Tag Archives: napa valley

Turley Napa Valley Petite Syrah 2016, Napa Valley, California

26 Saturday Jan 2019

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Nearly black in the glass.  Blackcurrant and smoky wood on the nose.   On the palate it offers black cherry, dark currants, superb tannins and olives.  The midpalate gets a dose of dryness from the tannins to go with more dark berries.  The finish is blackberry coulis, tea and a touch of wood.  Overall a very good but young wine that needs two to three years in the cellar.  After that- drink till 2028 with heavy duty meat dishes.  91 points for now.  I would love to revisit in 3 years.  $55 makes this a 4 star effort.  Salut….

Eagles Trace Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Napa Valley, USA

08 Saturday Dec 2018

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I have previously had the Eagle’s Trace Cabernet, in Magnum.  Dark purple with a touch of brick.  On the nose it has a bit of funk- hoping it blows off. Black cherry, cola, eucalyptus hit me after a hard swirl.  On the palate it shows red fruits- a rich acidity and fine grained tannins.  Raspberry, cherries jubilee and an oak influence all hit.  The mid palate gets me back to cola.  Sassafras appears on the tail end where the tannins start to grip and the mouthfeel turns astringent.  Enjoyable if you like a dry finish.  89 points and not a bad choice for Thanksgiving that included a smoked turkey as well as a deep fried one.  It did not hold up as well as I had hoped.  For $55 it gets 2 stars from me.  Salut….

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Hall Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Napa Valley, USA

26 Sunday Aug 2018

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Just looking at it I see a brooding monster.  It is nearly black, fully opaque and taunting me. The nose is – wow.  

Black cherry, plum jam, black currant and sassafras.  The initial palate is thick with dark fruit compote, plum ganache, luscious oak and tannins that are en pointe.  Plums really come out on the mid palate alongside a cedar shake note.  The tannins start to grip and by the time I get to the finish they have me licking my gums.  The dryness lingers forever and my teeth feel gritty- I’m loving it.  This is a delightful sensation in the wine appreciation sense.

The finish, dry as hell, also features a mint meets eucalyptus oil note which I find intriguing.  This is a delicious, structured wine that will cellar for the mid term but is drinkable now if you like some bite.  91 points and 4 stars for this $60 effort.  If you like sunny Napa fruit and bold Cabs, this one is for you.  Serve with a juicy steak or a roasted leg of Lamb.  Salut….

Ceja Vineyards Pinot Noir 2012, Carneros, USA

24 Saturday Jun 2017

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Reddish purple but nearly see through in the glass.  The nose is of strawberry and rhubarb.  On the palate it is strawberry pie meets cherry with a noticeable up front acidity.  The mid palate is where it’s at with this wine- much rounder mouthfeel with flavors of red berries, more rhubarb and some tannins that are ever so gently caressing my gums.  The finish is really smooth, long and reminiscent of more strawberry notes.  Roasted chicken with garlic comes to mind.  89 points and 3 stars for this $56 effort.  Salut….

ceja pinot noir