Cassel Vineyards Of Hershey
Dana Estates
Onda Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Vaso
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
VASO cellars is essentially Dana Estate’s third label. However, what makes VASO unique is that while it’s a third label, the fruit that is used is the same fruit that goes in to Dana. No young vines or anything like that here. The main difference is the way it is oak aged.
Enjoyed during the WNH virtual tasting with a theme of 2014 Napa cab, chosen by Carl.
Similar to the ‘12 Sauv Blanc I popped, this is also from Dana’s Hershey Vineyard on Howell Mountain. Due to the ‘14 vintage being one that is drinking fairly well now, I assumed this would be close to pop and pour...wrong. Very tightly coiled on day one. Very crunchy and underripe fruits with herbs and baking spice. Re-corked and gave an hour decant on day two and it was immensely better. Sweet toasted oak, violets, charred plum, baked mixed berry pie with some added herbal flair on the nose. More plush on day two but still flexing those powerful mountain tannins. On the palate it is full of rich dark fruits, dark chocolate, mocha, nutmeg, licorice and quite a bit of graphite. It’s dusty, herbal with a good amount of ripe fruit with nice lift. I’d hold for a few more years. @Mike R , these are very nice wines. Thanks buddy! — 5 years ago
So glad you liked it bud
The Vineyard at Hershey
Twisted Kiss Pennsylvanis Rosé Table Wine
Delightful rose...not too sweet. The twist of Chambourcin mellows out the sweetness. — 7 years ago
Cassel Vineyards of Hershey
Blush 2020
My fave white of theirs — a year ago
Dana Estates
Hershey Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2013
Cassel Vineyards of Hershey
Finish Line Red Blend
Smooth with tannins. Easy drinking. — 7 years ago
Blankiet Estate
Rive Droite Red Bordeaux Blend 2008
This wine easily won the "off the beaten path" award for me. Although having extremely expressive fruit, this wine seemed to be more intricate and less "verbose" than the 2013 Amici Estate that was sitting six inches to the right of this one. A DELICATE FLOWER! The entry seemed to be more of a black chocolate covered cherry with a hint of oregano spice. Melted almond Hershey bar over blackberry pie in the middle, and finished with a softer elegance. Really neat bottle. In a field of 16 or so wines, IMO this wine was close to being WOTN for me, and I certainly agree with the average 94.9 rating. — 7 years ago
Sequoia Grove
Healy Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Really surprised here. Two hours in and this is singing. This is my favorite single vineyard from SG so far. Layered and expressive, but not overblown. Some of their other single vineyard wines have been overly restrained, sometimes muddy - I feel.
Nose is berry, light cigar box. Palate is cherry cola, Hershey chocolate, molasses, spicy oak, and sparkling tannins throughout that lead to grippy finish. Better half helped with some of the descriptions there.
93-94 really good vino. Interesting 🧐 I’m trying to figure out fruit and can’t. Kind of similar to other SG single vineyards.
Side note. Listening to Beatles tonight and loving the experience. Cheers! — 4 years ago
Vaso
Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2012
VASO cellars is essentially Dana Estate’s third label. However, what makes VASO unique is that while it’s a third label, the fruit that is used is the same fruit that goes in to Dana. No young vines or anything like that here. The main difference is the way it is oak aged. This SB comes from Dana’s Hershey Vineyard on Howell Mountain.
This is good. Like really good. Would love to try next to Dana’s own SB. 8yrs young and drinking wonderfully...almost shockingly so. This is like a combo of high end Bordeaux Blanc with Aesthete Sauv Blanc. Aromatically, it leaps from the glass with honeyed sea salt, grapefruit, lemongrass and white peach. On the palate, it is so textured and rich, almost creamy. More peach, poached pear, lemon oil, creamsicle, and wet rock. There is good acidity here (still at 8yrs for a Napa SB!), and while the profile is rounded, it’s certainly not flabby. One of the best Napa SBs I’ve tasted and still has a couple years of cruising at peak. I’m going to open my ‘13 soon, but I’m going to hold my ‘15 for a while! Best around cellar temp, don’t get it too cold or it will mute some of the flavors. I owe you for this one, @Mike R ! — 5 years ago
Dana Estates
Hershey Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Step into Wonka's Chocolate Factory and get ready to get sucked up the Gloop Shoot. This wine brims with cocoa cassis fantasy dreams but hear me now...to drink without at least a decade in the darkest corners of a cellar is to rob the magic of what it could become. Pouring it now would be like asking Harry Potter to defeat Voldemort after only his first week at Hogwarts. Let the wizardry develop in the bottle. Drink it with your filet in 2022. — 8 years ago
David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
The 2021 Napa Cabernets I’ve had so far have been outstanding. It is still early, but I think it could be in the conversation for vintage of the century for Cabernets.
The 21 Onda as with all the Onda Cabernets are a blend of all three of their holdings (Lotus, Helms, Hershey. They also source Sauvignon Blanc from Crystal Springs) and this one is very well made. Excellent; structure, fruit and showing some of the Rutherford dust on the finish with 20% of the blend coming from Rutherford.
Give this one 10 years plus.
Photos of Dana Estates 9/14/24 Onda release party. Akaushi New York Yorkshire Pudding. — 3 months ago