Napa Valley

This is a nice almost old school California Cabernet.  Thought there is plenty of fruit, I would not call it a fruit bomb.  More of a middle ground style of wine.  It is aged for two years in American oak, 50% new.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, cloves, and nutmeg.  On the palate, this has cassis over a dried wood quality.  Good acidity.  Medium to full bodied.  13.8% ABV.  Good finish.  This is still young but is drinking well.  It works a bit better with food though its fine on its own.  Think stews and casseroles.  It should continue to mture for five to seven m

This is a Bordeaux blend with 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 23% Cabernet Franc.  It is a bit more understated than the Cabernet from the True Vineyard.  Drinking well now, this improved with a bit of air and really needs a few more years in the cellar.  But it is fantastic right now.  People who prefer Bordeaux will probably prefer this to the Cab and visa-versa.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, slight blueberries, milk chocolate, cigar box, vanilla and spice.  Yes, there is a lot going on.  On the palate, this has a wonderful texture.  Compl

This is a very nice value in Napa Cabs.  Of course, it is still an expensive wine, but that happens in Napa.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, sandalwood and other spices, and cigar box.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is big but not over the top.  Lots of cassis with underlying earthiness/tobacco.  It is delicious.  Still young, this should easily mature for the next decade and probably two.  Drinking quite well now though.  It will go well with roasted meats or veggies.  

This is the base bottling from one of the better producers of Napa Cabernet.  The grapes come from Larkmead Vineyard.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, spice, and a bit of floral notes.  On the palate, this is lush.  Medium tannins.  Lots of cassis over a bit of dry earth and slight vanilla.  Long finish.  This will continue to mature and improve for another five to ten and be good for another decade and a half after that.  It is delicious right now on its own and will need bolder foods.  As it matures it will offer a broader array of possibilities.  

This is interesting.  I normally prefer a Rose to be young (with a couple of important exceptions) but this still tasted youthful at 5 years from vintage.  It is made from Merlot and a bit of Cabernet Franc.  Orange/salmon pink in color, clear and bright.  The nose has watermelons, strawberries and slight hay.  On the palate, this is clean with just a touch of acidity.  Cherries and strawberries.  Nice finish.  This will go with anything from a light salad to a burger or fowl.  

My first time trying this wine.  William Segui works closely with Thomas Rivers Brown at Rivers Marie, Outpost and other TRB projects but this wine is he and his wife's own project.  The vineyard has been in his wife Mary's, family for 70 years.  The wine itself is excellent and for their first time at bat, they hit a home run.  Inky purple in color, magenta at the rim.  Pop and pour, this took some time to open and was still getting better when the last drop was consumed a couple hours later.  Bright and opaque.  The nose is really unique.  Sure, it has cassis and a bit of blueberries, but

Always a top Chardonnay known for its richness, this does not disappoint.  Light golden/green in color.  The nose has tropical fruits, melon, and a bit of a vanilla/floral note.  Very pretty.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  Enough acidity to make it lively.  Melons with a touch of butteryness.  Long finish.  It is a delicious wine and drinks well without food.  It will work with richer foods or even a lighter salad.  Drinking at peak right now, no hurry but probably should be consumed in the next five years.  

Scott Palazzo makes some mighty fine wines out in Napa.  This one is no exception.  This is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon hence the "Right Bank" name.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is very nice with black cherries, cherries, a bit of dark chocolate, slight cigar box and spice.  On the palate, this has a lush texture but is by no means a fruit bomb.  Good acidity.  This will work well with a wide variety of foods especially roasts.  There are still tannins present and this did improve a bit with air.  It should continue to improve for the next few ye

Randy Dunn's wines are notorious for taking a long time to open and develop.  A recent 1997 Napa was in great shape and just entering a drinking window.  So it was with some trepidation that I tried this wine.  It was actually drinking nicely, if tannic, tight and in need of a long sleep.  For those who like big tannins, perhaps they might open one now, but the price on this and its potential really do speak to showing some patience.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cassis, some char and spice.  On the palate, this has firm tannins but persistent cassis fruit.  Deep but hard to see the bo

This is a blend of grapes from Napa (Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Malbec and Petite Sirah) combined with Syrah from Sonoma.  It is a pretty big and jammy style of red wine.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, graphite, baking spices and a bit of chocolate.  Rich texture.  A nice varietal complexity.  Light tannins.  This is ready to drink now.  Lots of purple and dark red fruits.  Tasty.  Probably better served as a glass on the deck but it will work with bolder foods.  Probably best if drunk in the next year or two as the exuberance and energy are what this wine is all about