2018 La Pelle Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Community Tasting Note

LiteItOnFire Likes this wine:

95 Points

Saturday, April 3, 2021 - Dream Trip - Napa On A Mission - All My favorites Plus A Few New Ones; 4/1/2021-4/4/2021 (Napa Valley): Whoa - this is built like a brick sh-it house in every way. It is not a heavy syrupy cassis driven wine (which don't get me wrong I like those as well as long as they are complex vs sugar) rather a deep excellently structured wine that begs for time in the glass and even then still needs 3-5 years to fully strut its stuff. This has all of the elements I love - dark red and black fruit, chocolate, coffee, smoky, rocks and tremendous lift and tannins to give this a nice long life (not that it will last that long in my cellar). Not much else to say but put this in your cellar and enjoy this layered beauty as the makeup of the vineyards provide such a unique and compelling cuvee that is just so intriguing. One other note, and maybe due to his time in Chili but there is even an ever so slight Chilean influence which adds to the complexity - so yummy!

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13 comments have been posted

Comment posted by Mark1npt:

4/8/2021 6:56:00 PM - Sounds like a great vintage for this one! Thanks for the note.
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:

4/8/2021 7:12:00 PM - His wines are just so well built. It amazes me a 5 year old wine, according to your tasting notes on the ‘16 reserve, was able to withstand 24 hours in a decanter at room temperature and still deliver its goods- unheard of! That’s so dang cool.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:

4/8/2021 8:10:00 PM - It was so good that 2nd day just sitting on the counter! So smooth, like a real '16 is supposed to be! Awesome wine!
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:

4/8/2021 8:14:00 PM - Yay!
Comment posted by Mark1npt:

4/9/2021 6:04:00 AM - Like I said in the note, the only thing that suffered a bit after the 24 hours on the counter was the nose, which smelled a little 'old'. The wine itself was vastly improved in palate feel, structure, taste profile, etc.
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:

4/9/2021 7:13:00 AM - I have never had a wine that stood that test of time and then was good. Great years ahead for that puppy.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:

4/9/2021 8:29:00 AM - I've had a few, but only in this last year. The '14 Mascot needed 24 hours but the nose was still fresh and good.....had a Rioja same thing. It was a $19 wine that drank like a $50-75 bottle after the 24 hours in the decanter. There is some amazing stuff out there! If you know how to handle it right and luckily I have friends on here who do!
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:

4/9/2021 8:50:00 AM - Don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of wines with 24 hours either in a bottle with cork or closed decanters but never a decanter at room temperature with just a top. Very cool if those did that. I had that Mascot but I would have never guessed the way it structured to handle 24 hours at room temperature in a decanter but shows you I know very little
Comment posted by Mark1npt:

4/9/2021 8:56:00 AM - Lite, I think even the 'experts' know very little! The Rioja and the LaPelle were left out at room temp, approx 74-75 deg here in Naples. The Mascot I believe I left open in decanter in my cellar at 55-58 for 20 hours then room temp the last 4......unbelievable results with all 3.

I have found Agelvis in TX and Jenmermaidia in GA to be the 'DK' & 'DQ' (decanting King and Queen) on here. They have been very helpful! It's very funny, we are all scientists (maybe mad?) in a way, on here.
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:

4/9/2021 9:08:00 AM - I love it- the learning and sharing is what makes this such a great sport/hobby. So very cool, and thank you for always sharing the goods.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:

4/9/2021 11:13:00 AM - Anytime, Lite.....anytime!
Comment posted by ffzhang:

4/15/2021 11:11:00 AM - Thanks for the great note, Lite! Looking forward to tasting this next week with Maayan if schedules work out!
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:

4/15/2021 11:19:00 AM - Good call- it such a great experience with someone so knowledgeable and skillful in his craft without the need to manually manipulate the winemaking which happens to be too typical in Napa unfortunately.