Community Tasting Notes 10

• AllRed wrote: 94 points

  April 21, 2024 - Deep color. Notes of mocha and spice with a mix of red and blue fruit aromas. Plush tannins with flavors of black fruit, mocha, blueberry and chocolate. Full-bodied with fine, elegant tannins and a long finish. The fruit is perfectly ripe and carries the finish...clearly young and in need of a few years in the cellar. From 2029+.

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• sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 100 points

  April 15, 2024 - When MNWJ told me the murderers’ row slate of wineries he’d assembled for our trip, what was the producer I most anticipated? Bond or Harlan, with wines closer to a monthly than an average bottle spend? Nope. Abreu, cheaper (a bit) but so well represented in my collection? Nope again. It was BO, which I hadn’t even heard of until about a year ago until seeing a CT friend’s TN, which made me believe that this wine would be bang on in my wheelhouse. And was it ever. Most of the same vibrant notes of the ‘17, but with lots of deep forest, giving a more blue-ish character, with intensity, persistence and complexity dialed up even more. And yet, much like Alex’s ‘19, which I tasted at a similar time in its evolution 2 years ago, this is stunningly balanced and elegant, everything proportioned perfectly, working together in seamless harmony. With fairly minimal aeration, this was singing from the moment it hit my senses, and while, my #2 wine of the trip, the (far more expensive) ‘19 Harlan, continue to develop during its time in the glass, this stayed consistent, not that I could have imagined any improvement. It’s a gold medal feat to produce wines like the ‘19 and ‘01 Harlans or the ‘15 Prom, but to produce wines of similar (or even incrementally greater, I add, with hopefully unnecessary qualification, all for purposes of my palate) this, the ‘12 Ovid (I can already hear the haters saying that doesn’t belong) or the ‘19 MacDonald at a fraction of the price points, well, as the kids might say, that’s just wrong (or as I might say, so it’s wrong it’s just right). Drink today, tomorrow or leave it for your grandkids. Winner of the trip. 99-100++, and I only throw in the 99 ‘cuz this could get better, somehow . . .

  Comments (2)

• csimm wrote: 99 points

  April 15, 2024 - This is as solid as it ever has been compared to the last sample I was lucky enough to try the year prior. At first, it was a gushing glow of fruit awesomeness all at once, but with some air to stretch its legs, it found an amazing glide that simply would not stop delivering waves and waves of flavors. Neon red and black cherry elements sword fight with red and purple licorice notes. Some soil and gravel come to the hoedown, adding interest and layered structure to better corral the bangin fruit. It’s not necessarily an off the chain hide yer kids crazy Miami club vibe, but it’s party central in Telluride with a bunch of hobnobbers the likes of which you and friends want to jump the velvet rope and fake ID your way into the back room bar kinda of thing. “Ooh, look… is that Lady Gaga….?!”
  
  Hold 5+ years once you get your paws on this jumpin juice. 99+ points (100 likely to come in 2030+).
  
  A pile of “Oohs” and “Aahs” came from the group this was presented to. There were tons of Napa Cabs flowing through the masses the past few days, including a 2019 blind of some of Napa’s top performers. And even with all that, this Bella Oaks made an appearance and swiped the attention from a bunch of other producers. I too was inundated with a gaggle of 2021 Napa Cabs this weekend, and the Bella Oaks was a real knockout, no question. Standing by for the release…!
  
  93% CS, 4% CF, 3% PV. 22 months in 70% new French oak. 646 cases.

  2 people found this helpful Comments (4)

• bsumoba Likes this wine: 99 points

  April 13, 2024 - Had this twice in three days. This thing kind of snuck in there and may have stolen the show for the evening if it wasn’t for the Margaux, although the 2010 Thor was outright amazing and the 15 Latour was powerful. This wine has so much elegance and finesse but has the complexity and the layers to fill out the whole experience on the palate.

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• WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 99 points

  April 13, 2024 - Eyes Wide Shut - Day 1 (A quiet place): Nose: Subtly ripe flavors of clean red and blue fruits, with a clean forest floor, soft hints of stone and gentle aromatics.
  
  Palate: Clean, generous earth, beautiful minerality and balanced dark fruits with tons of freshness. Amazing balance and finesse.
  
  Wine of the night for me. This is just as good as the last time I've had it and it's been a minute. Surprised this is still holding up strong. I hope this juice still continues to carry on like this when it gets the bottle and in the future.

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Pro Reviews 3

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2021
• Type Red
• Producer Bella Oaks Vineyard
• Varietal Red Bordeaux Blend
• Designation Proprietary Red
• Vineyard n/a
• Country USA
• Region California
• SubRegion Napa Valley
• Appellation Rutherford

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 6 (86%)
• Consumed 1 (14%)

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