Drink the Bottles

  As we write this, I can't begin to tell you how giddy we are about the experience we had with this wine.  The  2022 DAOU Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles was something we were looking forward to tasting, but there was no way we could have anticipated how incredible this is - and the price is as attactive as the label! There are so many layers of both aromas and flavors leaping from this bottle.  Stunning dark garnet color to the edge of the glass.  Ripe berry pie, red licorice, sage, rosemary, vanilla extract and dark chocolate fought for center stage on the nose.   We did not decant, but constant swirling brough additional aromas of cherry cola and hints of clove.   The first taste brought us a huge fruit basket of flavors up front, joined by a grass field covered in morning mist, smoky cedar plank and semi-sweet chocolate bits.  The wine was absolutely mouth coating and provided smiles on our faces as the day was lon...

  Napa Valley has been on our mind a lot these days with the Pickett Fire still burning.  Although 90% contained, at this writing the fire has been burning about 2 weeks.  There has been much discussion and speculation already about grape taint from the smoke, as was the case for many wineries that experienced repurcussions from the 2020 Glass Fire.  Fingers crossed for all! The  2019 Pope Valley Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a nearly textbook example of what we are looking for in a Napa Valley Cab.  Dark blackberry color in the glass, this wine has lifting aromas of blue and red raspberries, star anise, beef steak tomato and hints of blackcurrant.  This expression is unctuous, providing a lush and mouth-coating experience from beginning to end.  More dark fruits, freshly sawn timber, wisps of vanilla curd, dry earth, dried herbs and leather. This wine is another example of the talents of winemaker Michael Coode and a nod to Napa Valley....

  Located in the Jamieson canyon region of Napa Valley are some vineyards producing some very tasty and affordable wines under the Maldonado Family Vineyards label and also a second label dubbed Farm Worker.  Owner and winemaker Hugo Maldonado created this Mexican-American family owned winery was previously a vineyard manager at Newton, providing him the tools of the trade to eventually leave his footprint in the valley. The 2021 Maldonado Family Vineyards Proprietary Red Wine is a secret blend of reds and it provides a satisfying and extremely approachable expression for those who tend to shy away from a 100% bolder Cab.  This one suggests that it is comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, but the important thing here is how this wine makes you feel.  Scarlet red in the glass with shades of plum skin, the aromas of juicy plum, marzipan, petrichor, flower boquet and spice dance together wonderfully.  We gave this some time in the glass without de...

  Huddled in the Vaca Mountains is an AVA that is sparesly planted compared to many others in Napa Valley, but it is one that is creating delicious fruit.  The Chiles Valley AVA is home to Maxville Winery's 1000-acre estate, proudly possessing some vines that are now over 50 years old!  While this is extremely impressive, what garners our attention more is the wines produced that are strangely both delicate and bold when they need to be.  The soil in the estate vineyard is well-drained and the dry farming style provides the perfect pressure on the vines, forcing them to produce berries that are flavorful, colorful and memorable. Maxville Estate Vineyard - Chiles Valley AVA courtesy of Maxville Winery Over the next few weeks we are going to taste and share a handful of wines from Maxville.  But today we are concentrating on two wines - the 2021 Maxville Estate Oranos Red Blend and the 2021 Maxville Estate Merlot . While the specific details of the composotion fo...

  In a tucked away corner of Napa Valley sits it's 16th AVA, Coombsville, and a very welcoming winery that is producing small lot, huge taste wines!  The Certified Organic property produces the  2018 Ackerman Family Vineyards Memoir Red Blend , which they say reflects their legacy of creating wine in Napa Valley for nearly three decades. This smartly-constructed wine is made up primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%) but is also joined by some red favorites - Petit Verdot (5%), Malbec (10%), Cabernet Franc (10%) and Merlot (10%).  The Petit Verdot fruit comes from Coombsville.  These grapes blend beautifully to create a medium-bodied, fruit-balanced and polished wine that would stand on its own accord or be enjoyed with some prime rib. Dark red, juicy fruits in a medium garnet liquid are joined by book leather and dried spice on the nose.  The palate re-introduces the fruit but doesn't throw it in your face.  It's more of an introduction that presents pl...

  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 ...

  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 d...

In the southeastern corner of Napa Valley sits a once unfamiliar area of Coombsville, which is now the 16th AVA of the Valley.  The Ackerman family purchased their prized property over thirty years ago, recognizing the amazing fruit that grew in the area, ultimately creating exceptional wines.  This particular offering comes from a beautiful vintage that was ideal in many ways regarding the weather.  But for most, including Ackerman, the yields were lower due to a rainfall shortage. This is the 2021 Ackerman Fmaily Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from the Coombsville Estate.  While we tasted this, it transitioned from a fruit forward young wine to (after decanting) a wine that can be aged for decades, showing potential to only increase in flavor and enjoyment.  Initially we recognized a basket of blueberries, cedar shavings and graphite.   Some decanting and swirling quickly transitioned this full bodied wine to fresh raspberry and strawberry fruits, for...

  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...

  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...

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. ...

  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 shin...

  This is our third vintage of Flora Springs Trilogy to taste and review over the years, and it has always been a consistently delicious and top performer.  For the 2021 vintage (their 38th bottling), there is a new label design which is (in our opinion) more elegant and welcoming that previous offerings.  As most of you know, we do  take in consideration label design, or what we call shelf appeal, when scoring our wines and spirits. The 2021 Trilogy is comprised primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%) but also includes Petit Verdot (10%) and Malbec (5%).  This flagship wine is incredibly silky-smooth throughout the entire tasting experience, offering up tannins that are glossy and fine.  A swarm of aromas that include ripe dark berries, graphite and cedar are introduced initially, but this isn't a fruit-bomb, in-your-face type of wine, which is extremely refreshing.  After some time in the glass, the cedar yields to more earthy style of aromas.  T...

  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 barbe...

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  

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 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 Sugges...

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

  The  2017 LOBO Wines Custom Red Blend is a wonderful example that delicious wines don't have to break the bank.  This Napa Valley stunner blends Syrah (69%), Cabernet Sauvignon (26%) and Merlot (5%) , creating dark and bold aromas of blackberry, cigar smoke and grilling spices.  You get amazing mouth coating flavors of blackberry cobbler, tobacco leaf, vanilla and black cherry. The tannin is powerful yet polished and the finish is one that makes you turn your head and smile.  We filtered and decanted this wine as there was a moderate amount of sediment.  It is absolutely delicious and while it will likely age well for a decade or more, we like this one now or within in the next 3 years for best enjoyment. ABV:  14.8% Napa Valley, CA Suggested retail price:  $70.00 Drink The Bottles  score:  92/100

  We were really taken back by the 2018 vintage of this wine and the 2019 doesn't disappoint!  This is the 2019 Caprio Cellars Eleanor Estate Red Wine .  The wine is a Bordeaux Blend that consists of Cabernet Sauvignon (62%), Merlot (20%), Malbec (12%) and Cabernet Franc (6%).  This is not an "in your face" type of wine but rather one with a graceful introduction to blackberry and cherry aromas framed with cedar plank.  In the mouth is a glass-like feel with very polished tannin against flavors of plum, blackberry, cherry cordial and baking spices.  The closing moments of the wine linger and this young wine will surely continue to provide more depth with some time in the bottle.  Simply lovely!  700 cases produced. ABV:  14.5% Walla Walla, WA Suggested retail price:  $60.00 Drink The Bottles  score:  90+/100