Matthew W.

9.2

Subdued purple fruits, hints of oak and tobacco, smooth mid palate finish. — 4 days ago

Charles Mires

9.8

Outstanding in all respects. — 4 years ago

MK

9.0

6 year anniversary — 6 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.3

I found a house in St Helena last week and will be moving there at the end of May. I thought I should get acquainted with the neighbors. What better way than a face off?
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Neyers Vineyards 2011 Neyers Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon vs Salvestrin Winery 2013 Salvestrin Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.
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Neyers Ranch is situated in the hills of Conn Valley just east of St Helena, with elevations ranging from 400’ to 1200’ on a south-facing, 50-acre parcel bisected by Conn Creek. Since 1998 Neyers has sustainably farmed this vineyard. Winemaker Tadeo Borchardt started in 2004 as assistant to then winemaker Ehren Jordan.
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This Neyers was highlighted as one of the best of Napa’s 2011s in Jon Bonné’s piece for the SF Chronicle “Lessons from Napa in the trickiest of years” saying it “finds that great Cabernet balance of sleekness and dense flavor” with “pitch-perfect expression” and an “oregano-like herbal side frames its meaty structure and subtle blackcurrant fruit.”
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Since 1932, three generations of Salvestrins have sustainable farmed their vineyard which was originally planted in 1860 by Dr. George Crane. It’s situated immediately south of St Helena High School and along Main St (Hwy 29), surrounding the family winery. Rich Salvestrin farms the vineyard and makes the wine, and his wife Shannon handles the sales and marketing, while they both raise the 4th generation on their farm.
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Robert Parker gushed over the 2013, as “lusty, savory, hedonistic, rich and mouth-filling, with a dense purple color and not a hard edge in sight.” His praise did not stop there, saying that this “blockbuster fruit bomb has complexity, richness and a savory intensity that has to be tasted to be believed.”
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The vintages were so different that it’s difficult to weigh them against each other. Bonné is definitely on point calling the Neyers one of the best examples of 2011 Napa Cabernet. Savory, with rich aromatics of Mexican cocoa powder and mole sauce, reminiscent of Corison’s 2011. To Parker’s credit, the Salvestrin is definitely a blockbuster and a hedonistic fruit bomb, but the savoriness, complexity, and length tone down its showiness, and add a level of decorum that sets it apart. — 6 years ago

Sara Gravesen

9.1

Vanilla notes, easy on the palate — 3 months ago

Nagib Nasr

9.1

BlackBerry, tobacco, bold... love it! — 4 years ago

with Ted

Kristin the Wine Girl

9.1

Dr. Crane approves. Delish. Predominantly Merlot with cab it’s a robust room chatter maker. Huge and go-to. No argument here. Raspberried oak with careful cellaring. Soft yet powerful and predominantly proactive on the soft side. Ouch! But not really. Likely. Gimme another. — 6 years ago

Carter Pelham

9.2

Tasted blind

Called it a brunello, very surprised in a good way for the reveal

The fruit was more expansive, heading towards black cherries and blackberries

Complex herbal, mushroom, dry earth aromas

Maybe a hint of Brett

Medium bodied. Lengthy finish on medium grippy tannins and higher acid.

Really enjoyable — 3 years ago

with Linh and Larry

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.1

Pronounced intensity aromas and flavors but showing a little #va #volatile acidity. 2017 was not kind. — 4 years ago

with Ron

Devang Patel

9.0

Inky, tannic, lush. — 6 years ago