Theorem Vineyards
Voir Dire Diamond Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon
Diamond Mountain, Napa Valley, California, USA
Finally getting around to posting wines from my annual Napa trip from two weeks ago. Always goes by quick! Lots of fun new stops this year.
Theorem was one of our highlights last year, so we made sure a return visit was lined up this year. Base of Diamond Mtn with one of the most beautiful properties I’ve seen. Over the last 12 months, they’ve added a couple new wines (with more to come from Moon Mountain). TRB is the winemaker.
In the running for red wine of the trip. When visiting last year, I preferred the ‘14 (ripe, balanced, savory) over the ‘15 (more acidity, touch lighter, high toned)...this ‘13 takes the best of each and marries them. This is a classic high end TRB Cabernet from a stellar vintage. Truffles raspberries, candied black cherries, cocoa dusted mixed berry pie and graphite aromatics accompanied by sweet blueberries, freshly squeezed blackberries, toffee and espresso, baking spices, and fine grained tannins. Built like a tank. Superb.
Finally getting around to posting wines from my annual Napa trip from two weeks ago. Always goes by quick! Lots of fun new stops this year.
Theorem was one of our highlights last year, so we made sure a return visit was lined up this year. Base of Diamond Mtn with one of the most beautiful properties I’ve seen. Over the last 12 months, they’ve added a couple new wines (with more to come from Moon Mountain). TRB is the winemaker.
In the running for red wine of the trip. When visiting last year, I preferred the ‘14 (ripe, balanced, savory) over the ‘15 (more acidity, touch lighter, high toned)...this ‘13 takes the best of each and marries them. This is a classic high end TRB Cabernet from a stellar vintage. Truffles raspberries, candied black cherries, cocoa dusted mixed berry pie and graphite aromatics accompanied by sweet blueberries, freshly squeezed blackberries, toffee and espresso, baking spices, and fine grained tannins. Built like a tank. Superb.
Theorem Voir Dire is a relatively newer wine made by Thomas Rivers Brown or as some of us refer to as TRB. TRB makes or has made a number of wines which include; Chiarello, Outpost, Schrader, Aston Estate, Boars’ View, Maybach, Rivers-Marie, Seaver Vineyards, Hestan, Casa Piena, Saunter, Wallis, Black Sears, Harris Estate, Kinsella, Jones Family, Travail, Stone the Crows, Pulido-Walker, Post Parade, Riverain, Shibumi Knoll, Hobel, Revana, Ampère, 4 Winds, the Grade, Round Pond, Senses, Mending Wall, Sodhani, Vermeil, Gemstone, and QTR. TRB has made at least 25 💯 point wines in his career.
If you love a big, bold, brooding, luxurious, gorgeous, sexy Cabernet, as Val Kilmer said, in “Tombstone” “I’m your huckleberry”, (2013 Voir Dire).
Its color is dark and well extracted. The nose reveals, rich, ruby lush, fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, concentrated blueberries, black plum, plum, dark cherries and an array of purple fruits. Vanilla, cinnamon, clove, mocha powder, dark chocolate, mellow dark spice, black licorice to anise, sweet tarriness, saddle-wood, rich, dark soil, dry crushed rock powder, limestone volcanic minerals, nice subtle herbaceous notes, very dark fresh & withering dark florals, violets and lavender.
The body is big, bold lush, ruby, and deeply concentrated with big dark, tarry, sticky, well rounded, meaty tannins. The ripe, lush, rich fruits are beautiful and well extracted. The structure is big as is the tension. It has long length and beautiful balance. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, concentrated blueberries, black plum, plum, dark cherries and an array of purple fruits. Vanilla, cinnamon, clove, mocha powder, dark chocolate, caramel, mellow dark spice, black licorice to anise, sweet tarriness, saddle-wood, rich, dark soil, dry finely crushed rock powder, limestone volcanic minerals, nice subtle herbaceous notes with very dark fresh & withering florals, violets and lavender. The acidity is round and nicely done. The long, elegant, beautiful, richly concentrated finish is superb and it persists for minutes.
It is through @Isaac Pirolo who has recently become their VP of Sales & Marketing, I became familiar with their wines and thank him for arranging our visit.
Photos of; Theorem’s Estate vines, Winemaker-Thomas Rivers Brown, Owners-Kisha and Jason Itkin and the Victorian house they renovated on the property.
Theorem Voir Dire is a relatively newer wine made by Thomas Rivers Brown or as some of us refer to as TRB. TRB makes or has made a number of wines which include; Chiarello, Outpost, Schrader, Aston Estate, Boars’ View, Maybach, Rivers-Marie, Seaver Vineyards, Hestan, Casa Piena, Saunter, Wallis, Black Sears, Harris Estate, Kinsella, Jones Family, Travail, Stone the Crows, Pulido-Walker, Post Parade, Riverain, Shibumi Knoll, Hobel, Revana, Ampère, 4 Winds, the Grade, Round Pond, Senses, Mending Wall, Sodhani, Vermeil, Gemstone, and QTR. TRB has made at least 25 💯 point wines in his career.
If you love a big, bold, brooding, luxurious, gorgeous, sexy Cabernet, as Val Kilmer said, in “Tombstone” “I’m your huckleberry”, (2013 Voir Dire).
Its color is dark and well extracted. The nose reveals, rich, ruby lush, fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, concentrated blueberries, black plum, plum, dark cherries and an array of purple fruits. Vanilla, cinnamon, clove, mocha powder, dark chocolate, mellow dark spice, black licorice to anise, sweet tarriness, saddle-wood, rich, dark soil, dry crushed rock powder, limestone volcanic minerals, nice subtle herbaceous notes, very dark fresh & withering dark florals, violets and lavender.
The body is big, bold lush, ruby, and deeply concentrated with big dark, tarry, sticky, well rounded, meaty tannins. The ripe, lush, rich fruits are beautiful and well extracted. The structure is big as is the tension. It has long length and beautiful balance. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, concentrated blueberries, black plum, plum, dark cherries and an array of purple fruits. Vanilla, cinnamon, clove, mocha powder, dark chocolate, caramel, mellow dark spice, black licorice to anise, sweet tarriness, saddle-wood, rich, dark soil, dry finely crushed rock powder, limestone volcanic minerals, nice subtle herbaceous notes with very dark fresh & withering florals, violets and lavender. The acidity is round and nicely done. The long, elegant, beautiful, richly concentrated finish is superb and it persists for minutes.
It is through @Isaac Pirolo who has recently become their VP of Sales & Marketing, I became familiar with their wines and thank him for arranging our visit.
Photos of; Theorem’s Estate vines, Winemaker-Thomas Rivers Brown, Owners-Kisha and Jason Itkin and the Victorian house they renovated on the property.
Just starting to unfold after a couple hours. Staining purple. Ethereal and huge, graphite and underbrush, charcoal and blackberry, creme de cassis and licorice, grilled meat and cedar, pen ink and pencil shavings, and two of my favorite protagonists in wine, Napa mountain fruit and Thomas Rivers Brown.
Just starting to unfold after a couple hours. Staining purple. Ethereal and huge, graphite and underbrush, charcoal and blackberry, creme de cassis and licorice, grilled meat and cedar, pen ink and pencil shavings, and two of my favorite protagonists in wine, Napa mountain fruit and Thomas Rivers Brown.
Jul 11th, 2016The 2013 Voir Dire has more left bank character than the 14 and 15, which is probably why it’s my favorite, but picking a favorite will never be easy.
From left to right, Eddie Vedder, Ray LaMontagne, and Ben Harper. So similar, yet so different. Similarity in cadence and tone. Distinction in texture and polish. Familial resemblance, yet clearly individual.
The 2013 Voir Dire has more left bank character than the 14 and 15, which is probably why it’s my favorite, but picking a favorite will never be easy.
From left to right, Eddie Vedder, Ray LaMontagne, and Ben Harper. So similar, yet so different. Similarity in cadence and tone. Distinction in texture and polish. Familial resemblance, yet clearly individual.