1998 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Mülheimer Helenenkloster Riesling Eiswein, Germany, Mosel, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1998
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

What a treat!  Iced tea in color with some orange hues, clear and bright.  The nose is lovely with apricots, oranges, slight tea leaves and a nice earthiness about it.  Full bodied.  Thick and viscous texture. Enough acidity but not strong.  On the palate, apricots, caramel, oranges and spice.  Long finish. This is unique and delicious.  While a plain cookie would work, it may better to go with no food for this.  It can't hurt, but wouldn't help.  This seems like at age 26, it could do another twenty anyway.  Big fun!

2015 Kapcsándy Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (Grand Vin) State Lane Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Yountville, Wine review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$285.00USD

This is a blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot.  One of the great Bordeaux varietal wines.  This is till young, but really drank beautifully.  Purple in color with a ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, tobacco, licorice, spice, thyme and char.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great, juicy texture.  On the palate, this has some tight complexity.  Flavors of cassis, leather, tobacco, spice and char.  Long finish.  It really needs another five to ten years of cellaring and should drink well for twenty to thirty after that.  Of course, it was fantastic right now.  Great on

2013 Colgin Cariad, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$400.00USD

This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit Verdot.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is open and awesome.  Cassis, black cherries, interesting black olive note, fresh tobacco, plums, spice and char.  Probably more.  Wow.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great energy.  On the palate, this is getting close to mature but still five or more years from really being there.  Cassis, black cherries, tobacco and spice.  Deep and complex.  Long finish.  This will drink well for another twenty to twenty five years.  It would of course be great with

2019 Dalla Valle Maya, USA, California, Napa, Oakville, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$490.00USD

Surprisingly open, Maya used to be a wine that needed serious time before opening but this vintage/bottle was drinking well.  It is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, blueberries, black cherries, cigar tobacco, spice, slight cocoa and char.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Black cherries, cassis, spice, tobacco and char.  Lovely texture.  Long finish.  No doubt this gets a perfect score as it matures but its close now.  Drink over the next twenty to thirty years. 

2014 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon LPV Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$260.00USD

Always a pleasure to drink Schrader which is of course, made by one of the top winemakers anywhere, Thomas Rivers Brown.  This wine has been compared to Haut Brion (possibly my favorite wine from Bordeaux) and the comparison is apt.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, blueberries, "gravel", ash, spice and char.  Full bodied.  Slick but plush texture.  Medium to firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cassis, blueberries and underlying gravel/char.  Long finish.  This will get better but no harm opening now.  Drink over the next fifteen to twenty years.  Grea

2019 Seven Apart Cabernet Sauvignon Expedition, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$181.00USD

Great to revisit this.  First tasted in December, 2002 (notes are on this site) and it has improved a bit but it can still get better.  This wine is made by Andy Erikson and from vineyards on Atlas Peak and Soda Canyon.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is powerful and open with cassis, cedar, blueberries, chocolate, char.  Lush texture.  Firm tannins (the wine  had not been open long).  Great balance.  On the palate, cassis, cedar, charred earth and spice.  Long finish but already performing great.

2014 MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Oakville, Wine review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
100
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$850.00USD

It was great to try this bottle at age 10.  The grapes are grown in the heart of the historic To Kalon vineyard although for legal reasons, they can't put that on the label.  Just gorgeous!  The bottle was opened and allowed to breather for 13 hours prior to serving but not decanted.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is deep and complex with cassis, cigar box, dust, spice and warm earth.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great energy and balance.  On the palate, this is young but open (the advantage of old vines on the valley floor).  Complex and layered.  Cassis, spice, ear

2021 Vida Valiente Cabernet Sauvignon The Movement, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$250.00USD

This is a blend of the three single vineyard wines that Vida Valiente releases.  The winery was formed with a charitable arm and its Foundation supports lower income students going to Stanford who lack the financial resources.  One hundred dollars from every bottle sold goes to support this Foundation.  The winemaker, Sam Kaplan, identifies particular barrels to achieve his goal for this wine.  This is the first vintage and like all of their wines, it lists 14.8% abv on the label.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is tight but opens to cassis, dark chocolate, s

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