Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

This is a producer I have not had for a while. Sofia and I have attended a couple dinners there in the past. They prepared nice menus and created an even nicer presentation in their cellar.

I bought this because I hadn’t had it in a longtime. Also, I do like 21 vintage quite a lot. It was smartly priced enough to bring back some memories and check on their current craft.

Hour and half decent before detailing my notes.

The nose has beautiful ruby, candied lavender & violets. It does show a bit of hot alcohol. Probably flushes out in time. Dark currants, ruby; blackberries, black raspberries, boysenberries, both plums, dark cherries, raspberries and just a whiff of blueberries. Dark chocolate, cedar, fresh & dry tobacco, anise that runs into black licorice with some mid berry cola that wraps it, clove, nutmeg, ground cinnamon to stick, soft vanillin, sweet, dark turned earth with fresh, slightly candied, dark, red flowers wrapped in lavender & violets.

The palate presents a slight alcoholic tongue burn. The M-M+ tannins are round and fairly soft at this stage. The fruits are beautifully ripe; dark currants, ruby; blackberries, black raspberries, boysenberries, both plums, dark cherries, raspberries and just a hint of blueberries. It’s kind of lean and not very complex. Especially, for a 21. Dry cedar & dark spices w/ heat burro into your tongue. Dark chocolate, fresh tobacco, anise that runs into black licorice with some mid berry cola, delicate clove, nutmeg, ground cinnamon to stick, soft vanillin, sweet, dark turned earth, w/ slightly dry leaves, dry crushed rocks/limestone, grey volcanic minerals, dry river-stones with fresh, slightly candied, dark, red flowers wrapped in liquid lavender & violets, beautiful acidity with an elegant, ripe, well balanced, softly tensioned finish that lasts a minute falling onto nice, dry earth, spice with bright fruit overtones.

While you should let this one better integrate for another 3 years or so, I don’t think this bottling is a long cellar vintage for them. Thinking it has a window of another 10-15 years. Maybe, 1 or 2 more w/ excellent storage. Likely will add a point w/ the right age.

A decent Napa Cabernet, but underwhelms given the vintage and other 21 offerings I’ve had from Napa producers.

14.5% ABV seems 15.5% at this point.

I’m sure many of you have noticed the wrong grape varietals on the wrong tabs for some time now. Have you noticed that Delectable hasn’t published new weekly tasting notes for two weeks? Is there anyone still working for the app? Will anyone still be able to read our posts tomorrow or the next days going forward? 🤔 Good thing I have been double posting on CellarTracker for awhile now. — 5 days ago

Stuart Dershaw

9.2

Good vintage. Stone fruit on the palette with good salinity. — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium deep ruby, medium wide garnet rim . A bid rounder and more genourously fruited than the Cantemerle , ripe blackberry , blackcurrant , but some sea spray , oyster shell notes too . Tobacco hints also. On the palate this shows a bit more rounded generous fruit and some grippy , slightly rustic, tannins (more than the Cantemerle) good fresh acidity still . More fruit at first , and a little more glycerine on the palate . Good tobacco , blackcurrant and grafite finish , slightly saline , oyster shell notes also . Good length. This is showing better than the Cantemerle , and a little more generous in terms of fruit and ripeness . Good now but will now doubt age well further over the next 10-15 years . For Sociando Mallet this is a good , really quite accomplished wine. — 2 months ago

Michael Patrone

9.8

Nicely integrated. 3/15/25 — 22 days ago

with Meghana, Carolyn and 1 other

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Quite light garnet , wide terracotta rim . Quite a lot of smoky sous bois, with some light red fruits, sweet dry spices , touch of hickory . On the palate this is pretty evolved and has started to dry out slightly , with some some sweet red currant , dried spices, salty acidity and resolved tannin . Ok , slate tinged finish . Drink now , and probably would have been better a few years ago . — 7 hours ago

Ericsson

9.3

New vintage for me. This estate Cab always delivers, even on what some may call off vintages. — 2 months ago

Robert Stackowiak

9.0

Lemon and oak in balance, so best of California style (though not clean and fresh as you find in French style). At 5+ years old, will continue to age well though fine for drinking now. February 2025. — 2 months ago

Eric Halim

9.4

On nose, Toastiness, blackcurrant, spices, chocolates, floral, sweet notes, complex aroma

On palate, its Elegant structure, silky, mellowed acidity, red cherries, red currants, its bright and fresh. The best cantermele i have tasted so far. — 4 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium ruby garnet , quite wide light garnet rim. Quite round sweet red cherry , spiced strawberry , blackberry , quite fruit driven still . With some tobacco and earthy hints . On the palate this is more red fruited , quite spiced cherry and strawberry with iodine hints and seaside notes . Good fresh acidity and quite rounded ripe tannins . Not particularly dense or intense on the palate , but well balanced and elegant with a reasonable , iron filling tinged finish . This is showing well now , and will continue to do so over the next 5-8 years. From magnum — 6 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Nickel & Nickel exclusively produces 100% varietal, single-vineyard wines that express the distinctive personality of each vineyard. Established in 1997 by the partners of Far Niente. Medium lemon color with aromas of tropical and stone fruit with citrus and toasty oak notes. On the palate flavors of apple, pear and peach, lemon zest, vanilla oak and wet stone notes. Nice balance with tangy acidity on long finish ending with fruit, oak and rich minerality. Classic, very nice! — 2 months ago