Cabernet Sauvignon

Although 2003 was not a classic vintage in Bordeaux (it was extremely hot), this is a classic styled Montrose at age 17.  2003 Château Montrose is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.   Purple in color.  Opaque and bright.  The nose has some barnyard along with cassis, and a slight char.  What a great texture.  Luxurious, almost gelatinous.  Lots of cassis fruit over some char and earth.  Complex layers.  Long finish.  This seems to be at or close to peak but should be here for at least a decade.  Drinking very well on its own and will work w

The 2003's a general rule are all drinking at peak now.  It was a very hot vintage.  Some wines got very ripe and others, stayed green when the plants shut down due to the heat.  Inky purple in color.  Opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, spice and cinnamon.  Very clean.  On the palate, this has light to medium tannins,  still plenty of cherries and black cherries.  Ripe bit not over the top although concentrated.  Long finish.  This probably won't get better but should be good for another ten to fifteen years.  it will work well with grilled or roasted meats or on its own.  

This is still a bit young but rounding into peak form and almost there.  With a  bit of air, this is drinking quite well.  A blend of 95% Cabernet Franc, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot.  Purple in color.  The nose is great with black cherries, leather, cigar box, slight dark chocolate, cherries and slight spice.  On the palate, this has a lush but firm texture.  Lots of energy.  Layers of fruit and dried tobacco with a bit of char.  Complex.  Light tannins.  After about an hour, this was singing.  Long finish.  This will work with most heavier foods especially roasts or casseroles (wit

Pop and pour, this never really showed as much as hoped for.  Solid but not more.  Maybe just in a weird phase right now.  Purple in color.  The nose has nice cassis with a bit of baking spice.  Full bodied.  The cassis carries thru to the palate.  Clean.  No hard edges.  Nice finish.  Not a lot of complexity at this point.  Light tannins.  Moderate finish.  Worked well with some Italian food.  No signs of age, it might be better to wait a few years on this and check back in.  

This is an excellent value in red wine.  It is a blend of 80% Merlot with the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has black cherries, black raspberries, dark chocolate and a hint of spice.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has nice black cherry fruit with some depth.  Light tannins.  Underlying earthiness.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This drinks well on its own and should be great with poultry dishes or even a burger.  It should be consumed over the next five to seven years.  While wine prices vary at the time of this writing, this wi

This is a non-vintage blend.  It was bottled in 2016.  Although it carries a Napa Valley designation, as it is mostly Mt. Veeder grapes, it has grapes from all over California.  A blend of 41% Cabernet Sauvignon,36% Cabernet Franc, and 23% Merlot.  Purple in color.  The nose has a mushroom note to it along with black cherry fruit and baking spices.  Warm.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Light tannins.  Nice black cherry fruit.  Some depth.  Easy drinking.  This probably should be consumed in the next five to seven years.  It will work well with stews and casseroles.  

Nice to revisit this wine.  It is still young but has opened up a bit (as have many 2013's).  Inky purple in color.  The nose has cassis, spice, slight hay note and a bit of toast.  On the palate, this took about an hour or so and then was drinking well.  Cassis with underlying dry earth.  Good balance.  Long finish.  This may still improve a bit more.  It has fifteen to twenty years of great drinking.  Think grilled foods or roasts, but also drinks well on its own.  

This was interesting.  Pop and pour and there were light notes of what might have been TCA.  Very intermittent.  I decided to let the bottle sit over night (closed with a neutral cork) and check back the next day.  If the bottle was off with TCA, it would be worse the next day.  On the other hand, the next day, this bottle was clean as a whistle and drinking quite well.  Not sure what was going on, but glad I waited and gave it a chance.  Dark purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose had cassis, char, and spice.  Just a hint of pencil lead and slight earthiness.  On the palate, this has

Very solid Napa Cab that is drinking quite well.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, slight cassis, baking spice and slight cedar.  On the palate, this has light tannins.  The black cherry fruit comes thru over the oak/spice.  Nice balance.  This is very food friendly but not for the lightest of foods.  It worked great with some spicy chili.  This should continue to drink well for the next five to seven years at least.  

The 2013 Napa Cabs were released with a lot of fanfare, and justifiably so.  It seemed, however, that they shut down very quickly and hard.  Now, at age 7, they are starting to open back up and while, as a general rule they have lots left, many are drinking quite well.  I don't remember a Napa Cab vintage that shut down so hard so quickly and reopened so quickly as well.  In any event, this was opened and allowed to breath for 30 minutes and then served.  It was beautiful.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  On the nose, there is cassis, slight black cherries, roasted herbs, nice minerali