Barbed Wire Wine Company
Heitz Cellar
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
2012 was a good vintage but was never going to age as many thought. That is not to say this 2012 is not in perfect form now. Still not happy the family cashed out and sold this Napa pioneer winery to a corporation that had no previous wine experience. As well, eliminated the last free tasting in Napa, which included their Maratha’s Vineyard. These corporations pay a top price for these grand wineries and then squeeze it. That’s just what corporations do. So disappointing!
The 12 is smooth as silk. Nothing that bites back. Fresh, ripe; blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries. Mid, Indian spice, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, crushed rocks, dry twig, mid cola, brilliant, fresh, red & dark, violet florals, amazing acidy, well structured & balanced, easy tension with two minute ruby polished wire to wire finish. — a year ago
Bisol
Private Cartizze Non Dosato Valdobbiadene Prosecco
Decided to try this one that has been on the shelf awhile for NYE. Quite nice with a very yeasty, flint, and smoke aroma. Nice Fizz. Yellow-green in color. The cork is a bit unusual as it is held on with a rope as opposed to a wire cage. Smooth with a slight salinity and nice finish. — 3 years ago
Realm Cellars
Farella Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
This one is a 93+ at this stage with room for improvements with some more age.
The Farella showed a more savory character than the rest. It’s body thicker than the others. Ruby; blackberries, black plum, black raspberries & raspberries. Herbaceous notes, soft minerality-rock powder, limestone, volcanics and just drying top soil, dry tobacco, sandalwood, perfectly executed baking spices, dark spice, vanillin, withering dark, red, blue and violets, nice round acidity, nice tension, structure, well knitted & balanced structure with an excellent full minute finish.
Pano photo of Pritchard Hill from the estate (what a stunning view), barrel room, the estates wine collection; which given the excellent producers in it (bottles of Petrus just one of very expensive producers), I’d be a little earthquake nervous & lay some thin wire over the bottles to hold them in place and their tank room. — 10 months ago
Birds on a Wire
Portugal Red Blend
Spicy, easy to drink red. — 2 years ago
Realm Cellars
The Bard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2021
This is 93-94 this young. I was a little surprised they slotted this last in the tasting. I would have led with it. However, it didn’t end up being our last wine. Leslie was kind enough to open another.
Both plums, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, mix of dark berry cola, nice, soft baking spices-nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanillin, grainy limestone, wet clay, dark, rich, forest floor, some dry herbs, excellent fresh & withering florals that are a combination of; dark, red, some blue and violets, nice round acidity, a smooth, elegant finish that softly structured, balanced and wire to wire smooth and elegant with a full minute finish.
Photos of; a pano of their stunning view of Pritchard Hill, Their dual sided wall of fame of bottles the staff at the estate have enjoyed and their tasting room table. They did an excellent job curating it. — 10 months ago
Under the Wire
Hirsch Vineyard Pinot Noir Rosé 2016
@Delectable Wine : This is the Under the Wire Hirsch Vineyard Blanc de Noir, not a rosé.
I bought this as it was advertised as a rosé, but it’s just a Blanc de noir. Thankfully, it was a tasty mistake.
Killer fruit in the hands of MTP makes for a delicious bubbly. Opened alongside a 2019 Carboniste BdN as a comparison of Cali bubbles, they were on opposite sides of the spectrum. This UTW Hirsch was more big-house in profile whereas the Carboniste had a grower vibe. Pours almost orange in the glass. Fairly yeasty. Honeyed and orange marmalade. There is a perception of semi-high dosage here, but I’m thinking it’s due to how ripe the fruit is. Extremely creamy and layered. I’d be curious to know how these are at release, but this seems to be aging beautifully. Pop for freshness, but it’s not falling off a cliff any time soon. — 2 years ago
Donelan
Judge Vineyard Syrah 2017
Bruce Dunbar
It’s not just the name of the 2018 Under the Wire Alder Springs Sparkling Pinot Noir that is more than a mouthful. This is a beautiful, multi-layered sparkler with floral notes, hints of fragrant herbs and strawberry along with crisp acidity and a subtle mousse. It’s somewhere between a white and rosé, having taken on a copper hue from brief skin contact. The Alder Springs is a great food wine with room to develop. — 6 days ago