Shay A

9.4

I’ve been a fan of Realm for quite a while, but this was the first time I’ve opened their merlot driven wine, Tempest.

95% merlot, 5% Cabernet. Inky dark red/black in the glass. Fresh baked mixed berry pie notes jump from the glass along with espresso, dark chocolate and baking spices. Astoundingly silky and elegant on the palate. While this is certainly a bigger expression than most merlot, it still has classical merlot notes at the core…black cherry with beautifully lifted profile. Rich red, blue and black fruits, cocoa, and graham cracker. The finish has great acidity and fine grained tannins. A very sexy expression of merlot. Fantastic! — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Prisoner Wine Company’s eponymous first wine was inspired by the drinkable “mixed blacks” made by the Italian immigrants who originally settled in Napa Valley. Fruit from vineyards in warm Oak Knoll and cool-climate Carneros with just a touch of Viognier. Pleasant aromas of stone and citrus fruits. Pale lemon with flavors of apple, pear and lemon zest, well balanced, vivid acidity, nice creamy mouthfeel. Long finish ending with mineral notes. Nice! But I will not buy this because the cork is exposed without a foil or wax seal!!! — 6 years ago

JJ Lumia

9.2

The wine by @Hall Wines; the dog by Sullivan, named after @Sullivan Vineyards.
Big, chewy, and unctuous. Slightly different notes than last tasting. Blackberry jam mixed with mocha, vanilla-laced oak, and licorice flavors. A bit more fruit-forward than last vintages, this packs a punch. Such a steal - Costco usually has it and it’s only $40. — 8 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

Rich and oaky, there’s a lot of black fruit and gravel in the nose. In the mouth, it’s dark and ripe, very intense but not super heavy. Needs steaks, and, fortunately, that’s what we’re having! — 8 years ago

with Angelo

Fergielyn Hagadorn-Aranzazu

9.8

Dry start and finish. Alcohol "burn" is non existent after aeration. Earthy flavors mixed into the blackberry and ripe cherry palate. Leather on the nose. A bit of a meaty and tobacco aroma. Chocolatey on the finish with pleasant tannins. Excellent Old World wine!! — 8 years ago

Krista MacDonald

9.1

My go to Merlot — 8 years ago

Renee fini

9.4

Julio delivers once again! Bring me some toast for this jam! Oh yes! — 9 years ago

Cole Butaud

9.6

Few wines have hit me like this one hit me: the wonderful complexity of it stems from the sweet notes of plum and strawberry mixed with herbal spices, complemented ever so ironically by just a tad of smoke — 4 years ago

paul custer

9.1

fresh squeezed grapefruit on the nose and palate upon opening. tightly wound out of the bottle but opened up after an hour in a decanter. time reveals a kiss of cherry and an underlying salinity mixed with a trace of iron. light to medium body and color. not a cocktail wine, but EXCELLENT with food. paired perfectly with black pepper chicken. definitely a go to for weeknight meal pairings. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Inspired by “mixed blacks” first made by Italian immigrants originally settling in Napa, blend of Zinfandel, Cab Sauv, Petite Sirah, Syrah & Charbono. Deep Ruby aromas of berries and complex spice. Aged 30% on new oak, combo of French/American barrels. Palate shows big flavors of cherry, blueberry & raspberry, bold spice lively acidity, vanilla & cedar notes, good balance. Fine tannins, long finish. Nice, cellar this for a while. Note, ‘17, bigger & bolder than ‘16. — 6 years ago

Ryan Keith

8.9

Lot to like about this wine. Very crowd pleasing in style. — 8 years ago

Stephen Pierron

9.0

Mocha, cinnamon, mixed ripe berries, smoke, and dried raisins. A little too sweet for my liking, but definitely a crowd pleaser type of wine. — 8 years ago

Kyle Groombridge

9.1

Mmm this is gunna be good. It's tight and shut down at the moment, but this has a dark purple hue to it - way more color than previous vintages of d'Armailhac that I've had. Some cedar and graphite mixed with herbs and black fruit on the nose. Palate isn't as tannic as expected, but definitely needs more time to hit its stride. Very well-made however - I bet with a 3-hr decant it'd be fab. Good value as most of the '14's have been. — 8 years ago

Neville Weston

9.7

Super concentration of Blackcurrant that lasts for a lifetime mixed with a silky smooth texture.... — 8 years ago

with Marta

Matt

9.6

Fresh as a daisy, bottle was in tremendous shape. Acid was lively, driving even, and the developed notes were in beautiful harmony with intact and clear fruit. To me the Mourvèdre has really gained hold of this wine. Dry, meaty, loaded with spice. At first fig and soaked prune, but air dialed it back to dried and roasted black cherry, crushed plum, and black berry confiture. Fur, leather, spice cake, licorice, forest, coffee grinds, perhaps even some hoisin mixed in. Complex and layered. Tannins and dryness offer a sort of grit and rusticity that I’m loving. Perfect with simple chuck roast. — 5 years ago

Brandon T

9.0

Mixed feelings on this - one one hand, it’s solid, on the other, there’s just nothing exciting going on. Also, Caymus using clear bottles really pisses me off. Overall, meh for the money. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

The nose reveals, ripe, brightly floral dark & red fruits. Blackberries, dark cherries, blue fruit heaven, black raspberries, baked strawberries & rhubarb, cherries, prune notes, and dry, slightly burnt cranberries. Mixed berry cola, steeped tea, vanilla, touch of clove, allspice, used leather, limestone minerals, dry stone, whiff of graphite, faint herbaceous notes, dry underbrush, old cedar, tobacco leaf, with withering red & dark withering flowers with violets.

The body is medium to full. The tannins round, nicely softened but still a little tarry. The structure, tension, length and balance are are harmonious and starting its climb to their peak. The mouthfeel is gorgeous and sexy. Brilliantly, bright, laced; blackberries, dark cherries, blue fruit heaven, black raspberries, raspberries, baked strawberries & rhubarb, cherries, and dry, slightly burnt cranberries. Mixed berry cola, steeped tea, vanilla, touch of clove, dark medium spice with heat, allspice, used leather, some sweet tarriness, limestone minerals, rich dark soil, dry stone, whiff of graphite, faint herbaceous notes, dry underbrush, old cedar, tobacco leaf, with withering red & dark withering flowers with violets. The acidity was very good and the finish showed it’s Saint Julien elegance. It’s a beautiful wine now and over the next 15-20 years.

Photos of, Chateau Leoville Barton, the “Gentleman of Medoc”, Anthony Barton, harvest work of their Merlot and their barrel cellar.

An hour and a half in decanter.
— 7 years ago

Jody Scharf

9.3

Dark dark dark fruits. Soft, consistent, silky. Love these guys. Always delish. — 8 years ago

Eric

9.6

Dig it. All the trademark Buccella traits like plush candied oak with a Rhone skeleton of wild game and pepper. Cool neon purple too. Looks like they got a new winemaker in -15? Fingers crossed. — 8 years ago

Peter Gaston

9.3

Mixed with duck consommé. — 8 years ago