The 2012 Cappella, probably has less Cabernet Franc than his other cuvées but at least 25-30%. This wine has closed down since I had it from barrel last year, but that probably reflects more on its post-bottling dormancy. A wine... Read More
There are 750 cases (which means good yields for John, although any normal person would call 1.5-1.75 tons per acre financial suicide) of the 2012 Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard, and it's a terrific vintage for this cuvee.... Read More
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is gorgeous, a flamboyant and dramatic wine with terrific fruit intensity (blackberry, cassis and blueberry), subtle background vanilla and toast, a hint of lead pencil shavings and floral underpinnings.... Read More
Attractive toffee and caramel notes on the nose with pear tart, apple crumble, praline, chalk and nougat. Rich, creamy and delicious with soft and rounded bubbles. Well integrated. Caressing and delicious finish. Chardonnay from... Read More
Attractive toffee and caramel notes on the nose with pear tart, apple crumble, praline, chalk and nougat. Rich, creamy and delicious with soft and rounded bubbles. Well integrated. Caressing and delicious finish. Chardonnay from... Read More
No tasting note for this wine. Mark Aubert is one of the contenders for California's finest practitioner of Burgundian-styled, yet classic, California Chardonnays. His offerings are all made like grand cru Burgundies with... Read More
No tasting note for this wine. Mark Aubert is one of the contenders for California's finest practitioner of Burgundian-styled, yet classic, California Chardonnays. His offerings are all made like grand cru Burgundies with... Read More
An exceptional perfume of rose petals, loamy soil, raspberries, blueberries and spring flowers jumps from the glass of the 212 Pinot Noir UV-SL. Primarily Calera clonal material with some Vosne-Romanee suitcase clones, it was... Read More
No tasting note for this wine. Mark Aubert is one of the contenders for California's finest practitioner of Burgundian-styled, yet classic, California Chardonnays. His offerings are all made like grand cru Burgundies with... Read More
No tasting note for this wine. Mark Aubert is one of the contenders for California's finest practitioner of Burgundian-styled, yet classic, California Chardonnays. His offerings are all made like grand cru Burgundies with... Read More
Aged in Taransaud (75%) and Darnajou (25%) oak, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Tin Box is more backward than the perfect 2011 was last year, but it reveals similar decadence, opulence and velvety texture. Its opaque blue/black/purple... Read More
For the 2012 Pinot Noir The Coast, the winemaking team went for muscle, structure and density with the Calera, Mt. Eden and Swan clones. It exhibits a dense ruby/purple-tinged color as well as a sweet bouquet of raspberries, black... Read More
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection is a very pleasant, mid-weight Cabernet Sauvignon. The modern-day Caymus style of sweetness and glycerin richness is very much in evidence, but at the same time, the elements are well... Read More
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection is a very pleasant, mid-weight Cabernet Sauvignon. The modern-day Caymus style of sweetness and glycerin richness is very much in evidence, but at the same time, the elements are well... Read More
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection is a very pleasant, mid-weight Cabernet Sauvignon. The modern-day Caymus style of sweetness and glycerin richness is very much in evidence, but at the same time, the elements are well... Read More
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection has a dense blackish/purple color and creamy, sweet crème de cassis fruit, blackberries, a touch of graphite and vanilla, This exuberant, boisterous, in-your-face style of Cabernet... Read More
Another longer-term prospect is the 2012 Syrah Armada Vineyard. One of the more burly, structured releases from this estate, it's always poured after the Bionic Frog and is the last Syrah we taste in a vintage. The 2012 gives... Read More
Structured and backward, the 2012 Grenache God Only Knows Armada Vineyard offers lots of framboise, black cherries, bouquet garni and spice to go with a full-bodied, seamless, elegant feel on the palate. It picks up more and more... Read More
The 2012 Château Margaux is showing much differently from bottle than it did from cask. Seemingly much fuller and richer, it has a dense ruby/purple color, representing a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest mostly Merlot,... Read More
With a dense purple color and gorgeous levels of fruit, especially black raspberry and blackcurrant, this full-bodied, opulent style of wine is another great success for Clinet, a château that has been on top of its game for the... Read More
Leading off the reds in the retrospective, the 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape hit a whopping 15.7% natural alcohol, yet doesn't show a trace of heat in its gorgeous bouquet of kirsch liqueur, blackberries, Asian spice, cured meats... Read More
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon (virtually all Cabernet Sauvignon) exhibits rich blackcurrant, forest floor, unsmoked cigar tobacco, and hints of licorice and new barriques. Dominated by its fruit, this full-bodied, plush, opulent... Read More
Dalla Valle was the first winery to demonstrate what heights Cabernet Franc could reach in the valley with their Maya proprietary blend, which averages 50-55% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2012 Maya is a... Read More