachable but quite tannic at the pnp. I did greatly appreciate the MHopper nose and red/blue fruited profile. There is just something about this vineyard that floats my boat. The acidity is always there to buttress the fruit. Smoothed out quite a bit at 4 hours and the last glass was the best so give this a long decant if you open one now. I see upside here for another 2 or 3 points as it comes together over the next few years.