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

Always one of my favorite "value" Cabs in Napa.  It is usually a very concentrated wine that takes some time to unwind.  It probably needs to be cellared longer than i typically allow, but its just so delicious young too.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cassis, blueberries, raspberries, pencil lead, slight floral notes and damp earth.  On the palate there is an elegant concentration to the wine.  Cassis, black cherries with an underlying graphite/earth.  Firm tannins.  Long finish.  This has plenty of concentration that will need some time to unwind.  Perhaps five to seven - minimum.  A

This is from the Regusci vineyard.  It is a step up from the regular Napa bottling.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim but inky at the core.  The nose is tight despite being open for a while.  Cassis, blueberries, a bit of anise with some air.  Also some sandalwood.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Slightly sweet fruit.  Cassis, black cherries intertwined with anise and spice.  A long and persistent finish.  Very tannic right now, this should need about seven to ten years to get to peak but if drinking sooner, a few hours in a decanter.  Certainly some upside here with cellaring.  Drinkin

Purple /ruby in color, purple at the core.  The nose is interesting with cassis, spice and slight mint.  On the palate, this has a juicy texture.  Thick tannins at the moment but those should ease after the first five years.  Nice cassis over a dry earthy dirt.  Good balance.  Long finish.  This is reasonably priced (on Napa Cab terms).  It needs a few years and then should be good for at least a decade.  It is great on its own, but give it  air now.  As a food match, it needs big foods or time.  

This is the top bottling from this winery.  This is a gorgeous Napa Cab that should get even better with about five to seven years of cellaring.  Purple in color, deep ruby at the rim.  Opaque and bright.  The nose is classic with cassis, spice and char and slight touch of fresh cut lumber (that should fade quickly).  On the palate, this is deep and complex.  Firm tannins at the moment.  Nice juicy acidity/fruit - black raspberries over a bit of char.  Long finish.  This is delicious and really demands ones attention.  If opening before 2027, give it a good decant.  This will work with gril

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, black cherries and an interesting iodine note.  This is of course young with firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries over a bit of charred wood.  A very long finish with some warmth.  This wine should start opening up around 2023 and be good for around ten years after that.  If drinking before, give it a good decant.  It will drink well on its own but will need bigger food for now.  Think roasted meats.  

This is the first year that this wine was made.  It is a blend of Syrah and Petite Sirah.  At age 20, this seems to be at peak.  It is drinking great with no signs of being over the hill.  Deep ruby in color, purple at the rim (a nice sign of youth).  The nose is all about boysenberries along with hints of black pepper and some charred wood.  On the palate, this is slightly soft with no tannins left.  It is almost seamless.  Deep and complex.  Boysenberry fruit over a bed of char and dry earth.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This will go with a wide range of medium and heavier fo

This is a blend of 87% Syrah and 13% Petite Sirah.  At age ten this is just starting to come into its own.  We drank this side by side with a 1999 which was illustrative.  Deep ruby in color with some purple swirls.  The nose is big with black raspberries, char and minerals.  A wonderful, full bodied texture.  Black raspberry fruit over a char/mineral/earthy base.  Tight layering with moderate tannins.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This does have some upside as it mature and comes together.  If opening now, give it a few hours in a decanter.  This drinks great on its own and will work well wit

It was nice to revisit this wine that I had tried twice about a year ago.  At the time it was a love it or hate it wine, so I was curious what a year of ageing had done.  It really hadn't done much.  The wines was still about in the same place.  Served to a crowd, it was indeed, love it or hate it.  That was fun.  Magenta in color with some purple swirls.  The nose has cassis, bourbon barrels and is dusty.  On the palate, I found it sweet although others did not.  Loads of black cherry fruit and char.  It is smooth and certainly different.  Probably better on its own than with food.  It doe

Hess is an excellent winery with a long track record.  This wine is one that is a consistently good value every vintage and reasonably easy to find.  Deep ruby in color with purple swirls.  The nose is tight at first, but opens to black cherries, some cassis and some baking spices.  On the palate, the black cherries carry thru.  Light tannins.  Easy drinking.  It might get a bit better with a couple of years of age but should be drunk in the next few years.  This will go great with grilled or roasted foods.  

This is a pretty version of California Chardonnay.  Gold/silver/green in color.  The nose has lemon/lime with a nice minerality.  On the palate, this has lemons, wintergreen, along with slight tannins.  There is some oak here but not burdensome.  It shows up more on the finish along with some lemons.  This has a bit of complexity and is drinking very well.  It drinks well on its own and will work with lighter and medium weight foods.  It should probably be consumed in the next few years.  Full retail is $22 but this can often be found for less.