My last bottle of this… after being a Myriad Quivet Becklyn Ancillary buyer for several years , his quickly ratcheting prices have turned me off..I find far more compelling wines at far better prices in other places. Ok that said..tonight this was blue and black berries With a taut minerality and smooth tannic envelope.. It’s quite delicious but for the price and not to mention current pricing.. look elsewhere
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Deer Valley Palooza in 3 stages with Mark1npt and Agelvis; 6/25/2023-7/1/2023 (8,100 ft): Drank this PnP after a mistake with our intended bottle. Really good from the start. Smooth, silky, I found more red fruits than I expected, but sweet red fruits rather than tart. And mixed with black. Nice longish finish. This one really developed well although I am not sure there would have been any point in holding for my palate.
What a journey for this wine, a Phoenix rising from the ashes and much better than my last bottle. Deep purple deep colored, blackberries, black cherries and cream de cassis tobacco with a tannic backbone and nuance. This wine shows big and full-bodied with intense depth, ripeness and a nice long finishing. My last bottle took a detour, but this Cab is back and open for serious business. 96+/ 97 points. Yummy! 🍇🍷😋
Overall, a nice matchup for the evenly priced LPV offerings (at least, in the secondary market). I preferred the Lithology (Melka) while my wife preferred the Quivet (Smith). Classic LPV - blueberry, mineral, crushed river rocks. We had with sushi and over the course of the night, but agreed that the Lithology would go really well with a steak - which it did the following night for 1 remaining glass. I thought the Quivet was more austere, which is surprising for a Mike Smith wine. All notes aside, the pricing on Quivet has turned me off from purchasing given the large increases in the last few years.
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One off from the big box wine store a couple of years ago. On the nose and palate, black, huckle and logan berries, with lesser notes of black cherries and red currants, dark florals, tar, graphite, forest floor, dark chocolate, oak, mint and rocky minerality. Opaquely purple black, full bodied, medium to thick legs. Surprisingly robust acidity medium tannins, not much heat but a bit of booziness. VG++ complexity, intensity and persistence. A couple of years ago, I got the idea that I’d see if I could broaden my tastes to include more modern CA cabs, as a lot of CT friends whose opinions I respected enjoyed them. And while I’ve done pretty well in developing an appreciation for TRB and Bevan, I confess that Smith and Venge continue to largely escape me. But not to fear: CT friend cyclist is a Smith devotee, and I figured at least one of us could enjoy this wine, whose score on CT rivals or exceeds the Abreus, Spottswoodes, Ovids, QCs and Flacs I adore. While I noted some differing feelings among prior tasters, it seemed that aeration might bring this more into my wheelhouse, and while I did have a small taste off the pour, I pulled the cork and dutifully walked away (to the Barnes, at that) for 4 hours, then recorked and brought to dinner. As I’d have expected, this has a lot more going for it than the recently consumed Venge Silencieux, and the beam of acidity gave it more balance (and, importantly, less oakiness, sweetness and booziness) than the recent Myriad Dr. Crane), but this is still a giant, fruit-driven wine, with lots of power but not a lot of elegance or rusticity. I noted DQ’s note about this hitting its best stride on night 3, yet, unlike the B LPV, this hasn’t seemed to develop much with air, at least for me. I’ve had some moderately aged Outpost Trues and Bevan ee Tenches which developed beautifully, but I think it’s 50-50 whether the booze and oak integrates or the fruit, which is attractively concentrated, fades, so I’m not sure what the advice I can give is on drinking window. I do like this vineyard a good deal, with a characteristic rocky darkness, but that seems largely subsumed here. I enjoyed this, perhaps a bit less than the ‘15, but I think my days of buying Smith cuvées are at an end in favor of the labels mentioned which, at price points from a bit less to somewhat more, I enjoy far better. This was ok with the pizzas we had with cyclist and our wives at Sally’s in Philly, but in this, as in all other aspects, it was run out of town by the Harlequin Zyme brought by cyclist.
Tasted at a wine event. Small pour. Dark purple color. Nose offers dark fruits and wisp of wood smoke. Big shouldered with lush dark fruit yet retains elegance. Packed and dense. Would be nice to drink with rich food over a leisurely meal.
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I think that this might be on a slight decline and already reached it's peak, which is unfortunate. It was definitely drinkable; it was just kind of flat. Muted fruit, fairly smooth, most mineral and stone notes have subsided.
Decanted half the bottle for ~1 hour and drank the second half on day 2.
Deep almost black in color with the slightest bit of magenta on the rim. Extracted ripe blue and black fruits, minerals/earthy, some chocolatey characteristics towards the somewhat long finish. Overall very primary and fruity with soft tannins and not a tremendous amount of acidity. Day 2 was more of the same but with slightly less intensity of fruit compared to day 1. I enjoyed it more on day 1. Alcohol at >15% was also noticeable.
Overall it is a good wine, but after having the 2016 Becklyn Napa Valley recently, I have to say, the Becklyn is a better wine for less $$.
Opened this a few days ago and drank after 3-4 hour decant. It was good but very primary. Fruity. Not as good as most LPV. Saved a small bottle and forgot about it in the fridge for a few days. Delicious now, berry fruit, earthy and mineral, chocolately smooth and long finish. This needs a 24 decant or hold
Decanted 90 minutes before dinner. Intense blueberry jam on the nose, dark, ripe fruits, baking spice, crushed stones. Drinking quite well at the moment and thoroughly enjoyable, but not quite the same quality as other Las Piedras one of the better quivet I have had.
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Decanted 40 min before taking over to HMC's.....enjoyed over the next 4 hours during and after dinner. Initial impression, very green herbal nose, slightly muted dark fruit on the palate.......with 2-4 hours of air the fruit blossoms, most of the green herbal component leaves and a very balanced, very nice cabernet emerges. Not a killer wine by any means, but still very good. Would probably get a point better with more time, but will never be a 'blockbuster'.
Almost 2 years since my last bottle. Unfortunately it has not really improved. Fortunately, it is still a great wine. Just not as complex as I would hope based on this vineyard, this vintage, and this price to play. Nice nose, big fruits and nice balance. But not the kind of wine that makes you think a lot. Hope this review doesn't sound negative - because again, it is a great wine (especially on a Tuesday). Just not a wine I would plan a Saturday evening dinner around.
Get together with some friends. Purple fruit - currants, blackberry, dark cherry, and a little blueberry. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth/concentration - medium plus body. Nice rich flavors of dark berries, cassis, some spice/licorice, and a fairly prominent mineral/graphite component. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep and just a little tart - a little bing cherry on the back-end. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Improved a little with time. 100% cab.
The hunt for the sweet spot drinking window... drink now? Wait?
There's an undeniable purity of fruit here, so the question is reduced to when will the structure balance out the fruit. Obviously there are many sub-categories to the equation, but that's the general thrust. One rule of thumb is 1 hour in the decanter = 1 year of ageing, 2 hrs. = 2 years, and so on. This is an easy rule to remember/apply but very approximate because wine, as an organic substance, evolves by chemical kinetics (rate of reaction) that, once in the bottle, are driven almost exclusively by time at temperature. One hour at room temperature really doesn't equal one year at 55°F because each of the many organic substances in wine converts at its own rate of reaction based on temperature (and oxygen exposure.) To get the "right" flavors over time, it seems by experience that at 55°F in a bottle (more or less) all of the rates of reaction of all of those organic substances come together appropriately over time. Too warm means some of the organic kinetic reactions happen too quickly, spoiling the final taste. Too cool, the opposite happens, the tastes don't develop. Expecting one hour of decanting to equal one year of proper storage is like trying to have a baby in one month by using nine women.
But decanting is useful for predicting what the effects of time may eventually deliver. Three hours of decanting really resolves a lot of the initial tartness here without reducing the fruit to complete and desolate darkness, shutters slapping in the wind, tumbleweeds rolling by, etc.. No, this wine holds up, smooths out, and by becoming more balanced offers hope that in a few years all those organic molecules will convert properly and play even more nicely together. That said, it was a pretty enjoyable quaff today (after a 2 or 3 hour decant.) Expect some tartness on PnP.
15.1% abv. Dark garnet plum color. Clear staining of tears. Dark chocolate covered 🍒, loads of raspberry, plum, some blue fruit, mouth coating dusty tannins, very long finish with cola/root beer, kirsch lurking deep underneath, wood, no traces of heat or RS given the extraction of this wine, which speaks to winemaking skill (and fruit). Haven’t had many Piedras vineyard wines before, this is quite rich, luscious and powerful. Great wine.
Transitioning without a doubt. This wine is on lock down for now, it shows tight and slightly acidic. After two days it never really opened up. All of the stuffing is present in this wine, but It will require more bottle time. Nice nose, soft violets and a dark purple blue color. A big Cab with nice blue and blackberry fruit, cassis, dark currants, and tart cranberries have crept in on the palate profile. This 2016 shows nice extraction, beautiful fruit purity with a hint of oak, but it is on a journey right now. 93+ Points and unresolved, a hold for now.
Much less of the rocket propulsion drive when compared to last year. Instead, this LPV impresses for its chewy black core and namesake minerality that make for a go-go gothic profile that can’t help but collide hedonism with just enough sophistication that it keeps its focus on track. It’s a big wine, but especially after three hours in the decanter, it wasn’t about just power and yum. It began to show an enveloping characteristic that slathered the palate in a sexy, inviting way...with intent. Still a little unresolved; so, a wine worth holding a couple more years minimum.
In that 95-97+ point range for me right now as it continues on its journey.
Opened a 2016 Quivet Cellars Beckstoffer Las Piedras and a 2016 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon to kick off the New Year with a bang. These are two of the most well-regarded vineyards in Napa lined up in a head to head matchup. Pricewise, the Quivet is the underdog, although the Cliff Lede is itself a value leader from To-Kalon.
On the nose, the Quivet was earthy, steeled, and alcohol-soaked. The attack was encouraging and had authority. The mid-palate delivered power and depth with weight. This is a concentrated, full wine, representing well the winemaker Mike Smith and the fruit from this fabled terroir. There's plenty of earth and minerality in the Quivet though the oak-filled notes I got a year ago have subsided. That's diminished the complexity somewhat at this point because the fruit is currently dominating, but there's enough structure here to sustain development over the next several years at least. Try now with a two hour decant. 96+
The Cliff Lede nose really soared with dark berries, tobacco, and cedar. The attack was completely satisfying because it effortlessly introduced its power and purity, then magnificently framed and reinforced that power and purity though the mid-palate. Effortless and To-Kalon are almost never synonymous early-on but here it is. I'm not actually looping a synth track right now but the finish ended with power and purity. Complex, pure; an exceptional performance. This is a special wine that has a wonderful future, and is great now with a decant of an hour or so. 98+
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Coravin Pour. Dark, dense, fruit forward. Decent acidity and balance with a very substantial finish. Still something is missing for this to be a next level wine. Nose was masked by alcohol but showed some notes of boysenberry and vanilla. Bottom line is this is a very good experience at this point but still not fully together. I would give at least a year. 93 now but a point or two more in there when it gets to its best drinking point.
I decided to taste the 2016 and 2017 Quivet Piedras next to each other, in the name of science and all that. The conclusions: neither was great; both need time; and each are as good as (and probably the only ones) you’ll get out of LPV for $125. Still, let’s not sugarcoat things: the 2016 was plainly better, with more integration, depth, and balance. The 2017 was thinner, more straightforward, and less impressive. Oh, the vintages! Here are the notes:
- 2016: Light purple in color; full in body; nose of boysenberry, graphite, and fresh embers (really, this was the one that seemed more grainy, almost smokey, like a barbecue potato chip, as opposed to the 2017, which just seemed a bit too clean). Tastes of sour cherry, pencil lead, espresso, and baking spices, with a grainy yet sweet finish. 15.1% alcohol. 93+ for now, since it still seems a bit rustic and unformed. Decant at least a few hours. Best in 2021 or later.
- 2017: Similarly light purple in color, this wine is more light in body - there are no teardrops on glass like with the 2016, and its mouthfeel is more skim as opposed to 2%. The aromas, too, are bit more diffuse, with vague notes of black cherry and cardamon (and, really, I’m straining to find those). The tastes, too, seem superficial, with notes of blueberry skins, crushed raspberries, peppercorn, and fruit cake, with a spiny and bright finish (far lighter than the 2016). 15.1% alcohol. 90-91 for now. Best in 2022 or later, though I’m not sure if it will ever quite get there.
The fruit in the 2016 was a bit chunky, and the fruit in the 2017 was a bit anemic. In other words, the 2016 needs time to lose weight, while the 2017 needs time to gain it. It was interesting how neither offered the pronounced chocolate notes that many providers (like Carter, Fait-Main, or Vice Versa) offer to go with the gravelly tastes of LPV. Maybe the 2017 will someday find its footing, but - right now - there’s no doubt the 2016 is the more promising wine.
Really good wine that just needs more time. Blue and black fruits are plentiful. Just kind of one dimensional - that would be the "in your face" dimension. But so delish none the less. With time has 2 points (maybe 3) upside potential. Will try to wait a few years before revisiting.
Purple fruit - currants/cassis, blackberry, dark raspberry, and a little blueberry. Solid depth/concentration, however, it came across a little tart and tannic. Tried to pop/pour but I didn't care for how it was showing so I threw it in a decanter for around one hour. A little improvement but still never fully came around. Put most of it away for day two.
Day two, big improvement - really smooth (seamless from beginning to end) and the tartness/tannicity did subside. In consideration of how it showed on day one, I believe this vintage needs some time which isn't a surprise in light of its youth. I'm going to lay my other bottles down for a year. 96 on day two and 93 on day one. 100% cab.
Wow....loads of blueberry up front on the nose and in the mouth. Feels much lighter in weight in the mouth than other LPVs we've had. Great fruit nonetheless with moderate complexity but seems to be lacking a layer or two over time in the glass. Only a hint of lilacs on the nose noted as improvement over 1-2 hours. This is a very nice wine but a few points below both the B Cellars and Carter versions, IMO. Really should be a 94.575......just a whisker below the Dakota Shy tonight due to layering. Thanks for sharing, Jimbo!
Popped, poured but this bottle was not ready, it needed some air, it showed a bit restricted, tight and slightly acidic, so I nursed a glass, but it never really opened up to my satisfaction. Day two showed significant improvement. On the nose, soft violets, dark purple blue color. A big Cab with nice ripe blue and blackberry fruit, sweet cassis and dark currants. This 2016 shows nice extraction, beautiful fruit purity with a hint of oak. This is another excellent Las Piedras Cab that l really enjoy. I must say that the last bottle l opened was more enjoyable, sometime it just goes that way l guess. 96+ Points.
Decided to revisit for the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Dark purple fruit - blackberry, dark currants, dark cherry, and a little dark raspberry. Smooth mid-palate coupled with a nice purity, however, I thought the fruit came across a little bigger/fuller around four months ago - medium plus body. Nice rich flavors of dark berries, some spice box/licorice, and a fairly prominent mineral/graphite component. Fairly long finish. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Improved with time and took around one hour to open-up. WA anticipated maturity 2020 to 2048 which I can't argue to give it a little more time for the fruit to soften/open-up some more, however, I thought this vintage was drinking quite well after the one hour decant. 96/97 - more or less in line with the 96+ rating from WA. 100% cab.
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This 2016 LPV is starting to come together. It has powerful fruit but still in danger of some cocktail wine characteristics. Although the perception of RS has lessened since the last time I tried it. This wine has nice supportive acidity and thus avoids any sense of flabbiness.
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I feel like I need to incorporate this wine into jacked-up Tony Robbins sayings on inspirational posters... as in, "You're only as strong as the Quivet in your cellar"... or, "Don't be pushed around by the fears in your mind; be led by the dreams in your Quivet" ... or, "Don't wish it were easier; wish you were better at drinking Quivet"... or, "It's during our darkest moments that we must focus on the light of Quivet"...even though this wine is as black as the night is long....
Drink now and rocket your palate to the dark side of the moon...or wait another year to see what planet you end up on.
Now that I'm not having this wine side by side with 100pt monsters like the 16 Carter Verdad and 16 Myriad Elysian, figure I would give it more of a fair shake.
A classic and gorgeous LPV nose on this baby, with tons of burnt embers, blackberry, crushed flowers, pencil shavings and forest floor. Really nice. The black fruit and flavor is super concentrated, rich and forward, with absolutely perfect texture. Completely full bodied, totally ripe and epically layered, this cascades over the entire pallet and finishes extraordinarily long. This is so opulent, pure and hedonistic at the moment. It is definitely not quite as structured as its sibling the Verdad, but it really doesn't matter while enjoying this great wine.
Escaped fires in my area and decided to have some fun. No formal notes and will just summarize my thoughts and conclusions from having the 2015 Realm Absurd, 2016 Myriad Elysian, 2016 Carter La Verdad and 2016 Quivet LPV all back to back.
My order: Carter La Verdad barely over Myriad Elysian, followed by Realm Absurd and then Quivet LPV. The Verdad showed even better than when I had it a few months ago, and is easily 99-100 all day long. It's a bit more tightly coiled and structured than the 2015 version, with tons of depth and earthy mineral driven layers that continue to change and unfold in your mouth over time. It's got epic purity, no hard edges and finishes super long. In comparison, the Quivet LPV (obviously same vineyard and winemaker as Verdad) had a lot more upfront fruit, was really great but lacked the structure and complexity of the Verdad. I'd say 95-96. The Absurd was super unresolved, showed boat loads of oak and dense pure fruit, but really needs time to come together. All the stuffing is there, but it was the least ready to drink - 96-97. And finally, the Myriad Elysian showed by far the most scorched earth and crazy black tar mineral driven notes, with insane levels of power and concentration that really showcased just how incredible that site can be. For me 98-100
Dark purple fruit - blackberry, dark currants, dark raspberry, blueberry, and a little dark cherry. Really smooth, nice purity, and solid depth/concentration. Nice vibrant flavors of dark berries, some spice/licorice, and a mineral/graphite component. Fairly long finish. Decanted for one hour and drank over a couple more. Improved a little with time but drinking quite well after the decant despite its youth. However, I'm hoping that it adds a little weight with some more time. I'm going to lay down my remaining bottles for another 6 to 12 months. Nonetheless, a really nice vintage of this wine and no surprise of the great reviews/ratings from WA and Jeb Dunnuck. It will be interesting to see if Suckling/WS low-balls this vintage like the 88 rating for the 2015 vintage. 100% cab.
One of my 4 favorite Las Piedras wines year in and year out (the others being Benoit's Fait Main, Carter's 2 offerings of La Verdad and La Bam, and Vice Versa's LPV), Quivet's Las Piedras Vineyard 2016 is just stunning.
Dark black and blue with a little purple and red around the rim. The smell is strong and just incredible. Rich, mineral and graphite driven from the 1st sip through the very long finish. This is very clear; it's a full bodied beauty that is weightless. Interestingly, this Mike Smith wine has a little different style as it is not fruit forward - its more elegant. The fruit is all there but there is so much going on. Well integrated tannins and nice acidity throughout. It has a strong backbone and finish of notes from the terroir of The Las Piedras Vineyard in St. Helena. Earth. Mineral. Graphite. And lots of stone.
99/100 points, this is a Wow wine! The only reason it’s not 100 points in my view is simply, bottle time. Previous notes apply. Fabulous dark, ripe fruit purity and extraction, great nose of fragrant purple violet flowers and on the palate, cream de Cassis, intense dark berry fruit that shows impeccable ripeness, hints of oak, and subtle powdered coco essence. If you maxed out on your order of this wine, you will be a happy camper.
My first Quivet Cab, and Mike Smith's Quivet brand has earned my respect with this release. An oak-filled attack is followed by quite a deep mid-palate of dark fruit, stone, minerals, and delight (that last one is not really a taste, but I know it when I taste it.) The finish goes on forever (the lawyers let me say that because forever is not really a time.)
Earning just a point off my rating of the 2015 Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon BBS Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard at about one-third the cost is proof positive that Quivet intends to take on the best and retain customers. Cheers!
Decanted for 2 hours, then stored air-free overnight, and finished on day two. More intensity on day one, but enjoyed both.
Just as solid from bottle as it was from barrel. Previous notes apply. There is certainly some wonderful oak influence going on with this wine at the moment, with further integration to come with some shot-term cellaring.
It is amazing how texturally sexy this wine is in its youth (a number of Mike Smith's 2016s are indeed showing amazingly well considering their ages). It really depends on how you prefer your Napa Cabs. If you like those beautiful Darnajou and Taransaud spices injected in your wine, then it's not a crime to pop one of these now. If you prefer less of that on the front end, best to hold another 12+ months. Regardless, this is fabulous juice that rewards now, and should continue to evolve over the coming years. 98-100 points, likely locking in on a perfect score after another 12+ months in bottle.
Big, beautiful, really nice dark berry fruit extraction, beautiful nose and color, just Delicious! For a further description see previous notes, this cab showed a bit better than last time and was pretty near perfect then. 99-100 Points, I really like this Cab!
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This is big, delicious Las Piedras Cabernet. Dark purple dark violet color in appearance. On the palate, intense flavors of dark berry fruit, cassis, dark berry liqueur, black licorice and some minerality and smooth tannis. This wine is young with a better upside with bottle age, an excellent bottle of wine and quite tasty.
Mike Smith Tasting and Wine Dinner PART #2: An exclamation of formidable magnificence in black liquid form, the 2016 barrel sample of the Quivet LPV was absolutely rockin’! A “Holy Mary, Mother of God” moment as soon at it hit the palate. Front-loaded with all sorts of crazy good black and blue core fruit, black cassis (if there is such a thing), black asphalt and road tar, black river rock, clove, burnt embers, and some gravelly scorched earth. Mid-palate was immense and intense. The finish went on for 60+ seconds. A sexy beast through and through (you can thank the double fist pump of Darnajou and Taransaud barrels for helping out on that front).
Before I tried this wine, another party member skulkingly approached me and said with a half-cocked grin, “You have to try this, but you can’t tell anyone else about it.” He presented me with a sample bottle, of which I graciously took custody and poured myself a splash (or three). “Hey, no problem,” I said confidently. First sip = “Holy sh*t! Hey everybody, you gotta check this out!” I guess I’m down for snitching, cuz I couldn’t contain my excitement about this wine. For me, this was a “it’s just that good” kind of wine. I know I’ll regret posting this tasting note, as there isn’t that much to go around. So stand in line friends, and look out for me elbowing you out of the way to up my allocation any way I can (and no, as a matter of fact, I’m not on Mike Smith’s promotional payroll by the way).
4/13/2024 - KJD45$ wrote: 94 Points
My last bottle of this… after being a Myriad Quivet
Becklyn Ancillary buyer for several years , his quickly ratcheting prices have turned me off..I find far more compelling wines at far better prices in other places.
Ok that said..tonight this was blue and black berries
With a taut minerality and smooth tannic envelope..
It’s quite delicious but for the price and not to mention current pricing.. look elsewhere
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7/14/2023 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine: 97 Points
Blackberry, blueberry, plum, double dose of licorice and leather. Sexy, decadent, plush tannins with another 20 years in the tank.
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6/25/2023 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deer Valley Palooza in 3 stages with Mark1npt and Agelvis; 6/25/2023-7/1/2023 (8,100 ft): Drank this PnP after a mistake with our intended bottle. Really good from the start. Smooth, silky, I found more red fruits than I expected, but sweet red fruits rather than tart. And mixed with black. Nice longish finish. This one really developed well although I am not sure there would have been any point in holding for my palate.
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6/2/2023 - Yack Man wrote: 96 Points
What a journey for this wine, a Phoenix rising from the ashes and much better than my last bottle. Deep purple deep colored, blackberries, black cherries and cream de cassis tobacco with a tannic backbone and nuance. This wine shows big and full-bodied with intense depth, ripeness and a nice long finishing. My last bottle took a detour, but this Cab is back and open for serious business. 96+/ 97 points. Yummy! 🍇🍷😋
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4/21/2023 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 94 Points
2016 Quivet LPV vs 2016 Bulgheroni Lithology LPV.
Overall, a nice matchup for the evenly priced LPV offerings (at least, in the secondary market). I preferred the Lithology (Melka) while my wife preferred the Quivet (Smith). Classic LPV - blueberry, mineral, crushed river rocks. We had with sushi and over the course of the night, but agreed that the Lithology would go really well with a steak - which it did the following night for 1 remaining glass. I thought the Quivet was more austere, which is surprising for a Mike Smith wine. All notes aside, the pricing on Quivet has turned me off from purchasing given the large increases in the last few years.
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11/21/2022 - sfwinelover1 wrote: 91 Points
One off from the big box wine store a couple of years ago. On the nose and palate, black, huckle and logan berries, with lesser notes of black cherries and red currants, dark florals, tar, graphite, forest floor, dark chocolate, oak, mint and rocky minerality. Opaquely purple black, full bodied, medium to thick legs. Surprisingly robust acidity medium tannins, not much heat but a bit of booziness. VG++ complexity, intensity and persistence. A couple of years ago, I got the idea that I’d see if I could broaden my tastes to include more modern CA cabs, as a lot of CT friends whose opinions I respected enjoyed them. And while I’ve done pretty well in developing an appreciation for TRB and Bevan, I confess that Smith and Venge continue to largely escape me. But not to fear: CT friend cyclist is a Smith devotee, and I figured at least one of us could enjoy this wine, whose score on CT rivals or exceeds the Abreus, Spottswoodes, Ovids, QCs and Flacs I adore. While I noted some differing feelings among prior tasters, it seemed that aeration might bring this more into my wheelhouse, and while I did have a small taste off the pour, I pulled the cork and dutifully walked away (to the Barnes, at that) for 4 hours, then recorked and brought to dinner. As I’d have expected, this has a lot more going for it than the recently consumed Venge Silencieux, and the beam of acidity gave it more balance (and, importantly, less oakiness, sweetness and booziness) than the recent Myriad Dr. Crane), but this is still a giant, fruit-driven wine, with lots of power but not a lot of elegance or rusticity. I noted DQ’s note about this hitting its best stride on night 3, yet, unlike the B LPV, this hasn’t seemed to develop much with air, at least for me. I’ve had some moderately aged Outpost Trues and Bevan ee Tenches which developed beautifully, but I think it’s 50-50 whether the booze and oak integrates or the fruit, which is attractively concentrated, fades, so I’m not sure what the advice I can give is on drinking window. I do like this vineyard a good deal, with a characteristic rocky darkness, but that seems largely subsumed here. I enjoyed this, perhaps a bit less than the ‘15, but I think my days of buying Smith cuvées are at an end in favor of the labels mentioned which, at price points from a bit less to somewhat more, I enjoy far better. This was ok with the pizzas we had with cyclist and our wives at Sally’s in Philly, but in this, as in all other aspects, it was run out of town by the Harlequin Zyme brought by cyclist.
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6/11/2022 - t_moderne wrote:
Tasted at a wine event.
Small pour.
Dark purple color.
Nose offers dark fruits and wisp of wood smoke.
Big shouldered with lush dark fruit yet retains elegance.
Packed and dense.
Would be nice to drink with rich food over a leisurely meal.
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4/25/2022 - KJD45$ Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very well balanced wine….everything in check…
Wishing it had a bigger finish…but sort of nit picking
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4/20/2022 - KJD45$ Likes this wine:
While very nice….. checks many boxes,,,
Not worth the $$
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4/9/2022 - FlyPig Likes this wine: 97 Points
Hold remaining for 2-3+
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3/4/2022 - #1Winelover wrote: 93 Points
I think that this might be on a slight decline and already reached it's peak, which is unfortunate. It was definitely drinkable; it was just kind of flat. Muted fruit, fairly smooth, most mineral and stone notes have subsided.
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2/22/2022 - JLuch1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted half the bottle for ~1 hour and drank the second half on day 2.
Deep almost black in color with the slightest bit of magenta on the rim. Extracted ripe blue and black fruits, minerals/earthy, some chocolatey characteristics towards the somewhat long finish. Overall very primary and fruity with soft tannins and not a tremendous amount of acidity. Day 2 was more of the same but with slightly less intensity of fruit compared to day 1. I enjoyed it more on day 1. Alcohol at >15% was also noticeable.
Overall it is a good wine, but after having the 2016 Becklyn Napa Valley recently, I have to say, the Becklyn is a better wine for less $$.
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12/15/2021 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened this a few days ago and drank after 3-4 hour decant. It was good but very primary. Fruity. Not as good as most LPV. Saved a small bottle and forgot about it in the fridge for a few days. Delicious now, berry fruit, earthy and mineral, chocolately smooth and long finish. This needs a 24 decant or hold
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12/5/2021 - Cabforme Likes this wine: 95 Points
Even better on day 2. Tannnis have softened and fruit is concentrated. Has the potential to be even better in a few years.
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11/5/2021 - Franken Berry Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 90 minutes before dinner. Intense blueberry jam on the nose, dark, ripe fruits, baking spice, crushed stones. Drinking quite well at the moment and thoroughly enjoyable, but not quite the same quality as other Las Piedras one of the better quivet I have had.
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10/30/2021 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 40 min before taking over to HMC's.....enjoyed over the next 4 hours during and after dinner. Initial impression, very green herbal nose, slightly muted dark fruit on the palate.......with 2-4 hours of air the fruit blossoms, most of the green herbal component leaves and a very balanced, very nice cabernet emerges. Not a killer wine by any means, but still very good. Would probably get a point better with more time, but will never be a 'blockbuster'.
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5/25/2021 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Almost 2 years since my last bottle. Unfortunately it has not really improved. Fortunately, it is still a great wine. Just not as complex as I would hope based on this vineyard, this vintage, and this price to play. Nice nose, big fruits and nice balance. But not the kind of wine that makes you think a lot. Hope this review doesn't sound negative - because again, it is a great wine (especially on a Tuesday). Just not a wine I would plan a Saturday evening dinner around.
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3/6/2021 - Badmonkey wrote: 95 Points
Get together with some friends. Purple fruit - currants, blackberry, dark cherry, and a little blueberry. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth/concentration - medium plus body. Nice rich flavors of dark berries, cassis, some spice/licorice, and a fairly prominent mineral/graphite component. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep and just a little tart - a little bing cherry on the back-end. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Improved a little with time. 100% cab.
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9/10/2020 - GQG Likes this wine: 96 Points
The hunt for the sweet spot drinking window... drink now? Wait?
There's an undeniable purity of fruit here, so the question is reduced to when will the structure balance out the fruit. Obviously there are many sub-categories to the equation, but that's the general thrust. One rule of thumb is 1 hour in the decanter = 1 year of ageing, 2 hrs. = 2 years, and so on. This is an easy rule to remember/apply but very approximate because wine, as an organic substance, evolves by chemical kinetics (rate of reaction) that, once in the bottle, are driven almost exclusively by time at temperature. One hour at room temperature really doesn't equal one year at 55°F because each of the many organic substances in wine converts at its own rate of reaction based on temperature (and oxygen exposure.) To get the "right" flavors over time, it seems by experience that at 55°F in a bottle (more or less) all of the rates of reaction of all of those organic substances come together appropriately over time. Too warm means some of the organic kinetic reactions happen too quickly, spoiling the final taste. Too cool, the opposite happens, the tastes don't develop. Expecting one hour of decanting to equal one year of proper storage is like trying to have a baby in one month by using nine women.
But decanting is useful for predicting what the effects of time may eventually deliver. Three hours of decanting really resolves a lot of the initial tartness here without reducing the fruit to complete and desolate darkness, shutters slapping in the wind, tumbleweeds rolling by, etc.. No, this wine holds up, smooths out, and by becoming more balanced offers hope that in a few years all those organic molecules will convert properly and play even more nicely together. That said, it was a pretty enjoyable quaff today (after a 2 or 3 hour decant.) Expect some tartness on PnP.
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8/6/2020 - FlyPig Likes this wine: 93 Points
Hold
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6/26/2020 - dclaggett wrote: 95 Points
15.1% abv. Dark garnet plum color. Clear staining of tears. Dark chocolate covered 🍒, loads of raspberry, plum, some blue fruit, mouth coating dusty tannins, very long finish with cola/root beer, kirsch lurking deep underneath, wood, no traces of heat or RS given the extraction of this wine, which speaks to winemaking skill (and fruit). Haven’t had many Piedras vineyard wines before, this is quite rich, luscious and powerful. Great wine.
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5/24/2020 - Yack Man wrote: 93 Points
Transitioning without a doubt. This wine is on lock down for now, it shows tight and slightly acidic. After two days it never really opened up. All of the stuffing is present in this wine, but It will require more bottle time. Nice nose, soft violets and a dark purple blue color. A big Cab with nice blue and blackberry fruit, cassis, dark currants, and tart cranberries have crept in on the palate profile. This 2016 shows nice extraction, beautiful fruit purity with a hint of oak, but it is on a journey right now. 93+ Points and unresolved, a hold for now.
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5/8/2020 - jaylew1 wrote: 95 Points
It's all there, but felt WAY too soon.
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1/29/2020 - csimm wrote: 97 Points
Much less of the rocket propulsion drive when compared to last year. Instead, this LPV impresses for its chewy black core and namesake minerality that make for a go-go gothic profile that can’t help but collide hedonism with just enough sophistication that it keeps its focus on track. It’s a big wine, but especially after three hours in the decanter, it wasn’t about just power and yum. It began to show an enveloping characteristic that slathered the palate in a sexy, inviting way...with intent. Still a little unresolved; so, a wine worth holding a couple more years minimum.
In that 95-97+ point range for me right now as it continues on its journey.
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1/2/2020 - GQG Likes this wine: 96 Points
Opened a 2016 Quivet Cellars Beckstoffer Las Piedras and a 2016 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon to kick off the New Year with a bang. These are two of the most well-regarded vineyards in Napa lined up in a head to head matchup. Pricewise, the Quivet is the underdog, although the Cliff Lede is itself a value leader from To-Kalon.
On the nose, the Quivet was earthy, steeled, and alcohol-soaked. The attack was encouraging and had authority. The mid-palate delivered power and depth with weight. This is a concentrated, full wine, representing well the winemaker Mike Smith and the fruit from this fabled terroir. There's plenty of earth and minerality in the Quivet though the oak-filled notes I got a year ago have subsided. That's diminished the complexity somewhat at this point because the fruit is currently dominating, but there's enough structure here to sustain development over the next several years at least. Try now with a two hour decant. 96+
The Cliff Lede nose really soared with dark berries, tobacco, and cedar. The attack was completely satisfying because it effortlessly introduced its power and purity, then magnificently framed and reinforced that power and purity though the mid-palate. Effortless and To-Kalon are almost never synonymous early-on but here it is. I'm not actually looping a synth track right now but the finish ended with power and purity. Complex, pure; an exceptional performance. This is a special wine that has a wonderful future, and is great now with a decant of an hour or so. 98+
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12/20/2019 - HowellMountainCru Likes this wine: 93 Points
Coravin Pour. Dark, dense, fruit forward. Decent acidity and balance with a very substantial finish. Still something is missing for this to be a next level wine. Nose was masked by alcohol but showed some notes of boysenberry and vanilla. Bottom line is this is a very good experience at this point but still not fully together. I would give at least a year. 93 now but a point or two more in there when it gets to its best drinking point.
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10/29/2019 - msuwine wrote: 93 Points
I decided to taste the 2016 and 2017 Quivet Piedras next to each other, in the name of science and all that. The conclusions: neither was great; both need time; and each are as good as (and probably the only ones) you’ll get out of LPV for $125. Still, let’s not sugarcoat things: the 2016 was plainly better, with more integration, depth, and balance. The 2017 was thinner, more straightforward, and less impressive. Oh, the vintages! Here are the notes:
- 2016: Light purple in color; full in body; nose of boysenberry, graphite, and fresh embers (really, this was the one that seemed more grainy, almost smokey, like a barbecue potato chip, as opposed to the 2017, which just seemed a bit too clean). Tastes of sour cherry, pencil lead, espresso, and baking spices, with a grainy yet sweet finish. 15.1% alcohol. 93+ for now, since it still seems a bit rustic and unformed. Decant at least a few hours. Best in 2021 or later.
- 2017: Similarly light purple in color, this wine is more light in body - there are no teardrops on glass like with the 2016, and its mouthfeel is more skim as opposed to 2%. The aromas, too, are bit more diffuse, with vague notes of black cherry and cardamon (and, really, I’m straining to find those). The tastes, too, seem superficial, with notes of blueberry skins, crushed raspberries, peppercorn, and fruit cake, with a spiny and bright finish (far lighter than the 2016). 15.1% alcohol. 90-91 for now. Best in 2022 or later, though I’m not sure if it will ever quite get there.
The fruit in the 2016 was a bit chunky, and the fruit in the 2017 was a bit anemic. In other words, the 2016 needs time to lose weight, while the 2017 needs time to gain it. It was interesting how neither offered the pronounced chocolate notes that many providers (like Carter, Fait-Main, or Vice Versa) offer to go with the gravelly tastes of LPV. Maybe the 2017 will someday find its footing, but - right now - there’s no doubt the 2016 is the more promising wine.
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7/23/2019 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really good wine that just needs more time. Blue and black fruits are plentiful. Just kind of one dimensional - that would be the "in your face" dimension. But so delish none the less. With time has 2 points (maybe 3) upside potential. Will try to wait a few years before revisiting.
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7/21/2019 - Badmonkey wrote: 96 Points
Purple fruit - currants/cassis, blackberry, dark raspberry, and a little blueberry. Solid depth/concentration, however, it came across a little tart and tannic. Tried to pop/pour but I didn't care for how it was showing so I threw it in a decanter for around one hour. A little improvement but still never fully came around. Put most of it away for day two.
Day two, big improvement - really smooth (seamless from beginning to end) and the tartness/tannicity did subside. In consideration of how it showed on day one, I believe this vintage needs some time which isn't a surprise in light of its youth. I'm going to lay my other bottles down for a year. 96 on day two and 93 on day one. 100% cab.
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7/2/2019 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow....loads of blueberry up front on the nose and in the mouth. Feels much lighter in weight in the mouth than other LPVs we've had. Great fruit nonetheless with moderate complexity but seems to be lacking a layer or two over time in the glass. Only a hint of lilacs on the nose noted as improvement over 1-2 hours. This is a very nice wine but a few points below both the B Cellars and Carter versions, IMO. Really should be a 94.575......just a whisker below the Dakota Shy tonight due to layering. Thanks for sharing, Jimbo!
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5/20/2019 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 96 Points
Popped, poured but this bottle was not ready, it needed some air, it showed a bit restricted, tight and slightly acidic, so I nursed a glass, but it never really opened up to my satisfaction. Day two showed significant improvement. On the nose, soft violets, dark purple blue color. A big Cab with nice ripe blue and blackberry fruit, sweet cassis and dark currants. This 2016 shows nice extraction, beautiful fruit purity with a hint of oak. This is another excellent Las Piedras Cab that l really enjoy. I must say that the last bottle l opened was more enjoyable, sometime it just goes that way l guess. 96+ Points.
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3/23/2019 - Badmonkey wrote: 97 Points
Decided to revisit for the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Dark purple fruit - blackberry, dark currants, dark cherry, and a little dark raspberry. Smooth mid-palate coupled with a nice purity, however, I thought the fruit came across a little bigger/fuller around four months ago - medium plus body. Nice rich flavors of dark berries, some spice box/licorice, and a fairly prominent mineral/graphite component. Fairly long finish. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Improved with time and took around one hour to open-up. WA anticipated maturity 2020 to 2048 which I can't argue to give it a little more time for the fruit to soften/open-up some more, however, I thought this vintage was drinking quite well after the one hour decant. 96/97 - more or less in line with the 96+ rating from WA. 100% cab.
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2/27/2019 - jviz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank next to 2016 Bard, 2011 Carter 3 kings.
This 2016 LPV is starting to come together. It has powerful fruit but still in danger of some cocktail wine characteristics. Although the perception of RS has lessened since the last time I tried it. This wine has nice supportive acidity and thus avoids any sense of flabbiness.
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2/20/2019 - csimm wrote: 98 Points
It's big. It's dark. It's awesome.
I feel like I need to incorporate this wine into jacked-up Tony Robbins sayings on inspirational posters... as in, "You're only as strong as the Quivet in your cellar"... or, "Don't be pushed around by the fears in your mind; be led by the dreams in your Quivet" ... or, "Don't wish it were easier; wish you were better at drinking Quivet"... or, "It's during our darkest moments that we must focus on the light of Quivet"...even though this wine is as black as the night is long....
Drink now and rocket your palate to the dark side of the moon...or wait another year to see what planet you end up on.
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12/4/2018 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Now that I'm not having this wine side by side with 100pt monsters like the 16 Carter Verdad and 16 Myriad Elysian, figure I would give it more of a fair shake.
A classic and gorgeous LPV nose on this baby, with tons of burnt embers, blackberry, crushed flowers, pencil shavings and forest floor. Really nice. The black fruit and flavor is super concentrated, rich and forward, with absolutely perfect texture. Completely full bodied, totally ripe and epically layered, this cascades over the entire pallet and finishes extraordinarily long. This is so opulent, pure and hedonistic at the moment. It is definitely not quite as structured as its sibling the Verdad, but it really doesn't matter while enjoying this great wine.
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11/12/2018 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Escaped fires in my area and decided to have some fun. No formal notes and will just summarize my thoughts and conclusions from having the 2015 Realm Absurd, 2016 Myriad Elysian, 2016 Carter La Verdad and 2016 Quivet LPV all back to back.
My order: Carter La Verdad barely over Myriad Elysian, followed by Realm Absurd and then Quivet LPV. The Verdad showed even better than when I had it a few months ago, and is easily 99-100 all day long. It's a bit more tightly coiled and structured than the 2015 version, with tons of depth and earthy mineral driven layers that continue to change and unfold in your mouth over time. It's got epic purity, no hard edges and finishes super long. In comparison, the Quivet LPV (obviously same vineyard and winemaker as Verdad) had a lot more upfront fruit, was really great but lacked the structure and complexity of the Verdad. I'd say 95-96. The Absurd was super unresolved, showed boat loads of oak and dense pure fruit, but really needs time to come together. All the stuffing is there, but it was the least ready to drink - 96-97. And finally, the Myriad Elysian showed by far the most scorched earth and crazy black tar mineral driven notes, with insane levels of power and concentration that really showcased just how incredible that site can be. For me 98-100
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11/11/2018 - Badmonkey wrote: 98 Points
Dark purple fruit - blackberry, dark currants, dark raspberry, blueberry, and a little dark cherry. Really smooth, nice purity, and solid depth/concentration. Nice vibrant flavors of dark berries, some spice/licorice, and a mineral/graphite component. Fairly long finish. Decanted for one hour and drank over a couple more. Improved a little with time but drinking quite well after the decant despite its youth. However, I'm hoping that it adds a little weight with some more time. I'm going to lay down my remaining bottles for another 6 to 12 months. Nonetheless, a really nice vintage of this wine and no surprise of the great reviews/ratings from WA and Jeb Dunnuck. It will be interesting to see if Suckling/WS low-balls this vintage like the 88 rating for the 2015 vintage. 100% cab.
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11/3/2018 - #1Winelover Likes this wine: 96 Points
One of my 4 favorite Las Piedras wines year in and year out (the others being Benoit's Fait Main, Carter's 2 offerings of La Verdad and La Bam, and Vice Versa's LPV), Quivet's Las Piedras Vineyard 2016 is just stunning.
Dark black and blue with a little purple and red around the rim. The smell is strong and just incredible. Rich, mineral and graphite driven from the 1st sip through the very long finish. This is very clear; it's a full bodied beauty that is weightless. Interestingly, this Mike Smith wine has a little different style as it is not fruit forward - its more elegant. The fruit is all there but there is so much going on. Well integrated tannins and nice acidity throughout. It has a strong backbone and finish of notes from the terroir of The Las Piedras Vineyard in St. Helena. Earth. Mineral. Graphite. And lots of stone.
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10/13/2018 - Yack Man wrote: 99 Points
99/100 points, this is a Wow wine! The only reason it’s not 100 points in my view is simply, bottle time. Previous notes apply. Fabulous dark, ripe fruit purity and extraction, great nose of fragrant purple violet flowers and on the palate, cream de Cassis, intense dark berry fruit that shows impeccable ripeness, hints of oak, and subtle powdered coco essence. If you maxed out on your order of this wine, you will be a happy camper.
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10/11/2018 - GQG Likes this wine: 98 Points
My first Quivet Cab, and Mike Smith's Quivet brand has earned my respect with this release. An oak-filled attack is followed by quite a deep mid-palate of dark fruit, stone, minerals, and delight (that last one is not really a taste, but I know it when I taste it.) The finish goes on forever (the lawyers let me say that because forever is not really a time.)
Earning just a point off my rating of the 2015 Vice Versa Cabernet Sauvignon BBS Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard at about one-third the cost is proof positive that Quivet intends to take on the best and retain customers. Cheers!
Decanted for 2 hours, then stored air-free overnight, and finished on day two. More intensity on day one, but enjoyed both.
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9/24/2018 - csimm wrote: 99 Points
Just as solid from bottle as it was from barrel. Previous notes apply. There is certainly some wonderful oak influence going on with this wine at the moment, with further integration to come with some shot-term cellaring.
It is amazing how texturally sexy this wine is in its youth (a number of Mike Smith's 2016s are indeed showing amazingly well considering their ages). It really depends on how you prefer your Napa Cabs. If you like those beautiful Darnajou and Taransaud spices injected in your wine, then it's not a crime to pop one of these now. If you prefer less of that on the front end, best to hold another 12+ months. Regardless, this is fabulous juice that rewards now, and should continue to evolve over the coming years. 98-100 points, likely locking in on a perfect score after another 12+ months in bottle.
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7/10/2018 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 99 Points
Big, beautiful, really nice dark berry fruit extraction, beautiful nose and color, just Delicious! For a further description see previous notes, this cab showed a bit better than last time and was pretty near perfect then. 99-100 Points, I really like this Cab!
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7/1/2018 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 98 Points
This is big, delicious Las Piedras Cabernet. Dark purple dark violet color in appearance. On the palate, intense flavors of dark berry fruit, cassis, dark berry liqueur, black licorice and some minerality and smooth tannis. This wine is young with a better upside with bottle age, an excellent bottle of wine and quite tasty.
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5/12/2018 - csimm wrote: 99 Points
Mike Smith Tasting and Wine Dinner PART #2: An exclamation of formidable magnificence in black liquid form, the 2016 barrel sample of the Quivet LPV was absolutely rockin’! A “Holy Mary, Mother of God” moment as soon at it hit the palate. Front-loaded with all sorts of crazy good black and blue core fruit, black cassis (if there is such a thing), black asphalt and road tar, black river rock, clove, burnt embers, and some gravelly scorched earth. Mid-palate was immense and intense. The finish went on for 60+ seconds. A sexy beast through and through (you can thank the double fist pump of Darnajou and Taransaud barrels for helping out on that front).
Before I tried this wine, another party member skulkingly approached me and said with a half-cocked grin, “You have to try this, but you can’t tell anyone else about it.” He presented me with a sample bottle, of which I graciously took custody and poured myself a splash (or three). “Hey, no problem,” I said confidently. First sip = “Holy sh*t! Hey everybody, you gotta check this out!” I guess I’m down for snitching, cuz I couldn’t contain my excitement about this wine. For me, this was a “it’s just that good” kind of wine. I know I’ll regret posting this tasting note, as there isn’t that much to go around. So stand in line friends, and look out for me elbowing you out of the way to up my allocation any way I can (and no, as a matter of fact, I’m not on Mike Smith’s promotional payroll by the way).
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