Napa Valley

Purple in color.  The nose is great with cassis, spice, cedar, dark chocolate and a bit of cedar.  On the palate, this is intense fruit.  The wine itself gives an impression of being broad and easy, but the fruit is piercing.  This still needs some time to develop and unwind.  Give it some air.  Flavors of cassis and dark chocolate with firm tannins.  Drunk over two days, this was markedly better on day 2.  Long finish.  

One of the best Zinfandel producers and one of the best Zinfandel vineyards.  What's not to like?  This is a great Zinfandel.  It's always a question when to open Zins.  They drink so well young.  Some of them age great.  This is one that there is no right answer to the question as it seems its always good.  Purple in color.  The nose has raspberries, boysenberries, bramble, black pepper and an interesting iodine note.  On the palate, this has a lush but lively texture.  Great energy to the wine.  Flavors of raspberries and dark cherries intertwines with char and earth.  Great balance.  Lon

Purple in color.  The nose is very nice with cassis, slight cedar, some earthiness to it as well.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  Still some fine tannins.  Plenty of fruit.  Layers of cassis and earth.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  Worked well with hearty vegetarian fare.  I don't think it improves from here and I would drink these up in the next five years or so.  

Amazing wine.  Maybach is right up there with any winery in California, or the world for that matter.  Just spectacular.  Purple to the rim.  The nose has graphite, cassis powdered sugar (thanks George), blueberries and warm earth.  On the palate, this is ripe without being sweet.  Cassis.  Deep.  Tightly layered, it explodes in the glass.  Seamless.  Long finish.  It will change and morph but can it get better?  I suppose so, but it is 100 points right now.  On a night with a lot of Napa stars, this was the groups WOTN.   Wow.  

I love Bevan wines and they drink so well young.  No exception here although I am sure it will last for a couple of decades (mine will be long gone by then).  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, some blueberries, cedar and graphite.  Very nice.  On the palate, this has great ripe cassis.  The fruit is a bit sweet if I am to nit pick and that kept this from getting a perfect score.  I wonder if in a year or two as it all comes together it it becomes more seamless and less noticeable.  I suppose that depends on if it is residual sugar or just ripe fruit.  As we drank this

This was tight and of course young.  It was interesting to compare this to the Nine Suns (2012) to get a glimpse where it might be going.  For my tastes, this was much tighter than the 2015 Realm Moonracer.  Purple in color, magenta at the rim.  The nose has cassis, dust, minerals and spice.  On the palate, it has a beautiful texture.  Rich and lush with plenty of acidity.  Tightly packed, it takes vigorous swirling to open in the glass.  Firm tannins.  Tons of fruit though; cassis, dark cherries along with a nice bit of earth.  Very deep and brooding right now.  Long finish.  Hold on these

Once again, Scarecrow cements itself as possibly the greatest Napa Cabernet being made today.  At least for my tastes it is.  This is young and already it merits a 100 point score.  does that mean it won't improve?  More of a philosophical question as I am sure it will change and mature but better?  Perhaps but this is stunning right now.  Tasted among some of Napa's elite wines, this was my WOTN.  Purple in color, clear at the rim.  The nose has cassis, slight hay notes, blueberries, spice and slight baked earth.  On the palate, this is seamless.  Wonderful balance.  Perfect acidity.  Tann

First time trying this wine from one of my favorite California wineries.  Purple in color.  Thin ruby rim.  The nose is awesome; cassis, cedar, graphite and with air and intersting clay note comes out.  Great texture.  Rich yet juicy yet supple yet lush.  On the palate, black cherry fruit and cassis.  A great underlying minerality.  Tight but unwinds in the glass.  Deep and complex.  Almost seamless.  I suspect another year or two and this merits a 100 point score.  Easily has 2 or 3 decades of life in it.  Wow.  

A wine I had not had before and even though young, wanted to get a handle on it for future buying decisions.  Pop and pour, i did go back after a few hours and revisit this one.  Great wine.  Inky purple in color, magenta at the rim.  The nose has cassis, pepper, spice and a slight celery note which was not over powering and made it interesting.  On the palate, this is rich with kirsch/cassis.  Sort of sweet liqueur from ripe fruit but again in a restrained manner that was very nice.  Lively acidity.  Nice minerality.

Yes, this was too young to drink such a rare bottle, but so it goes...  Pop and pour, I did revisit it after a few hours.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, spice and a slight mineral backbone.  On the palate, this is really elegant.  Silky texture with sinewy tannins.  Great acidity makes it lively and energetic.  Cassis and dark chocolate shavings on the palate with again, a mineral backbone.  Long finish.  This obviously needs 5 to 10 more years before it should be opened, but it was great to get a glimpse into it now.  Hopefully, my friends that i s