Cabernet Sauvignon

Comprised entirely of Cabernet Sauvignon, this differs from many Napa Cabernet in that there is a quiet rusticity to this wine. Rather than bright up front fruit, the fruit here is rather muted, offering blackberry, light blueberry, Rainer cherry, cocoa powder and white pepper. The tannic structure is fairly tight with a dusty, earthy quality. The light oak aging in all French oak provides the vanilla and campfire notes while giving the tannins room to exercise their importance in balancing the wine.

A rich and opulent style of Cabernet, this benefits from decanting, but it is less about tight tannins and more about letting the fruit open up to show its macerated side. This 100% Cabernet is replete with traditional Cabernet notes; blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and boysenberry. The oak aging brings on the vanilla and fine-grained tannic structure. The rest of the wine fills out with green tea leaf, sandalwood, earthy fruit, wild berries and moderate acidity.

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Oakville district in Napa.  Tasted blind, this seemed a bit older than a current release.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, slight cedar and char.  Full bodied.  Medium  tannins.  On the palate, this is drinking well.  It is more elegant than a big fruit Cab.  Flavors of cassis with spice and char.  Long finish.  Drink over the next eight to twelve years.  It would be an excellent choice if fairly priced at a Steakhouse.  

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from three different vineyard blocks in Calistoga. BA2 | Venge’s Bone Ash Vineyard Block 2, Calistoga, Estate LC9 | Larkmead’s Estate Vineyard Block 9, Calistoga, and CDM | Cavey Vineyard’s Diamond Mountain Estate, Calistoga.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, iodine, iron and chocolate.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is complex.  Young but already accessible.  Flavors of cassis, chocolate with nice minerality.  Good finish.  This is drinking well and should for the next fifteen to twenty years.  It is nice

Tasted blind with other wines including the 2013 Bard.  It was close and although I think this is the better wine, I found the 2013 a bit better on the evening.  It is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 5% Petite Verdot.  Inky purple in color and shimmering bright.  Opaque.  The nose is big with cassis, graphite, slight earthiness and char.  A bit tight.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is young and tight.  Very ripe, this needs time.  Flavors of cassis, blueberries, spice and cherries.  Long finish.  Hold for five years and drink for thirty after that.  Bett

Nice to revisit this wine in a blind setting.  It is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, black olives, graphite, chocolate and char.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins. Soft texture.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is complex and deep.  Tight layers of fruit and starting to show tertiary characteristics.  Cassis, earthiness and char.  Long finish.  This is great on its own and with a bit of air, will work with hearty meat dishes.  This should still improve.

What a fantastic showing for this wine (again)!  It is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petit Verdot.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is explosive with cassis, graphite, cedar and slight cigar box.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great texture.  On the palate, this is a big wine with cassis, tobacco, spice and char.  At first, the finish was a bit harsh but that smoothed out with just a bit of air.  Long finish.  This is great on its own and will work well with roasted or grilled meats.  At age 11, it is still young and should have twenty years left ahead of it.  

Mending Wall offers some of the "more affordable" Cabernets that Thomas Rivers Brown makes (but prices seem to be rising).  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, crushed gravel, slight cedar and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great texture.  On the palate, there is juicy cassis fruit with some underlying gravel, char and some spice.  Long finish.  Of course, this is very young.  Cellar for a few more years and then drink for ten to fifteen after that.  Great on its own, it will become more food friendly as it ages.  If drinking soon, go with bigger (and fatty) food

Another great Thomas Rivers Brown cabernet.  This is their basic Cabernet which has unfortunately gone up in price recently.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, cedar, with nice minerality.  Medium to firm tannins.  Nice balance.  On the palate, this is concentrated with cassis, some black cherries, spice and char.  Long finish.  This is still youthful but drinking well.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  Great on its own, this is in a great place to take to a steak house.  

One of the best vintages yet for this wine and one of the more affordable reds in the Realm portfolio.  It is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 5% Petite Verdot.  Purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose is great with cassis, blueberries, chocolate, graphite, and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cassis, blueberries, some dark cherries with spice and slight char.  Long finish.  This is young and would benefit from additional cellaring.  It should drink well for another twenty years.  Great on its own, this would be great