Bond
St. Eden Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Napa Valley, California, USA
Tasted library vintage of all five grand crus from 2014
St Eden - The nose carries the characteristic dark fruit and crème de cassis, and a very light hint of sage. The tell-tale yin and yang is in full display: Hedonic richness woven with cool minerality. The tannins serve as a guiding force, but are ever so fine as they persist on the finish.
Tasted library vintage of all five grand crus from 2014
St Eden - The nose carries the characteristic dark fruit and crème de cassis, and a very light hint of sage. The tell-tale yin and yang is in full display: Hedonic richness woven with cool minerality. The tannins serve as a guiding force, but are ever so fine as they persist on the finish.
After a couple months of hiatus, the Friday City Club group was able to get back together (albeit a smaller, more spread out group) for an epic hosting by @joe leatherwood . 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds and 1 dessert wine, all served blind.
Compared to the 2012 Quella it was next to, this was much darker in style. Scorched blue and black fruit, sandalwood, plums and mocha on the nose. Copious amounts of dark chocolate and fresh squeezed dark fruits on the palate wrapped in a silky and slightly dusty profile. I called this 7-10yr old Napa cab.
After a couple months of hiatus, the Friday City Club group was able to get back together (albeit a smaller, more spread out group) for an epic hosting by @joe leatherwood . 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds and 1 dessert wine, all served blind.
Compared to the 2012 Quella it was next to, this was much darker in style. Scorched blue and black fruit, sandalwood, plums and mocha on the nose. Copious amounts of dark chocolate and fresh squeezed dark fruits on the palate wrapped in a silky and slightly dusty profile. I called this 7-10yr old Napa cab.
Terra cotta clay dusty red fruit as far as extraction allows. Probably the softest in the line up.
Terra cotta clay dusty red fruit as far as extraction allows. Probably the softest in the line up.
Sep 28th, 2019
Ok so this is a big boy. Following the Rousseau isn’t fair, but big bright ripe raspberries blended with deep dark chocolate. Elegant and rolling tannins. This is California Cab at its best. Again - not fair to rate this after the big R
Ok so this is a big boy. Following the Rousseau isn’t fair, but big bright ripe raspberries blended with deep dark chocolate. Elegant and rolling tannins. This is California Cab at its best. Again - not fair to rate this after the big R
Jun 12th, 2019The spoils of riches continued Friday night with this being opened toward the end. I actually found this to be a touch more youthful than the ‘05 I had about a year ago. At this point in its life, red fruit emerges and dominates...dusty black cherry and high-percentage dark chocolate covered raspberries. The palate revealed bay leaf and dates with a mid palate that was surprisingly dense and powerful. The finish was heavy on cherry-vanilla cavendish pipe tobacco. This likely deserved a table to its own!
The spoils of riches continued Friday night with this being opened toward the end. I actually found this to be a touch more youthful than the ‘05 I had about a year ago. At this point in its life, red fruit emerges and dominates...dusty black cherry and high-percentage dark chocolate covered raspberries. The palate revealed bay leaf and dates with a mid palate that was surprisingly dense and powerful. The finish was heavy on cherry-vanilla cavendish pipe tobacco. This likely deserved a table to its own!
May 26th, 2019
Sampled 4/29/2019 at “Taste of Oakville”.
97+ pts.
Sampled 4/29/2019 at “Taste of Oakville”.
97+ pts.
This was my WOTN - this vintage is spectacular- never disappoints - Deep ruby/garnet color. Nose of dark fruits, mineral notes and anise/licorice. Palate of dark cherry, plum, currant, oak. Integrated tannins, smooth texture. A bit short on mid palate. Long, smooth finish. Tannins sweet and resolved - incredible that this wind is so ripe after 13 years
With my great friend @David L and his family
This was my WOTN - this vintage is spectacular- never disappoints - Deep ruby/garnet color. Nose of dark fruits, mineral notes and anise/licorice. Palate of dark cherry, plum, currant, oak. Integrated tannins, smooth texture. A bit short on mid palate. Long, smooth finish. Tannins sweet and resolved - incredible that this wind is so ripe after 13 years
With my great friend @David L and his family
Dark ruby red. A bit closed initially but unwinds in the glass to offer cassis, black cherry, mint, violets, dusty cedar, and Christmas spice. On the palate it’s medium bodied with medium concentration of fruit, tannins of a fine, powdery texture, and good length. Sourced from an 11 acre vineyard just north of Oakville planted 100 % to Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.5% ABV. $450.
Dark ruby red. A bit closed initially but unwinds in the glass to offer cassis, black cherry, mint, violets, dusty cedar, and Christmas spice. On the palate it’s medium bodied with medium concentration of fruit, tannins of a fine, powdery texture, and good length. Sourced from an 11 acre vineyard just north of Oakville planted 100 % to Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.5% ABV. $450.
Nov 23rd, 2018@Benjamin Keator had his hosting at the CC tonight and it was absolutely incredible. What a night of gorgeous wines! All wines are guessed blind.
5 reds tonight. 5 Bonds. Insane. I’m not going to try and evaluate each one as if they were crazy different because honestly, I found it fairly easy to determine all were from the same producer. That being said, I guessed all 5 reds were from the same producer and waffled between a horizontal or vertical...I ultimately chose vertical (which was wrong). I guessed all were Napa cabs. I guessed this was the 2010 was I found it to look older in the glass with a younger palate full of chalky red fruit and underripe blackberry, with dusty plum.
@Benjamin Keator had his hosting at the CC tonight and it was absolutely incredible. What a night of gorgeous wines! All wines are guessed blind.
5 reds tonight. 5 Bonds. Insane. I’m not going to try and evaluate each one as if they were crazy different because honestly, I found it fairly easy to determine all were from the same producer. That being said, I guessed all 5 reds were from the same producer and waffled between a horizontal or vertical...I ultimately chose vertical (which was wrong). I guessed all were Napa cabs. I guessed this was the 2010 was I found it to look older in the glass with a younger palate full of chalky red fruit and underripe blackberry, with dusty plum.