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

Palisades is one of the best Petite Sirah Vineyards anywhere.  Now, that is somewhat a backhanded compliment as there just aren't that many of those vineyards.  Still, this is one worth checking out.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has boysenberries, char and slight spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, juicy black raspberries with underlying gravel and char.  Long finish.  This is very young and although approachable, it will get better.  It could really use about ten years in the cellar.  Patience will be rewarded.  In any event, this makes good drinking

This is the basic Cab from winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown's home winery.  At $75, it is expensive but at the same time, a great value  in high end Napa Cabs.  Purple in color with a thin ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, chocolate, char, slight graphite and slight cedar.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is young but delicious.  Cassis and slight black cherries with underlying char and slight spice.  Long finish.  This could use another five years in the cellar but drinking well now with some air.  This has twenty years of great drinking left and the score sh

These are some of the slowest to come around wines in Napa.  They act very similar to a Frist Growth Bordeaux.  It was with some trepidation that we opened this at age 9.  95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot.  Inky purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose is classic.  Cassis, pencil lead, spice, chocolate and char.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great texture.  On the palate, this took a couple of hours to open and unwind, then it was stunning.  Cassis, some chocolate and underlying char.  Long finish.  This is drinking well but may still earn that 100 point moniker.  Eighte

There are at least four other Kirkland wines reviewed on this site quite positively.  There is nothing to complain about for the money, but I had hoped for better.  $15.  No sign of smoke taint (that was a year with fires).  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries and a bit of spice.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, there is some black cherry fruit.  Not much in the way of nuance, but certainly drinkable.  Slightly bitter on the finish.  This would be a nice mid-week wine with a burger or meatloaf.  

This is a Bordeaux blend from Napa.  What a great wine.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, tobacco, spice and slight cedar.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cassis, black cherries, cigar tobacco, just a hint of bell pepper and spice.  Complex if tight.  It unwinds in the glass.  It may yet improve with some cellaring but delicious now.  Drink over the next twenty years.  Great on its own, this would work great with brisket.  

I’ve long held the belief that it’s pretty hard to mess up Cabernet Sauvignon from Howell Mountain fruit. The vines there are simply exceptional. So in the very capable hands of Duckhorn, the fruit in this 2018 shines. It’s all Cabernet with 8% Merlot added. There’s a lovely elegance to this wine, a steadiness that combines all the elements, oak, fruit, wood and tannin together. Not one element outperforms the other. The soft fruit includes noticeable black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, mocha, huckleberry and the ever-present but limited vanilla and caramel.

This is a proprietary Red wine from Napa.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, blueberries, dark chocolate, black cherries and cedar.  Clean.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, cassis, cedar and chocolate.  Long finish.  Deep and complex.  This is still drinking young, so if opening soon, give it some air.  It should drink well for twenty to thirty more years.  Great on its own, this is the quintessential steak house wine.  

First time trying this winery.  The winemaker is Jeff Ames who makes some great wines at TOR and other wineries.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, chocolate, slight lumber and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cassis with some cedar and spice.  Tightly layered complexity, it unwinds nicely in the glass.  Long finish.  This will improve with a few years in the cellar but is drinking well now.  Drink over the next twenty years.  Great on its own, this needs big food right now.  Pot Roast would go well.  

Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, black cherries, spice, lumber, and slight cedar.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, nice cassis fruit with some char.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for another seven to ten years.  A nice choice with a burger off the grill.  

Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is  nice with cassis, cedar, camphor and leather.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, plenty of cassis with some char.  Lots of depth.  Complex if still tight.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue to for another ten to twelve years.  It might improve a bit more as it ages.  Nice on its own, this would work well with grilled meats.