Mark Flesher

9.6

Man, this is really when these wine should be consumed... the unfortunate truth is that my willpower to hold these wines for 10 years post vintage is just about zero. Lucky for me I kind of forgot about some of these, enabling me to experience them at full maturity. This wine was built to kick ass. And that is exactly what it is doing tonight. Black fruit, tar, hedonistic black fruit from start to finish. Tannin that is resolving and integrating nicely. Wine is balanced amazingly well from front to back. The last one of these I opened was with @Shay A and doing well....but I think it has really come into prime! This one only took about 15 minutes of air to start expressing its maturity. I think the last bottle took about an hour. I would say this wine is just about as top of the Heap as it can get. DRINK NOW! — 8 years ago

Scott Wren

9.3

Beautiful 26 yr old napa Cab still vibrant with dried fruit, leather, caramel and all the fixings. Delicious full mouthfeel and moderate acidity that adds greatly to the drink ability. These old classic Boudreaux style wines were built to last. — 8 years ago

Matt Bryant

9.1

Dude these ads are terrible! This could be my last wine rating... — 9 years ago

with Candy

Tobin Trevarthen

9.2

A last bottle of our auction. Can't get over the coconut elements. Incredible. Smooth tannin, hints of chocolate to compliment the nutty. Sad to say goodbye to this vintage. — 9 years ago

Lynn Lambert

10

Last fiesta in LV with my milky way clan 💃🏼 — 9 years ago

Kelvin Woodfin

8.9

Nice dark fruit. Wish I had a few more but last bottle. Time definitely does this bottle some good! — 10 years ago

with Rick

Rahul Mukherjee

9.0

Somehow a little Bordeauxy right now. Different than I remember last year. More earthy/musty/tannic. 3hrs, just starting to get good. This feels like it could use 2yrs still. Much improved the second day--definitely a hold. — 10 years ago

Sean Nelson

9.4

Gorgeous. Earthy, minerally, good acid. This will last a long time. — 11 years ago

Bernard Rethore

Owner, Fion Wines

9.1

Back in 2006, I had the good fortune to invest in a box of the Neal vineyard designated bottlings pre-release. They have been sleeping in my cellar ever since. Last night, Tony the Fish, who is a frequent contributor to these pages, arrived with a bottle of the 2010 Neal cab sav. It was a solid effort and Mrs Fish quite enjoyed it. As we finished the bottle I remembered I had some of the 2003 vineyard designated wines in the back of the cellar and figured it was time to check in on them. We started with the Second Chance from Atlas Peak. Generally I am a mountain fruit guy, and like the volcanic soil that yields low yielding structured wines. There was plenty of stuffing left after 11 years, and a nice contrast to the 2010 cab sav blend. We then moved to Chafen. Another mountain- Howell this time, slightly lower elevation vineyard. This wine was bigger than the Second Chance with mouthfuls of ripe cassis, berry fruit and coffee- almost a cocoa powder character to it. The final wine of the night - and best of show - was the Howell Mountain Estate. Dark rich tannins with intense velvety chocolate cake flavors. This was a fun night going from the 2010 blend to the all 2003 single vineyard designates. Most of us aren't patient enough or buy them as a group so you can taste them altogether at once. Everyone should do this from to time. It reminds me at least of how different climate and soil can be in the same year. It's even better with friends. Thank you Mr Fish for the inspiration. — 11 years ago

with Susan

John D

9.2

Our honeymoon wine originally had in 1994 at 45 South in Savannah. Found a bottle at a cellar broker last year. Initially opening - cork dry and broken, bad news. Filtered the wine and let it sit. First taste there was a bit of fruit but mostly an old dried wine. About 45 minutes of breathing and it came to life. A shard cheddar brought the fruit to the forefront and really brought back memories of this great wine. The lovely deep dark fruits came out even with the aged dryness. A surprise that so much fruit came to the fore and really became a lovely wine. Wasn't expecting a 27yr old to open up so well. Very happy :) — 13 years ago

Susan Sangiacomo

9.4

I purchased 12 bottles of this wine and opened probably 10 of them to early. They were too powerful. FINALLY I opened my last bottle at what I believe is the right time. Full bodied and well balanced, but it took time to get there. — 8 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.5

@Tracy Hall got me thinking about these, so I brought a few home. I knew this one was not going to last very long, but I didn't know I would drink it on the first night! This would be a really fun wine to serve at a blind tasting. Everyone would guess this was Italian if served in the first 2-3 hours after cork pop. This wine starts off with black cherry, cola, mint, allspice. Hint of age on the nose and on the palate it shows as an earthy note. There is a mushroom note here towards the finish. As the wine sits beyond the 3 hour mark, it develops a plum and almost kind of a green olive note. Finishes soft with a touch of acidity. I wouldn't say that this wine has too many years left, and this is my last of this vintage. — 8 years ago

Narun P

9.0

Probably primarily CS with other Bordeaux varieties sprinkled on top to spice it up.

Bricked purple with brownish tint. Compact rim. Opaque.

Fresh unmistakable Cabernet perfume. Blackcurrant, blackberry, and some gamey and leathery notes to add to the complexity.

Completely resolved tannin, med plus acidity, med body. Blackberry, dried fig, floral with some refreshing herbaceous undertone.

Superb old school Napa Cab that's just about to begin the last leg of its prime journey. 90. — 9 years ago

Jason Cutrer

9.7

I will miss the last of this nectar. It's 5:00 here — 9 years ago

Melissa Shabinsky

9.2

Delicious. Visited their tasting room in Healdsburg last year - a gem! — 9 years ago

Matt Perlman

9.0

Great cab franc aromatics going on here, savory, herbal, dark fruited, restrained, built to last — 10 years ago

David Annis

9.1

This has changed a lot in the two years since my last bottle. Then it was still dense and tannic, now it's smoothed out and has a thinner mouth feel. The currants showing two years ago have given way to leather and licorice. — 10 years ago

Cherie McNett

9.0

Brought this back from our recent trip to Napa and shared with my dear cousin last night--it was wonderful. Definit — 11 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.7

Perfect #DrinkNapa Labor Day BBQ wine! Equally delighted by the northern Rhone-esque beauty of this mountain Syrah and the news that Lagier-Meredith's barrel recovery has saved much of last year's vintage! — 12 years ago

Hirsch Vineyards

9.5

Finale to our wine dinner with Chef Steven Satterfield last night. — 12 years ago

with Jasmine, Vinny and 1 other

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Bottle enjoyed last night. Notes are from memory today.

While 2010 is not my favorite Napa vintage, it was not bad. In many 2010’s I’ve had, the structure, texture and body are just not quite all there. However, Howell Mountain wines, for me, faired better.

There are a number of good Howell Mountain producers, Dunn being one of my favorites. I think Ladera Vineyards is one of the more underrated Howell Mountain producers. Especially, at a Costco price of around $45.

The blue fruits that shine in Howell Mountain wines are always unmistakable. Blueberries, mulberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, blackberries, raspberry cola, light spice, soft leather, saddle-wood, lavender and violets. Beautiful acidity. The structure is good. The body round and elegant. The length, tension and balance just now coming into its own. Still needs a few more years to hit its peak. The finish is soft, round, elegant and beautiful. Lasts full two minutes.

Photos of; the winery and beautiful grounds, outside terrace, special event tasting & dinning room and their Estate vines. — 8 years ago

Stephen

9.8

Still holds the crown as my favorite Napa Cabernet. There were few questionable reviews on the 2006's out there, so I was a little nervous. Uncorked for 4-6 hours and then decanted for another ~1.5-2. She sipped nicely at first pop and once we poured at dinner she was ready to go. Velvety tannins. Long finish. Fruit definitely still there but more mellowed out. Melt in your mouth good. Looking forward to my last bottle in a few years. — 8 years ago

Mike Stricoff

9.6

This is body medium PLUS if you know what I mean. Stumbled upon this gem tasting cabs in Sonoma last June. Was very fortuitous to find the tasting room just off the town square. Just a fabulous bottle, dry yet exploding with a fruit forward personality. More balance here than a Chinese gymnast. — 8 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.1

Last of the four reds for the blind tasting of Non-American Shiraz/Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting.

Deep ruby core with a mix of garnet and brick edges. Layered nose with green peppers, spices, forest floor, dark berries and a touch of mushrooms. Medium tannins (5.5/10) with solid acidity. Thick black fruits on the palate with dark cocoa, sweet spices, with some redder berries as it opens with some earthy notes. Medium plus body with a long finish. Drink till 2019. — 9 years ago

with Sean and India

Shawn R

9.4

My last bottle from the 01 vintage. Held up well. Notes are consistent with my notes from 2 month ago. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

You have to love the labels from B&H. This is my last bottle of the 03 Cemetery. Perfect finish to a three bottle set. Fruit evolution that is near perfect. Black and blue fruit with just the right amount of minerals. Soft mouthfeel and ruby fruit finish. — 10 years ago

Jerry Raphael

9.3

Excellent Cab; mint, herbs, pepper and berries on the nose. Big Cab integrated taste, just loaded and drinking great. Last bottle, had one on release which seemed all veg and they just got better with time allowing other elements to come out. Very few Napa Cabs left, too costly to replace. — 10 years ago

with Barbara

Matt Wilson

9.9

My last glass. Perhaps for some time, as the 18 has become an endangered species. No longer available in my market.... the definition of balance. Dried fruit, honey and maple. Roasted walnuts, Christmas spices and tangerine zest. A tickle of smoke and a finish that will last the rest of my life. Farwell my friend. — 11 years ago

Kevin Sidders

President VinConnect

9.5

Last bottle. Not showing the concentration it has in the past makes me think this is on the downslope. Still very good though -- black cherry prominent, maybe some black pepper and clove. Improved and settled in with air. I say drink up... — 12 years ago

Andrew Lampasone

Owner Wine Watch Selections

9.5

One of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards in Sonoma and one of the best wines in its price range still way below $100! Black currant and cigar box spice along with loamy mineral highlights and a long finish. This wine is well built and should last a decade or more in your cellar. Finish 45+ most excellent — 13 years ago