Sodhani
Reserve St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon
St. Helena, Napa Valley, California, USA
Great structure - just too young for PnP action
Great structure - just too young for PnP action
Oct 13th, 2022
After hearing of this for a while, I grabbed one of these a while back and decided to open as 2014 Napa cabs are generally pretty open knit right now. Great pedigree as the fruit was formerly sold to Harlan. Winemaker is TRB. This is their reserve bottle, which is a barrel select of their estate.
Sure does seem to have TRB’s signature style all through this wine, as I feel he has an amazing ability to pull the entire fruit spectrum (in terms of light red all the way to dark black) for Cabernet in the right sites. Right after opening, it filled the air with a lifted fruit profile...high toned dark chocolate dipped blackberries, blueberries, and baking spices like nutmeg, alongside floral violet notes. It’s rich on the palate without being flabby or too fruit forward. The darker fruits translate over...beautiful black cherries, but mostly ripe blueberries and freshly squeezed blackberries, followed by dark cocoa, espresso, toasted oak. Really nice acidity and fine grained tannins on the finish. Still youthful, but this can be enjoyed now with a couple hour decant.
After hearing of this for a while, I grabbed one of these a while back and decided to open as 2014 Napa cabs are generally pretty open knit right now. Great pedigree as the fruit was formerly sold to Harlan. Winemaker is TRB. This is their reserve bottle, which is a barrel select of their estate.
Sure does seem to have TRB’s signature style all through this wine, as I feel he has an amazing ability to pull the entire fruit spectrum (in terms of light red all the way to dark black) for Cabernet in the right sites. Right after opening, it filled the air with a lifted fruit profile...high toned dark chocolate dipped blackberries, blueberries, and baking spices like nutmeg, alongside floral violet notes. It’s rich on the palate without being flabby or too fruit forward. The darker fruits translate over...beautiful black cherries, but mostly ripe blueberries and freshly squeezed blackberries, followed by dark cocoa, espresso, toasted oak. Really nice acidity and fine grained tannins on the finish. Still youthful, but this can be enjoyed now with a couple hour decant.
Ok!! Here are the dead soldiers!! What a night! Thank you Beverly and Arvin for hosting us highlight of our week!
Ok!! Here are the dead soldiers!! What a night! Thank you Beverly and Arvin for hosting us highlight of our week!
Feb 21st, 2019Wow! EHT a nose! Soft but a big mouth feel. Cooked plums and red berries back end rolling tannins goes on and on Thomas is a genius
Wow! EHT a nose! Soft but a big mouth feel. Cooked plums and red berries back end rolling tannins goes on and on Thomas is a genius
Feb 21st, 2019Big fruit nose red sour cherries and plums big gripping tannins sandy and long finish. Still a baby - can’t wait to revisit in 5 years. This is a big boy!
Big fruit nose red sour cherries and plums big gripping tannins sandy and long finish. Still a baby - can’t wait to revisit in 5 years. This is a big boy!
Feb 21st, 2019Rolling dusty black cherry notes. Elegant and perfect balance notes of cigar box and all spice cooked meat. YES
Rolling dusty black cherry notes. Elegant and perfect balance notes of cigar box and all spice cooked meat. YES
Feb 21st, 2019
You couldn’t ask for nicer, more engaged estate owners and their reserve Cab is equally engaging. Gobs of pure dark fruit, round full edges, chocolate covered sweet fig. Still brooding a bit after 3 hours. Optimum drinking ahead.
You couldn’t ask for nicer, more engaged estate owners and their reserve Cab is equally engaging. Gobs of pure dark fruit, round full edges, chocolate covered sweet fig. Still brooding a bit after 3 hours. Optimum drinking ahead.
Dec 28th, 2018
One I the nose, soft, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, plum, mulberries, black raspberries, blueberries & poached strawberries. Liqueur notes, dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, light cinnamon & clove, dry crushed limestone minerals, suede leather and red flowers, lavender and violets.
The body is full. The tannins much softer & rounder than when I had it a year ago. More harmony in the structure, tension, length and balance but still a long ways from opening a bottle. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, plum, mulberries, black raspberries, blueberries, poached strawberries, dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, light cinnamon & clove, soft dark spice, dark moist turned soil, dry stems, dry crushed limestone minerals, dry stones, dry herbs, suede leather and red flowers, lavender and violets. The acidity lively and like a waterfall. The ripe finish is well structured/balanced, elegant and lasts two minutes.
Photos of; their Estate vines, guests enjoying the party & property and an arial architectural drawing of the Winery they are planning to build.
One I the nose, soft, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, plum, mulberries, black raspberries, blueberries & poached strawberries. Liqueur notes, dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, light cinnamon & clove, dry crushed limestone minerals, suede leather and red flowers, lavender and violets.
The body is full. The tannins much softer & rounder than when I had it a year ago. More harmony in the structure, tension, length and balance but still a long ways from opening a bottle. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, plum, mulberries, black raspberries, blueberries, poached strawberries, dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, light cinnamon & clove, soft dark spice, dark moist turned soil, dry stems, dry crushed limestone minerals, dry stones, dry herbs, suede leather and red flowers, lavender and violets. The acidity lively and like a waterfall. The ripe finish is well structured/balanced, elegant and lasts two minutes.
Photos of; their Estate vines, guests enjoying the party & property and an arial architectural drawing of the Winery they are planning to build.
On the nose, still showing dark currants but, the fruits are starting to shine. Creamy fruits of; black plum, plum, blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, dark chocolate, mocha bar, vanilla, cinnamon, light clove, soft dark spice, limestone minerals, crush dry rock powder, sweet tarry notes, expression roast with dark dry & fresh floral bouquet.
The palate is much rounder & integrated from a year ago. The tannins are powdery & dusty. The body is still very full. The structure, tension, length and balance are knitting together nicely. Creamy fruits of; black plum, plum, blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, dark chocolate, mocha bar, vanilla, cinnamon, light clove, soft dark spice, limestone minerals, crush dry rock powder, dry stones, dry stems, sweet tarry notes, expression roast with dark dry & fresh floral bouquet. The acidity is lively. The finish is beautiful but still more earth & spice dominated than fruit. Yet, it is evolving to being more even. It’s just starting to evolve into the wine I thought it will become with a beautiful finish that goes on and on.
Photos of, more guests at the party enjoying themselves, chicken sliders with aioli, view of the Estate vines and Napa Valley floor from their house and the awesome Latin ensemble that performed.
On the nose, still showing dark currants but, the fruits are starting to shine. Creamy fruits of; black plum, plum, blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, dark chocolate, mocha bar, vanilla, cinnamon, light clove, soft dark spice, limestone minerals, crush dry rock powder, sweet tarry notes, expression roast with dark dry & fresh floral bouquet.
The palate is much rounder & integrated from a year ago. The tannins are powdery & dusty. The body is still very full. The structure, tension, length and balance are knitting together nicely. Creamy fruits of; black plum, plum, blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, dark chocolate, mocha bar, vanilla, cinnamon, light clove, soft dark spice, limestone minerals, crush dry rock powder, dry stones, dry stems, sweet tarry notes, expression roast with dark dry & fresh floral bouquet. The acidity is lively. The finish is beautiful but still more earth & spice dominated than fruit. Yet, it is evolving to being more even. It’s just starting to evolve into the wine I thought it will become with a beautiful finish that goes on and on.
Photos of, more guests at the party enjoying themselves, chicken sliders with aioli, view of the Estate vines and Napa Valley floor from their house and the awesome Latin ensemble that performed.
On the nose, light & mid red floral fruits. Dark moist, rich soils. Ripe; blackberries, plum, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries, pomegranate, cranberries and blueberries. Vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black licorice, dark rich soil, sweet tarry notes, leather, dry stems and dark, fresh florals with violets.
The body is full but, lighter in style than their first two vintages. However, bigger structure, tannins & tension than the Estate. The tannins are dark, chewy and stick. Sweet tarry notes, dry crushed rocks, dry river stones, limestone minerals, some black licorice, mixed berry cola, suede leather, led pencil shavings, dry stem, dark spice, some dry herbs, fresh red florals with violets. The acidity is beautiful. The structure, length, tension will evolve into a glorious wine in 8-10 years plus. The well balanced finish is so good and fresh now. There’s an even tug of war with fruit & earth on the long finish lasts minutes.
Photos of; the grounds of Beverly & Arvind’s house grounds, Pork Bellies, relaxing and chatting with Beverly as the events wound down and the Indian tent Beverly & Arvind were married under pouring the 13 & 15 vintages.
On the nose, light & mid red floral fruits. Dark moist, rich soils. Ripe; blackberries, plum, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries, pomegranate, cranberries and blueberries. Vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black licorice, dark rich soil, sweet tarry notes, leather, dry stems and dark, fresh florals with violets.
The body is full but, lighter in style than their first two vintages. However, bigger structure, tannins & tension than the Estate. The tannins are dark, chewy and stick. Sweet tarry notes, dry crushed rocks, dry river stones, limestone minerals, some black licorice, mixed berry cola, suede leather, led pencil shavings, dry stem, dark spice, some dry herbs, fresh red florals with violets. The acidity is beautiful. The structure, length, tension will evolve into a glorious wine in 8-10 years plus. The well balanced finish is so good and fresh now. There’s an even tug of war with fruit & earth on the long finish lasts minutes.
Photos of; the grounds of Beverly & Arvind’s house grounds, Pork Bellies, relaxing and chatting with Beverly as the events wound down and the Indian tent Beverly & Arvind were married under pouring the 13 & 15 vintages.