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

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.

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.  

First time trying this winery.  The winemaker is Jeff Ames who makes some great wines at TOR and other wineries.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, chocolate, slight lumber and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cassis with some cedar and spice.  Tightly layered complexity, it unwinds nicely in the glass.  Long finish.  This will improve with a few years in the cellar but is drinking well now.  Drink over the next twenty years.  Great on its own, this needs big food right now.  Pot Roast would go well.  

Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, black cherries, spice, lumber, and slight cedar.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, nice cassis fruit with some char.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for another seven to ten years.  A nice choice with a burger off the grill.  

Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is  nice with cassis, cedar, camphor and leather.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, plenty of cassis with some char.  Lots of depth.  Complex if still tight.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue to for another ten to twelve years.  It might improve a bit more as it ages.  Nice on its own, this would work well with grilled meats.  

Beautiful wine.  This is a proprietary blend from one of Napa's top producers.  Bettina is the name of the owner's wife.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, chocolate, slight coffee, dust and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Nice balance.  On the palate, this is more on the elegant/Bordeaux style of Napa.  Cassis, black cherries, leather, and coffee with some underlying char.  Lively.  Long finish.  This is drinking well and should continue for another fifteen to twenty years.  Nice on its own, this will work with bigger foods such as P

Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has gun powder and yellow grapefruit.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, grapefruits with underlying char/smoke.  Good acidity.  Slight residual sugar on the finish.  A nice wine, but it sees no oak which makes it suspect that the grapes were close to the wildfires.  Is the "smoke" just from sulfur?   Drink over the next few years.  Better on its own or with some cheeses.  

Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, cedar, blueberries, and spice.  Full bodied with medium tannins.  On the palate cassis with underlying spice and some cedar.  Nice finish.  Drinking well now and should continue for another seven to ten years.  A nice choice with a grilled burger.  

This is a nice solid Napa Cabernet that often shows up on restaurant lists.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, coffee, slight chocolate and a slight herbal note.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, lots of cassis, some chocolate and just a hint of spice.  Nice finish.  This drinks nicely on its own and will work great with a steak or burger.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  

A nice, solid Napa Cabernet.  At 15.6%, this is not shy although the alcohol is not noticeable.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, cedar and spice.  Medium tannins.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this drinks smooth and easy.  Cassis notes with a touch of cedar.  Nice finish.  Drinking well now and should continue for the next five to eight years.  A nice wine with a steak or burger.