Three Magnets Brewing Co.
Realm Cellars
Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Clos du Val Wine Co.
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1984
Wine dinner with big group including Butch neighbor Art, Philip and Bewan. Vertical of 2013,1989,1984 and Reserve 1996. ‘13 still young and long aging potential. ‘84 stood out amongst three, ‘89 clearly lesser vintage and heading down. Reserve tastes like a young wine and can feel the tannin. Very interesting growing. — a year ago
Clos du Val Wine Co.
Three Graces Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014
Rich notes of blackcurrant, cherry, and cedar, with hints of mocha and dried herbs. Full-bodied and elegantly balanced, it boasts silky tannins and a long, polished finish. — 4 months ago
Krebs Brewing Co.
Prairie Artisan Ales Bomb! Imperial Stout 2023
Unfair how good this is. Top three stout with abraxas and Jackie O’s for me. The chili spice and green chile flavors b add lance it do well. — a year ago
Clos du Val Wine Co.
Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1996
Wine dinner with big group including Butch neighbor Art, Philip and Bewan. Great wine and needing more time! Still prominent but soft tannins and wrapped in more sumptuous garb than the regular Cab. So keep the remaining three in storage! — a year ago
Three Wine Company
Spinelli Vineyard Mataro 2012
Dark and thick. Inky dark fruit, blackberry, menthol, black plum skin, bramble, some oak. Tannins sit on top of the tongue. Acidity trickles down the side. There’s an initial tartness, maybe the black plum skin. The menthol and wood notes creep in with leather emerging. Blackberry and bramble round out the flavor. This is the best I’ve had from 3 Wine Co. — 4 years ago
Badet Clément & Co.
Pontificis Grenache Blend 2022
This medium-dark wine offers a nose of black plums, blueberries and blackberries along with aromas of earth, tobacco, cedar, clove and nutmeg. I understand that the three segments - Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre- were vinified in both barrels and tanks, with no more than six months of aging. Given that, it is understandable that oak does not take a more prominent position.
The palate is loaded with dark fruit and savory notes, and it has a firm tannic grip with lively acidity. I had it with some sautéed meatballs and Petit Basque cheese. It paired excellently. — a year ago
Shay A
One of the wines I supplied for an annual lunch hosting (co-host this time). I was really hesitant to open this given the fanfare of this specific wine, but also how DrCrane can be an in-between wine for me (so explosive young, shut down at 5-10yrs, re-open 10+). Decanted two-three hours.
Classic deep purple-black DrCrane in the glass. Aromatics are immediate with ripe blue and black fruits, baking spices, mocha and graphite. Just a little bit of high-toned EA to make it pop, along with this roasted character I always get from DrCrane wines. Opulent and polished in every way on the palate, this is a tidal wave of flavor with no hard edges. It’s a towering wine in the sense of so much concentration and depth on the mid-palate, but it’s so incredibly polished at the finish…almost shockingly so. The ripe fruits and the dark chocolate linger longer than any Napa cab I can remember. Iron first in a velvet glove.
No need to worry, these are open for business. Plenty of structure to carry a while, but this window seems like it was made for how this wine is drinking now. — a month ago