Shay A

9.2

@Delectable Wine : This is the new Silver Ghost Cabernet Franc. I didn’t see it in the database.

A new, one off bottle from Weston at Silver Ghost. Score is based off potential as this was obviously super young, but I wanted to see what to expect.

I really think Weston nailed the varietal character here. So incredibly floral in the glass with Potpourri/violets, baking spices, dark black cherry and blackberries. A touch less powerful than their Cabernet, as expected, with a slightly crunchy profile. Oak tannin bulked up the longer this was open, so either wait, or give this some time in the decanter.

Being a Napa cab franc fan, I can’t recall another in this price range that is better. Can’t wait to see how this is showing in another few years. — 5 years ago

Shay A

9.4

I opened a ‘14 Cimarossa Ponente for Weston to get a feel for their style at a young age and while it was shockingly soft, open and showing plenty of fruit, Mark wanted to compare how an older Levante would show. The more I have these wines, the more I think Ponente (for my taste) can be enjoyed younger while Levante & Rian need more age to shine. This ‘07 Levante was fantastic. Nose of black cherry pie, blackberries and roasted plum. Powerful on the palate revealing red clay, blue and black fruit, but more dominant to the dark fruit side. Mocha, dark cocoa and vanilla pipe tobacco too. Don’t think it’s getting any better! — 7 years ago

with Mark and Weston

Shay A

9.3

Heck of a hosting by @Weston Eidson last night for the City Club wine group. All wines were tasted blind.

Tart and youthful. Underripe black cherry, blackberries and herbal on the nose. Leather, cassis, cherry tobacco and crunchy cranberry on the palate with gripping tannins. Decanted 4hrs and needed it. I called this mid 2000s left bank Bordeaux. — 7 years ago

with joe, Dan and 2 others

Shay A

9.3

Very enjoyable Wednesday Wine Committee lunch today with @Weston Eidson & @Colby Siratt hosting. Same format as always...1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine all tasted blind.

This producer was new to me. Loved it! The nose has such dark fruit wrapped in smoked/chargrilled meats. Not overly savory and zero funk, but just a killer mesh of sweet and savory. Tobacco, graphite, cassis up front with a finish of blackberry pie, leather, and herbs de Provence. This could be a wonderful wine in 7-10yrs. I called this left bank 2012 vintage. — 7 years ago

with Dan, Jeff and 3 others

Shay A

9.2

Very enjoyable Wednesday Wine Committee lunch today with @Weston Eidson & @Colby Siratt hosting. Same format as always...1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine all tasted blind.

Out of the four reds, this changed the most in the glass. Very floral and pretty. Sweetness tobacco, black cherries, and an herbal finish. Potpourri too. I called this right bank post 2010 vintage. Youthful for sure. — 7 years ago

with Dan, Jeff and 3 others

TheSkip

9.2

Another very nice effort from @Weston Eidson. This Pinot is unabashedly big. — 7 years ago

Chaz Judy

10

Delightfully light and well rounded with bursting red fruit. Smooth pleasant finish. — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.2

Served blind to a few of us by @Weston Eidson . My initial, and final call, of this was ‘14-‘15 Napa Cab. Honestly, hard to put it anywhere else. A more ripe and rich version with an overwhelming amount of baking spices, bruised dark fruits and fig on the nose. Low acidity and an overall “soft” profile...tannic, but not overly so. Nutmeg, cocoa shavings, baked mixed berry pie and just a hint of dust/chalkiness to it. Super approachable now. Julien Fayard makes wonderful wines and I think this, along with his Matthew Wallace wines, are the most enjoyable young. — 7 years ago

with Benjamin, Dan and 2 others

Shay A

9.4

Heck of a hosting by @Weston Eidson last night for the City Club wine group. All wines were tasted blind.

Wonderful finish to the evening. It didn’t have as much sweetness to it as I normally think Graham’s does. Mixed berry compote, graham cracker, nutty, and cherry liqueur infused fig. My guess here was late 80s/early 90s port. — 7 years ago

with joe, Dan and 2 others

Shay A

9.4

Heck of a hosting by @Weston Eidson last night for the City Club wine group. All wines were tasted blind.

This was really fun trying alongside The Judge (once they were revealed). I guessed this was 3-5 year old Cali chardonnay, and guessed it was a Montagu Ritchie. Crazy power to this...it mellowed a touch with time in the glass, but it was large and in charge. Smoked marshmallows, lemon oil, hazelnut and honeyed fruits. Viscous and rich on the palate. — 7 years ago

with joe, Dan and 2 others

Shay A

9.2

Very enjoyable Wednesday Wine Committee lunch today with @Weston Eidson & @Colby Siratt hosting. Same format as always...1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine all tasted blind.

Lovely aromatics here. Mix of red and black fruit. Tar, pipe tobacco, graphite and black cherry cola. This picked up steam the longer it was open. I’d hold these. I called this left bank 2012 vintage. — 7 years ago

with Dan, Jeff and 3 others

Shay A

9.1

Very enjoyable Wednesday Wine Committee lunch today with @Weston Eidson & @Colby Siratt hosting. Same format as always...1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine all tasted blind.

When compared to the other two whites, this had more obvious oak. Very light notes of sweet lemon cream, brioche, and sea salt. My favorite of the flight. I called this burgundy between mersault or chassagne-Montrachet. — 7 years ago

with Dan, Jeff and 3 others

Shay A

9.2

Never had a sparkler like this. Slightly oxidative with rhubarb tart and bright/ripe bing cherries on the nose. Not much chalk or limestone on the palate...or citrus notes of any kind. Mousse was fairly light. There was a really unique sweet red fruit characteristic I was struggling to identify...overripe honeycrisp apple, maybe? Fun to try. Thanks @Weston Eidson — 7 years ago

with Weston, Dan and 2 others

Shay A

9.5

Monthly WTF group recap. Theme this month was “bring something special”. Normally we taste all of the wines blind, but we decided to do a relaxed night with amazing wines at a great restaurant. Spectacular evening!

I had the ‘16 about 4 months ago and found it to be more rich as this was slightly more mineral like in profile. It’s undoubtedly still massive and a beautifully round wine though. Maybe this vintage is slightly more elegant and finesse driven. Floral, honeysuckle, orange blossom, and sea salt aromatics. Focused and clean on the palate with honeyed almonds, wet rock, and lemon oil. Thanks @Weston Eidson . — 7 years ago

with Andrew, Michael and 8 others

Keith Fisher

9.8

Young, but so very good at this stage. I’m thinking that this will improve with age so if I’m able to get some I’ll try (but probably fail) to keep my hands off for a few years. The vines are farmed organically with a strong sense of stewardship mindful of the family legacy. I was lucky enough to taste the 2014 a couple of months ago (thanks @Weston Eidson) and the 2016 is just as good. Everything you want in a great Cabernet. — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.7

Heck of a hosting by @Weston Eidson last night for the City Club wine group. All wines were tasted blind.

Cerebral and spectacular. Best Bordeaux I’ve had. A stunning showing at 19yrs young. I called this early 2000s Bordeaux but actually thought it was Right Bank...there is a gorgeous medley of soft and ripe dark blue and black fruit here. Not juicy, but more floral and expressive. Palate was lifted with fantastic structure and softened tannins (thanks to 4hrs in the decanter). Pipe tobacco but hardly any herbal or leather notes. The softness of this wine is what made it a star. Flavor without being dense. Co WOTN. — 7 years ago

with joe, Dan and 2 others

Shay A

9.2

Heck of a hosting by @Weston Eidson last night for the City Club wine group. All wines were tasted blind.

This was very light and refreshing. Could see this being super easy to sip on these hot TX summer days. Tons of green apple, pear, citrus and chalky limestone. Right down the middle. I called this non vintage champagne. — 7 years ago

with Weston, joe and 2 others

Shay A

9.2

Very enjoyable Wednesday Wine Committee lunch today with @Weston Eidson & @Colby Siratt hosting. Same format as always...1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine all tasted blind.

This was plush and dense while also being very youthful and gripping. Dark fruit dominant. Black Forest cake, dark cocoa dusted dates, roasted plum and a touch of saddle leather. I called this left bank 2012 vintage. — 7 years ago

with Dan, Jeff and 3 others

Shay A

9.2

Very enjoyable Wednesday Wine Committee lunch today with @Weston Eidson & @Colby Siratt hosting. Same format as always...1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine all tasted blind.

This had a sense of familiarity to it. It reminds me of a lighter version of Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve. Similar notes of baked key lime pie and toasted oak on the nose, but the palate showed less honey/nougat. Maybe more limestone. Very solid. I called it NV French champagne. — 7 years ago

with Jeff, Will and 3 others

Mark Flesher

9.5

Solid 95. Almost want to give this one a 96. If I was planning to stay longer, this wine would have been within arm's length of me at all times. Full-bodied, correct Syrah done extremely well from Hyde fruit. Pours with a purple hue, with a delicate yet complex nose of herbs, flowers, mint(?), chocolate, and fruit. The entry of this wine is powerful. Lots of dark fruit with a hint of chocolate. The middle is balanced buy an herbal quality did I would stop really short of calling a funkiness in the traditional sense. It seems to touch down on these notes to give you just enough of a hint. Finishes with an earthy and Dusty resin, but it is quite fruity on the Finish as well. This was the most balanced wine on the table. Gave you every single characteristic you could hope to obtain in a Syrah. Bravo @Weston Eidson I will be buying me sommathis!! Has the structure to go 10 years. — 7 years ago

with Dan and Shay