Paul T HB

9.6

The Vineyardist 2nd label.
This one surprised me by how much air it needed to open up. Had a splash on day 1 and immediately corked it back up for a day 2 decant. Definitely not an over extracted Cabernet just to please the masses. My ratings might be higher than others but I work these wines to get the best out of them.

Interesting note I found-

The Vineyardist is a Diamond Mountain property with a long history. In the late 19th century it was purchased by a Dutch shipping captain who planted vineyards and made wine. During prohibition the vineyards were replaced with nut and prune orchards. In 2000 the property was purchased by Dirk Fulton and Becky Kukkola, who began replanting some of the 80 acres to vineyards. — 21 days ago

Nathan Renfro

9.8

2017 Calarcadia Vineyard. Hour decant, even more would be best. But wow, the nose on this screams black and blueberry pie. very dark. Blue fruit, blackberry, cassis dominate up front. Graphite, black licorice come through with a lovely silky mouthfeel. Tannins superfine and silky, perfectly balanced. Incredible wine that’s drinking great now with a short decant. — 2 years ago

Eric B

9.2

Nice trio of The Vineyardist wines today. LSR was my favorite. — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.2

My last of a 3-pack purchased from a winery visit in 2021. While the prices of their wines have gone beyond my personal threshold (and Julie is no longer there), it remains one of my favorite winery experiences after 10+ visits to the valley.

I don’t often drink Sauvignon Blanc, but this has consistently been a favorite (though Mowe’s SB now holds that title). Structure and profile wise, this 2019 is still quite fresh. While acidity has always been there, my favorite quality of this wine on release was the more ripe/rounded profile (which is still prevalent today). Citrus, honeysuckle and mineral aromatics with a fresh vein of acidity. Herb crusted underripe tropical fruits with a nice waxy profile. Powerful. Enjoy now or in the semi-near future. — 5 months ago

Nathan Renfro

9.8

Incredible wine. Lovely floral nose. Very dark. Very approachable, with softened silky tannins. Full to medium bodied. Dark black and blue fruit. Really really good. — a year ago

Nathan Renfro

9.4

Deep ruby colored, beautiful. Dense in the mouth. Deep red plums, chewy blackberry, herbs. Long finish. This is after 1.5 hour decant. — 5 years ago

Nathan Renfro

9.6

BlackBerry jam nose. Needs a nice decant at this stage. Tannins softened and luscious, nice acidity, ripe black fruit, licorice, tobacco. Nice finish. Gonna let my other bottles sit for a couple years. Great wine but I think it needs more time to evolve and open up. — 6 months ago

Nathan Renfro

9.8

Wine of the night! Just barely. Two great wines over steak dinner. Black and blue fruit shine with a juicy scent. Perfectly balanced. Acidity just right med +. Tannins are soft yet powerful giving it a more defined mouthfeel. Nice finish. A near perfect wine and definitely one of the best 2017 Napa cabs I’ve had. — a year ago

Nathan Renfro

9.4

Fantastic wine! Big blue fruit up front, black as well, with great sweetness and nice minerality. Beautiful finish! Give it an hour decant and enjoy! — 4 years ago

Eric B

9.5

Awesome as always. Taste of apples. 1 of Ben's 6. Thanks! — 10 years ago