Kobalt
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California, USA
Social distancing FaceTime dinner & wine with friends. It has been too long since we have gotten together. I did not take real-time notes as I normally do.
First, I have to say I am not the biggest fan of how the 2010 Napa vintage turned out over time. Not to say there weren’t some nice to very good wines made. For me, most of them lack depth & character over Napa’s better vintages.
Kolbalt’s wines from Coombsville are dark, very full & brooding. They pick late to the point of the skins just starting to shrivel. They are concentrated and when young show dark, rounded, sweet, tarry, thick tannins. But given their late fruit picking, they aren’t overly sweet or show hot alcohol from their elevated Brix’s level.
While the 2010 had softened, it was elegant & seductive on the palate but, it just lacked the complexity I have had in their better vintages. 2013 will be one for the ages after 10 years in bottle.
The 2010 showed a nice broad spectrum of fruit from dark, purple & blue. Nice round, mld dark spice, well balanced & layered baking spices, dark rich earth, limestone minerals, very good & round acidity. The finish was good showing nice, balance, texture with ripe, rounded fruits and persisted with mid dark spice without heat on the long set.
Photos of; Kolbalt’s Coombsville vineyard where they growth both Cabernet & a tiny amount of Sauvignon Blanc. Their SB is refreshing and very tropical in style. Cabernet fruit near harvest and our tasting back at the house with co-founder Kevin Carriker.
Social distancing FaceTime dinner & wine with friends. It has been too long since we have gotten together. I did not take real-time notes as I normally do.
First, I have to say I am not the biggest fan of how the 2010 Napa vintage turned out over time. Not to say there weren’t some nice to very good wines made. For me, most of them lack depth & character over Napa’s better vintages.
Kolbalt’s wines from Coombsville are dark, very full & brooding. They pick late to the point of the skins just starting to shrivel. They are concentrated and when young show dark, rounded, sweet, tarry, thick tannins. But given their late fruit picking, they aren’t overly sweet or show hot alcohol from their elevated Brix’s level.
While the 2010 had softened, it was elegant & seductive on the palate but, it just lacked the complexity I have had in their better vintages. 2013 will be one for the ages after 10 years in bottle.
The 2010 showed a nice broad spectrum of fruit from dark, purple & blue. Nice round, mld dark spice, well balanced & layered baking spices, dark rich earth, limestone minerals, very good & round acidity. The finish was good showing nice, balance, texture with ripe, rounded fruits and persisted with mid dark spice without heat on the long set.
Photos of; Kolbalt’s Coombsville vineyard where they growth both Cabernet & a tiny amount of Sauvignon Blanc. Their SB is refreshing and very tropical in style. Cabernet fruit near harvest and our tasting back at the house with co-founder Kevin Carriker.
Dark cassis with tary notes and decayed floral bouquet on the nose. Fruits are; black plum, dark cherries, blackberries, blueberries, faint presence of strawberries & raspberries, anise, caramel, mocha powder, touch of vanilla, dark moist turned soil, herb blend, crushed dry stones, cloves, hint of nutmeg, cinnamon, pebbles, dry floral bouquet w/ good acidity. The finish runs juicy to dry dark berries, plum w/ sticky, round, lush mid resolved dark chocolate cassis tannins that are elegant but still needs 4-5 years in bottle. Nice job Kevin & crew.
Dark cassis with tary notes and decayed floral bouquet on the nose. Fruits are; black plum, dark cherries, blackberries, blueberries, faint presence of strawberries & raspberries, anise, caramel, mocha powder, touch of vanilla, dark moist turned soil, herb blend, crushed dry stones, cloves, hint of nutmeg, cinnamon, pebbles, dry floral bouquet w/ good acidity. The finish runs juicy to dry dark berries, plum w/ sticky, round, lush mid resolved dark chocolate cassis tannins that are elegant but still needs 4-5 years in bottle. Nice job Kevin & crew.
Dec 10th, 2016
I love this wine - first time tried after three years cellaring - Mark herold is winemaker - color is deep purple - Smell is incredible with all the fruits - raspberry, plum & blueberry – crisp tannins - this wine is really good now but it will get even better with age - has 10 years left - I decanted for a hour - really enjoying the palette - BIG SMILES HERE
I love this wine - first time tried after three years cellaring - Mark herold is winemaker - color is deep purple - Smell is incredible with all the fruits - raspberry, plum & blueberry – crisp tannins - this wine is really good now but it will get even better with age - has 10 years left - I decanted for a hour - really enjoying the palette - BIG SMILES HERE
Jul 30th, 2016
Probably underscored, but this is excellent. Sweet and textured, with the right amount of oak. It's dense and voluptuous on the palette. Give your bank manager a call before shopping for this juice :0)
Probably underscored, but this is excellent. Sweet and textured, with the right amount of oak. It's dense and voluptuous on the palette. Give your bank manager a call before shopping for this juice :0)
May 10th, 2015First time to try the 2010 since we bottled!
First time to try the 2010 since we bottled!
Feb 4th, 2013
Hit and disjointed. The fruit was high quality but I hope it comes together with time. Not my thing but won't write it off
Hit and disjointed. The fruit was high quality but I hope it comes together with time. Not my thing but won't write it off
Jul 12th, 2016Ball buster wine. Big, blackberry, tannic, lasts forever.
Ball buster wine. Big, blackberry, tannic, lasts forever.
Oct 17th, 2015