Napa Valley

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  This is very tight and in fact, much less forgiving than bottles tried a year and two years ago.  The nose is dusty with black cherries.  On the palate, cassis and medium tannins.  It opens a bit with air, but at this point, it should probably sleep for five years.  If you must open one, give it 8+ hours of air.  There is a nice wine in there once it opens up, but a much higher potential.  

Silvery green/gold in color.  The nose has minerals and wax with slight tropical fruit.  On the palate, this is soft with low acidity but still quite refreshing.  The Semillon seems to dominate at this point.  Blind, it drinks like a ripe white Bordeaux.  Peaches and minerals with some waxiness.  Should work with a lot of foods.  It will be interesting to see how this improves, if at all, with some age.  

This cab is known for being backwards and taking a long time to come around, yet, this, while still in need of cellar time was drinking quite well.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, and spice with some black cherries.  On the palate, cassis, spice and black licorice notes with firm but manageable tannins.  Goof balance and finish.  If drinking before 2013, give it some air, but it should go well with heavier or roasted dishes.  There is certainly some room for improvement.  One of the best Mayacamas Cabs in years!

Do not open this bottle now without a long 8+ hours of decanting.  This is tight as a drum.  86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot.  Bright purple in color.  The nose has cedar and cassis.  With air, blueberries, chocolate and spice emerge.  On the palate, this has an almost seamless texture.  Shut down completely at first though and showing no fruit.  With air the cassis emerges along with a wall of tannins.  It seems like all the pieces parts are there, but in a four hour tasting, it never really opened.  Based on prior history with this winery and how it did sho

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has sweet plums, black cherries and sandal wood.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherry pie.  Delicious if ripe.  Some heat.  This is more of a cocktail wine to be drunk on its own.  It will prove to be a difficult food match.  Perhaps is settles down with some cellaring.  Drink in the next five to be safe but who knows, it might last twenty.  

Inky purple in color.  The nose is gorgeous.  Cassis, violets, cedar and graphite.  Very concentrated.  On the palate, this starts out tight but opens in the glass.  Juicy fruit. Black raspberries and blueberries.  Firm tannins.  Very concentrated, this will benefit from at least five years of cellaring.  It has two decades left.  Long finish.  This needs big food right now, and give it plenty of air.  That said, it is drinking just great from a deliciousness point of view!

Purple in color.  What a lovely nose of cassis, slight cedar, and graphite.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Young but past its childhood.  Ripe but not over ripe.  Cassis layered with cedar and slight mineral note.  Light tannins at this point.  Showing slight tertiary development.  Delicious.  Nice finish.  This will work with bigger foods.  It was nice to drink a Scarecrow with a bit of age on it.  This has a decade and more left on it.  

This is a high end Napa Cabernet.  It needs some time, but it is quite good.  The retail is $95, so certainly it is not within everyone's budget.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis and chocolate.  Also a bit of graphite.  On the palate, those flavors carry through.  The fruit is pretty ripe.  Lots of black raspberry and plum fruit.  Slight heat on the finish that I suspect will calm down with some bottle age.  This should improve by a point or two with a few years in the cellar and be good for a decade after.  Will work with heavier foods and on its own.  

Purple in color.  The nose has cherries, cassis, slight chocolate and spice.  Those flavors continue to the palate.  Light tannins.  This is a tasty, easy drinking wine.  A bit of acidity.  Will work well on its own but also with medium or heavier foods.  Good finish.  

Purple in color.  The nose has plenty of cassis, some cedar, and slight cigar tobacco.  On the palate, this is big ripe cassis fruit.  A bit of mint on the palate as well.  Some spice.  Firm tannins.  This needs a few years and should be good for another ten or more.  This needs big food and will work well on its own.  If drinking in the next few years, give it a few hour decant.  Definitely some upside potential.