Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

I have said before, they farm some of the best Napa Bordeaux blended fruits. There are likely different opinions on what happens in the winemakers process after harvest. But on pure fruit, yeah they do. This 23 is no exception.

The fruits are ripe, lush, ruby; blackberries, black raspberry w/ awesome purple & blue fruits. It is round, elegant, very balanced. Softly layered baking spices with candied red, dark flowers with violets, rainfall acidity with a finish that lasts two-minutes and lands on moist clay & fruit.

Tasted at Roy Estates. The view from Roy Estate is one of the very best, if not the best view of Napa rolling vineyards. — 7 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I bought this at K&L recently for $79 to judge their 3rd wine vs the younger Dana & Onda I have. This is made from de-selected fruit from their 3 primary single vineyards.


If you love lush/plush, ripe. bold Napa Cabernets, you will love the 2014 Vaso today. It’s still early but drinking nicely tonight. It took a 3 hr decant. Prior, it was missing a bit of a mid-palate. Not now!

The nose is beautiful. Dark currants-cassis, sandalwood, dry twig, dryish tobacco, mid intensity baking spices, dark chocolate, sweet tarriness, black licorice, dark to mid berry cola, steeped black tea, caramel/mocha, dry crushed rocks, candied to withering flowers framed in soft violets & lavender.

The palate is rich, lush, bold & striking. Dark currants-cassis, wild, ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, both plums-black dominate to pudding, a buffet of mixed purple fruits, some baked strawberries w/ haunting raspberries. Bold, dark spices, caramel, mocha, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & a touch of vanilla, anise to black licorice, a mix of fresh & herbs, light cedar to sandalwood, dry tobacco with some ash, graphite, dry river stone, limestone marl, dry crush rocks, dry top soil, dark, withering to candied; dark, red flowers with violets, grand acidity, layered finish that is well balanced-structured, still well tensioned, elegant & smartly polished finish that goes on and on. Delicious, especially the longer it sat in the decanter. 3 hours total.

I bought 13 & 15 Vaso for the same price before finishing my comments.

This has 15-20 yrs of good drinking ahead.

@SimplyRedVirtualLiveHamburg — 6 months ago

Mike R

9.2

Love this wine - amazing for the money - melka made and Dana Estate 2nd label - first time trying the ‘16 vintage - needs a good decant or a few years of rest - try again in two years — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Presented from Magum.

As I have said, Dana farms some of the best fruit.

Nice rich, lush; blackberries, black raspberries, both plum, dark cherries, dark chocolate, nicely even and layered baking spices, round acidity and elegantly polished finish.

Needs another 5 years of cellaring but drank nicely. — 6 days ago

Ed Chin

9.3

This was my least favorite of these DANA’s today. Still pleasant but a bit of time would help round things off and integrate better. — 21 days ago

AEL

9.0

This is great, except for the part where I opened it 5 years too early. After 2 hours, classy floral nose, with rose petals, something else, and a dusty note. Bottle #2 from the case of half bottles Dana got me. — 4 years ago

AEL

9.0

This is a great Brunello, at a not-crazy price. Heavy, interesting nose w dark fruit and a oregano/basil kind of note. Some chocolate too. Substantial, spicier in palate, long finish. First bottle of half-bottle mixed case from Lower Falls - birthday present from Dana. — 4 years ago

Ed Chin

9.6

My favorite and even at this young age it is a wow! The iron fist velvet glove thing that makes you sit back and wish all Napa cab were made like this. The fruit is still primary and no real tertiary notes but wow the balance and elegant mouthfeel. Complexity, finish, balance it’s all there. The real issue is the cost is prohibitively stupid. Out of my price range but fortunate to try these. Give it 5 yrs and this would be near perfect to my palate. — 21 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Welcoming the Holiday Season ⛄️❄️🎅🎁 Cheers!🥂

I posted their 2014 a few weeks ago. As I mentioned then, I bought the 13 & 15 before completing my 14 notes. While this has a yr on the 14, this is not as big as 14. Even with another yr in bottle, I expected this to have bigger teeth and it doesn’t entirely. 3 hrs in the decanter before beginning my notes. The 13 & 14 to me were not completely different. The 13’s I’ve had generally have bigger-brawnier tannins, but not significantly and not the case here with this 2013 tonight. I bought the 13 & 15 to do this comparison. The fruits on the 14 were more lush & ruby. Mildly surprising. This has more spice/earthiness and doesn’t lack a mid palate like the 14 did early on and eventually filled in.

The advantage of writing realtime notes is you can understand the changes with food. In this case a Ribcap. This was a far more lush with steak.

Now with a nearly 5 hour decant, the wine has added more lush Fruits.

Ruby & somewhat lush & juicy; dark currants, dry blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, poached strawberries, notes of pomegranate, raspberries & hues of blueberries. Deep, dark, spice w/ palate heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick and vanilla, dark chocolate, caramel hues, cocoa powder, dry tobacco w/ ash, graphite, leather, cedar, steeped black tea, dark, rich, slightly, sweet forest floor w/ dry leaves, dry top soil, dry brush, limestone & volcanic minerals, pepper, dry river stone & crushed rocks, dark, red, blue flowers, red roses with nice acidity and a well knitted-balanced, nicely toned- structured, elegant finish that lands on moist volcanic clays.

Definitely put on some weight, complexity & elegance the longer it was in the decanter.

If I’d tasted 13 & 14 blind and was asked to pick, which vintage was which. I would have said the 14 was the 13.

Props to their terroirs-vineyards, vineyard manager-team, they farm exceptional fruit for all three of the Dana labels. — 5 months ago

Anna Sangiacomo

9.3

Delicious. Needs a bit of time to open up in the glass. Weekly zoom happy hour with the Ducks ♥️ — 6 years ago