Front Runner

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Enjoyed while cleaning out the boss' cellar. Say what you want about this wine, but the one thing you can say is that this wine is incredibly consistent. This wine reminds me of the family uncle who always gives you some silver dollars at Christmas...even though you are now a grown adult. And if you actually listen to his crazy advice on investing when you were a kid, you just might be able to be that Uncle when you grow up. This wine is a thoroughbred. Meant to be consumed at least after 10 years. And this wine is in a really good spot. The nose does show a tiny bit of age as does the palate. This is front-loaded with slightly aged blackberry and a bit brambly. This wine smoothed out quite a bit over 3 hours. Finish with very nice integration, a hint of stiff oak tannin but a lot of it has resolved. Very enjoyable. This wine still has another 10 or 15 years left. — 7 years ago

Sharon, Kirk and 29 others liked this
P A

P A

@Mark Flesher Mark Good wine, producer and vintage a trifecta Cheers 🍷
Tom Casagrande

Tom Casagrande Influencer Badge

Nice metaphor!

Orin Swift

Mercury Head Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Orin Swift 2014 Mercury Head cabernet sauvignon is fantastic ! At just over 100 dollars a bottle it better be. It has a bouquet of Sangria. The initial palate is blackberry and spice. Just what I love. There is also hints of cedar and tobacco. There is definitely chocolate and butter on the tongue. The finish comes late with a slight tangy pinch on the front of the tongue. It leaves me thirsting for more. To break it down:
Spice- 5 on initial palate
Buttery- 9 mid palate
Fruit- 6 mid palate
Oak- 7 on finish
Dry- 9 on finish
— 8 years ago

P liked this
Marshall Todd Herron DPM

Marshall Todd Herron DPM Premium Badge

Its 2019, October 4. Having another bottle - 2015 OMG. This vintage is a perfect 10!!!!!!!!!!!
Marshall Todd Herron DPM

Marshall Todd Herron DPM Premium Badge

Lots of cabernet grape flavor fresh off the vine!!!!!!

Bodegas Numanthia

Numanthia Toro Tempranillo

Deep red color. Dry up front with a light sweetness. Had plum notes. — 9 years ago

Flora Springs

Trilogy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014

Greg Ballington
9.3

Super deep and dark ruby red with an almost black core. Dark baking spices in the front of the nose followed by dark fruits, especially dark dark cherries. With some air there were some purple floral notes and more vanilla. Moderate tannins (7/10) and full bodied. Initially a little tight so we gave it a splash decant. Around an hour or so in, tons of cinnamon and other dark spices. Strong undertone of puréed dark berries and light herbs too. Long body but this needs a little more bottle age. Cannot wait to try it again at the release party next month. Drink till 2028. — 9 years ago

Sean BallingtonIndia Okoh
with Sean and India
Jeff, Kim and 13 others liked this
Greg Ballington

Greg Ballington Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Shay Aldriedge Completely agree, the 14 isn't as good as the 13 which we thought had more complexity and roundness, the texture is crazy good on the 13. But the 14 definitely has potential to be another solid vintage
Ron R

Ron R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

So @Shay Aldriedge @Greg Ballington, so you guys know, my very first visit to Napa, my first stop was FS tasting room. I was a lost, overwhelmed limey, and they made me feel at home - I'll never forget it. If they are back in the saddle, I'm onboard...
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Ron R : Give the '13 Trilogy a try. If you don't seem impressed, then we can chalk it up as a loss, but I think it's worth your time. If you have a hard time finding a bottle, let me know.

Hall Wines

Kathryn Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Greg Ballington
9.0

Blind Tasting MOT=90
Color: Solid Red
Nose: Earthy and cherries
Palate: Very sweet for some reason, and a little thin for my liking, initially there was something in the front of my mouth that was off putting (was an 86). As the night progressed that front of the palate feeling went away and came through with cherries and cassis.
Opinion: As I found out this needed more time open
— 10 years ago

India OkohSean Ballington
with India and Sean
LM, David and 1 other liked this

Paul Jaboulet Aîné

La Chapelle Hermitage Syrah 1988

Can't front on La Chapelle, especially from Mag. — 11 years ago

The Prisoner Wine Company

The Prisoner Napa Valley Zinfandel Blend

Big flavor up front with a dry finish. Another good one with steak. — 11 years ago

The Prisoner and "Odedi" liked this

Domaine Ramonet

Les Ruchottes Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Chardonnay 1987

These supposedly off years by old great producers are simply gems... Extreme front to back balance, sun drenched hay, touch of dry peach, apricot pits, crushed pebbles, shells, bits of honeysuckle, and a soft acid backbone that lingers and touches your spine. Better than most grand cru's I have had in famous vintages. Speaks more to development than popular knowledge/science which is never meets great expectations in wine. Try it to love and live it ! — 12 years ago

George liked this
George Chen

George Chen Influencer Badge

In the empty glass...sweet tropical pineapple turns to matchsticks...crazy!

Ridge Vineyards

Three Valleys Sonoma County Zinfandel Blend 2013

That was really good.

89 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): The 2013 Three Valleys is a plump, juicy and expressive Zinfandel-based red. Dark cherry, kirsch, sweet spices, dried flowers and tobacco are front and center in a soft, supple red to drink now and over the next handful of years. Once again, the Three Valleys delivers superb quality for the money. Drink: 2015-2020. (Jul 2015)
— 7 years ago

Kongsgaard

Napa Valley Chardonnay 2012

Although this one did tend to have a citrus rich body, it is definitely a malo mouthfeel and more of a buttery chard. This wine was still quite delicious, and it's not really even my style. I was getting some lemongrass on the front, with a peach and mango note in the middle. The finish is more on the buttery side for my taste, but still went lovely with cheese and meat. Probably would have gone very well with Italian spiced nuts or with an herbal chicken dish. I believe this wine probably would have been more comprehensive if served with food. I think this one definitely has the longevity to age, but I'd put more stock in the Judge chard to do that most effectively. — 8 years ago

Eric, Shay and 7 others liked this

Caymus Vineyards

Special Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine of the night. This wine had EXCELLENT fruit, and showed NO VISIBLE SIGNS of decline. Great powerful blackberry. I was guessing 01 Stag's Leap or Rutherford. Turns out it was Caymus SS 01, but I was second guessing myself on the year because it was a very purple color into the decanter and showing well. The wine had great vanilla on the front, blackberry on the front, and a more youthful middle and finish with some herb. This wine has 10 years left in it no doubt. Whoever cut this one off at 2017 has no idea. This one literally showed no signs of decline whatsoever. Drink by date 2007 - 2030. — 9 years ago

Domaine du Pegau

Cuvée Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2006

Geoff Troup
9.4

Such beauty and elegance. I'm sure some of it is the age, but an AOC known for power emitting such elegance...Wow. Anyhow, jammy raspberries and a whole garden of vegetables on the nose. Palate is quite refined with white pepper, rock and all the trademark CDP flavors. Im never a huge fan of that fruit in the front, but the mid and back arr gorgeous. What's truly remarkable is the balance...The ability to isolate any single flavor to ruminate on, how each nuance to perfectly morphs into the next. Still some pronounced tannin in this guy! — 9 years ago

kasimir liked this

Josh Cellars

Cabernet Sauvignon

It's pretty solid and certainly a big juicy flavor up front. For the price it's excellent but the only downside is the fact that it's gets just a little chalky at the end. I'm nitpicking... — 9 years ago

Michael Spall

Michael Spall

Excellent value - drinks like a $20 + Cab

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1997

Very earthy in color and taste. With 30 minutes of decanting, cherry fruits hits the front of the tongue and then the wine finishes with black licorice. Tannins are very soft but still provide nice texture. — 10 years ago

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1996

Quintessential 19 year old Bordeaux, with barn yard bouquet mixed with wet leather on the front palette. Very long finish. Enjoy this wine and vintage on its own! — 11 years ago

Bill liked this

Belle Glos

Meiomi Pinot Noir 2012

Pleasantly surprised how good this was. Dark with more than a hint of sweet fruit up front but little to no mouthfeel and nothing on the end. — 11 years ago

Kim and Dave liked this

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2009

Very full body. Great taste very can drinker will love it. Flavor on front of moth and tip of tongue. Ready to drink — 13 years ago

Domaine de la Janasse

Chaupin Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2016

Extra spice and acidity up front but a fine effort — 7 years ago

Spottswoode

Family Estate Grown St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Big powerful and intense. Dark only purple from core to rim; explosive nose of ripe black and blue fruit with hints of smoke, coffee and cloves. Full bodied and concentrated with black currant and blubbery compote up front and roasted fig, toffee and caramel on the mid pallet. Finish is long, dense and with silky soft tannins. The acididy is off the charts but the ballance is amazing. Would love to revisit in 20 years!!! — 8 years ago

Eric and Yianni liked this

MicroBio Wines

Correcaminos (Road Runner) White Blend

Yup, a rose, but might as well call it a white. Palate reset as so dry. Unfiltered. What i might expect from a funky Loire producer — 8 years ago

Robert Mondavi Winery

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

To me, this wine of all the aged wines had the best entry without a doubt. This wine is made in a very old world and French style, and you can tell it from the start. I was a little worried about this wine, but the cork was in great shape and extracted by an ah-so with no problems. This wine had a very herbal nose, and herbal front. Raspberry front eventually emerged. The middle of this wine was actually quite full bodied. The finish was a little earthy, a little bit of mushroom, and tame oak. The wine was good, and still going after all these years. Look forward to the other bottle soon! — 9 years ago

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 1971

1st vintage if this wine, so a real treat to try. A little shrill and sharp at the front. Lovely fruit. Still some fresh notes but in a good place age-wise. Doesn't hang together as well as the wines beside it. — 9 years ago

Matt LichtenbergPaul Woolls
with Matt and Paul
Ara, Ira and 4 others liked this

Groth Vineyards & Winery

Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Lots of dark fruits up front, strong body with some oak. Lighter finish than expected, but enjoyable. — 10 years ago

Mollydooker Wines

The Boxer Shiraz 2014

Blind tasted with 13 other bold reds. This tied for my wine of the night along with Daou cab 2010. Runner up was Seghesio Sonoma Zin 2013 (92 pts) — 10 years ago

Hope Family Wines

Liberty School Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Lighter color. Mild nose and gentle front of the mouth experience. Blackberries. Cherry. Plum. Then down with a warm, port-ish finale. — 10 years ago

Erin Mahollitz
with Erin

Jordan Vineyard & Winery

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Bell peppers up front, not as full bodied as others. Very nice. — 11 years ago

Bogle Family Vineyards

Essential Old Vine California Zinfandel Blend 2011

Cherry and blackberry hints up front, soft tannins in the finish — 12 years ago

Cantina Zaccagnini

Il Vino Dal Tralcetto Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2009

Very nice! Still young but drinking very well already. Sweet, fruity, and floral on the front of the tongue, but rich and complex at the finish. Notes of earth and spice, and a hint of tannin. Will drink well later too. Great! — 13 years ago

Jim liked this