2015 Boich Family Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Wall Road, USA, California, Napa, Mt. Veeder, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$250.00USD

Inky purple, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is powerful and concentrated with cassis, spice, cedar and slight char.  Semi-lush texture.  Medium tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, this has cassis, chocolate, slight chalky note (which is interesting) along with some forest floor notes and a touch of char.  Long finish.  This seems to be drinking well now and although it likely won't improve, should drink at peak for another ten to fifteen years.  Very nice on its own, this should work well with many dishes (except sea food).  It would be nice with Cassoulet.  

2019 Boich Family Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$195.00USD

Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is lovely and a bit concentrated.  Cassis, chocolate, fresh tobacco, and just a hint of fresh herbs (Marjoram?).  Silky, almost chalky texture which is very nice.  Firm tannins.  Good energy.  On the palate, cassis and very concentrated.  It's not that its not a big wine, but at the moment it is very tight.  If drinking soon, give it plenty of air.  It is delicious.  Long finish.  This needs another five years (or more) of cellaring and should drink well for another fifteen to twenty after that.  It is better on its own right now but with s

2021 Dakota Shy Cabernet Sauvignon Social Currency, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A

Decanted for four hours prior to serving.  This is Cabernet Sauvignon from Mt. Veeder and St. Helena.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, dark chocolate, slight cedar, coffee beans, and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Nice balance.  On the palate, there is cassis, chocolate, coffee and char.  Long finish.  The longer decant made this wine much better than a prior bottle.  This is a twenty year wine so don't be afraid to give it lost of air if opening in the next few years.  It is nice on its own and will work well with roasted meats, fowl or veggies.  

2018 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Empyrean Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$250.00USD

Inky purple, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose deep. Cassis, graphite, leather, cedar and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.   Great balance.  On the palate, this complex and delicious.  Flavors of cassis, some black cherries, graphite, spice and char.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now but will improve.  Drink over the next twenty years.  Great on its own, this will work well with meat or fowl or roasted veggies.

2017 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon Monsieur Étain, USA, California, Napa, Rutherford, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$230.00USD

This is the other wine from Scarecrow (second wine doesn't do it justice).  It is a blend of  84% Cab Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Merlot.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great.  It could pass for young left bank.  Cassis, plums, chocolate, spice, cigar box and slight graphite.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Great energy.  On the palate, this is drinking well.  Nice complexity.  Flavors of cassis, black cherries, plums, spice, chocolate and char.  Still young but starting to evolve.  Long finish.  This drinks great on its own and would work well with meat

2018 Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
99
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$425.00USD

This wine features grapes from all five of the single vineyard Cabernets that Memento Mori produces.  Consumed side by side with the 2021 and 2020, this was my favorite although it seems like eventually the 2021 will be the best.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, some blueberries, coffee beans, cedar, spice and chocolate.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great balance.  On the palate, this is very concentrated.  Flavors of cassis, blueberries, earth, spice and char.  Long finish.  This is delicious and drinking well if young.  It will also work with bigger foods s

2020 Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2024
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$375.00USD

This was made from three out of five vineyards (Dr. Crane, Las Piedras, and Vine Hill) in 2020 as the other two were affected by fires.  I found no smoke taint in this one.  It was a much softer wine that 21 or 18 but still quite good.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is clean and deep with cassis, new leather, slight dark chocolate, fresh dirt, cedar and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, there is a softer texture.  Plenty of cassis, some blueberries, chocolate, spice and char.  Long finish.  This seems accessible if young and delicious.

2021 Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$350.00USD

This is their "Flagship" wine.  In this vintage it is a blend of all five of their single vineyard sites.  The bottle had been open for a few hours and then splash decanted before serving.  This needs time but was quite good.  A separate bottle opened but not decanted and then consumed the following evening was even better.  I score wines as they show, but no doubt, this will hit triple digits as it matures.  Inky purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose is deep.  Big but concentrated.  Aromas of cassis, espresso, black cherries, cedar and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.

Turnbull 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Amoenus Vineyard

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$145.00USD

Comprised entirely of Cabernet Sauvignon, this differs from many Napa Cabernet in that there is a quiet rusticity to this wine. Rather than bright up front fruit, the fruit here is rather muted, offering blackberry, light blueberry, Rainer cherry, cocoa powder and white pepper. The tannic structure is fairly tight with a dusty, earthy quality. The light oak aging in all French oak provides the vanilla and campfire notes while giving the tannins room to exercise their importance in balancing the wine.

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