Oakville

Nice to try this from a "lesser" vintage but with some nice age on it.  It is in a very good place right now.  It is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Cabernet Franc.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, tobacco and a slight herbal notes.  Also a but of spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, cassis with underlying char.  Lots of depth.  Nice finish.  This won't get better but it is drinking very nicely and should continue for another eight to twelve years.  It works on its own but worked great with mushroom ravioli.  A great example of great

Wow.  This wine is stunning and yet, still on the young-ish side.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is explosive with cassis, dust, mocha, and smoke.  Full bodied.  A seamless texture.  Very firm tannins.  On the palate, cassis, anise, dark chocolate and slight char.  Long finish.  This wine had some air prior to serving but still kept improving over the few hours we enjoyed it.  This should continue to improve over the next five to eight years, but in any event, will drink well for at least another twenty.  There is plenty of fruit to meld into the tannins as they resolve

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.  

A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc.  This was pop and pour and is, of course, young and really needs time or a decant.  That said, it is just an incredible wine!  Inky purple in color, shimmering bright and opaque.  The nose has cassis, cedar, blueberries, chocolate and slight spice.  Full bodied.  Lovely velvety yet sinewy texture.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is tight.  Cassis, black cherries, vanilla, and slight chocolate and char.  Deep.  Tight layers slowly unwind in the glass.  Long finish.  This needs another decade in a cellar and should dr

Any time one gets a chance to drink Screaming Eagle it is a treat.  The definition of a Cult Napa Cabernet.  It is not a particularly big wine but more on the Bordeaux-esque side of Napa styles.  At age 13, this one is still young but getting closer to maturity and has shed its baby fat.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  Those is wonderful with cassis, black cherries, smoke, cedar and sandalwood.  Medium tannins.  Not quite elegant, but not a muscular wine either.  On the palate, black cherries, cassis, cedar and slight leather notes.  Long finish.  This is delicious. 

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 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot.  Inky purple, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, spice and slight tobacco.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, nice cassis flavors.  Clean.  Not a lot of depth or complexity especially compared to the 2015 version of this wine.  Still, nice solid, easy drinking.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  A nice wine with sausage pizza.  

Expectations and hopes.  Its hard not to have them but they do affect ones enjoyment of wine.  This was an excellent wine but for whatever reason, vintage, cork, etc., was not up to expectations.  A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, spice and some cherries.  On the palate, this is amazingly integrated and smooth.  Cassis with some underlying spice.  Not as deep nor complex as this wine can get in other vintages.  That said, it drinks so easily, the bottle is drained quickly.  I

Wow.  This has really started to hit its stride with just a bit of air.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, pencil lead, violets, char and slight spice.  Full bodied.  Incredible texture plush yet slick.  On the palate, lots of cassis, a hint of blueberries layered with earth and char.  Great balance.  Light tannins.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This will continue to mature for another ten to fifteen years and drink well for twenty after that.  Yes, a thirty year wine, but it is so good right now.  Great on its own, this will work well with meat and fowl dishes on

An excellent wine.  Deep purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is classic with cassis, baking spice, cedar and slight roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  On the palate, the cassis comes thru with cedar underneath.  Tannic but mellows with air.  Long finish.  This is drinking quite well and should continue to do so for another 12 to fifteen years.  It drinks great on its own and would also work with roasted brisket.