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

This is the base wine for this winery.  Only 44 cases produced.  Inky purple, opaque and bright.  The nose is tight on opening but after an hour or so, this opens nicely to show cassis, char and slight cedar notes.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, cassis, blueberries, and cedar.  A long finish  with some cola notes.  This is delicious.  Still young, it needs a couple more years in the cellar and then should drink well for ten to fifteen more.  Great on its own, it will need big food at this point.  Perhaps slow braised beef short ribs would be nice.  

This is a wine from star winemaker Andy Erikson and comes from vineyards on Atlas Peak and Soda Canyon.  First time trying this wine and it was excellent.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is lovely with cassis, chocolate, blueberries and cedar.  Lush texture.  Very tannic at this point.  On the palate, cassis, cedar and char.  Long finish that goes forever.  This is, of course, young, but already performing great.  Still, a few more years in the cellar and then drink for twenty to twenty five after that.  Better on its own right now but once it settles down, this would be

The grapes sourced for the Cabernet is like a who’s who of exceptional areas: Pritchard Hill, Howell Mountain, Calistoga – all definitive Cabernet growing areas. This wine offers rich and deep blackberry, black cherry, boysenberry with back notes of plum, macerated black currant, red raspberry and cocoa powder. Though the oak influence is evident  (aged 22 months in 82% new French oak) it is not overwhelming. This drinks beautifully - the kind of pure enjoyment you want in a Napa Cabernet. 663 cases. ORIGIN: Napa Valley. ALCOHOL: 14.5%

Pallisades is one of the great Petite Sirah vineyards and Carlisle really nailed it with the 2016 vintage.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with boysenberries, gravel, blueberries and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Boysenberries, black cherries, blueberries with underlying gravel.  Clean.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now but still young and may improve.  Drink over the next fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this would work well with grilled meats.

This property has since been purchased by Realm Cellars.  Only five cases of this 100% Grenache wine were produced.  Inky Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, clay and chocolate.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, black cherries with underlying char.  Plenty of depth and complexity.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for another ten to fifteen years. It is great on its own and would work very well with a hearty meat or vegetarian chili.  

This is their middle level Cabernet.  Purple in color, some ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, coffee, graphite, dark chocolate and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is seriously good.  Lush cassis, graphite and spice.  This drinking great and should continue for ten to fifteen more years.  Great on its own, it will work great with Prime Rib.  

Detert is more known for it Cab Franc, but this was excellent as well.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, spice, coffee, and slight earthiness.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  good balance.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cassis, baking spice and slight tobacco.  Deep.  Long finish.  Ripe but not a fruit bomb.  Drinking well now, it will get better over the next five years.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this will work well with pork chops.

Luna made some nice wines.  This was certainly one.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, milk chocolate, spice, and slight plums.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this is easy drinking but also has some depth.  Chocolate covered cherries with a slight bit of undergrowth.  Good finish.  Nice on its own, this is a classic burger wine as well.  Drink over the next ten years.  

This winery recently sold.  While the former owners, Napa legends Carole Meredith and Steve Lagier, are entitled to work a bit less, the wines will be missed.  Quality Syrah (and others) at very fair pricing.  This one is no exception.  2009 was a good vintage provided the grapes were harvested before the early fall rains.  It would appear these were.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, black pepper, slight gamey meats.  Medium to full bodied.  Very concentrated.  On the palate, light tannins.  Plenty of black raspberry fruit with some black pepper

Wow.  Stunning wine.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with coffee, cassis, blueberries, spice and graphite.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  This is a really big wine, but it has that lightness and deftness that belie its size.  Great velvety texture.  On the palate, cassis, coffee, blueberries and spice.  Long finish.  Delicious.  It is still young and will no doubt be a 100 point wine in a few years.  No harm opening now, but waiting three or four years will be rewarded.  Drink over the next twenty years.  It will need big food to match with such as Standing Rib R