Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasted from Magnum.  The last note on this vintage, posted on this site was 100 points back in 2018.  This may have been better as it is really hitting its stride. Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is amazing with cassis, blueberries, licorice, cedar, and spice.  Deep with light tannins.  On the palate, this is complex.  Lots of black cherry and cassis fruit.  Underlying minerality and slight smoke.  Wonderful lush texture.

This winery has since been sold, but they went out with a bang producing some very highly rated Cabernets.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, slight graphite, black cherries, baking spices and slight char.  Full bodied.  Delicious.  Depth.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, black cherries and cassis with underlying char and slight spice.  It unwinds nicely in the glass.  This drinks great on its own and will work well with food such as braised short ribs or roasted vegetables. Drink over the next eight to twelve years.  

Mike Smith is the winemaker here and produces some of the top wines in the world.  This is an interesting vintage.  Initially, it looked like it would be amazing, but many of the wines seemed to get almost to that point and just stopped.  Still outstanding, but not quite the overall quality of say 2013 or 2014.  I think that is true for this wine although that is clearly nit-picking and most wineries only dream of getting to this level of quality.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, spices and char.  A really great, plush texture.  Tannins are mostly resolved but

Rusell Bevan is a superstar winemaker who has many projects going.  The EE Cuvee is consistently one of my favorites.  This vintage is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Cabernet France from the Tench and Tin Box vineyards.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, blueberries, spice, tobacco and char.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this has a great texture; lush with firm tannins.  This is a big wine that is still drinking young.  It will take another ten to fifteen years to reach maturity.  Once there it should last for another twenty.  That said, it

This is a blend of  41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 25% Cabernet Franc made by Thomas Rivers Brown.  Pop and pour, this took about twenty minutes to start opening and then drink very well.  Purple in color with a ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, black cherries, baking spice, slight chocolate, a hint of iron and roasted herbs.   Full bodied although certainly not over the top.  Rich texture.  On the palate, this has firm tannins that integrate somewhat with air.  Nots of cherries and black cherries with some underlying tobacco and a bit of chocolate.  Som

Nice to re-visit this wine.  This is a nice value in Napa Cabs although still not a cheap bottle by any means.  Made by the people who make Fait-Main wines.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, black cherries, chocolate, and some spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, lots of cassis and black cherries and also some chocolate.  Good finish.  Served blind, I thought Merlot but it seems this is 100% Cab from various Napa vineyards.  It drinks great on its own and will continue to do so for another decade.  It will work well with roasted meat or fowl.  

This is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with some Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, Petite Sirah, and Charbono.  It is a big wine in the style of the Prisoner but perhaps a bit more "serious" if that makes sense.  Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, cedar, dark chocolate, baking spices and slight coffee notes.  Full bodied.

This is a really pleasant Cab for a pretty good price considering its from Chalk Hill.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, dark chocolate, leather and spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is straightforward with nice cassis fruit, some black cherries with some underlying spice.  Medium tannins.  Nice finish.  This will improve with a couple more years in the cellar.  It should drink well for seven to ten more after that.  It drinks great on its own but would certainly work well with a nice steak or even Mac and Cheese.  

This is an interesting wine.  Much more about being refined and still expressing Santa Cruz Mountains than being boisterous.  Of course, some of that may also be the vintage.  Deep garnet in color with some purple hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is deep with cassis, black cherries, spice and graphite/char.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this has a bit of a bell pepper/herbal streak to go along with nice cassis fruit.  Some underlying char.  Medium tannins.  This has the feel that it needs more time to develop and come together.  It drank better on day 2.  Hold for another