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

Though this has become an iconic wine, the beauty of this wine and many others is vintage variation, which produces subtle changes, depending on weather patterns and how the fruit is grown. This is Duckhorn’s most dense and deeply rich Merlot of the past few years, and in fact this is a Merlot dominant iteration (98% Merlot, 2% Malbec). More dark and brooding than previous vintages this one has a beautiful depth to it - deep and rich, blackberry pie, Huckleberry compote, blueberry jam, and light strawberry.

This was a fun wine to try.  19.1% abv.  Bottled in 1998.  Purple in color with some ruby hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, black cherries and some alcohol note.  Viscous texture.  Tannins all resolved.  On the palate, this is sweet but not cloying.  Lots of black cherry fruit.  Warm on the finish but otherwise very  smooth.  Tasty and a nice way to end an evening.  It does have many Cab qualities but also some Port notes, too.  It appears they used to produce this every vintage, but only once since 2004. 

Always great to try one of these!  Still one of the better Cabs coming out of Napa.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, cedar and spices.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this has cassis with slight cedar notes and underlying spice and char.  It is still tight and young but already drinking well.  Ideally, it could us another five to  ten years in the cellar, but otherwise give it plenty of air.  It has a nice complexity that unwinds in the glass.  Great on its own, this would be classic with a steak, but would be great as well with a bowl of hearty c

Pop and pour, this wine is in a great place right now.  Purple in color with slight ruby swirls, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with spice, cassis, earthy and some  hay notes.  Medium tannins.  Full bodied.  Complex.  On the palate, cassis, and black cherries with some char.  Long finish.  At age 15, this seems at peak.  I don't think it will improve but it should still drink well for seven to ten more years.  Great on its own, this will work well at the dinner table.  It went great with a pasta dish and a lentil salad.  

This is in a very nice place right now.  It needs a bit of air to open and then is drinking well.  2012 is an excellent if not flamboyant vintage.  Coupled with this very structured wine and it does need some coaxing.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is classic with graphite, cassis, spice and cedar.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is very concentrated.  Cassis, pencil lead and char.  Long finish.  Great balance.  It is drinking well today but not yet at peak.  This should easily go another twenty years.  Great on its own, this will be excellent with foo

This bottle had been opened at 9:00 am for serving around 7:00 pm.  It wasn't enough, so it got decanted around 6:30.  Still was quite tight so it was left to sit in the glass for another hour where it eventually opened up.  This bottle needs time.  A 24 hour decant might not be out of line at this point.  This is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, slight earthiness, graphite, chocolate and slight roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Lovely texture.  On the palat

This bottle was opened and allowed to breathe for 30 minutes.  Great showing.  At age 17, this is just getting to peak and really firing on all cylinders.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is impressive with cassis, leather, slight damp earth, graphite and char.  Complex and deep.  It makes you take notice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Seamless texture.  On the palate, cassis, plums with char.  Complex and layered.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is fantastic on its own and will work well with all sorts of meat dishes.  It went well also with a pasta prima vera.  Drink

Purple in color, magenta at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is powerful with cassis, blueberries, baking spices, slight char and a hint of graphite.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, cassis and blueberries with underlying char.  Long finish.  This is still youthful and quite large.  I should continue to develop for another ten years.  No harm opening now either.  Drink over the next twenty years.  Great on its own, this would also work well with big fatty dishes from a steak to stuffed cabbage.  

One of the hottest wines in Napa right now, and it is scarce, so it is always a pleasure to open a bottle.  In most vintages, this is a lay down for ten years minimum, but 2017 is a bit more ready to drink young.  Pop and pour, this was singing from the start.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, chocolate, black licorice and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Slightly softer texture but with great balance.  On the palate, juicy black cherries, cassis and slight cocoa notes.  Deep and concentrated, it unwinds in the glass.  Long finish.  This is you

Paraduxx was started in 1994 with the sole purpose of offerings blended wines to the public. Whereas many wineries espouse 100% varietal, the blend is, and always has been, the ability to craft a wine that is greater than the sum of its parts. Though this is 60% Cabernet, there are six other grapes playing a part, including Zinfandel, Grenache and Malbec. This is a soft wine that offers noticeable fruit: black cherry, huckleberry, blueberry and blackberry along with light vanilla, green tea and baked apricot. The tannins help to solidify the structure, being potent but not aggressive.