2018 Antica (Antinori) Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Select, USA, California, Napa, Atlas Peak, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$58.00USD

Antica is the Antinori property in Napa.  It is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc.  Ruby in color with purple swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, spice and char.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this was tight at first, but kept opening all night.  Cassis, black cherries and slight tobacco notes.

2020 Gentleman Farmer Wines Chardonnay, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$49.00USD

A middle of the road in style, Napa Chardonnay.  14.5% abv.   Yellow/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lemons and slight vanilla.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, almonds, spices, minerals, and with some air, lemon crème.  A slight bitter almond note on the finish.  This is drinking well on its own and would be a nice wine with seafood, pork or veggies.  Salmon is a great choice.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

2018 North Coast Wine Club Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This is made from purchased grapes in northeastern Ohio.  For $30, this is certainly competitive or better than most similarly priced Napa Cabernets on our grocery store shelves.  Very impressive.  Purple in color with some ruby hues.  The nose has cassis, plums, baking spices and slight forest floor.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this opens with about 30 minutes of air.

2019 Mending Wall Petite Sirah Palisades Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$70.00USD

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

2019 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$105.00USD

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

2014 Kapcsándy Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (Grand Vin) State Lane Vineyard, USA, California, Yountville, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$312.00USD

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

2020 Kirkland Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
85
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$15.00USD

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.  

2017 Abreu Madrona Ranch, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$530.00USD

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.  

Duckhorn 2018 Howell Mountain Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$105.00USD

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.

2013 Quintessa Red Wine, USA, California, Napa, Rutherford, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$175.00USD

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.  

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