Martinez

9.1

A minor ingredient in Bordeaux blends, Petit Verdot is one of those grape varieties that enjoy greater popularity away from home. Notoriously late-ripening, grapes can have difficulties undergoing veraison in Bordeaux, especially in cold years, remaining unusable green berries (hence its name, “little green”). While Petit Verdot often fails to ripen in Bordeaux, it seems to flourish in warmer regions, such as some parts of Australia, California and Spain, where its long-cycle offers winemakers a hedge against global warming. With over 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, the region of Ronda in southern Spain has turned out to be an ideal location for Petit Verdot - which even here, doesn’t get picked until late October or early November.

Cortijo Los Aguilares’ Tadeo is one of Ronda and Spain’s most recognized Petit Verdot bottlings. Sourced from the estate’s El Calero plot at 900m (nearly 3,000 ft) elevation in Ronda, in the province of Málaga. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in French oak for 15 months. Dark ruby color with purple rim. Fragrant, very attractive, complex nose with layers of black fruit (bramble), smoke and graphite, herbal notes, sweet spices, vanilla and violets. Full-bodied, structured, powerful tannins. Impressive. — 3 years ago

Darren Guillaume

9.1

This Mourvèdre has a wonderful presentation. Nice venosity of red and black fruits, light chocolate and spice. Taste baked red cherry, blackberry, black currant, spices and pepper. Acids and tannins are nicely balanced with a long finish. Tadeo Borchardt did a wonderful job producing this wine. A nice surprise for 2011. — 8 years ago

Nathan Claiborn

9.3

Bright and rich red fruit, balanced and altogether enjoyable. Tadeo says this is one of his favorite wines to make and I can see why. — 8 years ago

Anna Kalthoff

9.0

Not the oaky, just the buttery — 9 years ago

with Clarinda

Mark Flesher

9.2

Muddy maroon with purple meniscus. Nose is cola, lavender, dried herb, wildflowers and berry tart. Entry is less cola and lavender and more of the herbs, wdflowers and raspberries that had ripened yesterday! Middle shows more of a rounded and full bodied character. Finishes with tart black cherry, wild raspberry, and sharper acidity. Think this one would improve with 3-5 years of bottle age. Killed this one a bit too early but curiosity killed! Nice little bottle from Tadeo Borchardt. — 5 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.4

I found a house in St Helena last week and will be moving there at the end of May. I thought I should get acquainted with the neighbors. What better way than a face off?
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Neyers Vineyards 2011 Neyers Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon vs Salvestrin Winery 2013 Salvestrin Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.
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Neyers Ranch is situated in the hills of Conn Valley just east of St Helena, with elevations ranging from 400’ to 1200’ on a south-facing, 50-acre parcel bisected by Conn Creek. Since 1998 Neyers has sustainably farmed this vineyard. Winemaker Tadeo Borchardt started in 2004 as assistant to then winemaker Ehren Jordan.
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This Neyers was highlighted as one of the best of Napa’s 2011s in Jon Bonné’s piece for the SF Chronicle “Lessons from Napa in the trickiest of years” saying it “finds that great Cabernet balance of sleekness and dense flavor” with “pitch-perfect expression” and an “oregano-like herbal side frames its meaty structure and subtle blackcurrant fruit.”
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Since 1932, three generations of Salvestrins have sustainable farmed their vineyard which was originally planted in 1860 by Dr. George Crane. It’s situated immediately south of St Helena High School and along Main St (Hwy 29), surrounding the family winery. Rich Salvestrin farms the vineyard and makes the wine, and his wife Shannon handles the sales and marketing, while they both raise the 4th generation on their farm.
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Robert Parker gushed over the 2013, as “lusty, savory, hedonistic, rich and mouth-filling, with a dense purple color and not a hard edge in sight.” His praise did not stop there, saying that this “blockbuster fruit bomb has complexity, richness and a savory intensity that has to be tasted to be believed.”
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The vintages were so different that it’s difficult to weigh them against each other. Bonné is definitely on point calling the Neyers one of the best examples of 2011 Napa Cabernet. Savory, with rich aromatics of Mexican cocoa powder and mole sauce, reminiscent of Corison’s 2011. To Parker’s credit, the Salvestrin is definitely a blockbuster and a hedonistic fruit bomb, but the savoriness, complexity, and length tone down its showiness, and add a level of decorum that sets it apart. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

This wine will be deserving of a 94 in a year or two. As it is, almost deserving of 94 today. Very robust mouthfeel, more so than 2014. Fruit is there, more so than 2014. The Finish is a little bit better, even better than the 2014. Oh, who am I kidding, this one is certainly a 94, and potentially capable of 95. Rated the 2014 a 94 as well, and I really don't think there is a full point of difference between the two. This wine is full malolactic, but the qualities have a stone-ground newt in the front and middle in addition to the ample weight and body. Borchardt definitely knows what he is doing. — 5 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.3

I found a house in St Helena last week and will be moving there at the end of May. I thought I should get acquainted with the neighbors. What better way than a face off?
.
Neyers Vineyards 2011 Neyers Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon vs Salvestrin Winery 2013 Salvestrin Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.
.
Neyers Ranch is situated in the hills of Conn Valley just east of St Helena, with elevations ranging from 400’ to 1200’ on a south-facing, 50-acre parcel bisected by Conn Creek. Since 1998 Neyers has sustainably farmed this vineyard. Winemaker Tadeo Borchardt started in 2004 as assistant to then winemaker Ehren Jordan.
.
This Neyers was highlighted as one of the best of Napa’s 2011s in Jon Bonné’s piece for the SF Chronicle “Lessons from Napa in the trickiest of years” saying it “finds that great Cabernet balance of sleekness and dense flavor” with “pitch-perfect expression” and an “oregano-like herbal side frames its meaty structure and subtle blackcurrant fruit.”
.
Since 1932, three generations of Salvestrins have sustainable farmed their vineyard which was originally planted in 1860 by Dr. George Crane. It’s situated immediately south of St Helena High School and along Main St (Hwy 29), surrounding the family winery. Rich Salvestrin farms the vineyard and makes the wine, and his wife Shannon handles the sales and marketing, while they both raise the 4th generation on their farm.
.
Robert Parker gushed over the 2013, as “lusty, savory, hedonistic, rich and mouth-filling, with a dense purple color and not a hard edge in sight.” His praise did not stop there, saying that this “blockbuster fruit bomb has complexity, richness and a savory intensity that has to be tasted to be believed.”
.
The vintages were so different that it’s difficult to weigh them against each other. Bonné is definitely on point calling the Neyers one of the best examples of 2011 Napa Cabernet. Savory, with rich aromatics of Mexican cocoa powder and mole sauce, reminiscent of Corison’s 2011. To Parker’s credit, the Salvestrin is definitely a blockbuster and a hedonistic fruit bomb, but the savoriness, complexity, and length tone down its showiness, and add a level of decorum that sets it apart. — 6 years ago

Chris Scanlan

Sales Amy Atwood Imports

9.1

Tadeo! Killing it. — 10 years ago