Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

I’ve not had a Regusci in awhile. 2011 was certainly not one of Napa’s best vintages. However, this 11 while not the best Estate bottle I’ve had from them, is just drinking really well. It might have something to do with the fact I coravined it six months ago and laid it back down in my EuroCave. It likely advanced it some. I am more & more not sold on the longterm storage (9yrs) of a coravined bottle.

On the nose, nice soft dark spice, beautiful baking spices; round full vanilla, cinnamon, clove & nutmeg. Ripe, slightly stewed; blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries with a hint of ripe cherries & strawberries. Dark moist, soils, dry crush limestone, used leather, hints of eucalyptus/mint, tree sap, light roasted used coffee grounds with dark fresh & withering flowers.

The body is round & full. The tannins are round, velvety and about 60% resolved. The length is nice, structure not what you expect from this producer & Napa but, the balance is lovely. The fruits are ripe with no baked quality as the nose. Blackberries, dark cherries, black spiced plum, blueberries, black raspberries, creamy raspberries and more cherries & strawberries than the nose. Mixed berry cola. nice soft dark spice, beautiful, layered baking spices; round full vanilla, cinnamon, clove & nutmeg. Mocha chocolate powder, caramel, dark moist, soils, dry crush limestone, volcanic minerals, used leather, hints of eucalyptus/mint, tree sap, light roasted used coffee grounds with dark fresh & withering flowers. The acidity flows like a river. The medium finish is; rich, ripe, well balanced and lasts a minute plus.

If I hadn’t coravined this bottle, I’d tell you to drink in the next 3-5 years. However, I think it’s got another 7-8 years of good drinking ahead. Properly stored of course.

Photos of, the long view from the Silverado Trail, their tasting bar & picnic area. If you make a midday appointment, reserve a picnic table and bring lunch to enjoy after your tasting. It’s a great spot with excellent views and ambiance. Last but not least, their (buy on the honor system) fruit & vegetable cart during the right time of the year. You see, the Regusci Family were farmers long before they got into the winemaking business.

— 7 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.3

Needs 3 years in bottle. Double decanted and was a nice dusty blackberry front, a little darker and floral in the middle. Finish is also quite floral, still rather acidic and lots of stiff oak tannin. Dusty and shale stone rich finish. Enjoyable classic Rutherford cab that doesn't try to be something it isn't. GREAT family owned boutique winery off the Silverado Trail. — 8 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Conn Creek is a boutique winery on the Silverado Trail in the Rutherford district headed by winemaker Mike McGrath. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, 3% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. Deep red with aromas of currants and floral notes. On the palate juicy blackberry and raspberry flavors with espresso and tobacco tones with big well integrated tannins. Lingering finish ending with cedar and mineral ending. Will benefit from aging. — 8 years ago

Steven Mendes

9.4

A truly exceptional wine. Worth every penny spent on it ($135 at Silverado). If you're in Napa, treat yourself to an amazing wine experience and visit the Silverado Vineyards tasting room. — 9 years ago

Neel S. Shah

9.6

Tried this at the Disney California adventure food and wine festival 2016. Silverado winery had an amazing seminar. Absolutely fell in love with this wine. — 9 years ago

Mike Mayer

9.0

Beautiful in the glass and spicey on the nose. Cinnamon and star anise come thru with subtle dark fruit on the palate. Sleek tannins lead to a long fruity finish with some herbaciousness as well. A very nice wine. — 9 years ago

with Lisa

Brett Francis

9.3

Another very tasty wine from the Silverado trail. This was full bodied, chewy and a little spice. — 10 years ago

Johnny Shortsleeve

9.9

Fans of the movie Sideways may not dig this wine because it's actually 70% Merlot despite being called a Cabernet. Really smooth! — 11 years ago

Jennie Clark

9.4

So oaked - love it! — 11 years ago

Ian Curry

9.9

Perfffff old Bordeaux soft cherry and earthy stem — 12 years ago

Jay Eagan

9.7

This wine is massive - a few years of patience will be rewarded but is beautiful now! A great expression of a small 4 acre vineyard on the Silverado Trial. — 7 years ago

with Kristine and Tor

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Fresh, ripe nose of; huckleberries, boysenberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, raspberries, black plum, plum, mocha/milk chocolate, caramel, baking spices, sweet rich clay soils, very light presence of herbs and fresh red flowers with violets. The body is full, rich and nicely resolved with round M+ tannins. The fruits are big and ripe; huckleberries, boysenberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, raspberries, black plum, plum with strawberries dancing in the background. Caramel, mocha/milk chocolate, chocolate pudding, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, hints of clove, sweet rich clay soils, darker spices, crumbled volcanic minerals, touch of dry herbs, suede/velvety leather, mouthwatering, fresh round acidity and a long, rich, elegant, smooth as silk, balanced finish that lasts over a minute. Photos of; the the tasting room/bar, the fresh vegetable honor stand in front of the winery, picnic area and the view onto the valley floor from their terrace. Producer notes and history...born near the Italian-Swiss border, Gaetano Regusci journeyed to the Napa Valley in 1891 working at a dairy along today's Silverado Trail. In 1932, Gaetano cashed in his entire life insurance policy and purchased a foreclosed property across the road, known today as Regusci Ranch. For the next 30 years, Gaetano lived off the land, farming; corn, hay, walnuts, plums and grapes. He ranched cattle, ran a dairy and opened a retail market. They survived prohibition and the great depression. Gaetano held onto the Ranch, passing along the historic Stags Leap District property to his son Angelo in the 1960s. Regusci long before making wine were excellent farmers...a nice resume for growing grapes. Through five generations, they were commited to agriculture. Gaetano Regusci purchased a 289-acre estate in the Stags Leap District; which included one of the preeminent wineries of its time, the Grigsby-Occidental Winery established in 1878. At that time, the wine industry was not what it is today. Aside, from growing and making homemade wine and selling grapes. When Gaetano's son Angelo took over the family Ranch in the 1960s, he began planting Bordeaux varieties on the estate. His decision would prove to be visionary within a few decades. As the wine industry flourished so did their vineyards. They planted a 160 acres of grapes that reside on the estate today. Angelo's (Angelo's Vineyard, is perhaps their best bottling) son Jim became a farmer as well, taking over Ranch duties in the 1990's. Having farmed for many of Napa Valley's most notable vineyards, Jim decided to establish Regusci in 1996. Their first crush amounted to 1,900 cases. Today, they produce 6,500 total cases spilt under several different wines designations. It's a fun place to visit and taste. Behind the tasting bar, they have a two foot piece of the cable that was used to make the Golden Gate Bridge. Ask them to see it. However, it's as heavy as a large dumbbell. When you make an appointment, see about reserving one of their picnic tables after the tasting. If you get a table purchase your lunch before you get to the winery as they do not sell prepared food. However, during the growing season, they have a honor system cart for the fruits and vegetables they still grow as shown in the photos. It's a must stop along the Silverado Trail...a beautiful setting with amazing vistas. — 8 years ago

Steven Mendes

9.2

In my limited experience with Zinfandel wines, prior to this bottle, I was never all that impressed with this varietal. Silverado has opened my mind to a new world of possibilities. — 9 years ago

Deni

8.9

Very nice wine. The oak is very visible and slightly unbalancing but its mellow and very pleasant. Sangiovese flavors are also visible and so is the typical high acidity. Good wine overall. 14% abv — 9 years ago

Johnny Shortsleeve

9.2

One of the crispest and cleanest Chardonnays I've had in a very long time. — 9 years ago

Jeff Shapiro

8.9

Earthy with lots of tannins. You'd have a hard time finding a better young Cali Cab. I'd put this up against Silver Oak, Silverado, Jordan and Caymus. — 9 years ago

Flyingfish55

9.1

Randomly radical 🏇🏿too bad the emoji update doesn't make the horse black — 10 years ago

Collin-Peter Casey

Northern California Sales Manager Weygandt-Metzler Importing

9.1

It's the "Silverado" bottling. This is the 89, 90 and 91 vintages. It's good. — 11 years ago

Paul Weil

9.6

Dark chocolate and dried cherries with a lingering medium tannic coffee finish. Silverado Bench should be its own AVA! — 12 years ago

Evan Frazier

Owner/Winemaker Ferdinand Wines

9.7

This is in the American history museum btw. Right next to Julia child's kitchen... — 12 years ago

Ryan M

9.3

Yes 93. Extremely smooth and dark purple. Cherries, Blackberries, clove, wet moss, cedar, pine, and tobacco. Resembles an $80 bottle from the mountains.

Winemaker Notes
Dark and rich, the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon offers aromas and flavors of blackberry and ripe plum, with hints of clove and earthiness. Notes of brown spice and vanilla enhance the palate for a lusciously full mouthfeel, culminating in a long finish. 7% Petit Verdot, 1.5% Petite Sirah, 1.5% Cabernet Franc.

Since 1978, William Hill Winery has produced wines from the cool southern regions of Napa Valley, including the Silverado Bench and the Carneros districts. The winery specializes in Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, producing Reserve and Napa Valley bottlings. Chardonnay grown in the cool climate and well-drained soils of Carneros typically offer brighter, more intense flavors and higher acidity than grapes grown in the richer soils and warmer temperatures at the upper end of the Napa Valley. The result are Chardonnays that are highly complex and multi-layered with crisp, bright flavors. — 8 years ago

with Larissa

Ron Brumley

9.2

Great Rose. Sangio with Cran, ML, smooth, light, big color, rich defining fruit. 2013 hint of latent sugar effervesence, but dry. I would pair with pork chops and brown rice. — 8 years ago

Edmond Bordelon

9.3

With Melka, you always get balance. The man knows it all from soil, to vine, to climate, to farming, to harvest,...all the way to the bottle. He is able to express it all in a way that seems simple to us at the end of the process, but is in reality a crazy orchestration and stress of hourly decisions...and he does this for multiple wineries! His CJ is sublime. His Jumping Goat is insane. With his new(ish) home on Silverado Trail now open, you can get them all! — 8 years ago

with Katherine

Katherine Bordelon

Court of Master Sommelier Guild member

9.2

A beautiful, Chablis-style Chardonnay from a collaboration that includes the world renowned DRC house located off the Silverado Trail in Napa Valley. The interesting component of their process with this Chard is that they move the wine back into stainless steel after aging it in new and neutral French Oak. — 9 years ago

with Mary and Edmond

Anthony Biagi

Winemaker Hourglass, Owner Patria

9.3

Bought this because of the clonal heritage thisnisbthe home of see lol lien cab. Love these old wines. — 9 years ago

David L

9.1

02' Keenan Reserve Cabernet. After popping my 01 Silverado reserve a few days ago... I started thinking about what cabernets I consumed 5-10-15 years ago. I remembered how much I loved these wines at the time.

I thought this could possibly be a pop and pour wine. Very little on the nose when I originally popped it. The tannins needed to soften up a little bit. After 15 minutes, started to open up. I also remembered how much I loved that smokiness & soft elegant black fruit. Violets...I couldn't forget that long and inviting finish.
Drink them up! — 9 years ago

Stephanie O'Neill

9.4

Don't let "Table Wine" fool you! This is better than a lot of pure Cabs I've had!

— 10 years ago

Johnny Shortsleeve

9.7

As Sinatra said: "It poured sweet and clear, it was a very good year!" — 11 years ago

Courtney Stewart

9.0

Light, refreshing, good with seafood or pasta or alone — 12 years ago

Derek Hoffman

9.9

I paired this with a hearty tortellini soup with turkey meatballs. It was so good that I had to resist the urge to dip my bread in it. Heavenly! — 12 years ago