Displaying 126 - 150 of 14097
Score
Siduri
2016 Rosella's Vineyard Pinot Noir
99 Points Rebecca Murphy, Wine Review Online

Adam Lee and his fiancé, now his wife, Dianne Novy Lee, met when they were both working in Dallas at Neiman Marcus. Adam was the wine buyer and he says that position opened his eyes to the world of wine. They both had a thing for wine…and for one another…so they pooled their resources and moved to California to make wine in 1993. Today, they make Pinots from the West Coast’s best cool climate appellations. The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA (American Viticultural Area) is located in Monterey County, and is cooled by the Pacific especially in the summer when fog rolls in every evening. While the aromas are of red fruits like cherries, strawberries and raspberries, in the mouth the fruit flavors are darker fruits like plum and blackberries. Zesty acidity lifts the fruit and the finish shows off the wines polished tannins. Your Thanksgiving guests will love this wine for its ability to pair with the different traditional dishes on your table. Be sure to have an extra bottle for you to go with the next day leftovers.

Brewer-Clifton
2013 3D Chardonnay
99 Points Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

Central Coast: The 2017s and 2018s Pure magic in a bottle, the 2013 Chardonnay 3D is one of the finest Chardonnays I’ve tasted from Santa Barbara County! Stunning notes of caramelized lemons, salty minerality, orchard fruits, and white flowers all emerge from the glass. With full-bodied richness, perfect balance, and a huge finish, it’s certainly in a sweet spot today yet promises to continue evolving for another 10-15 years or more. Hats off to winemaker Greg Brewer for this incredible effort.

Cardinale
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
99 Points Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

North Coast Part 1: Napa Valley’s Incredible 2016s Just about as close to perfection as a wine can get, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon from winemaker Chris Carpenter comes mostly from mountain vineyards and is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot. This full-bodied, rounded, thrillingly textured beauty boasts a saturated purple color as well as a huge nose of crème de cassis, new saddle leather, barbecue smoke, and scorched earth. It has perfect integration of its fruit, tannins, acidity, and oak, carries remarkable power and intensity, yet still glides over the palate with no heaviness or sensation of weight. It’s going to be a legendary Napa Valley Cabernet and will have 3 decades or more of longevity.

Anakota
2005 Helena Montana Cabernet Sauvignon
99 Points Robert M. Parker Jr., Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana is fabulous. Notes of charcoal, graphite, blackberry and blueberry fruit, along with white flowers and crushed rock are all present in this fabulous, full-bodied, beautifully textured and expansive wine. It seems to have come into its plateau of full maturity, where it should last at least another two decades. I don't ever remember being this impressed with this particular cuvée, but it knocked me out at age ten.

Vérité
2016 Le Désir
99 Points Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker Wine Advocate

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages Composed of 82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot and 6% Malbec, the very deep purple-black colored 2016 Le Désir is a little closed to begin, opening out to reveal absolutely stunning scents of potpourri, roses and orange peel over a core of crushed blackcurrants, black cherries and dark chocolate with touches of cinnamon stick and cloves plus a waft of forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is exquisitely delicate and refined, with super ripe, fine-grained tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing with epic persistence.

Vérité
2015 Le Désir
99 Points Yohan Castaing, Decanter

This has a light touch of toasty oak on the nose and perfectly integrated albeit perceptible tannins on the palate at this stage, a bit like a smooth-textured corset for the dense, focussed and sweet-textured fruit. Despite its youthful intensity, this gorgeous wine impresses with its freshness and subtlety. 64% Cabernet Franc, 27% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec.

Vérité
2014 Le Désir
99 Points Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

A blend of 53% Cabernet Franc, 21% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Malbec, the 2014 Le Desir is monumental stuff that has a Château Ausone-like character that’s hard to describe. its vibrant purple color is followed by a to-die-for bouquet of blackcurrants, black raspberries, cedar, tobacco leaf, and charcoal. This gives way to a concentrated, rich, yet incredibly delineated wine that has fine, fine tannin, notable freshness and purity, and a great finish. While blockbuster stuff, it’s for consumers with cold cellars and lots of patience. I’d hide bottles for 7-8 years and it’s going to keep for another 3+ decades.

Vérité
2013 Le Désir
99 Points Robert M. Parker Jr., Robert Parker Wine Advocate 99

The 2013 Le Desir represents 2,500 cases. This is the softest of the three wines in 2013, and this blend of 61% Cabernet Franc, 23% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec emerges with more than half of the cuvée coming from Hillsides in Alexander Valley, 37% from Chalk Hill and the rest tiny dollops from Bennett Valley and Knights Valley. Opaque purple, like its siblings, the wine is showing incredible floral, blueberry and espresso notes, exotic Asian spices, velvety texture, a supple, multilayered mouthfeel and incredible finish, with incense and licorice. This is magnificent young wine, with a good 40-50 years of upside potential. Pierre Seillan is justifiably proud of what he has achieved, and his first vintage of Vérité was only 1998, but they go from strength to strength.

Vérité
2007 La Muse
99 Points Robert M. Parker Jr., Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2007's appear to be the greatest wines Vérité has yet produced under the leadership of Jess Jackson and his winemaking guru, Bordelais Pierre Seillan. These extraordinary wines, built for the long term (much like top Bordeaux), are fashioned from some of the finest fruit sources Jess Jackson cuvées from the beginning, and have followed their aging process (which is glacially slow). The Right Bank of Pomerol-styled 2007 La Muse is a blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec. Sensational aromas of espresso roast, black cherries, black currants, licorice, toast, and spice box emerge from this inky/purple-colored 2007. In the mouth, hints of chocolate, crème de cassis, kirsch, charcoal, and a touch of new oak are found in this full-bodied, opulent, yet structured wine. While it is the most showy and precocious of the three 2007s, it needs 3-5 years of cellaring, and should evolve for three decades or more. There are just over 1,460 cases of La Muse.

Vérité
2007 La Muse
99 Points Yohan Castaing, Decanter

A blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec, this has spent 16 months in new oak barrels. It's full-bodied yet finesse-driven, with spicy, fleshy black fruits including some black cherry. It has concentration, length and elegance, with remarkable freshness and an enticing bitter almond edge. This merits a near-perfect score for its harmonious whole, combining impressive structure, velvety tannins and a savoury density. Patience will be required, as it may take up to 20 years to express its full potential.

Vérité
2005 Le Désir
99 Points Robert M. Parker Jr., Robert Parker Wine Advocate

This blend of 87% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec (the highest percentage of Merlot ever used for Le Desir) reveals notes of truffles, mocha, wild mountain berry fruit, crushed rock and coffee. Fabulous fruit, tremendous viscosity and opulence and a full-bodied, voluptuous texture result in a wine that is hard to resist even though it remains an adolescent in terms of development. It should provide pleasure over the next 15+ years.

Vérité
2005 La Muse
99 Points Yohan Castaing, Decanter

This blend of 88% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec spent 18 months in new oak. Its fragrant, floral aromas mingle with the characteristically subtle spice notes. The palate is full-bodied with a marked yet mellow tannic structure, followed by an appealing note of gastronomic bitterness on the finish. This wine stands out for its floral character. It needs another 10 years of ageing but will retain excellent age-worthiness.

Vérité
2003 Le Désir
99 Points Robert M. Parker Jr., Robert Parker Wine Advocate

My favorite of this trio is the 2003 Le Desir, a Sonoma County St.-Emilion look-alike made from 41% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec (14.3% alcohol). Hints of graphite, mulberries, black cherries, black currants, licorice, dusty loamy soil, truffles and spice emerge from this strikingly fragrant, complex 2003. Full-bodied with formidable intensity, sweet tannin and a long, layered finish that lasts for nearly 50 seconds, this is a tour de force and a compelling 2003. Accessible now, it should continue to drink well for two decades. Bravo!

Vérité
2002 La Muse
99 Points Robert M. Parker Jr., Robert Parker Wine Advocate

This 93% Merlot / 7% Cabernet Franc blend (92% from the Alexander Mountain Estate, 6% from Bennett Valley and 2% from Knight's Valley) is a kissing cousin of the 2001, only softer and more flamboyant. Classically Californian in its exuberant, flamboyant, super-rich, unctuously textured style, the tannins are softer than in the 2001, but the wine unquestionably has the potential to last for another quarter of a century. It exhibits an opaque plum/purple color along with abundant notes of cassis, licorice, graphite, coffee cake and spice box. More approachable than the 2001, the 2002 will offer phenomenal drinking over the next 25 years.

Vérité
2015 La Joie
99 Points Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker Wine Advocate

A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2015 La Joie features a very deep purple-black color and almost electric nose of crushed blackcurrants, ripe black cherries and mulberries with sparks of raspberry pie, wild blueberries, unsmoked cigars, charcuterie and crushed stones. Medium to full-bodied and charged with the most amazing energy, the youthful, vibrant black-fruited palate is framed by very firm, very finely grained tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing with lingering crushed stones and earth layers.

Vérité
2013 La Joie
99 Points James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

The Surprise of 2015 in Napa and Other California Wine Reviewed Sensational aromas of blackberries, blueberries, violets and wet earth. Tar undertones. Full body, chewy yet polished tannins and a long, flavorful finish. A neoclassical wine with a great future. A majority of cabernet sauvignon in this Bordeaux blend. Needs two or three years to soften still.

Vérité
2008 La Joie
99 Points Robert M. Parker Jr., Robert Parker Wine Advocate

How much fun collectors will have comparing the 2007 and 2008 La Joies over the next three decades. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec (48% from Alexander Valley Mountain Estate, 34% from Chalk Hill and 18% from Knight's Valley), the 2008 has similar technical numbers to the 2007 (a pH of 3.68 and 14.4% alcohol). Wonderful notes of roasted herbs, asphalt, black truffles, blackberries, cassis, camphor and subtle oak are present in the majestic aromatics. In the mouth, the wine is extraordinarily concentrated, pure and dense with amazing length. It is another 30-40 year wine that confirms the confidence the late Jess Jackson had in both his vineyard sources and his winemaker, Pierre Seillan.

Vérité
2004 La Joie
99 Points Robert M. Parker Jr., Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Another great showing for a wine from this vintage, the 2004 La Joie is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The majority of the fruit came from the Alexander Mountain Estate, followed by Knight's Valley, Bennett Valley and Chalk Hill. Full-bodied, powerful and concentrated, it is richer than either the 2003 and 2001, and comes closer to the 2002's personality. Sweet notes of caramels, espresso roast, forest floor, camphor, plums, chocolate and blackberries emerge from this full-bodied, unctuously textured, chewy, fleshy 2004. It requires another 3-5 years of bottle age and should keep for three decades or more.

Stonestreet
2007 Rockfall Cabernet Sauvignon
99 Points Steve Heimoff, Wine Enthusiast Magazine 99 points. Number 2 on the Top 100 Cellar Selections list.

Wine reviewed in May (see previous entry).

Stonestreet
2007 Rockfall Cabernet Sauvignon
99 Points Steve Heimoff, Wine Enthusiast Magazine 99 Points - Cellar Selection

This is Cabernet Sauvignon lifted to greatness, an impeccable statement concerning this region of the high Mayacamas Mountains on the Sonoma side that, by law, is forced to bear a valley appellation. The wine is awesome, vast and complex, fascinating in every aspect, yet locked down in tough tannins that exaggerate the acidity, making the wine functionally undrinkable. It is a beautiful, classic Cabernet, very near perfect, and certainly one of the successes of the vintage. Don't even think of drinking it before 2014, and it should evolve in the bottle for a good 10 years after that.

Lokoya
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain
99 Points Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

North Coast Part 1: Napa Valley’s Incredible 2016s Also borderline perfection, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District offers more conifer and pine forest notes as well as vivid blueberry fruits, a full-bodied, intense, layered mouthfeel, thrilling elegance, and a big finish. My note on this one was sprinkled with a few expletives and this wine has everything you could want from Cabernet Sauvignon. As with the other 2016s from Chris, 2-4 years of bottle age are recommended.

Lokoya
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain
99 Points James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

Napa 2016 Vintage: 5 Consecutive Years of Fantastic Wines This is an extraordinary wine with blackberries, blackcurrants and minerals. Full body and powerful tannins that melt into the fruit. I am in awe here.

Lokoya
2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
99 Points Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

From a site Chris calls their closest to Bordeaux, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain flirts with perfection and tastes like the essence of this cooler mountain terroir. Blueberries, cassis, plums, menthol, and violet notes all emerge from this full-bodied, elegant, yet incredibly sexy, seamless 2015 that has fine, fine tannin, and a finish that won’t quit. With both mouthfilling power and richness as well as elegance and finesse, it’s an incredible wine that could come from nowhere else. Drink it anytime over the coming 2-3 decades.

Lokoya
2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder
99 Points Robert M. Parker Jr., Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Usually my favorite in many vintages, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder is the most backward of the 2014s and actually seems to require 4-5 years of bottle age. The wine has the telltale signs of Mt. Veeder – blackberry and blueberry fruit infused with considerable floral nuances. This wine has all that, then hits the palate with a cascade of glycerin, fruit extraction, and layers of blackberry and blueberry fruit. It is full-bodied and opulent, but finishes with some structure and ripe tannin. This is a magnificent wine – full-throttle, extremely pure, and incredibly well-balanced. Give it 5-6 years of bottle age and drink it over the following three decades.

Lokoya
2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
99 Points Robert M. Parker Jr., Robert Parker Wine Advocate

From the micro-terroir of the W. S. Keyes Vineyard on Howell Mountain, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is pushing perfection. Its incredibly opaque color is followed by notes of lead pencil shavings, mulberry, blackberry and dark raspberry fruit, some background oak and minerality, and profound richness in a full-bodied, multi-dimensional style. It is gorgeously ripe, and sexy already, with a lush and voluptuous texture. Drink it over the next 25+ years.