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

Very solid Napa Cab that is drinking quite well.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, slight cassis, baking spice and slight cedar.  On the palate, this has light tannins.  The black cherry fruit comes thru over the oak/spice.  Nice balance.  This is very food friendly but not for the lightest of foods.  It worked great with some spicy chili.  This should continue to drink well for the next five to seven years at least.  

The 2013 Napa Cabs were released with a lot of fanfare, and justifiably so.  It seemed, however, that they shut down very quickly and hard.  Now, at age 7, they are starting to open back up and while, as a general rule they have lots left, many are drinking quite well.  I don't remember a Napa Cab vintage that shut down so hard so quickly and reopened so quickly as well.  In any event, this was opened and allowed to breath for 30 minutes and then served.  It was beautiful.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  On the nose, there is cassis, slight black cherries, roasted herbs, nice minerali

  This is a blend of 87.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec and 1.5% Petit Verdot.  It is a big wine that seems like it will still get better with cellaring.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has cassis, dust, and an interesting citrus quality.  On the palate, this is very concentrated.  Notes of cassis, some dark chocolate and orange peel (?) come thru.  It is deep with firm tannins that will need time to open.  Long finish.  This needs another five to ten years of cellaring and should be good for ten to twelve after that.  Right now, it should be given an eight h

Bob Foley is one of Napa's great winemakers.  This is from his eponymous winery.  It is a typical Bob Foley Cab which is to say, big and fruit while at the same time, ageable and having a sense of class.  It is still quite young right now.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, sandalwood and baking spice along with a touch of pencil lead.  On the palate, this has sweet cassis fruit.  Firm tannins.  It is drinking well on its own today and will take bigger food to not be overwhelmed.  However, with another ten years this should mature nicely into something that will be more flexible.  It s

Heitz Cellars is one of the more iconic wineries in Napa.  While they made their name from the single bottling of Martha's Vineyard, the regular Cabernet is very nice as well.  It also ages quite well.  At age 13, this one is drinking quite well.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim; this is bright and mostly opaque.  The nose has cassis, cedar, slight sandalwood, and a bit of cherries.  On the palate, there are more black cherries but the cassis is still there too.  This is clean.  Some level of depth.  Tannins seem fully resolved but not past prime.  Good finish.  This probably should be con

Gorgeous wine in a great place right now.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, slight roasted herbs and hints of cherry cola.  Full bodied.  Silky but full texture.  Lots of black raspberry and black cherry fruit over gravel, char and scorched earth.  Nice acidity.  Complex, deep; the layers unwind in the glass.  Still some tannins left.  Long finish.  Just abot at peak but should have a decade to go at this level.  Works great on its own and will work with roasts and grilled food.  

Petite Syrah or Petite Sirah?  Same grape and one that can really age well.  At age 26, this is drinking quite well.  Purple in color.  The nose has boysenberries, spice and dust.  With air, a bit of gravel.  On the palate, this is full bodied.   Boysenberry fruit, dried fruit and slight dry earth.  Slight depth and complexity.  Tannins all resolved.  Good acidity.  Moderate finish.  This probably is a bit past prime but certainly should continue to provide good drinking for five to ten more years as it slides downhill.  It really needs food.  Burgers or steaks would be great.  

This is "cellared and bottled" by Precision Wine Co., but that is really all I could find out about the wine.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis and a grapey quality.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet.  One dimensional.  Drinks easy.  Black raspberry fruit.  Clipped finish.  Lacks much acidity or energy.  The kind of wine that, for the right price, it fine to serve at large events.  

This is a relatively affordable Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Light silvery gold in color.  The nose has lots of yellow grapefruits.  Slightly oily texture.  More yellow grapefruits on the palate.  Good acidity.  Good finish.  This drinks easy on its own and will work well with lighter foods.  It should be drunk in the next couple of years.