Last night we opened the 2019 Cliff Lede Napa Valley Claret Bordeaux Blend. Twin Peaks Vineyard Yountville, California. A blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
On the nose the is black cherry, blackberry, fig, black currant, cassis, vegital notes, vanilla and dark soil.
On the palate there is black cherry, blackberry, black plum, black plum, lack currant, bell pepper, chocolate covered cherry and gravel.
This wine is full bodied with a velvety mouthfeel medium to medium + acidity and medium to medium + soft smooth fine tannins that move seamlessly into a long black fruit pencil lead finish. Looks to be a great weekend. Please stay safe and be healthy. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — a year ago
Excellent Napa zin but I definitely get the petite sirah. Nose of plums, figs, jam, cedar. Palate is big with a wave of jammy flavor that peaks with some alcohol and then dissipates over a minute or two with freeze dried strawberries, underripe plum, some wood, and dust. It’s big but that finish really brings it back away from mass produced huge CA zin. Will probably benefit from more time in bottle. — 3 years ago
Medium ruby hue. Aromas of caramel, cassis, jam, pepper, plum, strawberry, tar, vanilla. Palate adds more baking spice and strawberry. Medium body, medium tannins, medium-plus acidity. Plus-length finish. 57% Syrah, 33% Petit Verdot, 10% Malbec. Versatile red blend. — 3 months ago
Delicious. Expressive and composed nose shows sappy cherry, moist loam, graham cracker spice, and a slight resiny note. Very Burgundian. In the mouth it’s quite elegant. Deep fruit in a bone dry package, lots of crushed stone minerality. Very long. Soft texture. Hint of porcini. The only quibble is that alcoholic heat peaks through a teeny bit. — a year ago
A nice cab - from our realtor - purchase of our Paso house! — 3 years ago
This wine is a medium-dark purple in the glass. Aromas of brambly cherry are adorned with anise, leather, pepper and clove notes. On the palate there is red fruit and oak spice with a savory coffee angle. The tannins are firm and the acidity is fresh. A lengthy finish leaves the savory aspect strongest. Pair with any beef or pork, or even a dish based in tomato sauce. — a year ago
This is the Brouilly (not Côte) “Les Marquisats” cuvée.
The nose is outgoing, with deep, ripe, almost jammy dark cherry. There’s also some crushed granite and, unusually, a note of bakers’ chocolate. These all carry through in the mouth. It’s rich, the texture is luxurious, but the acids are a bit low for my traditionalist taste. But that’s what nature handed them in the hot 2020 vintage. A little of the 14% alcohol peaks through in the finish. — 2 years ago
Doug Powers
Blackberry, rich, ripe, dare I say still quite primary fruit, some mountain structure peaks through, nice balance, long finish, needs many more years of aging!! — a month ago