Purple Line Urban Winery
Melville
Estate Sta. Rita Hills Syrah 2018
David Arthur
Estate Old Vine Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
The Old Vine is where their line up starts to get more interesting.
The Old Vine is thicker, richer & more brooding. The fruits are more; ruby, lush and dark. Blackberries, black raspberries, dark plum, dark cherries and strawberries overlay the top. Nicely layered baking spices-cinnamon, nutmeg, soft clove and vanilla, crushed rocks, alluvial limestone & volcanics, graphite, tobacco, used leather, dark spices, saddle-wood, cocoa, mocha, caramel with fresh & withering red, dark & purple florals. Excellent acidity and a nicely balanced, knitted & elegant finish. — 5 years ago
Alban Vineyards
Patrina Alban Estate Syrah 2010
With BBQ Chicken & Roasted, Rosemary Potatoes on opening night of the D&S Lounge.
John Alban’s wines remind me most of all the California producers/versions of North Rhone or Côte-Rôtie wines. Côte-Rôtie translates into for us as “Roasted Slope.” I assume that’s why his craft was dubbed as the “Original Rhône Ranger.”
Although this has the roasted characterizations of those wines, this certainly has more ripe, ruby style fruits. Also, more purple & blue fruits.
John’s higher end wines, Reva & Pondora remind me of the a French producer, Rostaing. Those two vineyard productions more closely mimic the Rostaing style.
The Patrina is a good intro into Alban wines. You can tell it is a direct descendant but, for far less money. The others are better but, this carries the best wine value in their line up.
The nose reveals; roasted & candied fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black raspberries, black plum, black cherries, creamy raspberries & blue fruits. Used, French expresso roast grounds, anise to black licorice, purple fruit cola, coarse, ground, black pepper, dark spices, fresh tobacco leaf, cigar smoke, dry stems, dry crushed rocks, limestone & volcanic minerals, bay leaf, some sage, black tea, black olives, bandaid notes, saddle-wood to cedar, graphite notes with dark, fresh & withering, red, blue & purple candied florals, violets framed in a field of candied lavender.
The body is; lush, ruby, big and like velvet. The tannins are round but, still pack, chewy, tarry, meaty tannins that are 45-50% resolved. The structure, tension, length and balance are in a good place but, will hit a peak in five to seven years. The 2010 Patrina still has room for improvement and will last another 10-15 years. It is simply wine candy. Roasted & candied fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black raspberries, black plum, black cherries, creamy raspberries & blue fruits. Used, French expresso roast grounds, anise to black licorice, purple fruit cola, coarse, ground, black pepper, dark spices with just the right amount of palate heat, grilled meats, chestnuts, fresh tobacco leaf, cigar smoke, dry stems, dry crushed rocks, moist clay, limestone & gritty volcanic minerals, dry stone, bay leaf, some sage, black tea, black olives, Steeped black tea, bandaid notes, saddle-wood to cedar, graphite notes with dark, fresh & withering, red, blue & purple candied florals, violets framed in a field of candied lavender. The acidity is phat & round. It holds the slightly elevated alcohol level nicely. The finish is excellent & consistent wire to wire. It’s long, ruby, candied fruits with just the right balance of earth that persists endlessly.
Just misses 9.4.
Photos of; the best room in our house for 6+ months of the year, our backyard. Aka, the D&S Lounge on Memorial Day Weekend 2020. — 5 years ago
Jones Family Vineyard
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Our first bottling from this small production family winery in Calistoga.
My first impressions of this wine, it’s a classic older Calistoga Cabernet. It’s nicely resolved but, not at the end of its life as some have predicted. It is a shade past its prime but, drinking nicely with the exception it’s a touch hot, even after all this time in bottle and when temp’s were not pushing alcohol levels like they can now. However, heat aside, I enjoy wines just the other side of their prime and beyond. Brings out additional complexity-characteristics and are infinitely more interesting.
The nose reveals, stewed & baked fruits of; blackberries, black plum, black cherry extract, black raspberries with some deep blue fruits. Loads of baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Dark spice, dark chocolate, sweet tarriness, mocha, caramel, walnut shells, anise to black licorice, steeped, dark fruit teas, mint/eucalyptus, dry crushed rocks, leather, tobacco, graphite, used charcoal, dark liqueur and cola, dry herbs with dark, red, blue, purple, fresh & withering flowers accented with lavender.
The body is rich, lush, ruby, statin, velvety and thick. The tannins are rounded & softened but, still speaking loudly. The structure, tension, length and balance are in a very good place. This wine has legs to stand for another 5-10 years depending on how you enjoy them. Stewed, candied & baked fruits of; blackberries, black plum, black cherry extract, black raspberries deep blue fruits, purple fruit blend, haunting raspberries with poached strawberries as it sets. Loads of baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Dark spice with good palate heat, dark chocolate, sweet tarriness, mocha, caramel, walnut shells, anise to black licorice, steeped, dark fruit teas, mint/eucalyptus, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, slightly, moist clay, pronounced, fine volcanic minerals, leather, tobacco, graphite, used charcoal, dark liqueur and cola, dry herbs with dark, red, blue, purple, fresh & withering flowers accented with lavender. The acidity is round & exquisite. The long finish is; well balanced fruit & earth, very complexity, rich, delicious and persists endlessly.
Photos of; Stephanie Jones Bailey, Rick and Elaine Jones, Estate view, their Cabernet fruit close to harvest and vineyard staff managing fruit clusters & leafing.
Producer notes...they were founded in 1996. Jones Family Vineyards specializes in estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Thomas Rivers Brown makes their wines, two Cabernet wines...Jones Family Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and The Sisters. TRB also makes an extremely limited production of aged Sauvignon Blanc that is cellared for over 3 years in barrel and bottle.
Jones Family has ten acres of south facing vineyards that lie 600 to 800 feet off the valley floor, resting above the fog line, an ideal altitude for growing Cabernet in the Napa Valley area.
@Paul T- Huntington Beach FYI. — 6 years ago
Gut Oggau
Josephine Rot Red Blend
Deep purple ink. Sharp dark fruit on the nose, which turns to smoky menthol on the palate. All on line with other Blaufrankisch I’ve tried. Tannins engage at the end, which leaves a somewhat muted finish. — 7 years ago
Tenuta San Guido
Guidalberto Toscana Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2005
2005 vintage drank on 8 and 9.4.17.
This is the second day wine so it is open for about 24 hrs. High on cacao, tobacco, leather. Nice purple color with only a transparant thin line at the edge of the glass. Lengthy finish. Great wine! Unfortunately these were my last two bottles. — 8 years ago
Domaine Dozon
Clos du Saut au Loup Chinon Cabernet Franc
I like it! Little darker colour than I expect. Getting the pencil shavings on the nose and fruit - Some floral too. Not super fruity to my nose or maybe I’m having trouble placing the fruit - something purple? Medium body - Medium acid and pretty subtle tannins - nice, tight structure I’d say - in line with what I’m used to from Ontario Cab Francs (which I tend to like a lot). This is day two. Was drinking on a zoom call last night and focused more on the laughs so nothing popped out... Price is right - the other Chinon option was pushing a like hundred bones so was happy they had a well priced one available... — 4 years ago
Williams Selyem
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2012
I like how under appreciated WS is in the market by consumers & by critics when they score them young. That means that I can pick these up on the secondary market for just either side of $50 pre-aged.
This 12 shows the beauty of the vintage. Glorious mouthfeel. It glides on the palate as juicy, round, ripe & ruby. The fruits are outstanding up & down their line up with 6 years plus of bottle age. Love the dark cherries, cherries, black raspberries, strawberries with highlights of blue & purple fruits. It’s their raspberries & blue fruits I really enjoy from them. Before it unfurls in the decanter, it shows quite a bit of dark spice/clove but mellows by the second glass. Cola, soft & subtle baking spices; cinnamon, vanilla and hints of nutmeg. Rich, dark soil, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, some herbaceousness with brilliant; dark, red, purple & blue florals. Acidity is especially good. The finish is beauty, elegance & balanced defined persisting for minutes.
Photos of; Williams Selyem Winery and our visit to their October pick up party 4 or 5 years ago. — 5 years ago
Château Palmer
Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2000
Wednesday Wine Committee from this past week. A fantastic hosting by @joe leatherwood . 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds, 1 dessert wine. All tasted blind as usual.
Possibly in its prime drinking window, and it is gorgeous. Everything about this screams high quality left bank Bordeaux (which is what I called it). It was beautifully perfumed with a mix of potpourri, dried black cherries, blackberries, graphite, saddle leather and herbs de Provence. Perfectly balanced on the palate with dark fruits enveloped in cedar and sweet pipe tobacco. There is a line of ripe purple fruits down the middle accompanied by dust and mocha which is just delicious. — 5 years ago
Torbreck Vintners
Cuvée Juveniles Barossa Valley Grenache Blend 2013
Very nice blue & purple fruits with just right amount of spice & pepper to pair with BBQ Ribs!
Torbreck’s entire line up top to bottom is rock solid.
It wasn’t the game outcome we were looking for but, congratulations to Andy Reid & the Kansas City Chiefs. — 5 years ago
Line Shack Winery
San Antonio Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Deep purple colors in the glass. Heavy cab with blueberry, vanilla, and tasting notes of earth. Very yummy cab and went perfectly with pot roast. — 6 years ago
Plumpjack
Estate Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Forgive me for not color coordinating correctly (say those last three words quickly ten times - ha) but that is what happens when two great friends get together for a dinner with wives to celebrate birthdays and we are left to our own decisions so our wives are definitely needed to dress us - man is that picture busy except for the wine
Rick brought a treat - 2007 treat - we only decanted for 40 minutes - when first opening I was worried - it was lacking any smell but it was a terrible restaurant decanter (love the food and atmosphere but not a wine heavy place)
We drank (more line devoured) the first wine (Dyer) while patiently waiting for this bad boy to wake up- when it did - wow 😲- I had a @David L expression experience happen - “I don’t like - I LOVE IT”
So the wine and this vintage and this bottle for me was opulent and silky - it opened so progressively in the glass - like a Lexus LC 500 speed demon (sorry but I do have some preoccupation with this car) - color was a daaaaaark deeeeep puuuuurple (deep purple was a great band but I degress) - smell was full of vanilla and spices and amazingly was very ripe and was made in a flamboyant cult style - It soaked my mouth with melted blackberries, cherries, raspberries, cocoa and sweet oaky favors - the rush from the taste came from the silky tannins which were rich and refined - now it was also really dry - but overall I am totally impressed and the finish was medium long
Word to the wise - in my humble opinion this bad boy needs to be experienced sooner than later - still ripe but the smell is going fast - crazy to say this but the 06s have years left but my 07s are fully matured - Drink up and definitely smile . — 7 years ago
Beau Vigne
Estate Stags Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
@Paul T- Huntington Beach Thank you my friend. composed of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple colored, it prances out of the glass with carefree plum preserves, blackcurrant pastilles and dried mulberries scents plus nuances of candied violets, tobacco leaf, wild sage and charcuterie with a waft of tapenade. The full-bodied palate is chock-full of savory layers, supported by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and a refreshing line, finishing with lingering earthy sparks. — 4 years ago
Dunn Vineyards
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Follow up to the Clos Fourtet and to close out the Allen Brothers Ribcap.
The nose reveals, dark, ripe & slightly stewed fruits of; blackberries strawberries, black raspberries, black cherries, dry cranberries & blueberries. Steeped fruit tea, anise to black licorice, dark, fruit liqueur, dry crushed rocks, dry herbs, dry twigs, cinnamon, light nutmeg, clove and vanilla, leather, cedar, graphite, dry tobacco to cigar ash, dark spice, sweet tarriness, eucalyptus with candied mixed in with withering, dark florals & red, blue, purple flowers that are set in lavender.
The palate is, rich, ruby and round. The mouthfeel is glorious. This is a perfect window for a first bottle of the 08 Dunn Howell Mountain. The dusty tannins are round and about 50% resolved. This 04 has another 15-20 years of good drinking ahead of it...properly stored of course. Dark, ripe & slightly stewed fruits of; blackberries strawberries, black raspberries, black cherries, dry cranberries & blueberries. Steeped fruit tea, anise to black licorice, dark, fruit liqueur, dry crushed rocks, slightly, moist clay, dry herbs-sage, dry twigs, cinnamon, light nutmeg, clove and vanilla, lots of dark melted chocolate, mocha powder, leather, cedar, graphite, dry tobacco to cigar ash, dark spice, sweet tarriness, dry, dark earth, limestone minerals, slightly, moist clay, volcanics, eucalyptus with florals that are candied mixed in with withering. They are dark, red, purple, blue & violets that are set in lavender. The acidity is round and near perfection...Colorado rushing river like. The long, well knitted, balanced, elegant finish lasts minutes.
Just misses 95. It will be there in another 5-7 years and could stretch to 96 at its peak.
The advantage Howell Mountain has is it sits above the fog line (more sunlight hours) and benefits from cool nights giving it slightly longer vine fruit ripening & better acidity.
Photos of; the legend, Owner-Winemaker Randy Dunn, an aerial view of his Howell Mountain Vineyard, barrel room and landing pad to process fruit for fermentation. — 5 years ago
Ladera Vineyards
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
I coravined a taste of this last weekend and had my first major disappointment with Ladera. That all changed with a 45 minute decant & food tonight.
This bottling & for many vintages in the early 2000’s was the steal of Howell Mountain producers. I was buying it at Costco for $41-$45. Now & for some time, you can’t find a bottle of this at Costco regardless of price.
The nose as I was decanting it was very perfumed florals with potpourri. Now, the nose sings with the blue & purple fruits that identify wine as a Howell Mountain producer. Blackberries, blueberries, olallieberries, boysenberries, mulberries, dark cherries, black plum, plum, stewed strawberries, raspberries haunt the background, sweet tarriness, dark, berry cola, black licorice, dry & fresh herbs-bay leaf driven, limestone, dry crushed rocks, softly laid baking spices; clove, vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg, dark spice, dark chocolate bar, dry tobacco, some graphite, soft, used leather with spectacular, candied, fresh & slightly withering; dark, red, purple, blue florals framed in soft violets & fields of lavender.
The body is full, rich, lush and round. The tannins are nicely resolved but, still show baby teeth & tarriness. The tension, structure, length and balance are just the other side of peak. Blackberries, blueberries, olallieberries, boysenberries, mulberries, dark cherries, black plum, plum, stewed strawberries, raspberries haunt the background, sweet, very dark, tarriness, cherry kirsch liqueur, dark, berry cola, black licorice, dry & fresh herbs-bay leaf driven, limestone, dry crushed rocks, moist clay, softly laid baking spices; clove, vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg, black tea, dark spice with comfortable palate heat, dark chocolate bar, expresso roast, dry tobacco, some graphite, soft, used leather with spectacularly floral, candied, fresh & slightly withering; dark, red, purple, blue florals framed in soft violets & fields of lavender. The acidity is near perfect & holds back the slightly higher ABV. The finish is; rich, round, elegant, sexy, gorgeous, velvety, well balanced and persist endlessly.
Not as outstanding as their 2002 but, very good & still has another 8 years & possibly plus of good drinking ahead. Proper storage of course.
Photos of; Ladera & their beautiful flowered Estate, barrel tasting room, entrance sign with Estate vines & a visual of why Howell Mountain is such a great terroir. It’s above the fog-line and therefore gets more sun than the Napa Valley floor. More sun and cooler temperature at elevation means longer fruit hang time & more even fruit ripening. — 5 years ago
Turley
Pesenti Vineyard Paso Robles Zinfandel 2014
Tried this blind and thought it was excellent. When it was revealed, I was happy to see it’s a wine I have in my own cellar. Very youthful purple in the glass, with a palate of fresh berries bolstered by peppy acidity. The finish is long and delicious, walking the line between sweet and savory. — 7 years ago
Quivet Cellars
Kenefick Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
My favorite bottling of Mike’s Quivet line. I’ve had the ‘10 several times and it’s always been good, but this was the best bottle yet. Juicy purple and black fruits, a touch of mesquite wood smoke, and what I can best describe as barrel room aromas. Full-bodied but not at all heavy, there’s a depth of flavor that keeps calling for my attention. A stony/mineral element shows up in the finish, which seems to go on and on. This is one of the most enjoyable wines I’ve had this year. Sorry to say it’s my last bottle. — 7 years ago
Bodegas Salentein
Primus Valle de Uco Malbec 2016
Primus is highest line, carmel, purple, prune, licorice — 7 years ago
Château Beychevelle
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2014
Tasted at Chateau
51% M, 39% CS, 5% CF, and 5% PV
Deep purple, no sign of age, compact rim. Youthful.
Fruit forward, dominated by red currant, underripe raspberry, red cherry. Baking spices and new wood smell.
On the palate, surprisingly approachable. Med plus tannin but softened already, med full body, dry. The midpalate really needs to fleshen out. Slightly lacking. Finish on nutty new oak.
Time will tell if this will turn out to be in line with a line up of superb recent wines from this classic house. 89+? — 8 years ago
Jonathan Wall
The nose and palette smacks you in the face with a variety of dark purple flowers. You proceed to drink the rest just saying “WOW” with every sip. Great Syrah tasting line up. Melville was most versatile... great alone or with food, anytime, anywhere. Loved it! — 4 years ago