90 / A-
Tasted by Mike Supple - 10 Dec 2008
Medium lemon-green core with a bright, clear rim. Huge aromatics in the glass. Lots of ripe green and yellow pear with a tropical pineapple hint are all surrounded by plenty of toast, nutmeg and wet slate. Toasty on the front palate with new oak around yellow apple and pear with a core of creamy lemon. Rich and full bodied with great acidity and a spicy nutmeg and cream finish.
90 / B
Tasted by Mike Supple - 19 Dec 2008
Dark ruby/purple core with a ruby rim. Raspberry, cocoa powder and orange zest on the nose followed by cooler blueberry notes with a touch of graphite, earthy violets and spicy vanilla. Sweet entry on the palate with ripe cassis, black cherry and blackberry dominating. Medium bodied with fairly bold tannins through the finish. Touch of charcoal and plenty of toasted vanilla and oak join the sweet fruits on the finish. Not quite enough acid to balance the fruit, making it just a touch cloying.
91 / A
Tasted by Mike Supple - 11 Dec 2008
A pale salmon color in the glass, producing very pink foam. Strawberry and toast surrounded by yeast, coconut and gummy peach candy with a wild brine hint. Rich on the palate with aggressive mousse and nice bold acidity. Candied strawberries backed by dark raspberry lead to red delicious apples and a hint of caramel on the finish.
There is no better New Year’s resolution than to drink more sparkling wine - it is not only for special occasions! Finding a rose produced in the traditional method perfected in Champagne at this price is almost unheard of. A delicious, complex and rich sparkling wine that is, most importantly, affordable. 52% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir.
93 / A-
Tasted by Mike Supple - 02 Dec 2008
Dark core with a bright ruby rim. Ripe, rich and smooth aromas of plum, black cherry and cassis fruits are surrounded by sweet vanilla, coconut and hints of banana with a darker charcoal tone. Dark entry in the mouth with smooth, dark plum and cherry accented by spicy cinnamon and nutmeg. The fruits are sweet and dark making a lush and full bodied yet very balanced wine that is easy to drink with low tannins and great acidity. Lingering flavors of strawberry surrounded by baking spices and vanilla cream. Delicious!
90 / B+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 04 Dec 2008
Medium yellow core with a bright, clear rim. Ripe tropical pineapple aromas accented by light oak, yellow apples and a soothing hit of marjoram. Classic Napa Chardonnay on the palate. Medium bodied with light notes of cream and toasted oak surrounding yellow apple and pear fruits. Fresh, flavorful and a nice lingering finish.
89 / B-
Tasted by Mike Supple - 24 Jan 2008
Dark purple core with a purple and pink rim. Aromas of candied red cherry and citrus zest float over notes of citronella and a touch of earth. As the wine opens, the fruit aromas expand, bringing rich sweet blueberry to the mix. Big in the mouth with nice chewy, dusty tannins. The sweet dark fruits on the front are joined by wet stone, light herbals and a hint of earth. The finish is long, with ripe cassis and red cherry flavors.
A well known classic Napa Cabernet, and a name people will recognize as a quality bottle of wine. Fine for dinner if your girlfriend’s dad is coming over. Otherwise, save your money.
89 / B+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 24 Sep 2008
Dark ruby (almost black) core with a brighter ruby rim. Lots of leather, earth and charred oak aromas over sweet cherry and cassis, with a hint of soy sauce. Smooth, easy entry onto the palate. Medium body and well balanced acidity. Ripe red cherry and blackberry fruits are backed by flavors of coffee, vanilla and a touch of earth. Cherries and fresh cream linger on the finish. Very fine grained tannins make this pleasant to drink now, but will also allow the wine to age for another 3 - 5 years.
This is a great value for Cabernet Sauvignon coming from Sonoma - and it has fortunately stayed largely out of the spotlight of the major critics…until now. Cab of this quality can easily run you up $40 or more, so finding this wine at half that price is a steal. There is plenty of body and fruit to satisfy all you monster Cab fans, yet the wine remains balanced and elegant enough to go very well with a meal. Just enough oak in the winemaking adds great complexity of flavors (coffee, soy sauce) that complement the fruit in the wine. This is a great bottle to pull if you are meeting your date’s parents for the first time. Everyone respects a good Cab, and this one clearly fits the bill.
88-92 / B-
Tasted by Mike Supple - 10 Oct 2008
Dark purple core with a lighter ruby rim. Cherry and cola aromas backed by dark wet earth, all surrounded by rich kitchen spices – vanilla and fresh ginger bread. Smooth entry on the palate with a quick build to a full-bodied wine with plenty of tannins. The fruit seems to be hiding under the tannins and massive oak. Give this massive wine a few years in the cellar to allow it all to integrate.
This is way too young to get a grasp of what it will really be like. At the moment there is way too much tannin and oak, and the fruit is really muted. If it settles well, it could turn out to be a rather impressive Cab. I wouldn’t recommend popping a cork on this for at least another 3 years.
88 / B
Tasted by Mike Supple - 30 Oct 2008
Medium gold core with a clear rim. Tropical aromas of pineapple and mango join the classic yellow apple and lemon zest, all surrounded by a hint of roasted hazelnut and vanilla toast. Great acid on the palate with ripe Meyer lemon flavors taking charge. More subtle yellow pear come in on the mid-palate, joined by the hazelnut and lingering vanilla and nutmeg baking spices.
91 / B+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 03 Nov 2008
Dark ruby core with a lighter rim and a hint of garnet to the edge. Huge plum aromas with fresh black cherry juice surrounded by spicy cedar, nutmeg, raw oak and candied cinnamon. Spicy, rich and dark on the palate. A touch of mocha and cinnamon spice surround lush, juicy plum and blackberry. Medium to full bodied with solid ripe tannic grip. Lingering dark fruits with a touch of earth, scorched oak and coffee beans.
Not your average Merlot, this wine delivers quite a punch of fruit and power. It is good to see Napa producing Merlot of this quality again. Ignore the remarks in “Sideways.” This a great bottle of wine.
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