5 Maddens Lane
Whitehall Lane
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1981
If this isn’t the first commercially released vintage for Whitehall Lane, it’s gotta be close to it. With the help of Durand, I was able to extract the cork intact and decanted about an hour prior to service. The 1981 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with some sediment. On the nose, the wine is surprisingly developing (still!) with a mix of ripe and desiccated fruit with brambles, tobacco, green bell peppers, leather, cocoa, earth and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry and the structure is still firm but well integrated. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and a touch savory. What a lovely, surprising bottle! Well-stored examples can be enjoyed now and over the next 5-7 years. — 6 months ago
Kapcsándy Family Winery
Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
A blend of 56% Merlot, 36% Cab Sauv, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Cab Franc, dark Ruby with aromas of berry fruit, sweet herb and earthy spice. On the palate flavors of cherry, ripe blackberry and currants with notes of cacao and sweet herbs. Long finish, soft ripe tannins ending with earthy mineral. Drink now & over next few years. — 4 years ago
Goosecross Cellars
State Lane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.
Very fruity on the nose with black currants, blackberries, cedar, licorice, light vanilla, tobacco, cola, Indian spices, pencil lead, light alcohol and black pepper.
Full-bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and very fruity on the palate with blackberries, black plums, ripe cherries, spices, cedar, licorice, peppercorn, chocolates, vanilla, espresso, cola and light herbs.
Long finish with fine grained tannins, spices and cherries.
This delicious 5-year-old Napa Cabernet is drinking very nicely now. Nicely balanced with good structure. Complex and entertaining. Rich and elegant.
This Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is very approachable right out of the bottle, and better after 90 minutes of airtime. Gets more complex as it opens up.
The nose really blossoms after 3 hours, with lots of cedar, chocolate and cola notes.
Will continue to age nicely over the next 10 years. Would be nice to visit it again in 5 years. Has good potential to become a 94+ point wine.
Really good by itself as a sipping wine, and good with food too. I paired it with meats, crackers and cheeses. Paired very nicely with the French Blue cheese.
A blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. Aged for 19 months in (55% new) French Oak barrels. Only 7,200 bottles made.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$90. — 3 months ago
Campbell Lane
Estate Stoneridge Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019
Campbell Lane Winery StoneRidge Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019, Oregon
Light burgundy in color with medium intensity. Pretty color.
Fruity nose with cherries, strawberries, blueberries, light oak, spices, licorice and milk chocolates.
Medium-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with cherries, sweet strawberries, raspberries, spices, light herbs, chocolates and black pepper.
Tangy finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a very nice and fruit forward Pinot Noir from Oregon. Nicely balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food.
Still young, as it was bottled only a few months ago. Would be nice to revisit it in 3 to 5 years, and see how it evolves in the bottle.
This Single Vineyard is tasty, engaging and easy drinking. Good right out of the bottle, and better after 20 minutes of airtime.
A good everyday wine to sip on by the porch. I gave it a light chill and had by the pool, with cheeses and crackers.
100% Pinot Noir grapes were aged in French oak barrels for 10 months.
13.5% alcohol by volume.
89 points.
$36. — 4 years ago
Whitehall Lane
Reserve Morisoli Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1992
After some debates, I picked this well aged Napa cab to pair with American Wagyu zabuton and wood fired whole branzino.
An absolutely fantastic bottle. Vivid Ruby red with violet hue. Blackberry and plum linger around, commingling with cedar, pinecone, dried tea leaf, licorice, and leather. Not quite the plush palate I expected. Rather it’s delicate yet lively, with impeccable acidity and integrated tannins that still have baby bite.
The ‘92 reserve is from Morisoli vineyard in Rutherford with 5% Merlot and 3% CF. — 5 months ago
Jones Family Vineyard
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
The follow up to the 03 Leonetti. @Paul T- Huntington Beach & I have been telling readers about older Jones Family Vineyards for some time. If you haven’t had or not tried this producer it will be the last time I try to entice to you to try this producer. Talking about it more will only drive up the prices on the secondary market.
This 09 is damn beautiful after nearly a four hour decant but it is still fairly youthful.
It is ruby, lush, gorgeous, ripe fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum with skin, dark cherries, plum, hues of purple, blue fruits & raspberries, poached strawberries, black licorice, mixed, dark berry cola, steeped black tea, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, dry top soil, dry herbs, hints of eucalyptus, dry clay, dry tobacco, new leather, spice, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon & vanillin, withering red & dark florals framed in violets & lavender, beautiful round acidity, beautiful; balance, tension, structured, smartly polished finished that lasts minutes.
Still needs another 5-8 years to show its best self.
The Jones Family vineyard is located off Bale Lane in Calistoga and was planted to all five Bordeaux varieties by David Abreu in the early 1990s. Heidi Barrett made the wines until 2008, and Thomas Rivers Brown now makes the wines. — 10 months ago
Greenock Creek
Creek Block Shiraz 2005
Tonight is a continuation of a walk down wine region visit memory lane. However, this one is a do over bottle. You see, our April 17 visit was ill timed, we visited when they were sold out of all good vintages. We were poured a lot of very green vegetal wines...a fair amount of 11??? I am happy to say this bottle is a substantially better experience. However, still at least 5-8 years early on the 05 and will last another 15-20 years properly stored.
The nose reveals; plumy & somewhat jammy fruits, alcohol vapors, ripe blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, baked strawberries, blue fruits, cooked rhubarb to pomegranate, anise/black licorice, mixed dark berry pie, steeped fruit teas, black pepper, dark spices, sandstone/limestone, dry crushed rocks, very dry herb presence, dark fruit jam, dry underbrush/stems, moist clay, cherry kirsch notes, dark fruit roll ups with fresh & withering; dark, red, blue, purple flowers framed in lavender & violets.
The mouthfeel is simply, ripe, jammy, rich & lush. The tannins are dark, chewy, tarry with adolescent teeth. The tension & structure have just started their beautiful integration but, have some years to go. The balance & length are closer to their top yet, will also benefit from a few more years in bottle. She is a ripe elegant beauty with alcohol & dark spice heat. Stewed plumy & somewhat jammy fruits, some alcohol heat but, not detracting, ripe blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, baked strawberries, blue fruits, raspberries, cooked rhubarb to pomegranate, anise/black licorice, mixed dark berry pie, steeped fruit teas, black pepper, baking spices, fresh tobacco, used leather, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick with just the right amount of vanilla, salted caramel, sandstone/limestone, lightly grilled meats, dry crushed rocks, very dry herb presence, dark fruit jam, dark chocolate, sweet tarry notes, oak barrel char, dry underbrush/stems, dry top soil, moist clay, cherry kirsch notes, dark fruit roll ups with fresh & withering; dark, red, blue, purple flowers framed in lavender & violets. The acidity is near perfect. It is a fresh river stream on the palate. The long finish is; ripe, dark fruits, well balanced with dry earth tones, dark spice with heat, elegance, delicious and persists endlessly.
Photos of; their tasting room bar, old wood fruit basket press, entrance sign and a long view of the Estate and vines. — 5 years ago
Melanie Hogan DelBuono
2004 Silver reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. I had this in my wine cellar. The upper part of cork disintegrated. The cork had 1/4” that was intact. Absolutely delicious. I am so glad it wasn’t ruined. Full body California Cabernet. It still had texture. It still has tannins. I bet this could go another 5 years. — 2 months ago