The first release from the 20-acre Thorevilos Vineyard (co-owned by David Abreu and Ric Forman) is the 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Thorevilos, a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. It is a dense,... Read More
On solid footing, this is firm, tight, intense and focused, with a vibrant mix of zesty, earth-laced dark berry, cedar, crushed rock and subtle tobacco leaf notes. Best from 2020 through 2032.-JL
Now, this is more like it. A big step up from the disjointed Les Chailles, the 2019 Cornas Vieilles Vignes is a classic rendering of Cornas, with hints of crushed stone, mint, blueberries and red berries on the nose. It's... Read More
Slightly beefier is the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard. The fruit from this site was one of the component parts of the old BV Private Reserve Georges de Latour Cabernet and is considered to be one of... Read More
Alpha Omega's flagship 2011 ERA (a selection of their finest barrels) is full and rich with slightly more tannin and structure than its siblings. This impressively endowed wine is similar to several of the single vineyard... Read More
Composed of 53% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Alter Ego de Palmer is deep garnet-purple in color and springs from the glass with vivacious black raspberries, black cherries and crushed blackcurrants... Read More
Dark garnet with a ruby rim. Lovely scents of plum, mocha and tobacco regale the nose. Sweet on entry, then nicely delineated, with flavors of plum jam, licorice, mint and tar. Plushly textured, with full fuzzy tannins, this medium-to-full-bodied... Read More
Sweet, super-ripe red berries, mint and flowers all meld together in the 2008 Amuse Bouche. This is an especially high-toned, silky wine. There is considerable richness in the glass, but at the same time the alcohol is also a... Read More
A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, this is clearly the greatest Angelus until the 2000, 2003 and then the perfect 2005. Beautiful, sweet plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit soar from the glass of this opaque, purple... Read More
In the new classification of St.-Emilion, justice was certainly served with the elevation of Angelus to premier grand cru classe status. No Bordeaux estate has been making as concentrated and consistently high quality wines as... Read More
In the new classification of St.-Emilion, justice was certainly served with the elevation of Angelus to premier grand cru classe status. No Bordeaux estate has been making as concentrated and consistently high quality wines as... Read More
A dazzling effort, the 1998 boasts an opaque purple color in addition to an exceptional bouquet of smoke, licorice, plums, black raspberries, and blackberries. As the wine sits in the glass, coffee and chocolate also emerge. Full-bodied,... Read More
A dazzling effort, the 1998 boasts an opaque purple color in addition to an exceptional bouquet of smoke, licorice, plums, black raspberries, and blackberries. As the wine sits in the glass, coffee and chocolate also emerge. Full-bodied,... Read More
One of the top wines of the vintage, the 2004 Angelus (a 7,500-case blend of 62% Merlot and 38% Cabernet Franc with a natural alcohol of 13.5%) is a classic, tannic, structured wine exhibiting a saturated dense purple color as... Read More
The Château Angelus 2014, a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot was picked between 2 and 22 October over a 3-week period. It has a surprisingly bashful nose at first, not one that comes racing out of the blocks to greet... Read More
Medium red. Strongly mineral aromas of raspberry, smoked meat and lead pencil. Dense and silky but with superb clarity of flavor. Like a cocktail of exotic berries in the mouth, with a strong minerality leavening the wine's... Read More
Deep, dark sensations of smoke, tar and scorched earth emerge from the powerful 2001 Solaia. This fresh, vibrant offering is packed with dense ripe fruit. This is an especially rich, heavy style of Solaia that lacks the subtlety... Read More
The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the renowned Eisele Vineyard, which has a long history of producing stunning wines (the Ridge 1971 Eisele Vineyard, the Conn Creek 1974, the Phelps 1976 Insignia, and the 1975 and 1978 Eisele... Read More
The 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard, is a beauty. The healthy ruby/purple color is followed by classic, unevolved but promising aromas of minerals, cedar, smoke, and black currants. The wine is medium to full-bodied, with... Read More
The 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard is a 1,700 case blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Merlot. This vintage produced lighter wines, resulting in a Bordeaux-like example of... Read More
The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard is a surprisingly soft, round, delicious wine that, while quite backward and tannic last year, now seems to be up-front, forward, and easy to drink. Much lighter than I remember, with... Read More
Since last year's report I have had the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard on three separate occasions, including recently at the winery. It has definitely improved over last year's report, but it has not lived up... Read More
Despite having over 40-plus acres of vineyards in the northeasterly sector of Napa just south of Calistoga, the production at Araujo remains relatively limited, with the flagship wine, the Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard, producing... Read More
The 2005 Syrah Eisele Vineyard displays an attractive meaty character along with smoky blackberry fruit and a hint of charcoal. Soft and lush with French-like elegance as well as complexity, and a delicious, long, supple finish,... Read More
WA 92 (12/2009): The sexy, opulent, floral, blackberry and black currant-scented and flavored, medium to full-bodied 2006 Syrah Eisele Vineyard displays a seductive quality that is hard to ignore. I would opt for drinking it over... Read More