I do not know if this vintage is on the decline or it’s just the bottles that I scooped up at clearance at my State store around Christmas 2020. Both bottles were the most subdued of this bottling ( I have had the ‘12-16). Could also be the vintage. Opened bottle 30 minutes before dinner, drank over 2 hours. The nose is still quite alcoholic, as are the initial few sips. Blue fruits, smooth, and still quite tight with tannins. I would have guessed it was 2015. I have a few 2016s left, so fingers crossed. Would love to hear from others. I thought the 2012 and 2014 were delicious
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I think my last bottle of this and drinking really well / dark fruit, a bit of mineral and dust, a very well made cab at a good price point. 3rd wine for them of the vintage I think - so getting some excellent fruit. Would buy this vintage again for sure. If they released again it’s basically a 5th wine... 93-94
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PnP and then an hour in the glass. Easy drinking and a good QPR. This will not get better but is drinking really well now. No harm on not pounding through your cellar as these will last for a bit. Easy drinking linear blackberry liquor, medium plus body, good acidity. Exactly what a ‘second’ wine should be.
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This is such not a second tier wine from anyone except a producer like VV; at this price point it backs a lot of punch, it has depth and notes of blackberry, cassis, hints of blueberry and cherry and a long smooth finish. Very interesting that I had more stewed fruit and cherry on the previous tasting since that seems to take a back seat for me now. True to the vintage what it lacks in complexity it makes up for with fruit. A great value at this price point and I recommend opening even now, it won’t disappoint. 95 for the great drink and QPR
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This punches above it's weight/price point. A very pleasant surprise, coravined by good friend HMC tonight. Dark black fruit at the beginning but it lightens with 1-2 hours of air, tannins/backbone are there for many years of aging, but it mellows slightly with time tonight and it amazes me a bit. I like it. Not as complex or as deep as the Arkenstone, but deeper than the Adobe Road and pushing closer to the Judge Palmer for 2nd WOTN...and we can get it locally at a pretty decent price point. A very pleasant surprise and I'd like to see it age maybe 2 years......thanks HMC!
Tasted @ VV and had a bottle with dinner. This gets way bonus points for being $75 in a portfolio that starts at $150 otherwise. This was a PnP - extremely delicous, QPR is off the charts and drinking amazingly well, cherry, a touch of stewed fruit, so already showing a touch of age even being a couple vintages out. Unfortunately this doesn't really speak to longevity (the 2016 may hold up better), but definitely ready for consumption now, would briefly decant, but PnP was great. Definitely doesn't have the body of the traditional VV Cabs, but it's hard to argue with the price point, this is sourced from different blocks of the same vineyards.
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I'm not a big follower of California Wine Advisors but I noticed their 95 rating for this wine and also decided to revisit because a local store has it on sale. Similar thoughts as late last year. Dark ruby/purple fruit - dark currants, dark cherry, blackberry, and a little dark plum. Smooth mid-palate with decent depth for the price point and nice rich/vibrant flavors of dark berries, some spice, and a little plum. Fairly long finish. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Improved a little with time but drinking quite well right away despite its youth. As usual, Melka does a nice job with this wine and a solid QPR in the mid-$60s but in my opinion not quite up to the quality of Mike Smith's 2015 entry level cabs at a similar price.
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This is fantastic. One of the best wines tasted this year. I slow ox'ed this over 3-4 hours in advance of dinner. By the time I had my first sip, it was in a perfect place and stayed there over the course of the bottle. Very easy to drink. Had with a tomahawk steak for 2. Was quickly consumed by me and Lauren, who does not normally drink red, and she was impressed. If this is the 2nd wine, I can't wait to taste the NV bottling, but that will be in a few years.
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Pop and pour. Very much in line with prior note - this is a crowd pleaser that opens right up. Red and purple fruits, and a pleasant sweetness on the finish.
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Opened and decanted maybe 45 mins, this one is pretty much ready to go. Vice Versa has quickly become on of my favorite wineries, with the Napa Cab and Beckstoffer offerings being absolute stunners! VV Le Petit Cabernet is a great wine for getting a taste for what this winery can do. Beautiful color with dark fruits and some spice notes. Surprisingly big tannins, with a finish on the longer side. It is the kind of wine that I love to drink and immediately want more of. With that said it does not have the complexity of the Napa Cab nor the sublime, elegant profiles of their Beckstoffer offerings. Still, this is a great wine and a fairly solid value.
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This rich and dark Cabernet has a tightness that makes me think that another 12 months would do it some good. Dark purple, almost black, in color; full in body; dark nose of espresso grounds, graphite, and herbs. Tastes of boysenberry, baking chocolate, and pencil lead, with a sweet finish that carries a decent tannic bite. 15% alcohol. I thought this got more compact with air, so I'm not sure if decanting helps much.
This seemed like a clear step down and back from the main 2015 VV Cabernet, which I tasted a few weeks ago. It's a step down in terms of complexity and depth, since the Le Petit seemed more tart and unruly. It's a step back in terms of accessibility, since - strangely enough - the Le Petit seems more inward and compact than the main Cabernet, which was a little more ready (perhaps because the fruit was so much more impressive).
I enjoyed the 2012 Le Petit a lot more - it was more accessible and fun, though perhaps that was the vintage (or the age, or the winemaker). I'm a fan of the Vice Versa wines, but I don't think I'll buy this one again. This had much more of a Mt. Veeder-type profile - super intense, high-toned fruit, big tannins - that, at least here, I'm not sure will ever unwind. I'm all for second wines, just not when they taste (somewhat obviously) like second wines.
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Dark red and black fruit - blackberry, dark currants, and dark cherry. Smooth mid-palate coupled with solid depth. Nice flavors of dark berries and a little spice. Fairly long finish. Popped/poured and drank over a couple hours. Improved a little with time but drinking pretty well despite its youth. However, I believe it might of shown a little better with a hour or two decant to let the fruit open-up a little more.
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8/16/2022 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice wine but needs to be drunk up.
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7/20/2022 - Franken Berry wrote: 91 Points
I do not know if this vintage is on the decline or it’s just the bottles that I scooped up at clearance at my State store around Christmas 2020. Both bottles were the most subdued of this bottling ( I have had the ‘12-16). Could also be the vintage. Opened bottle 30 minutes before dinner, drank over 2 hours. The nose is still quite alcoholic, as are the initial few sips. Blue fruits, smooth, and still quite tight with tannins. I would have guessed it was 2015. I have a few 2016s left, so fingers crossed. Would love to hear from others. I thought the 2012 and 2014 were delicious
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8/10/2021 - Myman24 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Out of this world QPR. Trying to get as much as I can from any vintage basically. That good!
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4/4/2021 - EpochMD Likes this wine: 94 Points
I think my last bottle of this and drinking really well / dark fruit, a bit of mineral and dust, a very well made cab at a good price point. 3rd wine for them of the vintage I think - so getting some excellent fruit. Would buy this vintage again for sure. If they released again it’s basically a 5th wine... 93-94
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3/13/2021 - southpaw25 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Seriously good juice. Wish I could find more of these
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12/5/2020 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 91 Points
PnP and then an hour in the glass. Easy drinking and a good QPR. This will not get better but is drinking really well now. No harm on not pounding through your cellar as these will last for a bit. Easy drinking linear blackberry liquor, medium plus body, good acidity. Exactly what a ‘second’ wine should be.
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2/27/2020 - EpochMD Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is such not a second tier wine from anyone except a producer like VV; at this price point it backs a lot of punch, it has depth and notes of blackberry, cassis, hints of blueberry and cherry and a long smooth finish. Very interesting that I had more stewed fruit and cherry on the previous tasting since that seems to take a back seat for me now. True to the vintage what it lacks in complexity it makes up for with fruit. A great value at this price point and I recommend opening even now, it won’t disappoint. 95 for the great drink and QPR
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9/10/2019 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 93 Points
This punches above it's weight/price point. A very pleasant surprise, coravined by good friend HMC tonight. Dark black fruit at the beginning but it lightens with 1-2 hours of air, tannins/backbone are there for many years of aging, but it mellows slightly with time tonight and it amazes me a bit. I like it. Not as complex or as deep as the Arkenstone, but deeper than the Adobe Road and pushing closer to the Judge Palmer for 2nd WOTN...and we can get it locally at a pretty decent price point. A very pleasant surprise and I'd like to see it age maybe 2 years......thanks HMC!
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5/1/2019 - EpochMD Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasted @ VV and had a bottle with dinner. This gets way bonus points for being $75 in a portfolio that starts at $150 otherwise. This was a PnP - extremely delicous, QPR is off the charts and drinking amazingly well, cherry, a touch of stewed fruit, so already showing a touch of age even being a couple vintages out. Unfortunately this doesn't really speak to longevity (the 2016 may hold up better), but definitely ready for consumption now, would briefly decant, but PnP was great. Definitely doesn't have the body of the traditional VV Cabs, but it's hard to argue with the price point, this is sourced from different blocks of the same vineyards.
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4/20/2019 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 92 Points
no notes
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8/25/2018 - Badmonkey wrote: 92 Points
I'm not a big follower of California Wine Advisors but I noticed their 95 rating for this wine and also decided to revisit because a local store has it on sale. Similar thoughts as late last year. Dark ruby/purple fruit - dark currants, dark cherry, blackberry, and a little dark plum. Smooth mid-palate with decent depth for the price point and nice rich/vibrant flavors of dark berries, some spice, and a little plum. Fairly long finish. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Improved a little with time but drinking quite well right away despite its youth. As usual, Melka does a nice job with this wine and a solid QPR in the mid-$60s but in my opinion not quite up to the quality of Mike Smith's 2015 entry level cabs at a similar price.
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7/30/2018 - sean7711 wrote: 94 Points
This is fantastic. One of the best wines tasted this year. I slow ox'ed this over 3-4 hours in advance of dinner. By the time I had my first sip, it was in a perfect place and stayed there over the course of the bottle. Very easy to drink. Had with a tomahawk steak for 2. Was quickly consumed by me and Lauren, who does not normally drink red, and she was impressed. If this is the 2nd wine, I can't wait to taste the NV bottling, but that will be in a few years.
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7/14/2018 - ageverett Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pop and pour. Very much in line with prior note - this is a crowd pleaser that opens right up. Red and purple fruits, and a pleasant sweetness on the finish.
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6/8/2018 - ageverett Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pop and pour. This opens right up after about 5 minutes in the glass. Round red and purple fruit, a solid cocktail wine. A crowd pleaser to be sure.
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5/11/2018 - Jar01015 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened and decanted maybe 45 mins, this one is pretty much ready to go. Vice Versa has quickly become on of my favorite wineries, with the Napa Cab and Beckstoffer offerings being absolute stunners! VV Le Petit Cabernet is a great wine for getting a taste for what this winery can do. Beautiful color with dark fruits and some spice notes. Surprisingly big tannins, with a finish on the longer side. It is the kind of wine that I love to drink and immediately want more of. With that said it does not have the complexity of the Napa Cab nor the sublime, elegant profiles of their Beckstoffer offerings. Still, this is a great wine and a fairly solid value.
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3/16/2018 - msuwine wrote: 91 Points
This rich and dark Cabernet has a tightness that makes me think that another 12 months would do it some good. Dark purple, almost black, in color; full in body; dark nose of espresso grounds, graphite, and herbs. Tastes of boysenberry, baking chocolate, and pencil lead, with a sweet finish that carries a decent tannic bite. 15% alcohol. I thought this got more compact with air, so I'm not sure if decanting helps much.
This seemed like a clear step down and back from the main 2015 VV Cabernet, which I tasted a few weeks ago. It's a step down in terms of complexity and depth, since the Le Petit seemed more tart and unruly. It's a step back in terms of accessibility, since - strangely enough - the Le Petit seems more inward and compact than the main Cabernet, which was a little more ready (perhaps because the fruit was so much more impressive).
I enjoyed the 2012 Le Petit a lot more - it was more accessible and fun, though perhaps that was the vintage (or the age, or the winemaker). I'm a fan of the Vice Versa wines, but I don't think I'll buy this one again. This had much more of a Mt. Veeder-type profile - super intense, high-toned fruit, big tannins - that, at least here, I'm not sure will ever unwind. I'm all for second wines, just not when they taste (somewhat obviously) like second wines.
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12/16/2017 - Badmonkey wrote: 92 Points
Dark red and black fruit - blackberry, dark currants, and dark cherry. Smooth mid-palate coupled with solid depth. Nice flavors of dark berries and a little spice. Fairly long finish. Popped/poured and drank over a couple hours. Improved a little with time but drinking pretty well despite its youth. However, I believe it might of shown a little better with a hour or two decant to let the fruit open-up a little more.
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