Secret Cellars

Secret Door Winery

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Deep Inky in color with a short reddish rim.

Nose of blueberries, black cherries, currents, light cedar, tobacco leaf, herbs and black pepper.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cherries, oak, spices, licorice, eucalyptus, light earth, herbs, black pepper and dark chocolates.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.

This Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley is still very young, but already enjoyable. Elegant and smooth with nice balance and mouthfeel.

Not 'in your face' kind of Napa Cabernet. Fruit forward, spicy and gracious.

Better after 90 minutes in the decanter, when more earthy notes show up to compliment the fruits. Alcohol is nicely integrated. Becomes even earthier after 4 hours in the decanter.

I had the 2018 three years ago, as a four year old, and liked it better.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Would be nice to revisit it in 5 years.

Complex, and interesting to drink by itself. Will also pair nicely with BBQ Meats.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

14% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$75.
— a month ago

Bob, Jose and 12 others liked this

Shiloh

Secret Reserve Merlot 2020

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Inky in color with a wide reddish rim.

Pretty nose of blackberries, black currants, black plums, light cedar, licorice, chocolates and coffee notes.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with currants, plums, sweet cherries, Mediterranean spices, light cedar, earth, chocolates, tobacco, peppercorn and herbs

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This young Merlot from Israel needs 3 hours to open up properly. Rich, spicy and engaging. Drinking very nicely now, and good by itself or with food. Smooth and elegant.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Has good potential to become a 94+ point wine.

This 4 year old is robust and good by itself as a sipping wine. Will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

Aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. Unfiltered. Kosher and not Mevushal.

16% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$50.
— 8 months ago

Doug, FEFI and 15 others liked this

Shiloh

Secret Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

#kosherwineSunday

This is a very tasty Cabernet Sauvignon from Israel. Feels like a Napa Cabernet.

Showing black fruits with cedar, vanilla, coffee, cola, spices, earth, chocolates and peppercorn.

Dry on the palate and fruit forward.

Full-bodied and bold with a nice mouthfeel.

Still young and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. Would Age nicely in the next five to seven years. Has good potential to become a 94+ wine.

Entertaining and engaging. Smooth and elegant.

Aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. Unfiltered. Kosher and Mevushal.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$53.
— 3 years ago

Severn, Paul and 12 others liked this

Paul Lato

"Le Jardin Secret" Grimm's Bluff Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Lovely minerality and acidity. Would buy again and recommend to a friend. stands out among other Santa Barbara sauvblanc. — a month ago

Familia Torres

Secret del Priorat Garnacha Blend 2019

Eric K
9.4

Very nice wine. Good fruit with berry finish. Smooth finish — 8 months ago

Secret Squirrel

Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Delectable Wine
9.0

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon impresses with peppery florals, exotic spices and black currants. It's soft yet sincere, possessing juicy, zesty acidity and crisp wild berry fruits. A pleasant, bitter, balsamic spice tinge tapers off long and resonates with lavender and violet notes. $25.00 (Eric Guido, Vinous, March 2024) — 8 months ago

Doug, Tom and 12 others liked this

Vignobles Paul Jeune

Domaine Monpertuis Secret de Gabriel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2010

Super dusty, would have pegged it for much older. Wet leather, cedar, and cloves. Tasty, but shouldn’t sit for much longer. — 2 years ago

Natasha Bray
with Natasha
Brent, Milissa and 1 other liked this

Château de l'Ou

Secret de Schistes Côtes Catalanes Syrah 2020

Big fruit. Good spice. Blackberry.

$28
— 3 months ago

Cosentino Winery

CE2V Secret Clone Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

A perfect wine? Perhaps. Not many Napa wines can have this kind of horsepower at 19 years old (I was always told Napa wines fall apart after 15 years). I’ve never had Screaming Eagle or Grace Family or any of the new “premier cru” wines. What I will say, though, is that I have a hard time imagining a wine being better than this. Plush, with a solid core. Very little fade. Let it breathe, but it was drinkable right out of the bottle, rich with refined tannins, so much fruit, so much pleasure. The oak is now seamless with the wine, not an addition, but a part of it. If you had told me this was a more recent vintage, I would have believed you. This was Cosentino’s top of the line and what a top it was. Age has allowed for more complexity (I did taste this when it was newly bottled) and development, but this is a young wine, still. Nothing out of place. It is one of the best wines I’ve ever tasted. Quintessential Napa, the best the valley has to offer. I forget the story of “the secret clone” but knowing what all the steps are in making great wine, having this clone was just one of the many right choices in making this. This one may outlive me. It is in its prime with no end in sight. Perfect? I’m not sure. But I’ve not had better. — 7 months ago

Secret Squirrel

Columbia Valley Syrah Blend

Dark cherry chocolate and sweet undertones of figs — a year ago