News From Napa And Beyond
Posts tagged napa
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Jun 11th
Dumas Cabernet
Everything about this sophisticated wine impresses from the beginning including the dense purple color, the aromas of lavender and creme de cassis, and the ULTRA silky smooth texture. Captivating flavors include a luscious symphony of ripe plums, blackberries, and deep dark chocolate and mocha in the mid-palate. The sensuous finish crescendos with a hint of savory spices including truffle, cherries and flawlessly integrated toasty oak flavors that bode well for aging at least 5 – 7 years; peaking around 2014 in our estimate. BRAVO! 95+ points. Only 56 cases bottled” THE WINE INSIDERS
BUY: Dumas ‘Neighbors Vineyard’ Reserve Cabernet 2006
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May 12th
This beauty emanates blackberry and cassis aromas, rich dark berry flavors, espresso, cocoa, and a lush, velvety texture. This wine is well suited for immediate enjoyment however given its terroir and balance graceful aging is anticipated for 5 to 8 years. 94 Points The Wine Insiders
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Apr 28th
Napa finally has a new spa resort to rival long time favorites Auberge Du Soleil and Meadowood properties! The name is Bardessono and the best news is it’s conveniently located in my personal favorite area of Napa Valley, the town of Yountville. Bardessono features spacious rooms and a spectacular pool / sun deck area with sweeping vistas of nearby vineyards and both mountain ranges surrounding Napa Valley. The expertly trained staff is affable and accommodating without the snob effect sometimes prevalent at top resorts these days. I won’t soon forget the delectable brunch on the terrace outside our suite as we soaked up the morning sunrise shining on the renowned Cabernet vineyards. In addition to a sleek, modern feel Bardessono was built incorporating advanced environmentally conscious materials and technologies to achieve what they claim is the “greenest luxury hotel in America.” Whether you share eco-priorities with recent guest Robert Redford (or not) i highly recommend this scintillating new destination in the heart of Napa! Visit www.Bardessono.com for details.
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Mar 26th
A blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot, this wine has aromas of cassis, new leather and mocha. Dense, creamy-sweet and juicy, with excellent concentration to its luscious flavors of dark berries and semi-sweet chocolate. This grand creation features ultra luscious fruit flavors deftly melded together with plush tannins that bode well for long term cellaring (if you can wait). Enjoy tonight, after decanting an hour, or anytime over the next 7 – 10 years, peaking around 2014. Hurry because I plan to stock a few bottles in my personal cellar! 95 points
BUY: Chateau Boswell Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve 2006
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Mar 11th
Orin Swift Papillon Cabernet
THE WINE INSIDERS “94+” Rating: “We just sampled this exciting new release, even more luscious than the last vintage, and proclaim it to be a true thriller for tonight or anytime over the next 5 years. Rich and savory, this Cabernet blend (65% CS, 27% Merlot, 2% Cab Franc, 4% Petite Verdot, and 2% Malbec) glides lightly across your palate and features soft layers of dark cherry, ripe sweet plums, anise, toffee, cocoa, rich smoky oak and a hint of milk chocolate truffles on the luscious finish. While this BIG wine is delicious tonight (after 1/2 hour decanting) we estimate it will peak in 2012 – 2014.”
BUY: Orin Swift Papillon Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
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Mar 5th
Oakville Ranch Chardonnay
Our favorite new BIG (tasting) Chardonnay discovery under $35: rich golden color and intoxicating aromas of confection (smells like frosted Wedding Cake actually!) honeysuckle and orange marmalade lead into this elegant thriller to be enjoyed now or anytime over the next 3 years. It displays complex flavors that including macademia nuts, caramel, and tropical fruits melded together in a luxuriously texture for an delightful Chardonnay experience. 94+ points
BUY: Oakville Ranch Chardonnay Napa 2007
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Feb 17th
Pahlmeyer Cabernet
On Valentines night, my wife and I popped a cork of the 2002 Pahlmeyer. I’m thrilled to report that this wine was truly stunning, fulfilling my highest expectations for a “perfectly aged” Napa Cabernet. It’s no secret that the concept of “drinks well now but ages well” is considered the ‘Holy Grail’ in Napa (+ worldwide). Everyone aspires to this hurdle but very few actually achieve this success. Pahlmeyer’s winemaker Erin Green has a long track record of fulfilling the promise of age-worthy red wines (and some Chardonnays).
One of my ‘first loves’ in the wine world was the 1997 Pahlmeyer Merlot and the Cabernet (bottled ‘Red Blend’) has always been a personal favorite. I must say that for my individual tastes, I rarely swoon over the Cabernet blend upon release. In fact, the latest release 2005 vintage has achieved the highest rating ever (from Robert Parker) for a Pahlmeyer Red. I can only dream that the 2005 will age into the grandeur of the 2002 we drank recently. The entire experience was seemless with integrated, silky smooth tannins that had melded together with a galaxy of dark fruit flavors that delivered a magnificent experience! When I origanally sampled, I rated this wine 95 points. Today, this wine is clearly a 98 point wine!
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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 12th
Shelter Cabernet
Dense purple in color, with a nose of graphite, dark berries, creme de cassis, and hints of truffle, the wine shows incredible fruit intensity, cocoa powder, tobacco, full body, sweet and plushy tannins, vibrant acidity, and a stunning, seamless, long finish. 95 points
About Shelter Wines:
The Shelter label was created when the two former sommeliers from a world famous Napa restaurant in Napa were approached by one of their high-profile cult winemaker friends. This unnamed winemaker had some extra wine which was identical to their top Cabernet. Rather than raise their production and go through the hassle of re-bottling, ordering new labels, capsules, etc–they decided to sell it in bottle to be re-corked as the Shelter Wine Co. The wine “Shelter” sells for 1/2 to 1/3 of the price of the identical wine bottled by this unknown producer. It is a wine for those customers who know quality Cult Cabernet when they taste it, but would rather drink a wine for a fraction of the price than pay extra just for the renowned label.
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Feb 5th
Highlands Zinfandel
THE WINE INSIDERS Outstanding 93” Rating: “An intense ruby wine reminiscent of blue and black berry aromas infused with delicious spice, a hint of persimmon and plenty of minerality, spice, herb, and pepper notes along with copious quantities of black raspberry and kirsch fruit. A beautiful effort that will cellar for another 3-5 years. 93 Points The Wine Insiders.
BUY: Highlands Zinfandel Howell Mtn 2004