Napa Valley

• Atlas Peak
• Best of Napa
• Calistoga
• Conn Valley
• Diamond Mountain
• Howell Mountain
• Mt. Veeder
• Oak Knoll
• Oakville
• Pope Valley
• Rutherford
• Spring Mountain
• St. Helena
• Stags Leap
• Yountville

Shafer Hillside Select is truly an American First growth.  It has the production levels, the long history and the quality.  A great bottle of wine.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, slight blueberries, char, graphite and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the  palate, great texture.  Notes of cassis with graphite and char.  Deep and complex.  Long finish.  This is not yet at peak but getting there.  Delicious.  Drink over the next twenty years.  Great on its own, but this will work with hearty foods as well.  This would be perfect with brisket.  

It was great to try this wine again.  The last bottle about a year ago was stunning and so was this one.  The wine is opening up nicely if still young.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is excellent with cassis, blueberries, coffee grounds, spice and graphite.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Wonderful texture.  Lots of energy and great balance.  On the palate, cassis, coffee, blueberries and spice.  Long finish.

Inky purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, graphite, dark chocolate and cigar box.  Full bodied.  Tannins mostly resolved but a few hanging around.  This is complex and layered and unwinds beautifully in the glass.  Notes of cassis, black cherries, and underlying earthiness.  Good acidity.  Good finish.  This seems at or just past peak, but drinking well.  The vintage was a bit difficult but there is no lack of ripeness.  Drink up.  This will be better with food.  It would work well with beef stroganoff.  

Stunning wine.  This was tasted blind in a flight with some truly great labels and this was my favorite.  Blind I guessed that this was a 2013 Schrader Cabernet.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is gorgeous with cassis, pencil lead, cedar chocolate and gravel.  Full bodied.  Medium to firm tannins.  Incredible, seamless texture.  Great balance.  On the palate, cassis, slight blueberries, chocolate and char.  Long finish.  Complex and deep.  Very impressive.  This is young and will no doubt evolve more but its great right now.  Drink over the next 25 years.  

Served as part of a high end blind flight, this was perhaps my "worst" guess of the night.  Blind, I called a 2018 Solaia or Sassicaia.

Served blind, I got lucky and guessed 2017 Scarecrow.  This was more open and ready than I might have expected for 2012, which is why I guessed 2017.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, cedar and clay.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  great energy and balance.  On the palate, this is seamless.  So smooth.  Cassis with wet rocks/light earthiness.  Long finish.  This may still improve and will undoubtedly age more.  Drink over the next fifteen to twenty years.  Great on its own, this is a classic steak house wine.  

This is the basic Cabernet in Myriad's lineup.  A stunning wine if not at the level of the single vineyard offerings.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, slight tobacco, leather, spice and char.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, great balance.  Lots of cassis with black pepper and underlying char.  Long finish.  This is not a fruit monster but it is a bigger wine.  At age 5, it is barely showing much development, but is still enjoyable.  Ideally, cellar for five more and then drink for fifteen to twenty after that.  

My first time trying this.  It seems to be associated with Ghost Block wines.  This is a blend of 56% Malbec and 44% Petite Verdot.  Inky purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has plums, cedar, clay and spice.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, plums with a bit of black raspberries.  More one dimensional with out a lot going on.  It drinks very easy.  Nice on its own, this would be a nice mid week burger wine.  drink over the next five years.  

Always a great night when drinking this wine.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is classic with cassis, sandalwood, slight cedar, baking spices, and slight char.  Full bodied.  Tannins are mostly integrated but a few remain.  The texture is beautiful.  Almost seamless.  great balance.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Mature but plenty of life left.  Notes of cassis, plums with underlying char.  Long finish.  Complex, it unwinds in the glass.  This is wonderful on its own, and will work well with bigger foods.  It would work well with roasted chicken or duck.  At age 1

This is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is lovely with cassis, cedar, black cherries, slight dried tobacco, spice and an interesting menthol note.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cassis, black cherries, spices and graphite.  Lovely texture.  Long finish.  This is young but drinking well.  It is great on its own and would work well with roasted meats and/or root vegetables.  It will still improve.  Drink over the next twenty years.