Jay Kline

9.6

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.
— 3 days ago

Hector Escaton

9.7

Super good. Brilliant expression of Cabernet. Solid effort. — 2 days ago

with Daniel

Watabe Ishizukinou

9.7

Vintage 2018 — a month ago

Tom Garland

9.2

Pop and pour. On the nose: black cherry, currant, oaky vanilla, anise, pencil lead. Taste: Schrader dense/rich, smooth wine with black fruit, currants, spice, oak, fig and a plumy cedar medium plus finish. Not a CCS or RBS, but I would not dump and spit! Cheers! — 9 days ago

with Brenda

Norman Gennaro

9.4

People were meh on the open but after the decant had some time and with food… wine of the night — 4 days ago

Josh Betz

9.7

Could not have picked a better wine or a better time to celebrate with my bride. Paired fantastic with our later courses in the 14 course meal at Hidden Omakase. — 8 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.6

Had a chance to taste this 100% Cab from 2 Beckstoffer vineyards and 2 vineyards in Oakville, aged for 22 months in new French oak. Deep Ruby with aromas of complex berry fruit aromas wrapped in toasty herb spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry, cherry and sweet plum with licorice and cacao, adding cedar, herbs and tobacco notes. Soft velvet tannins, still young, long earthy finish, well integrated and nicely balanced, a joy to drink. Will age a long time. A Wow factor wine!! — 12 days ago

Paul Jakubowski

9.3

1.5+hr decant. Dark red color with hints of rust and purple. Lovely nose of dark cherries and cedar, which is the highlight. Great texture but restrained and thinning. Starts out like a nice Bordeaux then turns into a classic Napa Cab then becomes very average mid palate. So much promise but doesn’t deliver. Needs more depth and flavor. As the wife said, very nice but probably a ~$50 bottle not an ~$85+. — 13 days ago

with Brooke

Laith A

9.6

Lots of dark fruits, plum, leather, tobacco, cola with earthy undertones.. medium tannins! Fantastic wine 😍🍷 — 11 days ago

Duane Mason

9.5

A wonderful mature California Cabernet which is beautiful at this point in it’s life. Full bodied with gravel and fruit beautifully blending. Looking forward to the first bite of beef with this beauty. Great job Mike Smith. — a month ago