Bill Bender

9.0

It’s been called “the greatest wine you’ve never heard of” or a true “unicorn” wine but is inarguably an under the radar California legend. In the early 2000’s it ran away with the title at a CA recreation of the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Google the wine and learn a little about Mario Gemello and this vintage in particular. Fun stuff. This was over the hill IMO but gets a 90 for coolness factor alone. From the master of the Durand @Matthew Beckman — 2 months ago

Hayden B. Oothout

8.9

Substantial Cabernet, slightly fruit forward with toasted cocoa hints. Medium to full body, would pair nicely with a rich and hearty meal. This is a pleasant cab, nothing spectacular but enjoyable. — 12 days ago

Gil Castro

9.1

If you are into strong bold cab this is the one. Had some with my rare filet mignon and it was outstanding. Bold tasting with long finish. — a month ago

Byron C Mayes

8.9

Dark red purple in the glass. Abundant nose of black currant and blackberry. Palate echoes the nose juicily with medium plus tannins and medium acidity. This is a solid Cabernet with great structure and a deep vein of blue and purple fruit (thank you, li’l dab of Petite Sirah) that’s at home with almost the full range of “red wine” dishes from burgers to pasta to stews to steaks. Drink now through 2021 or so. — 21 days ago

Randy Fuller

9.3

Aged ten months in half French oak. Aromas are lovely and perfumed, blue and blackberry with Paso earth. The palate offers dark fruit with an earthy overlay, fabulous acidity and very firm tannins. It paired perfectly with lamb in a blueberry cab reduction with roasted veggies. — 3 days ago

Scott Cowan

8.9

Cherry jam nose. The heat wafts up with the vanilla scented jam too, and remains in nice, not over-powering, ways through first sip - mid-palate - finish such that I think the stated 14.1% alcohol under-states the actual case. I’m drinking this 2017 vintage Feb 12-13 2019 and it tastes good now with promise of tasting very good, with some potential complexity in a few years. Just now, this wine packs a punch well above it’s weight class: $18 at Berkeley Bowl. It’s far below the quality of top Paso cabs but it’s far below their sticker prices too... so, hey, why not enjoy this as a more than serviceable table wine for hearty and even some spicy fare now, cellar several bottles to taste 1-5(+ ?) later as a cheap investment that could pay off huge? One can always pull out the Justin Isosceles Reserve and Tablas Creek bad boys for special Paso-wine occasions. I do miss a longer finish ... but tiny hints of licorice, shiitake+hedgehog and maybe also portobello mushrooms, and slightly larger suggestions of smoke plus some leather lead me to believe The Fableist is working on some delicious stories to tell in coming years — and will then, perhaps, linger longer on the finish. Yeah, I do think the yummy plummy jam will give way to more flavors in time — and if this hunch/hope/faith proves true, Ill increase the rating a fair amount over 9.0 for some tip-top QPR. — 10 days ago

Frank Kuo

9.2

Color of deep purple with ruby note. Nose of strength of alcohol, ripe cherry, some tobacco leaves, and a touch of medicinal note. Taste of spicy sweetness, medium tannins, some good minerals, some nice acidity, and juicy dark fruits, quite silky, milky vanilla, and mouthful. Aftertaste of more spice and mineral, rustic natal note, medium long. Well made Cab packed with above average density average flavors. — 3 days ago

Scott Soren

9.1

Lovely Bordeaux blend from Paso Robles. Wife of Herman Story wines makes great juice herself. — 7 days ago

Lisa F

9.0

My first thought: this wine is flat. That may sound like a bad thing, but it is not. I am finding my first impressions of wine, thus far, are smooth, flat, grip, buttery (the Chards), sharp, minerally (Pinot Grigio), peppery (which I think is my interpretation of tannins). I am still learning what makes my tongue tell my brain these textures, however. Texture is a good word here. This wine almost lacks a texture. Henceforth, flat. It has wonderful flavors, but this wine does not grip the tongue like some others. Therefore, I like to wash spicy food down with this wine. Because it doesn’t coat my tongue the way a wine with grip does...or even the way a smooth wine may. My husband does not like alcohol. He said this wine was smooth. The bottle says vanilla flavors. Vanilla in scents and flavors = a bit of calm (at least for me). A homy kind of calm. This wine is calm—flat, but it is not homy. Too much flavor for that. I am fascinated by the contradictions in this wine. 🧐. I could accidentally drink the whole bottle in one setting because it is so calm yet full of flavor. — 5 days ago

Paul Treadway Huntington Beacher Bum

8.9

15% abv, 3% mega purple
$20.00 pop & pour
Watch out Caymus, this could take over as the most fruit forward Cab ever.
$18.00 from distributor friend, shows you how much profit is in this bottle.
I can handle 1 of these a month, good to have some on hand for company, crowd pleaser — 17 days ago