Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasted from a Magnum.  This old guard of Napa is doing just fine thank you.  Delicious at age 12.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has cassis, mushrooms, and dust.  With a bit of air, it wakens up showing some chocolate and black cherry notes as well.  Full bodied.  On the palate, sweet cassis fruit with some dark chocolate and slight spice.  It has a nice depth to it.  Medium tannins.  Nice acidity.  This got better all night long.  This should continue to drink well for ten to twelve years.  It works on its own and went very well with a veggie pizza.  

This was from Magnum.  Just a gorgeous, if young, wine.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, coffee, gravel and spice.  What a wonderful texture.  Lots of energy, lush but precise.  Almost understated at first on the palate, it just keeps its presence.  Not a fruit bomb but a lot going on.  Light to medium tannins.  Cassis, chocolate over a gravel base.  Long finish.  This needs a few more years until maturity and should be good for fifteen to twenty years after that.  Great on its own, it will work well with bolder food, say, ribs off the grill or roasted veggies

This is from the Chiles Valley in Napa.  It is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has cassis, dust, chocolate and still showing a fair amount of toasty oak.  On the palate, this black cherry fruit with a bit of cough medicine on the finish.  Showing some complexity as it unwinds in the glass.  This still has some drying tannins to resolve,  Long finish.  This should continue to drink well for another ten to twelve years.  It will work well with a smoked brisket.  

Purple in color, slight ruby hues.  On the nose this has cassis, blueberries, dust and camphor.  Full bodied with firm tannins.  On the palate, black raspberries with black olives and an underlying minerality.  Slight alcohol on the finish but that blows off.  This is an outstanding Napa Cab and while it is expensive, it is still affordable and well worth it for the quality.  Still young, this should improve a bit.  It will need another five to seven years until peak and be good for ten to twelve more after that.  It drinks great on its own and will work well with a steak or a really good b

Another quality wine from this venerable Napa winery.  Sometimes in the rush to try something new, we forget about the old stalwarts.  And, sometimes, that means, the consumer can find some value.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis and baking spices.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this has firm tannins.  Nice depth and complexity as it unwinds in the glass.   Plenty of cassis fruit with an underlying char.  Long finish.  This should continue to develop and improve for another five to seven years and be good for another seven to ten years after that.  It will g

This has really opened up in the last six months.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis and smoke.  Slight baking spices.  On the palate, this has a velvety texture.  Sweet cassis fruit.  Light to medium tannins.  A bit of underlying char which is more pronounced on the long finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue to do so for the next five to seven years.  It is decidedly not a fruit bomb but has persistent fruit.  It works better with food but is good on its own.  A nice pairing with smoked brisket.  

No winery is more synonymous with Napa Valley than Robert Mondavi.  And while they make all sorts of wines and at all sorts of price points, this is the one that epitomizes the winery.  Somehow, they straddle the line between old and new, corporate yet having a sense of place, and making a wine that is affordable and good value for the quality.  The blend of this is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petite Verdot, 5% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc.  It sees 17% New French Oak.  Served at a recent Intowine.com tasting, this was quite a hit.  Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is

Maybach makes great wines.  It is one of my favorite wineries.  Though the wines are expensive, given the quality, they could be even more so.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, blueberries, cedar and spice.  On the palate, this is full bodied with medium to firm tannins.  Loads of cassis with blueberries along with some oak, spice and char.  Delicious.  Deep.  This is young and will continue to mature for the next five to seven years and should be good for ten to twelve more after that.  Delicious on its own, this will need big food such as a steak or roasted veggie

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese which makes it a "Super Tuscan".  It is, however, not expensive and truly a great value.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with black cherries, cherries, baking spices and slight woodiness.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  A nice backbone of acidity.  It has a soft but inviting texture.  Delicious red berry fruit with underlying dry earthiness.  Medium finish.  This drinks great on its own but is better with food.  A great "pizza wine".  It should be good for another five to seven years.  

This is in a great drinking right now.  From Aaron Pott's eponymous winery, it is always fun to say you are having some Pot(t) tonight.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has cassis, minerals/rocks, slight floral notes, and a bit of mint.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is opulent yet not over blown.  Concentrated cassis flavors with underlying gravel and slight herbal notes.  Nice finish.  Tannins are almost all resolved.  This seems to be closed to peak but certainly has five to maybe ten more years left.  Drinks well on its own and maybe a bit better with food.  Rosted meats, fowl or ve