Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Two things were true tasting this 2022, it wasn’t their best bottling & it was no near ready to drink. Hard to tell which is more true. Maybe, it improves in time?

2022 Napa Cabernet’s more than less boil down to when did you harvest, before or after the 10 days of intense heat during the harvest window. #

2026 Taste of Oakville. — 3 days ago

Conrad Green

9.6

A big brooding breast. Intense and slightly feral. Powerful deep fruit, ferrous notes, pepper and a hint of band aid. Really present and powerful but still refined. A great wine — 18 days ago

with Paul and Ara

Hiroshi Tominaga

9.0

Subdued but pleasant. Bought at JAL Mall for ¥9,500. — a month ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This showed dark cherry, berry, currant fruit, earth, spice & tobacco notes with a Bordeaux style — a month ago

Inseon Hwang

9.1

Dark cherries and blackberries. Graphite and deep organic forest floor. Robust and bold. Tree spice. — a month ago

Jack Krawczyk

9.4

fun bottle - will be great in 5 years. nice pre-ripe black currant on the finish — a month ago

Rick Phillips

9.1

Not sure what’s up with Deletable. Can’t see who I’m following anymore and half the time my wines don’t post. Days later I’m able to post them! — 2 months ago

with Letha

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Actually deeper colour than the 1962 and 1959 . Slightly more medicinal nose , touch of swimming pool , lightly herbal with some dried fruit . On the palate this has a drier profile , darker dried fruit , slightly astringent acidity and quite gritty , rustic tannins . Slightly dry on the mid palate , but good earthy tobacco notes . Quite dense and robust , showing good backbone and body . Reasonable length , with earthy , gritty finish . Quite dense and structured. Not elegant but quite impressive for a 76 year old wine . Now and over the next 5 or more years , though obviously won’t improve. — 2 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

1999 vintage. Nice fill. Used a Durand. Solid cork with approx 50% saturation. Decanted and tasted after two hours. That decided Lynch-Bages medium heavy bod. Has dropped some, not all, of the overt primary fruit load. Pleasant spices and feminine characteristics easily noted and cataloged. Pretty harmonious now tho with a little chunkiness/tannic blessing as more of a fleeting kiss vs a big hug. Could easily go another decade in this ensemble. 6.14.26. — 7 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.0

2019 vintage. Sweeter than the last few vintages. 6.17.26. — 3 days ago

Norman

9.5

So much lighter than the CA wines but delightful. Possible WOTN. — a month ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.0

We took no specific notes but an excellent cabernet based médoc that is always elegant and well done. — a month ago

with Jose, veronique and 4 others

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2020 vintage. Has it all and right now. Picked up for $34.99 at Trader Joe’s. PNP or decant…your choice. 5.13.26. — a month ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I used to drink this producer in the late 90’s & early 2000’s. I’ve been revisiting older vintages based on recent price points. I think they sold a bunch of their cellar for revenue. It is out of need after the Glass Fires. They were somewhat consumed by it. The winery & part of their vineyards. Unfortunate!!!

Decanted an hour and enjoyed over 2-3 hours.

I was further inspired to acquire the 2006 by @Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego who posted more than respectful thoughts of the 2006 not long ago. So, I acquired some winery stored bottles at $39. A more than fair price point. The cork had a millimeter or less along its side. The bottle neck showed trapped tannins. Extremely solid.

The nose is inviting. Slightly smoky & nicely ripe; dark core of blackberries, dark cherries, poached/baked strawberries, plum, blueberries and pomegranate. Slate, gentle, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, mid & light berry cola/licorice-red vines, soft dry tobacco, used leather, very soft graphite, graceful herbaceous notes, whiff with black & white pepper, dark, rich soils, mix of limestone/sandstone, red florals/roses, dark florals and purple lily blossoms.

The entry is elegant, ripe, slightly rich with nothing bitty. Medium, softened, mushy tannins. It shows nearly perfect elegance at or just and I mean just the other side of its peak. Ripe; dark core of blackberries, dark cherries, poached/baked strawberries, plum, blueberries, raspberries and pomegranate hues. Slate, gentle, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, mid & light berry cola, soft dry, used tobacco w/ ash, used leather, graphite, herbaceous notes, stem inclusion, some black & white pepper, dark spice box with mid intensity palate heat, layered baking spices-nutmeg, clove, cinnamon & understated vanillin, dark chocolate, caramel, steeped teas, moist to dry volcanic clays, rich, dark, almost sweet soils, mix of limestone/sandstone, red florals/roses, dark florals and purple lily blossoms, very nice acidity, evolved, well-knitted, balanced, structured, tensioned, elegant finish that lasts nearly two-minutes and long sets on spice and beautiful earthiness. This will drink nicely for another 5+ yrs.

A good revisit and perhaps the most elegant Cain Five I’ve had.

Photos of; the Cain Five vineyards, Chris Howell-Winemaker, pressed grapes and the somewhat unglamorous cleaning out of stainless steel tanks after initial fermentation. — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Been a bit since my last but still do not think much of the style of their Cabernet. Especially, given its price point.

2022 Napa Cabernet’s more than less boil down to when did you harvest, before or after the 10 days of intense heat during the harvest window.

2026 Taste of Oakvile — 3 days ago

Jay Kline

9.3

I sort of forgot that today marked the 50th anniversary of the Judgement of Paris and this was the best I could do to celebrate in the moment; a wine from a participating producer but in the red category, instead of white. From magnum, the 2010 “Elivette” pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and significant sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black currants, blackberries, Fresno chili, dried purple flowers, purple SweeTarts, tobacco, some dried herbs and fine spices with minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ viscosity and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes form the nose. The finish is long with ferrous minerals. Tasty stuff. Drink now with some patience and through 2040. Bottle No. 095/900 magnums. — a month ago

KA

9.3

Jean Georges Steakhouse Las Vegas — 18 days ago

Ted

9.0

Very approachable young bourdeaux blend. Again very fruit forward. — a month ago

with Jeni

Carter Snead

9.3

At The Wharf in Grand Cayman — a month ago

with Leigh

Paul J

9.2

PnP. Probably not the best vintage, but definitely my style. Great character and depth! — 2 months ago

with Brooke