Mark Flesher

9.3

Waited to get home to try this one. The last bottle was corked. This bottle, not nearly so much!After the last bottle was corked, this bottle was opened the next night. Poured a light straw color. Nose of lemon and herbed buttered popcorn. The entry was acidic and dominated by lemon and Asian pear. Middle of this wine is where the buttered popcorn and kernel notes kicked in. The wine finishes rather acidic, but with good weight and density. I still think this one has quite a few years left in it. The next one to drink is the last 2013 for sure. Drink or hold this one another 3 to 5 years. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.2

Nice SB from Rutherford. Perfect pair to a lighter pork fare. Nose of lemon. Palate is lemongrass, granny smith apple, nice acidity and nice length. Minerality on the finish. Can't really ask for more. Best part? 28 bucks for a SB that would go toe to toe with SB'S at twice the price! — 7 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.3

Not much age between the Napa wines in the 15-wine lineup tonight. An 06 Bucella, a 74 BV Georges Latour, a 95 Seavey, a 2011 Wm. Harrison, and this one. This one won the "youthful ager" award of the night. Decanted in a swan-neck decanter, this wine had immense fruit forward notes and spice. Edges had rounded nicely. This wine was dark, full bodied, dense, and tasted like a 2010 or 2012. Excellent wine. The finish was still a bit tannic although an hour in the decanter really did help to elongate the finish. With the way this one was drinking tonight, this one has probably 10-20 years ahead of it. Drink or hold! — 7 years ago

schmidt

9.0

Luscious cherry with hints of cedar and fresh picked, wet tobacco. Smooth, clean, and light/medium-body. Carneros AVA. — 8 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.2

LOCKED. UP. Tasted three 14 Cabs over 3 nights: 1 from Montagu, 1 from William Harrison and this one. Out of all 3, this one is the most tannic. The most restricted. And the one with perhaps the most potential. Opened with a great red berry nose, herbal. Middle is black cherry, olive, medium to full bodied. After 2 hours, showing more in the front. Will be more integrated in 2020. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

I thought long and hard about what I wanted to say about this wine. But...here goes. This has to be one of the worst QPR wines I've ever had, but I'm also taking into account how young this wine is. I have to remember that I'm rating the WINE here, but the price tag and hype just can't help but to get in the way. Drank over 6 days. Poured initially from Coravin and let sit for about an hour. I will tell you that I was excited initially, as the nose of this wine overpowered the grass fed beef burgers that were just cooked about 2 feet away from where the wine was being poured. DENSE blackberry and vanilla rolling out of the glass. The entry of this wine is silky, but also has that gritty Napa youthfulness. POWER. Fruit forward monster, ripe blackberry, graphite, mineral and spice rich middle with cherry blossom and finish with a very deep, dark core of blackberry, black pepper spice. The finish is where chocolate covered blackberries and minty notes come out, but the wine was still rather tannic. Developed a bit more after I uncorked it at the end of the week. I blind tasted my wife on this one who guessed that it was a '13 William Harrison cab (vineyard is only 2 miles away as the crow flies, maybe, although Hall's is elevated 750 feet). That cab is $50. This one still has a **LOT** of integrating to do which I am taking into consideration which is why the other bottle is locked up tight, and this one just might not have been on its A-game. — 6 years ago

Leo Bonifacic

10

Amazing, full body, nice tannins — 10 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.3

Umm... yeah..... so the last one of these I had didn't seem to be THIS good. I'd incite a riot if I gave this one what I really wanted to give. What a massive bouquet and palate of strawberry puree, crushed rock, pomegranate. Not too acidic. Rather full and viscous for a Rose.....aaaaand it's my last as well. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.5

This wine is in a GOOD spot right now. CT Average of about 93, and I'd say that this is about right. 93-95 as this one still has probably 7-8 years before it is pop and pour. Acidic at the opening, but the patience (which we didn't have) would have served us well. Cabernet power from the front. Blackberry preserves, hint of mint, white pepper, hint of clove, middle that goes a little bit herbal, but still very considerable black fruit. Finishes strong, with pepper, spice. I know the last 750 I have is in danger, and hopefully I can also lay off the mag for at least a couple of years. — 6 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. — 7 years ago

Noah Hart

9.5

Drinking well. Dark fruit, tannins softening. Long dusty finish — 8 years ago