Darkly floral and intense, the 2021 Casual Encounters blends black raspberries with cedar shavings, tobacco, and exotic spice. This is elegant in feel, with silken textures and decadently ripe red berry fruits. Cooling acidity maintains a fantastic balance as dark chocolate and balsamic spice firm up the finish, tapering off long and gently tannic. The 2021 is juicy yet expertly balanced. (Eric Guido, Vinous, July 2024)
— 5 months ago
Deep purple in color with a short purplish rim.
Beautiful nose with lots of chocolates and light earth notes.
Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity.
Dry and very fruity on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing black currants, cooked plums, cedar, tobacco, vanilla, dried figs, raisins, licorice, light earth, peppercorn, cola, spices and dark chocolates.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and crushed peppercorn.
This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley. Big and bold. Spicy and tangy. Showing nice complexity at this point.
This 6 year old is drinking beautifully now. Rich yet elegant. Extracted and easy drinking. Well balanced and really delicious.
A beautiful surprise. I had the 2016 a few years ago, and this is drinking much better now. I did not expect it from the 2017 vintage.
Good right out of the bottle, and good by itself as a sipping wine. Robert Parker 93 points.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
15.2% alcohol by volume.
94 points.
$110. — a year ago
Deep inky in color with a short reddish rim.
Pretty nose of red and black fruits with cedar, licorice, light vanilla, tobacco, light bell pepper, herbs, dark coffee, dark chocolates and black tea.
Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with black plums, cooked cherries, black currants, light cedar, earth, herbs, chocolates, black pepper and spices.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a delicious 5 year old Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Howell Mountain.
Elegant, rich and robust. Feels like a Right Bank Bordeaux, which is very interesting to see.
Good right out of the bottle, and better after 2 hours in the decanter. The high alcohol is well integrated now.
Still young, and needs 5 years in the bottle to mature properly. Would continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.
Good by itself or with food. Paired very nicely with my steak and roasted potatoes.
A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot. Aged in (60% new) French Oak barrels for 18 months.
15.1% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$170. — a month ago
We liked it with grilled meats especially lamb chops — 10 months ago
100% tempranillo, aged in oak for 2 years. Deep Ruby with aromas of berry fruits, spice and herb notes. On the palate flavors of cherry and blackberry with notes of oak and black pepper notes. Fine soft tannins, great balance with acidity, long finish ending with fruit, vanilla, oak and slight earthy spice character. Will age short term! — 10 months ago
Excellent. Deep, almost smoky flavor. — 2 years ago
Inky in color with a short reddish rim.
Fruity nose of black fruits, cedar and chocolate notes.
Full-bodied and elegant, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and fruit forward on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing blackberries, black currants, plums, cedar, vanilla, licorice, spices, cooked cherries, herbs and peppercorn.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This 14 year old Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley is just delicious. Bold and beautiful, with a great mouthfeel.
Elegant and robust at the same time. The high alcohol is nicely integrated at this point.
Excellent right out of the bottle, and better after 90 minutes of airtime.
I've had many different vintages of this wine, and it always delivers.
Peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 years.
Robert Parker 95 points.
Good by itself as a sipping wine, and will pair nicely with a big piece of steak.
A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.
14.7% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$150. — 4 months ago
Poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service; enjoyed over period that lasted a few hours. The 2008 pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with mostly fresh, tart, vibrant red fruits: red brambles, red currants and tart cherries with some pyrazines, tobacco, some cool herbs, dry earth and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and bordering high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and the body is perceptibly leaner than both the 1988 and the 2018. That being said, I love its transparency because it is clearly telling part of the story of the vintage. The frost was merciless in Dry Creek in the spring of 2008. So far, the evolution seems slow to me. Drink now with a decant but considering the structure, this has a long life ahead. If I had another bottle, I would open my next after 2028. — 8 months ago
Dark ruby in color with a very short reddish rim. Not showing age at all.
Strong fruity nose with cedar, vanilla, chocolates and black fruits.
Full bodied, elegant and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate and very fruity, with black currants, plums, tobacco, cedar, leather, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, herbs and light alcohol.
Medium plus on the finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.
This 28 year old is still drinking beautifully, but was probably better a few years ago.
Nicely balanced and elegant with nice complexity.
Needed 90 minutes of airtime to open up properly.
Robert Parker 96 points.
I Had this vintage almost 2 years ago, and it was even better then.
A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 4% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot. Aged in French oak barrels for 22 months.
14.1% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$200. — a year ago
"Odedi"
#AgedWineTuesday
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.
Strong nose of black fruits, cedar, spices, chocolates, coffee, licorice, light vanilla and black pepper.
Full bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with black currants, cooked cherries, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, cedar, earth, dark chocolates, licorice, cola, spices, vegetables, herbs and black pepper.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This 17 year old Napa Cabernet Sauvignon feels more like a Left Bank Bordeaux. Fruit forward with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.
Showing great complexity and delicious, but I expected more from this great 2007 vintage. I had the 2001 not too long ago, and it was so much better.
Nicely balanced and good by itself or with food. A good food wine too.
A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot.
14.1% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$350. — 25 days ago