David Kline

9.4

Inky cab with purple-tinged blood blackness from rim to rim. Glass painter with star bright reflectivity. Viscous Frankenstein hair tears over glacial-carved canyon. Nose of black cherry, raisinated currant, light toast, lighter pepper, carnation, violet, licorice, blackberries with honey. Mouth-coating with a luxurious mouthfeel showing silky tannins with a modicum of grain. Cassis, graphite, baked blueberry, black currant. Sustain. Bold and unabashed.

#colgin #ColginTychsonHill #Cabernet #cab #cabernetsauvignon #napa #napacab #estategrown #estatebottled #2019 #nspavalleycab #napavalley — 3 months ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

8.9

Moderately complex, surprisingly crushable #mendoza #cabernetsauvignon at one of my favorite wine bar and bites place. — 2 years ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

8.7

Just a humdrum #alexandervalley #cabernetsauvignon - the usual black/purple fruit, some chocolate notes, spice from barrel toast, nothing really exciting here, hard to get excited about the low QPR. — 2 years ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.0

My preferred #napavalley #cabernetsauvignon - big yet balanced, blackberry, fine tannins that build and some black pepper spice on the finish. #coombsville — 2 years ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

8.8

Savory earthy #cabernetsauvignon, recessed fruit on nose, earthy savory palate finishing with soft tannins. — 2 years ago

David Kline

9.3

Rim to rim color density. Red and black cherries poke through cedar and sweet tobacco on the nose with dark chocolate chunks, plum, prune and date, toasted sesame, cinnamon, rose petal, and cardamom. Chewy tannins that roll satin-smooth initially, then cassis, black currant and licorice flip the script. Graphite and blackberry frame dark chocolate and mocha-tobacco, oak and black bread.


#dunn #dunnvineyards #howellmountain #howell #napa #angwin #cabernet #cabernetsauvignon #cab #cabsauv #2014 #2014napa — 2 years ago

David Kline

9.3

Reliquus 2019 cab St Helena Napa (grace family).
This one shines bright with red cherry and raspberry notes leading a nose of blueberry and cassis as strawberry peeks through. The palate is silky and refined despite grainy tannins which amplify versus detract. Depth and intensity that is a dichotomy considering the fruited nose. Elegant, sinewy and serpentine. Scrumptious.





#gracefamily #napa #sthelena #cabernetsauvignon #cab #reliquus

— 3 years ago

David Kline

9.3

Barely browning, otherwise complete tonally. Blood. Coffee rye nose nibbles black olive edges and oozes pouch tobacco. Devil’s food chocolate with corresponding moisture. Black cherry. Blackberry and boisenberry.smatter the graham cracker crust in the cedar bowl. Joyous purple flowers of every persuasion. Palate shows heat without being blowsy. Likely the product of concentrated licorice, black currant, cassis and tobacco, ax well as vanilla. Burnt flatbread, charred bbq tips, pencil scribbling that never quit and smoky rock.

#Somerston #SomerstonCelestisl #SomerstonCelestialNapaValleyEststeGrown #EstateGrown #NapaValley #CabernetSauvignon #2013 #2013Nspa #napacab #cab — 7 months ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.0

You’ll definitely want to decant this wine. Well over an hour after opening in the glass the initial dusty #bordeaux muted fruit wakes up fully, very youthful bramble fruit, purple jam on the nose. Mouthwatering acidity and generally soft tannins from the Merlot dominant blend with some more assertive tannins on the finish. 68% #merlot, 17% #cabernetsauvignon, 13% #petitverdot, 2% #cabernetfranc - clearly I got the impression this wine could easily cruise for another 5 years in the bottle. Excellent #costcowines value. — 2 years ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.1

Bit of a throwback style here with lots of big #cabernetsauvignon #shiraz fruit aromas. Quite elegant on the palate but new oak is noticeable towards the end of the sip, though tannins are velvety. Could use at least half a decade more to integrate - this wine is built for the long haul. — 2 years ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.0

20% #cabernetsauvignon 60% #tannat 20% #cabernetfranc . Touch of barnyard funk nose immediately followed by a deep well of cassis, bramble fruit. Higher tension on the palate, robust grippy tannins, as expected. Feels like it needs another 5 years bottle time to fully integrate. #madiran — 2 years ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.0

Proper #napa #cabernetsauvignon - fruit forward, but balanced. — 3 years ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.0

Delightful #napa #cabernetsauvignon ; expected jammy bramble fruit aromas backed by cigar box, leather undertones. Balanced with noticeable bright tartness to offset fruit, dried spices mid palate, grippy tannins on the finish. — 3 years ago

David Kline

9.5

Medium viscosity; dark, glass-painter. Warm cherries in black and deep red with brownie and tiramisu notes. Nano star anise, black pepper, and tea. These on the nose. Sublime mouthfeel showcases the blackberry, black currant, boysenberry, coffe and sweet tobacco notes that rotate into a persistent resonance.

#outpost #howellmountain #napa #cabernet #cab #cabernetsauvignon #cawine #mountainfruit — a year ago

with Courtney

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.1

Delicious #carneros Bordeaux-style blend. Big bramble fruit, leather and spice nose, drinks lighter on the palate than the 14.8% ABV and 80% new French oak would suggest; the whole package is well integrated from a difficult fire vintage, lovely spice on the finish. 84% #merlot, 13% #cabernetsauvignon, 3% #cabernetfranc — a year ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

8.9

Fairly typical Sonoma County #cabernetsauvignon impressions on the nose, brambly fruit, touch of earth. Notably more dusty fruit on the palate, decent acidity considering how hot that year was. Less of a jam bomb so this #alexandervalley Cab was pretty enjoyable to me. — 2 years ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.1

Excellent high-QPR SV #napa #cabernetsauvignon. It leans “Old Worldish” but still has plenty of big fruit up front, nicely balanced, some coffee and subtle earthy undertones -and velvety tannins to close out. Call this the “Anti-Caymus” 💣 #costcowines — 2 years ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

8.9

Ramey’s interpretation of #claret is quite interesting. After 9 years of bottle time it’s aged more than expected. Stewed plum, quite faint dark fruit on the nose. Prominent acidity on palate, primary fruit exited stage left, some sherry notes but still noticeable tannins. 68% #cabernetsauvignon, 18% #merlot, 6% #syrah, 4% #malbec, 4% #petitverdot — 2 years ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.1

My first #chateaumusar - taciturn black fruit, cassis, sous bois on the nose. Palate with conspicuous acidity up front, sturdy tannins mid-palate on the finish. Delicious wine now but easily could cruise 10 to 15 years longer. Fascinating 50% #cinsault 40% #grenache 10% #cabernetsauvignon — 3 years ago

David Kline

9.1

Grace family st Helena cab 2018
Juicy plum and blackberry, cedar, oak and cherry, violets and smoke.
Firm tannins support black pepper, black cherry and cassis in abundance. Mouth-coating and intense with tertiary flavors of violet and graphite cinnamon and licorice.






#cabernetsauvignon #cab

#napavalley

#sthelena #napa

#napacab #estategrown — 3 years ago