News From Napa And Beyond
Posts tagged 94 points TWI
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Mar 23rd
100% Cabernet with well integrated aromas of strawberry preserves, dried orange peel, and violets that introduce an ultra-smooth texture on this oh so sexy wine bargain. Rich and complex dark fruit on the palate lingers through the finish with a nice balance of toasted oak and exotic spices. The structure and balance is definitely Cabernet, and the elegance this wine shows is an attribute of this wonderful vineyard site. 94 points
BUY: Korbin Kameron Cabernet Sauvignon Mt Veeder 2004
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Feb 12th
We never cease to be amazed by how much a great Cabernet can change in just one year. Hence, we revisited two “old” favorites from last year and here are updated notes on each. BOTH displayed a significantly more complex structure and integrated flavors. We’ve bumped our rating on each one a full point!
Coho Headwaters Meritage
Coho Headwaters Meritage 2005 – 94 Points.
A delicious blend of Cabernet, Merlot, and Petit Verdot features the best of Napa at an affordable price! This wine has already aged gracefully in just one year of bottle time. It now displays deep layers of ripe fruit flavors that include blackberry, plums, and a hint of cherry floating across a super SILKY SMOOTH texture (thanks to the amazing quality Merlot!). Hints of caramel toffee shine through with the toasty oak as well as a coconut (from the oak barells) and tannins on the delightful finish. Enjoy tonight (after decanting 1/2 hour) with any meat or hard cheese or buy a few extra bottles because this gem will age gracefully for the next 3 – 5 years, peaking around 2012 in our estimate. 94 Points.
John Anthony Cabernet
John Anthony Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 – 94 Points.
(update 1/09) This wine has aged well and has picked up more dense fruit and leathery tannins. Very impressive! In the beginning of this tremendous experience, rich blackberry and cassis aromas unfold into black cherry and dark plum. This seductive new Cabernet is young and bright, but serious and well balanced. Perhaps even bigger and more ageworthy than the 2004 vintage, this is showing incredible finesse and polish with ripe, integrated tannins. Blackberry, plum and cassis flavors in the front & mid palates meld into toasty oak and sweet hints of coconut on the delightful finish lasting a full 30 seconds. Enjoy now (after decanting one hour) + buy enough to age for the next 5 years, peaking around 2010 in our estimate! This is an amazing new release from these talented young vintners and a winery to watch for years to come. This is a truly delicious wine. 94 points.
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Feb 6th
Alexana Pinot Noir
We love this new discovery because it captures the best of both ‘worlds’ from Oregon + California Pinot Noir! Rich, supple and graceful with captivating aromas of blackberry and bright cherry, perfumed with typical Oregon minerality, cinnamon and lavender oil with distinctly robust ‘California style’ fruit flavors (after decanting one hour). An expressive, open textured palate is layered with succulent sweet red fruit with hints of peppercorn and spice. The refined and lithe tannins last beautifully on the palate with a poised and polished finish. This sensational new discovery is guaranteed to thrill for the next 3 – 5 years, peaking around 2014 in our estimate. 94 points
BUY: Alexana Pinot Noir Revana Vineyard 2006
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Nov 4th
Andeluna Limited Reserve Malbec 2004
Set among the foothills of the Andes, Andeluna Cellars is a remarkably beautiful place to behold and is the source of the spectacular Limited Reserve Malbec 2004 we just rated “Outstanding 94” points. This guaranteed thriller is:
- BOTH elegant + exotic tasting (see notes below)
- Sourced from vineyards originally planted by world famous winemaker Michel Rolland, directly next door to his own vineyards.
- A “Steal” (!) at only $39 due to the Argentine Peso’s exchange rate (one currency where US dollar is still strong!)
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Oct 28th
SAND HILL “DURELL” VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2005
This delicious Pinot Noir is sourced from the owner of the Durell vineyard, famous as one of Kistler’s most highly rated! We love this new micro-production discovery because it combines the elegant minerality of Burgundy’s finest Pinots combined with seductively bold California fruit.
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Sep 23rd
Zin-fanatics all think TURLEY is the #1 most collectible Zin in the world but for my money I prefer an even smaller “boutique” Zinfandel crafted by perhaps the most famous Bordeaux native currently residing in Napa: VINEYARD 29 “AIDA” ZINFANDEL 2005.
Turley lovers will recall that this “Aida” vineyard was the original home of Turley’s highest rated Zins (consistently scoring R. Parker ‘Classic 95 – 96’) until Vineyard 29 snagged the rights to these tasty grapes a few years ago. Plus, don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to sample the only Zinfandel produced by rock star winemaker Philippe Melka (Bryant Family, Hundred Acre, etc.) recently named “Winemaker of the Year.”
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Aug 4th
Many Zin lovers think Turley is the #1 collector Zin. I disagree for many reasons I won’t get into now but mainly because I think the finest, most impressive, age-worthy Zin year in year out is the single bottling from Vineyard 29’s “Aida” vineyard (formerly a Turley vineyard designate).
“(8/1/8) We pulled a 2003 vintage of this wine out of our cellar for a BBQ with some friends and were VERY, VERY impressed with the development. I was a big fan of this vintage upon release and can assure you it’s aged into a remarkable Zinfandel. I’m confident that fewer than 5% of serious wine collectors and less than 20% of wine lovers would even identify this wine as a Zin because it reminds me more of a perfectly aged Napa Cabernet. It was graceful with perfectly balanced fruit. A truly exciting experience to sample this wine aged to perfection. Note: personally, I rarely enjoy a Zinfandel more than 3 – 4 years after the vintage but this gem was still shining at age 5 and probably had at least another year or two of vibrant life in it. I rated this wine a solid 96 points!”
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Jul 14th
The Wine Insiders “Outstanding 94″ points for this Napa Valley blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon 40% Zinfandel
This is Brown’s finest bottling since their legendary 2002 Cabernet! Combining the best Napa Cabernet and Napa Zinfandel from their estate, they’ve created a sumptuous and decadent blend in the Brown Chaos Theory 2005 that will leave fans of the Prisoner begging for more. Just released, this is one amazing wine and it’s no surprise considering Brown has been one of the very top Zinfandel producers in California with a secret Cabernet that has wowed the lucky insiders who have managed to get their hands on some. The deft blending of their best lots clearly demonstrates that Brown is on top of their game right now.
Currently this wine is available for $49 (Click Here)
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Jun 30th
Last 6 vintages of this wine have been rated “Outstanding 92-93” points by the Wine Spectator. This new vintage hasn’t been released yet but we’ll sell out immediately once that big review is published. Wine Spectator Magazine is already hyping the 2006 vintage as “best Cabernet in Napa since 1997” according to James Laube’s blog.
THE WINE INSIDERS “OUTSTANDING 94” RATING: “Simply stated, we believe this is the BEST EVER Caymus Napa release! Thick, weighty texture that is oh so silky smooth then featuring rich flavors of ripe, dark plums and semi sweet cocoa then finishing with a deliciously savory hint of toasted caramel that lingers pleasantly for a full 30 seconds. Enjoy now after decanting ½ hour or anytime over the next 5 years, peaking around 2012 in our estimate.”
94 points TheWineInsiders.com
Currently this wine is available for $69.97 (Click Here)
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Jun 23rd
A dead-ringer for a $50+ Napa Cab, the new Mischa Estate Cabernet 2003 is our #1 pick for International “best buy” Cabernet. Trust us here, this wine is seriously juicy, full bodied and delicious but available for a not too serious investment because it is sourced from South Africa where the US Dollar exchange rate is still strong – - particularly compared to the Euro. The Wine Spectator recently profiled the best wines of South Africa featuring “ripe fruit and fresh minerality… mix of Old and New World styles”. If you love a Cabernet bargain and you’ve never tasted a South African wine this is the ideal opportunity to sample a guaranteed thriller rated “Outstanding 94” points. Total production was a mere 250 cases.
THE WINE INSIDERS “OUTSTANDING 94 POINTS: Deep dark berry perfumed nose of cedar and leather, which follows seamlessly onto the rich and creamy palate of intense dark fruits, currants, vanilla and layered with long chocolaty tannins. The finish goes on and on. This is one sexy Cabernet that will age well for 3 – 5 years, peaking around 2012 in our estimate!
94 points TheWineInsiders.com
Currently this wine is available for $29.50 (Click Here)