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….

Cherry nose.  Iodine, plum and cigar box on the initial. Nice gentle tannins introduce themselves on the midpalate alongside bramble.  The plums are really juicy in this wine.  The finish gives me prune, black cherries and tobacco.  Really tasty and easy to drink.  Till 2024.  89 points and 3 stars for this $14 wine.  Salut….

The third wine in my Cali tasting adventure, and one that I returned to the store to re-try.  It was that good.

Rich, brooding purple in the glass.  Thick plum jam and spicy oak open up the nose.  On the palate it is unctuous and full of blackberry reduction, vanilla, espresso and violet.  Svelte tannins steer this wine to the delightful finish that is surprisingly short.  90 points. After a second try- 91 points.  The nose is simply amazing.  This is quintiscential Napa Cabernet, basking in the sun, ripening to perfection and then crafted into such a delectable drop.  $65 makes it a pricy bottle, until you factor in the Napa appellation and quality.  4 stars and I would drink it alone.  No pairing needed.  Drink now till 2025.  Salut….

The last time I tasted the 2009 Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon was in 2014.  This bottle was cellared until now.  I’m doing up a Tri-Tip roast on the grill to accompany it alongside some sautéed asparagus and heirloom tomatoes.

It shows a very dark, brooding purple in the glass, which is what I expect from a powerhouse Napa Cabernet.  The nose is lush, plummy, full of fruit and a touch of oak.  After another swirl I also get blackberry in waves.  On the palate this wine is absolutely amazing.  Layers of black and blue fruit, finely grained tannins and a balance so precise between the acidity and dryness.  Ripe plums, sweet blackberries and vanilla bean are very concentrated.  Great extraction of fruit without overdoing it. I just read the label, 85% Cab Sav, 9% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Franc and a dash of Petit Verdot- which makes this a classical old-school Bordeaux blend.  Malbec being the  kicker, they don’t use it much these days over there.

The mid palate of this wine exhibits plum pie, black olive and some coffee bean.  The tannins start to reveal a slight astringency, but I am still digging it.  The finish is medium in length with more of that coffee thing I caught earlier.  Meat is what this wine begs for.  Roast it, grill it, braise it….  92 points from me for this $60 beauty.  4 stars.  Drink now till 2025.  Salut….