Cabernet Sauvignon

What a treat to get to try a Schrader this old and note, before he divided his wines into different labels.  At age 20, this is still young and just sort of getting to maturity (maybe).  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, blueberries, chocolate, spice, tar and leather.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is delicious, complex and contemplative.  Medium to firm tannins.  Notes of cassis and blueberries with chocolate over char and slight earthiness.  Long finish.  This took about an hour to open so a decant might be a good idea.  Drink over the next twenty years. 

It's not often one gets to drink an aged Schrader and they are so good and get opened young.  What pleasure.  Actually, this is still youthful but getting closer to full maturity.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, cedar, sandalwood, chocolate and leather.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  It unwinds in the glass to show layers of cassis, some black cherries along with cigar tobacco, leather and char.  Great balance.  Long finish.  It can certainly be consumed now but a few hours in a decanter would help.  Drink over the nex

From yet another vineyard managed by Andy Beckstoffer in Napa.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The  nose is great with cassis, chocolate, cherries and a sea air note.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Lots of cassis, black cherries, some chocolate with a bit of char and spice.  At age 11, this opens slowly and needs time.  It kept improving all night long.  This should continue to drink well for another fifteen to twenty years.  It drinks great on its own, but a few hours in a decanter would work well.  It will work well with a steak or roast.  

Another stunning wine from Realm.  Inky purple in color, shimmering bright and opqaue.  The nose is a bit jammy with cassis, blueberries, cigar box, cedar and spice.  Full bodied.  Jammy texture.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Deep if still young and tight.  Firm tannins.  Lots of cassis and some blueberries with dark chocolate, coffee beans and slight tobacco notes.  It unwinds in the glass.  Each sip makes one want another.  Lots of energy.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now but should mature slowly over the next thirty years.  Drink any time although a few hours in a decanter

Wow, what a wine!  BTW, this is not to be confused with the wine of the same name without the "Elysian".  Inky purple in color, shimmering bright and opaque.  The nose has cassis, cedar, chocolate, graphite, tobacco, blueberries and just a hint of funk.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Rich, lush texture.  This is young but delicious.  On the palate, cassis, blueberries, chocolate, with some underlying leather.  Deep and complex.  Long finish.  This will evolve and may even improve but it is so good today.  Drink over the next twenty-five years.  Great on its own, it will need big food to matc

This is the second wine of Chateau Palmer and from the great 2000 vintage.  It is drinking very well now and likely at peak (not something I say often about 2000 Bordeaux wines).  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, some cassis, a bit of baking spices, and leather.  Full bodied.  Just a wisp of tannins.  Enticing texture.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cassis and some black cherry fruit with a bit of spice and tobacco.  Nice finish.  This drinks great on its own, but will be better with food.  Lamb would be a classic pairing.  Drink over the next five to eig

This was pop and pour and it really needs a long decant but even so, it showed very well.  From the heralded 2000 vintage, it seems to me that the better left bank wines are still in need of more cellaring.  A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, and 6% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color with ruby swirls but slight browning at the edge.  The nose is great with cassis, slight cigar box, cedar, some dark chocolate and spice.  Full bodied.  Lovely texture.  This is a big wine on the palate.  Juicy cassis, black cherries with chocolate and cedar.  Medium tannins.  Long f

This is the little brother of Dominus (which was the Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year), so it was nice to try.  It was tasted completely blind.  My guess was a California GSM blend which I found interesting.  Not for being wrong, that happens a lot, but for how it tasted.  Purple in color, slight ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, black licorice, black olives and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, lots of black cherry fruit, some black raspberries, black licorice and a bit of earthiness.  Good balance in a new world way.  Nice fin

This was a new wine for me.  Purple in color, magenta at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is cassis, char and dist.  Light tannins.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, cassis with slight herbs.  This is an easy drinking Cab that seems to be at peak.  It drinks well on its own and would work well with pulled pork.  Drink over the next five years.  

This is another great value from Paso Robles.  A blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Petite Sirah, 2% Syrah and 2% Malbec, this is tasty and a nice value.  Sure to be a crowd pleaser.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is dusty, gravelly with black raspberries and slight black cherries.  Medium tannins.  Some complexity.  Lots of big fruit on the palate - black raspberries and black currants.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This should drink well for the next three to six years.  Nice on its own, it will work well with pizza, (veggie)burgers or ribs.