Didn’t have time to decant this one, so enjoyed on pop and poor. As before, there is a voluminous and engaging bouquet to this wine. The palate is rich, round, and packed to the hilt with velvety dark fruit. Intermingled are clear notes of vanilla and oak, as well as some slightly course tannins lurking around the back end. It’s coming across rather boisterous tonight and could use a nice piece of grilled meat or, better yet, another two years in the cellar to evolve a bit and find its balance.
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The wine looks violet colored. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. It smells like blueberry and vanilla, tastes like blueberry, toast, vanilla and oak. The body is medium/full. The wine has round texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
The wine seemed to have gained in density and intensity on day 2
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In my experience with this wine, it tends to show well out of the gate for a period of time only to regress, that is the story with this vintage. Dark rich purple appearance with a soft nose. On the palate, dark berry fruit, blackberry, currants, plum, tobacco, tannic and a bitter cranberry aspect. In all fairness, this was a Coravin pour, so essentially you could call it a pop and pour, so perhaps it would show better with some air. Maybe the next time around I will give it some air and look for improvement. 90/ 90+ Points.
Decanted this for 90 minutes before drinking and drank over another 4 hours. The wine was purple in color with a nice nose of red and black fruit, cinnamon, and pine. On the palate raspberry, blackberry, cherry, mocha, and a little tobacco. This wine was pretty tight upon opening and never really opened up all the way even after drinking for 4 hours.
All in all still a good wine for the money but just not performing at its best this night. This is the 5th 2019 bottle I have drank in the last month that has not performed at its best so this vintage may be transitioning. They were still good but not spot on like they had been. It would be a shame as 2019 has been a no brainer, good every time vintage. I stocked up on this vintage but have been going through them at a much faster rate as I have left my 2018's alone.
Good, runs a bit hot and a bit one dimensional with not a huge amount of complexity. However enjoyable nevertheless. Open from the get-go, but acid and tannin still noticeable.. probably would benefit from a few more years in the bottle. Notes of plum, smoke, leather, cassis. It has a very fragrant and pleasant nose with some spice to accompany the fruit and a smooth velvet mouthfeel. Finish is moderate. Right now it is a bit much to tackle more than a couple of glasses, but has potential. At the $50 price point, this isn’t half bad. 90/91
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Full bodied cab with juicy black and blue fruit. A touch of earthiness and oak. Tannins are still fairly high but well integrated. Another stellar wine from TRB.
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Part of a large tasting. PnP. Big aroma with blackberry, cassis, cedar, earth, pencil shavings , leather and cocoa. Lots of flavor showing blackberry, cassis, spice, cocoa, leather, cedar and earth. Full mouthfeel. Silky smooth tannins in the long finish.
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I had my first bottle of this wine almost 2 years ago and it is still going strong. Just ordered a case of the '21. Let's hope it is as good as the 19s. This wine is so smooth and glides effortlessly across the tongue while providing nice viscosity and great dark berry flavors with a medium finish. Not one to think too much on... just a joy to drink, especially at this price point.
PnP. Has not lost a step or closed down. Opens with a big nose showing blackberry, cassis, cedar, earth, pencil shavings , leather and cocoa. Loaded with flavor showing blackberry, cassis, spice, cocoa, leather, cedar and earth. Full mouthfeel. Silky smooth tannins in the long finish.
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Medium purple. My first time tasting this in about twenty months and it has come into its own; it is an excellent introduction to the TRB style and, in a relative sense, it is an exceptional value. On the nose, it is attractive, if straightforward, offering perfumed aromas of ripe black cherries, crème de mûre, lilacs, toast and oak spice. Full bodied on the palate, creamy in texture, with medium+ acidity and a healthy amount of chewy, gum-licking tannin that serves as a counterpoint to the sweet, fruit-driven flavors. Sure, this isn't Schrader RBS, but it isn't supposed to be.
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Gave this bottle an hour in a wide bottom decanter and then consumed over the next 2.5 hours. The terrific bouquet of ripe dark fruit and floral scents is detectable from a few feet away. The palate brings sweet plums and boysenberries over well rounded tannins, gliding to a satisfying finish. Not super complex but quite tasty and, as always, a great value Napa cab. This is an annual must buy for us.
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Three hour slow ox. Deep dark electric magenta color. Black cherry, coffee cake, and subtle cinnamon graham cracker. Smooth, tongue drying palate. Firm, full, medium intensity tannins on the longish finish.
Despite being a touch Caymus-esque (i.e., slightly syrupy/extracted), this is pretty great for the money. Very reliable, easy drinker from TRB. Certainly built to drink young. I’m looking forward to trying the ‘21s.
This wine drank reasonably well off a 60-minute decant. I found the wine to be more restrained than I expected provided the review from AG and the vintage. The fruit was there but so was the oak - not at an abrasive level but also not entirely integrated. All in all, I would not hesitate at $50.00 and I expect this wine will benefit from another 1-2 years in bottle.
This is a super delicious wine that delivers for the price. Ripe and lush dark fruits, raspberry liqueur, orange peel, vanilla, sweet oak and milk chocolate. Nice acidity and ripe tannins on long finish.
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This wine was opened at our tailgate at the Linc prior to the EAGLES vs. Giants divisional game (EAGLES 38-Giants 7) and was paired with Flannery Dry Aged New Your Strips. There was no option for decanting but I used an Aervana Travel Portable Electric Wine Aerator. The glassware used was the new stemless VYCE tumbler, which is a very nice stemless wine glass. Serving temp was approximately 50 degrees (outside temp 43 degrees but wine warmed up by holding the stemless glass), which was at least 5-10 degrees cooler than I would prefer.
The wine was full bodied. The palate was of dark cherries, cassis, acai berry, mocha and brown spices. There was a hint of cocoa. The tannins and acidity were medium and fairly well integrated. It has a plush mouthfeel.
The wine is not an intellectual wine to analyze deeply but it's a delicious fruit forward crowd pleaser with a very good QPR. I truly enjoy this wine and purchased an additional 6 bottles this past fall after I drank my initial allocation of 6 bottles much quicker than expected.
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Big and bold, polished. Definitely a crowd pleaser for folks that like in your face cabs. After a 4 hr decant this was ready to roll. Great QPR for this style of wine.
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One hour slow ox. Deep dark electric magenta color. Blackberry, blueberry jelly, graham cracker, and dark chocolate on the nose. Smooth, dry, full bodied palate. Firm, full, medium intensity tannins on the longish finish.
I dare say this is almost equal to Double Diamond (at a much lower price). This may be slightly more flamboyant and straightforward. Certainly a better QPR, but both are terrific for what you get.
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short decant. Big nose with blackberry, cassis, cedar, earth, pencil shavings , leather and cocoa. Lots of flavor with blackberry, cassis, spice, cocoa, leather, cedar and earth. Full mouthfeel. Silky smooth tannins in the long finish.
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6 months or so since I have added a note on this wine. I have bought 3 cases to date. Half of that is gone already. I think that speaks to how much I like this wine. This was the first bottle that I gave a little air time before consuming and it made this wine even better. This proves that you can make an excellent Napa CS below $50. They do not all need to be $200+ Speaking of value, TRB did it again winning the WS Wine of the Year with his $80 Double Diamond. Way to go TRB!
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Three hour slow ox. Deep dark purplish magenta color. Black cherry, blackberry, sugar cookie, pumpernickel, and nutmeg on the nose. Smooth, dry palate, with satiny, tongue coating acidity. Firm, full tannins on the longish finish.
This was built to drink young, but is truly built (i.e., legit structure). It’s just a touch extracted. My score has a slight value bonus built in. With all of that said, this is currently my favorite CS below $50.
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Expectedly young but pleasant to drink upon PNP. Primary nose with full body, soft tannins, dark red fruit. With air, the nose reveals some tertiary: cigar and some pencil lead; however the fruit profile deepens considerably. Quite fun taking in the layers of fruit: raspberry, strawberry, cassis. The finish is of moderate length with a dusty tannin feel. I think a 90 minute decant will be a good way to start, but u really can serve this upon popping it.
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Three hour slow ox. Deep dark purple magenta color. Strawberry jelly, vanilla wafer, boysenberry, buttered toast, and lime rind on the nose. Smooth, dry palate, with good acidity. Firm, full tannins on the medium long+ finish. It’s a touch extracted, but better than Caymus at a lower price.
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Knew it was approachable but young, but boy was it worth it. Great depth, black cherry and blackberry, licorice, slight tobacco. Best Napa QPR on the market
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Two hour slow ox. Deep dark purplish magenta color. Blackberry, raspberry, rose petals, and baking spice on the nose. Dry, plush palate, with reasonable acidity. Firm, full tannins on the medium long+ finish. Youthful, but accessible. Very easy drinker.
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Fruit forward but not overly ripe. Sour cherry, currant, even juicy raspberry. Rhubarb pie. Medium plus acid, in a good way. White pepper.
Long finish of sour cherry and spice. Refined and polished texture, though not to the extreme of some of the high-end TRB wines. The polish is more percussive than smooth given the young tannins. The acid is a little angular.
Enjoyable and interesting. Polished but not overly smooth. Big but not a sledgehammer. Mostly balanced, except maybe for the pepper - food might take care of that. Makes you want to come back for the next sip.
Serve with food. The sour cherry almost resembles a Sangiovese - maybe try tomatoes or pasta?
Drinking fine now, but no need to rush.
Edit: two hours later, tannins have softened and a bit of cocoa powder has come forward. This is a really nice wine.
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Consistent with my previous note, a solid performer and a very good value these days. It's probably will show better with some air, this was a pop and pour. We will see where it's at with some air tonight. A wine that shows a slightly better than a mere 'midweek drinker' in my opinion. Good stuff.
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Splash decant. Very deep dark magenta color. Black cherry, marigold, cinnamon, and blackberry on the nose. Smooth, tongue drying palate. Plush tannins on the longish finish.
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Over 2 hour decant time. Deep purple-garnet in colour. Ripe blueberries with spicy black fruits and moist tobacco are noticed on the nose. On the palate, there are black and blue fruits with some cassis with a touch of tobacco and black cherries. Medium-full bodied with a medium+ finish. Really a well made Napa cab for the price.
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This is a solid performer for the money, 'bang for the buck' is what this one is all about. A quality wine composed of black and blueberry fruit, dark currants, some plum, tobacco, nice tannins and good extraction. I'm in the market for more wines like this one, a solid value and more than reasonable price point. 93+/ 94 Points.
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I love this wine and it's price point so much that I have now bought 2 cases. This is my 10th bottle of this wine as they are drinking so well that I cannot keep my hands off of them. Silky mouthfeel with rich dark fruits of blackberry and plum with vanilla and nice fine tannins. Med/long finish. Excellent effort by TRB to commit to making a very good wine that does not need to be priced $200+. This is my mid-week go to bottle right now.
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One hour decant (few hour slow ox is better). Nearly opaque magenta color. Blackberry, blueberry, brown sugar, nutmeg, baked rhubarb, and vanilla bean on the nose. Dry, velvety, full bodied palate. Firm, full tannins on the longish finish.
You cannot do much better for below $50, especially if you like fruit forward Napa Cabernet. I think a two to three hour slow ox makes it a bit richer than a traditional decant.
Really love this for the price. Deep flavors (black and blue fruits), good acidity and structure to balance out the fruit. It’s fruit forward, but I like the balance it strikes.
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Three hour slow ox. Nearly opaque electric magenta color. Crème brûlée, stewed black cherry, Quik cocoa powder, and dark plum on the nose. Smooth, dry palate, with cottony, tongue coating acidity. Firm tannins on the surprisingly longish finish. Cannot do much better for less than $50 if you enjoy fruit forward CS.
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Showed great with a long decant, better on day 2. Modern in style, but dark and rather serious, not too confected, and with a certain TRB signature. I continue to like this as a value cab buy, and 19>18 IMO.
Wow. Cathy and I both like this. Long Finnish definitely new world with bold black fruit and structured tannins. However not unbalanced Just bold. Perfect for our 35th anniversary
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This bottle was definitely different than the first one I gave bad marks to. This second one definitely had more structure to it but the marriage of tannins and acid on the finish was really bad, deserving of a divorce. It wasn't like a strong, "this is a food wine", or "just needs a little more air" type of finish. I love those wines! It just tasted bad. On tasting it the next day, it tasted great on the first sip, and then the finish instantly became insipid after that. This bottle was all over the place for me. Maybe I got unlucky and had two "off" bottles. Perhaps. I've had more than one inconsistent 2016 Borsao Berola, and whined about it on this website too, but the Borsao is much less costly compared to the Caterwaul. At over $50 for a bottle, I expect a minimum bar of consistency which has not been met for the 2019 Caterwaul bottling. Napa Cabs are my favorite, but I had a 2015 Caiarossa IGT the same week as the dud reviewed above and that I thought, is how good structure is supposed to taste.
Similar thoughts as last summer shortly after its release. Dark purple fruit - blackberry, currants, dark cherry, and blueberry. Smooth mid-palate with nice concentration especially for the price point, however, there isn’t much structure - kind of a fruit bomb. Nice rich flavors of dark berries, some spice, and a little cocoa. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Not much improvement with time but drinking well right away despite its youth. Drank next to a 2018 Lewis Napa cab which was quite a bit better - more structure, longer/deeper finish, not as rich/sweet, etc.. Nonetheless, in my opinion the 2019 Caterwaul cab is still a solid QPR at around $50 and at the lower end of Dunnuck’s the 92 to 95 rating. 100% cab.
Very little nose. Round flabby blue fruit-forward mid-palate. Finished with a whimper at best. If a bottle costs more than $50, it's gotta have some sort of structure and backbone in my book, and this bottle was sorely lacking in these departments. One-dimensional. Why this wine gets so many positive reviews is beyond me. (Ok, what do I like that has some of the characteristics that were missing here? (I find it helpful when reviewers do this - gives me a sense of their palate, so I shall do that here.) I've had a couple of 2018 Le Pich Cabs lately - they were good. Price was around $54 with ten percent off 6 bottle discount at AJ's.)
Just bought more of this wine as I have been going through my existing stash way too fast. One of the best QPRs I have found. The 2019 Napa vintage in general is becoming one of my favs. But when you throw in a skilled winemaker like TRB it is no wonder I love this wine. This wine punches way above it's weight class.
The best CS under 100. Followed Thomas Brown since Schrader. Maybach, Outpost, Boars’ view, etc. They are great wines but they are way beyond 100. This Caterwaul is only 50 and outweigh most 100 Napa CS. Upon open, Chocolate, Blueberry Jam, Vanilla and Chinese spice. Palate was silky, not very expressive in mouth but very smoothy. Tannins a bit dry at the end but pretty refined. It worths a 95.
Been anxious to try one of these after all the good reports here on CT. Its supposed approachable MO right from the pnp is pretty much dead bang on, though I must note this improves dramatically over an hour or so of air. The strong fruit, tannins and acidity are a bit out of balance early on. This is juicy, lively and raring to go! The color is dark magenta in the glass, the weight is good medium plus to heavy. It has some very nice glide to the mostly dark red plum fruit. There is some cassis, a touch of pure Coke syrup and sweet tobacco leaf. There is riveting acidity throughout ensuring a mouthwatering ending that goes on for a good 15-20 seconds. If Rombauer Chardonnay is 'Cougar Juice' to women this stuff could be 'Living Dangerously' to men as the propensity to 'porch pound' this stuff could easily get out of hand. Drinks like a bottle twice the price. The only thing holding it back from higher scores is the somewhat one dimensional fruit. It's good fruit, it's ripe and dense and intense but not very layered. Still, if you are a modern fruit forward Cali cab drinker, you could buy this by the case and drink it every night of the week and not be disappointed in the least.
Very consistent with my prior experience. Deep, dark, rich, can't miss this as Napa cabernet. Arguably too dense and extracted for my palate, but needs some time for the layers to crack open.
Have to say, this wine kept strong for 4-5 hours in the glass and open bottle, whereas some others just faded away completely. Suggests some structure and aging potential here.
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Brought to a friend's house for a Napa Cabs $50 blind tasting. Middle of the pack finish among 7 wines with a Trinchero taking the win. Last place was a 2018 Vineyard 29 Cru.
Overall, my notes on this were ripe, extracted, no doubt about it a Napa cab. My 2nd of 7 wines.
Other wines were 2016 Trinchero Mario's (winner), 2014 Cakebread, 2015 Volker Eisele, 2018 Vineyard 29 Cru (x2), and a cheap ringer in a 2016 Kunde Sonoma Cab.
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This is a dark, deep, rich, extracted Napa Cab. No if, thans, or buts about it. There is absolutely no way you could miss this as Napa Cabernet. Some of the prior notes are absolutely spot on.
Nose is very dark and rich. Lots of cassis, black plum, hints of pencil shaving. Palate is full body and dense. Lots of cassis, black plum, maybe some black cherry blackberry, plum, black cherry, all with he right amount of acid. Finish mirrors the palate with black currant, but more emphasis on graphite and gravel. Well balanced acid and supple, fine tannins round out things out.
I had a bottle of this before and maybe I was a bit more critical, but this is very high quality. Yes, it's dense and extracted, some may call it "sappy" or "jammy," and I understand where that is coming from. It appears I am guilty of liking that style.
This rich and silky Cabernet drinks incredibly well for a $50 wine - as others have noted, this is a genuine value in the Napa neighborhood. Dark purple in color; full in body, aromas of black cherry, dark chocolate, and graphite. Flavors of blackberry, mocha, and anise, with a spicy and compact finish. This avoids the (sometimes cloying) sweetness TRB wines can have in their youth, and it reflects the purity and lift that the 2019 vintage seems to have in the early going. 14.5% alcohol. 92-93 at the moment, but no rush on drinking.
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PnP, didn't need a decant. Huge nose with blackberry, cassis, cedar, earth, pencil shavings , leather and cocoa. Loaded with flavor showing blackberry, cassis, spice, cocoa, leather, cedar and earth. Full mouthfeel. Silky smooth tannins in the long finish. This may improve with time, but it is drinking so well now that it will be hard to resist.
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Directly into a Riedel Mag decanter for a blind tasting I was hosting for some friends. Guest provided the 2019 Caterwaul along with a 2018 Bishop's ring that was picked up from Total Wine. I provided a 2009 Abreu Cappella. Not surprisingly the Caterwaul & Bishop's did very well amongst the group were the Abreu was overlooked for the boisterous bottles. Over all a fun experiment.
Exactly what I expected from TRB and 2019 Napa. Fruit forward, jammy and extracted. Polished tannins and low acids. A real crowd pleaser wine.
Decanted an hour, there’s surprisingly some sediment in this wine. Incorporated into a blind tasting of random red wines.
Nose is deep cassis, plum, blue fruit, little bit of violets, maybe some chalkiness. Palate is full body, plums, blue fruit, very smooth. Finish gives me blue and black fruit, raspberry jam, smooth milk chocolate, some oak. Nice acid and gentle tannins. Nice wine, crowd pleaser for sure. Tons of fruit.
Quite primary right now. Like it don’t love it. With time it turns quite dark and rich. Is there residual sugar here?
I’m going to get flamed for this, but I’m uncertain that this is substantially better than deNegoce or WineAccess NDA wines. Will have to do a blind Napa Cabernet tasting.
My first Caterwaul. This is an unbelievable QPR. If I had to describe this wine with one word it would be "smooth". Glides effortlessly across the tongue. Very fine and integrated tannins. Dark fruits, cocoa and vanilla notes. I wish I could find additional wines at this price point that are this good!
Coravin pour, 3 hours in glass. Deep inky violet color, high opacity. Nose is is a little more reticent than I recall on the 18, with violets, boysenberry, lilac, slight ethanol, and hints of something that reminds me of `nilla wafer cookies (though without the sweetness). Palate is consistent, full bodied but with a floral freshness that gives it levity, black and purple fruit, black plum, light vanilla. Medium acidity, tannins are medium-light with medium coarseness.
Terrific Napa wine as always. Great value of Less than 50$ but drinks way more expensive. Soft berries, cherry preserves , blackberry pie, vanilla wafers. Toasted cedar, Soft acidity and ripe tannins! Nice long finish! Let’s get more of this! 🐈
Obviously still tight, but the rich dark fruit keeps it balanced. Currant, vanilla, and plum give way to cedar and nutmeg on the back of the palate. Excellent wine, looking forward to giving another bottle a few years.
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This wine is always a consistent home run for QPR and traditional Napa Cab. This year is the best example I’ve had to date! Drinks well as a PnP but gets better after an hour or two of air, dark red cherry, ripe raspberry, cherry cough medicine suckers, blackberry, violets, absolute perfect integration of sweet baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg), vanilla, tannins give the wine an amazingly balanced structure at this age. Love this… I might be underrating it, it’s that good. Lacks in complexity, but the balance is so perfect for my palate.
Best 50$ Napa Cab I’ve ever had and it’s not even close... Compared to DICO at 65, this wine is better imo. The DICO is good and may be better with aging in the long run, but this wine is so open and flavorful. Sweet spice and dark fruit with vanilla accents and rich chocolate. Beautiful wine and a great daily drinker. Might need to get another case!
Excellent QPR. Drinks like a more expensive bottle. Dark fruits with hint of cocoa. Silky smooth tannins. Well balanced. Full bodied. Meant to drink young.
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Tasted this again. Good at PnP and better with air. Loved by all wine tasters. Rich, deep, med-full bodied. Plums, cherries, toasted vanilla, sweet ripe tannins.
Certainly among the best Napa cabs $50 or under. This rendition has a TRB signature of mocha. It’s brooding on the nose, with boysenberry and more chocolate. Firmer structure on day 1 (I preferred it then) and flattened out/softened a lot on day 2. This will be a crowd pleaser and convert your Austin Hope drinkers to better material.
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Looks like it’s going to be another good vintage for TRB’s Caterwaul. This ‘19 is already very accessible. Terrific dark fruit and oak on the nose. Smooth, full bodied palate. Great overall structure. The single vineyard bottles will likely need more time, but this entry level Napa Valley Cab is already in it’s drinking window.
Beautiful crisp fall weather in Great Falls enjoying a fun afternoon bottling Daisy’s Strawberry wine, watching our Cowboys and dining on Megan’s decadent gumbo. The 2019 Caterwaul Napa Cabernet Sauvignon was like an overtime Cowboys touchdown on the palate with an explosion of concentrated cassis, black currant and blueberry with the addition of some coconut, graphite and cedar. Rich and sweet but not quite jammy. Balanced as the cowboys offense but lacks a single penalty. An amazing QPR for Napa. -DD94
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This is super for what it is - big, incredibly tasty, a flood of dark fruit, nice balance of acid/tannins. Absolute crowd-pleaser. Not subtle. Seems like the alcohol level is relatively high but I didn’t check the %. It’s going to be somewhat controversial, I expect, among wine buffs, with the more modern buffs thinking they’ve found another TRB-led Shangri La and more old school buffs saying it’s over-the-top/extracted/hard to pair with food. In any case, I will buy more now that I’ve had this first “test” bottle.
Medium purple with a bright magenta rim. This is very young and on the nose seems somewhat like a barrel sample offering aromas of ripe blackberry, black plum, violets, lilacs, and oak spice. Medium+ bodied on the palate with medium acidity and a medium+ level of rounded tannins that lack polish when compared to TRB's more elite offerings. This is ripe and easy but probably needs six months or a year just to come together. At that time my score might look conservative.
Just so good. Possibly best Napa QPR? Spent less than 55$ on this. Rich. Flavorful. Deep flavors. Dark fruits. Vanilla wafers. Milk Chocolate. Soft chewy tannins. Excellent structure to hold it all together. Fantastic Cab by TRB! Don’t miss this! One of the very few 2019s I’ve tried. Cheers all 🍷
Another bottle, another review. Well, sort of... it's become more like a stream of consciousness experience, otherwise known as rambling. It's a bit lazy, not much better than my last Caterwaul review that simply incorporated other reviewer's work with my stamp of approval added. Lazy. Ok, don't expect any more now other than a wee little story. TL;DR: get yo'self some Wildroots CoastalBerry Trail Mix at Costco and put it out next to the red wine.
So, a group of us were thrown together on a hike in Crater Lake, Oregon, and there was a French-speaking guy from Boston/France who knew a lot about wine and only drank wine with meals. Right there, that was a big disconnect for me as I mostly sip wine into the late hours of the evening. He waxed poetic about food parings with wine, and I heard him out with mild curiosity as food isn't something I use to enhance the wine I'm drinking. Actually, he was making sense, but I had nothing to offer in return. Not exactly true, there was my visit to B Cellars where their food pairings were so eye-opening and delicious that I had to forget most of my sarcastic wine/food-pairing jokes because they showed me there's really something to it after all.
Maybe I grew a bit talking with him, or maybe just to humor him I started to think about wine and food pairings. I mean, more than, "Hey, BBQ goes great with this Paso Robles field blend Zin!" My CT reviews have all been about how a wine delivers while sipping it by itself over time.
Don't expect sophistication, I am only an egg, but here's a really nice food pairing. Ok, snack pairing, because it's got "Trail Mix" in the name and anyway it's way past dinnertime, it's late! Try Wildroots CoastalBerry Trail Mix from Costco with any red wine.
This 2019 Caterwaul works perfectly! Sure, put out the cheese and crackers, and this trail mix, and see which gets scarfed up first. Those of you that drink white wine will have to go out on a limb and experiment for yourself and let me know how it worked out. My guess is just fine.
Oh yeah, this was a fine bottle of Caterwaul after having been given a couple of hours of air time, and maybe even better than the last bottle I opened. Really smooth and pure. 93+
Really good after a 2 hour decant, high QPR at $49, others have described it well at this early stage. Give it some air time for sure. Thomas Rivers Brown winemaker
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The 2019 Caterwaul Cabernet is off to good start. It starts off with a tempting, dark, purple color that trend to a translucent violet radiance in the glass. On the palate, black and blueberry fruit, dark currants and plum flavors that are nicely extracted. There is also a touch of leather some tannins. If this entry level cab shows this well, I can only imagine how much better their high end Cabs might be, they may definitely be worth my investigation. Give this bottle some air and it will perform nicely. BTW: If what I have tasted so far for this vintage is any indication, Cali Cab lovers are instore for a very satisfying year with wines that are bold, nicely balanced with good extraction and flavors. This is a good wine that is reasonably priced. 93+/94 Points.
My first 2019 cab - a pleasant surprise in light of its youth. Purple fruit - currants, blackberry, dark cherry, and some blueberry. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth/concentration especially for the price point. Nice rich flavors of dark berries, some spice, and a little cocoa. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Decanted for two hours and drank over a couple more. Improved a little with time but drinking well after the decant despite its youth. Another nice vintage of this wine - no surprise of the 92 to 94 rating from Dunnuck.
On the nose- Big dark fruits, dark cherries, dark blueberries, blackberries, warm berry pie, pomegranate, red licorice, cassis, red flowers, violets, cedar, cigar box spice, oak, vanilla, graphite
On the palate- Big dark fruits and dark cherries, dark blueberries and blackberries, warm berry pie and pomegranate, red licorice and cassis, red flowers and violets, cedar and cigar box spice, oak and vanilla with a hint of graphite on the finish. The finish is super smooth and plush with round nice firm tannins. This wine is drinking KILLER being super young but I gave it a 3+ hour decant to really open up and show its stuff. This wine is drinking well now but could age another 7-10 years with no problem at all but will show young if given a proper decant.
4/10/2024 - Zach con Queso Likes this wine: 96 Points
I loved this wine. Cherry cola with soy sauce umami. Soft tannins. An ideal Napa Cab at an unusually reasonable price. Must find more.
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4/10/2024 - EMTAME wrote: 92 Points
Didn’t have time to decant this one, so enjoyed on pop and poor. As before, there is a voluminous and engaging bouquet to this wine. The palate is rich, round, and packed to the hilt with velvety dark fruit. Intermingled are clear notes of vanilla and oak, as well as some slightly course tannins lurking around the back end. It’s coming across rather boisterous tonight and could use a nice piece of grilled meat or, better yet, another two years in the cellar to evolve a bit and find its balance.
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12/29/2023 - LDA ZH CH Likes this wine: 92 Points
The wine looks violet colored. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. It smells like blueberry and vanilla, tastes like blueberry, toast, vanilla and oak. The body is medium/full. The wine has round texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity.
The wine seemed to have gained in density and intensity on day 2
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12/25/2023 - Yack Man wrote: 90 Points
In my experience with this wine, it tends to show well out of the gate for a period of time only to regress, that is the story with this vintage. Dark rich purple appearance with a soft nose. On the palate, dark berry fruit, blackberry, currants, plum, tobacco, tannic and a bitter cranberry aspect. In all fairness, this was a Coravin pour, so essentially you could call it a pop and pour, so perhaps it would show better with some air. Maybe the next time around I will give it some air and look for improvement. 90/ 90+ Points.
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12/23/2023 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 90 Points
I liked this less than the 2020 which I found softer and more plush. Ripe dark fruit and lots of tannin. Hold for a few more years.
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12/5/2023 - RayT Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted this for 90 minutes before drinking and drank over another 4 hours. The wine was purple in color with a nice nose of red and black fruit, cinnamon, and pine. On the palate raspberry, blackberry, cherry, mocha, and a little tobacco. This wine was pretty tight upon opening and never really opened up all the way even after drinking for 4 hours.
All in all still a good wine for the money but just not performing at its best this night. This is the 5th 2019 bottle I have drank in the last month that has not performed at its best so this vintage may be transitioning. They were still good but not spot on like they had been. It would be a shame as 2019 has been a no brainer, good every time vintage. I stocked up on this vintage but have been going through them at a much faster rate as I have left my 2018's alone.
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9/29/2023 - Noremedy21 wrote: 90 Points
Good, runs a bit hot and a bit one dimensional with not a huge amount of complexity. However enjoyable nevertheless. Open from the get-go, but acid and tannin still noticeable.. probably would benefit from a few more years in the bottle. Notes of plum, smoke, leather, cassis. It has a very fragrant and pleasant nose with some spice to accompany the fruit and a smooth velvet mouthfeel. Finish is moderate. Right now it is a bit much to tackle more than a couple of glasses, but has potential. At the $50 price point, this isn’t half bad. 90/91
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9/4/2023 - Bbrown82 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Full bodied cab with juicy black and blue fruit. A touch of earthiness and oak. Tannins are still fairly high but well integrated. Another stellar wine from TRB.
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9/4/2023 - gharter Likes this wine: 92 Points
Part of a large tasting. PnP. Big aroma with blackberry, cassis, cedar, earth, pencil shavings , leather and cocoa. Lots of flavor showing blackberry, cassis, spice, cocoa, leather, cedar and earth. Full mouthfeel. Silky smooth tannins in the long finish.
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9/1/2023 - AlStar82 wrote: 93 Points
Amazing QPR. A great bottle of wine!
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8/22/2023 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 93 Points
I had my first bottle of this wine almost 2 years ago and it is still going strong. Just ordered a case of the '21. Let's hope it is as good as the 19s. This wine is so smooth and glides effortlessly across the tongue while providing nice viscosity and great dark berry flavors with a medium finish. Not one to think too much on... just a joy to drink, especially at this price point.
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8/12/2023 - gharter Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP. Has not lost a step or closed down. Opens with a big nose showing blackberry, cassis, cedar, earth, pencil shavings , leather and cocoa. Loaded with flavor showing blackberry, cassis, spice, cocoa, leather, cedar and earth. Full mouthfeel. Silky smooth tannins in the long finish.
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7/4/2023 - budman Likes this wine:
U8
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5/23/2023 - wino_tim wrote: 89 Points
Medium purple. My first time tasting this in about twenty months and it has come into its own; it is an excellent introduction to the TRB style and, in a relative sense, it is an exceptional value. On the nose, it is attractive, if straightforward, offering perfumed aromas of ripe black cherries, crème de mûre, lilacs, toast and oak spice. Full bodied on the palate, creamy in texture, with medium+ acidity and a healthy amount of chewy, gum-licking tannin that serves as a counterpoint to the sweet, fruit-driven flavors. Sure, this isn't Schrader RBS, but it isn't supposed to be.
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4/27/2023 - EMTAME wrote: 92 Points
Gave this bottle an hour in a wide bottom decanter and then consumed over the next 2.5 hours. The terrific bouquet of ripe dark fruit and floral scents is detectable from a few feet away. The palate brings sweet plums and boysenberries over well rounded tannins, gliding to a satisfying finish. Not super complex but quite tasty and, as always, a great value Napa cab. This is an annual must buy for us.
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4/6/2023 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 93 Points
Three hour slow ox. Deep dark electric magenta color. Black cherry, coffee cake, and subtle cinnamon graham cracker. Smooth, tongue drying palate. Firm, full, medium intensity tannins on the longish finish.
Despite being a touch Caymus-esque (i.e., slightly syrupy/extracted), this is pretty great for the money. Very reliable, easy drinker from TRB. Certainly built to drink young. I’m looking forward to trying the ‘21s.
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3/21/2023 - Dnacabernet Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine drank reasonably well off a 60-minute decant. I found the wine to be more restrained than I expected provided the review from AG and the vintage. The fruit was there but so was the oak - not at an abrasive level but also not entirely integrated. All in all, I would not hesitate at $50.00 and I expect this wine will benefit from another 1-2 years in bottle.
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3/18/2023 - Cablover1982 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a super delicious wine that delivers for the price. Ripe and lush dark fruits, raspberry liqueur, orange peel, vanilla, sweet oak and milk chocolate. Nice acidity and ripe tannins on long finish.
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1/27/2023 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 92 Points
Good but a bit dialed back when compared to previous bottles. 91-92 Points. There's some remaining, we'll see if it improves.
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1/21/2023 - JustBreathe680 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine was opened at our tailgate at the Linc prior to the EAGLES vs. Giants divisional game (EAGLES 38-Giants 7) and was paired with Flannery Dry Aged New Your Strips. There was no option for decanting but I used an Aervana Travel Portable Electric Wine Aerator. The glassware used was the new stemless VYCE tumbler, which is a very nice stemless wine glass. Serving temp was approximately 50 degrees (outside temp 43 degrees but wine warmed up by holding the stemless glass), which was at least 5-10 degrees cooler than I would prefer.
The wine was full bodied. The palate was of dark cherries, cassis, acai berry, mocha and brown spices. There was a hint of cocoa. The tannins and acidity were medium and fairly well integrated. It has a plush mouthfeel.
The wine is not an intellectual wine to analyze deeply but it's a delicious fruit forward crowd pleaser with a very good QPR. I truly enjoy this wine and purchased an additional 6 bottles this past fall after I drank my initial allocation of 6 bottles much quicker than expected.
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1/15/2023 - jonboy74 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Big and bold, polished. Definitely a crowd pleaser for folks that like in your face cabs. After a 4 hr decant this was ready to roll. Great QPR for this style of wine.
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12/25/2022 - Rbhan12 wrote:
Same as prior notes. Well made and high quality.
Ripe, bold, full throttle, high powered, etc. Can work with food but can be dominating alone.
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12/22/2022 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 94 Points
One hour slow ox. Deep dark electric magenta color. Blackberry, blueberry jelly, graham cracker, and dark chocolate on the nose. Smooth, dry, full bodied palate. Firm, full, medium intensity tannins on the longish finish.
I dare say this is almost equal to Double Diamond (at a much lower price). This may be slightly more flamboyant and straightforward. Certainly a better QPR, but both are terrific for what you get.
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12/18/2022 - gharter Likes this wine: 92 Points
short decant. Big nose with blackberry, cassis, cedar, earth, pencil shavings , leather and cocoa. Lots of flavor with blackberry, cassis, spice, cocoa, leather, cedar and earth. Full mouthfeel. Silky smooth tannins in the long finish.
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12/8/2022 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 94 Points
6 months or so since I have added a note on this wine. I have bought 3 cases to date. Half of that is gone already. I think that speaks to how much I like this wine. This was the first bottle that I gave a little air time before consuming and it made this wine even better. This proves that you can make an excellent Napa CS below $50. They do not all need to be $200+ Speaking of value, TRB did it again winning the WS Wine of the Year with his $80 Double Diamond. Way to go TRB!
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11/26/2022 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 94 Points
Three hour slow ox. Deep dark purplish magenta color. Black cherry, blackberry, sugar cookie, pumpernickel, and nutmeg on the nose. Smooth, dry palate, with satiny, tongue coating acidity. Firm, full tannins on the longish finish.
This was built to drink young, but is truly built (i.e., legit structure). It’s just a touch extracted. My score has a slight value bonus built in. With all of that said, this is currently my favorite CS below $50.
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11/4/2022 - Stufonhead Likes this wine: 93 Points
Expectedly young but pleasant to drink upon PNP. Primary nose with full body, soft tannins, dark red fruit. With air, the nose reveals some tertiary: cigar and some pencil lead; however the fruit profile deepens considerably. Quite fun taking in the layers of fruit: raspberry, strawberry, cassis. The finish is of moderate length with a dusty tannin feel. I think a 90 minute decant will be a good way to start, but u really can serve this upon popping it.
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10/29/2022 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 93 Points
Three hour slow ox. Deep dark purple magenta color. Strawberry jelly, vanilla wafer, boysenberry, buttered toast, and lime rind on the nose. Smooth, dry palate, with good acidity. Firm, full tannins on the medium long+ finish. It’s a touch extracted, but better than Caymus at a lower price.
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10/10/2022 - all of the s'mores Likes this wine: 95 Points
3hrs to decant....extremely good. Bought more immediately. Let age for a few years and revisit
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10/3/2022 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine: 94 Points
Knew it was approachable but young, but boy was it worth it. Great depth, black cherry and blackberry, licorice, slight tobacco. Best Napa QPR on the market
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9/15/2022 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 93 Points
Good stuff for the money. 93/ 93+ Points.
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9/13/2022 - jonboy74 wrote:
Jammy hot mess. Nothing like the first bottle I had. Will try again
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9/2/2022 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 93 Points
Two hour slow ox. Deep dark purplish magenta color. Blackberry, raspberry, rose petals, and baking spice on the nose. Dry, plush palate, with reasonable acidity. Firm, full tannins on the medium long+ finish. Youthful, but accessible. Very easy drinker.
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8/27/2022 - jonh1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP.
Bright cherry and plum and graphite on the nose.
Fruit forward but not overly ripe. Sour cherry, currant, even juicy raspberry. Rhubarb pie. Medium plus acid, in a good way. White pepper.
Long finish of sour cherry and spice. Refined and polished texture, though not to the extreme of some of the high-end TRB wines. The polish is more percussive than smooth given the young tannins. The acid is a little angular.
Enjoyable and interesting. Polished but not overly smooth. Big but not a sledgehammer. Mostly balanced, except maybe for the pepper - food might take care of that. Makes you want to come back for the next sip.
Serve with food. The sour cherry almost resembles a Sangiovese - maybe try tomatoes or pasta?
Drinking fine now, but no need to rush.
Edit: two hours later, tannins have softened and a bit of cocoa powder has come forward. This is a really nice wine.
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8/23/2022 - pakabear Likes this wine:
Great value as always, year after year. The 2019 is potentially the best vintage to date.
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8/6/2022 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with my previous note, a solid performer and a very good value these days. It's probably will show better with some air, this was a pop and pour. We will see where it's at with some air tonight. A wine that shows a slightly better than a mere 'midweek drinker' in my opinion. Good stuff.
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7/31/2022 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 93 Points
Splash decant. Very deep dark magenta color. Black cherry, marigold, cinnamon, and blackberry on the nose. Smooth, tongue drying palate. Plush tannins on the longish finish.
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7/23/2022 - AMC Eagle wrote: 94 Points
Over 2 hour decant time. Deep purple-garnet in colour. Ripe blueberries with spicy black fruits and moist tobacco are noticed on the nose. On the palate, there are black and blue fruits with some cassis with a touch of tobacco and black cherries. Medium-full bodied with a medium+ finish. Really a well made Napa cab for the price.
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6/29/2022 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a solid performer for the money, 'bang for the buck' is what this one is all about. A quality wine composed of black and blueberry fruit, dark currants, some plum, tobacco, nice tannins and good extraction. I'm in the market for more wines like this one, a solid value and more than reasonable price point. 93+/ 94 Points.
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6/27/2022 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 93 Points
I love this wine and it's price point so much that I have now bought 2 cases. This is my 10th bottle of this wine as they are drinking so well that I cannot keep my hands off of them. Silky mouthfeel with rich dark fruits of blackberry and plum with vanilla and nice fine tannins. Med/long finish. Excellent effort by TRB to commit to making a very good wine that does not need to be priced $200+. This is my mid-week go to bottle right now.
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6/27/2022 - pakabear Likes this wine:
Still consistent, very good qpr!
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6/25/2022 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 93 Points
One hour decant (few hour slow ox is better). Nearly opaque magenta color. Blackberry, blueberry, brown sugar, nutmeg, baked rhubarb, and vanilla bean on the nose. Dry, velvety, full bodied palate. Firm, full tannins on the longish finish.
You cannot do much better for below $50, especially if you like fruit forward Napa Cabernet. I think a two to three hour slow ox makes it a bit richer than a traditional decant.
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6/21/2022 - td1836 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really love this for the price. Deep flavors (black and blue fruits), good acidity and structure to balance out the fruit. It’s fruit forward, but I like the balance it strikes.
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6/17/2022 - thh18731 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious cab from a boutique winery!
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6/10/2022 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 94 Points
Three hour slow ox. Nearly opaque electric magenta color. Crème brûlée, stewed black cherry, Quik cocoa powder, and dark plum on the nose. Smooth, dry palate, with cottony, tongue coating acidity. Firm tannins on the surprisingly longish finish. Cannot do much better for less than $50 if you enjoy fruit forward CS.
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6/4/2022 - jayhawkdds Likes this wine: 92 Points
Superb wine. Big Napa cab, another wonderful wine from TRB. Certainly benefits from a long decant.
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5/31/2022 - jviz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Showed great with a long decant, better on day 2. Modern in style, but dark and rather serious, not too confected, and with a certain TRB signature. I continue to like this as a value cab buy, and 19>18 IMO.
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5/29/2022 - Leemay Cellars Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow. Cathy and I both like this. Long Finnish definitely new world with bold black fruit and structured tannins. However not unbalanced Just bold. Perfect for our 35th anniversary
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5/17/2022 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine: 94 Points
Young and delicious wine. Great ripe blue and dark red fruit. Fantastic QPR wine
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4/22/2022 - kabert Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big, rich, full bodied; loads of blueberry and plum. Not subtle. A crowd pleaser; drinking well now.
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4/20/2022 - joseph120 Does not like this wine:
This bottle was definitely different than the first one I gave bad marks to. This second one definitely had more structure to it but the marriage of tannins and acid on the finish was really bad, deserving of a divorce. It wasn't like a strong, "this is a food wine", or "just needs a little more air" type of finish. I love those wines! It just tasted bad. On tasting it the next day, it tasted great on the first sip, and then the finish instantly became insipid after that. This bottle was all over the place for me. Maybe I got unlucky and had two "off" bottles. Perhaps. I've had more than one inconsistent 2016 Borsao Berola, and whined about it on this website too, but the Borsao is much less costly compared to the Caterwaul. At over $50 for a bottle, I expect a minimum bar of consistency which has not been met for the 2019 Caterwaul bottling.
Napa Cabs are my favorite, but I had a 2015 Caiarossa IGT the same week as the dud reviewed above and that I thought, is how good structure is supposed to taste.
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3/28/2022 - Badmonkey wrote: 92 Points
Similar thoughts as last summer shortly after its release. Dark purple fruit - blackberry, currants, dark cherry, and blueberry. Smooth mid-palate with nice concentration especially for the price point, however, there isn’t much structure - kind of a fruit bomb. Nice rich flavors of dark berries, some spice, and a little cocoa. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Not much improvement with time but drinking well right away despite its youth. Drank next to a 2018 Lewis Napa cab which was quite a bit better - more structure, longer/deeper finish, not as rich/sweet, etc.. Nonetheless, in my opinion the 2019 Caterwaul cab is still a solid QPR at around $50 and at the lower end of Dunnuck’s the 92 to 95 rating. 100% cab.
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3/26/2022 - joseph120 Does not like this wine:
Very little nose. Round flabby blue fruit-forward mid-palate. Finished with a whimper at best. If a bottle costs more than $50, it's gotta have some sort of structure and backbone in my book, and this bottle was sorely lacking in these departments. One-dimensional. Why this wine gets so many positive reviews is beyond me.
(Ok, what do I like that has some of the characteristics that were missing here? (I find it helpful when reviewers do this - gives me a sense of their palate, so I shall do that here.) I've had a couple of 2018 Le Pich Cabs lately - they were good. Price was around $54 with ten percent off 6 bottle discount at AJ's.)
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3/23/2022 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Just bought more of this wine as I have been going through my existing stash way too fast. One of the best QPRs I have found. The 2019 Napa vintage in general is becoming one of my favs. But when you throw in a skilled winemaker like TRB it is no wonder I love this wine. This wine punches way above it's weight class.
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3/3/2022 - nickvdm Likes this wine:
18/20
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3/1/2022 - Fake Drinker Likes this wine: 95 Points
The best CS under 100. Followed Thomas Brown since Schrader. Maybach, Outpost, Boars’ view, etc. They are great wines but they are way beyond 100. This Caterwaul is only 50 and outweigh most 100 Napa CS. Upon open, Chocolate, Blueberry Jam, Vanilla and Chinese spice. Palate was silky, not very expressive in mouth but very smoothy. Tannins a bit dry at the end but pretty refined. It worths a 95.
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2/25/2022 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 93 Points
Been anxious to try one of these after all the good reports here on CT. Its supposed approachable MO right from the pnp is pretty much dead bang on, though I must note this improves dramatically over an hour or so of air. The strong fruit, tannins and acidity are a bit out of balance early on. This is juicy, lively and raring to go! The color is dark magenta in the glass, the weight is good medium plus to heavy. It has some very nice glide to the mostly dark red plum fruit. There is some cassis, a touch of pure Coke syrup and sweet tobacco leaf. There is riveting acidity throughout ensuring a mouthwatering ending that goes on for a good 15-20 seconds. If Rombauer Chardonnay is 'Cougar Juice' to women this stuff could be 'Living Dangerously' to men as the propensity to 'porch pound' this stuff could easily get out of hand. Drinks like a bottle twice the price. The only thing holding it back from higher scores is the somewhat one dimensional fruit. It's good fruit, it's ripe and dense and intense but not very layered. Still, if you are a modern fruit forward Cali cab drinker, you could buy this by the case and drink it every night of the week and not be disappointed in the least.
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2/22/2022 - pakabear Likes this wine:
Love it!!
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2/12/2022 - Rbhan12 wrote: 91 Points
Blind Tasting Trio: California Reds, interpret as you will; 2/11/2022-2/12/2022: Part of a blind tasting, slow ox in bottle for two hours. This was my T-2 for the night (2nd place behind WineAccess Commission 2019, other wines were Duckhorn Merlot 17, Coho Merlot 16, Claudine Oakville CS 16).
Very consistent with my prior experience. Deep, dark, rich, can't miss this as Napa cabernet. Arguably too dense and extracted for my palate, but needs some time for the layers to crack open.
Have to say, this wine kept strong for 4-5 hours in the glass and open bottle, whereas some others just faded away completely. Suggests some structure and aging potential here.
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2/9/2022 - pakabear Likes this wine:
Consistent as my previous bottles, great QPR
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2/6/2022 - JoeD83 wrote: 92 Points
Opaque purple. Blueberries and baking spices with some light notes of violets. Great value, keeping buying this stuff.
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1/29/2022 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brought to a friend's house for a Napa Cabs $50 blind tasting. Middle of the pack finish among 7 wines with a Trinchero taking the win. Last place was a 2018 Vineyard 29 Cru.
Overall, my notes on this were ripe, extracted, no doubt about it a Napa cab. My 2nd of 7 wines.
Other wines were 2016 Trinchero Mario's (winner), 2014 Cakebread, 2015 Volker Eisele, 2018 Vineyard 29 Cru (x2), and a cheap ringer in a 2016 Kunde Sonoma Cab.
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1/28/2022 - Rbhan12 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is a dark, deep, rich, extracted Napa Cab. No if, thans, or buts about it. There is absolutely no way you could miss this as Napa Cabernet. Some of the prior notes are absolutely spot on.
Nose is very dark and rich. Lots of cassis, black plum, hints of pencil shaving. Palate is full body and dense. Lots of cassis, black plum, maybe some black cherry blackberry, plum, black cherry, all with he right amount of acid. Finish mirrors the palate with black currant, but more emphasis on graphite and gravel. Well balanced acid and supple, fine tannins round out things out.
I had a bottle of this before and maybe I was a bit more critical, but this is very high quality. Yes, it's dense and extracted, some may call it "sappy" or "jammy," and I understand where that is coming from. It appears I am guilty of liking that style.
Drink now or cellar for 3-5 years.
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1/27/2022 - msuwine wrote: 93 Points
This rich and silky Cabernet drinks incredibly well for a $50 wine - as others have noted, this is a genuine value in the Napa neighborhood. Dark purple in color; full in body, aromas of black cherry, dark chocolate, and graphite. Flavors of blackberry, mocha, and anise, with a spicy and compact finish. This avoids the (sometimes cloying) sweetness TRB wines can have in their youth, and it reflects the purity and lift that the 2019 vintage seems to have in the early going. 14.5% alcohol. 92-93 at the moment, but no rush on drinking.
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1/27/2022 - pakabear Likes this wine:
Love it
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1/13/2022 - gharter Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP, didn't need a decant. Huge nose with blackberry, cassis, cedar, earth, pencil shavings , leather and cocoa. Loaded with flavor showing blackberry, cassis, spice, cocoa, leather, cedar and earth. Full mouthfeel. Silky smooth tannins in the long finish. This may improve with time, but it is drinking so well now that it will be hard to resist.
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1/8/2022 - MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 92 Points
Directly into a Riedel Mag decanter for a blind tasting I was hosting for some friends. Guest provided the 2019 Caterwaul along with a 2018 Bishop's ring that was picked up from Total Wine. I provided a 2009 Abreu Cappella. Not surprisingly the Caterwaul & Bishop's did very well amongst the group were the Abreu was overlooked for the boisterous bottles. Over all a fun experiment.
Exactly what I expected from TRB and 2019 Napa. Fruit forward, jammy and extracted. Polished tannins and low acids. A real crowd pleaser wine.
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1/8/2022 - Rbhan12 wrote: 90 Points
Decanted an hour, there’s surprisingly some sediment in this wine. Incorporated into a blind tasting of random red wines.
Nose is deep cassis, plum, blue fruit, little bit of violets, maybe some chalkiness. Palate is full body, plums, blue fruit, very smooth. Finish gives me blue and black fruit, raspberry jam, smooth milk chocolate, some oak. Nice acid and gentle tannins. Nice wine, crowd pleaser for sure. Tons of fruit.
Quite primary right now. Like it don’t love it. With time it turns quite dark and rich. Is there residual sugar here?
I’m going to get flamed for this, but I’m uncertain that this is substantially better than deNegoce or WineAccess NDA wines. Will have to do a blind Napa Cabernet tasting.
Drink now and in the next 5-7 years.
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1/3/2022 - pakabear wrote: flawed
Corked, first corked Caterwaul for me.
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12/29/2021 - PIZZAandBAROLO wrote:
Not meant to be a helpful note. Just thought I'd chime in and say how I enjoyed this elixir as much as some of you.
After the initial 4oz Coravin pour, I found myself, saying to myself, "please sir, may I have some more?"
Myself, errr..., gave myself, another 4oz pour.
Set reminder to call the shrink 1st thing tomorrow AM 🤪
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12/27/2021 - wineotim wrote: 92 Points
Very similar to the '18, toasty, spicey oak with blue fruit. Some minor sediment in this bottle, I like that. Two days to finish, headache both days.
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12/22/2021 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 93 Points
My first Caterwaul. This is an unbelievable QPR. If I had to describe this wine with one word it would be "smooth". Glides effortlessly across the tongue. Very fine and integrated tannins. Dark fruits, cocoa and vanilla notes. I wish I could find additional wines at this price point that are this good!
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12/18/2021 - Thek Likes this wine: 93 Points
Coravin pour, 3 hours in glass. Deep inky violet color, high opacity. Nose is is a little more reticent than I recall on the 18, with violets, boysenberry, lilac, slight ethanol, and hints of something that reminds me of `nilla wafer cookies (though without the sweetness). Palate is consistent, full bodied but with a floral freshness that gives it levity, black and purple fruit, black plum, light vanilla. Medium acidity, tannins are medium-light with medium coarseness.
Fantastic QPR, drinking well with some air. 93-94
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12/3/2021 - Cablover1982 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Terrific Napa wine as always. Great value of Less than 50$ but drinks way more expensive. Soft berries, cherry preserves , blackberry pie, vanilla wafers. Toasted cedar, Soft acidity and ripe tannins! Nice long finish! Let’s get more of this! 🐈
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12/2/2021 - Norm510 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Obviously still tight, but the rich dark fruit keeps it balanced. Currant, vanilla, and plum give way to cedar and nutmeg on the back of the palate. Excellent wine, looking forward to giving another bottle a few years.
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12/2/2021 - pakabear Likes this wine:
Had this earlier with similar notes to the note I just published.
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12/2/2021 - pakabear Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine is always a consistent home run for QPR and traditional Napa Cab. This year is the best example I’ve had to date! Drinks well as a PnP but gets better after an hour or two of air, dark red cherry, ripe raspberry, cherry cough medicine suckers, blackberry, violets, absolute perfect integration of sweet baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg), vanilla, tannins give the wine an amazingly balanced structure at this age. Love this… I might be underrating it, it’s that good. Lacks in complexity, but the balance is so perfect for my palate.
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12/2/2021 - Daniel___Walsh Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious and an absolute steal at only $50.
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11/20/2021 - gymnastpro Likes this wine: 93 Points
Best 50$ Napa Cab I’ve ever had and it’s not even close... Compared to DICO at 65, this wine is better imo. The DICO is good and may be better with aging in the long run, but this wine is so open and flavorful. Sweet spice and dark fruit with vanilla accents and rich chocolate. Beautiful wine and a great daily drinker. Might need to get another case!
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11/17/2021 - winecadence Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent QPR. Drinks like a more expensive bottle. Dark fruits with hint of cocoa. Silky smooth tannins. Well balanced. Full bodied. Meant to drink young.
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11/7/2021 - Cablover1982 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasted this again. Good at PnP and better with air. Loved by all wine tasters. Rich, deep, med-full bodied. Plums, cherries, toasted vanilla, sweet ripe tannins.
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10/23/2021 - jviz wrote: 91 Points
Certainly among the best Napa cabs $50 or under. This rendition has a TRB signature of mocha. It’s brooding on the nose, with boysenberry and more chocolate. Firmer structure on day 1 (I preferred it then) and flattened out/softened a lot on day 2. This will be a crowd pleaser and convert your Austin Hope drinkers to better material.
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10/22/2021 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 93 Points
Looks like it’s going to be another good vintage for TRB’s Caterwaul. This ‘19 is already very accessible. Terrific dark fruit and oak on the nose. Smooth, full bodied palate. Great overall structure. The single vineyard bottles will likely need more time, but this entry level Napa Valley Cab is already in it’s drinking window.
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10/19/2021 - ddamron wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful crisp fall weather in Great Falls enjoying a fun afternoon bottling Daisy’s Strawberry wine, watching our Cowboys and dining on Megan’s decadent gumbo. The 2019 Caterwaul Napa Cabernet Sauvignon was like an overtime Cowboys touchdown on the palate with an explosion of concentrated cassis, black currant and blueberry with the addition of some coconut, graphite and cedar. Rich and sweet but not quite jammy. Balanced as the cowboys offense but lacks a single penalty. An amazing QPR for Napa. -DD94
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10/10/2021 - kabert Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is super for what it is - big, incredibly tasty, a flood of dark fruit, nice balance of acid/tannins. Absolute crowd-pleaser. Not subtle. Seems like the alcohol level is relatively high but I didn’t check the %. It’s going to be somewhat controversial, I expect, among wine buffs, with the more modern buffs thinking they’ve found another TRB-led Shangri La and more old school buffs saying it’s over-the-top/extracted/hard to pair with food. In any case, I will buy more now that I’ve had this first “test” bottle.
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10/9/2021 - D. Richmond wrote: 94 Points
This is a good value for the money. It does need a couple or three hours of air to smooth out. I liked it better than the 2018.
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9/20/2021 - wino_tim wrote: 88 Points
Medium purple with a bright magenta rim. This is very young and on the nose seems somewhat like a barrel sample offering aromas of ripe blackberry, black plum, violets, lilacs, and oak spice. Medium+ bodied on the palate with medium acidity and a medium+ level of rounded tannins that lack polish when compared to TRB's more elite offerings. This is ripe and easy but probably needs six months or a year just to come together. At that time my score might look conservative.
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9/18/2021 - Cablover1982 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just so good. Possibly best Napa QPR? Spent less than 55$ on this. Rich. Flavorful. Deep flavors. Dark fruits. Vanilla wafers. Milk Chocolate. Soft chewy tannins. Excellent structure to hold it all together. Fantastic Cab by TRB! Don’t miss this! One of the very few 2019s I’ve tried. Cheers all 🍷
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8/31/2021 - GQG Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another bottle, another review. Well, sort of... it's become more like a stream of consciousness experience, otherwise known as rambling. It's a bit lazy, not much better than my last Caterwaul review that simply incorporated other reviewer's work with my stamp of approval added. Lazy. Ok, don't expect any more now other than a wee little story. TL;DR: get yo'self some Wildroots CoastalBerry Trail Mix at Costco and put it out next to the red wine.
So, a group of us were thrown together on a hike in Crater Lake, Oregon, and there was a French-speaking guy from Boston/France who knew a lot about wine and only drank wine with meals. Right there, that was a big disconnect for me as I mostly sip wine into the late hours of the evening. He waxed poetic about food parings with wine, and I heard him out with mild curiosity as food isn't something I use to enhance the wine I'm drinking. Actually, he was making sense, but I had nothing to offer in return. Not exactly true, there was my visit to B Cellars where their food pairings were so eye-opening and delicious that I had to forget most of my sarcastic wine/food-pairing jokes because they showed me there's really something to it after all.
Maybe I grew a bit talking with him, or maybe just to humor him I started to think about wine and food pairings. I mean, more than, "Hey, BBQ goes great with this Paso Robles field blend Zin!" My CT reviews have all been about how a wine delivers while sipping it by itself over time.
Don't expect sophistication, I am only an egg, but here's a really nice food pairing. Ok, snack pairing, because it's got "Trail Mix" in the name and anyway it's way past dinnertime, it's late! Try Wildroots CoastalBerry Trail Mix from Costco with any red wine.
This 2019 Caterwaul works perfectly! Sure, put out the cheese and crackers, and this trail mix, and see which gets scarfed up first. Those of you that drink white wine will have to go out on a limb and experiment for yourself and let me know how it worked out. My guess is just fine.
Oh yeah, this was a fine bottle of Caterwaul after having been given a couple of hours of air time, and maybe even better than the last bottle I opened. Really smooth and pure. 93+
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8/20/2021 - GQG Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really good after a 2 hour decant, high QPR at $49, others have described it well at this early stage. Give it some air time for sure. Thomas Rivers Brown winemaker
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8/13/2021 - Yack Man Likes this wine: 94 Points
The 2019 Caterwaul Cabernet is off to good start. It starts off with a tempting, dark, purple color that trend to a translucent violet radiance in the glass. On the palate, black and blueberry fruit, dark currants and plum flavors that are nicely extracted. There is also a touch of leather some tannins. If this entry level cab shows this well, I can only imagine how much better their high end Cabs might be, they may definitely be worth my investigation. Give this bottle some air and it will perform nicely. BTW: If what I have tasted so far for this vintage is any indication, Cali Cab lovers are instore for a very satisfying year with wines that are bold, nicely balanced with good extraction and flavors. This is a good wine that is reasonably priced. 93+/94 Points.
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7/24/2021 - Badmonkey wrote: 93 Points
My first 2019 cab - a pleasant surprise in light of its youth. Purple fruit - currants, blackberry, dark cherry, and some blueberry. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth/concentration especially for the price point. Nice rich flavors of dark berries, some spice, and a little cocoa. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Decanted for two hours and drank over a couple more. Improved a little with time but drinking well after the decant despite its youth. Another nice vintage of this wine - no surprise of the 92 to 94 rating from Dunnuck.
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7/18/2021 - WineGeek1989 Likes this wine: 94 Points
On the nose- Big dark fruits, dark cherries, dark blueberries, blackberries, warm berry pie, pomegranate, red licorice, cassis, red flowers, violets, cedar, cigar box spice, oak, vanilla, graphite
On the palate- Big dark fruits and dark cherries, dark blueberries and blackberries, warm berry pie and pomegranate, red licorice and cassis, red flowers and violets, cedar and cigar box spice, oak and vanilla with a hint of graphite on the finish. The finish is super smooth and plush with round nice firm tannins. This wine is drinking KILLER being super young but I gave it a 3+ hour decant to really open up and show its stuff. This wine is drinking well now but could age another 7-10 years with no problem at all but will show young if given a proper decant.
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