2016 Fairchild Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Stones No. 3 Tench Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A

Interesting bottle with what looks like a pewter disk for a label.  Made by Phillipe Melka.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, tobacco, clay and spice.  Firm tannins.  Great balance.  On the palate this is complex but still very young.  Cassis, black cherries, spice and slight cedar.  Long finish.  This needs another five to ten years in a good cellar.  It should age for fifteen to twenty after that.  Great on its own, it will need big, fatty meats in its youth.  Plenty of upside potential to improve.  

2013 Kapcsándy Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (Grand Vin) State Lane Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Yountville, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
100
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$425.00USD

Wow.  Talk about a Bordeaux styled wine made in Napa, this is it.  Just a beauty.  87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 1% Petite Verdot.  Ruby/purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose is gorgeous, if young.  Cassis, black cherries, blueberries, smoke, tobacco, earthiness, cedar and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great energy.  On the palate, this is complex and tightly layered.  Cassis and black cherries with earthiness and smoke.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is not a huge fruit bomb at all.  Not yet at peak but well on its way.  This has another twenty to thirty

2005 Château Pontet Canet, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$198.00USD

Popped the cork, allowed to breathe for an hour or so.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, slightly flat and opaque.  The nose is classic Bordeaux.  Some Bordeaux earthy funk along with cassis, cigar box and cedar.  Firm tannins.  Nicely balance.  Great texture.  On the palate, this is just about at peak but maybe not quite.  Layered complexity.  Cassis, earthiness, tobacco and slight char.  Long finish with some dark chocolate on it.  Delicious.  Everything one could have hoped for on purchase.  This drinks well on its own but would be great at the dinner table with Roasted Lamb.  It still

2019 Daou Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Patrimony, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$199.00USD

This wine is proof that Paso Robles can make world class Cabernets (in addition to Rhone Varietals).  The Daou brothers second vintage of this wine is very young but easily could be a 100 pointer with some bottle age and development.  As it, it is outstanding right now.  Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, chocolate, graphite, cigar tobacco, and cedar.  Great texture.  Firm tannins.  Concentrated.  Nice balance.  On the palate, concentrated cassis with graphite, and chocolate and slight tobacco.  It unwinds in the glass.  Long finish.  If drinking

2016 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Gran Reserva Especial, Spain, Rioja, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$49.00USD

Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, cedar, dil, and vanilla.  Medium bodied.  Drying tannins.  On the palate, cherries with underlying char.  some depth.  Good balance.  Long finish.  This is a nice, easy drinking Rioja that should drink well for the next ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this is food friendly and would work well with roast meats or veggies.  

2018 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
100
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$340.00USD

This started a bit tight, but with three hours of air, this was absolutely singing.  80% Marsanne with 20% Rousanne grapes from multiple vineyards.  Golden in color with some green hues, clear and bright.  The nose initially shows tightly with limes, some melons and spice.  With air, more notes come out; salinity, butterscotch, almonds but also more melons and slight lemons.  Really complex.  Great "slick" texture with pin point balance and energy.  The palate mirrors the nose and really explodes with lots of air.  Melons, quince, spice, minerality and a bit of almonds on the finish.  Layer

2019 Quinta Essentia Chenin Blanc, South Africa, Cape of Good Hope, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$44.00USD

Silvery gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with limes, slight orange peel, and a slightly burnt note.  Nice, slightly oily texture.  This is dry.  On the palate, limes and a slight bitter almond note.  There is a bit of depth here.  It needs to food to show its best.  Goat cheeses would work well, say a Goat Cheese and Beet salad.  Drink over the next three to five years.  

2019 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant, France, Loire, Savennières,Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$135.00USD

Wow.  Great showing for this.  And, as good as it was on opening, it was even better with a few hours of air!  Golden yellow in color, clear and bright.  The nose has honey, salinity, and crushed shells.  Full bodied.  Slightly sweet with some Botrytis.  On the palate, orange rind, minerality, with good acidity.  A bit of almonds on the finish.  This is complex and deep.  Drinking well with a couple hours of air, this should improve over the next ten years.  It should easily go three more decades.  Just a stunning wine.  It will work with more savory dessert such as a polenta cake but is qu

2012 Cesari Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Il Bosco

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$93.00USD

A blend of 80% Corvina and 20% Rondinella.  Deep garnet in color.  Slightly flat.  The nose is nice with stewed fruits, figs, cherries and spices.  Full bodied.  Nice acidity.  On the palate, prunes, cherries and spice.  Depth.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now.  It is dry but with a feeling of sweetness.  Nice finish.  This is nice on its own but better with food.  It would work well with Eggplant Parmesan.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  

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