It’s Sunday Roast and I’m cooking a rather lean cut of meat today- Eye of Round.  It needs a fruit driven, medium tannin wine to complement the texture and lack of fat in the meat.  I would normally depend on an aged Bordeaux for this type of meal but today it’s a younger Napa Cab.

Inky purple in the glass the thin legs don’t hint at the whopping 15.6% ABV.  Wow.  The nose is exactly what I was hoping for- deep rich black fruit, oak nuance, steely minerality.  I get aromas of blackberry coulis, blackcurrant cassis, sweet coconut, baking spices and mint.  The palate is loaded with ripe fruit, medium tannins (perfect for my beef choice), juicy acidity, full body and a long finish.  The black fruit, oak influence and varietal hint (mint) are all present alongside some charred wood and a gritty graphite streak.  The mineral note hits on the mid palate.  This wine is still young and will drink beautifully for many years, maturing along the way and hopefully developing tertiary notes.  I would hold on to some till 2027 at the least and pair with steaks, roasts or a tray full of cold cuts and cheese.  This complex and layered wine gets 94 points from me and for the princely sum of one C-note you too can drink this 5-star elixir.  Salut….

Bright purple in color and fully opaque.  On the nose I get lush blackberry, iodine, tar and currants.  The initial palate is very round and mouthfilling.  Black currants, fresh tannins and violets. The mid palate is quite dry with more black fruits, oolong tea, tar and mocha.  The finish is quite tannic and long.  Ribena, black berries and tea take center stage.  There’s a smokiness from the oak that hits rights at the end as well as some Sasafrass.  A really delicious, medium weight Napa Cab. 91 points and 4 stars for this $118 dazzler.  Drink till 2028 with some grilled meat.  Salut….

The nose is all-singing and dancing Napa Cab.  You can smell the sunshine.  Wow….. Ripe, lush blackberries.  Vanilla, coconut and several other oaky traits are evident without being obnoxious.  On the palate there’s a ton of vanilla alongside black fruits, jammy currants and a dose of the wood.  The mid palate is very smooth, full bodied.  Juicy and jammy with gobs of black fruit, lithe tannins and some deft oak.  The finish is very smooth, loaded with those wood nuances and providing me with a beautiful mouthfeel.  93 points.  For $100 it’s quite pricy, but then again Napa Cabs are not cheap.  5 stars.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….

Very dark purple and opaque AF.  The nose is vibrant with black currant, berries and coconut.  The palate is rich and fruit-forward with gobs of black fruit, lapsang souchong tea, a touch of licorice and some juicy acidity.  Tannins start to appear on the mid palate and they caress the mouth to a nice full finish of more black fruits, spice box and a touch of leather.  It’s a really nice mouthfeel, lasting a good 30-40 seconds.  I’m digging this wine and have some lamb tenderloins I will grill up to pair.  Drink till 2028. 91 points and 4 stars for this $58 offering.  Salut….

This is the third tasting of the Tapestry over an eight year period.  The cork broke in half which gave cause for concern, the bottom part showing off a deep stain, nearly black.  That normally bodes well for me, except the failed cork part.

The wine still has a lovely purple hue with a touch of orange bricking.  The nose gives off tons of leather, tobacco, some red currants and black cherry.  The palate is focused and concentrated.  Tertiary flavors are forefront- earthiness, that parched tobacco and leather …  black fruits appear after a while but it’s not a seamless transition.  The wine has very integrated tannins and a nice streak of acidity.  It’s holding up well for 13 years old, but I would drink by 2027.  It has evolved well and will continue to soften, shedding the fruit along the way.  It’s a nice Napa Cab that gets 90 points from me and can be found for $55.  4 stars.  Salut….

Very dark purple in the glass with feint legs, interesting as it boasts 14.5% alcohol.  The nose is rich with cassis, plum extract, oak and tea.  The initial palate starts off jammy, full bodied and tannic.  The dark fruit is very unctuous and the flavors just keep coating my mouth.  The mid palate shows off a nice acidic bite alongside more cassis and leather.  The finish turns a touch blue, berries and oak come to mind.  This is a really delicious yet still young Napa Cab that shows off the Cali sun in a nice, full bodied package.  92 points and 4 stars for this $75 beauty.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Bright purple- almost sparkly in the glass.   The nose is full-on Napa cab.  Rich plums, blackberries and cedar.  The palate mirrors- and it’s super smooth with a gentle ramp up of tannins.  The mid palate continues the dark fruit theme but this is where the black tea, crunchy tannins and Maduro leaf appear.  The finish is very dry, long and filled with blackberry jam, more tea and a touch of oak.  Delicious and worth 91 points in my book.  The only thing holding it back is the slight greenness of the tannins.  I’m serving up Sunday roast with this beauty.  4 stars for this $40 Cabernet that can be cellared or drunk till 2028.  Salut….