Kobalt
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California, USA
An awesome afternoon in the vineyard with Kevin co-owner of Kobalt and then back to his house for a four wine tasting. This 13 is so rich, so lush and concentrated. The fruits are ripe and taste a touch syrupy. Blackberries, olallieberries, blueberries, creamed dark raspberries, dark cherry liqueur, dark earth & minerals that could be served in a candy store, leather, dry florals and concentration of fruit you have to taste to believe. The wine is completely unfiltered and there are chunky tannins in the very first sip. You might want to use a filter when you decant. Kevin and his partner pick their fruit next to last in Napa. They like their Cabernet fruit to not be shriveled but picked just before that stage. Say, just a spot of indentation on the grape. You could drink this wine young but you'd be doing yourself and the wine a disservice. Hold 10 years. Kevin is really nice person who is also a very straight shooter. Thanks for all your time and knowledge.
An awesome afternoon in the vineyard with Kevin co-owner of Kobalt and then back to his house for a four wine tasting. This 13 is so rich, so lush and concentrated. The fruits are ripe and taste a touch syrupy. Blackberries, olallieberries, blueberries, creamed dark raspberries, dark cherry liqueur, dark earth & minerals that could be served in a candy store, leather, dry florals and concentration of fruit you have to taste to believe. The wine is completely unfiltered and there are chunky tannins in the very first sip. You might want to use a filter when you decant. Kevin and his partner pick their fruit next to last in Napa. They like their Cabernet fruit to not be shriveled but picked just before that stage. Say, just a spot of indentation on the grape. You could drink this wine young but you'd be doing yourself and the wine a disservice. Hold 10 years. Kevin is really nice person who is also a very straight shooter. Thanks for all your time and knowledge.
My wife loves it and says 9.5 but the cassis flavor was too much for me
My wife loves it and says 9.5 but the cassis flavor was too much for me
Jul 6th, 2016
From Kevin Carriker (used to work with Mark Herold for the early vintages - not sure about these later ones). Excellent Napa cab that went great with grilled filet mignon. Could easily improve in the bottle for a few more years. Not the best incarnation of Kobalt that I’ve had, but it’s still very good.
From Kevin Carriker (used to work with Mark Herold for the early vintages - not sure about these later ones). Excellent Napa cab that went great with grilled filet mignon. Could easily improve in the bottle for a few more years. Not the best incarnation of Kobalt that I’ve had, but it’s still very good.
Sep 12th, 2021
Losing some steam since I had it last .. starting to show less fruit and more leather, grilled meat juice and smoke! Still very good though!
Losing some steam since I had it last .. starting to show less fruit and more leather, grilled meat juice and smoke! Still very good though!
May 1st, 2020Every time I open this wine, I expect greatness. But this time, it was very pruny and not very good. More prune than fruit. I think it was a flawed bottle. Can’t imagine all of them are like this.
Every time I open this wine, I expect greatness. But this time, it was very pruny and not very good. More prune than fruit. I think it was a flawed bottle. Can’t imagine all of them are like this.
Oct 28th, 2018
3 hour decant, without dropping the decanter this time. Drank over the course of 2 more hours, kept improving but lost the nose. Great bottle, would put this up against many other big napa cabs at double the price. 2013
3 hour decant, without dropping the decanter this time. Drank over the course of 2 more hours, kept improving but lost the nose. Great bottle, would put this up against many other big napa cabs at double the price. 2013
Sep 8th, 2017Bam!!! In your face blueberry pie, black cherries on the nose! Flavors of plum, a little cocoa dust... juicy... delicious after a 2 hour decant and a double take in a Venturi!! Easy 95 points for me!
Bam!!! In your face blueberry pie, black cherries on the nose! Flavors of plum, a little cocoa dust... juicy... delicious after a 2 hour decant and a double take in a Venturi!! Easy 95 points for me!
Sep 18th, 20164 hour decant does wonders on this one,
4 hour decant does wonders on this one,
Sep 2nd, 2016
Dark, dense, ink like... Delicious!!
Dark, dense, ink like... Delicious!!
Aug 31st, 2016Amazing nose. Amazing wine. Man this is drinking stupidly well right now. So surprised that it is comparable to the Realm wines yesterday.
Amazing nose. Amazing wine. Man this is drinking stupidly well right now. So surprised that it is comparable to the Realm wines yesterday.
Aug 24th, 2016