Shay A

9.6

Finally getting around to posting wines from my annual Napa trip from two weeks ago. Always goes by quick! Lots of fun new stops this year.

Here is the other wine that I claimed may have been the red wine of the trip, and also may have been one of the top winery visits of the trip! Loved tasting in the family home and hearing the connecting stories between them and the Macdonalds. I’ll forever be grateful that @Carl Fischer introduced me to Detert years ago, and he helped make an intro so that I could visit this time around.

Monster! This is like the normal cab franc but with everything turned up to 11. However, because it’s cab franc, the elevated profile isn’t overwhelmingly fruit forward...it just makes it so floral. Potpourri, violets, jasmine accompanied by herbal spice, black tea, mulberries, dark chocolate and cedar. Zero trace of green pepper. Very vineyard loyal. As old vine To Kalon cab franc, this has classic To Kalon power with currant, graphite, vibrant black cherries, clay/dirt, red, blue and black berries with skyscraper like structure and profile. Very fine grained tannins. This is an astounding cab franc. — 5 years ago

John Willison

9.0

Stone fruit, vanilla, petrol, sweet mineral finish. — 7 years ago

Joe Lucca

9.4

Still a baby. 2 hr decant. Gorgeous nose; fresh blackberries, bramble, pen ink. This is an extremely terroir driven wine. You can taste the black loam and gravelly soil of St. Helena. The palate is really elegant; BlackBerry, blueberry, black cherry, sage, asphalt, melted rocks, charred oak, pencil shavings. So much more to come with time. 100% Cab, single vineyard, and TRB - what’s not to like? Thanks to @Carl Fischer for getting me hooked. — 7 years ago

with Diana

Ron R

9.6

Full-on Napa strip tease, with all the assets on show. Jam compote, coffee and maple syrup. So extravagant, it’s obscene. As @Carl Fischer described it, “an embarrassment of riches.”
Gifted by @Carl Fischer. Thank you kind sir. — 7 years ago

with Eric, Mo and 3 others

Ciprian Tecsa

9.5

Lovely Riesling. Easy drinking, great acidity, ripe fruit: apple, pear, some pineapple, intense long finish. — 7 years ago

Bill Bender

9.5

Pure!! Thank you @Carl Fischer this was outstanding and the perfect fit for the venue and company — 8 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.0

Medium ruby core with garnet edges. Aged characteristics on the nose with damp earth, a little espresso, a touch smoky, cinnamon and stewed plums. Medium tannins (6/10) and plus medium body. Dark cocoa on the attack of the palate intermingled with plums, black currants, black cherries and lots of spices. A bit of anise and the Petit Verdot coming through in the medium plus finish. Drink till 2018.
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Starting today we are partnering with Vinlumin in order to raise money for those affected by the wildfires in Northern California earlier this month. Until November 15th or for the first 200 units, Vinlumin will be donating $100.00 per unit to three different Northern California based charities: Napa Valley Disaster Relief Fund, Sonoma Resilience Fund and Mendocino Community Fund. Go to www.vinlumin.com to learn more and to grab one while supporting those affected in Northern California.
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@David L @Ron R @Martin G Rivard @Martin A. Cody @James Cahill @Carl Fischer @Shawn R @Joe Lucca @Bill Bender @Eric S @Isaac Pirolo @TheSkip @Mike R @Lori Mike @Jody Scharf @Jo Anne B @Kim Stanbro @Roman Sukley @Greg Gregory @Sean Smith @Shay Aldriedge — 8 years ago

with India and Sean

Mike R

9.5

Damn well made Napa cab dominated wine

full bodied blend cab dominated but taste the softness of the merlot and the tanginess of the PV blend - for me it is sweet almost but elegance with a very dense purple zing from blackberry fruit intermixed with licorice and lime soil - the texture is nice loamy forest floor but not all earthy and a gritty layered mouthfeel - love the length

God I miss a brilliantly made cab from Napa

@Eric LaMasters @Carl Fischer your thoughts as you tasted the same tonight — 6 years ago

Michelle Stephan

9.1

Very nice ! Paired well with Scallops and angel Hair Pasta 2016 vintage — 6 years ago

with Michael

Shay A

9.5

Part 1 of the final and main event for the Fall WNH. The most spectacular lineup of wines I’ve ever seen, and an overall wonderful ending to an amazing trip with fantastic people.

Not familiar with this producer. Beckstoffer GIII fruit and it shows. Took some coaxing to come around and when it did, I got blackberry, tons of red spiced fruit and typical dustiness like qualities on the nose. Still tastes fairly young. Great tannic structure with plum, dark cocoa and black cherry finish. Thanks for the intro here, @Carl Fischer . — 7 years ago

with Mike, David and 4 others

Velma Cooper

9.4

Velma had this 7 years ago

Rob Brobst III

9.5

This little known bottle had a sling and a rock and it took down a giant! Yep David vs. Goliath! This was the biggest surprise of the night! @Paul Treadway Huntington Beacher @Jade Moore I will be buying more. @Mike Smith @Shay A @Kimberly Anderson @Aaron Means @Antonio Galloni @Carl Fischer @Connor McMahon @Ceccherini Cristiano @Martin G Rivard @Bill Bender @Terri Walker @TheSkip @Jim Trobaugh @Jody Scharf @Warren Sapp @Walter Sorensen @Stanley Barrios @Neal Schaffer — 7 years ago

with Paul and Jade

Martin G Rivard

9.8

@David L @Shawn R @Ron R @Joe Lucca @Carl Fischer I can almost hear DAVID L 🎤 right now saying “Oh no you didn’t just open another 12 Edge Hill Bacigaluppi!!!”
Yes I did and am quite happy at my decision!!
Irresistible in a glass!! Simply awesome after an hour and stunningly gorgeous after 2. — 8 years ago

T. Berghaus

9.0

White melon, ++ acidity, solid Sauvignon blanc — 6 years ago

Test

9.2

Doftar svagt liljor o pioner lite honungsmelon. Smakar som den mjukaste grappa, skitgott!! — 6 years ago

Randall Brater

9.0

Earthy and medium body with a nice balance of spice and tannins. Really solid. — 7 years ago

David L

9.4

Not for everyone. It certainly is for me. Big tropical /butter notes. I’m digging this. Drinking it with spicy chicken dumplings ( maybe not the perfect pairing). @Carl Fischer I love your recommendations. — 7 years ago

Shawn R

9.6

I was first introduced to this wine by @Carl Fischer back in Oct over dinner. It caught the attention of many that night, It is still captivating. Refined, sleek and elegant. Blackberry and kirsch fill the nose. I can’t get over the sweet tannins-full bodied and bold yet smooth and defined. Palate rounds out with mocha, crushed blue and black fruits with a hint of tobacco. Drying finish the sails for 30 sec. 2 hour decant- — 7 years ago

Joe Lucca

9.2

Bright and clean; just like the weather at lunch. Thank you@Carl Fischer! — 8 years ago

with Martin, Kirk and 4 others

David L

9.5

06’ @Carl Fischer Just another fantastic bottle. Breaking out this 2006... special one. Thanks for sharing. — 8 years ago

with Martin, Joe and 2 others