2022 Pine Ridge Vineyards The Traveler's Series Cabernet Sauvignon

 

We had the pleasusre of visiting Pine Ridge Vineyards towards the end of the Covid pandemic, so times were much different than they are currently.  Being fans of PRV for many years, we can attest that the property, the people, the wines and the overall tasting experience at Pine Ridge is absolutely stunning and  very welcoming.  It is a "must visit" destination on your next Napa Valley wine adventure.

Before we get into this wine, we have a confession to make and it might not be an easy one to hear.  We typically are NOT "wine with dinner" people.  Cue the moans, the eye rolls and horrible feedback.  We get it.  Wine accentuates your meal.  When paired properly, both the food and the vino compliment each other and the experience is beyond memorable.  In fact, one of our good friends who is a vintner in Napa Valley will talk your ear off about how lovely wine is with food and the importance of having quality in both.

We aren't going to dig into why wine isn't always served with food in our home.  That's a discussion for another day.  But we will tell you that the 2022 Pine Ridge Vineyards The Traveler's Series Cabernet Sauvignon has begun to change our thoughts on wine and food.  Why?  Because this wine is an excellent food wine.  It paired absolutely beautifully with chicken tettrazini, which honestly should not be an ideal pairing.  But the solid tannin and silky smooth feel from this wine made the marriage absolutely seemless.  What surprised us even more is that this is what we would call (for lack of better terminology), one of Pine Ridge's entry-level Cabernet.  But don't let that disuade you.

Indigo and raisin-colored in the glass, you're immediately greeted by blueberry, vanilla, lighty roasted coffee beans and really ripe strawberries.  Again, very silky smooth experience with loads of cherry and strawberry, sweet spice, brown sugar and vanilla bean blend effortlessly to provide you with an overall tasty and memorable wine.  While the finish is on the shorter side, this wine's versatility is the shining star here!

ABV:  15.5%

California (Solano, Sonoma, Napa Counties)

Winery:  Pine Ridge Vineyards

Suggested retail price:  $35.00

Drink The Bottles score:  92/100

2020 O'Brien Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

 

When Barb and Bart at a charity event a few decades ago, their love of wine was a bond that they shared that ultimlately led them to opening their owe winery in Napa.  A quarter of a century ago the duo purchased 33 acres of prime Napa real estate and eventually they began producing Bordeaux and Burdundian styles of wines that promote their sustainably farmed vineyard.  These "estate only" exclusive wines promote not only traditional styles, but also the passion that Barb and Bret share for each other after all of these years.

Today we are tasting the 2020 O'Brien Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.  As one would expect, it is memorable from cork pop to the finish with it's beautiful bottle and striking darker mulberry color in the glass.  Ripe berries, granite, wet stone, cigar paper and spice swim in the nose, creating a mouth-watering introduction that delivers.  Dark fruit, plum, spice cabinet, pencil shavings, cedar smoke and a hint of milk chocolate dance on the tongue, creating a persistent finish against sophisticated tannins.  This wine has only begun to show it's potential and we regret not decanting this prior to tasting.  It is a wine that you need to add to your cellar, not only to lay down for fifteen or more years, but to prove to yourself what a fine Napa Valley Cabernet should taste like.  It's beautiful!

ABV:  15.2%

AVA:  Napa Valley

Winery:  O'Brien Estate

Suggested retail price:  $120.00

Drink The Bottles score:  94/100

2021 Starmont Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

 

The first Starmont expression was produced over 35 years ago with a single varietal.  The label, which is part of the Merryvale family of wines, now produces four varietals under winemaker Jeff Crawford.  Crawford has been "all things Starmont" for ten years now and has been in the world of wine for twenty year.  2021 was an overall wonderful year for Cabernet due to the intense flavor of the berries despite generally smaller yields.  We have been tasting some really lovely Cabs from this year and this one is no exception.

The 2021 Starmont Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon (87%), Teroldego (7%) and Cinsault (6%).  The fact that Crawford chose the latter two grape varietals for this blend is nothing short of impressive.  No doubt the Italian Teroldego grape added exquisite colors to this bottle and helped promote those fruit forward notes upon entry.  The Cinsault helps add a tick of extra ripe berry aromas and textured tannins. For the United States, Cinsault is planted mostly in the North Coast AVA but can also be found in Yakima Valley AVA in Washington and the Texas High Plains AVA.  Crawford really went outside of the box here and it shows in the presentation of the package.

Deep red to maroon in the glass, this Cabernet opens with strawberry rhubarb pie, very ripe raspberries, Mediterranean spices, damp soil and tar.  It is immediately inviting and swirling allows those aromas to literally leap from the glass.  Raspberry, plum and pomegranate are introduced to the palate first, followed by floral pedals, tea leaf and a hint of minerality.  This has a very satisfying and tender finish.  We are really impressed by this bottle and it proves once again that you don't have to pay a ton of money to find a wine that is delicious and one that could be cellared for a number of years.  We think with a few years in the bottle, it may even be more remarkable.  Bravo!

ABV:  13.9%

North Coast AVA

Winery:  Starmont Vineyards

Suggested retail price:  $25.00

Drink The Bottles score:  91+/100

2021 Sullivan Rutherford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Coeur de Vigne

 

On the north end of Napa Valley in St. Helena, California sits a wine estate that until recently, has been unassuming for fifty years.  Sullivan Rutherford Estate was the dream turned into reality of James O'Neil Sullivan, a visionary who became passionate about wine in the 1950's when and his wife received a grape arbor as a wedding present.  Home winemaking eventually led to a move to Rutherford where Sullivan would plant roots - literally.

The 2021 Sullivan Rutherford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Coeur de Vigne wine consists of Cabernet Sauvignon (80%), Merlot (14%) and Petit Verdot (6%).  We initially did not decant this wine and allowed only "air time" in the glass.  A unanimous decision to decant for about thirty-five minutes made the difference with this one.  Homemade strawberry jam color solid to the rim.  This "heart of vine" Cabernet offers plum, graphite, wet gravel road, and toasted baguette on the nose.  The decanting brought the firm tannins alive and presented flavors of raspberry puree, violet, hints of oak,  and bits of cocoa.  Give this one some time to open up and it will reward you for the next 15 years or so.  In four or five years this could be teetering on perfection in a bottle!  If you're someone who enjoys a dry aged steak with your wine, this marriage would be impeccable.

Sullivan Rutherford Estate is now in the hands of managing partner, Juan Pablo Torres Padilla and we anticipate that this label will continue to produce incredible and cellar-worthy wines.

ABV:  14.8%

Napa Valley AVA

Winery:  Sullivan Rutherford Estate

Cases Produced:  2,600

Suggested retail price:  $80.00

Drink The Bottles score:  93+/100

2018 Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

We are always delighted to taste and share Napa Valley wines from 2018 because that was overall an amazing and exceptional vintage across the board.  The 2018 Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is a prime example of the delicious juices that were born out of this vintage.  

To appreciate all that is Merryvale, you really need to understand the history and humble beginnings of what originally started out as Sunnyhill Winery in 1933.  The Mondavi family got their start here, running wines by rail cars to northern California and other industrious cities.  Sunnyhill later became a co-op and the name because Sunny St. Helena and the building then because a wine storage facility in the 1970's.  It wasn't until 1983 when a group of investors/partners created the first Merryvale label.  

In 1996, Switzerland navtive Jack Schlatter, who became a partner just 5 years prior, became the sole owner of Merryvale, along with his family and son René.  Eventually René would marry Laurence, whose family had been making wine in Switzerland for six generations.  This story would travel half way around the world and end up in St. Helena where the Schlatter family continues to produce distinctive wines at the historic property.

This expression is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (77%), Cabernet Franc (17%), Petit Verdot (2%) and Malbec (2%) and the combination is married in wonderful unison.  Medium ruby red color with subtle blueberry pie, tobacco leaf, dried herbs and earthy undertones.  The mouthfeel is very much in balance with the medium acidic brightness against the ripe plum, oak, blueberry and savory finish.  The micro tannins are very welcoming and this wine is a stand out of the vintage.  Drink now or cellar this for 5-10 years; either way it is classic Napa and it is very lovely!

ABV:  14.5%

Napa Valley AVA

Winery:  Merryvale

Suggested retail price:  $74.00

Drink The Bottles score:  93/100

2019 Hedges Family Estate La Haute Cuvée

 

The Red Mountain AVA of Benton County, Washington produces some of the finest grapes of the region, cultivating into wines that have unique expressions and Old World charm.  The 2019 Hedges Family Estate La Haute Cuvée is a fine example of terroir and the feel of a wine that could be cellared for 15+ years.  Winemaker Sara Goedhart has nearly 10 years as head winemaker at Hedges Family Estate and her twenty plus years in the business is evident in the bottle we have today.

Gorgeous, deep eggplant color that oozes to the edge of the glass.  This wine was not decanted but it was provided about twenty minutes of air time in the glass prior to tasting.  The first thing we noticed about this wine was how herbaceous it is and not the fruit bomb we may have been expecting.  Again, Old World style here all the way.  Fresh blackberries, dark chocolate shavings, pencil lead, mocha and leather blended effortlessly, each trying to take their turns to shine but not overpowering one another.  On the tongue is a satisfying, mouth-coating offering that offered more black fruits, baked Shiitake mushroom, garden herbs, fennel and damp earth.  

This is one of those wines that surprised us, but in the loveliest way possible.  It spent over 2 years in oak and the tannins are refined and minute.  Our recommendation?  Buy a half or whole case of this wine, open a bottle per year and see how it continues to develop.  We think there could likely be fifty more descriptors that could come out of this bottle.  It's a real treat.

ABV:  13.5%

Appellation:  Red Mountain AVA

Winery:  Hedges Family Estate

652 cases produced

Suggested retail price:  $75.00

Drink The Bottles score:  93/100 

NV Harvester Cabernet Sauvignon

 

This wine is another testament from the pulpit where we continually exclaim that not all wine has to be expensive to be good.  This is a non-vintage Harvester Cabernet Sauvignon from Austin Hope Winery.  Non-vintage generally eludes that this wine is a blend of several vineyards and vintages and the production is on the higher side.  That not only means that this wine is readily available, but it is also affordable.  We originally tasted this bottle at a local wine shop and while it didn't mirror the $100 Ghost Block that we tasted, it certainly held its own.

This wine is from Paso Robles and has a pleasant, medium-dark purple color.  The aromas are on the brighter side of red fruits and baked pastry, followed by notes of allspice and vanilla.  On the palate is a plesant and sleek flavor profile of cherry, plum, spices and vanilla.  The wine doesn't linger but the finish is satisfying and this is certainly a wine that would pair well with barbeque or stuffed peppers.  

When you're having one of those nights that you want a solid Cabernet Sauvignon, but you don't want to pluck a $200 bottle out of your cellar, reach for this one!  This would be a solid wine to serve at an informal get together as well.  Enjoy!

ABV:  13.5%

Winery:  Austin Hope Winery

Suggested retail price:  $19.99

Drink The Bottles score:  88/100

2018 Hamel Family Wines Isthmus

We were recently introduced to Hamel Family Wines and their 2018 Isthmus red blend.  This wine is comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon (64%), Merlot (18%), Cabernet Franc (14%) and Petit Verdot (4%).  This wine is very rich up front with dominant blackberry, plum and pomegranate fruits.  Clove, grilling spices, river rock and ripe dark fruits blend to create a stunning and memorable wine that is approachable now and will also drink very well for the next 15+ years.  Wonderful texture with the medium to heavier mouthfeel.  We decanted this wine for about 90 minutes prior to tasting and that helped bring this selection to a compelling and delightful finish.  Ruby red in the glass to the rim.  While we don't often taste wines with food, we do think that this would be a delicious accompaniment to a bone-in ribeye steak.

ABV:  14.5%

Sonoma Valley, CA

2,698 cases produced

Suggested retail price:  $90.00

Drink The Bottles score:  93+/100

 

2018 Enkidu Cabernet Sauvignon High Mayacamas

Rich in texture and flavor with mouth-coating dark fruits, graphite, damp earth and oak.  That's what we discovered in this 2018 Enkidu Cabernet Sauvignon High Mayacamas wine.  Powerful fruit abounds from first sip to last with petite and polished tannin lead to a scrumptious finish.  These grapes come rom Cabernet Sauvignon from three distinct areas - Sonoma County (63%), Napa County (25%) and Lake County (12%) and four separate vineyards.  This wine is very classic Cab but has a lighter feel on the back end.  It's quite remarkable and the price won't offend you at all!  This is our second sample from Enkidu and the quality and consistency has been spot on.  Drink now and for the next 10+ years.

ABV:  14.6%

Sonoma, CA

Suggested retail price:  $45.00

Drink The Bottles score:  92/100

 

2016 Laurel Glen Counterpoint Cabernet Sauvignon

 

2016 was generally a very good year for California Cabernet Sauvignon.  By far, the growing season was steady and uneventful, allowing grapes to help produce solid wines.  This 2016 Laurel Glen Counterpoint Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma Mountain is 100% Cabernet (yay!) and one that is extremely fairly priced.  We won't say "value priced" wine as that tends to actually devalue a brand.  We are going to call this wine an incredible deal.  Juicy blackberry, plum camp fire and cigar box on the nose with, at times, hints of dried spring flowers.  A dark, robust wine with flavors of black fruits, cherry tobacco, allspice and earthiness.  The wine really pulls you in immediately and leaves a solid finish on the palate.  This is the first Counterpoint that we have tasted and these 50+ year old vines are really strutting their stuff.  Excellent choice!  Drink now or for the next 10 years.

ABV:  14.6%

Sonoma Mountain, CA

Suggested retail price:  $50.00

Drink The Bottles score:  93/100

2017 Patel Napa Valley Red Wine

Here's a another winner from a winery that we were introduced to about 13 months ago.  The 2017 Patel Napa Valley Red Wine is a luscious and aromatic offering that offers a dark purple and mouth watering welcome to the palate.  Ripe dark cherry, pencil lead, cocoa bits and cherry tobacco on the nose.  In the mouth is a powerful blend of red fruits, barn wood, black tea and cherry licorice.  This wine is framed with a solid acidic backbone and pulled together nicely for an amazing finish.  Tips the scale at nearly 15% alcohol but the balance is in check.  There were only 150 cases produced, but this one should be in your cellar while you can grab it.  Enjoy it optimally for the next 12-15 years.  Well done!

ABV:  14.9%

Napa Valley, CA

Suggested retail price:  $75.00

Drink The Bottles score:  93/100

2018 Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

If there is one thing that we know and appreciate about Cathy Corison's wines, it is that they are consistently beautiful and unique in style and flavor.  While most winemakers can create a memorable and powerful Cabernet Sauvignon, it is the Cathy's graceful and focused skillset that helps produce this wine in a very classic style.  The 2018 Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is deep purple, nearly opaque in the glass. There is patchwork of aromas that begin with currants, cherry, young fresh berries and flower petals.  This wine, with some time in the glass, also introduces bright minerality and fertile earth notes.  Tangy cherry, blueberry and dried herbs on the palate, connecting with dark chocolate bits and silky tannin that place a tender hold on the mouth to a very charming and long finish.  This wine will continue to blossom in the bottle but it drinking exquisitely now and will continue to for 2 or more decades.  

 

ABV:  13.8%

Napa Valley, CA

Suggested retail price:  $100.00

Drink The Bottles score:  95+/100

2018 LOBO Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

 

It's another hit from LOBO Wines!  The 2018 LOBO Wines Cabernet Sauvignon is from their Wulff Vineyards of Napa Valley and for such a young wine this one is really singing.  Medium to dark red in the glass, fruit abounds and aromas of black and red raspberries combine with tobacco leaf, spring rain and vanilla.  We love the flavors of black and red currant, peppercorn, allspice and ripe berries.  This wine is mouth-coating and gifts you with a long and full finish.  You could easily age this wine for a decade or more and with only 280 cases produced, you should grab this one quickly.  Absolutely lovely and incredibly priced for a 100% Napa Valley Cabernet from the Oak Knoll District!

ABV:  14.1%

Napa Valley, CA

Suggested retail price:  $75.00

Drink The Bottles score:  93/100

2019 Mollydooker Two Left Feet

 

We were recently in Chicago visiting family and, of course, we had to check out the local wine store.  It's always fun shopping for wines and bourbons in a "new" city.  You never know what you may find.  Since it can be tough to find Mollydooker close to us (it is hit-and-miss) we decided to grab this bottle.  We have long been Mollydooker fans but had yet to write about any of the 2019 vintages.

The 2019 Mollydooker Two Left Feet is a fun way to step outside of MD's famous 100% Shiraz offerings.  This is a blend of Shiraz (69%), Merlot (16% and Cabernet Sauvignon (15%).  Dark magenta in the glass with wonderful, long legs, the wine permeates the air beautifully with fresh raspberry, cherry and spices.  At 16% ABV this wine isn't for the faint of heart.  But it isn't fumy or bear any unpleasant hints of menthol that you can get from other high octane wines.  In the mouth is a effortless and polished feel of a wine that boasts hearty red fruits, aged peppered steak, vanilla and grilling spices.  If you like blended wines that are very flavorful and cost-friendly, you can't go wrong with Two Left Feet!

ABV:  16.0%

McLaren Vale, South Australia

Suggested retail price:  $30.00

Drink The Bottles score:  91/100

2017 Fifty Row Cabernet Sauvignon

 

We absolutely love being introduced to new wines and when they are single vineyard beauties you can really appreciate what is in the glass as the grapes are very select and concentrated.  Recently we tasted the 2017 Fifty Row Cabernet Sauvignon.  This is from their Alice Block in Rutherford and the tasting experience was absolutely stunning.  We tasted this straight from the bottle and then with the aerator, both with similar notes.  Lovely, solid dark purple in the glass with long legs.  The nose welcomed aromas of blackberries, pencil lead, dried loose leaf tobacco and toasted brioche.  This is truly a mouth-watering wine and we couldn't wait to taste it.  In the mouth are flavors of blackberry, chocolate bits, plum and cappuccino.  Hints of beautiful, dusty earth really came through with the aeration.   This wine would pair well with some rare prime rib and herb roasted potatoes, but I think you will really enjoy this one sans food.  This is a fine example of Cabernet from the Rutherford AVA that will continue to age well for the next 12 years or more.  Enjoy!

ABV:  14.6%

Napa Valley, CA

Suggested retail price:  $85.00

Drink The Bottles score:  94/100

2018 Flora Springs Trilogy

 

We have been fortunate enough to taste this delightful selection over the years both on this blog on our previous one.  This wine always puts a smile on our faces and never disappoints!  The 2018 Flora Springs Trilogy is an exceptional example of marrying three amazing varietals flawlessly, resulting in silkiness, body, incredible flavors and wonderful memories.  I kick myself for not getting a picture of this in the glass.  I guess it's incredibly easy to get excited and become lost in this wine.  I would love to show you the wonderful crimson colors and beautiful, ripe tannins but that will have to wait until next time.  The wine introduces itself with dark red and black fruits, cocoa beans, a wisp of book leather and roasted coffee.  These aromas make the mouth water and make way to ripe blackberries, juicy plum, mocha and dark toast on the palate.  The wine flows effortlessly that would pair well with an delicious prime rib, but we tasted this solo.  For us, it's the best choice.  This wine is absolutely delicious and it is easy to recognize why this is Flora Springs' flagship wine.  Wow!  It's almost perfect....

ABV:  14.2%

Napa Valley, CA

3,900 cases produced

Suggested retail price:  $85.00

Drink The Bottles score:  95/100

2018 Flora Springs Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

 

To me, this wine screams, "I am a perfect daily drinker and something that most everyone can afford."  This wine won't break the bank but it will allow you to experience a classic tasting Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  It's one of those that will be a great gift as well.  The 2018 Flora Springs Winery Cabernet Sauvignon is exactly what I've learn to expect from this producer over the years.  You get a wine with forward, mouth-watering aromas of blackberry, seared oak, baking spices and vanilla.  It's a beautiful burgundy color with tiny tannin and a ton of flavor.  While a young wine, you can really taste the dark fruit, bold coffee bean and vanilla, followed up with hints of juicy, ripe plum.  This wine is a solid pleaser.

ABV:  14.2%

Napa Valley, CA

Suggested retail price:  $50.00

Drink The Bottles score:  90/100

2018 Patland Estate Vineyards Select Barrel Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

 

What really impressed us by this Cabernet Sauvignon is the huge structure, sustainability and tasting profile that went along with this young wine.   The 2018 Patland Estate Vineyards Select Barrel Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is the eleventh year for this limited edition wine and you'll have to jump on this quickly if you want to secure yours.  At only 3,540 bottles, the allocation surely runs out quickly, and for good reason!  Medium to dark garnet color with pomegranate, leather, black cherry and mint on the nose.  In the mouth is a medium-tannin, polished wine with dark red fruits, leather, vanilla and droplets of soy sauce towards the finish.  For such a young wine it drinks effortlessly and is as sexy as it can be for the greatest grape varietal in the world!  If you are lucky enough to acquire this wine, get as many as you can.  Drink one now and age the others for 5, 10, 15, 20 years.  Enjoy!

ABV:  14.8%

Napa Valley, CA

295 cases produced

Suggested retail price:  $200.00

Drink The Bottles score:  93/100

2017 Baldacci Vineyards Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District

 

What an amazing way to start off the new year!  If this bottle is any indication of how 2021 is going to treat us, then bring it on.  If you don't know by now, 100% Cabernet is my absolute favorite wine (if I had to choose just one).  The Baldacci Vineyards 2017 Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon (Stags Leap District) will leave your mouth watering just after the first whiff or two.  This is one of those "make a fist" while taking in the powerful and layered aromas of blackberry, barn wood, dried figs and subtle spices.  This wine is young but you wouldn't know it by the amazing blackberry, tobacco, cocoa powder, hints of raspberry at times and baking spices that introduce themselves and marry for a remarkable tasting experience.  The wine glides in the mouth effortlessly and finishes as smooth as as any wine in recent memory.  To me, this is one of those wines that you shake your head at in disbelief that something could taste this good.  I would love to re-visit this wine in 1, 5 and 10 years!  I would imagine it will be even more remarkable then if that is even possible.

ABV:  14.5%

Napa Valley, California (Stags Leap District)

2,060 cases produced

Suggested retail price:  $90.00

Drink The Bottles score:  96/100

2016 Baldacci Vineyards Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon

 

We love thinking about wine and what was happening in the vineyards when grapes are picked and turned into a lovely wine like this one.  You have to wonder how gorgeous the fruit must have looked to create a wine that is as black a night with such power and lovely mouthfeel.  The 2016 Baldacci Vineyards Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon is a wonderful example of the unique and beautiful fruits that come from the Stag's Leap District (Napa Valley).  Amazing and definitive aromas of black licorice, raspberry pie filling and baking spices abound.  The color of this wine is hauntingly gorgeous and we knew as soon as we popped this cork we were in for a real treat.  Wonderful, layered flavors of black cherry, chocolate pudding and cinnamon were most dominant, but with additional time in the glass we picked up some very distinct espresso powder and allspice.  We should have decanted this wine for about 30-45 minutes prior to tasting, but Jeff couldn't hold back.  He absolutely LOVES wine that presents itself like this.  For those of you who are put off by sediment, you will definitely want to decant.  But this doesn't bother us at all.  We like purple teeth and we know you are going to absolutely love this wine.  This wine would be fun to try again in 15+ years but we think you can cellar it for much longer.  

ABV:  14.5%

Napa Valley, California

1,027 cases produced

Suggested retail price:  $90.00

Drink The Bottles score:  93/100