Vine Hill Ranch
Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
Oakville, Napa Valley, California, USA
Bruce Phillips and his wife were pouring their 2021. Talked w/ him at length. Very nice couple.
The 2021 showed well young with room for improving with 10-25 years in bottle and beyond. It showed some evolution, wasn’t all primary. Elegant, very well balanced with excellent structure and finish. Drink 2033-45 properly stored.
The general Napa consensus on 2022 vintage will be a story of did you pick before or after the 6 days of extreme heat during the harvest window. One producer told me his would add 5% of 2023 to some of his 2022’s, which is allowed. He mentioned that he was going to add 15%. But, I think he just misspoke? Get ready for an amazing 2023 vintage from Napa. It was a cooler, not hot-hot, which was a near perfect growing season for long slow even ripening. Some say a vintage of a lifetime and others would only say exceptional.
The Saturday-Sunday Pavilion tasting at Pebble Beach Food & Wine is an excellent four hours to taste a lot wine, taste curated dishes from chefs from all over the country and meet the people behind the bottle. These short ribs were one of the top two or three things I tasted at the Pavilion Saturday.
Bruce Phillips and his wife were pouring their 2021. Talked w/ him at length. Very nice couple.
The 2021 showed well young with room for improving with 10-25 years in bottle and beyond. It showed some evolution, wasn’t all primary. Elegant, very well balanced with excellent structure and finish. Drink 2033-45 properly stored.
The general Napa consensus on 2022 vintage will be a story of did you pick before or after the 6 days of extreme heat during the harvest window. One producer told me his would add 5% of 2023 to some of his 2022’s, which is allowed. He mentioned that he was going to add 15%. But, I think he just misspoke? Get ready for an amazing 2023 vintage from Napa. It was a cooler, not hot-hot, which was a near perfect growing season for long slow even ripening. Some say a vintage of a lifetime and others would only say exceptional.
The Saturday-Sunday Pavilion tasting at Pebble Beach Food & Wine is an excellent four hours to taste a lot wine, taste curated dishes from chefs from all over the country and meet the people behind the bottle. These short ribs were one of the top two or three things I tasted at the Pavilion Saturday.
I said it before: their best vintage
I said it before: their best vintage
Nov 27th, 2020
World class from the very first taste. Absolutely love the energy here. Easily one of the wines of the vintage. I would cellar it for a few more years. Tasted during the Vinous Learn Oakville seminar. 💥😍🤪
World class from the very first taste. Absolutely love the energy here. Easily one of the wines of the vintage. I would cellar it for a few more years. Tasted during the Vinous Learn Oakville seminar. 💥😍🤪
Aug 3rd, 2020Second zoom tasting, this time with master sommelier Hak Soo Kim of Per Se. Chris Blanchard nailed the description with the line “velour not silk.” But Hak Soo stoke the show by matching the wine with his operatic voice.
Second zoom tasting, this time with master sommelier Hak Soo Kim of Per Se. Chris Blanchard nailed the description with the line “velour not silk.” But Hak Soo stoke the show by matching the wine with his operatic voice.
Jun 13th, 2020Zoom call tasting with owner Bruce Phillips, plus master sommeliers Chris Blanchard and Jack Mason. Really fun, and such great wine!
Zoom call tasting with owner Bruce Phillips, plus master sommeliers Chris Blanchard and Jack Mason. Really fun, and such great wine!
Jun 13th, 2020Stocking up for possible quarantine with twelve bottles of VHR. Oops, now 11 bottles. Very good wine especially for 2017.
Stocking up for possible quarantine with twelve bottles of VHR. Oops, now 11 bottles. Very good wine especially for 2017.
Mar 12th, 2020The big bottle - double magnum of the 2014. Beautiful right now.
The big bottle - double magnum of the 2014. Beautiful right now.
Dec 23rd, 2019
My third tasting of the 2012 and it remains joyful
My third tasting of the 2012 and it remains joyful
Aug 22nd, 2019