Expert articles and wine tasting videos profiling wines from California, California wine regions, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, & more.

2021 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon elle, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$150.00USD

The fruit for this came from the Lewelling Ranch vineyard.  Inky purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose is deep with cassis, boysenberries, dark chocolate, black pepper and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is tight but opens with air.  Delicious.  Flavors of cassis, dark chocolate, slight forest floor and spice.  Long finish.  If drinking soon, give it a long decant but better yet, wait a few more years and then drink over the next  twenty.  Great on its own, this will work with big fatty dishes (not seafood).  

2011 Rhys Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Cruz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

Great showing for this wine at age 14 (and not the best vintage).  Deeper golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose shows slight oxidation along with lemon creme, slight vanilla and minerality.  Full bodied.  Nicely balanced.  On the palate, this is layered and complex.  Still plenty of fruit but also some tertiary notes of dried fruits, earthiness and nuts.  Long finish.  This is mature and seemingly at peak or slightly past.  It begs for food and would go nicely with Fruit Salad but also scallops.  Drink up.  

2022 Kutch Chardonnay Bohan Salt Point Block Sonoma Coast, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

Another great Kutch wine. His Chardonnays (and Pinots) are really top notch. Light golden in color, clear and bright. The nose is great with red apples, slight vanilla and spice. Medium to full bodied. Crisp acidity. On the palate, this is concentrated but unwinds nicely in the glass. Great texture. Flavors of apples and maybe some pears. Long finish. This is delicious and drinks very easily. Great on its own but better with food. A nice choice for rich seafood as the crispness will lend a nice foil. Drink over the next ten years.

2016 Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Materium, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$335.00USD

Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, blueberries, cedar, slight graphite and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious if still youthful.  Flavors of cassis, blueberries, graphite and spice.  Complex but tight, it unwinds in the glass.  Long finish.  This drinks great on its own and would be nice with roasted meats, fowl or squash.  Drink over the next twenty years.  

2005 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$225.00USD

This is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec and the remainder Petite Verdot and Merlot.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, graphite, plums, and char.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Nice balance.  On the palate, this seems fully mature but not showing much age past that.  Lovely texture.  Flavors of cassis and plums with underlying earthiness and char.  Long finish.  This should stay at this level and drink well for another ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this will work with many foods (not seafood).  Brisket would work well.  

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