This bottle of 2016 Vice Versa “Dr. Crane Vineyard” (BBS) was generously provided by a friend who selected it from his cellar to share over dinner at V. Mertz. This is the BBS (Best Barrel Select) of the Dr. Crane Vineyard which, I guess, is deemed the best tasting barrel by the winemaking team. Popped and poured. No formal notes but I can state with absolutely certainly that the juice is well and truly special. The wine is still quite youthful but already very easy to love. Beautifully layered dark fruits with tobacco, cocoa, stone-like minerals and deftly integrated baking spices. The structure is firm, leaving little doubt about the long life yet ahead. That being said, everything is so well balanced. I have a very strong feeling this will be one of those wines that never really shuts down. While they are two very different wines from different parts of the world, I found this to be a very handsome compliment to the 2015 “Tintot” we drank just before. This was also very nice with the lamb chops we had for dinner. Drink now or through 2036.
— 8 days ago
Meadowcroft Wines Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Napa Valley, California
It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a very tasty one from Oakville.
Dark ruby in color with a purplish rim.
Fruity nose of blackberries, sweet plums, cooked cherries, cedar, licorice, vanilla, spices, dark coffee, maple syrup, black pepper, light earth, spices, light vegetables, herbs and tobacco leaf.
Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black cherries, oak, coffee, tobacco, herbs, spices, dark chocolates and peppercorn.
Nice spicy finish with soft tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel. Soft and elegant. Fruit forward with nice balance.
Needs a few hours to open up properly, and I gave it 3 hours in the decanter.
Complex and tasty. Rich, extracted and elegant. The tangy finish making it interesting. Loved the nose once it opened up.
A good quality wine that will age nicely in the next 10 years. Has good potential to become a 94+ wine.
Good by itself or with food, and will pair nicely with a big piece of steak.
A blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petite Verdot. A small production of only 6 barrels.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$125. — 12 days ago
Deep purple in color with a very short purple rim.
Strong nose of blackberries, black currants, black plums, dried figs, raisins, cedar, vanilla, licorice, tobacco, coffee, mocha, dark chocolates and herbs.
Full-bodied, smooth and bold, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and very fruity on the palate with blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, cedar, vanilla, spices, espresso, light earth, licorice, tobacco, chocolates and black pepper.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This young Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley needs a few hours to open up property.
Big and bold. Fruit forward and extracted. Rich and opulent.
Still very young, and needs at least five years in the bottle to mature properly. Will age nicely in the next 15 years.
Good by itself or with food. Will pair nicely with a big piece of steak. A good sipping wine too.
A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. Aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak barrels.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$115. — 2 days ago
The Big Boy!!!! 15.7% abv. 2016 Mercury Head Cabernet Sauvignon stored for 6 years at 50 degrees in my wine cellar. Decanted for 45 minutes.:
The color is dark but not opaque. Legs are very slow and thick. The bouquet on this is fantastic! I smell Blackberry rhubarb pie fresh out of the oven. As my nose starts to tingle as my taste kicks in before even putting it to my lips. With the first sip, my palate is suddenly bombarded with fresh black berries and dark currant! There is a hint of black licorice. On the second sip, I can start to taste hints of black cherry and black pepper. Then there is a sudden development of white oak and graphite. After another sip and letting it settle with more aeration on my tongue, a quick swallow, and SHAZAM! A Velvety smooth, buttery delicious moderately dry beautiful cabernet Finish. My senses are aching for more!!!!! — 6 days ago
Popped and poured; consumed over two days. Compelling on the first pour but best on day two and boy, was it rockin’. A drop dead gorgeous nose of red and dark fruits, tobacco, dusty earth and baking spices. The palate is equally generous with perfectly ripened fruit and all of the aforementioned non-fruit characteristics. Superb balance. The finish is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid and forever long. The texture…is like chinchilla fur. It’s wonderful now but it’s best with significant air. Drink now with patience or sometime over the next 15 years. One of the more memorable Rafanelli Cabernets I’ve had in a while…and that says a lot. — 8 hours ago
#AgedWineTuesday
Dark ruby, almost inky in color, with a short brick rim.
Fruity nose of blackberries, black currants, cooked plums, cherry pie, spices, cedar, vanilla, leather, light earth, pencil lead, peppercorn, coffee, mocha and tobacco leaf.
Full bodied, bold and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and very fruity on the palate with blackberries, cooked cherries, cedar, licorice, vanilla, leather, black currants, sweet chocolates, coffee, cola, peppercorn and spices.
Long spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley (To Kalon Vineyard). Showing great complexity with a great mouthfeel.
Rich, extracted and opulent. Fruit-forward and elegant. A delicious wine. Spicy with a teeth staining color.
This 15 year old from the great 2007 vintage is just beautiful now. Has a lot of years in it still, and will continue to age nicely in the 15 years.
Delicious right out of the bottle, and even better after 3 hours of airtime.
Good by itself as a sipping wine. I just loved it.
16% (!) alcohol by volume.
98 points.
$130. — 8 days ago
Yesterday fornthe 4th of July we opened the 2019 Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon. From Napa, California Napa Valley.
On the nose there was black cherry, blackberry, plum sauce, black currant, spice, graphite and earth.
On the palate there is a lack cherry, blackberry, plum, black currant, chocolate, spice, green bell pepper, toasty oak and earth.
This is a full bodied wine with a smooth mouthfeel medium + acidity and medium + grippy tannins that leaves you with a long dark fruit graphite finish. I hope everyone had a blessed 4th of July enjoying family and friends. Please have a wonderful week ahead and stay safe and healthy. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 15 hours ago
Diverso dal 2020, sembra più un Sauvignon, nota minerale, frutta meno evidente, naso diverso. Da aspettare. Appena imbottigliato. — 7 days ago
Superb nose of mineral, lemon zest, pink grapefruit and wonderful lime flesh and zest. Gorgeous mineral depth here. Lots of earth as well. Almost a Burgundian interpretation of Sancerre. Juicy and insanely complex palate that is finesse driven and so delicate. Wonderful sap and has a grandiose quality to it and finish that does not quit. Hugely concentrated but never heavy and a gamey/savory element on the palate. So sappy and pure. Round like Keller can be. Just a gorgeous bottle. Blown Away. Will last 10-15 more years. — 6 days ago
"Odedi"
It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a nice surprise.
Inky in color with a wide purplish rim.
On the nose cherries, blueberries, black currants, black plums, herbs, spices, light tobacco, light oak, dark chocolates and light earth.
Full bodied, smooth and elegant, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, ripe cherries, oak, light vanilla, spices, licorice, red candy, light earth, peppercorn, coffee, chocolates and herbs.
Nice length on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Los Angeles County. Easy drinking once it opens up properly. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel.
This Single Vineyard Cabernet from Malibu Coast, is already showing nice complexity.
Needs 90 minutes in a decanter to open up properly, so be patient.
This 4 year old is starting to drink nicely now, but still young, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Showing good potential to become a 94+ point wine.
Smooth, rich and elegant. Fruit-forward and tangy. Good by itself or with food, and will pair nicely with BBQ Meats. I paired it with a Charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.
A blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. Aged in 100% new French Oak barrels for 22 months.
15.1% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$150. — 5 days ago