Front Row

Caymus Vineyards

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Like all young Caymus, heavy Oak on the front. Mellowed some after about 30 min! — 3 days ago

Letha Phillips
with Letha
Rick, Tom and 5 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1995

1995 vintage. Great aging cork in good shape. Decanted and tasted immediately, after 30 mins and after 2 hours. Decent amount of sed. Slight brickish color. Initially and generally throughout, reticent nose and flavors. Very tightly wound overall. Eventually able to coax a small amount of black olive out of the nose along with minerals for days. Some dark cherry and plum allied with baking chocolate in the transition from mid-palate to finish. It was tough sledding in the frontal palate. Super dry with summer earth/dirt at the start. Obvious class but never really flashed more than a few cards to play. Perhaps a different bottle shows a little more love? Producer is always on the leaner side so unbridled optimism on that front is likely wasted energy. 10.25.23. — 2 years ago

Ted, Andrew and 9 others liked this

Checkerboard Vineyards

Kings Row Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2015

Deep garnet. Oak and dark fruit on the nose. Hour decant and still a bit tight but yet still very smooth and well structured. Red and black fruit. Tannins silky smooth with nice long finish. Beautiful wine! After another hour this wine was hitting its stride! So good!! — 4 years ago

Paul liked this

Row 503

Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Very sweet. Challenging after taste but solid — 3 months ago

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Opens up nicely. Heavy cherry on the front and some chocolate. Oak, on the back end. Medium tannin, medium body — 9 months ago

"Odedi" liked this

Far Niente Winery

Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

This bottle was a big tease. Intoxicating nose and delightful on the front palette. Gets your mind thinking of great things for the finish like depth, complexity layers etc. It never comes. The finish is completely lacking. Such a tease. — 4 years ago

Shay, Milissa and 1 other liked this

Quilceda Creek

Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

2021 opened April 2025. This is a luscious wine, but I can’t help but nitpick. All the individual components are very one-dimensional. That’s not to say they all don’t work together well to make a great wine – but there’s nothing challenging on the palate about this vintage. If you like the monolithic cabs produced by Opus 1, then this wine is for you. However, I’d prefer a little more quirky individualism in my tipples.

The nose is overwhelmingly tobacco. The front is heavy with red fruit. The tannic structure is heavy, smooth, and silky. It has a medium long finish with hints of volcanic minerals. This wine is so perfect that it’s boring. If you like perfect perfection then up my score to 100 points, but I like the little challenges that quirky vintages give me.
— 6 months ago

Ira liked this

Opus One

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2000

A B
9.6

2000 has really come in nicely. Tobacco and leather up front, with mellow oak, carbon, and earth, complimented by allspice, cinnamon, and vanilla, with hints of wild blackberry. Silky smooth from start to finish. Really enjoyed. Celebrating indigo with Garett, Josie, and Tara. — 3 years ago

Byron, Bob and 11 others liked this