Kevin O'brien

O'Brien Estate

Reflection Late Harvest Cuvee Napa Valley Red Blend 2009

This is a late harvest Merlot. This is a case study in aging wine- found 4btl in the cellar. No inventory for it- lost. (Granted these grapes never left property) but aged perfectly. Gorgeous. Aged in the nose, but beautifully ripe and smooth. At its apex. Loving this. — 4 years ago

Milissa and Mike liked this

Waterford Estate

Kevin Arnold Michael Ian Shiraz 2014

Somm David T
9.0

Aged in 20 months in barrel. All used oak. Large & small barrels.

The nose reveals; a touch of funk, sour notes on the fruit, blackberries, blue & purple fruits, black raspberries, black licorice, whiff of herbaceous notes, some white & black pepper, dark rich soils, black cherry cola, crush rocks, soft wood notes with; violets, lavender, red & purple flowers.

The body is medium with firm, tarry, chewy tannins. The fruits are bright and juicy and falls into dusty dark earthiness. Sour notes on the fruit, blackberries, blue & purple fruits, black raspberries, black licorice, whiff of herbaceous notes, some white & black pepper, dark rich soils, sandstone, black cherry cola, crush rocks, dry stones, soft wood notes with; violets, lavender, red & purple flowers. The acidity is high and waterfallish. The finish is leaner, nicely balanced & ripe.

Photos of; the entrance to Waterford, tasting patio, Waterford grounds and large tasting table.
— 6 years ago

Shay, P and 12 others liked this
Ming L

Ming L

Interesting to know that they called it Shiraz while Reyneke called it Syrah.
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

@Ming Liang There is an Australian influence that exists in SA via the Brits.

Willamette Valley Vineyards

O'Brien Pinot Noir 2016

The wine was an exquisite experience. As we went through our ham meal, the complexities of the wine made our dinner experience hit another level. Great wine that is not only great during dinner but to have a great evening. Wish I could have this wine available on demand. — 7 years ago

Hector liked this

Kosta Browne

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2014

Kevin and Carolyn’s - Delicious red fruit — 7 years ago

Domaine Vocoret et Fils

La Forêt Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2014

New Year’s Eve Dinner with Kevin & Sarah — 8 years ago

Chad Murray
with Chad

Chateau O'Brien

Vintner's Reserve Northpoint Vineyard Red Blend 2011

Fruity nose and flavor (blueberries, raspberries), very smooth finish — 8 years ago

Kevin White Winery

En Hommage Yakima Valley Syrah 2015

I really enjoyed the Southern Rhone style blend from this producer’s 2015 vintage. That said, I’m enjoying the Syrah even more. This shows amazing texture & nuance to add complexity to the dark fruit. The nose in particular shows savory, almost olive brine character to match the summer blackberries. Beautiful wine- a producer well worth checking out! — 8 years ago

Shawn, Shay and 46 others liked this

O'Brien Estate

Unrestrained Reserve Napa Valley Red Blend 2010

This is a big beautiful monster. Exactly what you want out of an aged Napa wine. Viscous cherry, strawberry, chocolate syrup. — 4 years ago

Milissa and Mike liked this

Kevin White Winery

En Hommage Yakima Valley Red Blend 2014

Such a lovely wine for the value. Nice mix of bright and dark fruit on this one. The nose deceived me a little bit, somewhat perfume-y with notes of bark and blackberries I think. Really good with pulled pork on our baked potatoes tonight. — 5 years ago

Paul, Laura and 3 others liked this

Waterford Estate

Kevin Arnold Nadine Shiraz 2015

Leathery ripe red fruits with some nervy pepper notes. Good effort! — 6 years ago

Chateau O'Brien

Cellar Collection Petit Verdot 2009

Very compelling :) see my tweet — 6 years ago

O'Brien Estate

Romance of the Heart Napa Valley Red Blend 2014

Distinct flavors. Dark black cherry. Chocolate and tobacco. Smell and taste the terroir. — 7 years ago

Hermes liked this

Greywacke

Wild Sauvignon Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011

90° at 7pm calls for more Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
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Cloudy Bay was founded in 1985 by David Hohnen of Margaret River’s Cape Mentelle along with its first winemaker, Kevin Judd, who would go on to spend 25 years there before creating his own label, Greywacke. Judd is widely considered as the pioneer responsible for elevating New Zealand wine to its current status. Judd also happens to be one of the best wine photographers in the world (I highly recommend his ‘The Landscape of New Zealand Wine’).
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According to Master of Wine Bob Campbell “the genesis for Greywacke Wild Sauvignon was Cloudy Bay Te Koko; a funky, barrel-fermented sauvignon blanc that bent all the rules when it was made in 1992 and initially sold only through the cellar door. Greywacke Wild Sauvignon is a blend from 10 different Marlborough vineyards which are machine-harvested at night. After pressing the juice is settled before being pumped into mostly old barrels and fermented using indigenous yeasts (about 15-20 different strains). The wine undergoes a partial malolactic fermentation and lees stirring.”
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Incredible aromatics... an almost vibrant herbaceousness... red bell pepper, grapefruit zest, tangerine, apricot, and cucumber, with a silky smooth mouthfeel unlike most Sauvignon Blancs. Extraordinary.
— 7 years ago

Bill, Daniel and 19 others liked this
Isaac Pirolo

Isaac Pirolo Influencer Badge

@Phil A Thank you! NZ’s wines are definitely worth exploring... so many great values there.
TheSkip

TheSkip

The high today here in Maine was 45. Wtf.
P A

P A

@Isaac Pirolo Isaac Mrs A and I try to do a wine tasting once a year. We will definitely put NZ on our itinerary. Cheers🍷

O'Brien Estate

Estate Bottled Chardonnay 2018

Great Chardonnay, excellent character. — 5 years ago

Kevin White Winery

Heritage DuBrul Vineyard Red Blend 2016

Nothing complex. Just delicious WA state merlot and cab. It is well made. — 5 years ago

Kevin White Winery

Yakima Valley Red Blend 2017

The “Cotes du Rhône”- style blend from @kevinwhitewinery . 57% Syrah, 24% Grenache, 19% Mourvèdre. The wine is lush and aromatic and this producer seems to make a conscious effort to keep the retail cost low. That sentiment follows this band and album perfectly. Total brilliance all around here. — 6 years ago

Troy, Scott and 24 others liked this

O'Brien Estate

Reserve Chardonnay 2019

Looks great!! — 7 years ago

Eric, Jason and 2 others liked this

O'Brien Estate

Passion of the Soul Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Lovely and smooth with a slightly spicy finish. — 7 years ago

Greywacke

Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014

Another winner from Greywacke, Kevin Judd sources his Pinot Noir from the more clay-dominant Southern Valleys. The wine finds a more exotic profile for Pinot - macerated blood orange peel and pomegranate meet a dizzying array of spices and herbs - curry, saffron, smoke, spearmint, and thyme. Savory, well structured, and long. — 7 years ago

Ron, Anthony and 14 others liked this

O'Brien Estate

Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Franc 2013

Greg Ballington
9.1

Perfect bottle for #CabFrancDay, thank you Steve!
Deep purplish red. Lovely nose full of coconut, vanilla extract, blueberries, blue flowers and holiday spices. Medium plus tannins (6.5/10) with a rounded medium to medium plus body. Dry on the palate with some black fruits, dark cocoa, spices, and sweet spices too. Youthful and medium to medium plus finish. Drink till 2021.
— 8 years ago

Sean Ballington
with Sean
Velma, Shay and 21 others liked this