Life's A Pudding Full Of Plums
Continuum
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2014
It is time for a delicious Cabernet for my #FridayCabernetfix.
Deep inky in color with a short purple rim.
Fruity nose of blueberries, black cherries, cedar, vanilla, spices, chocolates, herbs, light eucalyptus, black pepper, herbs and black tea.
Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, figs, cedar, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, earth and peppercorn.
Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.
This 8 year old from the great 2014 vintage, is drinking very nicely now. Fruit forward, rich and extracted.
Showing great complexity already, and will continue to age nicely in the next 20 years.
This Single Vineyard is opulent and very smooth. Gorgeous with generous fruit.
Good right out of the bottle and better after an hour of airtime.
Wine Enthusiasts 93 points. Robert Parker 97 points.
A great sipping wine to have with friends. Good by itself and will pair nicely with a big piece of steak too.
A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% Petit Verdot and 5% Merlot.
14.8% alcohol by volume.
95 points.
$225. — 3 years ago
Hawk and Horse Vineyards
Red Hills Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
It's time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a nice one from Red Hills.
Dark purple in color with a purplish rim.
Fruity nose of blackberries, raspberries, black plums, oak, light vanilla, licorice, herbs, tobacco leaf, earth, spices, chocolates, dark coffee and black pepper.
Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with plums, cherries, black currants, oak, tobacco, licorice, peppercorn, coffee, cinnamon, earth, spices, light vegetables and herbs.
Medium plus on the finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a very tasty Cabernet Sauvignon from Lake County in California. Fruit forward with lots of coffee and chocolates notes.
Needs a few hours of airtime to open up, but drinkable right out of the bottle too. Big tannins come out after a couple of hours of air.
Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel, but still very young, and needs five years in the bottle to mature properly. Would be nice to revisit it in 3 years. Will age nicely in the next 10 years.
I had the 2017 vintage a year ago and it is very consistent.
Easy drinking and good by itself or with food. Will pair nicely with BBQ Meats.
14.3% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$75. — 3 years ago
Silverado Vineyards
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Dark inky in color with a short purplish rim.
On the nose black currants, plums, cherries, earth, light oak, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco, dust and black pepper.
Full-bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, cooked cherries, oak, spices, vanilla, tobacco, peppercorn, light alcohol, espresso, chocolates, earth and light herbs.
Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a very tasty Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Still young and needs a few years in the bottle to mature, but drinking nicely now. Already showing some complexity, especially on the palate.
I've had an older vintage of this wine a few years ago, and it has great potential to get a lot better. Would be great to revisit this in 10 years.
Needs a couple of hours to open up properly, so give it time.
90 points Wine Enthusiasts.
Good to by itself or with food, and will pair nicely with a nice piece of steak.
A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon,
14% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Aged in mostly French oak barrels (48% new) for 18 months.
14.4% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$46. — 5 years ago
Shiloh
Mosaic Merlot Blend 2016
Time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Here's a delicious one from Israel.
Inky in color with a short reddish/brick rim.
Fruity nose with blackberries, blueberries, black plums, cooked cherries, vanilla, light cedar, spices, cola, tobacco leaf, black tea, alcohol, coffee, milk chocolates, light herbs and black pepper.
Full bodied and bold with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and fruity on the palate with cooked plums, black currants, coffee, cedar, vanilla, spices, earth, milk chocolates, tobacco, peppercorn and light vinaigrette.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a wonderful Merlot blend from Israel. Showing nice complexity and well balanced with a great mouthfeel. Really enjoyed the nose here, even after a few minutes out of the bottle.
This four year old is already yummy right out of the bottle, but better after a couple of hours in a decanter.
I've had this before, and this time I decided to give it a slight chill, and boy it was delicious.
Nice buttery mouthfeel, even looks buttery when poured. Drinking very nicely now.
Very tasty and fruit forward. Dark, extracted and rich. Feels like a Napa Bordeaux blend.
A blend of 42% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 12% Petit verdot and 26% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 18 months in French Oak barrels. Unfiltered and Kosher. Mevushal.
15.5% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$65. — 5 years ago
The Standish Wine Company
The Relic Shiraz Blend 2004
Happy Valentines Day!
If you have not looked for this wine on WineSearcher.com or other, you should. Dan Standish has no American Importer. However, you can mail order off his list. Good luck with the Australian/United States import costs. Very prohibited.
Most quality Barossa wines take 15 years in bottle to show their ultimate beauty. Dan’s wines are no different. His Estate vines are 100 years old and produce 500 pounds of fruit per acre...very concentrated. Contrast that to extremely expensive & high quality Napa fruit, those Napa producers are at 2,000-2,500 pounds per acre.
We visited Standish in April 2017. We found Dan to be extremely talented & definitely marches to his own drum. He is salt of the earth and has traveled & worked in many of the world wine regions honing his craft and landing as Torbreck’s Winemaker in Barossa before starting, “The Standish Wine Company.”
As good as the 04 is tonight, it has 15 years of good life ahead...properly stored of course.
The nose is very intoxicating. It is a nice blend of purple, black & blue fruits. Mulberries, olallieberries, boysenberries, black plums, plums, blackberries, dark cherries, deeply extracted raspberries, some baked strawberries, black licorice to anise, dark fruit cola, black olive skin, medium dark spice, black pepper, charcoal, graphite, dry tobacco & underbrush, some bay leaf, alluvial soils, grey volcanic minerals/limestone with fresh & only slightly withering, purple, dark, blue florals framed in violets & lavender.
The body is full, rich, ripe, lush and creamy on the palate after a two-hour plus decant. The structure, tension, length and balance are a little short of its peak and will hold there for 5-8 years. It’s a glorious glide on the palate. The fruits are ripe & lightly baked. Mulberries, olallieberries, boysenberries, black plums, plums, blackberries, dark cherries, deeply extracted raspberries, some baked strawberries, cherry kirsch, red & black licorice to anise, dark fruit cola, black olive skin, the dark spices are heavier on the palate & bring just the right amount of heat, sweet, dark tarriness, black pepper, used, dark expresso roast grounds, charcoal, graphite, dry tobacco & underbrush, some bay leaf, alluvial soils, grey volcanic minerals/limestone, moist clay, with fresh & only slightly withering, purple, dark, blue florals framed in violets & lavender. The acidity is round, flush & perfect. The long finish is a unique even balance of; lush fruits, spice, herbs and earth that persists on the palate for minutes.
Photo on the left of Sofia’s 2 dozen long stems. Love you so much!
@Oswald — 6 years ago
Pahlmeyer
Napa Valley Proprietary Red Blend 1995
Dark ruby in color with a very short reddish rim. Not showing age at all.
Strong fruity nose with cedar, vanilla, chocolates and black fruits.
Full bodied, elegant and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate and very fruity, with black currants, plums, tobacco, cedar, leather, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, herbs and light alcohol.
Medium plus on the finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.
This 28 year old is still drinking beautifully, but was probably better a few years ago.
Nicely balanced and elegant with nice complexity.
Needed 90 minutes of airtime to open up properly.
Robert Parker 96 points.
I Had this vintage almost 2 years ago, and it was even better then.
A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 4% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot. Aged in French oak barrels for 22 months.
14.1% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$200. — 2 years ago
Tenuta di Arceno
Il Fauno di Arcanum Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2019
2019 vintage.
43 % Merlot, 32 % Cabernet Franc, 20 % Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot.
Earthy, dark black fruits, nutmeg and rosemary on the nose.
Rich and robust and full bodied.
Black plums, licorice, currants and a hint of chocolate.
Put anything on the BBQ and this wine is fantastic with it. — 3 years ago
Titus
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Deep purple, almost Inky in color, with a short reddish rim.
Strong nose of black currants, black plums, blueberries, oak, licorice, spices, coffee, dark chocolates, vegetables and black pepper.
Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, herbs spices, dark chocolates, coffee, earth and peppercorn.
Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.
This 3 year old Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley is starting to drink nicely, although still young.
Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Big, rich, fruit forward and spicy.
Needed a couple of hours in the decanter to open up. Will be better in 3 years, and will age nicely in the next 7 to 10 years.
Good by itself or with food, and will pair very nicely with a nice piece of steak.
A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.5% Petit Verdot, 7% Merlot and 4.5% Malbec.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$55. — 3 years ago
Château Bellefont-Belcier
Grand Cru Classe St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2017
It's time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.
Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.
Strong nose of black plums, black currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, herbs, spices, earth and peppercorn.
Full bodied with medium plus acidity.
Dry on the palate with plums, cherries, oak, earth, vegetables, spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee and black pepper.
Nice finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a young Merlot from Bordeaux. Showing mild complexity with a nice mouthfeel.
Good right out of the bottle, and better after 2 hours of airtime.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.
A good food wine that I paired with pizza.
A blend of 68% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon.
15% alcohol by volume.
90 points.
$55. — 4 years ago
Patland Estates
Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
It's time to get my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon.
Inky in color with a nice reddish/purple rim.
Beautiful nose of blueberries, cooked cherries, raisins, black currants, vanilla, light cedar, Mediterranean spices, tobacco leaf, earth, sweet tea, light cinnamon, turmeric, coffee, curcumin, graphites and peppercorn.
Full bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked strawberries, spices, pencil lead, tobacco, coffee, earth, vanilla, oak, dark chocolates, herbs, light vegetables and black pepper.
Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a young and delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley.
Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel and nice complexity.
Rich, extracted and elegant. Spicy with a great balance of earthiness and fruit.
This 4 year old Single Vineyard, is drinking very nicely now, and will age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years. A good quality wine with good potential to get to 95+ points.
Needs 2 hours to open up properly and show the tannins.
This is one you want to have with good friends, and talk about. Really enjoyed the nose, and kept smelling on it for a long time.
Good by itself or with food. I paired it with cheeses and crackers.
An interesting blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Malbec. Aged in French Oak barrels for 20 month (80% new). A small production of 4,800 bottles this is bottle number 1,354.
14.8% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$155 — 5 years ago
World's End
If Six Was Nine Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
I have been fairly critical of the 2010 Napa Cabernet vintage. This 2010 World’s End is one of the Napa producers that breaks with the many others I’ve had that were leaner, lacked structure, tannins & complexity.
This wine was just under $45 when I bought it upon release. Tonight, it is far out delivering that price point. In fact, as good as it is with tri-tip tonight, I wouldn’t open my next bottle for five more years.
The nose shows; some smoke & char, ruby, moist, forest floor with dry leaves, candied/ruby, candied, perfumed, brilliantly, floral fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plums, plums, blueberries, sour strawberries & raspberries. Dark berry, liqueured cola, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, anise to black licorice, steeped, black fruit tea, mellow, dark spices, dry crushed rocks, clay, dry, top soil, mint/eucalyptus, bay leaf, dry crushed rocks, dry stems, tobacco, dry leather, graphite, bright limestone with fresh & just withering/candied; dark, purple, black, red, blue florals framed in violets and lavender.
The body is; full, ripe, lush & juicy. The palate guide is that of a very well made & expensive Cabernet. Tannins are; dark, tarry, chewy, sweet with baby to adolescent teeth. This 2010 has 15-20 years of good drinking ahead with proper storage. The tension, structure, length and balance are just starting their singing lessons. It is very Bordeaux like; moist, forest floor with dry leaves, truffles, mushrooms, candied/ruby, candied, perfumed, brilliantly, floral fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plums, plums, blueberries, sour strawberries & raspberries. Dark berry, liqueured cola, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, anise to black licorice, steeped, black fruit tea, mellow, very, dark Indian & Asian spices with just the right amount of palate heat, saline, smoke & char, black, cracked, black pepper, dry crushed rocks, clay, dry, top soil, dry, river stones, mint/eucalyptus, bay leaf, dry crushed rocks, dry stems, tobacco, dry leather, graphite, bright limestone with fresh & just withering/candied; dark, purple, red, blue florals framed in violets and lavender. The acidy is good to very good but, could be a little better. However, it does hold the alcohol level just in check. The long, complex finish is; ripe, well balanced fruit & earth, nicely knitted & balance which; slides into earthy, dark spicy, dry, dusty, tarry tannins on the long set that persist for several minutes.
Still needed a two to three hour decant.
One of the more complex wines I’ve had in some time.
Cuvée note, “If 6 Was 9" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded on his Jimi Hendrix Experience LP in 1967.
Photos of; World’s End Winery, staff at the sorting table, the famous & picturesque Napa Valley sign and their barrel room. — 6 years ago
Marchesi Antinori
Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend
Outstanding. Delicate but bold and beautiful red color. Impressive complexity with red fruit and blue fruits expressed at different times and levels as it opened up. Plums. Dark ripe cherries. Great med+ to full body. Velvety wonderfulness. Great integration between fruits and earthy smokey goodness. Nice short bite of pepper at times too. Slightly tart at open but just a thoroughbred after a few minutes. Lovely acidity and pleasant grippiness. This was outstanding and I hope to be back for more. Had in memory of my brother in law MJN. — 6 years ago
Joseph Phelps Vineyards
Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2001
#AgedWineTuesday
Here is a fabulous 99 point wine by Robert Parker.
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.
Great nose of blueberries, blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, earth, vanilla, Mediterranean spices, espresso, cola, light herbs, chocolates, tobacco and black pepper.
Full bodied, smooth and elegant, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black cherries, figs, cedar, chocolates, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco, herbs, light earth, cola and peppercorn.
Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley.
Showing nice balance and a great mouthfeel. Round and rich. Elegant and smooth.
This 22 year old still has a lot of power in it, and will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 10 years.
Good right out of the bottle, and better after 2 hours of airtime.
So soft and powerful, with a great nose. This is a gorgeous wine right now.
A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec. Aged in all new French oak barrels for 24 months.
13.9% alcohol by volume.
96 points.
$250. — 2 years ago
Merus
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
#AgedWineTuesday
Deep Inky in color with a short purple rim. This 12 year old is not showing age at all.
Fruity nose of black currants, blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, raisins, dried fruits, cedar, licorice, earth, vanilla, light herbs, tobacco, chocolates, cola and black pepper.
Full-bodied, bold and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and very fruity on the palate with blackberries, black plums, cooked raisins, dried figs, tobacco, peppercorn, cedar, vanilla, leather, light earth, fennel, dark chocolates and spices.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.
This is a fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley.
Showing great complexity with a smooth mouthfeel. Elegant and fruity. Rich and extracted, yet elegant.
Delicious right out of the bottle, and even better after 3 hours of airtime.
A great wine to pair with a nice piece of steak, but good by itself too, as a sipping wine.
Showing great balance between the fruits, acidity and tannins. High alcohol is well integrated by now, so watch out. I would love to try it next to the Insignia.
Robert Parker 95 points.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 7 to 10 years.
This 2010 was a great vintage in Napa and it is definitely showing.
Thank you John for sharing this with me.
A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. I love these Napa Bordeaux blends.
14.7% alcohol by volume.
96 points.
$150. — 3 years ago
Barra of Mendocino
Petite Sirah 2019
Inky in color with a short purple rim.
Strong fruity nose of black currants, plums, cooked cherries, dried fruits, light oak, spices, chocolates, coffee, licorice and black pepper.
Full bodied and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, plums, cooked cherries, oak, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco, milk chocolates, coffee, cola and peppercorn.
Nice finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a nice and easy drinking Petite Sirah from Mendocino County.
Nicely balanced, rich and fruit forward. Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel.
Good right out of the bottle and better after an hour of airtime.
Still young, and would be better in a few years. Will be nice to revisit it in a couple of years, and see how it evolved.
Good by itself as a sipping wine, and good with BBQ Meats.
100% Petite Sirah grapes were aged in French oak barrels. Organic.
14.8% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$26. — 4 years ago
Langmeil
Valley Floor Barossa Shiraz 2017
Dark purple. On the nose there is ripe plums, blueberry, pepper and wiff of oak. On the palate it's full of sweet dark fruits, some vanilla, pepper and mix of granberry and lingonberry that comws up towards the end. Tannins are fine if a bit drying and wine has nice structure and acidity that keeps it fresh. This could be from southern france. Great qpr — 5 years ago
Duckhorn Vineyards
Napa Valley Merlot 2017
Earlier this week I had the pleasure of eating out in Chicago on the river and enjoyed this 2017 Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot. From Napa Valley this blend is 88% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec. Everything is all outside, no dining in and social distancing is a must, though masks are optional out doors and waitstaff has to wear the masks.
On the nose was black cherry, raspberry, black plums, tobacco, chocolate, rose petals and dusty earth.
On the palate there is beautiful fruit, black cherry, black plum, raspberry, cocoa, licorice, red currant, vanilla, spice and dusty earth.
The wine is medium to full bodied that has a creamy, silky smooth mouth feel with medium to medium + acidity and medium + fine tannins that leads into a long fresh fruit finish. A very enjoyable bottle of wine that went very well with my NY Strip. I hope everyone is well and healthy? Please stay safe and continued health. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 5 years ago
Tenuta San Guido
Guidalberto Toscana Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2013
Deep Ruby with red and black fruit aromas and herb spice. A blend of 60% Cab Sauv and 40% Merlot the palate shows ruch fruit, cherries, plums and blueberries with tobacco, cacao and earthy/peppery spice notes, a real powerhouse of integrated flavors. Tannins are firm but approachable, a wine with a solid structure, yet elegant and smooth. This full-body wine’s finish was long, had a great mouth feel and was enjoyable ending with earthy character. Nice! My last ‘13. — 6 years ago
Peju Province Winery
Napa Valley Merlot 2015
It’s time for #MerlotThursday. Here is a delicious one from Napa Valley.
Dark inky in color with a short purple rim.
Strong nose of blackberries, black plums, figs, dried fruits, cooked raisins, vanilla, cedar, licorice, cloves, light vegetables, cola, earth, chocolates, tobacco, mocha and black pepper.
Full bodied and bold with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and extremely fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, vanilla, cedar, earth, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, mocha and coke.
Long finish with firm tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a delicious Merlot from Napa Valley. Big bold and beautiful.
Showing a great mouthfeel with nice complexity, once it's opened up. Intense, rich and extracted. Teeth staining color. I've had it many times and it is very consistent.
Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up and shows some tannins. So give it time.
I've had this vintage 6 months ago and it is showing nicer now.
Good by itself or with food. A great sipping wine.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$40. — 6 years ago
"Odedi"
It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.
Deep purple in color with a short purplish rim.
Beautiful nose with lots of chocolates and light earth notes.
Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity.
Dry and very fruity on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing black currants, cooked plums, cedar, tobacco, vanilla, dried figs, raisins, licorice, light earth, peppercorn, cola, spices and dark chocolates.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and crushed peppercorn.
This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley. Big and bold. Spicy and tangy. Showing nice complexity at this point.
This 6 year old is drinking beautifully now. Rich yet elegant. Extracted and easy drinking. Well balanced and really delicious.
A beautiful surprise. I had the 2016 a few years ago, and this is drinking much better now. I did not expect it from the 2017 vintage.
Thank you Mike for sharing this with me.
Good right out of the bottle, and good by itself as a sipping wine. Robert Parker 93 points.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
15.2% alcohol by volume.
94 points.
$110. — 2 years ago