The Wine Cellar

Chateau Montelena

The Montelena Estate Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

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

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Complex, spicy and tangy. Rich and elegant.

Showing a great mouthfeel with good balance.

Needs 90 minutes of airtime to open up properly, so be patient.

I've had a few vintages of this wine, and it is very consistent, although not as good as their Estate Cabernet.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

A nice sipping wine, good by itself or with food.

14.1% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$150.
— 7 days ago

Lyle, Anthony and 15 others liked this

Heitz Cellar

Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1978

Lovely gnarly stuff. Deep savory fruit. Still clear and intense. Some floral notes at the end with a succulent saline quality. Just spectacular. — 24 days ago

BOT Jean-Francois PelletierMatt Lichtenberg
with BOT, Jean-Francois and 2 others
Jan, Daniel and 12 others liked this

Château Léoville Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1989

Competently made wine, but Leoville Barton is always my least favorite of the Leovilles. Just not very exciting or dynamic. Served with braised short-ribs in a savoy cabbage, with potato Napoleon, confit carrots, and a bitter chocolate jus. The chocolate actually helped the Leoville Barton significantly more than when it was on its own. — 9 days ago

Ira liked this

The Prisoner Wine Company

Napa Valley Zinfandel Blend

Revisiting this disruptive wine as I often do. This time 24 years after it’s initial release, and much has changed since since it’s inception. The wine is still exciting, maybe for the wrong reasons, maybe for the right reasons but exciting nonetheless. It’s still a big and bold beast of a wine, no matter the vintage. — 14 days ago

Andrew, Daniel and 6 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2001

Has finally entered a the period to enjoy with patience rewarded. A nice nose of earth, dark berries, and florals. Nice long finish with a bit of plum coming through. An hour decant to the benefit of the wine. — 2 days ago

Ron, David and 4 others liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2011

Fantastic and seemed even more mature than 13 years. Dark dark but smooth and developed. It’s a focused wine in great balance. No complaints but you can tell it was a bit below the heights for Latour. Double decanted and enjoyed over 4+ hours. — 6 days ago

Tom, Bob and 20 others liked this
GaryWEdwards

GaryWEdwards

Nice report. Thank you!!

The Royal Tokaji Wine Company

5 Puttonyos Furmint Blend

Orange tinged pale golden colour. Excellent pure nose of apricot, iodine and spices. Unctuous on the palate yet supported by a great backbone of acidity. Great depth of flavour and very satisfying length. A great wine by any standard. — 20 days ago

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Opened several hours prior and decanted off sediment and a portion of the cork that had broke and crumbled before returning to the bottle. The 2007 “Howell Mountain” pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core and very slight rim variation. On the nose, the wine is developing with gorgeous notes of dark fruit: black currants, blackberries, tobacco, leather, earth and gentle spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and savory. This is firing on all cylinders right now and the structure suggests the power of the 2007 vintage is not slowing down anytime soon. Drink now with a decant and through 2037 with ease. — 6 days ago

Tom, Ming and 10 others liked this
David T

David T Influencer Badge

One of the very best Howell Mtn. producers.

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1961

Amazing wine, so fresh at 63 yrs that kept developing in the glass with a deep, dark color, notes of berry, currant fruit, cedar, leather, earth, sweet spices, graphite & tobacco — 7 days ago

Andrew, Jan and 14 others liked this

The Prisoner Wine Company

Thorn Napa Valley Merlot

The Prisoner Wine Co. Tasting - 3/4
Excellent Merlot
— 17 days ago