Drake Wakefield

9.8

Tried at Dana Estates. — 3 months ago

Ed Chin

9.3

This was my least favorite of these DANA’s today. Still pleasant but a bit of time would help round things off and integrate better. — 5 months ago

Scott Kahn

9.1

This wine continues to drink well with filet mignon or without. Bright dark fruit, vanilla oak, some coffee notes, and Rutherford dust! — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.3

VASO cellars is essentially Dana Estate’s third label. However, what makes VASO unique is that while it’s a third label, the fruit that is used is the same fruit that goes in to Dana. No young vines or anything like that here. The main difference is the way it is oak aged.

Enjoyed during the WNH virtual tasting with a theme of 2014 Napa cab, chosen by Carl.

Similar to the ‘12 Sauv Blanc I popped, this is also from Dana’s Hershey Vineyard on Howell Mountain. Due to the ‘14 vintage being one that is drinking fairly well now, I assumed this would be close to pop and pour...wrong. Very tightly coiled on day one. Very crunchy and underripe fruits with herbs and baking spice. Re-corked and gave an hour decant on day two and it was immensely better. Sweet toasted oak, violets, charred plum, baked mixed berry pie with some added herbal flair on the nose. More plush on day two but still flexing those powerful mountain tannins. On the palate it is full of rich dark fruits, dark chocolate, mocha, nutmeg, licorice and quite a bit of graphite. It’s dusty, herbal with a good amount of ripe fruit with nice lift. I’d hold for a few more years. @Mike R , these are very nice wines. Thanks buddy! — 7 years ago

Jack Badavas

9.0

NYE 2018 with Mark, Jules, Dana, Jeff and Alex! — 8 years ago

Albert Wang

9.0

Opened for 2nd anniversary, given to us by Dana and Andy — 9 years ago

Will Phelps

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

9.0

Intense concentration of fruit, lots of oak, really interesting. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

I have said before, they farm some of the best Napa Bordeaux blended fruits. There are likely different opinions on what happens in the winemakers process after harvest. But on pure fruit, yeah they do. This 23 is no exception.

The fruits are ripe, lush, ruby; blackberries, black raspberry w/ awesome purple & blue fruits. It is round, elegant, very balanced. Softly layered baking spices with candied red, dark flowers with violets, rainfall acidity with a finish that lasts two-minutes and lands on moist clay & fruit.

Tasted at Roy Estates. The view from Roy Estate is one of the very best, if not the best view of Napa rolling vineyards. — 5 months ago

AEL

9.0

This is a great Brunello, at a not-crazy price. Heavy, interesting nose w dark fruit and a oregano/basil kind of note. Some chocolate too. Substantial, spicier in palate, long finish. First bottle of half-bottle mixed case from Lower Falls - birthday present from Dana. — 5 years ago

Anna Sangiacomo

9.3

Delicious. Needs a bit of time to open up in the glass. Weekly zoom happy hour with the Ducks ♥️ — 7 years ago

Space

9.0

Выпито 01.04.19 в Dana complex . Безумный, нежный и очень минеральный совиное блан из долины Марльборо. — 8 years ago

Meri AnDana

9.3

2010. Out of our normal drinking style. I loved it, Dana strongly liked it. — 8 years ago

Jeanne gills

9.1

Had nice pour of this at Coastal Kitchen in Dana Point, CA. Went really well with my ribeye. #Winning — 9 years ago

Ted

9.0

Happy Mother's Day to @Janell, @Jeni and @Dana Kennedy. — 9 years ago

with Adrianne, Janell and 1 other

Ed Chin

9.6

My favorite and even at this young age it is a wow! The iron fist velvet glove thing that makes you sit back and wish all Napa cab were made like this. The fruit is still primary and no real tertiary notes but wow the balance and elegant mouthfeel. Complexity, finish, balance it’s all there. The real issue is the cost is prohibitively stupid. Out of my price range but fortunate to try these. Give it 5 yrs and this would be near perfect to my palate. — 5 months ago

AEL

9.0

This is great, except for the part where I opened it 5 years too early. After 2 hours, classy floral nose, with rose petals, something else, and a dusty note. Bottle #2 from the case of half bottles Dana got me. — 5 years ago

Mike R

9.2

Love this wine - amazing for the money - melka made and Dana Estate 2nd label - first time trying the ‘16 vintage - needs a good decant or a few years of rest - try again in two years — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.4

VASO cellars is essentially Dana Estate’s third label. However, what makes VASO unique is that while it’s a third label, the fruit that is used is the same fruit that goes in to Dana. No young vines or anything like that here. The main difference is the way it is oak aged. This SB comes from Dana’s Hershey Vineyard on Howell Mountain.

This is good. Like really good. Would love to try next to Dana’s own SB. 8yrs young and drinking wonderfully...almost shockingly so. This is like a combo of high end Bordeaux Blanc with Aesthete Sauv Blanc. Aromatically, it leaps from the glass with honeyed sea salt, grapefruit, lemongrass and white peach. On the palate, it is so textured and rich, almost creamy. More peach, poached pear, lemon oil, creamsicle, and wet rock. There is good acidity here (still at 8yrs for a Napa SB!), and while the profile is rounded, it’s certainly not flabby. One of the best Napa SBs I’ve tasted and still has a couple years of cruising at peak. I’m going to open my ‘13 soon, but I’m going to hold my ‘15 for a while! Best around cellar temp, don’t get it too cold or it will mute some of the flavors. I owe you for this one, @Mike R ! — 7 years ago

Meri AnDana

9.4

Beautiful pork loin and roasted veg in the new pizza-plus outdoor oven. Delicious meal. Very enjoyable wine. Might like a bit more pow if I’m being picky. Dana says, not pow, but more fuller palette if she’s being picky. — 8 years ago

Neal Schaffer

9.1

@delectable This is a Texan, not a Californian; Texas High Plains AVA to be exact. I'm speechless after this effort... insane character and uniqueness. Has it's own definitive style without losing the soul of Sauvignon Blanc. This is straight up radiating with energy.

My girl wanted in on this review. She's got a way with words that is one in a million 😜 So, here is our combined effort:

"Now featuring: The Green Elixir. Wisps of kiwi swiftly enter the nasal passage on command. Over-ripened sweet cantaloupe charges through leaping over fresh Bosc pears. Similar to walking through a field of freshly cut grass on a midsummer Sunday morning. Upon walking through the renewed grass, you will come across loamy soil, enveloped with sandy silt. Dandelions magically pop up along the adventurous route dancing lazily in the breeze.

Taste consistently bathes, not lingers, but bathes on the palate. Anyone ever kiss a lime rind? Experience it now with The Green Elixir. Sour, yet makes you yearn for more. Granny Smith apples frolic throughout the tastebuds. Heading towards the end of our adventure, straw begins to make an appearance and wants to join in the fun. At the peak of the completion of our endeavor, a special herb comes out to play. Lemon Basil pleasantly surprises you to make sure your finale is more than grand.

*Medium-plus acidity and Medium-minus body

💚🍏🍐🍈🥝🌿🌳🥂"

@Dana Dungan You're are truly one in a million. PIC all the way.

@nakedwines @texas
— 9 years ago

with Dana