Alexander Bastian Nielsen

9.2

Beautiful “entry level”-wine from SLWC - however it’s very very young. Decanted for 4 hours and really opened up but shouldn’t be opened until 2026 earliest. Cassis, bramble, dark cherries, dusty tannins, mocha, mint and spices! Very bold and yummy — a month ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.3

Big & self-assured, and yet elegant. Still very young. Very CS dominated nose, black fruit, some cassis, a touch of nice wood & dark chocolate rounded & very elegant.
Proper St Estephe on palate - good tannic frame, juicy acidity, pure black fruit. Great depth here. And aging potential. Needs a bit of time, but it’s already shining. — 3 months ago

Jan de Weerd

8.9

Hmm. 🤔 wasn’t able to connect with this, expectingly great wine. Actually first direct out of the bottle it was promising. Strong oak notes with vibrant dark red fruit underneath it. But over the next hour, the oak flavors started to be integrated more but the acidity became very prominent and made the wine rather single note, diluted, lacking depth, acidic tasting. So needless to say. Disappointing experience. Maybe it was not the right day 🤔. — 5 months ago

with Tammy

John Malcolm

9.5

An outstanding wine that is drinking very well now. Powerful, but smooth and refined. Blackberries, cassis, dark chocolate, truffles, and cedar. Long, satisfying finish. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

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. — 2 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Just entering its drinking window. It has 40 years ahead of it. Excellent with Ribcap from Costco.

Interesting that there are some vegetable notes on the nose.

Very good evolution. Medium plus tannins. Juicy, ripe blackberries, black raspberries, darkest cherries, black plum/ with skin, ripe strawberries, some blue fruit hues, cedar, black licorice/cola, dark rich earth w/ leaves, sandstone, steeped sun tea, light limestone powder, ripe, light, dark spice, clove, light cinnamon, hints of nutmeg, vanillin, moist volcanic clay, fresh red, dark flowers, framed in violets, round acidity with polish/balance, softly tensioned, elegant that falls on mineral & clay that lasts two-minutes. — 6 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium ruby , quite wide garnet rim, clear and bright . Cassis , blackberry , sous bois , mint , cedar , grafite , good clarity and surprisingly fruit driven still . Good volume on the palate , dark fruits , mint , good acidity and still quite gritty tannins. Saline and grafite tinged finish . Good length . Drinking very well now and over the next 5 years . For 2002 this is showing very well, classic and surprisingly elegant, a really nice surprise! — 2 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

Owned in collaboration with Chris Ringland, Jorge Ordonez, Miguel Gil and others, located in Valley of La Aragona inside the Murcia district of Jumilla. Very dark Ruby, purple edges with floral fruit aromas and floral spice. On the palate blueberry and sweet black cherry flavors, savory with great mouthfeel, 24 months aging on French and American oak, the 70% Monastrell and 30% Cab Sauv has fine soft tannins, well integrated with oak, long finish ending with mineral tones, Will age well! — 3 months ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.3

Dark rubi robe, nose of dark cherries, cocoa, blackcurrant, cedar, asian spices and wood spice. Very elegant and same time bold in the mouth, complex, good length. This is classical claret at its best. Was decanted 45 minutes before our fois gras and Simmental steak was served. Great stuff. Was our Mother’s day meal. — 6 months ago

with veronique, Jose and 1 other

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Still one of the best Napa Cabernets for the money. 12 a fruity & very high yield vintage in Napa Valley.

12 is a fruit leaning vintage. It is juicy, ripe, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum pudding, some boysenberries, cedar, medium plus tannins, dry tobacco, leather, dry leaves, expresso, French barrel shavings, sandstone, dark, rich, sweet, turned earth, stems, black, rich, sweet earth, steeped tea, alluvial limestone minerals, baking spices, liquid, dark, red, purple flowers, w/ rainfall acidity and an elegant, rich, fruit driven finish that lasts nearly two-minutes.

12 a vintage to age, but not long age. Lacks the tannins to do what 13, 14 will.

Happy birthday Angela. — 6 months ago