Ross Bathgate

9.3

Opened after Xmas lunch as we needed a follow up to the Black Shiraz. Did not disappoint. Mature and soft with all the lovely spice and dark fruit of the basket pressed. Lovely. — 5 months ago

Catherine Gmoser

8.9

Full body, saw dust — 8 months ago

with Liz

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Caymus Vineyards – Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Special Selection is Caymus’ flagship bottling, the only wine to twice earn Wine Spectator’s “Wine of the Year.” The 2013 vintage comes from a benchmark Napa year—warm, consistent, and producing deeply concentrated fruit. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from prime valley-floor sites, this wine showcases the Caymus hallmark: bold, plush, and fruit-driven Napa opulence.

Aromas & Flavors
Opulent blackberries, cassis, and baked blueberries, wrapped in layers of cocoa, espresso, and toasted vanilla. Secondary notes of licorice, sweet tobacco, and graphite add depth. With time in the glass, hints of cedar and leather start to show, signaling the early stages of graceful evolution.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and richly textured, almost velvet-like, with powerful yet polished tannins. The 2013 vintage delivers intensity and weight, but with balance—long, lingering finish loaded with ripe dark fruit and spice.

Winemaking Notes
Meticulous cluster selection, long maceration for depth, and extended aging in new French oak barrels (18+ months). Chuck Wagner’s hallmark style: unapologetically ripe fruit, creamy oak integration, and a seamless, approachable structure even in youth.

Food Pairing
A natural match for grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, or herb-crusted lamb. For a more indulgent pairing, try it with aged Gouda or truffle-infused dishes.

Verdict
A monumental vintage of Caymus Special Selection—ripe, hedonistic, and still showing youthful vigor more than a decade later. Built for aging, yet already a crowd-pleaser. A benchmark expression of Napa Cabernet’s luxurious side.

Personal Pick Highlight
2013 stands out as one of Napa’s greatest modern vintages, and tasting it now is like catching Caymus in its prime sweet spot: power meeting polish. Cheers! — 8 months ago

Harrison Mills

10

Rich dark fruit, blackberry/raspberry tone with no tannins. Full bodied. Expensive, but worth the price. A special occasion wine — a year ago

Nick Brandon

9.1

Deep, but undiscernable fruity characteristics on the nose.
Plummy, jammy notes and very drinkable. Full-bodied and spicy. Some dark chocolate notes, too.

Paired with wild grains, sauteéd greens, and baked salmon filets. — 5 years ago

Steve Rura

9.0

Strong spiced oak and more tannic than other Riberas. Full at 14.5% ABV — 7 years ago

William Renert

9.5

Wonderful wine. Full body and great balance, Still has time. — 8 years ago

Tom Barras

9.0

The delicious, smoothly textured, 2021 Justin Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles) is intensely colored, nicely balanced, and well structured; medium>full, with an abundance of aromatic and flavorsome black fruits (Bing cherry, blackberry); refined with barrel aging notes (spice, vanilla, toast); and framed with medium acidity and smooth tannins at the mouth cleansing finish. Tasty stuff, and should be ideal with tonight’s wine-braised, beef short ribs and potato pancakes, Happy New Year from Napa Valley! — 5 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Deep Ruby red color, blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a splash of Petite Sirah, with aromas of dark fruit, floral and oaky herbs. On the palate flavors of blackberry, cherry and sweet currants with cacao and espresso notes. Full-body, good balanced, fine tannins on a medium+ finish ending a bit spicy and oak character. Nice Value! — 8 months ago

"Odedi"

9.1

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Very fruity on the nose and full bodied with medium minus acidity.

Dry to off dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing black currants, blackberries, cooked plums, oak, vanilla, dried fruits, licorice, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, spices, light herbs and peppercorn.

Short finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 8 year old Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County is still drinking very nicely, but will not get better from this point.

Complex and easy drinking. Fruit forward with a touch of RS. Rich and extracted with a mouth coating feel.

A nice sipping wine.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$50. — 9 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.7

Ruby with complex fruit aromas, spice and oak. Blend of 90% Tempranillo & 10% Graciano, aged 48 months on American oak, 20% new. On the palate flavors of dark berry fruits with spice, oak and smoky earthy notes, slight vanilla nuances on ripe full soft silky tannins. Long finish, nice mouthfeel, ending with fruit, oak, cigar box spice and clean mineral earthy tones, a joy to Sip this Fine Wine!! Tasting great, has more aging potential! — 10 months ago

Eric McGann

8.9

A great drinking wine on its own- wouldn’t say it flourishes with food. Super dry, big, bold, mouth full. — 5 years ago

Joe Ho

9.8

Deep currents in the nose with a beautiful round smooth mouth full of flower petals light citrus and berries. — 6 years ago

Allison Rich

9.4

Rich, full bodied cab. Notes of toasted oak and coffee. Great finish. Delicious just opened and even better after aerating/breathing. — 8 years ago

Helen Arvanitopoulos

9.3

Well this was a beauty.
2015 didn’t disappoint. Beautiful cherry flavours on the nose. Palate of red fruits and full body. Celebrated all the good things in life — 5 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.6

Chappellet – Signature Cabernet Sauvignon – 2022 🇺🇸
Pritchard Hill (Mountain Fruit) – Napa Valley AVA – California, USA

Overview
A cornerstone of Chappellet for over three decades, the Signature Cabernet Sauvignon continues to define what Napa Valley mountain Cabernet is all about: power, elegance, and longevity.
The 2022 vintage carries a subtly adjusted blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec, 2% Merlot, featuring a touch more Cabernet Sauvignon and slightly less Petit Verdot and Malbec compared to the 2021 (see my v2021 notes).
This shift gives the 2022 an extra dimension of muscle and purity, heightening its mountain-driven character.

Aromas & Flavors
Undeniably dark and expressive. Notes of blackcurrant, dark cherry, plum, and cassis rise first, followed by cedar, sage, aged tobacco, thyme, and beautifully integrated toasted oak.
As it opens, deeper nuances emerge, espresso bean, cocoa, graphite, and subtle mountain herbs.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and impeccably structured.
The increase in Cabernet Sauvignon amplifies its power and linearity, while polished tannins deliver a glowing richness across the palate.
Flavors of black cherry, currant, chocolate, espresso, and warm spice saturate the mid-palate. The finish is long, confident, and built for aging.

Food Pairings
Prime rib, grilled ribeye, lamb with rosemary, venison, black-truffle dishes, or aged gouda/cheddar.

Verdict
A formidable yet seductively elegant expression of Pritchard Hill. The 2022 is slightly more commanding than the 2021, with enhanced Cabernet purity and structural depth. A true benchmark in Napa’s hillside Cabernets, age-worthy, expressive, and unmistakably Chappellet. Cheers!

Did You Know?
Pritchard Hill’s volcanic, iron-rich soils and elevation create Cabernets known for density, refinement, and remarkable longevity, which is why so many iconic Napa producers source or plant here.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
Among my personal favorites in the mountain Cabernet category. The 2022 delivers that unmistakable “whoa” moment, especially when shared with friends and family. — 6 months ago

Colleen Tomasello

9.1

Excellent full bodied blend by orin swift cellars. Very lush and flavorful — 9 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured from my cellar. The cork was absolutely perfect. The 2005 pours a rather turbid, deep garnet at nearly 17 years old. There's quite a bit of fine sediment that clings to the edge of the glass with each swirl. Medium+ viscosity. On the nose, this was initially a bit grumpy but within minutes, it relaxed and started to show some real charm. A fully developed wine, this is becoming a bit of a Leather Daddy, full of leather (obviously), bruised and desiccated red, black and blue fruits, Christmas spice fruit cake, coffee, damp earth, and candied nuts. On the palate, the fruit remains quite stunning and confirms the mix of bruised and desiccated fruit with a sort of sherried character. Loads of salmiakki (salted licorice), spiced nuts, pepper, coffee and, you guessed it, leather. The wine was dry, technically, but almost gives the sensation of some RS with all of the over-ripe fruits and the texture was almost sappy, in some ways. However, while this was absolutely rich and well-endowed, it was not cloying. Tannins have fully integrated (though still present) and the acid was like a girdle keeping everything held together. This remains a rather large personality even if it's showing its age. Definitely in a lovely spot...but how much longer will that last? If this wasn't my last bottle, I would probably be drinking these over the next five years unless you want the full Leather Daddy experience...which is okay if that's your thing. — 4 years ago

Nic Anderson

9.2

We really liked this cab. Perfect setting with NY Strip Steaks and Sweet Potatoes. Full of cherry and blackberry. — 7 years ago

Martin Chang

8.9

2016 Costco $19. Full body, doesn’t take much time to open up. Ok value. — 8 years ago