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

One of my favorite Napa Cabs, it was nice to try a Materium with some age on it from a very good if not great vintage.  Inky purple in color with a thin ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, cedar, graphite and char.  Great texture.  Medium to firm tannins.  On the palate, this is not quite at peak but getting there.  Layers of cassis with some minerality and char.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is great on its own and will work well with heavy meaty dishes such as Prime Rib.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.

Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, blueberries, cedar, slight graphite and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious if still youthful.  Flavors of cassis, blueberries, graphite and spice.  Complex but tight, it unwinds in the glass.  Long finish.  This drinks great on its own and would be nice with roasted meats, fowl or squash.  Drink over the next twenty years.  

This is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec and the remainder Petite Verdot and Merlot.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, graphite, plums, and char.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Nice balance.  On the palate, this seems fully mature but not showing much age past that.  Lovely texture.  Flavors of cassis and plums with underlying earthiness and char.  Long finish.  This should stay at this level and drink well for another ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this will work with many foods (not seafood).  Brisket would work well.  

This is Cabernet Sauvignon from Mt. Veeder and St. Helena.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, dark chocolate, chocolate, cedar, coffee, and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Nice energy.  On the palate, there is cassis, black cherries, chocolate, coffee and char.  Long finish.  It could use another three to five years in the cellar but no harm in opening now.  It should easily go another twenty years.  It will work well with Roasted Beef or Brisket but also Roasted Acorn Squash.