2015 Scarlett Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Community Tasting Note

csimm wrote:

99 Points

Saturday, June 2, 2018 - Napa Cabernets + SQN + others (Home): All of my previous notes on this wine apply. I’ve written on and on about my adoration for the 2015 Scarlett Reserve. The best Scarlett ever. The best McGah ever. One of the best Mike Smith wines ever. And with a relatively awesome QPR when compared to any other wine in its league, this thing is just a great bottle of juice that I could drink every night. This showed best after about an hour of being in the glass and getting some much needed air. The initial PnP pull was a little fat and boozy, but that tapered off, leaving some extraordinarily complex dark fruit, rock, and spice flavors. Great energy and intensity. Ideally, I’d still hold for another year.

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Comment posted by #1Winelover:

6/5/2018 1:47:00 PM - WOW what a tasting! I don't think that you tasted enough, you slacker :). Interesting ratings on many labels, including Becklyn's regular cab. And how did you get a bottle of the '15 Macdonald? You don't need to confess - but you are the man!
Comment posted by csimm:

6/5/2018 5:26:00 PM - Haha. I’ll never be THE man... just A man... The good and bad thing about hosting something like this at your house is that you get to open all of your favorite wines… some friends brought some really special wines for sure... That ‘15 MACDONALD hits all the right spots for me personally. Pretty epic wine.
Comment posted by TXRDW:

6/10/2018 1:03:00 PM - CSIMM- Great note as always. I find Mike Smith’s wines very good, but also quite similar in style. I’m debating on how much to spend proportionately on 2016 Fortuna (Carter) vs. 2016 Scarlett Reserve. Your thoughts would be much appreciated as these are two of my favorite QPR wines from 2015. Any insight into the 2016 vintage for these wines would also be valued.
Comment posted by csimm:

6/10/2018 1:30:00 PM - In my personal opinion regarding 2016, I'd focus more on Fortuna than Scarlett Reserve (if choosing just between those two wines). However, the 2016 Quivet LPV for the same price as the 2016 Scarlett Reserve is THE wine to look out for in 2016 of Mike's wines (though the Carter OG is pretty epic - but for a higher tariff of course).

Conversely, in 2015, I'd put ALL my money into the 2015 Scarlett Reserve. In fact, the 2015 Scarlett Reserve is still around at its $125 release price. That's one of the best QPRs around in my opinion. The 2016 Scarlett Reserve is no slouch, but the 2015 dominates over it. For me (in that price range), 2015 is all about the Scarlett Reserve. 2016 is all about the Quivet LPV.
Comment posted by TXRDW:

6/10/2018 1:54:00 PM - Thanks CSIMM. Just curious... do you have any feedback on Spottswoode? I’m thinking on making a purchase, but it is a 6 bottle minimum and a little pricey.
Comment posted by csimm:

6/11/2018 10:17:00 PM - For Spottswoode , I’m personally a pass. I find them to be ok and all (but in need of serious sleep time in bottle - like 7-10 years), however, there’s no emotional response from me with them. The wine is good, but QPR-wise, I feel like it gets blasted by other wines out there that are crafted much better. Spottswoode has an old world flair about it which I don’t necessarily mind, but I find the mid-palate to be a little flat and the back end to be somewhat abrasive at times. All in all for me, it’s ultimate delivery isn’t enough to compel me to purchase. Just my 2 cents.
Comment posted by TXRDW:

6/12/2018 7:24:00 AM - Thanks CSIMM, sounds like Dunn at double the price. Great info.
Comment posted by csimm:

6/12/2018 8:10:00 AM - That is a very good comparison. Spottswoode is probably a little more of a blacker profile than Dunn NV, but similar in overall style for sure.
Comment posted by NickRut:

6/20/2018 8:18:00 AM - How did this compare to the 15 Revana? I saw your note on that as wel.
Comment posted by csimm:

6/20/2018 8:42:00 AM - Hi Nick. I’d say the Revana has more of a dark chocolate and black mulch flavor profile when compared to the Scarlett Reserve. The oak influence is more apparent currently as well.

The Scarlett has more elevated concentration and energy, and some additional complexity in its overall delivery of it various flavors. The Scarlett has an “electricity” about it that really wakes up the palate (without being high register or high toned). The Revana has more of a “haunting” personality. Both are good, but I personally believe the 2015 Scarlett Reserve is the superior wine.