Tasting / Oct 2014 - Sep 2016

2013 Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 

  Location: Napa Valley, California

  Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon   

This Caymus Special Selection is truly special! The wine was opaque with hues of purple and garnet and a bouquet with intense aromas of supple blackberries, black currants, sweet plums, toasted oak, sage, and soft spice. The wine is full bodied with well integrated rounded tannins that give way to a luxurious finish with hints of concentrated wild berries, cassis liquor, currants, smoke, and soft oak. This wine is brilliantly balanced, bold yet elegant, concentrated and complex, with layers of rich dark fruit and toasted oak blended with sage. The wine is extremely approachable now; however, for those with patience this wine will only get better. I would be interested in trying this in 2023 but know it could easily last another 10 years after that. Extremely Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  September 2016

2011 Provenance Vineyards Sleeping Lady Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

   Location: Napa Valley, California

  Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

   Over a wonderful lunch this wine was enjoyed and showed beautifully. The wine was opaque ruby red with hues of purple and a bouquet that was concentrated with rich dark fruits. Aromas that wafted from the glass were black cherries, blackberries, cassis fruit, dark chocolate, and soft spice. The wine was full bodied with rounded tannins that gave way to a plush mouthfeel with a palate being painted by blackberries, cherries, sage, and soft oak. This is wine is drinking great right now but has the ability to be cellared for several more years. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  August 2016

1997 Flora Springs "Rutherford Hillside Reserve" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

   Location: Napa Valley, California

  Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon   

I enjoyed this bottle of wine with some good friends, and found it had a deep purple color. The wine was decanted about 30 minutes before we approached it and the bouquet displayed hints of cassis fruit, concentrated black cherries, blackberries, coffee, toasted oak, and spices. The wine was medium + in body with velvety smooth tannins that painted the palate with notes of currants, black cherries, plum, coffee, dusty earth, and soft spices. There was something sweet on the backend that I just couldn’t put my finger on, but it was a welcomed finish. The wine was complex with bold flavors that were layered, giving balance and sophistication. This wine is defiantly in its plateau of maturity and showing very little signs of approaching decline. A great representation for aged Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and just how complex and powerful these wines can be! Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  July 2016

2012 Chateau Margene Cask 4

   Location: Paso Robles, California

  Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon   

A good friend surprised a group of us with this special bottle of wine. We decanted the wine to find it had a deep dark purple red color with aromas of blackberries, cassis fruit, black cherries, coffee, and toasted oak. The wine was extremely smooth on the palate with velvety tannins that gave way to hints of blueberries, blackberries, licorice, wet herbs, and dusty espresso. This wine was layered with rich dark fruits and soft notes of sage and other herbs. This complex balanced wine is expressively elegant and yet youthfully bold. The wine is extremely approachable and drinking wonderfully right now! Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  July 2016

2012 Mystic Hills Vineyard Gran Trio

   Location: Monterey County, California

  Blend: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot   

A good friend presented this bottle to share with a few friends, and I was lucky enough to be there. The wine had a fruit forward bouquet with aromas of black cherries, blueberries, cassis fruit, leafy tobacco, and exotic spices. The wine was medium + in body with well integrated tannins that gave way to a layered finish displaying notes of rich blueberries and red fruits, vanilla, herbs, and intriguing spices. The wine showed nice depth, good balance, and is drinking wonderfully right now. This wine is outstanding for its bargain price of $25.00 a bottle; thus, Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  July 2016

2007 Grgich Hills Estate Cabernet Sauvignon   

Location: Napa Valley, California  

Blend: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot   

A good friend indulged me and a few other friends with this beautifully aged Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. I decanted this bottle of wine and we gave it about 30 minutes before we began enjoying this dark ruby red wine with an aromatic bouquet displaying hints of black currants, black cherries, plum, herbs, soft cedar, and spiced chocolate. The wine was medium + in body with smooth supple tannins that gave way to a layered finish with hints of blackberry, cassis fruit, fig, spice, and dusty minerals. This was a beautiful balanced wine with complexity and depth, as time has allowed this wine to blossom into a brilliant bottle of wine. This wine is in its plateau of maturity and in a wonderful drinking window right now. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  July 2016

2003 Raymond St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon

Location:  Napa Valley, California

Blend:  100% Cabernet Sauvignon

This beautiful deep dark garnet wine had a fresh bouquet with hints of violets, blackberries, cassis fruit, black cherry, black licorice, chocolate, and earthy minerals.  The wine was medium + in body with silky smooth tannins that gave way to a lush finish displaying notes of currants, blackberries, sweet cassis fruit, blueberries, pepper, minerals, and cocoa dust.  The wine was complex with layers of concentrated fruit and balanced with crushed minerals.  The wine is rich and still quite youthful, yet is in its plateau of maturity.  Recommended!

Tasted:  April 2016

2012 Darius II

Location:  Napa Valley, California

Blend:  95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot

This beautiful bottle of wine is produced by Darioush, and as we decanted the bottle it displayed a deep dense red color with hues of purple.  The wine had a gorgeous bouquet that gave off notes of fleshy cassis fruit, black cherry, currants, plum, minerals, coffee, and soft spice.  The wine is medium ++ in body with integrated tannins that give way to a smooth palate with hints of creamy concentrated black & red fruits, blueberries, herbs, mocha, stone minerals, led pencil, and sweet dusty earth.  This wine is layered with depth and sophistication, while being approachable and simplistically brilliant.  This wine is still in its infancy and will continue to evolve and mature nicely over the next decade.  Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  April 2016

2009 Ridge California Sonoma County Three Valleys

Location:  Sonoma Valley, California

Blend:  70% Zinfandel, 10% Petit Sirah, 15% Carignane, 3% Grenache, 2% Mataro

A good friend of mine blind tasted me on this and I thought it had a cabernet sauvignon type of bouquet, but on the palate I could tell it was not a cab.  The wine had a dark ruby color with aromas of cherry, dark wild berries, tobacco, and soft spice.  The wine was full bodied with inegrated tannins that gave way to hints of blackraspberries, boysenberries, herbs, sweet spice, and pepper.  This wine is complex and gracefully balanced with rich fruit flavors that harmonize nicely with the herbs and silky spice notes.  The wine is a fantastic value, and as such is Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  March 2016

2003 Forth La Rousse Vineyard Syrah

Location:  Dry Creek Balley, Sonoma, California

Blend:  100% Syrah

We decanted this bottle to find it had a deep dark purple color.  The wine had an expressive bouquet of blackberrie, black cherries, plum, dried herbs, pepper, and ground coffee.  The wine was medium ++ in body with velvety smooth tannins that gave way to hints of black plum, blackberries, herbs, expresso, and dusty minerals.  This wine is in its plateau of maturity and drinking wonderfully right now!  This is a great example of a wine with a good value being age worthy.  Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  March 2016

1999 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon

Location:  Napa Valley, California

Blend:  Cabernet Sauvignon

I decanted this bottle of wine to find it had a deep dark purple color with garnet hues.  The wine had a lush bouquet with aromas of black currants, cassis fruit, cherries, plum, toasted herbs, mocha, and soft cedar.  The wine was medium ++ in body with integrated tannins that gave way to hints of ripe dark berry fruit, soft spice, mocha, and dusty earth.  The wine is complex with balanced layers of harmonizing fruit and earth.  This wine is drinking spectacularly smooth with a richness of elegance, and is defiantly in its plateau of maturity.  This is a perfect example of aged California cabernet sauvignon.  Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  February 2016

2009 Tenuta Vitalonga Phi Natura Armonia Umbria

Location:  Italy

Blend:  Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Merlot & Cabernet Franc

This is a high quality wine with a price point under $30.00 and I could not believe how good it was!  The wine had a wonderfully floral bouquet with aromas of dark wild berries, cherry, currants, plum, leafy tobacco, spice, and minerals.  The wine was full bodied with silky smooth tannins and a juicy palate displaying hints of blackberries, cherries, vanilla, fig, baking spices, herbs, and minerals.  The wine was harmoniously balanced with layers of complexity and a long lingering finish.  The wine is drinking great right now; however, is still quite youthful and should continue evolving nicely over the next few years.  Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  February 2016

1998 Chateau Cos d’Estournel

Classification: Second Growth in 1855 

Location: Saint Estephe, Bordeaux, France 

Blend: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot

This wine displayed a beautifully dark ruby red color with a wonderful bouquet giving off aromas of currants, black cherry, licorice, toasted herbs, and earthy minerals. The wine was medium + in body with polished tannins and a brilliant finish showing hints of ripe plum, sweet cherries, olive past, herbs, graphite, and dusty earth. This was a complex layered wine that was harmoniously balanced and elegantly sophisticated. The wine is in its plateau of maturity and drinking spectacularly right now! Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  January 2016

2012 Mollydooker Carnival of Love

Location: McLaren Vale, Australia 

Blend: 100% Shiraz

We decanted this bottle of wine to find it had an opaque purple color. The wine had a bold fruit forward bouquet with aromas of cassis fruit, black cherries, blackberries, chocolate, dried herbs and a hint of exotic spice. This wine was full bodied with integrated tannins and a luxurious long finish showcasing hints of crushed blackberries, concentrated blue and black fruits, crème de cassis, spice and smoky herbs. It is easy to see why Wine Spectator ranked this wine No. 2 in their top 100 wines of 2014. The wine is brilliantly structured with rich bold layers and a focused intensity. This complex rich wine is fleshy and chewy yet elegant and sophisticated. The wine is still quite youthful but extremely approachable; however, should continue to develop nicely over the next 10 years. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  January 2016

2004 Darioush “Signature” Cabernent Sauvignon

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot

We decanted this bottle of wine to find it had a deep dark purple color. The wine had a rich bouquet with aromas of concentrated cassis fruit, blackberries, mocha, exotic spices, and a soft earthiness. The wine was medium to full-bodied with velvety rounded tannins that gave way to a nice long finish displaying hits of crème de cassis, licorice, blackberries, mocha, earth and allspice. The wine was sophisticated and elegant with bold complex layers that balanced harmoniously. This wine is still drinking quite youthful, but is in its plateau of maturity. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  January 2016

2008 Schramsberg Extra Brut

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: 80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay

This sparkling beauty had a lovely bouquet with hints of freshly cut apple slices, fresh melon, honeysuckle, bread, and nuts. The wine displayed perfect acidity balance with a crisp palate displaying notes of orange peel, apricot, pineapple, and cut almonds. This wine was sophisticated and bright with harmonious flavors that lingered, leaving you with a nice long finish. This is the driest sparkling wine that Schramsberg produces, as it has less than 4.5 grams of residual sugar per liter. A brilliant example of California doing sparkling wine that is age worthy. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  January 2016

1982 Chateau Beychevelle

Classification: Fourth Growth in 1855 

Location: St. Julien, Bordeaux, France

Blend: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot

This is one of the wines we enjoyed over New Years with some good friends! We decanted this bottle of wine to find it had a deep dark purple color with just a hint of bricking towards the rim of the glass. The wine had a classic old world Bordeaux bouquet with aromas of black currants, plum, herbs, licorice, truffle, graphite, earth, and incense. The wine was medium + in body with polished tannins that gave way to a long luxurious finish displaying lovely hints of blackberry, red plum, herbs, soft spice, and powdered earth. The wine was concentrated with complex layers and drank quite youthful for its age. This was a beautiful bottle of wine that was impressively elegant with sophistication and rich bold flavors. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  January 2016

2007 E. Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Location: Rhone, France  

Blend: 80% Vieux Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, & 5% others

A good friend of mine indulged me with this beautiful bottle of wine. We decanted it to find it had a nice dark ruby red color. The wine had a fleshy fruit bouquet with aromas of blackberry, currants, black cherries, raspberries, licorice, and exotic spices. The wine was medium in body with smooth rounded tannins that gave way to a long finish displaying hints of plum, blackberry, dark chocolate, toasted wood, and soft spice. The wine was complex yet balanced with old world sophistication. This wine was drinking wonderfully but is still quite youthful and could continue cellaring for several more years for those with the patience. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  December 2015

2006 Carlisle Russian River Valley Syrah    

Location: Santa Rosa, California 

Blend: 100% Syrah   

This beautiful deep dark opaque purple wine with ruby hues was enjoyed with a good friend! The wine had a fruit forward bouquet with aromas of black cherry, blackberries, cassis fruit, plum, toasted herbs, and white pepper. The wine was full bodied with smooth silky tannins that gave way to a long lushes finish coating the palate with hints of crème de cassis, sweet plum, blackberries, black raspberries, spice, and smoked herbs. The wine is complex with layers of fruit and concentrated smoked herbs and spices. This wine is bold yet restrained and polished displaying sophistication and elegance. This wine is drinking quite youthful and is showing no signs of decline; however, is in its plateau of maturity. Highly Recommended!  

Tasted:  November 2015

2005 Ghost Block "Oakville Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon 

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon   

While indulging in a beautiful lunch my good friend pulled this bottle from his cellar for us to enjoy. The wine had a deep dark red color with purple hues. Wafting from the glass was a plethora of aromas with hints of cassis fruit, blackberries, ripe black cherries, fig, toasted oak, and holiday spices. The wine was medium + in body with rounded tannins and a long finish displaying notes of blackberries, licorice, currants, fig, chocolate, spice, and a touch of earth. The wine has a nice complexity with layers of fruit flavors that intermix and harmonize well together. This wine is concentrated yet sophisticated and continued to open-up like facets of brilliance at every visit. This wine is in its plateau of maturity and drinking wonderfully right now. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  October 2015     

2006 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley    

Location: Alexander Valley, California 

Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon   

A great friend of mine had us over for lunch and decanted this bottle of wine a little over an hour before we approached it. The wine had a nice dark garnet color with an intriguing bouquet of cherries, red currants, plum, tobacco, oak, and herbs. The wine was medium in body with integrated tannins that gave way to a long finish displaying hints of ripe cherries, raspberries, chocolate, spice and earthy herbs. The wine is sophisticated with balance and layers of complex flavors that blend together and complement one another. This wine has a rustic old world character that makes it extremely food friendly. Highly Recommended!  

Tasted:  October 2015

1999 Greenock Creek Vineyard & Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon     

Location: Barossa Valley, Australia 

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon   

I decanted this bottle of wine to find it had a deep dark reddish purple color. The wine was giving off a fruity bouquet with aromas of blackberry jam, blueberries, cassis liquor, eucalyptus, soft spice, and a hint of earthiness. The wine was medium ++ in body with present but dissipating tannins that complimented a luxurious palate of dark wild berries, chocolate, herbs, and dusty earth. The wine is complex with layers of dark fruits intermixing with herbs and earth, displays balance and sophistication with a boldness of rich dark fruits that harmonize with its earthiness. The wine seems to be holding onto its youth, but is in its plateau of maturity. Highly Recommended!    

Tasted:  October 2015

2004 Château Calon-Ségur 

Classification: Third Growth in 1855 

Location: St. Estephe, Bordeaux, France 

Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot   

We enjoyed this bottle of wine at an event focused on French wines. The wine had a nice deep garnet color with light ruby hues. The wine had a classic old world bouquet displaying aromas of cherry, currants, tobacco, leafy herbs, and soft minerals. The wine was medium in body with round tannins and a palate giving off hints of plum, black cherries, black currants, cigar leafs, spice, and wet earth. The wine is balanced with fruit and earth qualities that were focused but lacked complexity. This is a nice elegant bottle of wine that needs to be enjoyed with food. The wine was classic old world Bordeaux with a lovely rustic style of pronounced earthiness. I am a big fan of Calon-Ségur, but this vintage was defiantly not their best! Recommended!  

Tasted:  October 2015  

2012 Ecluse Ensemble 

Location: Paso Robles, California 

Blend: 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Petit Verdot, 27% Merlot, 3% Malbec   

This wine was enjoyed in a side by side comparison against a 2010 Chateau Haut Bergey. These two wines may be comprised of similar grape varieties, but it was like comparing an apple to an orange. They are both completely unique and so different, that they should equally be enjoyed for different reasons. The 2012 Ecluse Ensemble had a tantalizing bouquet of rich dark cherries, currants, oak, toasted spice, and licorice. The wine was medium in body with structured tannins that gave way to a luxurious finish displaying hints of currants, cassis fruit, black raspberries, chocolate, dusty earth, and holiday spices. The wine is complex with elegant layers of fruit and dusty earth, which give this wine a harmonious balance. This is a fantastic wine that should continue to evolve and get better with time for those that are patient. Highly Recommended!    

Tasted:  October:  2015

2001 Silverado Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon     

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot   

I decanted this bottle of wine to find it had a nice deep dark red color. The wine had a stunning bouquet with aromas of black cherries, currants, chocolate, and smoky espresso. The wine was medium + in body with silky seductive tannins that gave way to hints of crushed black cherries, cassis fruit, mocha, vanilla, and soft spice. This wine is drinking spectacular right now and is in its plateau of maturity. The wine is complex with layers of dark fruit in harmony with smoky herbs and spice. This wine has a nice richness with a full but smooth mouth feel. Highly Recommended!  

Tasted:  September 2015

2003 Carlisle Bennett Valley Syrah     

Location: Sonoma County, California 

Blend: 100% Syrah   

We took this bottle of wine to a wine event to enjoy with some friends. The wine was opaque purple with an intense bouquet of blueberries, black raspberries, plum, and white pepper. The wine was full bodied with integrated tannins that led to a long finish with hints of ripe plum, black raspberries, mocha, licorice, and smoke. The wine is complex with layers of jammy fruit and soft spices, and is still drinking quite youthful. This wine is in its plateau of maturity, and should soften over the next few years for those that have the patience. Highly Recommended!     

Tasted:  September 2015

1987 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande     

Classification: Second Growth in 1855 

Location: Pauillac, Bordeaux, France 

Blend: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot   

I decanted this bottle of wine to enjoy with my son on a lazy evening. The wine had a nice ruby / garnet color and was displaying a bouquet of dried dark cherries, cassis fruit, sandalwood, tobacco, and soft earth. The wine was medium in body with dissipating velvety tannins that gave way to a graceful finish with hints of blackberry, earthy minerals, and a touch of sweet at the end. This wine is still drinking quite nice but is beginning to shed its fruit; thus, appears to be in the beginning stages of decline. This wine was a great effort for a difficult vintage. Drink Now – Don’t Wait!     

Tasted:  September 2015

2006 L'Ecole No. 41 Perigee Seven Hills Vineyard     

Location: Walla Walla Valley, Washington 

Blend: 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc   

I have found some great wines from Washington that drink like they cost north of $100.00 but are actually under $40.00 a bottle. This Walla Walla Valley Bordeaux style blend fits that description perfectly. I took this bottle of wine to a wine event where everyone brought a bottle of wine to share. This bottle of wine had a deep dark purple color with hues of red. The wine had a lush bouquet with notes of black currants, blackberries, cassis liqueur, mocha, graphite, and earthy minerals. The wine was full bodied with smooth but present tannins that gave way to a nice long finish displaying hints of complex dark fruits, plum, coffee, backing chocolate, spice, and dusty earth. This wine is expressively complex with concentrated dark fruits and earth flavors. The wine is harmoniously balanced and drinking wonderfully right now; however, this bottle of wine could easily be cellared for another 10 years. This is a great representation of the compelling wines being made in Washington. Highly Recommended!       

Tasted:  September 2015

2008 Keating Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard    

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon   

A good friend had invited me over for lunch and had decanted this bottle of wine before I arrived. The wine had a nice dark purple color with hues of deep red. The bouquet of this wine was fruit forward with expressions of plum, black cherries, cassis fruit, tobacco, and soft spice. The wine was medium + in body with supple tannins that gave way to velvety notes of cherries, currants, black licorice, herbs, and a hint of cedar. The wine was wonderfully balanced with complex layers of fruit and earthy minerals. The wine is drinking great right now but should continue to develop for those wanted to cellar this beauty. This wine is impressive for its price point; thus, Highly Recommended! 

Tasted:  September 2015

2005 Jones Family Vineyards The Sisters     

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: Red Blend   

We decanted this bottle of wine to find it had a nice deep dark purple red color. The bouquet was concentrated with aromas of black currents, blackberries, vanilla, and soft earth. The wine was medium ++ in body with silky tannins and a long finish with hints of blackberry liquor, currents, chocolate, and minerals. The wine is a little tight at first but opens up quickly, and becomes a complex wine with good depth and balance. The wine is now in its plateau of maturity, and has the potential to continue cellaring for several more years. This is a great bottle of wine for its price point. Highly Recommended!   

Tasted:  August 2015  

2005 Bond Matriarch 

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon   

We decanted this bottle of wine to find it had a deep ruby purple color. The wine was expressive with a lovely bouquet that displayed notes of black currants, black cherries, licorice, smoky spices, and soft minerals. The wine was medium in body with rounded tannins that gave way to a long finish with hints of plum, wild berries, creamy expresso, vanilla, and exotic herbs. This wine was complex with layers of dark fruits and earthy minerals that harmonized perfectly leaving you with a delicious wine. We indulged in this bottle of wine over a nice steak, and found they complimented one another quite nicely. This is a wine that is in that window of optimal drinkability; however, this wine should remain in its plateau of maturity for several more years. Highly Recommended!  

Tasted:  July 2015

2004 Bodegas LAN Rioja Edición Limitada

Location: Spain 

Blend: Tempranillo   

A good friend of mine was in town from Spain and had brought over three bottles of wines to enjoy; thus, I found something special from my cellar to complement the wines he had carried all the way from Spain. This bottle of wine was in the Top 100 Wines of the 2007 list by Wine Spectator, and was number 18 on that list. We decanted this bottle of wine to find it had a deep dark opaque ruby color. The wine had an expressive bouquet with aromas of black cherries, cassis fruit, plum, espresso, and light burnt oak. The wine was medium ++ in body with smooth tannins that balanced harmoniously with hints of black currants, cassis liquor, wild berries, leafy tobacco, and a touch of unsweetened chocolate at the back end. This wine was wonderfully complex with concentrated fruit qualities that integrated perfectly with soft notes of terroir. This wine is drinking spectacular right now and is in its plateau of maturity. Highly Recommended!  

Tasted:  July 2015

2002 Robert Keenan Winery Mernet Reserve

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: 50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon   

I enjoyed this bottle of wine on the 4th of July with my son, and it did not disappoint. The wine had a beautiful dark purple red color with no signs of ageing. Aromas wafted from the glass displaying a lush bouquet of cassis fruit, plum, black cherry, coffee, soft spice and leafy tobacco. The wine was medium ++ in body with velvety tannins that gave way to a complex palate with hints of cassis liquor, plum, espresso, licorice, and bitter chocolate. The wine was elegant yet had great depth and concentration, bringing out layers of complex dark fruits and soft nuances of earth. The wine was drinking spectacularly and is in its plateau of maturity; however, this wine was drinking quite youthful and should be able to be cellared for another 8 to 10 years. Highly Recommended!  

Tasted:  July 2015

1999 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 

Location: Rhone, France 

Blend: 100% Syrah   

This wonderful ruby red wine had a beautiful elegant bouquet with seductive aromas of black currants, blackberries, black cherries, violets, truffles, mocha, and earthy tobacco. The wine was medium in body with polished tannins that integrated harmoniously with a lush palate displaying hints of black cassis fruit, black currants, chocolate, cigar tobacco, and earthy minerals. The wine is complex with layers of dark fruit and earth tones. This is an impressive bottle of wine that is sophisticated and drinking great right now; thus, the wine is in its plateau of maturity. Highly Recommended!     

Tasted:  July 2015

2003 Bond Matriarch    

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon   

It has been referred to as the second label of BOND, as the grapes are selected from all of the vineyards used in the BOND program. This rich and opulent wine displayed a lush bouquet of black cherries, blackberries, toasted herbs, creamy chocolate, and a touch of cedar. The wine was medium + in body with a concentrated palate displaying hints of cherries, blackberries, cassis liquor, dark chocolate, powdered earth and a spicy tannic finish. The wine carried depth and was complex, yet it needs time to breathe for about an hour or so before approaching. On first approach I found the back end of this wine to be a little sharp; however, when approached several hours later the tannins had dissipated. This wine appears to be drinking quite nice right now, but should be given time to open up. The wine appears to have enough structure to continue cellaring for several more years. The pedigree of this wine comes from Harlan Estates, and they are producing some of the best and most expensive wines in the Napa Valley. Highly Recommended! 

Tasted:  June 2015   

2006 Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District  

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot   

We enjoyed this beautiful bottle of wine when out at dinner, and found it had a deep dark purple red color. The wine had a sweet fruit forward bouquet displaying aromas of blackberry, cassis fruit, licorice, dark chocolate, roasted coffee beans, and soft herbs. The wine was medium + in body with integrated tannins that blended harmoniously on the palate with hints of ripe wild berries, mocha, dusty powder of earth, soft spice, and toasted herbs. The wine was powerful and concentrated, yet elegant with depth and complexity. This was a wonderful bottle of wine that is in its plateau of maturity and drinking quite nice right now. The wine had good structure and should continue to evolve nicely over the next 5 years or so. Recommended!      

Tasted:  June 2015

  1997 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cépages Cabernet Sauvignon  

  Location: Sonoma County, California 

Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot   

I got together with a dear friend of mine to enjoy a late (better late than never) birthday celebration, by eating some good food and enjoying some great California wine. We started the day by indulging in this bottle of wine first; only to find it had a deep dark red color. This wine was giving off lush full layered aromas of cassis fruit, cherry liqueur, tobacco, oak, and toasted herbs. The wine was medium ++ in body with seductively soft tannins that led to a fleshy finish with hints of cherry jam, currants, mocha, burnt sugar, and earthy minerals. This wine was complex with the fruit being blanketed by a velvety dusty earthiness. This wine was still quite youthful in appearance and taste; yet, the wine is in its plateau of maturity and drinking spectacularly right now. Highly Recommended!   

Tasted:  May 2015

  2001 Il Poggione (Proprietá Franceschi) Brunello di Montalcino   

  Location: Italy 

Blend: 100% Sangiovese   

This old world wine was dark red with a touch of brown at the rim. The wine had a bouquet of cherries, tobacco, leather, rose water, cedar, and earthy tar. The wine was medium in body with rounded tannins that gave way to a lengthy finish displaying hints of dried cherry, licorice, minerals, and tar. The wine seems to be in its decline and should be consumed now! This wine is unfortunately showing a bit tired and did not hold up to my expectations for a wine in its price range.  

Tasted:  May 2015

 2011 Cowboy Canyon Winery Pardners    

  Location: Silverado Canyon, California 

Blend: 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc   

This joint venture between the Kearns Family and Cipolla Family blossomed from a love of wine and a great friendship. The Kearns Family is renowned for their Giracci Vineyards and Farm Estate with beautiful grounds and breathtaking views, and the only thing better is the wine found on the property. When you visit this property you will also find them serving Cowboy Canyon Winery, and having the two wineries on the property makes for a great day of wine tasting. This single vineyard meritage sourced its grapes from the Sonoma Valley, and allowed the wine to develop in French oak for thirty months. This wine had a nice deep reddish purple color. The wine had an alluring bouquet with notes of black cherry, light fig, quince fruit, truffle, herbs, and a soft hint of hazelnut. The wine is medium ++ in body with silky smooth tannins that give way to a long lasting finish displaying hints of cherry, cassis fruit, mocha, tobacco, and soft herbs. The wine has a typical decadent California red wine bouquet; however, on the palate this wine is more “old world” with a sophistication that goes well with food. Thus, this wine would go brilliantly with food and balance accordingly. It is always nice when two families come together and achieve something spectacular. Highly Recommended!  

Tasted:  May 2015

  2011 Giracci Vineyards and Farms Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon     

  Location: Silverado Canyon, California 

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon   

This wine was shared with me by a good friend when I was in California over Mother’s Day weekend. Giracci Vineyards and Farms grow their own grapes; however, the grapes used to make this wine were sourced from the Napa Valley. I re-approached this wine the following day after we had opened it, in order to take some tasting notes. The wine had a deep dark reddish purple color. This wine was giving off a rich bouquet that had notes of black cherry, blackberry, vanilla, crème brulèe, leather, toasted oak and soft spice. The tannins had mellowed and the wine was drinking beautifully, giving off hints of wild berries, black cherries, burnt caramel, and soft spice. The wine was sophisticated and balanced leaving a lingering finish with a palate painted in lush dark fruits and smoky oaked spice. This wine is drinking great right now, but should continue to evolve nicely over the next few years. Highly Recommended!         

Tasted:  May 2015

  2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape   

  Location: Southern Rhone, France 

Blend: Red Rhone Blend   

This beautiful red beauty had a seductive floral bouquet displaying hints of vanilla, raspberries, red licorice, mocha, exotic spices, and a touch of barnyard. The wine is full bodied with silky smooth tannins that give way to a layered palate with notes of boysenberry, raspberry, sour cherry, strawberry, tobacco, chocolate, herbs, and minerals. The wine was as elegant and graceful, as it was lavishly complex and brilliantly balanced. This alluring wine is seductively powerful while maintaining its sophistication. This is a wonderful bottle of wine that is just now approaching its plateau of maturity, and should continue to drink well over the next 8 to 10 years. Highly Recommended!  

Tasted:  April 2015

  2001 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon Lone Canyon Vineyard    

  Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon   

This estate is one of my favorite in the western hills of Napa Valley. The Lone Canyon Vineyard produces rich plush wines from the mountain and they have become some of my favorite from this winery; thus, I was sad to hear that they had sold this vineyard. It is my understanding that Mr. William Harlan of Harlan Estates had purchased this vineyard and is now producing a wine from this vineyard called Promontory. The 2001 vintage had a deep dark purple red color. This wine was displaying an expressive bouquet with hints of plum, black currants, leather, cassis fruit, and soft oak. This wine was full bodied with silky smooth tannins that gave way to a brilliantly balanced finish with a core of blue and black fruits, chocolate, and toasted oak. The wine was sophisticatedly complex with depth and balance. This is a spectacular example of the type of wine being produced from this vineyard. Highly Recommended!   

Tasted:  April 2015

2003 Provenance Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon  

Some of the Cabernet Sauvignon in this bottle of wine comes from the historic To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. This vineyard was originally planted in 1859, and the fruit produced here has been considered world class ever since the Paris World’s Fair in 1889. This bottle of wine was brought over by a good friend to enjoy on a lazy Saturday. We decanted this bottle of wine about 4o minutes before we indulged, only to find the wine had a beautiful floral bouquet of black cherries, supple plums, violets, spiced oak, graphite, and other minerals. The wine was medium in body with creamy jammy tannins that gave way to a brilliant finish showing notes of black cherries, black raspberries, red and black fruits, cedar, soft spice, and other earth tones. The wine was exquisitely balanced with layers of complexity that added to the depth and enjoyment of this wine. This was a wonderful example of aged California Cabernet Sauvignon, as it is in its plateau of maturity. The wine had a wonderful structure of ripe fruit that integrated with the dusty earthiness of this vibrant wine. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  February 2015

2000 Shafer Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc & Merlot  

I decanted this bottle of wine about an hour before we tried it. The wine had a deep dark purple red color with aromas of black currants, black cherries, cocoa, cassis liquor, minerals, and dusty earth. The wine was medium + in body with smooth silky tannins that made way for a long luxurious finish displaying notes of toasted oak, licorice, dark berries, caramel, and a velvety texture of dusty earth. The wine was amazingly youthful with good balance, structure, and complexity. The wine is in its plateau of maturity, and appears to be in a great spot right now. This bottle of wine was enjoyed with a good friend over lunch and some laughs. We found this wine to be one of the stars out of the bottles we partook in that afternoon, as this wine was a perfect representation of fine aged Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2000 vintage in Napa was a difficult one that the winemaker at Shafer had obviously overcome, as this bottle of wine was spectacular. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  February 2015

2002 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate

Location: Yakima Valley, Washington 

Blend: 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot  

This wine was enjoyed on Valentines’ Day with a lovely dinner that included beef wellington, roasted potatoes, and green beans with almonds. The wine had a deep dark red color with aromas that wafted from the glass giving off hints of cassis fruit, black plum, licorice, stewed blackberries, exotic spice, tar, and a touch of oak. The wine was full bodied with integrated tannins and a concentrated powerful finish leaving you with notes of caramelized blackberries, ripe cassis fruit, currents, spiced jam, and dusty earth. The wine is exotically exquisite with good balance between the decadent rich dark fruit and earthy undertones. This is a wine with layers of complexity that is in its plateau of maturity; however, could continue cellaring for another 10 years with little to no effort. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  February 2015

2009 Jean Marie Arnoux Vacqueyras

Location: Rhone, France 

Blend: 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre  

The wine was decanted about an hour before we approached it. The bouquet was lush with aromas of raisons, licorice, fig, incense and blooming flowers. This deep ruby red wine was medium ++ in body with firm tannins that led to a dense finish displaying hints of black cherry liquor, fruit drop, fresh herbs, soft spice, and other red and black fruits. The wine is displaying great balance and power; thus, should continue to develop nicely over the next 5 to 8 years. This is a wonderful wine for its price point and extremely enjoyable. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  February 2015

2005 Kalleske Greenock Shiraz

Location: Barossa Valley, Australia 

Blend: 100% Shiraz  

I decanted this bottle of wine to find it had a nice opaque purple color. The wine was robust with a full bouquet displaying aromas of blueberries, cassis fruit, pepper, smoky oak, coffee, and blackberry liqueur. The wine was full bodied with rounded tannins that gave way to a long luxurious finish showing hints of cassis jam, blackberries, black cherries, expresso, white pepper, and toasted oak. The wine is tremendously well balanced between dark fruits and an oaky earthiness. This complex wine has layers of dark fruit and sublime terroir notes. The wine is in its plateau of maturity, but should continue to evolve nicely for a few more years. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  February 2015

2001 Tenuta Guado al Tasso Bolgheri DOC Superiore

Location: Italy 

Blend: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Syrah  

This is a wonderful wine from The Antinori Family that has been producing wine for over 600 years, as Giovanni di Piero Antinori entered the Winemakers’ Guild of the city of Florence back in 1385. Today the family matriarch is Marquis Piero Antinori, whom runs the family business with his three daughters. I decanted this bottle of wine to find it had a nice deep ruby red color. The wine had a brilliant bouquet with notes of black cherry, cassis fruit, cocoa powder, toasted oak, earth and minerals. The wine was medium + in body with soft tannins that led to a lingering finish displaying hints of cassis fruit, blueberry, coffee, dark chocolate, earthy minerals, and black cherries. The wine was complex with layers of earth and fruit. The wine needed a little time to open up, and when it did it was stunning. The wine is in its plateau of maturity, but still drinking quite youthful. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  February 2015

2012 DAOU Vineyards Estate Mayote

Location: Paso Robles, California  

Blend: 45% Syrah, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot  

This bottle of wine was provided by some new friends of ours, and it did not disappoint! The wine had a dark opaque purple ink like color in the glass. The bouquet was lush with rich black currents, cassis fruit, sweet tobacco, toasted herbs, and pepper. The wine was medium ++ in body with integrated tannins that gave way to a long plush finish displaying hints of black currents, blueberries, crushed wild berries, licorice, herbs, and soft spice. The wine was complex with layers of concentrated dark fruits blended with exotic earth undertones. The wine has the potential to be cellared for another 10 years or so and should continue to develop and evolve nicely over a decade. This was a wonderful bottle of wine that was enjoyed with new good friends. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  December 2014

2012 Chapter 24 Vineyards Pinot Noir Fire and Flood ``The Flood"

Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA 

Blend: 100% Pinot Noir  

This bottle of wine was brought over by new friends whom also have a love and passion for wine. The wine was a clear reddish purple color in the glass. When I approached this wine I found it had an expressive bouquet with hints of black raspberries, black cherries, herbs, earth, and other dark fruit aromas. The wine was medium in body with a heavy mid palate concentrated in dark fruits. The wine had a lush mouth feel and gave way to flavors of vibrant red and dark fruit, wild berries, river rock, minerals, and a touch of pepper. This is a brilliantly balanced wine with muscular undertones, depth and complexity. The wine is still drinking quite youthful, but is age worthy and could be laid down for cellaring. If women were wine then I would marry a Cabernet Sauvignon; however, the mistress would have to be Pinot Noir. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  December 2014

2003 Pax Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard

Location: Mendocino County, California 

Blend: 100% Syrah  

Being invited to an exciting Christmas Hot Shoe Party, we decided to bring this bottle of wine. At the event we pulled the cork and poured the wine right out of the bottle without decanting. In the glass you could see the wine was inky and had a dark purple color. On first approach I noticed the wine had a lush fruit forward bouquet with hints of blackberries, cassis fruit, espresso, plum and smooth chocolate. The wine was full in body with finely rounded tannins that gave way to an expressive finish with notes of wild berries, blackberry liqueur, milk chocolate, licorice, and soft spice. This wine was high in alcohol (16.3%) but did not drink hot like some Syrah. The wine was sophisticatedly polished and luxuriously elegant with complex layers and great depth. The wine is in its plateau of maturity and drinking spectacular right now. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  December 2014

2004 Château Pavie

Classification: St. Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe A 

Location: St. Emilion, Bordeaux, France 

Blend: 65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon  

This is the largest vineyard in St. Emilion of all the Grands Crus Classes, and was acquired in 1998 by Chantal and Gerard Perse. The yields from the vineyard of the 2004 vintage were low, resulting in fewer cases of wine than usual. We enjoyed this bottle of wine at Del Frisco’s in Las Vegas. The Wine Director decanted this bottle of wine for us, only to find it had a deep opaque purple color with hues of ruby red. The wine had an earthy bouquet with hints of smoky oak wood, cassis fruit, black cherries, plum, coffee, and truffles. The wine was medium ++ in body with rounded tannins that give way to a dense concentrated finish with notes of black cherries, plum, cassis liqueur, tobacco, cocoa, all encompassed by a dusty earthy palate. The wine is complex with layers of balanced fruit and earth qualities. The wine was paired with a nice steak, lobster mac-and-cheese, and creamed spinach. This culinary / wine experience was enjoyed with a great friend. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  December 2014

1998 J. Lohr Cuvée POM

Location: Paso Robles, California 

Blend: 59% Merlot, 29.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11.2% Cabernet Franc  

We decanted this bottle to find it had a nice deep red color. The bouquet was lush with bold aromatics like plum, dark cherries, cocoa, burnt candied caramel, and holiday spices. The wine was medium in body with soft rounded tannins that gave way to hints of dark cherries, plum, oak, chocolate, and soft earthy spices. The wine is complex with integrated flavors that weight beautifully on the palate. This wine is in its plateau of maturity and drinking wonderfully right now! Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  December 2014

2001 E. Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Location: Rhone, France 

Blend: 80% old Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, 5% others  

We decanted this bottle of wine to find it had a clear ruby red color. The wine had a clean bouquet with aromas of strawberry, raspberries, eucalyptus, prunes, and a touch of all spice. The wine was medium in body with smooth rounded tannins, and a crisp acidity. The wine coated the palate leaving a nice long finish that displayed hints of fresh red cherries, prunes, cocoa, earthy burnt wood, and soft spices. The wine was well balanced with layers of complex fruit and earth flavors. The wine is in its plateau of maturity and drinking wonderfully right now. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  December 2014

2004 Elizabeth Spencer Pinot Noir ExS Block Seven

Location: Sonoma Coast, California 

Blend: 100% Pinot Noir  

We decanted this bottle of wine to find it had a dark garnet color. The wine had a lush bouquet with aromas of black plum, black cherries, violets, cigar smoke, and a touch of vanilla. The wine was medium in body with smooth rounded tannins that gave way to a nice long finish displaying hints of crushed dark fruit, blackberries, black cherries, earthy minerals and toasted herbs. This wine was wonderfully balanced with depth and complexity; thus, the wine was showing beautifully. This wine is in its plateau of maturity and appears to be holding onto its youth, leading me to believe this wine could continue cellaring for another 5 to 8 years with no problem. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  November 2014

2008 Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon  

This beautiful rich full bodied cabernet sauvignon had a lush bouquet with aromas of licorice, cassis fruit, blueberries, currants, cedar, earth and minerals. The nose on this wine was strong with dark berry fruit, almost that of a shiraz. The wine was balanced with complex layers of flavor showing hints of dense dark fruit, black licorice, and earth tones that played off the smooth chewy tannins. The wine had a nice long finish and is still drinking quite youthful; thus, this wine can easily continue cellaring for another 5 to 8 years. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  November 2014

2004 Kilikanoon "Testament" Shiraz

Location: Barossa Valley, Australia  

Blend: Shiraz  

This wine was exhibiting a deep opaque purple color with reddish hues. The wine had a fresh fruit forward bouquet with hints of blackberries, blueberries, dark roasted coffee, white pepper, and earthy leather. The wine was rich and full bodied with rounded tannins that gave way to hints of cassis liqueur, blackberries, minerals, and dusty earth. This wine was beautifully balanced with concentrated layers of fruit and earth. The wine drank wonderfully and is in its plateau of maturity; however, this wine could easily continue cellaring for 8 to 12 years more. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  November 2014

2006 Alban Vineyards Estate Syrah REVA

Location: Edna Valley, California 

Blend: 100% Syrah  

I decanted this bottle of wine to find it had a nice opaque purple color. On first approach the wine seemed a little tight and closed off, but after about an hour the bouquet was bountiful with aromas of blackberries, black cherries, cassis fruit, licorice, minerals, pepper, and tobacco notes. The wine was full in body with rounded tannins and luxuriously smooth on the palate giving off hints of plum, blackberries, cassis jam, vanilla, river rock, and other complex layers of fruit and earth. This is a wonderful bottle of wine that should continue to evolve nicely over the next 6 to 10 years. This wine obviously benefits from its terroir, with its dark volcanic soil that brings forth a rich, interesting intense characteristic that is beautifully balanced. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  November 2014

2006 Ghost Block Estate "Single Vineyard" Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon  

This winery got its eerie name due to the fact that it boarders the Pioneer Cemetery; thus, in honor of Halloween I decided to treat myself to this bottle of wine after a long day. On first approach I notice the wine had a bouquet of cassis berries, blackberries, cedar, pepper, and soft herbs. The wine was medium + in body with rounding tannins that gave way to hints of red and dark fruits, green olives, oak, and a touch of chocolate. The wine seemed a bit closed to start but after some time it began to open up nicely. This wine seems to lack depth and is drinking a little thin in the middle. I am not sure how much more this wine can evolve, as it appears to be already in its plateau of maturity. In honesty I was a little disappointed!

Tasted:  November 2014

1994 Van Asperen Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Location: Napa Valley, California 

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon  

We opened this wine and decanted it to enjoy with some good friends before going out to dinner. The wine had a deep dark garnet color with hues of purple. This wine had an intense bouquet with concentrated aromas of black currants, black cherries, toasted oak, leather, soft spice and other integrated layers of dark berry fruit. This wine was medium ++ in body with velvety tannins that led to a big finish expressing hints of cassis liqueur, stewed black cherries, river rock, and a soft spice on the back end. The wine was spectacularly youthful for its age and a perfect example of well-aged California cabernet sauvignon. Highly Recommended!

Tasted:  October 2014