Twelve Barrel Ranch
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
Maison La Belle Vie
Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
11/8/17 - Dos Homies at Werling Ranch. One of the most balanced wines I have had in a while, smooth and the perfect dryness. Tastes like they tossed it into a whiskey barrel for a little while. Goes well with anywhere. — 8 years ago
Carte Blanche
Nobles Ranch Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012
You know that wonderful smell you get when you walk into a barrel room at a winery? That fruity oaky beautiful aroma that puts a smile on your face. That's exactly what I detected as I swirled and smelled. Lots of dark cherry, baking spice, and star anise on the palate with a strong oaky overtone. The wine is nicely balanced. The finish is fantastic with a lingering floral/fruit note. A fantastic wine! — 8 years ago
Eos Estate
Cupa Grandis Grand Barrel Reserve Peck Ranch Vineyard Block 7 Petite Sirah
Offputting aroma slants the view of this delicious 16-year-old petite Sarah. It drank wonderfully -tannins rounded fruit still- there seamless. — 9 years ago
Nickel & Nickel
Beatty Ranch Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
This the 2015 out of barrel. Mid red fruits, blackberries, strawberries, cooked rhubarb, touch of backing spices, black earth with dry crushed rocks, good minerality. — 9 years ago
Hanzell Vineyards
Sonoma Valley Chardonnay 2015
Second winery on day two in Sonoma was Hanzell Vineyards with Whitney. Third wine was the Hanzell Chardonnay, which is their flagship Chardonnay bottling. All the fruit comes from five of their estate vineyards with an average age of 29 years; de Brye, Zellerbach, Day, Ramos and Ambassador's 1953 vineyards. This bottling is fermented in a mix of stainless steel (62%) and new French oak barrel (38%), the later goes through lee stirring for two months. Aged for a total of twelve months in neutral French oak with all barrel fermentation going through malolactic.
Medium to medium plus lemon yellow with a slight golden hue. Lovely Chardonnay nose with layers of stone, tree and tropical fruits followed by an interesting note of herbal tea like chamomile and honeysuckle. A touch of citrus zest and brioche. Some more mouthwatering acidity on this bottling from Hanzell (7/10) with a medium plus body. Rich palate with a touch of butter, citrus, honeysuckle and some white stone fruits. A nice creamy mouthfeel with a long, lingering finish. Drink till 2032. (93+)
$$$ - Tasted at the winery. Retail price is $78.00. — 7 years ago
Hendricks Wines
Gold Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
On the nose, ripe, ruby, fruits of; mulberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries, blueberries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets.
The body is rich, ripe & full. The tannins are a little sticky but well softened, round and a touch chewy. The structure, tension, length, balance, tension and balance are very close to perfect and harmonious. Fruits are; mulberry, huckleberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets. The acidity is round and rains like a waterfall perfectly over the palate. The very long, ruby, rich, well balance lasts minutes and is absolutely heavenly. Gorgeous, elegant, stunning wine.
Photos of; the vertical tasting we attended of all Hendricks Cabernets; 04, 05, 09 & 12 at the time w/ one of our favorite paintings in the background, Charles Hendricks working in the cellar, very old rootstock from the Stag’s Leap Vineyard where the fruit to make this wine normally comes from and a wide shot of the Stag’s Leap Vineyard.
Producer notes and history...Hendricks Cabernet Sauvignon is consistently sourced from a few of Napa Valley’s finest vineyards. In those near perfect vintages, Charles only makes a small production wine of around 250-300 cases. Charles only produces it when he has exception fruit. He’s made Hendricks Cabernet in; 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012 & 2014. Notice he didn’t make Hendricks Cabernet in a great vintage year like 2013. He wasn’t happy enough with his fruit in 2013 to put his name on it. That says a lot and maybe all you need to know about his standard for quality. I do know what wine his 13 fruit made as I’ve had and it’s an unbelievable wine for far less money.
Charles also makes a fantastic Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands that is really quite amazing. Especially, if you give it 5 or 6 years in bottle. All his wines are sold exclusively through the Hope & Grace tasting room in Yountville as he is also the Hope & Grace Winemaker.
Charles graduated in 1982 from UC Davis in viticulture. He was also able to tailor his own curriculum and was one of the earliest to integrate winemaking and viticulture course work. Having knowledge of both viticulture and enology forms the basis for his well-rounded winemaking.
Over the years Charles has worked in both Napa and Sonoma Counties, gaining hands on experience in all aspects of winemaking. He has a strong reputation for excellence. In his career, he’s been a consulting winemaker for many wineries; Viader, Barnett Vineyards, Paoletti Vineyards, Regusci Winery, James Cole, T-Vine and Tamayo family Vineyard.
I asked Charles, “how does he make wines that are amazingly good in their youth but will age effortlessly for 15-20 years?” His answer was simply this, “its not that hard, you just have to know the perfect time to harvest fruit.” I would agree with that to a degree. But, you also have to know how to gently guide fruit onto it’s path into the barrel and not get in the wine’s way or overwork the process. — 7 years ago
Nickel & Nickel
C.C. Ranch Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
On the nose, violets, blue fruits, lavender, dark chocolate, rich dark earth, used coffee grounds, dark currants, vanilla, caramel with fresh dark florals. Palate of; M+ dark meaty tannins, cinnamon, clove, dark rich soils, volcanic minerals, blackberries, olallieberries, mulberries, blueberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, raspberries, violets, dry dark florals, crushed rocks, leather & underbrush. The fruits are; fresh, ripe & juicy. Acidity is very good with a long beautiful finish. The structure, tension, balance & length are well crafted. Barrel tasted the 2016 vintage at the Nickel & Nickel Entrecôte. Photos of the lunch, decorated stainless steel tanks and the archway that leads to their garden area. — 8 years ago
Scholium Project
VLV Reserve Bokisch Vista Luna Ranch Verdelho
Serious Lodi wine here. One year in barrel no topping, one year topped up. ML, acid, minerality. It's big but fresh and nimble. — 9 years ago
Hearst Ranch Winery
Glacier Ridge Chardonnay
2016- Bright green apple, pear, nectarine, lemon curd, a touch of sweet cream. Taste is bright, high acid, moderate phenolic bitterness. Medium body, dry through the middle lead to a silky finish. Normally I HATE chards but this is the kind I like. Virtually no barrel/mallow. Fruit focused and clean. Love it. — 7 years ago
Santa Rita
Casa Real Reserva Especial Valle del Maipo Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
The best wine they offer by a country mile.
On the nose, beautiful, ruby, ripe dark currants. Blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, plum, creamy raspberries, sweet, moist, dark soil, dry stone, dry top soil, touch of black licorice, soft spice, light incense, fresh dark flowers, lavender & violets.
The body is full yet feels lite in the mouth. The tannins are firm, but rounded, softened & beautiful. The fruits are ripe & very ruby. Blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, plum, creamy raspberries, sweet, moist, dark soil, dry stone, dry top soil, touch of black licorice & tarry notes, soft spice, light incense, slight vegetal character here & there, soft leather, graphite, expresso roast, soft, beautiful grainy minerals, tobacco leaf, fresh dark flowers, lavender & violets for days. The acidity is round and near perfect. Excellent, structure, tension, great length and well balanced. The long, elegant finish goes on and on. Easy to drink now but better in 7-8 years. Best drinking window, 2025-33.
Photos of; their Estate Vineyards with the Andes in background, barrel branding sign, twelve 196?’s bottles of wine. They are the last twelve bottles and the price per bottle is $1500 and you have to buy the last remaining twelve. Now, you know what to get me for Christmas. The lavender landscaping in front of their Viña Restaurant. — 7 years ago
Quivet Cellars
Pellet Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Holiday cab blind tasting
My ranking
1) 2015 quivet pellet
2) 2012 gallo estate cab (80 bucks. this had great tannins- an ager compared to quivet)
3) 2014 occasio reserve cab black label
4) 2014 steven kent smith ranch cab
5) continuum barrel sample — 8 years ago
Martin Ranch Winery
Thérèse Vineyards Dos Niñas Vineyard Sangiovese 2012
Lovely bright gorgeous fruit and barrel goodness. — 8 years ago
Ledge
Adams Ranch Vineyard Syrah 2012
White pepper, a little bit of funky barrel notes and plenty of complexity. — 9 years ago
Scholium Project
The Courier Shake Ridge Ranch Syrah Grenache 2010
Tasted this wine in the barrel when we visited Scholium in 2011. This wine was exposed to oak barrels for 32 months and also three hours of Abe playing "Pussy Galore" by The Roots (his iPad was set to repeat one track for the duration of the tasting). — 9 years ago
Kellin
Elegant doesn’t even begin to describe this single vineyard Pinot. Barrel notes shine through dark red fruit, substantial minerality, and balanced acidity. Gorgeous wine. — 7 years ago