Dark purple in the glass with nice legs belaying the 14.7% alcohol.  On the nose it bursts with notes of blackberry, caramel (yes, caramel) and cola.  On the palate it is quite refreshing, lighter than expected but still chock full of flavor- typical Napa Cab.  Blackberry pie meets Dr. Pepper and a stave of oak.  The mid palate is really lush with layers of fruit, ripe tannins, charcoal and tar.  The tannins creep up and are balanced nicely on the finish with a touch of acidity.  The black fruit theme continues as does the cola note.  Very nice and balanced- this wine drinks nicely now and will go till 2023.  90 points from me, 91 from the pros. It retails for $80, making it a 4 star wine for me. I would pair with Filet, perhaps a well seasoned Cornish hen or even braised Beef rib. Salut….

Super purple in the glass, inky and opaque AF.  On the nose I get black currants, smoky oak, vanilla and a touch of cassis.  On the palate it’s fresh, young and layered.  Black fruits galore with a hint of licorice.  The fruit is sweet yet the wine is dry- like ripe and sun drenched.  The tannins creep in very slowly and I start to pucker at the mid palate and am fully aware of their presence by the finish.  They are really well integrated and fine grained.  Gobs more black fruit, a hint of eucalyptus and some oak round this wine out.  The finish is long and dry.  Delightfully rich, decadent even- this wine has a really nice mouthfeel and is brimming with Napa charm.  92 points from me and at $140 it’s a 4 star gem.  Drink till 2030 with grilled meat, rich cheeses. A super yummy wine. Salut….

This Napa Cab pours a rich deep purple in the glass and is totally opaque.  On the nose it’s all Cali sunshine- rich blackberry, plum jam, figs and vanilla.  On the plate it lives up to its billing.  Rich fruits, cassis, ripe tannins and a touch of acidity.  The mouthfeel on this one is stupendous.  I am enjoying swirling the wine but it gets really good on the mid palate where espresso adds another angle as does plum jam.  The finish is somewhat drier yet still reserves the spotlight for the primal fruits.  It has good structure, if not somewhat muted by the fruit forward style of this gem.  It will age well and hopefully develop some tertiary flavors.  This could be a monster folks.  94 points from me.  It’s pricy at a list of $135, but I found it elsewhere for less.   I’m pairing this 5 star wine with Char-grilled Ribeyes.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

I tasted this wine when it was much younger.  It was appealing then and more so now.  Very rich purple, semi opaque. The nose is very fruity with blackberry jam, blackcurrants, toasted oak.  The palate is really delightful with warm blackberry ganache, coconut, eucalyptus and iodine.  On the midpalate I start to sense some tannic buzz, nothing overpowering.  Gobs more black fruit reduction and a charcoal note.  The finish marries up some acidity, just a touch to complete the mouthfeel and balance this very fruit-forward Napa Cab.  93 points and 5 stars for this $48 bottle.  Drink till 2029.  Salut….

Quite dark and brooding in the glass, nice legs.  On the nose it shows bright fruit notes of blackberry, plum jam and vanilla.  The palate starts of with a gob full of tannins, which part ways to reveal Ribera, singed plum and some eucalyptus leaf.  The mid palette continues that dark fruit motif but is very channeled by the searing tannins.  Young.  Very young.  The fruit is really masked by the big underlying structure of this wine.  I’m going to run some through the Vinturi before I proceed.

Nope- that monster is still lurking.  I’ll need to let this bottle breathe overnight to see if it softens.  For now- 91 points but don’t touch it till 2023.  Drink till 2030.

Day two- much softer but those tannins are still formidable.  Blackberry jam, espresso and a touch of oak are the main players today.  I’m sticking with 91 points and the drinking window I mentioned.  $29, 4 stars and a pretty good deal on Napa Cab IMHO.  Salut….

Bright shade of purple and nearly opaque.  The nose is delightful- some plums, charcoal, espresso and black cherry.  The palate is creamy, sweet with plum reduction and mouthwatering with beautiful acidity and lithe tannins.  There is a silkiness to this wine that’s just amazing.  The acidity scorches my mid palate but gets held in check by the fine grained tannins.  Nice black and blue fruits carry me to the decent length finish that introduces oak and coconut to the mix.  Delicious wine that I’m serving up with Osso Bucco and roasted Brussels Sprouts in garlic butter and capers.  Drink now if you like them with bite or cellar this beauty and enjoy till 2030.  93 points and 5 stars for this $80 treat.  Salut….

Bright purple with nice legs in the glass.  Sweet blackberries on the nose with a vanilla bean twist.  On the palate it is crisp, dry and delicious. Black cherry jam with blackberries topped with some espresso beans.  The mid is more blueberries and plum, the tannins smoothing out.  The finish has black fruits, tea, olive and a good whack of tannic grip.  There’s a lot going on here folks, very intricate.  92 points and 4 stars for this $48 Napa beauty.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….